by T. R. Harris
“Of course, my friend,” Riyad said, as he effortlessly scooped the box up in his arms, and the two of them began the walk back to Angar’s ship. “But you really should consider joining us. As we go about our mission supporting our side in the coming war, I’m not opposed to us making some extra credits on the side.”
“I’m afraid not,” Angar answered immediately. “The Pirates have never taken sides in any conflict. That is why the Juireans have left us alone, for the most part.”
“As you wish, but the offer stands. But I have to warn you. I don’t think the Humans are going to respect your neutrality once the shooting starts. They will see you as just another force of aliens to be defeated.”
Angar stopped in his tracks. “Why would they do that? We intend them no harm.”
“I guess it would be the idea that ‘if you’re not with us, then you’re against us.’”
Angar plopped down on a set of crates that had survived the attack on the base nearly a year before. He looked defeated. “Maybe I will retire.”
Riyad sat down next to him, the box of credits in his lap. “Come on, Angar, join us. It will be fun. I could sure use your ships and your pirates. We made a pretty good team, you have to admit.”
Angar looked over at Riyad and attempted a smile. “Yes we did, for the most part.” Then his face turned serious. “But you often treated me very badly!”
“I’m sorry about that. But I’ve changed. I was very lost and frustrated at the time. Now I have a different set of priorities and a new perspective on life. I will even let you remain the General of the pirates…”
Angar was silent for several moments. “I can stay in charge? And I can still make credits?”
“Yes! This is wonderful, my friend. You have made a wise decision.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Just stay in communication. Once we begin our operations, we will send instructions on how you can help. But in the meantime, anything you hear or see regarding Juirean troop movements, get those to me as soon as possible.” And then he flashed the widest grin he could without displaying his teeth. “But now, go spend some of these credits – and enjoy yourself. You’re a very wealthy Nimorian now!”
Chapter Fifty-Five
“What did he say?” Adam asked as Riyad rejoined him a few minutes later.
“He’s onboard,” Riyad said with a wide, toothy grin. “It looks like our little network of spies and resistance fighters is growing. I’m still not so sure of Kroekus, however.”
“Me neither. But he is a pragmatist, and as such will side with the winning team as soon as possible. We just have to make sure our team is the winning side.”
Riyad ran his hand along the smooth, cool surface of the nearest Exitor. “These will certainly help.”
Adam patted Riyad on the back, and then with a wide grin of his own said, “I was quite impressed with your negotiating skills. Remind me to never play poker with you. “
“Yes, it did turn out quite well. And we still have 15-million credits to operate on. But what now, Boss?”
“Let’s get these ships over to Viemon-2, and then go get the rest of the men – and women – from Calamore. The invasion should be only weeks away. We need to start making our presence felt in The Fringe. And I think I know just the place to start.”
Chapter Fifty-Six
Two weeks later, Adam stood in the main control room for the massive airlock of the now-deserted mining colony on Viemon-2, watching the last of the Exitors drop to a smooth chemical landing. This ship was carrying the last of Adam’s SEALs, the ones who were the last to leave Calamore after securing the base and releasing the non-converts who had not joined them for their trip back to Earth.
Adam knew it would not turn out well for them. He was afraid they would be treated the same as he and the other returnees had been treated four months before. And the Klin would be very anxious to learn all they could about Adam and his activities in The Fringe. They would spare no means possible to extract whatever information these men and women could provide.
Adam had also lost over half his scientist population when four of them elected to return to Earth. Seeing that they had never been abducted or held prisoner, Adam was hoping they would be treated better. But he seriously doubted it. They had heard enough stories, and been witness to the results of Klin hospitality, that they, too, would be a risk to the Klin.
After destroying all the communication equipment on the base, Tobias had left the 2G’s and yellow-shirts back on Calamore. It had been decided that Adam’s group just did not have the manpower to keep them as prisoners, and no one had the guts to exterminate them. So they would just have to fend for themselves as best they could, possibly even starting a tiny Human colony of their own – that was until either the Klin returned or the Juireans discovered them.
As the huge, lumbering overhead doors began to close over the airlock, Adam caught a glimpse of the Hell outside the base. Viemon-2 was hands down the worst planet he’d ever been on. It lay only 57-million kilometers from its star, and because of the rare synchronicity of its rotation and orbit, one hemisphere of the planet constantly faced the star. That meant one side was perpetually baking in 2,000-degree heat, while the other froze at a temperature approaching 250-degrees below zero.
As Carol Nash had explained, since the planet didn’t have an atmosphere the extremes of hot and cold did not intermingle on Viemon-2. This allowed for a narrow 100 kilometer band between the two extremes to maintain an almost pleasant temperature range of between 140-below and 215-above zero. This was a temperature range that spacesuits could tolerate.
The mining fanatics on Castor had discovered this abnormality nearly five hundred years before, and had been coming to Viemon-2 in their primitive chemical rockets since before the Juireans arrived, bringing with them gravity drive technology. With gravity drives, the Castorians had set up even larger and more productive operations on the planet, and they found the Juireans to be a ready and willing customer for the planet’s natural resources.
