AMP Private War

by Stephen Arseneault

  The Colonel spoke, “Listen up! Tomorrow we hit that cruiser and those frigates. That freighter is three-quarters full and we have made the decision to take her. We are in the hijack business boys and girls. We are no more than common thieves and thugs! But we are stealing items of war that would otherwise be used against us, so keep that in mind while you are on those ships kicking their tri-head asses. We want those ships whole; let’s keep the collateral to a minimum!”

  The room erupted in commotion as the Marines slapped shoulders, grinned, hooted and spit Omega root. They had a mission, a mission that would possibly take them aboard a Milgari cruiser, a ship that could hold as many as a thousand Milgari Marines. Men would undoubtedly die, but a Milgari cruiser was a prize worth fighting for.

  The docking bay of the Slaughter was large enough to hold all the Defenders. The Colonel had invited us all to lunch, a lunch that included a pass through the chow line with Sergeant Willers. I was eager to hear whatever comment he had in store for me.

  Milly was in line in front of me. “Well, look at the little daffodil… You come back and see Willers after lunch. I’ll make a real woman out of you. Ahehehehe!”

  I stepped up with my plate. Willers looked directly at me with an odd expression. “What the… son, did your mama smack you in the face with a shovel when you was born? I never seen such a flat face. Reminds me of the backside of one of those tri-heads! Ahehehehe!”

  Willers plopped a load of beans and Borack on my plate. “Watch out, those beans’ll make you toot. Toot! Toot! Ahehehehe!”

  Willers continued with the abuse as each new victim stepped up for their turn at his post, each moved on with a smile.

  After lunch we met with the Colonel to map out our strategy. One of the frigates had continued on towards a new location, a location that we would follow once our current mission was complete. After a number of conversations we settled on our plan of attack. The Defenders would take out the frigate and ensure that the freighter did not attempt to run while the Slaughter and her crew stormed the cruiser.

  We would hit the cruiser with enough negative ion pulses to take her offline followed by two ion bombs to keep her there. Every ten minutes a new set of bombs would be deployed and set off. A cruiser had 22 levels and the fight was expected to last for a minimum of four hours. It was possible that it could take days.

  The frigate would be neutralized with negative ion pulses followed by a number of drill holes with toxic gas. When the cruiser operation was complete the Marines would then board and liberate the frigate if time allowed. If the frigate presented a problem when it came time it would instead be pushed towards the red giant star that lit the small planetary system where it would continue on its trajectory until such time as it would burn up. If the Marines were able to successfully rid the frigate of the Milgari onboard, it would be loaded into the cargo bay of the freighter for a ride back towards Bullwort.

  The remaining ship was the freighter. It was nearly 500 kilometers in length and 12 kilometers wide. The massive ore bays would be simple to secure, but the thousands of kilometers of hallways that ran from fore to aft would take time to clear. After taking the Bridge the Marines would be tasked with clearing her out during the ride back home. Due to its immense size it was believed that the freighter could have several hundred crewmen dispersed throughout. The Marines would be going on a hunt.

  Zero hour soon arrived. Our assault force of the Slaughter and eight Defenders invaded the red giant system. I flew the Swift close to the cruiser and fired off five negative pulses. Her propulsion and weapons quickly went down. The Fist dropped two ion bombs, one fore and one aft, and within seconds the Milgari cruiser was powerless.

  The Bull and the Frost took the frigates engines offline while the others launched small drilling platforms that would attach themselves to the ship’s hull, drill into it and then pump in the toxic gas. Sixteen such devices were used against the Milgari frigate.

  After taking the cruiser offline I swung the Swift around towards the freighter. As we approached I was surprised by the opening of the doors of cargo bay one. Seconds later a platform emerged with ten ion battle cannons. I took evasive maneuvers, but not before incurring three strikes from her guns.

