“Oh that, the police released me to the custody of one of my father’s flunkies. We boarded a jump ship, and I was taken back to the Moon. My father had gotten a complete report. He hadn’t slapped me since I was a little girl. I don’t know who was more shocked him or me.
“Anyway while I was there, I overheard him and some men talking. I don’t know who they were and didn’t get all of it, but they plan to move the Legion off planet before anybody has a chance to intervene. They were gloating; they had accomplished something they had set out to do. They were exceedingly pleased with themselves.
“Mei Ling, once out of sight they can do anything they want with them. I’m afraid. Farouk is so nice. They all are; it’s not what we’ve always been told.”
“No, it isn’t,” agreed Mei Ling.
The waiter arrived, and Mei Ling ordered drinks for them both. The place was filling up, and Juliette kept looking around.
“They are going to get rid of the Admiral, Commander Fitzpatrick works for, something to do with his investigation. They said that he should have minded his own business and stuck to doing what he was told. I don’t know what will happen to your fiancé, but these people are capable of anything. We’ve got to warn them.”
“I know he’s at some sort of function, but I can try calling him.”
“No don’t; I’m sure they are listening to everything,” pleaded Juliette. “We’ve got to find them.”
The drinks came, and Mei Ling paid. “How did you get back here?” she asked.
“I hocked what I could and took some money from an old boyfriend.”
“Took?”
“I paid up.”
“So, you managed to buy a ticket back here to warn them. Thank you,” said Mei Ling, “for trying to save them, for everything.”
Juliette smiled, “It wasn’t so bad, my father would have been happy to have him for a son-in-law. What are we going to do?”
The message had been delivered, at least in Juliette’s eyes. It was now up to Mei Ling. I won’t let them take him away from me again, I won’t. “Come on, finish your drink.”
“Where are we going?”
“We are going to wait for him.” They drank up and without appearing to be in a rush, casually walked out into the street.
* * * *
Fitz was not particularly surprised to see Mei Ling waiting in his living room. Then he saw Juliette.
“What’s wrong, what’s happened?” he asked.
Mei Ling went over to him, put her arms around him, and kissed him. “Juliette has something to tell you. Please sit.”
She led him to the small sofa and listened patiently as Juliette unloaded her story. Mei Ling offered a comment from time to time, and Fitz asked for clarification.
He crossed his legs, leaned back, and scratched his chin. “You say you lost your job with the navy?”
“Yes.”
“We should be able to find something for you here, but I’m afraid they will find you.”
“My father doesn’t know I’ve gone, and I traveled under an assumed name.”
“But how did you get an ID and travel permission?” Fitz asked.
She exchanged a glance with Mei Ling. “An old friend helped me.”
“So no one knows you’re back. You can go anywhere and do anything without suspicion. You still have the fake ID don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“We might have work for you at Naval Intelligence. In fact, it is so secret, the navy doesn’t have to know about it.”
“You can do that?” Juliette asked.
“I have a fund I use for things we need, without having to go through too much red tape. If I go over it, the Admiral will have to approve.”
“I don’t take charity. I like to pay my own way. What I did, I didn’t do for money,” said Juliette.
“What would you have her do?” asked Mei Ling.
“If she could get a job in the hotel where that man was found dead, it might turn up something. You wouldn’t have to do anything, just keep your eyes and ears open.”
“I can do that.”
“Where are you staying?”
“No place really. I just got back and luckily stumbled into Mei Ling.”
“You can crash at my place. It’s small, but we should fit,” offered Mei Ling.
“At least until I find a place of my own. You know what they say about house guests.”
“Okay, you get her set up. I’m going over to the base and find my people.” He pecked Mei Ling on the lips then got up and left.
* * * *
No one answered when he rang at the BOQ where his people were staying. He let himself in with his passcode. The place was deathly quiet. Cushions were scattered on the floor.
The doors to the rooms down the hall had been left open. Each was cleaned out. In Smith’s room he found a note in the middle desk drawer. It had been taped shut.
On the outside it read, “Whoever finds this, it is important to Naval Intelligence that Lieutenant Commander Fitzpatrick receives this letter. Tell no one else. Good luck.”
Fitz tore it open. It read, “Haven’t much time. They were waiting for us. The Legion is being moved off planet tonight. That is all I know. I think we’re in trouble.”
Fitz called the Admiral. “Commander, meet me over at the Legion compound.”
“Yes sir.”
By the time the Admiral forced his way past the guarded gate the last of the transport craft carrying the Legion was lifting off.
Chapter 12 - The Hammer Falls
Denver had taken the place assigned to members of the Battalion Commander’s staff. They were all Separatists, and he felt that he was unwelcome. So, what else is new? Illegitimis non carborundum.
He had been reassigned to the Legion because of some sudden emergency. Everyone was told to grab his kit and move out to the transports. The company commanders had brought down the orders, and the Legion obeyed.
