Hell Fighters From Earth Book 2

by William C. Seigler

  “There is a war going on, and the enemy has showed no concern for casualties among The People,” said Fitz testily.

  Once again, Cee appeared to confer with the Chairman. “Yes, you are correct, but we have forgotten how to make war. We have only learned after we encountered what you call, Reptilians.”

  “You have no stomach for killing,” said Fitz.

  “Yes, is that a bad thing?”

  “No, but it can be a dangerous one.”

  “You are quite correct, but we will not use such a weapon again unless we are forced to.”

  Again, thought Fitz before passing this all to La Force, but found himself somewhat dejected. He felt this puzzled Cee.

  “It troubles you that we are not happy with killing?” he asked.

  “No, I have no desire to kill anyone, but these creatures cannot be reasoned with. They only understand violence, force.”

  “The Supreme Chairman says to tell you that perhaps this is correct, but if we descend to their level, will we be any better than they?”

  La Force thought on this for a while. Then to Fitz, he said, “We must be careful of our words. Tell him I said that the Supreme Chairman’s wisdom is without flaw and that perhaps another course of action will make the peace easier after the war is won. However, we must first win the war.”

  Fitz did so, and Cee conferred with the Supreme Chairman once again. “This discussion is good, but to the task at hand. We must rescue the Legion. The Supreme Chairman wishes to know where you wish to deposit the Legion after the rescue.”

  “Tell him that we only know of one place; we can put them back down on the Earth,” instructed La Force.

  “The Supreme Chairman instructs me to tell you that he will have a subcommittee look into the question. Perhaps they will have an alternate solution before returning the Legion to Earth becomes necessary. He also wishes to know how you plan to proceed with the rescue.”

  Fitz passed this on to his boss. “Okay, thank him for any assistance he can offer to save the Legion. Then tell him this. We will take the ship I brought down to the surface. Men have been training for the mission to plant explosives on the enemy ship in orbit. We will then take another team who has been preparing to destroy the launching tunnel at the Reptilian base. At that time you can land and begin the evacuation.”

  This time the conference was longer, and the other Grey at the table became involved as well. As if receiving a signal, the tea detail returned to fill everyone’s cup. It soon became clear that the Chairman found something wrong with the plan.

  Chapter 34 – Commander Cee

  “It’s been way too long,” said Argie absently. She had awakened where she fell, still in uniform, sans boots, with her head on Denver’s right shoulder. She raised up and looked at him. Was it the light or was he starting to turn gray? His shoulder and arm must be asleep by now. Poor thing didn’t move all night. She got up.

  It was not the first time she had awoken in his arms. Even under these desperate circumstances, or because of them, their friendship had grown stronger. She did not remember exactly when she became aware that she was in love, in love for the first time in her life.

  Still, they had not consummated their love. Let it grow, she had told herself. Back on Earth, many people were quick to jump in the sack together. Argie suspected they could not tell love from the pleasure of sex, that is until they were married. Then it was too late, they wound up hating one another, and it ended in divorce.

  Not my problem anymore, she reminded herself. Her problems were shared with the others in the Legion of the Damned. When Fitz and Cee left, morale was high; as days turned to weeks, she could feel a pall settle over the Legion. People were starting to bicker over minor things; acts of indiscipline had increased.

  Rations were still restricted, and everyone looked rawboned. She suspected mutiny if some new crop could not soon be added to the diet. Her medical people and those growing food had worked closely together to do whatever was possible to make sure that vitamin intake was sufficient to ward off disease. She knew they were coming up short; rickets was becoming a problem. She wondered if some of the troops should sit out in the sun a little each day. That should stop it, but anytime anyone was outside, there was the chance of discovery. Discovery would mean disaster.

  Denver began to stir. He had removed his socks and boots along with his Legion camo shirt. He blinked away the sleep and finally focused on Argie who sat about two meters away watching him.

  “How long have you been sitting there?” he asked.

  “Not long.”

  “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

  “I have other things to do; I don’t know if you could call them better.”

  “What other things do you have going on?”

  “Sick call starts in twenty minutes. I like to be there, even though they can handle it themselves.”

  “You’ve got a good group of people. It’s good to have someone who can stand in for you if need be,” he said.

  “You mean, there is no one to stand in for you?”

  “That’s not what I mean, everyone is expendable,” he insisted.

  “And that’s not what I meant, and I don’t believe that just anyone can stand in for you.”

  “It’s too early to fight,” he said.

  “I don’t want to fight. I don’t want to haul myself to sick call either.”

  Denver swung his feet out onto the cold cave floor and wondered for a moment about ancient humans who lived in caves.

  Argie broke into his musing, “Have you thought anymore about sending people outside to get some sun?”

  “Wish all our vitamin requirements were as easy as that. Yes, I have; it might even be good for morale. Dmitri and his men have found some places in deep crevices where someone will have to be almost straight above them in order to spot them. I think it should work.”

  “Good, when do we start?”

  “I’ll meet with my commanders after chow and have them start rotating their men through.”

