“What a second,” interrupted Farouk. “All we would have to do is knock out the orbiting ships, then begin the evacuation.”
“No, they would attack us with their atmospheric flyers,” insisted Lieutenant Clemens who was now commanding 1st Battalion.
“Only if they knew where we were,” said Argie.
“What do you mean?” asked Fitz.
“Let’s say, for the sake of argument, you can find a way to knock out the orbiting ships, if the Greys land at different locations, the enemy would not know which landing zone was the correct one, even if they detect the ships,” argued Argie.
“That’s a possibility, and you bring up something I had not thought about,” said Smith.
“What’s that?” asked Fitz.
“Our argument for help from the Greys might hold more weight if we had a plan. You know not just go and ask them to get us out of here.”
“I see your point,” said Fitz. “It would certainly help bolster our argument.”
“Are we being guilty of looking at this problem with blinders?” asked Farouk.
“What do you mean?” asked Smith.
“We are assuming we need fighter spacecraft and rockets. Would it be possible for a small scout ship, like the one that brought you here, to just drop off legionnaires in spacesuits with explosives to plant them on the Reptilian ships, then blow them up.
“Heck for that matter, if we had an atomic, we could blow up the Reptilian base as well. That way the evacuation could go off without interference.”
“Might work, but where would they take us,” asked Lieutenant McCurry from 3rd Battalion.
“Does it matter,” asked Farouk. “Anyplace is better than here.”
There was nervous laughter to that. The discussion had quickly moved beyond whether or not Fitz and the Greys should get off the planet, and quickly moved on to, what next.
“This all assumes the Greys will help us,” said Smith eventually.
“True,” said Fitz, “and we need contingency plans if they will not help us.”
“Keeping us supplied with one scout ship seems, almost impossible,” said Smith.
“True, and even that assumes we can continue to come and go,” added Fitz.
“I like the idea of stuffing an atomic down the lizard hole,” said Lieutenant Medina.
“So do I,” said Smith. “We need to get Cee in on this discussion.”
“I thought you would never ask.” The voice echoed in Smith’s head. He glanced at Fitz. He had gotten the message as well. Fitz reached for his headband to keep up appearances. Smith saw him and did likewise.
Silently Smith thought, “How much of this have you gotten, Cee?”
“We have been much entertained by this discussion,” said Cee excitedly. “It seems you do not make all your decisions on your own.”
Smith rolled his eyes. Argie spoke up. “I take it you two are in touch with Cee.”
“Did I understand him correctly; did he say ‘we’?” asked Fitz.
“Yes I did, and yes we are,” answered Cee.
“Cee, other than you, who is listening?” asked Smith.
“We all are, the flight crew, and my Beloved Betrothed.”
Smith passed this along.
“Is there a rule we haven’t broken?” asked Farouk.
“Only if we haven’t gotten around to it,” said Argie.
“I’m sure we’ll get them all, given time,” added Smith.
Lieutenant Jones spoke up. “Excuse me sir, but these rules were made by the same people who left us here to be killed. They can take their rules and go to blazes with them.”
They all laughed. “I think we are all in agreement with that,” said Smith.
Then the strangest thing happened. The Greys began laughing too.
Fitz and Smith exchanged surprised glances. “I didn’t know they could do that,” said Smith.
“Neither did I,” agreed Fitz.
The rest looked confused. “Uh guys, what’s going on?” asked Argie.
“Well, it would seem that our friends have developed a sense of humor,” answered Fitz.
“I didn’t know they had one,” said Farouk.
“Perhaps, that was one of the things their leadership feared, they would develop ideas from human society,” said Fitz.
“Contamination?” asked Smith.
“I suspect so. You know how the establishment usually is, there is always resistance to anything new or foreign,” said Farouk.
“Anyway, Cee, what do you think? Can you get us an atomic?” asked Smith.
“One is not certain, but one can try. The biggest problem is the orbiting ships. If they see the base is destroyed, surely they will jump out and alert their command,” said Cee.
Smith said to the others, “He can try to get an atomic, but seems to think we should make a point of destroying the orbiting ships first. Otherwise, we might be discovered.”
“I have some men who worked as hardhat divers before the economy went to pieces. If the Greys can get us close enough, I am sure they can plant explosives on the orbiting ships,” said Dmitri.
“Yes, that would be an excellent idea, much easier than finding ships, outfitting and arming them, not to mention finding crews,” said Fitz. “I think we should go forward with it.”
“That means you getting off planet without being spotted, not getting picked up by the navy, nor having Cee thrown in whatever they have for a jail, getting an atomic, spacesuits, explosives, and getting back in here without being caught. Does that about cover it?” asked Smith.
“I think so,” said Fitz.
At that moment, Cee spoke up. “Betrothed has an idea. She seems to think that going to Command after destroying the Reptilian enemy on this planet will make it more difficult for them to deny our request.”
Smith passed this on to the assembly, and then added, “She has a point.”
