Scrapyard Ship

by Mark Wayne McGinnis

“Yes, and have already been monitoring. You’re now patched in.”

  Both sides were surprisingly quiet; the result of redundant training—soldiers at this level didn’t need micro-managing. The invading troops moved quickly and Jason had the uneasy feeling he’d greatly underestimated the capabilities of the U.S. Army.

  “Ricket to Captain”

  “Go Ricket”

  “General Peter Bickerdike of the U.S. Air Force was not the only Craing to come aboard last night. Escorts, aides, and their assistants were constantly moving in and out of the ship. That’s when we believe numerous Craing devices were planted. We’ve found two. There are still several more disrupting the AI.

  “Hold on. Let me get this straight. With the advanced level of technology on this ship, saboteurs couldn’t be detected?” Jason barked back.

  “We believe we’ve rectified the problem,” Ricket replied.

  “XO to Captain,” Perkins broke in, excitedly, “We have a new contact, sir.” Jason realized right then that the Army assault team was a diversion. Probably keeping from sight something much larger. “It’s the Craing ship, sir—she’s left high orbit and is on a direct course for The Lilly.” Jason’s mind reeled. The implications were staggering. Had the U.S. Army been infiltrated and aligned with the Craing? Jason’s ears rang with his father’s reluctance to work through government and military channels.

  “Ricket, do we have weapons capability?”

  “No, sir”

  “What do we have?” Jason barked back.

  “Only those systems not controlled directly by the AI—I’m surprised coms are even working.”

  “So no shields, no weapons, no ability to phase-shift away?” Distant gunshots echoed off the rocky ridge.

  “Not right now,” Ricket replied evenly.

  “Billy for Captain.”

  “Go Billy.”

  “We’re taking fire, sir.” Billy said, out of breath.

  “You’re going to have to handle them—we’ve got bigger problems.”

  “We’ve already rounded one of their teams up and incapacitated them. But you’ve got a four-man team moving around the East Ridge, coming directly at you. They must have stayed behind on one of the Black Hawks. Jason, they know your position, you have mere minutes.”

  Jason grabbed Mollie’s arm and pulled her to her feet. “We’ve got to scramble, kiddo,” he said, trying not to frighten her more than necessary. Jason looked up towards the top of the ridgeline, which looked to be several hundred feet above them. “Come on, let’s keep moving,” as he picked up the pace. More gunshots rang out below on the desert floor.

  “I’m scared, Dad,” Mollie said, looking up with tears in her eyes.

  “I know, little one, me too, but I have an idea. Just keep moving up toward the top of the ridge, OK?”

  “Captain to XO,” Jason said.

  “Go Cap.”

  “Can you connect me to Admiral Malinda Cramer, commanding officer at Air Station Meridian?”

  “I’m on it,” Perkins replied.

  “Billy, what’s the status of that Army four-man team?”

  “They’ve split up, looks like they’re trying to flank you on two sides. I’m on my way but still a half-mile out. One other thing, they’re not coming up as human on my HUD—think they’re those hybrid Craing-human things.”

  Jason’s NanoCom beeped. “Captain Reynolds, this is Admiral Cramer.”

  “Admiral, are you aware of our situation here?” Jason asked her, as he helped Mollie climb over a large rock formation and climbing up next to her.

  “Yes, and it’s a cluster-fuck, Captain. No one’s real sure how to respond to the Army’s actions. We’re a bit stymied.”

  “I need air support and quickly. I’m being chased up a damn ridgeline by an Army assault team. We’ll be the two individuals wearing shorts and running for their lives.”

  “Seriously? Can’t your fancy spacecraft help you, for God’s sake?”

  “Not right now. Seems it’s broken.”

  “Let me see what I can do,” she said, and disconnected.

  Jason and Mollie made slow progress up the ridge. They heard the sound of automatic weapons below and then the thump thump thump as bullets pummeled the ground nearby. Several ricochets pinged-off rocks just inches from Mollie’s head. “Why are they shooting at us?” Mollie screamed.

  “Keep your head down!” Jason barked, looking over his shoulder and mentally vowing to put a bullet in whoever would shoot at a child.

  “Billy to Cap.”

  “Go,” Jason ordered, as he tried to shield Mollie from another barrage of bullets.