  I pulled hard on the stick. “Whoa! That was not expected! We need to get that shut down before it can be used against the Slaughter. Frost, Bull, Fist. I need a hand with this freighter! Take out those cannons!”

  Milly maneuvered the Frost to approach the freighter from a blind spot on the fore-bridge. She popped up just enough to fire off a blast taking out one of the cannons before ducking down and going below the great ship.

  “That’s how you do it boys! Come in low, roll up for the shot and then drop down beneath her!”

  We were quickly in a pattern and the ion cannons on the freighter were silenced. I turned my attentions back towards the Slaughter and her boarding party.

  The Colonel spoke, “Listen up! We are starting from the bottom and working our way up. Platoon one you will cover here to here and platoon two the rest. Secure the halls and sweep all rooms from top to bottom. We will then fight our way up those stairwells. And keep in mind people… they will use every dirty trick in the book to protect their ship. We would do the same!”

  The Slaughter pulled in close to the cruiser and the storm tubes were shoved across the void. Seconds later the sound of plasma charges could be heard as the cruiser’s hull was breached. One hundred-forty-four Marines stormed through the openings with their AK-47 assault rifle duplicates blazing. Deck 22 was cleared within minutes.

  The Colonel barked an order, “Lock down those stairs and elevators! Keep an eye out for stragglers. Don’t want leftovers taking us down from behind. The 144 Gray Ghouls moved up to Deck 21. Deck 21 housed the ships primary environmental recycling system. Several Milgari crewmen carrying pipe wrenches stormed the hallways and were quickly cut down with 7.62 mm rounds followed up with a .45 caliber slug to the head.

  The two platoons swept every room on their respective end of the ship before meeting up at a central stairwell. Several more Milgari crewmen were discovered and dispatched before they could inflict injury. The Milgari would not cower or hide, even when faced with certain death. They would instead charge directly into fire with a violent rage. It was an unsettling trait to some.

  The Colonel continued to lead. “Howard. Finemen. Use those mirrors to check the halls before poking your heads up! Donaldson, prep two of those grenades for that hall, if things get heated count to three before throwing them up through there. If they charge those stairs I don’t want to get caught in a melee. Let’s make use of the weapons advantage we have as much as we can!”

  Howard held his mirror up for a view of the hall to the left. “Hall’s hot Colonel. I make out at least 15.”

  Finemen reported back. “Got six over here Sir.”

  The Colonel gestured for those close to the stairwell to fall back. “Donaldson! Three seconds… no less. I want those nades to pop before they have a chance to pick ‘em up and throw ‘em back.”

  Donaldson replied, “Yes, Sir!”

  Two pins were pulled, a count was taken and the grenades were released, one traveling along the upper hall in each direction.

  Booom! Booom!

  The Colonel charged up the stairwell with his shotgun at the ready.

  Boom! Ch-ch boom! Ch-ch boom! Ch-ch! Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!

  The hallway in each direction was quickly cleared. The Marines moved up in twos, crowding the walls as they went.

  Four rounds were sent through the walls next to the first doorways before a marine rolled out and fired into each. Three more Milgari were killed. A fourth Milgari dropped through a ceiling panel with a knife in hand, jabbing it straight down through the shoulder of a Marine. The Milgaris brains were quickly splattered on the wall and its carcass pushed off to the side. The injured Marine was passed back down the hall to a wai
ting medic. He was lost to the fight, but he would survive.

  As the Colonel and the Gray Ghouls continued their assault the rest of us worked to keep the frigate and freighter in place. Periodic low level negative ion pulses knocked the alien systems offline as soon as they came up. The fact that the frigate continued to attempt a restart was a sure sign that at least some of the Milgari had survived.

  Bucci then came over the comm. “Chief, I don’t get why we aren’t using the ion web to hold these two ships. That is the one thing that it is good for.”

  I furrowed my forehead as I looked at Frig. “Why aren’t we using the web?”

  Frig shrugged. “I’m not sure anyone suggested it Sir.”