“Score one for the women,” said Argie and wrinkled her nose at Smith.
He just grinned. “Yes, dear.”
* * * *
“This could be our undoing,” said Fitz as the last of the most seriously injured legionnaires was loaded on the Grey’s scout ship.
“I know, but it’s good for morale,” responded Smith. “Not going to be much room in there.”
“There will be more room in Blackstone’s ship. I think the story that they’re sailors who had an accident will be the best plan.”
“Yes, if you can fake things as you say,” added Smith.
“The Admiral can make it stick. The boss is pretty good.”
Argie came out at that moment. “We’ve stabilized them as best as we can. If you can get them to New Earth in less than twenty-four hours, they have a fighting chance.”
“Then let’s not waste any more time,” said Fitz. “You and your crew ready, Cee.”
“We are prepared for the next phase of our journey.”
“I guess that answers it,” said Smith. “The rocks have been removed, and the window of opportunity will open in less than seventeen seconds.”
He stuck out his hand, and Fitz took it, “Good luck, Commander.”
“Same to you Captain, we will try to get back as quickly as possible, preferably with an atomic.”
“Yes, but that sort of thing is not usually just lying around, or at least I hope not,” said Smith.
“I wonder where he got the last one,” said Argie.
“You think it was Cee?” asked Denver.
“There is no one else. It must have been him,” she said.
“Perhaps, then he might be able to find another,” added Fitz.
“Commander, we must hurry,” said Cee.
Smith released Fitz’s hand; Fitz turned and boarded the spacecraft.
* * *
*
Commander Blackstone tried to blink back sleep. He stretched and yawned. He got up for the hundredth time and began to pace, anything to keep awake.
The sky was black, but the starlight shone brightly. He was starting to make up names for the new constellations. Most of the names were joke names, Bulbous Maximus the Bϋrgermeister, Rufus the Parliamentarian, and so on.
What is that? The panel lights were as dim as he could make them and still be useful. There was something on the horizon, a brightness that was not there before.
He returned to the pilot’s acceleration chair. He had powered down as much as he dared and was hidden. It grew brighter. Someone is coming to dinner.
“If it’s the navy, I’m done for.” Could it be Fitzpatrick? He had almost given up hope and feared his mission was a failure. With supplies running low again, he was running out of time. If the Legion was still alive, it too was running out of time.
Soon it was obvious; it was a scout spacecraft, a Grey spacecraft like the one Fitzpatrick had left in. He waited; it was all he could do.
Soon it landed, and in short order, a figure in a spacesuit approached his ship. Blackstone quickly moved to the airlock and cycled the outside hatch. To his relief, the face behind the faceplate was Lieutenant Commander Fitzpatrick’s.
Fitz cycled the inner hatch after pressure had risen to match that in the spacecraft, and began to remove his helmet. He pulled it over his head, which sent his hair flying. “Hello Commander,” he said to Blackstone.
“I had just about given up on you. Did you find them?”
“Yes,” answered Fitzpatrick. “And that’s not all. I need the Medical Transfer Unit. I’ve got six badly injured men to bring aboard.”
“How did you manage that?”
“Apparently, they were dumped on a planet where somebody knew the enemy would find them,” answered Fitz.
“What?”
“You heard me. Somebody delivered human beings up to the Reptilians, but they fought them off. Then Smith force-marched the Legion to a new location, which worked out well.”
“Why?”
“The Reptilians nuked their original position.”
“Then they think they got them?” asked Blackstone.
“We think so.”
“Smith took command.”
“You left him in charge.”
“I guess I did didn’t I?” said Blackstone.
“We’ve got to get these people on board and to the medical facility on New Earth.”
“We’re going to walk in there with injured legionnaires. Someone is going to ask questions.”
“We’re walking in with injured sailors who have been on a secret mission for Admiral La Force. They are to be asked no questions,” said Fitz.
“I suspect the Admiral will want to put them under guard,” added Blackstone.
“Let’s get moving. I’ve got a lot to bring you up to speed on; we have a plan.”
“Hang on; I’ll have the MTU to you in a second.”
* * * *
“New Earth Inbound Control, I need ambulances to be dispatched to the spaceport immediately, and I need to get Admiral La Force on the radio.”
“This is Control. What is your situation?”
“This is a Code One Naval Intel situation.” That would get them moving. One screw-up and somebody’s hide would be hung up to dry.
“Ambulances have been dispatched, and the Admiral has been called. We will have him on the radio momentarily.”
“We will need this communication scrambled, top priority.”
“Yes sir, I’ve already instituted that when you called in your situation.”
Blackstone looked over at Fitz. “This one I like, really on the ball.”
“I like him too.”
“Sir, come to frequency twenty-two. The Admiral is waiting for your call. Return to this frequency for landing instructions.”
“Affirmative,” said Blackstone. He reached up and switched channels.
“You’re on,” he said to Fitz.
