America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 3: Silent Invasion

by Walter Knight

  “The human pestilence has tricked us,” said the Special Forces Commander. “The Hell’s Angels are not peaceful Mormons. They are a violent criminal gang on two wheels. And now their numbers are swelling. Look how many are coming to town.”

  “I agree. Lieutenant Lopez was right,” said the Emperor. “We should have wiped them out before their disease spread. Now, the Hell’s Angels are part of the landscape.”

  “We should at least bar them from entry into our zone,” suggested the Special Forces Commander. “Then these gangsters will just be a problem for the human pestilence and the Legion.”

  “Not yet,” said the Emperor. “I want my son to learn a valuable lesson the hard way, not to be so impulsive. Besides, I am more interested right now in those two legionnaires at the guard shack. Ever since the bank robbery, informants have been calling in saying that the newest hero of the Legion and Louis Gotti are one and the same.”

  “So, just snatch him for interrogation,” suggested the Special Forces Commander. “It will not be difficult. I will do it myself.”

  “All in good time,” advised the Emperor. “We want to maximize the scandal as a diversion when we push the Legion out of New Memphis.”

  * * * * *

  Lieutenant Lopez and I joined the Emperor and his entourage as they viewed packs of Hell’s Angels arriving for the concert. The bikers were gathering at the county fairgrounds. Musicians were already setting up sound equipment on stage.

  “The cat is out of the bag now,” I said to Lieutenant Lopez, as we stood with the Emperor. “We will never get rid of these flee-bitten bikers. I was hoping this would just be a fad, but look how many there are!”

  “Your cat needs to be picked up by the tail and tossed off a bridge,” commented Lieutenant Lopez. “I told you so. It’s not too late. Just give me the word, and I’ll bring tanks to the fairgrounds and wipe them out while they’re all in one place. Or, better yet,” whispered Lieutenant Lopez, glancing furtively at the Emperor, “we can call in an air strike and blame it on the spiders. Otherwise, when they leave, the Hell’s Angels will be like dandelion seeds blowing in the wind, taking root everywhere.”

  “If you carry a cat by the tail, you will learn a lesson you can learn no other way,” I replied. “No. There are too many TV cameras here. Hell’s Angels martyrs will do us no good.”

  “You human pestilence created this mess,” added the Special Forces Commander, overhearing parts of our conversation. “You should deal with this anarchy yourself.”

  “I see a lot of spiders on those bikes,” I said. “Do you want me to deal with them, too?”

  “Sure,” said the Special Forces Commander. “I will even help you do it.”

  “Enough!” said the Emperor. “A few stoned bikers listening to your odd human music is not the end of the galaxy. I am more interested in those two legionnaires at the checkpoint. Are they not members of the human subcategory group, Italians?”

  “Don’t play games with me,” I said. “I have received the same anonymous tips about Louis Gotti as you since the bank robbery. I’ve checked Private Stallone’s records, finger prints, and DNA against Gotti’s. They do not match. That cannot be faked So let it go.”

  “I am not so sure I trust your investigation,” argued the Special Forces Commander. “I want to perform my own tests and investigation.”

  “If anything happens to Private Stallone or Corporal Tonelli, there will be serious consequences,” I warned. “They are both heroes of the Legion. Am I clear on that?”

  “You are ill-advised to be making threats,” said the Special Forces Commander. “It is an unhealthy habit of yours.”

  Lieutenant Lopez and I walked away, continuing our inspection. Lieutenant Lopez asked the obvious question. “Are you sure that isn’t Gotti? Computers lie all the time. I could interrogate him to make sure,” he offered. “I’ll squeeze the truth out of him and Guido.”

  “I’m sure, for now,” I said. “Although we may need to transfer Private Stallone to the other side of the planet if these rumors persist.”

  “Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt,” advised Lieutenant Lopez.