  “Looks like one of the teams has held up down below, while the other one is closing in. “I’m still a third of a mile out,” Billy said, sounding frustrated.

  Jason looked up. They were more than seventy-five feet from the top of the ridge, but then what? What would they do? The good news was this last section of the ridge had larger rocks to shield them from gunfire.

  “Mollie, I want you to do something for me,” he whispered, knowing that sound easily bounced off the rocky walls. “I want you to continue up the ridge and—”

  “No way! You’re not leaving me up there alone,” she spat back, fear in her eyes.

  “It’s only for a few minutes. I need to check on something, I’ll be right behind you—just get started, OK?” Jason told her, trying hard to look confident and that everything would be okay.

  “You know, I really hate you sometimes,” she said, scowling down at him as she reluctantly kept climbing.

  Jason quickly moved back down the ridge to his previous location where there’d been rock protection. He could hear the soldiers moving down below.

  “XO to Cap,” Jason heard in his comms.

  “Go,” he whispered back.

  “Craing ship is approaching, they have weapons lock.”

  “Get everyone inside, batten down the hatches.” At that moment The Lilly came under fire. Bright bursts of blue light thundered from the Craing ship that now hovered no more than a mile to the West. A cockroach—lifelike and menacing, slow and deliberate—it approached. The Lilly shook while the bombardment continued. The incredible heat turned the sandy desert landscape to molten glass. Several more rounds were fired close by and pinged up towards the top of the ridge, where Mollie would most likely be by now. Jason knew he’d have only one chance. The two soldiers were less than ten feet from his hidden position. But the rock he hid behind would not shield him once they came around the next bend.

  The noise from below was near deafening as The Lilly continued to take relentless fire. Jason took a deep breath and readied himself. In one continuous motion, he pulled himself over the rock and leapt. He caught them by surprise, as both had turned to watch the ship being pummeled. They were Army Rangers in full assault gear. The Ranger on his right took the full brunt force of Jason’s body, as he was knocked forward and his face careened into solid granite. The Ranger’s M4 rifle continued its fall down the mountainside, end-over-end and out of reach. Using the unconscious Ranger’s body and his protective vest as a shield, Jason reached for and unholstered the soldier’s side arm. Startled, the other Ranger was already wildly shooting, never pausing to consider the life of his fellow Ranger. The rounds kept firing into Jason’s human shield, until the Ranger’s clip emptied. Jason pushed off the dead soldier and brought up the 9mm Beretta and, without hesitation, put a bullet between the Ranger’s eyes.

  “Ricket to Cap.”

  “Go.”

  “We now have minimal shift capability,” Ricket said steadily.

  Jason watched as the Craing ship landed, continuing its onslaught of plasma pulse fire. “Phase-shift to the top of this ridge. Make sure you’re back far enough, out of direct line of fire. Also, make sure you don’t put her down on Mollie’s head. She’s up there somewhere.” Jason turned to see waves of heat rising from the ship’s still fiery hot hull. Then, in the next instant, The Lilly was gone. Relieved, J
ason turned to make his way back up to the top of the ridgeline. The first bullet hit Jason in the back of his shoulder; the second tore through flesh and bone at the side of his head.

  Chapter 12

  Jason was on the ground looking up. He felt wetness on his back—the bullet had gone all the way through. He could feel the tingling of nanites already at work repairing the damage. The two Army Rangers were advancing up the hill faster than he’d expected and were now just several feet from him, rifles poised to take a shot.

  One of the Rangers spoke into his comm unit. “We’ve got him. He’s alive, but he looks to be in critical condition with a round to the head. Confirmed. We’ll transport now,” the Ranger said, and moved to lift Jason. The Ranger’s face exploded into a bloody mess. He’d taken a round to the back of his head fired from an M4 rifle Billy had found, several yards down the mountain. Almost immediately, the second Ranger’s face disappeared—an almost identical headshot.

  Crew from The Lilly arrived from the top of the ridge just moments later. Strong hands lifted Jason onto a stretcher and then headed back up the hillside. Billy was one of those who carried him.

  “You look like crap, man,” he said, with a grin.

  “How’s Mollie—on board?” Jason asked, worried.

