Now getting closer he could see several turrets with their gun tubes following the Destroyers while only firing occasionally with the beam not even coming close to the targets. Shaking his head baffled. "Pan have you got contact with the slaves yet now that we are in line of sight?"
"I am sorry again Captain. I cannot get an answer from anyone aboard the ship. I do not even detect a signal from the ships emergency transmitter. I am trying to access the ships systems now but I am having trouble locking onto anything."
"What? Are you being jammed? What is the problem?"
"No Jamming Captain. I get jabbering and strange noises on the communications channels for the God troops and an echoing of something on my counterpart's Comm but nothing understandable." Pan bowed to Jack's back. "Please Captain, I have failed you. Take my head as payment for my stupidity and failures."
"Oh Criste all mighty... Stop that Pan. I am not going to take you damn head. You are trying the best you can. Now stop that shit before I do take your head just to keep you from giving me anymore of that crap." Frowning. "Just keep trying and tell me if you get someone or figure out what all the noises are. Can you access the ships internal cameras? At least that would tell us something."
"Sorry again Captain but the ships central Comm systems are down. I am only picking up the individual signals from personal Comms. It is as if the Officer and Bridge decks have been destroyed. If my Female off spring was here, she could possible break into the personal Comms and turn their videos on, showing what was going on around the decks. She can do many strange things with her comm."
"Ok where and when have I heard that one before?" Smiling exasperatedly Jack shook his head.
Jack took a deep breath and lined up on their drop point on the side of the ship. One of many gaping holes from the destroyer crews targeting several torpedoes onto the same spot on the hull to finally penetrate the hull. It was half way down the hibernation decks near several rings of active turrets and in a large gundeck compartment offering them plenty of protection and defensive points with hibernation decks above and below them.
Though Jack had originally hoped that the decks below the hole he had picked were slave decks and not the Hibernation decks he now knew they were.
Their job was to neutralize the turrets on those decks before moving on to consolidate a defensive perimeter on that gun deck with the 4 other Transports in his assault section. While 4 other transports took the boat locks below in the slave section searching for survivors and the last 4 took the boat and fighter launch deck just below the armored shield decks. The last thing they needed was the Gods and their Apes getting away on any boats left up there or God forbid, started launching fighters. But then the Gods did not seem to even contemplate using fighters in open space against other ships. Jack just could not understand it. Even though Pan had assured him several times that he did not have to worry about fighters as long as they were not near any planets.
As soon as they took out the active gun turrets the Destroyers would come down and add what support they could. Mainly (as far as Jack was concerned) was to stick their noses up on the huge open God fighter and assault boat deck to support the troops landing up there and keep any fighters or currier ships from launching. The troops had orders to set up defenses and let the Apes come to them. Jack was thanking himself for insisting that they stay put on the main flight deck and defend with the massive amounts of firepower the Assault Transports and the DD’s could give them instead of attacking until they knew exactly what they were up against.
While the plan called for Jack’s troops taking the gun deck once the turrets were neutralized and then moving up clearing the Lizard Ape hibernation decks before they could thaw out and be a problem since the Battleships usually did not start thawing out Black Ape’s until the ship was actually assaulted. That is if they had not already been thawed out leaving 10,000+ enemy Apes ready to kill intruders. Now that he knew they had hibernation decks both up and down from the gun deck, Jack was prepared to abandon the deck if they ran into any substantial opposition, (better to consolidate their forces to take on massive Black Ape attacks) or to assist which ever company ran into trouble it could not handle. But then he was hopping to be as much a decoy as possible making the other companies jobs easier as well if not too many Lizard Apes had been thawed out yet. Though some how he knew that was very unlikely, he still had to give it a try.
