Hell Fighters from Earth

by William C. Seigler

  “Here they come,” said Denver. He hefted the stolen rifle and sighted as best he could. When the enemy got within one hundred meters, he fired, this time managing to stay on his feet.

  “What happened?” asked Smith.

  “What happened?” repeated Willy. “You knocked him on his ass, and I don’t think he’s getting up. Let me try.”

  Willy was heavier than Denver, but it still unsettled him. “Man, I can’t shoot this thing too much more.”

  “Yeah, but you got him. Here come the rest.”

  At that instant, the entire unit opened up. The AR-15’s were not effective until you had pumped enough lead in them, or hit a vulnerable spot. However, the alien elephant gun was doing its job.

  A wheeled vehicle with a 120 mm Gatling gun jerked to a stop behind them and opened up. It moved forward, and the company moved forward with it.

  “I’m out of ammo,” said Smith.

  “I’m about out too,” added Willy. “We got to get this hole plugged.”

  “Smith!” It was the CO. “We’ve been given the order to evacuate. We’ll be picked up about a kilometer back. We’ll go out with the aid station.”

  “What about the hole?”

  “The mounted weapons will plug it. I need your team to get those medical boys out of here.”

  Men with stretchers were running one way, back from the makeshift line, while other men with drums of ammo for the heavy guns were running the other way.

  Suddenly, there was a new sound. He turned and saw that rounds were bouncing off the tracks. Apparently, the lizards had decided to stop their wild charge and shoot instead.

  Smith and the rest humped the last of the medical equipment back to the LZ and set up a perimeter.

  The med wagon was loaded and Smith’s team lined up to move out with it. “Why you still hauling that thing?” asked Chuy.

  “Intel might need it, or I might get some more use out of it.”

  “He just needs a big gun ‘cause he don’t have a big one,” laughed Willy. Everyone laughed, even Smith.

  “Let me get a look at that thing.” Smith turned; it was the CO. The man was not as pale as he had been and had put on muscle; legion life was good for him. However, he was still one of the Captain Nemos, like all the officers.

  Smith handed it to him, and he nearly dropped it. “This thing is heavy. I’m surprised you could shoot it.”

  “Well sir, it kills on one end and cripples on the other.”

  The officer did not get the joke. “You are not going to be able to keep this.”

  “I know sir, but Intel will want to get a look at it.”

  “Very well, bring it by headquarters after we get back.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The med unit was ready to fly out, and the heavy fighting vehicles were covering the retreat. Most of them would get out, but this was no victory. Somebody had made some serious mistakes, and there would be finger pointing.

  That fact did not worry the third squad. They were flying out.

  Chapter 18: Missing in Action

  “We don’t know all the details, but it looks like the field hospital was overrun. There were casualties, but she is not among them. She’s missing.”

  The psychology officer was breaking the news as gently as he could. This Smith had not expected. Somehow, a team of enemy troops had gotten in behind them. It was not clear whether they were after the field hospital or if it just got in the way. It did not matter.

  “Do you want to talk to a grief counselor?”

  “No, no thanks. I’ll be all right.”

  The officer left Denver his contact information and said goodbye. He had not reckoned on this. Where is the kid? Is she still on the planet, hurt, dying? Did they have her? What would they do to prisoners?

  * * * *

  He could not sleep. His mind was playing tricks on him. He thought he could actually hear the Grey, who had been on the rescue mission talking to him.

  “I must be dreaming,” he said aloud. He swung his feet down, sat up on the side of the bunk, and rubbed his head.

  Not much chance of them letting me go search for her. If I can just get this blasted voice out of my head!

  He knew he could not hear the alien. You can only do that if you have the headband on, and Fitz confiscated his. Odd too, why did the little guy want to talk to him, and why did the space cadets seem so dead set against it? Fitz had handed the headband over to an armed detail of his own people.

  There it was again. “You will receive a summons. Speak to no one. Follow the instructions in it,” insisted the voice in his head.

  There was a knock at the door. “Yeah.”

  “CO wants to see you in the head shed, now.”

  “Right, I’ll be right there.” What th’? It’s the middle of the night. He followed the Charge of Quarters back to the Captain’s office.

  Captain Worthington was sitting at his desk in a crumpled uniform, looking as if he had been awakened in the middle of the night as well. Smith halted at attention and popped him a highball as good as any cadet at an Earth side military academy.

  “Corporal Smith reporting as ordered sir.”

  It was hard to say if the captain was annoyed or amused at this groundling’s military display. “Stand at ease Smith.”

  “I was awakened a little while ago by a courier from headquarters and given this packet.” He opened it and spread its contents out on his desk.

  “One of the items here is a pouch addressed to you. You are to open it in my presence only.” He handed it to Smith.

  Smith opened the pouch and took out a set of orders. “Interesting, it seems I’m temporarily being reassigned.”

  “You got your kit?”

