Saul saw the revealing look on Winthrop’s face before he made his grab for the gun. In a move he had seen his grandfather do many times in target practice, he released his grandfather snub nosed 38 which had been conveniently left on the ship when he had descended to the surface, from its holster on the inside of his right bicep. Without hesitating, as if he was as accomplished with the weapon as his grandfather was, gripping the weapon firmly in his hand, he raised the gun and shot Winthrop between the eyes. He then proceeded to empty the rest of the shells into the falling man’s face in full view of the news cameras. Saul continued to pull the trigger on the empty gun until a pair of familiar arms wrapped around him to stop him. Lt. Rattigan picked up his revolver from where Winthrop had dropped it and put it back in his holster. He put his arm around Saul and together they headed for the flight line.
They could see the AARV’s circling overhead as the med ship came in. The med ship landed and taxied to the hangar where everything had started less than twenty-four hours ago. There was no resistance.
Lt. Rattigan softly said, “Thank you.”
Saul replied, “You’re welcome, and thank you.”
Saul and Lt. Rattigan reached the flight line as the last of the torture victims were strapped in.
“All aboard!” Lt. Rattigan shouted.
“No,” Saul said softly, “I need the get the children back to their families.”
“How do you plan on doing that?” Fiona challenged.
“I don’t know yet, but we should do it at the school,” Saul said.
Fiona sighed. “Then, I’m staying with you.”
“Rebecca, Sylvia, go with them, they need you up there more than we need you here,” Saul ordered.
“Little man, you are a nut case,” Lt. Rattigan said under his breath. “I need three volunteers to stay here. The rest of you get on that ship.” The med ship taxied out with what appeared to be all personnel. The four MMARV’s headed for the beach where they had driven up to begin the attack. Saul, Fiona and the two smallest Marines rode inside the MMARV’s now empty weapons caches. Lt. Rattigan and one other Marine rode on top shielded from view by the MMARV’s gun turret.
As they drove back to the school, Saul used the MMARV’s encrypted communications system to explain the remainder of his plan.
Within an hour, Moses called back. “They don’t want to go.”
“What?” Saul exploded, hurting his ears as his voice echoed off the walls of the tiny weapons cache.
“Mrs. Winthrop is their leader. She says the women and all the girls over the age of twelve would rather stay with us. They saw the CNC broadcast. It was pretty ugly. A lot of their husbands are dead. Do you know what happens to a Swordsman woman when her husband dies?”
“No,” Saul replied.
“She and her children are forced to go live in the home of the husband’s nearest male relative where she becomes little better than a sex slave.”
“So now what do we do?” Saul asked.
“We agreed that those twelve and older who wanted to stay could stay. We also agreed that if those who wanted to stay had younger sisters, they could stay too. Those that did not want to stay and those too young to speak for themselves we would send back to the school.”
“How many does that leave to go back?” Saul asked.
“Thirty.”
“Thirty out of two hundred and fifty?”
“Yup.”
Saul sighed. This was not going well at all. He had hoped to avoid being tried for kidnapping. Of course with the rest of what he had done today, he supposed a kidnapping charge was the least of his worries.
“We still need to give back those that want to go back.”
“Dawn then, at the school?” Moses asked.
“Yes, please.”
“Drive safe.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, hey, how’s Mom?” Saul asked.
“Still in surgery. Dad and Uncle Josh are working on her. Dad says she’ll live. Everyone else is under sedation until Dad can get to them, but none of the injuries are life threatening like Mom’s were.”
“How’s Dad doing?”
“You know Dad, Rock of Gibraltar. He’ll crash later. By that time we’ll be half way back.”
Elizabeth overrode what was left of the planet’s broadcast system to alert the parents of the missing children that those children who had not elected to stay on the ship would be available for pickup at dawn at the school from which they had been taken.
The MMARV parade pulled onto the school grounds before dawn. The machines the Disruptor missiles had disabled littered the road that they would need to use as a runway. The MMARV’s blades pushed the dead vehicles out of the way. In the cold gray light of the false dawn, Saul saw a familiar shape appear over the water at the end of the long road. Buddy touched down as gently as if he were landing on eggshells. Daisy rolled in behind him. Less than twenty-four hours ago, Saul doubted he would ever see them again. He could not recall being happier to see them than he was right now. Buddy and Daisy popped open their weapons pods prepared for the assault they were sure was coming. The MMARV’s were arrayed along the roadway. The AARV’s swooshed by overhead.
In the retreating darkness, Saul could see a line of cars coming down the road from town. He sent the AARV’s to investigate. They reported only civilian vehicles. There were no military vehicles. Saul was not worried about helicopters because Buddy had reported that there were no helicopters left. All of the combat aircraft had been destroyed. Other than foot soldiers for whom such an assault would be suicidal, there was no one left to attack them.
The med ship arrived as the darkness of night turned into the long shadows of dawn. Ellie Mae and Elvira had accompanied the children since none of the Swordsmen women would do it. They quietly lined the children up at the edge of the pavement and had them sit on blankets with more blankets wrapped around them. In order to keep the children calm, they had the children sing learning songs and nursery rhymes while they waited.