One of the big 12 inch gun turrets on the side of the ship started turning toward the Transport as they crossed the last mile. Jack had to catch his breath. They were on final approach to their landing zone and if they could get there in time, they would be under the gun's tracking angle. But it did not look like they were going to make it since he could not maneuver now he was on final approach and only seconds from landing. Jack was just about to throw the stick over to dive for the side of the ship and hope they did not hit the hull too hard. The gun barrel tubes were almost lined up with the transport when they went off. The beams streaked past the transport and out into the cloud. A second later the transport slid into the landing zone hole and came to a stop.
Jack could not believe the idiot had missed them but then he realized what must have happened. The target hit point on most turret guns are usually just a little behind the aiming cross hair reticle of the sights as they turn. Giving the gunner time to get the range and lead right before the barrels lined up with the aim reticle if the target is going fast enough. This time the gunner had hit the trigger as soon as the targeting reticle was on the transport without waiting for the guns to catch up and lead the target. A stupid mistake by most beginning gunners without much training. Something he did not expect from a superbly trained (on pain of death if failing) Spider Battleship gunner. But then the turret fire he had seen so far was just as bad. Again something piqued the back of his brain but he was now too busy to more than notice.
Jack watched the cool bodies of the Red Apes and the hot bodies of the marines rush from the transport hatches. Flooding through the decks and within a few seconds were at the first of the turrets. "Ensign, stay here and be ready to move the transport if we need it elsewhere. Or have to leave in a hurry." Grabbing his own Ape assault gun Jack raced down to the Assault shuttle’s lock and out of the hatch and through the ship, dropping his coal black visor allowing him to use his energy sight in the bright passageways.
Seeing that one of the passageways leading to the turret that had almost killed them had been blocked from damage to the hull, he turned. Taking a different route than the squad up ahead assigned to take that turret, Jack seeing through the bulkheads and decks quickly figured out how to get past the blockage, informing the squad to follow as he ran.
He raced into the turret feed room and threw himself to one side as he raised his assault gun and stopped. A Black Lizard Ape with only half his armor on was standing in front of the guns main breaker panel with the cupboard door open throwing the main breaker to the gun turrets capacitors on then off, on then off again repeatedly. The crazed looking Ape watching the bright flash of the contacts spark each time it through the switch. The clouds of ozone was heavy in the air. Hysterical laughter came from the big Black Ape. Then after he opened the breaker again with a bright long spark and laughed hysterically, Jack noticed that the Apes head was glowing bright from a much higher temperature than their normal cool body temperature as he pulled the trigger deliberately missing the armor and blowing the Black Ape's insides across that side of the compartment.
Jack heard something from the hatch up into the main gun turret basket as the turret turned and then stopped, then turned again. Climbing carefully up through the turntable deck hatch, he looked around searching the turret as another hysterical scream coming down from above him. Jack followed the sound to the gunners chair up at the top between the twin barrels. The turret slew around as the barrels raised up to follow something and then Jack heard. “Bang! Bang!” Come from the Ape as he shook his hand at whatever he had yelled bang, bang at. Then yelle
d what Jack from his few language lessons thought sounded like "Got you God Fucker!" in God speak even though his suits translator had no idea. And the hysterical laughing started again. Studying the big Ape hanging half out of the gunner’s chair, he notice that the Ape's head again was shining bright like a beacon though even the heat from his body remained its normal cool blooded temperature. No, not normal now that he had a few seconds. The body temperature was elevated as well. Almost to the temperature of a worm blooded human. Strange, it was the Lizard Ape’s cool blooded body that allowed them to hibernate in deep cold storage for hundreds of years between battles. So why were these two Apes, suddenly warm blooded?
Something moved in the turntable hatch next to him. Jack jumped to one side bringing down his weapon with his finger on the trigger. But the weapon was on safe and would not fire no matter how hard he pulled the trigger.
"Hold on Captain.” The Red Ape said. "Just me Gutner Dank."