  “What I could grab sir.”

  “It’ll do,” he called the CQ back in.

  “Take the corporal out to the old hangar next to the A26B launch platform. Leave him there. Return to my office and speak to no one. Understood?”

  “Yes sir, if you say so. Come on Smith.”

  Smith came to attention, saluted, about faced, and marched out. Once inside the “jeep,” the CQ asked, “What’s this all about?”

  “I was hoping you’d tell me.”

  “I was almost asleep when the CO came charging in wanting to see you.”

  “Watch your words Friend Human Not of the Separatists.” He could almost hear the words.

  “Well, at least, it’s cooled down,” remarked Smith, changing the subject.

  After a few minutes, they were off on an old unused part of the base. He pulled up near an old launch platform visible in the darkness.

  “Here you are.”

  “Thanks.”

  As he moved off, he called back, “Don’t get eaten.”

  “Thanks,” he said in a low voice.

  It was dark and cool. Away from the lights of the training base, he could see the stars. Nothing was familiar. He reminded himself that he was out among the stars now.

  He was starting to wonder just what he was doing out here when a slight glow brightened the horizon. Soon he could tell it was a ship. It was emitting its own light, and it was not one of the space cadets’ ships.

  It landed not far from him and a piece of it dropped down revealing a ramp of sorts. In his mind, he could hear the word, “Come.”

  He shouldered his rucksack and quickly walked toward the small craft. It was like a shallow bowl on the bottom with an inverted saucer on top. There was a little raised area at the top of that, and it looked slick and sporty. He ducked down and went inside. The ramp closed behind him. Ahead and above him, he could see the flight crew. They did not even look at him. Before he knew it, they were flying.

  Across on the other side was a Grey, who beckoned, “Come.” He did not know if all Greys sound the same or not. He
could not tell the difference by looking at them, but it sounded like Cee.

  “Yes, it’s me Friend Human who Saved the Lost-lings. The tea was almost ready,” he said handing Smith a headband. “Too bad they took your last one.”

  Smith resolved to keep this one a secret.

  “I thought you might like to take tea. I’m sure you were asleep when I called.”

  “How can you do that? I wasn’t wearing a headband.”

  “Ah yes, that’s a little secret; along with my study of the human Separatists, I have been studying the concept of guile. You see, I am one of a group of specialists who study human culture in order to better help our leadership understand and deal with humans.

  “We have modified the mind enhancer to accommodate humans, to help us communicate. If I’m close enough I can still hear your mind, at least, what is foremost in your mind. I did not know until today if it were possible for me to communicate with you without the device.”

  “You mean … I’m not going nuts?” Pictures of nuts filled his mind, Brazil nuts, peanuts, coconuts.

  “No, that’s not what I meant. I thought I was losing my mind, no not losing it but going insane.”

  “Oh, I see. You seem to communicate with word pictures, but the meaning is other than the thing you say, interesting.” He poured the tea.

  He continued, “But I do not think it is like guile. Is this correct?”

  “Yes, yes indeed. It is not guile. It’s what we call a ‘figure of speech’.”

  “Figure of speech, interesting. Come, we shall sit. The seat might not be to your liking.”

  It was not, but Smith made himself as comfortable as he could. The gray alien waved his arm, and a panel slid open revealing the sky. He could not believe it; they were already out in space.

  The alien warmed his face in the steam coming off the tea; Denver did the same. He had figured that this was no time to rush things, just go with it. The Grey would tell him what this was all about when the time came.

  Soon the Grey took a sip. Denver did so as well letting the feelings tingle and engulf him. This is some good stuff, but don’t let the government find out about it or they’ll outlaw it.

  “What is outlaw?”

  He had forgotten about the headband. “It’s where they make something illegal.”

  “Illegal?”

  Oh boy. “They add it to an ever growing list of things that are not permissible for people to do.”

  “Oh, I think I see.”

  “You are wondering why you are here.”

  “Yes.”

  “We know about the battle and your missing mate.”

  “Missing mate?”

  “Of course, we are in constant communication with your high command. We know of the Reptilian attack on your medical facility, and the loss of your mate.

  “What mate?”

  “The young female you spend so much time with, is she not your mate?”

  “We are friends. We have not mated.”

  “I don’t understand; we would never mate with someone who was not also our friend.”

  “Let me explain it another way. According to the custom of my people, she is too young to have a mate. Not to mention I’m quite a bit older than she is.”

  “Ah yes, you are observing the mating rituals of your people even out here. That is the sign of culture.” He emphasized the last word and actually managed to mimic a human smile, at least a little.

  “Do you have this much trouble communicating with the other humans?”

  He could feel the mood change in the little alien. Suddenly he grew sullen. There was a long silence. Denver took time to sip the tea and savor its hypnotic aroma.

  At length, “Yes, the Separatists, they are masters of guile.”

  So there are problems between them. It seemed a good idea to change the subject. “Why are we here?”