  Return to Table of Contents

  Chapter 11

  The Hell’s Angels expected a few thousand fans to attend the concert. What they got was about a half a million. Plans to make money off the event at the gate were quickly dashed when ticket booths and fences were knocked down. Boats were abandoned at the docks as were cars along the roadways. Humans and spiders alike walked the rest of the way to the fairgrounds. Entrepreneurs sold them rain gear, tents, and food along the way. It would not be enough. Days before the concert, it was clear the fairgrounds could not handle the sanitation needs of a half million humans and spiders camping outside in the rain. The fairgrounds soon turned to garbage-laden mud.

  The Prince wanted to speak to the audience before the music started, and was on site days before. As naïve as he was, even the Prince could see there were going to be serious problems. The Prince ordered Arthropodan marines to dig and build public latrines. He talked me into airlifting food and blankets. I also provided a pre-concert legionnaire band to keep the swelling crowd from getting more restless. I feared that a bored, wet, cold, hungry crowd might riot.

  It seemed odd that military resources were being used when the Hell’s Angels definitely had an anti-establishment bent. Oh well. Most youth did. And most of the crowd was there for the party. I set up a United States Galactic Foreign Legion recruitment ATM at the Fairgrounds entrance, hoping to attract recruits. The ATM was destroyed by gunshots early on.

  TV crews arrived to film the concert for the various galactic news organizations. The concert was being advertised as an epoch event. TV broadcasts would go out to all of New Colorado, Earth, and Arthropoda. Also, the promoters hoped to make money from movie rights. If there was a riot, that might turn into a documentary. Reality TV cameras kept filming twenty-four hours a day.

  Medic Ceausescu set up an aid station at a central location. Before the concert even started, the aid tent was like a triage center. All ailments seemed to be drug related. Drug users having bad trips complained of being chased by spiders. That symptom was magnified when the real giant spiders showed up. I also used the aid station as headquarters for Legion activities.

  The Prince officially started the concert with a speech. “As Mayor, I welcome the Hell’s Angels and friends to New Memphis. This concert symbolizes a bridge of friendship connecting our two sentient species. Feel the love!”

  The crowd cheered the Prince like he was a Messiah. The Prince fed on their applause for ten minutes before continuing. “By executive order, I created this sanctuary for the Hell’s Angels that made this concert possible. There are a few more guests here than we expected.” The Prince got even more applause. He soaked it in, loving every moment.

  “Remember to be civil and polite at all times. Love thy neighbor. But there are always a few rotten fruit in every basket. Report all lawbreakers to your nearest marine or legionnaire. Also, it has been brought to my attention that illicit drug dealers have snuck into the concert, intent on spreading their wares.” The crowd applauded the loudest yet. The Prince waved at the adoring crowd as he patiently waited for the cheers to die down.

  “You may not be aware, but trafficking in dangerous illegal drugs like marijuana or other assorted hallucinogens is punishable under Arthropodan law by summary execution. Please turn in these criminals and perverts the moment you see them. Thank you. Have a great time at the concert!”

  The boos were deafening. The crowd spent the next half hour chanting obscenities and throwing beer bottles at anyone who appeared on stage without a musical instrument in their hands. The Prince had to be evacuated behind a line of Arthropodan marine tanks on the perimeter. The Legion aid station was torn down and medications looted. Legionnaires pulled back to the perimeter to set up another aid station.

  Hell’s Angels came on stage to calm down the crowd, promising that drug
distribution outlets would be maintained. Finally the music appeared ready to begin. A rough looking musician and his band strutted onto the stage. I have always been told that history repeats itself. But looking at the size of this mega concert, I doubted there had ever been anything like this, or that there ever would again. This concert lived up to its billing as being a one of a kind cosmic event. The bandleader snatched the microphone and yelled at the audience before beginning his song. “Give me an F!” The audience gave him an F. He yelled, “Give me a U!” The audience gave him a U. “Give me a C!” The audience gave him a C. And so it went. History was made.