  “Could we start with the ones in sick bay who have rickets?”

  “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Let me check with radar and get the times when it’s safe.”

  “Safe, what does that word mean?”

  He laughed, “Not sure.”

  He struggled to his feet, stretched, and groaned. “Let’s get going.”

  Argie rushed him and flung her arms around him. “Yes sir, Captain Darling.”

  He hugged her back. “Don’t let anyone hear you. I don’t need that to get around.”

  “There are few secrets here.”

  “Yes, that’s true,” he added.

  “I got two more reports of pregnancy yesterday.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “To be honest, I forgot,” she confessed.

  “You were pretty tired; you looked like the walking dead,” he said with a chuckle.

  “You’ve been no raven haired beauty lately yourself,” she teased.

  “You know what I mean. A couple of commanders have wanted me to forbid romantic entanglements, but that’s been tried before without too much success. Forbid people to act like human beings. Do you know the trouble that would cause?”

  “We’ve discussed this before.”

  “Exactly, the worst of it is that pregnancies would be hidden or people would start performing homemade abortions on their own increasing the number of casualties.”

  “You’re preaching to the choir, Reverend.”

  This did not dissuade him from continuing. “This way the women can get the medical attention they need.”

  “Yes, but we have no way to deal with the most dangerous cases,” she said.

  “True, but we are doing all we can do for them. Your people have included warnings about sex, pregnancy, and d
elivery under these conditions in their health and welfare classes with the companies.”

  “I’m sure the number would be higher if we had said nothing.”

  “Or made sex the forbidden fruit,” he added.

  “Got to go.” She then let her right-hand slip down to his buttocks, gave him a little pinch, and quickly pecked him on the cheek.

  He dressed and headed off to the radar room.

  * * * *

  La Force turned to Fitz. “What’s the problem?”

  “I’m not exactly sure sir. I think the Supreme Chairman finds something wrong with your plan.”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know sir.”

  “Well find out.”

  “Yes sir, I’m sure they will tell us when they arrive at some sort of conclusion.”

  Cee had taken off his headband and somehow was managing to keep Fitz from listening in. Several minutes passed as various Greys came and went. La Force fought down his growing impatience.

  Eventually, Cee put his headband back on to keep up appearances. “The Supreme Chairman wishes me to assure you that he is not trying to second guess your military plans, but he finds a potentially serious flaw.”

  “A flaw, what flaw?” said La Force after Fitz passed the information on to him.

  “The Supreme Chairman suspects that an attack on the orbiting ship will alert the Reptilians on the surface.”

  “But there is no other way,” protested Fitz.

  “The Supreme Chairman thinks that the attacks must be simultaneous.”

  Fitz passed this on to La Force. “Tell him that he is probably correct, but we only have one small ship. There is no other way.”

  “Oh but there is; the Supreme Chairman wishes me to take the ship I have to carry out the mission to destroy the orbiting enemy ship,” said Cee.

  “Uh, sir,” Fitz began. “They want to use Cee’s scout ship to carry the men to destroy the orbiting battleship.”

  “I see,” said La Force. “That is an interesting idea.”

  “Sir,” interrupted Blackstone. “It could be made to work, but we will have to get both teams into our ship. Then come back to this ship to transfer the strike team. Who is going to lead that team?”

  “The team has their own team leader,” assured La Force.

  “Who will stay on board to interface with the Greys? Their team leader would lead the attack, of course?” asked Blackstone.

  “Yes, Commander Fitzpatrick should be the one interfacing with Cee on that mission,” said La Force.

  “Yes sir, but he will be needed here to interface with the Chairman,” protested Blackstone.

  “Yes, you have a point,” admitted La Force. He only now noticed that Cee was passing this discussion on to the Supreme Chairman.

  “Commander, tell him that I agree with his idea. We are just trying to work out the details.”

  “The Supreme Chairman is aware of that and suggest you place the strike team under Cee’s command,” Fitz informed La Force.

  “I never thought of that,” said La Force. “My guess is they want to see how we’ll respond.”

  “Respond sir?” asked Fitz.

  “If we don’t want humans under the command of one of their people, they might not trust us either.”

  “I see. The Greys already found that their lack of trust in our leadership has been justified. They might want to see if we can be trusted,” responded Fitz.

  “Yes, I wonder what else they have in mind. I mean, the Legion cannot go back to working for their people, can they?”

  “Their people, sir?”

  “Huh, I mean the navy. I guess I’m starting to see us as a separate entity.” La Force paused a moment, then added, “Well aren’t we?”

  “It would seem so sir,” answered Fitz.

  Something else was tugging at the edges of La Force’s mind. To whom would the Legion be loyal to after it was pulled off the planet? The Greys had to be thinking of that.

  “Very well, tell him that we will place the mission to destroy the orbiting ship under the command of mission Commander Cee.”

  Fitz did so and could sense surprise in Cee’s reaction. The old Chairman just continued to nod ever so slightly.