The first of the cars arrived. The news teams arrived right behind them. A woman got out of the first car. Her two daughters jumped up from the edge of the pavement and ran to greet her. She tearfully hugged them, and they walked together back toward the car. Saul was beginning to feel better until the woman opened the trunk of the car and pulled out four big suitcases. Giving the handle of one suitcase to each girl and taking two herself, she and her daughters raced for the open ramp of the med ship. Saul stood aghast. The occupants of the next car, all women and girls wearing back packs and each carrying a suitcase, did not bother to see if any of the girls sitting on the pavement belonged to them. Since none of the children appeared to recognize them, Saul concluded that these women were not related and were taking advantage of the opportunity to escape.
Saul looked at the line of cars approaching the road and called Moses, “Send down all the med ships you can. It’s an evacuation!”
Mimi and J. T. had been controlling the AARV’s from a med ship nearby and arrived as the first ship was closing its doors. By the time their ship was full, there were only two sisters left huddled together on the pavement. All the other children had been loaded back on the ships by their mothers and evacuated. None had returned to the city. Still the cars kept coming. Fiona pulled out one young mother with two girls the same ages as the two who were left while they waited quietly standing in line for the third ship. “Do you know who they belong to?” She asked anxiously.
The woman and her daughters went to talk to the two little girls. The woman came back to Fiona.
“We’ll take them with us. Here is their mother’s name and address. It’s not a good neighborhood. I don’t think their mother will come for them.”
The third med ship cleared the runway when the first of the men showed up angry that their women had escaped. Buddy took control of one of the MMARV’s, and it ambled to face the angry mob. The fourth med ship arrived. Buddy parked two of the MMARV’s so they flanked i
ts loading ramp. Women and children flooded up the ramp. One man tried to grab one of the women as she ran to the ramp. The MMARV swatted the man with its gun barrel and sent him flying backwards. The med ships shuttled as fast as they could get to Elizabeth and return. Throughout the day, whenever someone tried to prevent a departure, the MMARV’s under Buddy and Daisy’s control interceded and sent the offender sprawling. Some hunters who tried to take positions to fire on one of the departing med ships found that AARV’s under the P I ships’ control were quite capable of dealing with small arms fire.
One at a time, Lt. Rattigan sent his Marines up in the med ships as it became apparent that they were not needed. When the flood of refugees finally stopped, he suggested that Saul and Fiona ride the last med ship.
“No, thanks, I need to make sure the equipment is recovered,” Saul replied.
Saul heard Buddy laugh. “Saul, ride home with Daisy and Fiona. I’ll pick up your toys.”
“You sure?” Saul asked.
“Positive.”
Lt. Rattigan boarded the last med ship. Saul and Fiona boarded Daisy and followed the med ship into space.
The med ship that Sabrina had flown that no longer had seats in it returned to the roadway under Buddy’s careful control. The four MMARV’s dutifully rolled up the ramps and shut themselves down.
The med ship left and Buddy followed it.
A few hours later, the med ship with no seats landed on an empty hard packed beach a hundred kilometers from the spaceport. Two AARV’s landed on the sand behind it and rolled into the open bay and shut themselves down. Under Buddy’s control from a low orbit, the med ship that picked up the last of Saul’s toys headed for Elizabeth.
The battle for Stonebridge had taken thirty-six hours. Out of a population of 200,000, 500 military personnel had died, another 350 were wounded. No civilians had been harmed. 5,000 women and children had fled for parts unknown. The attacking force had taken no fatalities.
With all personnel and equipment accounted for, Elizabeth and Peter hyper jumped for Stellar Interstellar Headquarters.
THIRD GENERATION - CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AT ISAAC’S REQUEST, ELIZABETH sealed off the hospital section of the ship. The only people allowed to pass in or out were Ellie Mae and Elvira. Even though she was not injured, Sabrina volunteered to be locked in with the others so she could help care for them. Madison was treated for her wounds and after a few days in the hospital section was released to her Marine colleagues. A few of the refugees who needed medical attention were admitted and released. The battle group dropped out of hyperspace at the designated intercept location and requested clearance to enter the system.
Elizabeth and Peter were immediately surrounded by a fleet of small ships that included two Combat News reconnaissance drones. It looked as if the secret headquarters was secret no longer.
A voice broke the silence on the bridge. “Independent Colony Ship Queen Elizabeth, please stand by to accept the harbor pilot.”
Saul recognized the voice as belonging to the harbor master’s assistant who had dressed him down for not following procedures.
“Elizabeth, please illuminate docking port two. Prepare to accept visitors,” Saul said softly.
“Docking port two, aye,” Elizabeth replied.
Saul responded, “The Queen Elizabeth stands ready to welcome the harbor pilot. Please proceed to the illuminated docking port.”
Ambrosia turned to Moses. “When did we become a colony ship?”
“Right now. I can think of worse occupations for a big ship,” Moses replied.
“I like it,” Elizabeth stated proudly. “It is a glorious and honorable mission. I shall enjoy it.”
Fiona grinned and said. “Well, there you have it. A fully equipped, self defending colony ship with all the support needed to establish a settlement on a new planet. It certainly beats being the Lone Ranger in space.”
