Bang!
The red doors to the Bridge blew open. We waited, hunched on the stairs for the onslaught of Milgari crewmen. Several seconds passed with no sign of activity.
We cautiously moved up the stairs and through the doors into the wide Bridge, it was nearly 200 meters across. Any numbers of consoles were up and running, displaying data on the ships systems and cargo load. All stations had been abandoned.
Davis spoke. “Chief, I think that might have been the Bridge crew who attacked the mess hall. From the number of stations in here it looks like the empty chairs match up to the crewmen we encountered. It looks like we have taken the Bridge Sir!”
I walked over to the giant transparent wall that looked out over the massive ore bays behind the Bridge. The ten battle cannons lay in ruin on a platform just below us. The closed cargo holds seemed to stretch out in an endless line before us. The ship contained low grade Tantric ore. Frig had reasoned that the mammoth ship would be filled every three months. Once refined, it would be the equivalent of several years of our production.
Barg spoke. “Chief; there are bound to be other crewmen on this barge. I say we see if we can pull up the ships diagrams and figure out how to seal off this fore section. We can let the Colonel and his men… ho! Davis!”
“Arrrrrgh!”
The Milgari captain charged at Davis from behind a console, a long sharp knife in his right hand. Davis’s only reaction was to drop onto his back while thrusting his right boot up into the air. The Milgari captain dove onto Davis’ outstretched leg and was vaulted over him to the open doors beyond.
The captain tumbled through the doors and down a flight of stairs before coming to a stop against a rail. Several seconds of groggy reaction ensued before he rose and started down the stairwell. Barg rushed out. “Chief! I got no shot. He’s getting away!”
I helped Davis to his feet. “Let him go! Davis, you OK?”
Davis looked himself over. There was a long gash in his suit from his navel up to his left shoulder, but the skin beneath had not been broken. “Got all my parts still Chief.” I turned back to the others. “Let’s get this Bridge secured. We can deal with the captain later.”
Within a few minutes we had a small gas torch out and were welding the hardened Bridge doors back into their frames. The right door remained functional while the left door had to be welded in place. We took several extra pieces of steel from the Bridge, welding them in place around the doors to add an extra level of stiffness. With the Bridge secured we took a few minutes to rest.
Chapter 10
The Gray Ghouls continued to climb up the levels of the cruiser. When they secured Deck 12 their progress came to a halt. The Milgari Marines had constructed a barricade and were using a fire hose to keep the Colonel’s men from advancing up the stairwell to Deck 11. The Ghouls had taken another 19 casualties bringing the total to 29 out of 144 Marines involved in the assault.
The Colonel came on the comm. “I don’t know what you think you are doing over there Mr. Grange, but I don’t like the distraction. We got a war going on over here and I don’t need to be worrying that you are getting your ass kicked by some Milgari ore hauler. If you want to get involved that badly then get your ass over here and assist with the wounded!”
“I have fighters down below doing those tasks when I need them up here. We’re down 20% now with another 5% chewed up in triage. If you have crewmen to spare we can use the support. That freighter you are on isn’t going anywhere!”
We abandoned our fortress on the Freighter Bridge and made our way back down and out onto the deck where Frig was waiting with the Swift. We were quickly ferried to the cruiser and were soon onboard, waiting to assist those who had been injured. I looked at the 12 dead Ghouls laid out along the far wall as I stepped into the triage area.
A medic yelled out, “Can someone give me a hand! I’ve got two more to get down the stairs!”
I hustled over to offer assistance. The medic was covered in blood as I helped him lift the injured Marine.
I spoke, “Just tell me what I can do!”
I tried to read the nametag on his battle suit, but the blood had it obscured.
The medic replied, “The name’s Dennison Mr. Grange. They call me Butcher although I don’t think that is appropriate at the moment. I don’t much care though, so call me whatever you like. Set her over here. And keep pressure on that wound until I get back!”
I did my best to stop the blood that was spurting from her side. Corporal Hash had taken a stabbing hit from a makeshift halberd. The wound was deep. The corporal opened her eyes and reached up to grab my face. “No worries Mr. Grange. Wound cut through my liver. It’s only a matter of time. No amount of patching is going to stop what’s coming.” I looked at the Marine with a stunned stare.
She continued, “It’s OK Mr. Grange. I took out two of them with my knife before the third swung from around the corner. All part of the job. You win some… you lose…”
Hash winced in pain before her arm fell back to her side. The Milgari had claimed another Ghoul. It was an experience I would not soon forget.
We had lost others in our tiny force. People that I had gotten to know, people that stepped up to put their lives on the line for the cause. But this death had happened up close and personal. I sat motionless for a moment as my emotions began to run wild.
A hand grabbed my shoulder. It was Maria Rodriguez. “Let’s go cowboy! We’ve got others that are still with us that need our help. Hash has moved on to a better place.”
An outstretched hand helped me to my feet. The next two hours were spent assisting the medics with new casualties as they arrived. Once stabilized, the injured Marines were transferred back to the frigate where an operating team, led by George, was hard at work patching them up.