  * * * * *

  Days after the Hell’s Angels concert, the Prince was feeling pretty good about himself. There had been a few problems, even a few deaths, but for the most part the concert was a success. The concert showed humans and spiders were gradually coming together. The Prince enjoyed the media attention. The concert was being described as a defining moment in galactic history. There was even a report that trade barriers were being dropped and that Harley-Davidson motorcycles were being imported to Arthropoda. Several Hell’s Angels chapters were being formed on the spider home world.

  Today it was back to work. The Prince chaired his second City Council meeting. He felt he was getting a good grasp of what it took to be an administrator. That would make the Emperor (dad) happy and hasten the Prince’s departure date from New Colorado and back to civilization. An Empire could not be ruled from one of its colonies. He needed to return to the seat of power. The Prince breezed through the routine city affairs deftly. Garbage collection, paving and repairing streets, speeders in school zones, extending the water district, bulldozing a pit for all the garbage from the concert, overcrowding at the county jail, skateboarders on sidewalks, and cats without licenses, were all handled with meticulous care.

  Then came time for members of the public to bring up new business. The Prince did not like this part of City Council meetings, but had been informed that tradition required that the peasants have a chance to vent. So, the Prince patiently prepared to listen to their drivel.

  “Why are you not elected?” asked a young human female. “What right do you have to Lord over us? I demand that you follow the city’s charter and stand for election.”

  “The Emperor appointed me as mayor,” said the Prince. “He did so against my will for your own good. He explained to me that you are like children that need to be guided. Left to your own devices, you would muck it up.”

  “The Emperor is your father?” asked the human female. “I do not accept your rule by royalty, your nepotism, or your blatant corruption.”

  “Nothing compares to the corruption you allowed before,” responded the Prince. “You elected Mafia to run New Memphis. That is proof you humans cannot be trusted with the franchise of voting.”

  “What about me?” asked a young spider. “You do not trust spiders with the right to vote, either.”

  “Our species has no history of allowing peasants to vote. You are not qualified. In the long run, you would only cause harm to yourselves and to your communities.”

  “That bites,” said the human female. “Dude, who you do you think you are?”

  “Yeah, that sucks!” said the young spider. “Who died and made you king?”

  “Arrest them both,” ordered the Prince, pounding once with his gavel. “This meeting is adjourned.”

  Return to Table of Contents

  Chapter 12

  The Emperor sat in on negotiations because he wanted to address important issues himself. It was time to push the Legion out of New Memphis, and he wanted to make sure it was done right. The Emperor had pushed the Legion easily enough out of Camp Alaska, and he did not expect much resistance here either. General Kalipetsis was weak, and would not stand up to Imperial will. He told Kalipetsis so.

  “Louis Gotti traveled to Arthropoda to pay assassins to kill our Emperor. Gotti was detained on Arthropoda but released before implicated in the conspiracy. Now, I find out that Gotti has enlisted in to the Legion in hopes of escaping justice. Major Czerinski informs me that Gotti is a hero of the Legion and has his protection. It is an outrage that Gotti found sanctuary in your marauding Legion. I am outraged, and all of New Colorado is outraged. Even your own human pestilence press is outraged. I demand Gotti be arrested and handed over to the Empire. If you refuse, I have ordered tank commanders in New Memphis to take Gotti by force. Imperial marines are mobilizing as I speak,” warned the Emperor.

  “When the Legion was forced out of Camp Alaska and Finisterra, the economic loss to New Colorado and the United States Galactic Federation was substantial. The loss to our prestige was greater. Gold, oil, and uranium still cannot get to market unless brought through the Port of New Memphis. New Memphis is the ultimate economic prize in the North, and the Legion will not leave. Economics and pride, however, are not the driving forces behind my decision to stay in New Memphis,” said General Kalipetsis. “New Memphis is a large American city. It always has been, and it always will be American. The abomination of Arthropodan marines occupying even one small part of any American city will no longer be tolerated. As I speak, legionnaires in New Memphis and hidden in the forest have surrounded your troops and are advancing. You are under arrest.” General Kalipetsis drew his pistol and pointed it at the Emperor.