  After communicating with the Supreme Chairman, Cee said, “We are honored that you place so much trust in us.”

  La Force smiled when Fitz passed this along. He had passed the test.

  * * * *

  Blackstone expertly slipped his ship out of the cargo bay as soon as the jump ship dropped back into real space. They had observed the planet from out on the fringe of the system and knew when to jump in. Now he headed for the planet at lightning speed slowing only to enter the atmosphere slowly enough to keep from burning up the spacecraft.

  He dropped in over the south pole when the orbiting ship was on the other side of the planet and in the northern hemisphere. The craft quickly dropped down low and slid along rapidly toward the coordinates Fitz had provided.

  Long before the orbiting ship came over the horizon, Blackstone parked the ship under the rock ledge as Fitz directed.

  Blackstone was back in Legion Fatigues, “Okay Commander, we’re ready to go.”

  * * * *

  A legionnaire came running to find Smith. “Sir, one of the observation posts reports that a navy in-system ship has just landed.

  Smith was stunned but managed to ask, “Where?”

  “They landed it in the same place the Grey scout ship had been kept,” he said breathlessly.

  Smith dragged himself to his feet, and after grabbing a breathing device, hurried out. Something about this was disturbing. They must be getting pretty good to get in without radar seeing them. If they can do it, so can the enemy.

  He made a mental note to find a way to tighten up their observation net. The legionnaires stationed at the entrance were surprised to see him and sprang to their feet.

  Smith turned to the Corporal in charge, “I’m going out. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Sir, should you be going alone and unarmed?”

  “It’ll be okay.”

  “Sir, take one of my men with you.”

  “I’ll go,” said one legionnaire, as he stood and grabbed his respirator.

  “Okay, come on,” instructed Smith.

  They were outside in moments and walking swiftly toward the ship. “Sir is that what I think it is?”

  “Yep, a navy in-system ship.”

  “Is it a friendly?”

  “Hope so. Don’t worry,” he added. “I suspect help has arrived.”

  They stopped outside the craft and waited. Surreptitiously Smith whispered aloud, “Cee, are you in there?”

  There was no answer, and for a moment he got a bit nervous. Soon there were faces at the viewport and Smith saw Fitz as he slid open the airlock.

  “Welcome Commander,” he said. Then he saw Admiral La Force and the last man he thought he would ever see again, Colonel Blackstone. Smith came to attention and saluted.

  “At ease Captain,” said La Force.

  Commander Fitzpatrick and Colonel Blackstone had argued against the Admiral coming on the mission, but he would have none of it. “I intend to see for myself the men and women that our society recruited then left to die at the hands of the enemy. To be honest, as I have benefited greatly from that society, I feel a certain responsibility for what has been done.”

  So the Admiral came down to the surface.

  “Good to see you again Captain Smith. I believe you know Colonel Blackstone.”

  “Good to see you again Colonel,” said Smith.

  “I told you I would return Captain.”

  Smith smiled and said, “Yes sir, you did.”

  “I just didn’t know it would take so long.”

  “Captain,
I would like to be brought up to date on the condition of the Legion,” instructed La Force.

  “Yes sir, of course. Are we to be evacuated?”

  Admiral La Force was not accustomed to being questioned once he had given instructions. Fitz noticed him stiffen slightly.

  “Sir,” Fitz said quietly, “Captain Smith has kept the Legion alive without any support for months.”

  La Force turned slightly, “I am aware of that Commander.”

  By this time, Smith noticed what had occurred and felt just a moment’s hostility. “Sorry sir, I guess I’m not accustomed to having superiors.”

  “Quite all right Captain. I suspect that no one in this command will question any order you give. I hope one of those orders will not be to shoot us on sight.”

  “Of course not, sir. Please follow me, gentlemen.”

  Smith led the men back inside through the improvised airlock. As they advanced legionnaires came to their feet and began to follow.

  The first thing La Force noticed was the smell, stale body odor, and dust. The troops looked ragged and undernourished.

  Dutifully, Smith led the newcomers to visit each battalion commander. Blackstone turned green at the sight of the sunken cheeks and bulging eyes of the men and women.

  “My god,” said Blackstone when he saw his former command.

  “Colonel, is that you?” asked his former battalion clerk.

  “Yes, I’m afraid it’s me.”

  “Why did you leave us, sir?”

  Blackstone’s face reddened with shame. He wanted to scream that he had no idea what was going on that day. Then he remembered that most of the Legion’s officers were glad to be rid of them.

  “It’s a long story son. If we get out of here alive, I’ll tell it.”

  La Force interceded, “We’ll tell everybody. We’ll tell the whole world the stinking truth!”

  There was silence.

  Smith broke in, “Sir, perhaps we should visit the infirmary next.”

  “Lead on,” instructed La Force.

  Conditions in the infirmary were worse. The medics were busy processing a new batch of illnesses. Some of the injured had the thousand-yard stare, looking neither alive or dead. In the distance, La Force could see Lieutenant de la Fuente directing medics in the daily triage of patients.