Soon, everything that was not nailed down was put on a ship. He knew the routine, the in-system ships carry them to the star jump ships, and then the star jump ships transport them to another star system. Once there, the troop carriers take the Legion on its mission.
Only this time there were no ATACs. Guess we don’t need them. Whatever this emergency is, getting on the ground is not expected to be a problem. Then again how often has the navy been right on that one?
It had all appeared to be legit, but something tugged at the back of his mind. Something just was not right. Why so much none combat essential equipment? If it was such an emergency, why weren’t they briefed? Why the rush? Something just didn’t smell right.
Denver got up and walked over to another Legion Captain, “Excuse me, do you know what’s going on?”
The man looked down his nose at Smith. “I’ll guess they’ll have to do something about those,” he said looking at Smith’s epaulettes.
“Do something about what?” said Smith.
“Do you really think you’re a Captain?”
“The paymaster seems to think so.”
“Look, don’t talk to me. You got something to say, tell it to the Battalion Commander.”
“Sure, asshole; where is he?”
“I don’t know. My job doesn’t include providing information to monkeys.”
Some of the others were standing around and snickered.
“Say that again, jackass, and I’ll shove your perfect straight white teeth down your throat.” Smith moved position slightly to give him a better line between his right and the man’s chin.
They stared at each other. Finally, the officer laughed and turned away only to come swinging back with a right.
Smith was ready for it. He bounced back shifting his right foot back a few inches and brought up his left to block the shot. Then
he came around with his right planting his foot and twisting his hip and shoulder around to send maximum power to his punch.
Denver caught him on the tip of the chin knocking the man’s head back. He fell limp against several of the others, knocked unconscious. Three of them came at Smith.
He had about had enough of the Separatists’ attitude problem. Smith launched himself at the three of them. The first he took out with a forward kick to the chin, then spun around to his right and caught the next one with a back kick to the gut.
The third got off a punch to the right side of Smith’s head only to be cut down by a vicious uppercut from a left. Two more had advanced on him but thought better of it.
The battalion executive officer was standing in the open hatch. Only now did someone notice him. “He attacked us,” someone called out.
“Right, one man is going to jump the lot of you. If you wusses are going to be legionnaires, you might want to toughen up. Captain Smith, come with me.”
“Yes sir.”
Looking back over his shoulder, Smith called out, “We’ll have another lesson tomorrow boys.”
“Don’t get too cocky Captain,” the Major said as they walked away. “I can see where you got your reputation,” he added.
“You talking about the mission we just returned from?”
“What mission?” asked the Major.
Smith explained it to him. “Sorry, that’s the first I’ve heard about it.”
“Sir?”
The Major stopped and turned to him. “That’s the first I’ve heard of it, but you forget, you’ve been with navy Intel. It takes a while for things to filter down to us.”
“Yes, of course sir. I hadn’t thought of that.”
“No, I was talking about the Reptilian rifle. That’s gotten all over.”
“I’m glad I’ve supplied so much amusement,” replied Smith.
The Major smiled, “We are not all your enemies Captain. I for one would never have had the nerve to shoot that thing, let alone had the presence of mind to turn it on the enemy when our rifle proved to be of, shall we say, limited effect.
“Everybody knows who was behind the Legion assault rifle and how you had the Legion build them itself. Then, of course, blowing that Reptilian nest all to blazes has given you something of an aura of machismo.”
“Aura sir?”
“Come on Captain,” chuckled the Major. “The CO is anxious to meet you.”
“Yes sir,” Smith replied looking a bit sheepish.
The Major stopped at the door to Colonel Blackstone’s temporary office and knocked.
“Come in,” the baritone voice instructed.
Smith entered and stood beside the Major, coming to rigid attention and popping the old gaffer a parade ground high ball that would have made his drill sergeant proud.
Blackstone appeared to be in his late fifties with a salt and pepper mustache, closely trimmed. He carried a bit of weight but looked like he could still hold his own. Smith could not make out the man’s height until he stood up and returned the salute.
“So, this is Smith,” he said in an almost jovial manner.
“Yes sir,” replied the Major.
“At ease Captain. Good to have you on board. Are you getting to know the other members of my staff?”
Smith stole a glance at the Major who just smirked. “Yes sir,” Smith replied hesitantly.
“Good, good, Major you are grinning like the time we beat the Admiral at bridge. What is it?”
“Captain Smith was kind enough to give some of the lads instruction in the manly art of fisticuffs.”
The Colonel burst out laughing. “Serves the arrogant buggers right. I thought you might run into trouble Captain Smith, but I figured you could handle it. Oh, don’t blame them Captain; they’ve been brought up this way their whole lives.”
“Yes sir.”
“Major, I think this calls for some hooch.”
“Yes sir,” replied Major Appleton.
Smith must have looked perplexed. “You’ll see,” assured the Colonel.
Soon Appleton brought out a bottle of dark amber liquid and three glasses. Blackstone had by this time moved around the desk and motioned Smith to a chair at a low table. The Major sat the bottle and glasses down and proceeded to pour drinks all around.