“Admiral, this is Lieutenant Commander Fitzpatrick. Sir, can you hear me?”
“Yes, I’m here,” said La Force. “Good to hear your voice Commander. What is your situation?”
Even though they were on highest priority scramble, Fitz knew not to take any chances. The stakes were too great, and the internal enemy too powerful and ruthless. “I have six of your men in stasis. There was an accident on the mission. Ambulances have been dispatched. I recommend armed guards to make sure no one talks about the mission.”
* * * *
Mission what mission? Fitz must be up to something. Best to just play along. “Understood, I’ll have it taken care of immediately. Stay with the spacecraft until my arrival.”
“Yes sir.”
“Out,” said La Force. He left the office and found his second in command. He would personally place the watch on these injured men. They must be from the Legion. Maybe, just maybe some of them survive, even now.
“I’ll be at …” La Force stopped to think for a moment. “If you need me in an emergency, call me and encode your message. Otherwise, you haven’t seen me. Is that clear?”
“Yes sir.”
La Force left by the back exit and grabbed the first pool car he could find. He no longer trusted anyone in his command other than the two new officers and the two women he had entrusted in his investigation.
Soon he was wheeling his way toward the spaceport. The guard stopped the vehicle until he saw an admiral in the back and popped him his best parade ground salute.
“Where do you want me to let you out, sir?”
“Take me to LZ thirteen A.”
“I’ll have to stop and put out the flags.”
“Yes, yes, go ahead.” Bright yellow warning flags were required on every ground vehicle that drove onto the landing zone.
The last of the injured were being loaded onto ambulances, and guards were already placed around the spacecraft when La Force pulled up.
“You want me to wait, sir?” asked the driver.
“Yes, wait in the car.” La Force got out and walked briskly toward the spacecraft. The guards came to attention and saluted. He returned the salutes without actually looking at the guards.
While he had no idea what was really going on, he acted as if he was in charge of the whole navy as he confidently strode up the ramp and onto the spacecraft.
“Commander, I thought we had lost you!”
“Yes sir, sorry about that; I sort of got hung up.”
“Let’s debrief here,” said La Force. “I don’t think anywhere else is safe.”
It took most of an hour to bring the Admiral up to speed concerning what had transpired on the planet and the daring plan to reestablish the Legion as necessary to the war effort. La Force listened intently, asking questions occasionally.
“Extraordinary, Commander, truly extraordinary. If I didn’t know Smith, I would not have believed it. You say he has promoted people and replaced all the missing commanders?”
“Oh yes sir, that and reorganized much of how the Legion operates. Apparently, they killed a great number of Reptilians and found a way to grow their own food.”
“And you say, they are in hiding, relatively safe when you left?”
“Yes sir.”
“And the Reptilians have occupied the planet?”
“Yes sir.”
“That’s not like them. It is just as inhospitable for them as it is for humans,” mused La Force.
“Perhaps, it is a thing of honor for them. They lost so many fighters killing the Legion, that they felt they had to hold it,” speculated Fitzpatrick.
“Well maybe so. Now, it all depends on getting the Greys on board,” said La Force.
Chapter 32 - The Admiral Take
s Charge
“You did what, doctor?” demanded Admiral La Force.
The navy doctor looked shocked and nervous. “I …I asked one of the men which unit was he with. That’s all.”
“What were my orders?”
“No one was to talk to the patients.”
“Then why did you disobey? Marine!”
The Marine sergeant briskly stepped forward followed by his two men.
“Take the doctor to the brig. I’ll be along later with charges.”
The men moved, but the doctor retreated. “I only meant to see if they were cognizant. I didn’t mean to disobey orders.”
La Force raised a hand, and the Marines stopped short before laying hands on the doctor. “What did he tell you?” asked La Force of the cowering doctor.
“They gave me the name of the Legion unit to which they belonged. That’s all.”
La Force took in a deep breath and stepped close to the doctor. “These men have been on a covert mission of great importance to the war effort. They are navy men who have been given a cover story for reasons I am not a liberty to discuss. You are in possession of information that could compromise their mission.
“But the Legion has been disbanded. It no longer exists,” pleaded the doctor.
“They were sent out before all this unfortunate business with the Legion transpired. Had difficulties not developed you would not even be aware of their existence, and doctor, you don’t have a need to know. You just need to patch these brave men up, and I will pick them up and take them away from your hospital as soon as possible. I want no other breaches of security.”
Admiral La Force lowered his voice to a rasp whisper. “I will tolerate no other breaches of security. Do you understand, doctor?”
“Yes, completely.”
“I want the best medical treatment for these men. If I get even the slightest hint they have not received the best you have, I will be back. Have I made myself absolutely clear?”
“Yes sir, absolutely.”
La Force turned to the Marine sergeant. “I want your men guarding these rooms at all times. No one is to go into see the men unaccompanied. One of your men must be with them at all times. Do you understand?”
Hell Fighters From Earth Book 2 Page 29