Jack dropped the barrel of his weapon and let out a long breath of air as he realized the suit in the darkness was red. Taking another breath as his heart calmed. "Damn Gutner, I damn near killed you, not to mention giving me a heart attack." Turning around to look back up at the strange acting Black Ape and then back at the normally cool blooded Red Ape of his friend. "What the heck is going on with that idiot? Ohh. And the one down below was playing with the pretty flashes from the main gun’s power breakers with the cabinet door open. What is up?"
Shaking his head as he looked up, Gutner frowned. "The last stages of a Berserker Ape Captain. We lose our minds and then die after only a few weeks or months from the increased metabolism. It makes us... No, them. Faster and smarter for a few weeks then burns out their minds and then their bodies. Many have already died. The rest will follow in a few days, a week or two at most. They are losing the battle for us." Shaking his head. "There is no honor in dying like this." Taking out the 3 foot long micronic blade attached to the side of his suit. "Thank you for honoring the one below in single mortal Combat. The most honorable way to the Gods. Please go below Captain, I will give this one an honorable death while he still has time." He started to climb the ladder to the gunner's chair 3 stories above.
Jack started down and stopped. "Be careful, he can still kill you and I don't…."
The big Red Ape looked down at Jack as he stopped on the ladder, with what Jack had learned was a sad patronizing look for them. Jack shut up and disappeared down the ladder. A few seconds later he felt and heard a heavy thump as a body hit the turn table above. Fighting down the urge to climb back up to see if Gutner was alright, a red leg finally appeared in the hatch and Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Turning, Jack brought up his weapon and fired at the big switch the Black Ape had been entertaining himself with a few minutes before. Blowing the contacts apart. Damage that could be fixed but not easily by a half crazy Black Ape.
Turning to leave Jack suddenly stopped cold as he grabbed the side of the hatch for support. Jack realized what had been bugging him as dread descended across him and raised his wrist comm. "Pan, the Apes went berserk weeks or even months ago. Why have the slaves not detonated the Fusion Cores?"
"Yes Captain, I was just getting reports from the Red Apes all over the ship. Slaves must be alive someplace on the ship. We must get to the Power Cores before the last die."
"I am headed that way now. Ensign, have the section transports ready to leave as soon as we get there." Tapping his Comm again. "Center attack force, Company B, back to the transports now. That is an order. We have to take the Power Core Deck or we are all dead. Move it!" Tapping his Comm again. "Major, big problems. You have to find the surviving slaves and protect them from the Berserker Apes before the Power Cores are detonated. Over." Jack headed down the passageway at a run using his sight to take a short cut to the Assault boat he had arrived in.
"I am with the Southern force. We have set up a perimeter around the boat locks but without the firepower of the Assault Transports we would have been overrun within minutes of arriving. Waves of the Damn Apes are rushing us. They seem to be coming out of every nook and hatch around. The only thing is they are damn stupid, more like animal beasts attacking blindly and easy to kill but there are just so damn many of them. Sorry Captain but we aren’t going anywhere until this onslaught stops. Besides I don't have any idea where anyone could stay alive with these monsters around. Hell, it looked like they were fighting and eating each other when we landed."
"If I remember correctly Major. The most protected decks are below you around the Power Core deck and below. See if you can block them from getting below the boat deck. I am headed for the Power Core deck now as soon as I can get reloaded. Out." Going through a compartment, a Black Ape was sitting on the deck trying to put something like blocks together in front of him as drool ran out of his open mouth. Jack dropped his weapon to his side and continued across the compartment toward the hatch on the other side.
Gutner Dank turned away from following Jack, stepping toward the Black Ape drawing his sword.
"Damn it Gutner, we don't have time for that. It is no threat to anyone right now." Placing the Assault gun over his back to make it easier to open hatches and run.
"I am giving him an honorable death Captain. They all deserve that."
"We will all get dishonorable deaths if we don't get to that power deck and stop them from detonating the damn Cores. You can do that later if we are still alive."
The Red Ape swung his blade cutting off the Black Apes head as he said a few words in Ape speak then turned back to follow Jack.