  “You have started a war you cannot win,” said the Emperor. “Your treachery will not stand. You will be tried and executed as a war criminal.”

  “I have ordered stealth starships to destroy your capital of Arthropoda if any provocations are made by the Imperial Fleet in orbit around New Colorado,” said General Kalipetsis. “You cannot stop an attack on your home world. You have always known that, yet you persisted with your violent adventurism. Did you really expect us to put up with your foolishness forever?”

  “You are bluffing,” said the Emperor, inching his hand closer to his sidearm. “Put your gun away. I know you will not use it. If you dare attack New Memphis, my fleet will nuke the entire city.”

  General Kalipetsis shot the Emperor. Stunned bodyguards just stood there, then surrendered. I directed legionnaires to disarm the spiders and transport them off the barge.

  “Who is in charge of the Empire now?” asked General Kalipetsis.

  “Why? It is a little late for you to be thinking of that,” replied the Special Forces Commander. “What possible interest would you have in the succession process? You will not live through this day.”

  “I need to know who to talk to when negotiations resume,” said General Kalipetsis. “Are you in charge?”

  “Me, the Emperor? Not likely,” said the Special Forces Commander. “I am but a common soldier who came up through the ranks. When will I be repatriated? Before this area is nuked, I hope?”

  “Soon enough,” said General Kalipetsis. “You will radio your troops in New Memphis and order them to leave. I will allow all to drive by truck to Finisterra. All armor and tanks will be abandoned. No quarter will be given to any who stay.”

  “Commanders will not obey my orders unless you release me from your custody,” said the Special Forces Commander. “Maybe it is you who should surrender or leave.”

  “If I release you,” said General Kalipetsis, “will you withdraw from New Memphis?”

  “It is a little late to be negotiating a peaceful resolution to the mess you caused,” said the Special Forces Commander. “But I will do whatever the new Emperor orders me to do.”

  “How long before we find out who the new Emperor is going to be?” asked General Kalipetsis.

  “We know now,” said the Special Forces Commander. “It is the Prince.”

  “Then I will negotiate with the Prince as soon as possible,” said General Kalipetsis.

  “You are taking this better than I thought you would,” I said. “I expected threats of vengeance and all sorts of saber rattling. What will be the Prince’s reaction?”

  “As I said before, we are all going to be nuked,” said the Sp
ecial Forces Commander. “Did you expect less?”

  “I expect you to try to talk the Prince out of a full-scale thermonuclear exchange between our home worlds,” I said. “It is in both our interests not to go to war.”

  “As I said earlier, it is probably too late to take back what you have done,” said the Special Forces Commander. “It was the Emperor’s policy to push you human pestilence as far as possible without starting a war. It appears New Memphis is as far as you can be pushed before your self-destructing tendencies kick in. I will strongly explain that to the Prince.”

  “And if the Prince decides to declare galactic war?” I asked. “What then?”

  “I will shoot the fool myself,” said the Special Forces Commander.

  * * * * *

  The Special Forces Commander was soon repatriated to the spider zone of New Memphis. As he entered the Prince’s bunker at the Sheriff’s Office, the Special Forces Commander was immediately searched and disarmed by bodyguards. Artillery and rockets could be heard outside, but the Prince seemed unconcerned. He focused on the Special Forces Commander.

  “Well?” asked the Prince. “The human pestilence released you? Do you have a message from them? Or were they just feeling magnanimous?”

  “Never expect mercy from the human pestilence,” advised the Special Forces Commander. “Your Majesty. There was a confrontation when your father demanded that the Legion hand over Gotti and leave New Memphis. General Kalipetsis shot the Emperor. The General now orders that we leave New Memphis. If we call on our space fleet for help, their stealth starships will attack Arthropoda. I advise we leave while we still can. There will be no quarter if we refuse.”