by T. R. Harris
Over the tunics, they dressed in the Travess recharge uniforms, which they had learned were a basic protection against the radiation leaking out from the various modules and generators.
The team had taken several of the extra uniforms and cut them into capes. The colors and fabric matched the uniforms, so they were hoping the crew of the Juirean ship wouldn’t think anything about the unusual garb. Under the capes they would carry their weapons.
The five Humans carried HK MP7A1 submachine guns. They were lightweight weapons designed for Close Quarter Battle. They were fitted with a 40-round magazines, and members of the extraction team carried four extra magazines each. The barrels had suppressors attached to them, extending the normal 7.1-inch long barrel by six inches. This would negate some of the CQB effectiveness of the weapon, but it would also muffle some of the sound of fire as well.
They each also carried four slide grenades, which they were hoping not to have to use. Setting off explosions inside spaceships was always a touchy affair; breaching a hull would cause a whole new set of problems for the team.
Once Kaylor followed the homing beacon to the docking port, he slowly positioned the shuttle until its long snout was inserted into the port, in an almost sexual maneuver. The snout had a long, articulated conveyor belt running through its length where the energy modules would travel, and was it wide enough for two technicians to move along each side. Sherri and Chief Rutledge would enter the Juirean ship through the snout.
The rest of the team would enter through the main hatchway above the docking port. Kaylor would lead the way, adding credibility to the team’s identity with his easily-recognized alien pedigree. There was a good possibility that the crew of the Class-3 would recognize Humans if they looked close enough. After all, their prize cargo was the Human terrorist Adam Cain. Many of the crew may have taken the time to get a look at him, simply to put a face to the enemy.
Luckily, the recharge uniforms consisted of full-head hoods, as well as respirators and goggles. These would hide the Human’s identity from casual scrutiny. What the team didn’t know, however, was how involved the ship’s crew would be in the recharge operation. It was a large ship, and the normal recharge crew compliment from the surface was nine technicians. There were only six of them. This could raise some questions if there were a lot of the ship’s crew hanging around.
They now all stood before the gaping entrance to the shuttle’s snout as Lieutenant Andy Tobias surveyed the eyes of his team. Except for the look of sheer terror he found in Kaylor’s, the rest of the team met his gaze with firm determination. This is what they had come all this way to accomplish. It was time to get to work.
Tobias nodded at each of them in turn. “Maintain radio communications throughout. Okay, let’s move out. Let’s go find Captain Cain.”
Sherri and Chief Rutledge tucked their weapons under their capes and moved into the snout. They had loaded some actual energy modules onto the conveyor belt, just for effect. The journey through the hatchway into the Juirean ship only took about ten seconds. At the end of the snout were the controls for the conveyor; Sherri turned it on while Rutledge opened the hatch.
The view inside the generator room was very impressive. It was cavernous, towering fifty meters high, and snaking along the floor was a complicated array of conveyor belts on runners — like one would find in an airport baggage handling room back on Earth. None of the belts were moving at the time, and as Rutledge stepped inside the room, he was relieved to see that no aliens were present. The Chief slipped his arm under the cape and felt the reassuring coldness of the MP7.
The first module reached the end of the snout’s conveyor and was transferred to the mating belt in the room. Sherri and Rutledge tensed as the entire elaborate system of conveyors in the room suddenly came to life, and began to funnel the first few modules on the belts, sending a clacking noise echoing throughout the room.
Suddenly, an alien stepped into view, standing on a catwalk along the opposite side of the room and two stories up. The creature — a non-Juirean — was wearing a brown uniform, similar in design as their own, just a different color. The creature appeared to have a small datapad in his hands.
Rutledge raised his hand to the alien, acknowledging its presence. The alien looked up from the pad and stared at the Human for a long moment before slowly returning the gesture. The creature then went back to the datapad. Sherri and Rutledge looked at each other without saying a word.
Tobias and the rest of team had moved up the long umbilical and entered the ship two stories above the ground floor of the generator room. They were in a large airlock; the door cycled through and then opened. Two aliens were there to greet them.
Kaylor stepped up carrying a datapad. He stood silent as the two aliens stared at him, an awkward uneasiness filling the room.
“We are here for the recharge,” Kaylor finally said.
The two aliens looked at each other. Then the taller of the two looked back at Kaylor. “Of course you are. Why else would you be here? I need to see your manifest.” The tone of the creature’s voice suddenly grew suspicious.
Tobias had seen enough. They were in an enclosed room, unseen by others, so he stepped forward quickly and swung his HK up from under his cape, striking the taller alien under the chin with the stock of the weapon. The creature’s head snapped back, while its body remained still. The SEAL could see how the head had broken completely loose from the neck, held in place only by the skin of the alien. Even before the body of the taller creature had collapsed to the floor, Tindal moved forward and used his hands to grasp the head of the other alien, twisting it quickly to the right. He released his grip and the two aliens fell to the floor in unison.
“So much for trying to talk our way through this,” Riyad said, placing his hand on Kaylor’s shoulder. “You tried.”
“I am sorry,” said Kaylor, his voice an octave higher than normal. “I didn’t know what else to say.”