  “Yep, except for some scratches to her knees, and worrying about you, she’s fine.” Billy leaned over closer to Jason. “Nanites already doing their thing. Weird as hell; a minute ago I could see your skull—wound is pretty much closed now. That’s some weird shit, man.”

  * * *

  Dira and Mollie were waiting at the top of the gangway for the men to bring Jason aboard. Both looked relieved to see that not only was he alive, but barking orders to be put down. Mollie rushed over and hugged her father; then preceded to yell down at him, “Don’t you ever leave me alone like that again! I was scared to death!”

  “You got it, I promise,” he said. Dira was attending to his injuries. When he looked up, their eyes locked. He saw worry in her eyes, and then embarrassment. She frowned. Once finished with a temporary field dressing, she turned on her heels and stormed off.

  Jason got to his feet. He was sore, but he’d live.

  “Captain to Ricket.”

  “Go for Ricket,” the mechanical man replied.

  Jason, now halfway to the bridge, queried on the ship’s status. “How we doing on internal systems, Ricket? Weapons online yet?”

  “Not yet, Gunny’s working on that. Maybe five minutes.”

  “What’s the condition of the hull?”

  “Critical. Definitely cannot take another barrage like that last one, at least not without shields.”

  “You’re not giving me much to work with here, Ricket. What’s the farthest we can phase-shift away in her current condition?” Jason asked, hating the sound of desperation creeping into his voice.

  “Up to three miles; unfortunately, that keeps us within easy range of the Craing guns.”

  “Keep working on it. I think I have an idea. Captain out.”

  Jason rushed onto the bridge to surprised faces.

  “Captain, the Craing vessel has powered up its thrusters. She’s been scanning us and knows we’re sitting here on top of this plateau, defenseless. She’s getting ready to come finish us off.” Jason stood motionless for several moments in thought, then looked over at Perkins.

  “XO, how many Craing are on board that ship. Have we scanned her?”

  “Yes, about one hundred seventy-five.”

  “Bring up that diagram again, the internal ship configuration.”

  “Okay, but there’s no way to board her without getting our systems on line,” the XO replied, incredulously.

  Jason studied the display and activated his NanoCom. “Captain to Billy.”

  “Go for Billy. What’s up Captain?”

  “I hope you and your men are still suited up. Prepare to board and take that ship.” Jason said, wondering if he was about to condemn The Lilly and her crew to a terrible fate. “And scrounge me up one of your new full-body combat suits.” Jason looked over to his XO: “Prepare to phase-shift in exactly two minutes.”

  “To where?” The XO said, bewildered.

  Jason hurried over, close to the forward display, and pointed: “To right here—we’ll only get one chance at this so don’t screw it up.” Jason turned to leave the bridge, “And the bridge is yours. I’ll stay on coms.”

  “Yes, sir” Perkins replied, at first a bit confused. Then nodded his head in appreciation. Jason left the bridge and headed for the nearest DeckPort.

  * * *

  Billy, holding his own helmet under his arm and dressed in a dark red hardened combat suit, was waiting for Jason in front of the aft airlock. The embers of his cigar flared and a cloud of white smoke filled the air. Jason shook his head, but now was not the time to lecture his friend about smoking onboard.

  “These suits are a little tricky getting into the first time,” Billy said, standing next to a second opened combat suit. “You have to step into them feet first, one at a time—doing things in the right order. Billy proceeded to show Jason exactly how to fit himself into the suit and latch each section shut as he went. Over his NanoCom he heard the XO’s nervous voice, “Thirty seconds to phase-shift.” A nearby SEAL handed Billy a helmet.

  “This will adjust to your own physiology. You’ll discover that you pretty much know how to operate everything already. Your previous HyperLearning tests took care of that. Well, mostly.” Billy placed the helmet over Jason’s head and secured the airtight latch mechanism.

  “Your helmet’s Heads Up Display is configured to work with your nano-devices as well as react to eye movement,” Billy said. “All very intuitive, it just takes some getting used to.”

  Another SEAL handed Jason a high-powered pulse assault weapon.

  “That’s set to burn through flesh and blood but not the hull.” Billy said, with his typical smile. Jason just nodded. The countdown in his head was at three, two, one…

  “Phase-shift completed,” came the voice of the XO in Jason’s ear. Jason was extremely relieved the comms still worked, now that The Lilly was sitting in the belly of the Craing vessel, three miles from their previous location. The forward and aft gangways were being deployed and SEALs were scurrying out with weapons held high.