Jack stepped through the hatch, ran down the passageway and through another open hatch. Half way through he heard a growl as he strode out into the middle of the compartment and slowed his stride in disbelief.
An Ape covered in Red was down the side of the compartment bending over a slave corps tearing out big chunks of meat and eating it with big shakes of his head, throwing blood everywhere around him. All Jack could do was watch as the Big off colored Red Ape looked up to see Jack and then let out an ear splitting scream as he spit out the meat and then jumped over the corps and charged Jack. Fangs and claws growing as large as bayonets.
Jack could only stare at the rushing Off Red Ape for a second before he reached up dragging the assault gun off his back. With the gun halfway off his back he realized he was running out of time. The Big Red Ape was coming much faster than Jack could believe.
With his weapon off his back finely but nowhere close to being ready to use or even aimed at the beast, the Ape was just about to hit him. Jack fell over backwards and raised his legs up just in time to kick out into the chest of the Ape as his back hit the deck. The Ape’s claws raked his suit cutting gouges into the red paint of the armor as Jack let his legs pivot the 300+ pound Ape over him sending him sailing out across the compartment.
The Ape slid across the deck head first and with speed Jack could not believe, turned around with its claws scraping across the deck trying to stop his slide and launch itself back at Jack.
Still laying on the deck where he had fallen he brought up his weapon in panic, Jack fingered the safety and pulled the trigger without even aiming sending the ball of energy into the chest of the Ape as its claws made screeching sounds on the deck trying to get traction.
It fell flat to the deck dead. Jack jerked on the trigger again, sending another bolt into the head of the beast decapitating the body.
"Now that was a Glorious death Captain. You let him get one last attack and claw into you before you killed him. Only a truly wonderfully brave warrior would let a beast do that for a most glorious death. I will tell all the Apes of your generosity to our brothers." Picking Jack up off the deck by his rescue ring on the back of his armor the big Red Ape started for the far hatch as he sat Jack down on his running feet. You are truly a great warrior Captain."
Jack had to run to keep up. "But that was a Red Ape. Is this Berserker thing a disease? How easy is it to catch from the other Apes?"
The Red
Ape stopped in mid stride at the hatch. Looking down at Jack for a second Gutner turned back striding to the dead off colored Red Ape on the deck. Wiping his hand across the armor of the ape, his hand came up red leaving the armor with a black swipe and red streaks. "The coloring is mostly dried blood from an iron blooded species of slaves Captain, it is not catching. It takes massive amounts of drugs and the radiation shock of instant thawing to create these monsters. But that explains why you went to the trouble and risk to give him the extra honor and danger of letting him attack you before killing him." Walking back up to Jack smiling as he slapped his back. "Tell you what Captain, we don't need to tell everyone that part of the story. Keep that just between you and me." Then stepped through the hatch with his weapon ready. "Come on Captain, we still have a ship and crew to save."
Chapter 2; Something horribly nasty this way comes.
Jack walked onto the bridge of the Assault Transport flopping down onto the Command chair. Motioning for the Ensign to remain seated in the pilot's cockpit. "Get the transport ready to launch as soon as the squads are back aboard. Slapping the Comm. "Commodore Fletcher, I need you to bring your destroyers in close to knock out the remaining point defense weapons on the lower part of the ship. I need to relocate to a new landing zone on the Power Core section."
"What is this about the ship getting ready to explode Commander?"
"That is why I am redeploying. To stop them from detonating the Cores when the last of the slaves are killed by the Berserker Apes. That is if A company in the boat locks can't find them and protect them. The shame is the Enemy Berserkers only have a few hours left to live but if they manage to kill the last survivors before we get to the Cores, none of us including your destroyers would be able to run far enough to avoid the explosion. A similar explosion created the bubble this Battleship is attached to. Get your damn butts down here to clean the lower sides of the ship so we can get down there without losing half my transports and troops or we are all dead." Jack did not have time for trying to be diplomatic.
Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer) Page 3