When the bulk of the injured had been moved across to the Slaughter I took it upon myself to move up the stairwells towards the fighting. The Colonel and his men had cleared the way up to Deck 10. He was busy fighting a group of Milgari Marines that were holed up behind a bulkhead door.
The Colonel yelled, “Masters; take three with you down that hall back there and start cutting through those walls!”
The Colonel turned towards me with a scowl on his face. “Grange; I should kick your ass for pulling that stunt. I’m trying to run a war here and you think it’s some sort of game. Marines are dying Mr. Grange. I don’t like it when my people die! If you are adding to my worries you are helping the enemy. They don’t need your help Mr. Grange. They are doing fine on their own!”
The Colonel spit a wad of Omega root on the floor beside me. You want to help? Then do as I asked with those wounded!”
I held up my AK, “We have that under control Colonel. Tell me what I can do to help here. I do know how to use this thing you know.”
The Colonel looked at me with the same scowl. “You are stubborn like your Daddy.”
He hesitated for several seconds. “Take your sorry ass down the hall there with Masters and his team. Give them cover while they break through those walls.”
I nodded and turned towards the hallway. The Colonel shouted as I ran. “And keep your ass alive Mr. Grange! I still want to kick it when we get back!”
When I rounded the corner Masters and his team had a torch lit and were burning a hole through a wall. The gas torch burned hot and a steel plate almost a meter in diameter was pushed through to the other side. The thin panel fell to the floor with a hollow clang.
Masters spoke, “OK, Moss. Spray down that cut with coolant and let’s get that equipment through to that bulkhead. We are going to cut a peephole first so we can clean out the room beyond. Grange! Keep your eyes peeled on our backs. These critters like to hide in unusual places. Half of our casualties have been by attacks from behind.”
I nodded as I turned back towards the door, sticking my head out into t
he hallway for a brief look.
The bulkhead was an inch and half thick plate steel. The torch cut through it slowly. I spent my spare moments flipping my helmet display from the Colonel’s video feed to that of my fellow pilots down in triage. The Colonel was still held up at the door while the triage area had been cleared of the injured. Milly and Barg were busy carrying bodies back to the Slaughter. No Marines would be left behind.
Ten minutes after beginning the cut, Masters and his men had a small hole opened into the next room. After spraying it with coolant Moss stepped up to have a look through. Flames erupted from the hole and quickly engulfed Moss’ helmet. He rolled backwards onto the floor before spraying himself with the coolant. His helmet was scorched but the seals had not broken. The flame stopped and then came through the hole as a stream.
The Colonel asked for status. “Masters; how’s my hole coming?”
The sergeant stepped back and replied. “We are hitting some resistance Sir. Taking steps to push through now. Got some crazies on the other side shooting flames at us. Will let you know when we are through.”
Moss moved to the side and up next to the wall. He attempted to spray the hole with coolant with the hope of somehow extinguishing the source of the flame on the other side. It was a move that was going nowhere. Masters asked the others for possible solutions. I raised my AK, took careful aim and…
AK-ak!
The flame stopped.
Masters turned back with a smile, “It’s always the greenhorns!”
As I began to smile back the flames shot through the hole again. This time hitting the torch equipment and setting it on fire.
Masters called out. “Go! Go! Go! Clear the room!”
I stepped back into the hall as the others ran towards me.
Booom!
The tank for the gas torch exploded with a fury. Masters was the last one moving through the doorway and the concussion threw him hard into the far wall. The face shield on his helmet shattered as he impacted the wall, he fell backwards unconscious.
I took command. “Dothan, Keller! Get him back to the medics and bring us another torch!”
The Marines moved quickly, gently picking up Masters and moving him back down the hall towards the others. I took the opportunity to once again fire a round through the hole.
Ak!
The flames once again stopped as the holder of its source took another hit. I stood and fired two more rounds through the hole.
Ak-ak!
I gestured to Moss as I fired another round. “Charge that hole and put some lead on the other side. It’s time we put some hurt on ‘em.”
Moss complied. “Yes Sir!”
Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!
A scream of pain could be heard through the hole. Moss continued to fire until one of his rounds found their source of fuel.
Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Booom!
The room shook as the bulkhead absorbed the impact of the explosion on the other side. A small flame shot out of the hole before all went silent. The room on the other side of the bulkhead had been cleared.
Dothan and Keller soon returned with a new torch. “Cut your hole over here while Moss uses that one to keep that room clear. Colonel wants a hole opened and we are going to give it to him!”
As the others proceeded I stepped back and checked the hallway behind us, all was clear.
Several minutes passed before I received a message from Frig. “Sir, this is Frig, we have two small craft approaching from the surface. What should I do?”
I suddenly felt the urge to run back to the Swift, but there was no time. “Call the Hammer and get after them. If you can, try to neutralize their drives and then push them into the ion web. If they are trying to run it might be someone of importance. Do whatever you feel is necessary to shut them down. We don’t need some crazy ramming into one of us.”
The bulkhead wall took another 15 minutes to cut through. The heavy steel plate we had cut fell to the floor with a loud clang. Moss stepped up and swept the room while Dothan and Keller cooled down the metal. Moss stepped through the hole with me close behind.
“Colonel, this is Grange. We are through the bulkhead.”