  “Ah, a direct question. That sort of directness is brash but refreshing. I too will be direct. Friend Human, who Risked His Own Life and the Lives of his Closest Friends to Save the Lost-lings of The People, you saved our lost-ling. Now you have your own lost-ling.”

  That hit him like a bolt. What is he getting at? “I don’t understand.”

  “Your mate, with whom you have not yet mated as is the custom of your people, is lost. I think we can find her.”

  “How?” He mouthed the word, without any sound. He could hear his heart race. He stood and immediately hit his head on the low ceiling.

  “Ouch!”

  “Calm yourself friend. My friends and I have been permitted to try.”

  “I can’t ask you and your friends to risk your lives.”

  “It is too late for that; we already have. Besides, that is what soldiers do, is it not.”

  Denver sat back down and looked into the huge black glassy eyes of the alien trying to see what was going on inside that bulbous head. It was no use. Was the alien trying to be coy?

  Finally, he spoke, “what have we to go on?”

  “She has not been found, of this we are certain. We are hoping you can be as cunning with tactics as you were when we went for the lost-lings.”

  “I see.” He did see, and he did not like what he saw.

  “You do not want to find your lost-ling?”

  “Yes, of course, I do. The question is how to go about it. How much information do you have on where we are going?”

  “We are returning to the world of your first battle. I understand that all did not go well.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “Why should I repeat it?”

  This could get annoying. “It is our way of saying, you are absolutely correct.”

  “Ah yes, I must write a treatise on your communication using ‘figure of speech’. Very interesting.”

  I can hardly wait to read it, he thought to himself.

  “I will have to get a copy translated into your speech.”

  “Let me take this thing off,” he said slipping off the headband. “Maybe it will be better if I speak the words aloud, so you do not pick up every random thought I have.”

  “Good idea.”

  He began slowly, “Now please tell me what you can about where we are going.”

  “Yes, we have reason to think that it has not been reinforced as yet, and they are expecting another attack. Your people destroyed their ships quite effectively. They will be in hiding awaiting relief.

  “We have a general idea where to begin our search, but not a clear idea how to do it.” He stopped and took a sip of the hot steamy tea.

  “We underestimated these people before. I don’t want to do it again,” warned Smith.

  “People, you called them people.”

  “Yeah, I guess I did.”

  “You think them to be more than mere animals?”

  “That sounds like the kind of propaganda governments on Earth spread so people will send their sons off to fight and die. Do mere animals fly in space and colonize distant worlds?”

  “The human Separatists seem to think so,” said the little Grey’s voice in Smith’s head.

  “Well, I’ve heard that kind of BS before.”

  “BS?”

  “Oh, it has to do with guile.”

  “Ah, you think the Separatists are committing guile.”

  “I don’t know; it just sounds too easy, too much like what I’ve heard before. Let’s stay on topic.” He took another sip and tried to stare into the unknown, seeing the planet in his mind.

  At length Smith asked, “How spread out on the planet are the Reptilians?”

  “A moment please.” Cee began to operate what Smith took to be a computer of sorts and soon had an answer.

  “They have one main base with three satellite bases nearby.”

  “Moons, does
the planet have moons?” asked Smith.

  “Yes, it has two. Does this matter?”

  “If we assume they are hunkered down …,” he paused.

  To Cee, he looked as if he was looking at something far away. He took another sip of tea and waited. He could see different scenarios playing out like a movie in the human’s mind.

  “If we assume they are hunkered down, we will probably be blown to bits. Better to assume that they are alert and watching. Two moons you say?” He turned back to the little alien.

  “Yes?”

  “The pilots can bring us in behind one of them, and when the enemy base is facing away from the moon, we will fly to the planet. Then we will cross to the probable search area flying as low as possible.”

  “Yes, that is a good plan.” He could see the plan play out in the human’s mind; then he felt the mind suddenly stop.

  “There is a problem.”

  “Yes, you are right. They might see the glow of the drive field, but your idea about moving in after daylight is problematic as well.”

  “Why?”

  “It will require us to stay on the planet longer and lengthen the time your lost-ling will be exposed.”

  “Yes, I see.” He thought about it for a while.

  Another question popped into his mind. “How did you get permission to conduct this mission from our high command?”

  “The permission did not come from your high command.”

  “Then how did I get orders to meet you?”

  “We have capabilities of which the Separatists are unaware. That brings up a delicate subject.”

  “You mean getting me to keep my mouth shut. You know I could get into a lot of trouble if they ever find out I’m holding out on them.”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, but if I were to receive orders through those same ‘capabilities,’ I would have no choice but to keep quiet.”

  “Ah, does this rise to the level of guile?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I suppose not.”

  “You still haven’t answered the question. How did you get someone, even in your own command structure to approve this mission? The chance this ship would fall into enemy hands is too great. The risk outweighs the reward.”