  Bucci then interjected. ‘I suggested it five times to the Colonel! But I think he was in the midst of planning his assaults. I’m guessing it just slipped through the crack.”

  I made the decision to make use of the ion inhibitor field. I was disappointed that with all the brainpower we had we had missed making use of such a simple and useful tool.

  I got on the comm, “Davis, Milly and Barg. How would you like to go on your own little raid? I’m thinking we hit the Bridge of that freighter and see if we can take it over. If we set off a couple ion bombs around her we should be able to take control of her. Frig, and our engineers can easily fly our Defenders if needed.”

  Milly was the first to respond. “I don’t know if that is such a great idea Chief. We have been training, but there are only three of us. And you… I don’t think we can afford to lose you. You put this outfit together and I kind of view you as the glue that keeps us together. I have to say it concerns me Sir.”

  Barg responded next. “I am all in for this. Ever since I got my hands on one of those AKs I haven’t been able to sleep without dreaming of doing this very thing. Count me in!”

  Davis was his usual calm self. “I see merits both ways. The longer we sit here while the Colonel and his men sweep that cruiser, the higher chance there is of having visitors. A couple of unforeseen cruisers could put us in a bad situation. If we go aboard and those extra ships are detected we will still have time to get back to our Defenders before they arrive. I can’t say I fancy sitting around doing nothing. I’m in if you want Sir.”

  The Bull, the Spike and the Sword quickly made a triangle and initiated an ion inhibitor field. Two minutes later they maneuvered until the frigate and freighter were held in place with any large weapons they could muster made inert. We then took it upon ourselves to launch an assault on the freighter. The Colonel would be livid, but I could no longer sit by and do nothing while others were placing themselves at risk.

  Davis, Milly and Barg transferred to the Swift and Frig dropped us on the deck of the freighter just below the Bridge. A door was found and then blown open with a set of plasma charges. The outward rush of atmosphere told us that any Milgari inside would be busy scrambling for suits or rebreathers. Our own private war was about to begin.

  I spoke, “Davis and I will take right, you two left. And we have time so let’s take it slow. I don’t want the Colonel screaming in my ear for getting someone killed!”

  As we rounded the first corner a Milgari crewman charged at us with an iron bar in hand and his oxygen rebreather in his mouth.

  Ak-ak-ak-ak!

  He fell quickly to the floor.

  Milly spoke next, “Chief, we need to clean out every room as we move. If one or two of them get in behind us we could be in for a world of hurt.”

  The first door we came too was littered with signs of different foods. It was the mess hall for the freighter. Barg pushed open the door slowly.

  Before he could step in a Milgari cook lunged at him with a butcher knife. “Holy…”

  Ak-ak-ak-ak!

  Barg spoke, “Chief, I’m beginning the think Milly was right. What if there were 20 of them coming at us? You know, it looks a lot easier watching on those monitors. I’m thinking we…”

  A second Milgari sprang from behind a counter, again a large butcher knife was raised in the air and a screeching howl was let out as the second cook charged.

  Ak-ak-ak-ak!

  The Milgari fell as he swung the knife. It cut down through the center of Barg’s left boot, stopping when it wedged between two plates of the steel deck below.

  At the same time more screeching could be heard in the hallway. I pushed Davis through the mess hall door and slammed it shut just as half a dozen ravenous Milgari crewmen arrived. The door locked from our side. The crewmen threw their bodies at it violently. With the door’s somewhat flimsy design, it was only a matter of time before they would break through.

  I spoke as I looked through the porthole window in the door. “Barg! How’s the foot?”

  He took several seconds to answer. “Chopped right between my toes Sir! But my boot is pinned to the floor!”

  Davis assisted as we leaned heavily on the door in an attempt to reinforce it. “Take that boot off and get behind that counter over there. Milly sweep that back room! We don’t need any surprises!”

  “Arrrg!” Crunch! “Arrrgh!” Crunch!