Tobias turned back to the alien. “No problem. See if you can find a computer terminal that you can tap into. You might be able to find out where they’re keeping Adam. Let us know your progress as soon as possible.” The Lieutenant then turned to Riyad and Tindal. “Move out.”
Tobias slid open the door and stepped into a long hallway. He was relieved to find no other aliens there. Down the hallway about twenty meters would be the exit into the one of the two main corridors running the length of ship. The plan was for them to move into the hallway and then up two levels of stairs to the medical center. Located next to Medical were the two quarantine cells where they hoped to find Adam. If Adam wasn’t there, then they would be truly fucked.
The corridor they entered was now open on their left to the large expanse of the generator room below. They could see the maze of conveyors, now all running, with a clanking din rising up from the floor. Several modules were moving out of the snout and onto the conveyor system. Sherri and Chief Rutledge were standing at the docking hatch.
Tobias and Rutledge made eye contact and the Chief nodded across the room. Tobias followed his motion and saw the other alien standing on the catwalk. The creature noticed the gesture as well and looked over at the railed corridor where the other three Humans stood. The creature looked confused.
Not waiting to figure out what they were doing wrong, Tobias swung his MP7 from under his cape, raised it to his cheek and depressed the trigger. The shot was true, striking the alien in the chest. Tobias looked down at Rutledge and motioned with his hand in a chopping motion, indicating for the two of them to move out toward the central corridor on the opposite side of the room. Sherri and Rutledge took off, as the trio of Humans above them stood guard.
There was a stairway across the room and the two of them scaled it easily, placing them now on the same level as the other three. Together Tobias and Rutledge opened their respective doors to the main corridor. They stood back, and then did a quick look inside. What they found were four aliens in the hallway, moving as a group b
etween the two doors. They were walking toward Tobias’s location and they spotted the Lieutenant as he poked his head into the corridor, but didn’t seem to comprehend the movement. Rutledge stepped into the corridor behind them and opened up with his MP7. The muted puff-puff of the weapon still echoed on the metal sides of the corridor more than he liked, but the four aliens were soon lying on the floor, all dead.
The team joined up in hallway and began to move toward the forward section of the ship. They knew that about ten meters further up would be the entrance to the starboard crew quarters, so they proceeded with caution.
The entrance to the berthing quarters was wide and open; on impulse, Riyad tucked his weapon under his cape and casually stepped inside. The room was open bay, with thirty sleeping modules forming three long rows. Each module consisted of a large, rectangular box measuring about three meters tall by about four meters long. Doors were slid to the side, revealing the interiors of several of the units, where a number of aliens of a variety of species sat on padded cots, each engaged in idle activities. The Juireans in the crew would be housed in more luxurious accommodations in the forward section of the ship. These quarters were for the non-Juireans.
The aliens seated on their beds looked at Riyad with no apparent curiosity. His orange and green recharge uniform stood out, but no one seemed to be that concerned with his presence there.
He backed out of the room without incident.
The rest of the team quickly slipped past the door and toward stairway leading upward on their right, with Tobias leading the way and Tindal bringing up the rear.
Another alien appeared at the top of the stairway and began to step down. He looked up and noticed the team, a blank expression crossing his face. Tobias jumped, scaling half the stairway in a single bound. He was upon the alien in a second, his knife drawn. He spun the alien around and slit its throat in a quick, smooth action and then tossed the now-dead alien down the stairway and into Riyad’s waiting arms. The blood from the alien stained the front of his uniform as Riyad stuffed the now-limp body into a corner under the stairway and then joined the rest of the team at the landing above.
Another flight up and they were on the same level as Medical. A wide glass window on their left showed they were in the right place and the team moved quickly, entering the room beyond. There were six aliens inside, and they all looked at the odd menagerie of uniformed aliens as they entered.
There was also a Juirean here, a green-maned Guard who seemed to react faster than the others. With their respirators and goggles now off, the faces of the Humans were fully exposed. The eyes of the Juirean grew wide and he dove toward a comm unit on the wall. Rutledge cut him down with a short blast of the MP7, the rounds literally cutting the alien in half.
The others in the room then panicked, scrambling away in all directions. The Humans had no choice; they all opened up, the 4.6-caliber rounds easily ripping through the thin flesh and bones of the variety of aliens. Their blood and shattered flesh sprayed around the room, leaving a scene of utter death and devastation rivaling any to be found in a Freddie Kruger movie.
Tobias and Tindal sprinted across the room and through a doorway into the area where the quarantine cells were located. They looked through the small window into the first unit. It was empty.
They moved to the next one and looked inside. There, sitting on a cot, staring straight at the window, was a smiling Captain Adam Cain, USN.
Tobias stepped back, and not bothering with trying to figure out how to unlock the cell, blasted the controls with his weapon. The metal shattered; Tobias reached into the hole he’d made and pulled, ripping the door open.
Adam remained seated as Tobias and Tindal entered the cell.
“It’s about time you got here,” Adam said, his smile growing even wider.
“Better late than never, sir,” Tobias said, returning the smile. He unhooked another MP7 he carried on his left shoulder and tossed the weapon to Adam. “Care to give us a hand?”