Blackstone supervised without comment. After the drinks had been poured, he said, “Please sit Bob.”
He took up his glass and said, “Gentlemen, to the Legion.”
Both Appleton and Smith responded in unison, “To the Legion.” It took Smith three tries to get it all down. It had a faintly familiar flavor, but he could not place it.
“Almost as good as the real stuff, eh Bob?” asked Blackstone.
“Yes sir, it is.”
“Just like old times,” replied Blackstone. He looked over at Smith.
Smith sniffed his glass then smiled. “Spiced Jamaican Rum?”
“Right you are, Captain, right you are,” replied Blackstone. “I can see you are a man of taste. That’s good; I suspected as much.”
“It has an odd aftertaste, something I can’t quite place,” added Smith.
“Well,” began Blackstone, “we grow the sugar beets hydroponically on the moon and make molasses from it. Growing sugar cane was too difficult under those conditions.
“We couldn’t get the oak barrels, but seaweed makes a reasonable substitute. After a while, you won’t know the difference. Devil of a time getting the molasses in the quantities we need. Right Bob?”
“Oh, yes sir,” replied Appleton, as he poured three more glasses.
Partway through the second shot, Blackstone set his glass down, pursed his lips, and took on a pensive look. “Captain, you were with Intel; what can you tell us about this sudden urgency to move out?”
So that was it. They don’t know any more than I do.
“Sir, I don’t know unless it has something to do with the mission we returned from this morning.”
“This morning,” said Appleton, surprised.
“What mission?” asked Blackstone.
“No one said it was classified. I assume you know about the world attacked by the navy and the claim that they cleaned it out.”
“Yes, are you saying they didn’t clean it out?”
“That’s what we were sent to check out, sir. The cleaning out left something to be desired.”
The other officers exchanged quick glances.
“Go on Captain,” urged Blackstone.
“We were dropped off by the navy.”
“Who were dropped off?”
“There were four of us sir, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Fitzpatrick. I drove one dune buggy with Lieutenant de la Fuentes as gunner while the Commander drove the other with Lieutenant Jones as gunner.”
“Dune buggy?” asked the Major.
“Yes sir, are you familiar with the beach buggies that are for rent at New Town?”
“Yes,” said the Colonel. “My wife and I were watching our son-in-law and the grandkids run around in one a while back when we took a weekend to go down to the sea. I’m surprised how quickly they adapted to life on the surface. It is taking us oldsters a bit longer.”
“Well, we leased two of them from the proprietor and used them on the mission.”
“Good god, you went running around on the surface in those playthings?” exclaimed Blackstone.
“You said something about gunners,” said Appleton.
“Yes sir, I had machine guns, fifty cals, installed on the machines.”
Neither officer attempted to hide his astonishment. They sipped on their drinks while trying to get their heads around what they had just been told.
Finally, Major Appleton spoke up. “Why Captain?”
“Why what sir?” a
sked Smith.
“Why did you use a civilian plaything on an important mission?”
“Sir, I wanted speed and the ability to shoot back if we found any hostiles remaining alive. I’ve fought these Reptilians before; when they go on the offensive, they hold nothing back.”
“Yes, but couldn’t you have used some of our own armored vehicles?” asked Appleton.
“They would not fit in the spacecraft the navy provided us. I had to find something small, light, and fast. Even then, we narrowly escaped with our lives.”
“I take it the navy had not been as successful as we had been led to believe,” added Blackstone.
“No sir, if we give that world back to our allies, it will be a major debacle,” said Smith. “We were slammed hard. They had so many aircraft, troop carriers, that they ran into one another in their effort to get us. No sir, the planet is not free of Reptilians.”
The Colonel inhaled deeply and slowly let it out. He finished his drink and pushed the glass away. “What do you make of it, Bob?”
“Something’s not right sir, and somebody is keen to make sure that it looks like the navy can use aerial bombardment alone to win the war.”
“If they can do that, what do they need with the Legion?” pondered Blackstone.
“Uh, sir, am I to understand that you don’t know what’s going on either?” asked Smith.
“No,” replied Blackstone. “We were hoping you could tell us.”
“Sir, all I know is that when we got back to the BOQ, armed men were waiting for us. We were told to grab everything and get in the truck. They dropped me off at the head shed, and that’s where I got my new marching orders. I got on the transport with everyone else.”
Colonel Blackstone leaned back and crossed his legs. “I see.”
The desk control chimed, “We will make the jump to star drive in five minutes. Complete all necessary preparations.”
“These star jumps make my stomach queasy,” said Blackstone.
“I’ll get you something,” said Appleton.
“Thanks, Bob.”
“Sir, will there be anything else?” asked Smith, sensing that it might be time for him to go.
“Just keep your eyes and ears open. Let me know if you find anything out.”
Hell Fighters From Earth Book 2 Page 10