  The crewmen rammed the door with their bulky bodies. Once Milly and Barg reported back, we took refuge behind what looked like a buffet counter. The smell of the food was putrid.

  I spoke, “That door is coming down any second. There are at least half a dozen out there, maybe more. Make your shots count!”

  The door burst open, falling to one side as the first Milgari fell inward onto the floor.

  Ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!

  They were cut down as fast as they could enter the room. When the gunfire ended nine Milgari crewmen lay dead or dying on the floor before us.

  Milly was the first up to deliver the decisive shots to their heads. “Chief; would have only taken one of them to get through. I think we pull back and let the pros handle this.”

  As I looked back into the hallway I replied. We are only 500 meters from that Bridge. I think we just got the worst of it right there. This barge, even though it is immense in size, has got to mostly be automated.”

  “I would bet if there are any Milgari troops they are stationed down on that planet. Which brings up an interesting thought… slaves. The Milgari use slaves in their mining operations. I wonder if there are not thousands or millions of slaves down there being worked to death. If we steal this barge and leave we might as well be killing them ourselves. That planet does not look to support much if any life.”

  Davis then spoke up. “It would take days if not weeks to collect them and bring them up here to transport. There is room, but I doubt there is sustenance on this ship to support them all. They would have been brought in on transports that could land on that planet down there. To be frank Sir, I don’t think there is much we can do for them with what we have available. We are not set up for a mass rescue Sir.”

  I remained silent as I moved down the hall. Davis was right. There was nothing we could do for the poor souls who were trapped on the planet below. I called back to the Swift. “Frig. Can you do a deep scan of those mines down there? I want to know how many slaves they might have working them.”

  Frig responded, “We did have discussions about taking out the Milgari who were likely garrisoned down there, but I don’t recall any discussion about others. What are you proposing we do Sir?”

  We passed through one of many airlock doors as we moved down the hallway. It was good to be back in atmosphere, but the stench of the Milgari was almost overwhelming. “Close those external filter ports. This air ain’t worth breathing!”

  As I kicked open a door and Davis stepped in. The storage room was empty and our attention was turned back towards the hallway. “I’m not proposing anything. It just occurred to me that there may be a lot of slave workers down there and we don’t have any plans whatsoever to offer them any aid. If we just pick up and leave with the freighter they will likely be dead in a short
time.”

  Frig hesitated before answering. “That is a sustained operation down there. They likely have food stores that would last them for months if not longer. We aren’t exactly near any colonies out here Sir. Whatever system they have down there is likely for the long term as far as provisions go.”

  With my gun raised, I quickly turned the corner into an open room, it was empty. “I hope you are right my friend. I guess it doesn’t matter much either way as there is not much we can do. We might give it some thought once we are mopping up this mission. By the way, how’s the Colonel coming with his progress?”

  Frig replied. “They have advanced to Deck 15 Sir. The resistance is becoming progressively higher. I think the Milgari Marines are the ones involved in the fight now Sir. The Colonel has four dead and six wounded, five of those casualties in one incident. Take heed that the professionals are having a tough go of it Sir. We need you back in one piece.”

  We rounded a corner and were confronted with a long stairwell going upwards. I looked up through the center and could see at least 20 stories above us. It would be a long hike up to the top leaving us fully exposed until we reached the Bridge doors on the 18th level. “That’s our prize through those red doors up there. Let’s get climbing!”

  We began the long climb up the stairs, always looking back down from where we had come. When we reached the 18th floor I offered up a moments rest. “Take five before we go through there. We might be facing five crewmen or fifty once we go through those doors. If it’s the later I want you all to turn and haul ass back down those stairs.”

  “We might be able to hold them off in that long hallway down there. It’s narrow enough to keep them bunched up. These stairs are a bit wide. And check your clips; we want to go in there fully loaded.”

  Barg placed the plasma charges around the locked door. We moved back down the stairs two levels, just far enough to maintain a safe distance.