“Love to. It’s been a couple of months since I killed any aliens. I think I’m having withdrawals.”
He rose from the cot and joined the other two SEALs at the door to the cell. Sherri and the others had moved up, and when she saw Adam, she pushed her way through the crowd and embraced him passionately. They shared a hard kiss and then stared into each other’s eyes for a tender moment. There were tears in Sherri’s eyes.
Tindal leaned over toward the Chief. “Fucker not only gets rescued — but he also gets the girl. I think we’re doing something wrong.”
All the rest of the team then spent the next ten seconds patting Adam on the back and shaking his hand. After that, Tobias put a stop to the reunion.
“Enough of this mushy shit,” he said. “Now we have to disable the ship, and from the inside out.” He turned to Adam, “You ready to exact some revenge on these stinkin’ bastards, Captain Cain?”
“More than you can know, LT. The J’s are all forward of here. Let’s start there.”
“Lead the way, Mr. Cain.”
Chapter 40
The plan called for the team to disable the ship from the inside so that it wouldn’t be able to pursue them during the getaway. Ideally, the damage would be so extensive that even communication links to the outside would be affected. There were still a large number of official entities, both on the surface and in orbit, what wouldn’t take to kindly to a Juirean ships being attacked in their jurisdiction.
One of the simplest and most direction means of attaining that objective was to kill every last alien onboard. If that wasn’t possibly, then at least a high enough number of them to scare the shit out of all the survivors.
First, they would have to find the bridge and destroy all the controls. The Class-3 also had an auxiliary control room located near the aft generator rooms. They would take this out on their way back to meet up with Kaylor. But first they had real live — at least temporarily — Juireans to contend with.
The Juirean compliment of a Class-3 battlecruiser was usually around twenty-five out of the total crew of ninety-five to a hundred. They would all be Guards, trained military professionals, and once the assault team was discovered, they would be the first to react.
The team moved out of the medical center, past the horrific scene of death they had caused only moments before, and as they entered the main corridor, their luck ran out.
Suddenly sirens sounded, and a voice came over the ship’s 1-MC system.
“Alert! Alert! The ship has been breached. All security forces converge on the Medical Facilities region. All crew to be armed immediately.”
The SEAL team moved up the corridor, Tobias and Adam in the lead, Tindal and Rutledge at their six, with Sherri and Riyad in the middle. At an intersection, a force of six Juireans, all armed with Xan-Fi flash rifles, met up with them. The SEALs opened fire before the Juireans could get off a shot. Three of the Juireans were torn to shreds, while the remaining three opened up on the Humans. Juireans do not rely on computer-assist for aiming — just like the Humans — so their shots were more accurate. But still the initial bolts were fired in haste and missed badly.
Adam dove forward, sliding on the metal floor. He rolled to his left, bringing the weapon to bear on the three Juireans hiding around the corner. He opened up and the bullets ripped into the flesh of the Juireans as if they were made of cardboard. This was more like it, Adam thought, watching the Juireans be torn to shreds. It’s good to be back in the shit!
The team moved past the intersection, weapons glued to their cheeks.
Just then a blaze of bolts came from behind. One of the bolts struck Riyad in the back and he fell forward, his body alight with a blue electric glow. The aura quickly faded as the rest of the team sent a deadly and deafening shower of metal in the direction of the attackers. They could hear the screams of pain as some were hit.
Riyad regained his feet and moved up next to Adam. “That’s my one mulligan,” he said to the SEAL.
Adam loo
ked at the orange and green uniform Riyad wore. “Are you all wearing the diffusers under the uniforms?”
“All except you. Be careful. We didn’t come all this way just so you could get yourself killed.”
“I’ll make sure I don’t disappoint you.” The two shared a smile, and then dropped to the floor as another barrage of bolts passed way too close over their heads. “Did you bring any grenades?”
“Of course,” Tindal yelled out. “Never leave home with them.”
“Well, how about tossing one down the corridor?” Adam ordered. “That last barrage nearly took my head off.”
For an answer, Adam heard the small, puck-sized grenade go sliding down the metal floor. In a second, the ship reverberated from the explosion and smoke billowed up from behind them.
“Move out!” Tobias ordered. “Tindal, take up a position at the next intersection and cover our six.”
“Roger that.”
The other members of the team moved up the corridor, encountering two other brief pockets of resistance from the aliens. No other Juireans were seen. Adam had been to the bridge of the Class-3 before, so he knelt down on one knee as its entrance came into view at the end of the corridor. “Let’s not take any chances. Blow it.”
Rutledge stepped forward and tossed a grenade at the door. The thunderous explosion ripped the doorway open, sending two Juireans in the bridge area to the floor, covered in their own blood. The Humans surged forward, laying down suppressing fire as they entered the room.
They were met with a force of twelve Juireans, crouching behind the consoles that dotted the large room. The SEALs — along with Sherri and Riyad — dove for cover themselves, and began to send hot metal in the direction of the Juireans. The MP7 ammunition also did a number of the control consoles themselves, shredding the boxes into pieces of sharp, flying shrapnel. The Juireans began to fall back, with some moving away toward another exit to the room.