But like all endeavors the Castorians undertook, they went overboard, and soon even the rich veins of ore on Viemon-2 began to be tapped out. Now the once-massive mining operation was limited to a small section north of Adam’s location, and run completely by robots. Even automated ships would land near the site to transport the ore back to Castor.
When Adam’s forces descended on the world, no one on Castor took notice, and with a surface gravity equal to .92 of Earth’s, the base was turning out to be just what the doctor ordered.
Lt. Tobias was aboard the Exitor, and he and Adam greeted each other warmly once the airlock had been pressurized.
“Well they’re on their way,” Tobias said, melancholy in his voice. “I tried to warn them, but they wouldn’t listen.”
“That’s okay, LT. I would have opted for the return trip myself if I was in their position.” The two officers began the long walk back toward their quarters. “Are you ready now to start causing some damage?”
“Hell yeah!” Tobias answered. “I heard the stories from the men on Silea. I’m ready to experience some of this superman-ness myself.”
“It’s a real head-rush, that’s for sure.”
“So you believe a two-prong attack might be best?”
“Communications over interstellar distances is of major importance. I say we knock out their relay stations first, and leave them in the dark, at least temporarily. Any word on when the invasion will start and when the supply ship’s expected?”
“I’ll have comm set up with Earth within the day, now that I’ve brought the equipment from Calamore. We’ll be able to get a better feel for the invasion then. But I’m saying within 30 days. The fleet’s already on the way. The supply ship will be here in about two weeks.”
“That’s great news.” Adam said, as they entered the corridor where both their quarters where housed. “No problems on Earth then?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that…But th
at’s a story for another day.”
Chapter Fifty-Seven
There was a large storage hanger at their new base where the SEALs would train. It was also the location where Adam called a final meeting before they embarked on their latest missions.
All 18 SEALs where there, including himself, along with Riyad, Sherri, Chris and Josh Cohen, the Israeli Coronel. It had been six weeks since the assault on the Klin base on Calamore, and the SEALs were chomping at the bit for some action. The six who had accompanied Adam and Riyad to Silea had all told their stories about the thrill of reduced-gravity operations, and now the rest of them wanted to get into the game. If they were indeed supermen, then they wanted to start acting like supermen!
“Okay, let’s get started,” Adam began, getting their attention. “Team Alpha will accompany me to Melfora Lum, while Riyad and Team Bravo head for the monitoring station.”
There were backslaps and light ribbing among the military personnel. Lieutenant Tobias raised his hand.
“I still think it’s a bad idea that you go in as part of the assault, Captain.” His voice was serious. “You are in charge now, not one of the grunts.” All the Team members knew what he meant.
“I understand that, Andy,” Adam said. “This is just something I have to do.”
“He likes to kill Juireans,” Riyad stated with a grin.
“Yeah, who doesn’t? But he’s more important to the unit than a single mission.” Adam could tell the lieutenant was not happy with his decision, especially since he had ordered both Tobias and Chief Rutledge to remain aboard their respective command ships to help coordinate the attacks. Each man would be outfitted with personal homing devices so they could be tracked in real time. Tobias and Rutledge would also serve as the Team’s navigators, tasked with getting them in and out of the field of battle safely and swiftly.
“Just give me a few early victories, LT,” Adam said, “and then I may choose to sit on my ass back at command and sip coffee, while the real men do all the fighting.”
The light banter covered the more serious nature of the moment. The Humans were about to begin their first direct action against the Juirean Expansion. This would set the tone for all the other missions to come. Cain’s Raiders, as they had come to call themselves, were about to get their first real test against an alien enemy.
“You’ve all been briefed, and Team Bravo has been practicing in space against the Juirean cruiser. We are ready! Saddle up.”
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Adam, Sherri and Peanut, along with eight other SEALs, boarded the first Exitor for the trip to Melfora Lum, a journey of six days from their base on Viemon-2. The other Team was led by Riyad, along with Cohen, Chris Mullis and six SEALs, aboard the second Exitor. The journey to their destination would also take six days, and their attacks would be coordinated.
Rutledge was assigned command of Team Bravo, Tobias of Alpha.
Both ships lifted off smoothly under the anxious and watchful eyes of nearly all the other members of Adam’s army. This would be their first real test, and many of the non-military people on Viemon-2 were understandably nervous. If anything tragic befell the Teams, they would be essentially alone on this barren rock, with no real leadership to speak of.
Billy Piscopo was especially troubled. Sherri had been growing more distant from him ever since their arrival on the planet, and she had insisted on accompanying Cain as part of his Team. Besides the obvious danger involved in the mission, Billy was beginning to suspect that there was more going on between Sherri and Adam than she let on.