  Billy’s voice came over Jason’s comms, “Kinda brings new meaning to the old saying if you can’t beat em, join em, don’t it?”

  “Let’s keep the chatter down, boys,” Jason said, as he took in his new surroundings. The Craing vessel’s enormous cargo hold had fortunately been almost empty, although several large crates in one corner had been obliterated by The Lilly’s shift. So large was the hold, two of The Lillys could fit together, side by side. Dark and lurid colors were muted to dreary shades of grey. Jason and his team of SEALs moved forward, taking short, tentative, steps as they investigated the hold. His visibility was limited. The air was thick and moist and caused condensation to form on his visor. He wiped at the front of his helmet. It was as if a stagnant, putrid, cloud hung suspended throughout the ship.

  “Nice, cheery place you brought us to, Cap,” Billy’s voice stated over his NanoCom.

  They broke into five teams: Lion, Bear, Zebra, Tiger and Cougar. The latter stayed put to watch the perimeter of The Lilly. Lion and Bear teams headed forward, while Tiger and Zebra headed aft. Jason and his Lion team headed off down the port corridor of the ship. Billy, and team Bear, moved forward on the starboard side corridor. Jason quickly realized he needed to change his HUD settings to display life signs. Immediately, over one hundred orange symbols came into view laid on top of a virtual representation of the Craing ship.

  Apparently, The Lilly and the SEAL teams were still undetected. Jason and his four team members were a formidable sight in their oversized protective combat suits, streamlined helmets, amber-colored backlit visors, and large plasma pulse rifles. They moved forward and took up the full width of the corridor. Jason and his Lion tea
m passed multiple small, about five-foot high, closed hatchway doors along the corridor. Two life signs approached from a perpendicular corridor ahead. Jason signaled his team to hold back and they watched as two Craing crew members emerged in front of them, at the point where the corridors intersected. These three- to four-foot high beings looked remarkably similar to Ricket: their grayish skin, thick and creased, hide-like, with short stubby arms and legs, and the same triangular-shaped heads and large eyes.

  Two Craing were stunned and left lying on the floor, even before they had a chance to react. The majority of the Craing crew seemed to be concentrated in one section of the ship, about sixty meters from Jason’s current corridor position. More signs of life began to show up in this section of the ship along with noises, like soft murmuring sounds, emanating from down the corridor. Off to the right was a wide entranceway. According to Jason’s HUD it led to another chamber. Actually, to the largest area of the ship, even larger than the hold where The Lilly was parked. The chamber, taking up much of the deck they were on, was opened to ten decks above. Flashing over the entrance was a series of symbols. Although Jason had no idea what they meant, the HUD had figured it out and displayed the translated text: Meal-Time.

  “Billy to Captain.”

  “Go for Captain—you seeing what I’m seeing, Billy?”

  “Yeah, we’re just outside the other entrance. I’m seeing close to a hundred life signs here and another hundred humans up above.”

  “Another hundred humans?” Annoyed with himself, Jason realized he had his HUD set to ignore other human life signs.

  “Crap, you’re right.” Once changed, the HUD filled with close to one hundred bright blue symbols.

  “Ricket to Captain,” came the mechanical voice in Jason’s ear.

  “Can’t talk right now, Ricket. I’ll get back to you.” Jason disconnected, while he edged closer to the entrance and peered inside.

  Scattered about the room were ten stone-like tables, each big enough to sit fifteen to twenty Craing comfortably. Ornate woodcarvings, some as large as automobiles, encircled the room. Hanging down from the walls were long, intricately painted banners. Scenes of early Craing warriors holding spears and riding elaborate carts, perhaps chariots into battle—much like the early Egyptians—although much of the effect was lost due to their short stature. A golden statue of a large lizard-like creature dominated the center of the room. Here, the smoky haze filling the air was the worst Jason had experienced yet—dark and foreboding, where the only light came from flames flickering upward from ten round caldrons. Each table was open in the middle where a Craing, Benihana-style, chef stood serving his guests. Back and forth, he’d turn to the caldron and then back to those around the table, serving each in turn.