“Fiona, We should go greet the pilot?” Saul suggested.
“Does this mean we’re finally home?” Fiona asked.
“Yes.”
Fiona and Saul headed aft toward the docking port reception lobby. While they waited, for the first time since they had left on the mission, Saul tried to steal a kiss. Fiona had no intention of letting him get away with merely a stolen kiss and held him tightly. They were locked in embrace when the port door opened. The assistant harbor master’s guffaw broke them apart red with embarrassment. Wordless except for his laughter, he held his arm out for them to guide him and the pilot to the bridge.
The pilot took control and called in the harbor tugs. Once the ship was gliding smoothly toward the dock, the assistant harbor master said to no one in particular, “Well kids, you had a tough one out there, but we’re glad you’re back.”
“Thank you.”
“I suspect it won’t be long before you go off on another adventure, but remember, whatever happens, you will always have friends here.”
Docking proceeded without incident. Isaac released all the men who had been in his care to an out patient clinic. The women he had transferred to a hospital for further treatment.
The Swordsman refugees were taken off the ship and moved to quarters in the main residential area of the shipyard. Those old enough to work were given occupational and aptitude tests. All were given academic placement exams. It quickly became obvious that the massive shipping company viewed these people as potential new employees and the only question was where they fit in the organization. A few were offered employment at the shipyard. Others were advised to seek additional training, some of which was available there and some of which would mean attending schools in other places. Some, particularly the more adventurous, were merged into the growing population who would be sent to establish a new colony. Within two weeks, the entire refugee population had been assimilated and reassigned.
Two weeks after docking, Isaac released everyone except for Rachel and Wendy. The “children” had elected to stay on the ship and were overjoyed when their mothers returned. Rachel and Wendy’s condition had improved to the point where Isaac and Joshua felt comfortable returning to the ship at night to be with the children. For the next week, the group gathered every evening for dinner in the battleship section’s galley since even though it was the smallest galley on the ship, it was more than adequate for them.
Isaac and Joshua conducted therapy sessions for the children to help them cope with what had just happened, but it quickly became obvious to the children that Isaac and Joshua needed the sessions as much has anyone else.
Three weeks after docking, Wendy was allowed to return to the ship. Only Rachel remained hospitalized. Isaac spent as much time as he could with her balancing the need to support his family with the need to heal his wife.
As soon as he had been well enough to do so Greg had gone to the games store and purchased every war simulation he could get his hands on. He had World War II games, World War I games, games from the great Roman conquests, a series on Napoleon’s battles, a couple of series on naval warfare and even some of the earliest space warfare games that had been popular before Pirates made them look amateurish. He had purchased enough gaming consoles that any of the children that wanted to play could do so. Elizabeth linked the weapons control suites in the ships to the gaming consoles so they could play intense multi-player scenarios. So, while they should have been thinking about academics, they were venting their anger on computer images of enemies instead of real people.
Isaac broke down during the third week after docking. Dr. Terrell, who had been assisting him since they docked, ordered him isolated and force fed nutritional supplements until he regained his strength. Joshua passed out one evening over dinner and did not wake up for two days. Neither of them had treated their own injuries and Dr. Terrell took advantage of their collapse to reset their broken bones.
Dr. Terrell released Rachel, Isaac and Joshua at the same time. Along with some of the hospital staff, the Marines who had accompanied them and some shipyard
staff members who had been especially helpful, the family gathered in the galley for a celebratory dinner.
The celebration went well into the night. Six hours after the party had started, Warren Elias Rothschild wandered in the unguarded door. Still in his flight suit, he had just arrived. Silently smiling, he hugged each of the women in turn paying attention to not aggravate their healing injuries and shook hands with the men except for Saul who he hugged and slapped on the back. There were those who thought he brushed back tears when he hugged Rachel and Wendy, but no one was certain. When he finished hugging and shaking hands he ended with Sabrina who he gave a long and passionate kiss.
Greg joked, “Well, something is right with the world!”
Warren picked up a glass and rapped on it with a spoon for attention. No one in the room had seen him this happy. “Ladies and Gentlemen, in no small measure due to the actions you have undertaken, we have landed the biggest contract in the company’s history. I will spare you the details, but it is a five year contract where before we have operated year to year. News of your action on Stonebridge helped me seal the deal.”
Warren looked around the news. “So, that’s the good news, but I have great news! I have secured placement for Saul, Fiona, Rebecca and Moses at the Space Force Academy with the express provision that after graduation, they will report back here to work with our security forces.”
He looked like a little boy that had turned in his first all “A” report card.
Moses shot a quick look at Ambrosia. “Better tell him,” she said softly.
“Um, excuse me sir, but I don’t want to go to the Academy. This business at Stonebridge convinced me of what I already believed that I do not want to do this anymore. I want to find a nice hospital somewhere and be a normal doctor. I have a standing offer at the Medical University of Eretz that I can go there and start with any regular class after my eighteenth birthday. I was hoping to take them up on that offer for this next term.”
Warren looked at Isaac, “Is this true?”
“Yes, much to his father’s joy and his mother’s chagrin.” Isaac smiled and Rachel nodded.
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