Whatever it was, it would have to wait for a few days to be resolved, if even then. He had been put in charge of the base with the departure of the others. He had more than just himself now to worry about…
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Melfora Lum was the headquarters for Juirean activities in The Fringe. A world very similar to Juir, it was the most settled and cosmopolitan of the Fringe Worlds. Throughout its thousands of cities, the inhabitants of the planet tolerated the Juireans as best they could. As Members of the Expansion, they did retain the autonomy they had been promised. Yet with the Juireans setting up base there, most of their internal affairs were influenced by what the Juireans might think. This caused most of their leaders to be more restrictive with their laws than most other Member worlds. The resentment ran deep among the Melforeans – as the natives were called – but not enough to boil over into any real opposition. It was just a feeling they had when thoughts of the Juireans came to mind.
The Juirean command center was in the Melforean city of Hi’Jea. Prior to the events involving the Humans, the Juireans had confined themselves to a 19-kilometer square section of the city called Kri. Recently, however, the Juireans had expanded beyond Kri, and now had barracks, administrative centers and landing fields in nearly every section of the sprawling city. And parked in orbit around the planet were nearly fifty powerful warships, not counting the others that were scattered throughout The Fringe.
Adam’s Exitor-class starship had been christened The Stonewall Jackson, or simply The Jackson, after a long-distant relative of Sherri’s. Adam had already had his chance to name a spaceship, and had retired the name of the Cassie 1. The fewer the reminders he had of Maria and Cassie, the better. He respected their memory, but now he had to avenge their deaths.
Sherri had jumped at the chance to name the ship, and had spent a full week trying to come up with a suitable moniker. When she announced her decision to Adam, he had cringed at first. “Are you serious? What significance does that have for any of us?”
Sherri had seemed genuinely hurt by Adam’s comments, and had stormed out of his room saying, “Fuck it! Then you name the damn ship.”
He had chased after her and apologized. If old Stonewall had significance to her, then that was good enough for him. After all, who would have named a Juirean Counselor’s shuttle the Cassie 1?
The Jackson began a slow gravity descent toward Hi’Jea after receiving clearance from Entry Command. Gaining clearance had simply taken a cover story that the ship was bringing heavy equipment to the Belsonian Industrial Complex. Adam was also surprised to learn that no onboard inspection would be required, even after they had loaded up as many bulky and rusted pieces of equipment as they could find lying around the base on Viemon-2, just in case they were boarded. After a few minutes of debate, the crew reasoned that the lack of security must have been from the belief that no one in their right mind would send a strike force against the very center of Juirean strength in the Sector.
It was precisely for that reason that Adam had picked this target.
Because of the tight quarters at the landing field, The Jackson used a chemical landing and set down on the planet right around Day16, just as the Melforean sun was setting. Each member of the team began to suit-up for the assault.
Adam sat in his stateroom, Sherri seated next to him, as Tobias and Peanut surveyed the results. “Not bad,” Tobias said with a grin.
“Yeah, you better keep Kaylor away from Sherri, otherwise we may have some alien hanky-panky going on.”
“Knock it off you two,” Sherri said. “This is embarrassing enough as it is.”
Adam and Sherri were each wearing plastic attachments hooked to their ears that wrapped around their chins and across their noses. Each of the attachments had prominent one-inch long protrusions dangling below each ear, looking vaguely like fingers – or some other appendage often not mentioned in mixed company. The attachments had been painted to perfectly match their skin color. Also, the two of them had painted light blue lines on their faces and hands.
The effect was passable, at best. But now Adam and Sherri looked like a cute little Belsonian couple, the same race as Kaylor. At night, and at a distance, they were hoping it would be enough to get them close enough to their target.
“Let’s get this over with,” Adam said, as he slipped a large coat over his gear vest, M4 strapped behind his back. Sherri donned her own oversize coat,
and the two ‘aliens’ headed for the cargo bay.
A quick link while descending had reserved a large, covered transport for them, ostensibly for the equipment they were delivering to the Industrial Complex. Adam and Sherri found the vehicle parked a safe distance from the LZ, and they drove it back to ship, where the nine SEALs quickly climbed into the back, each in full combat gear, and carrying an extra duffle bag each. None of the SEALs were in disguise.
The Belsonian Industrial Complex was located 20 clicks from the landing field, and they made good time by merging onto a transport line that was relatively empty at this time of night.
Peanut stuck his head into the driver’s cockpit. “I don’t see any hover cars or flying suits. What kind of alien world is this, anyway?”
“Yeah, it was kind of a letdown for me, too,” Adam said. “I feel we’ve been duped by all the sci-fi movies.”
“But I sure like the feel of this gravity,” Peanut said. “It’s like I just dropped fifty pounds overnight!”
“Just wait until you start operating in this. It will give you one raging hard—” Adam stopped abruptly as he remembered Sherri seated next to him in the dark. He had too quickly fallen back into his old locker-room habits.
“Were you going to say hard-on, Captain Cain?” she asked. “Why don’t you just say woody, or pocket-rocket, or throbbing gristle, or the holy rail, or the stain maker? Or even Johnson, if Petty Officer Tom Johnson won’t mind.” Adam could hear the smile in her voice. She always reveled in making feeling men uncomfortable with her shocking vocabulary. “Just treat me like one of the guys.”
“Where’d you come up with all those?” Adam asked. “There were a few in there I hadn’t even heard of.”