The Colonel replied. “It’s about time! Hang tight as I’m sending you a team. They already have instruction of what to do. And don’t be a hero Grange! They will be there in a sec.”
Dothan came through the hole and took up a safe firing position behind the charred remains of a metal desk while Keller returned the torch to the support team by the central stairwell.
I looked around the charred room. Three dead Milgari were stacked against one wall, a fourth body was headless beside the door. All burned beyond recognition. I took up position on the other end of the desk from Dothan. We had a defensible firing position as we waited the less than a minute for the new team to arrive. We could hear sounds from the hallway beyond. The first Milgari through the door then charged us in a rage.
Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!
He fell silent.
A rumble and grunts could be heard coming down the hall from outside the door. A squad of screeching Milgari Marines rounded the corner and began to pour into the room. We opened up with everything we had, they just kept coming. Dothan emptied his clip and quickly switched out for another, taking down a Milgari just before it reached his position.
Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!
My clip ran dry. I yanked out the empty and pulled a full one from my bag. I rammed it in and pulled back the slide. The gun jammed. A Milgari was soon diving over the charred metal desk in front of me.
“Arrrrggh!”
As I rolled back I pulled my knife from its sheath. The Milgari gnashed his teeth at my face as I held him off with one hand jammed up under his weak chin, his sharp teeth scraping against my face shield. Somehow, I could only guess it was by instinct, I swung the knife around in one motion, thrusting it into the attacker’s neck. The Milgari squirmed for only a moment before collapsing.
Only seconds after the rush had begun it was over. Ten Milgari lay dead in the doorway and across the floor in front of us. I had just pushed the dead Marine off of me when I heard another rumble coming down the hall. This time it was louder.
I tried repeatedly to unjam my gun as they approached, but it was not coming free. I tried in vain, with my knife, to free the stuck bullet as the first Milgari came through the door.
Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!
Dothan, Keller and Moss opened up. The Milgari continued to charge in.
Four plowed through the door at once with the first three being cut down by the others. The fourth was charging directly at me. Then, from behind me, through the hole came the sound of more AK-47s.
Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!
The Colonel’s men had arrived! One-by-one they made their way through the hole and into the room. The 16 Milgari Marines who had attacked, all lay dead in a pile by the door. The Ghouls moved forward out into the hall beyond.
Dothan slapped me on the back. “You done good Sir! Happy to have you by my side!”
He winked, spit Omega root on my pant leg and then followed after the other Marines. The Colonel then came on the comm. “Grange! I hope you aren’t tagging along with those guys! Get your ass back here. We need to talk!”
I stood, wanting to rub the sweat from my eyes, my helmet denied my hand. “I’m heading your way Colonel. I think I’ve had my fill of fun for the day.”
I was covered with oozing brown Milgari blood. When I arrived back at the Colonel’s position the Marine squad that had assisted me was opening the bulkhead door.
The Colonel looked me up and down. “Grange! You are a mess! Hahahaha! You’ve had your day in the sun. Head back down to the triage and get some rest. I’m guessing we probably have another eight hours of this picnic ahead of us. And hey, your Daddy would have been proud son.”
The Colonel put his hand on my shoulder and spit down on my pant leg with a wink. He then turned me around with one
solid move and shoved me towards the central stairs. When I looked back he was moving through the bulkhead door, barking orders, with his shotgun at the ready.
The assault continued for almost as long as the Colonel had predicted. His team of 144 Gray Ghouls had cut down 972 Milgari Marines and 268 crewmen. The entire ship was swept three times for stragglers, none were found. An hours rest was ordered that would be followed by cleaning up the dead bodies. Ten hours after the last of the Milgari had fallen; the remaining corpse was ejected into the black void of space.
We had lost 14 brave soldiers with 32 others receiving injuries. It wasn’t a fair fight, but the Milgari had the advantage of numbers. When the Colonel’s men moved on to the frigate there were nine Milgari still alive after the injection of toxic gas. They were quickly dispatched.
The freighter was to be cleared as we flew our prize back to Bullwort space. Before leaving, I led four Defenders on a raid down to the surface. The contingent of Milgari Marines was annihilated in their garrison and any number of guard positions around the mine were destroyed by ion cannon fire. The slaves quickly rallied and overran the remaining guards. They had food stockpiles to last for several months.
We had acquired a cruiser, a frigate and a freighter with enough Tantric ore to make us wealthy beyond belief. The Colonel was proud of his men and what they had accomplished. They were professional soldiers and it showed in their work. The courage that I had witnessed had taken me back to when I was a boy. I was beginning to once again have respect for my father, a respect that he had no doubt earned.
Chapter 11
Once back on Bullwort I managed to get an encrypted note sent to Admiral Zimmerman. He was told of the Milgari Tantric mine and of the miner slaves who were currently trapped there. Our scans had placed the number at near 150,000. Any type of rescue would be a formidable operation; with the Admiral they at least had a chance.
A deal was struck with Zimmerman through a third party to sell much of the Tantric ore we had captured. It would be taken to the same refined state as our own before delivery. The amount of supply worked to bring down the market price of Tantric, but only slightly. It was still a commodity in high demand.
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