Casserine

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “We’re in position, Jas,” Jake stated. “Tell them to get face down on the floor. Anything standing inside will be executed.” “On it, Jake,” Peters replied.

  Jake tried the entry switches on the outside of the Center for a few seconds and then backed off, and let McClure’s squad blow the door. Passallions were lying on the floor in varying positions across the entryway. They had been caught totally by surprise. As there was no time to sort out the innocent from the guilty, Jake put Mercer in charge of securing the main floor of the building. Moments later, Marines were in key spots all over the huge mezzanine, and all entrances into it were guarded.

  Jake took off his helmet. “Any of you speak our language?”

  Many hands raised in response to the question. Jake knelt near a male Passallion, who lay near where he was standing. “Stand up.”

  The Passallion gingerly pushed himself up to a standing position, staring up in open awe at Jake.

  “Do you know one of your people named Zaros, who we rescued from the Byzantlan home world with a group of other Passallions?”

  “Yes, I know of him. He was taken into custody shortly after your people began the operation against the vicious creatures I have heard you call Bugs.”

  “Who took him into custody, and why,” Jake asked in some confusion.

  “Our military commanders were unhappy with the prospect of Zaros gaining so much power, and the right to act as our emissary with you humans.”

  “You seem well informed,” Jake commented.

  “I was a member of our ruling council. My name is Mardok. Have you been successful in your mission against those foul creatures beyond the force field?”

  “We just finished up wiping out the first nest, and then one of your cruisers took to the sky against my express orders. That was when we found out we could no longer communicate with Zaros. I’m Jake Matthews, General, USMC, and commander of our forces.”

  The small creature flinched at the news he was talking to the human commander. “What is it you want of us, General?”

  “Only to reestablish lines of communication with Zaros, and make sure your military understands their position. I came to a clear understanding with Zaros, and until all of the Tattallias Horde is wiped out, I expect him to be in charge here. For normalization of relations between our race and yours, he will be a key ingredient, because he knows our position and our power.”

  “If the military will not accede to your demands, do you have any other way which might be feasible to accomplish this normalization of relations?” Mardok asked hesitantly, and then backed up a step, as even he could see anger flash across Jake’s face. “I meant no disrespect, General,” he added quickly.

  “If things do not proceed in exactly the way outlined from the beginning,” Jake explained quietly, “we will back away, and allow the Bugs to obliterate your race, and then we’ll come down and exterminate them later.”

  “But that…that would be.”

  “Inhuman?” Jake inserted. “Not really, because you Passallions have your fate in your own hands. If we needed slaves, you all would be in chains right now. Follow directions, or die, simple as that.”

  Mercer, who had been listening to the exchange intently, spoke up angrily. “It would be extremely intelligent for you to go and find our little buddy, Zaros, rather than have me come looking for him. Not too many of you ET’s will be left alive by the time my search concludes.”

  Mardoc looked to Jake, as if expecting him to countermand what the other dark complexioned human next to him had said. “Is there more than one commander in your group?”

  “Why you little.” Mercer began, as he started forward, but stopped when Jake held up a hand.

  “Colonel Mercer here carries out my orders, and how he carries them out, I leave up to him,” Jake instructed. “If I tell him I want Zaros brought to me, he will bring him to me. Zaros, by that time, may be the only live Passallion on your planet, but the Colonel will bring him to me. Do you understand?”

  “Yes…I…did you know there are armed troops in the other parts of this building in preparation of your coming?” Mardoc asked. He thought rightly, it would be very bad for him if these humans believed he was hiding anything.

  “Most are dead already,” Jake replied. “We do not take well to traps. Now, can you find someone around here with enough sense to bring Zaros out, or shall I ask Colonel Mercer to find him?”

  “I will find him, General,” Mardoc promised fearfully. “Am I permitted to leave?”

  “Sure,” Jake said. “You can take everyone else with you too, but if you come back here without Zaros, this room will be the safest place on the planet for Passallions. You might want to leave everyone else where they are.”

  “Yes, General,” Mardoc agreed quickly. “I think it would be better if my people here stay where they are.”

  “Good luck then,” Jake said, stepping aside.

  Mercer escorted the Passallion past the Marines and to a small rectangular passage, which led to one of twenty clear oval carriers, which traveled between levels. By the time Mercer returned, Jake stood next to Vic McClure, going over diagrams of the complex on a panel Dougherty had issued to all company and platoon leaders. Jake had already put his helmet back on, and Mercer followed suit.

  “I take it you don’t have much hope Mardoc will bring Zaros back with him,” Mercer said, using only the helmet amplifier to speak to Jake.

  “It would make things easier,” Jake shrugged, “but these ET’s are not as intelligent as I originally estimated. “Can you imagine setting traps for an armed force with ships in orbit ready to annihilate your race?”

  “While they eradicate a menace also threatening your existence,” Mercer added. “Are you getting the same tingling sensation I am about all this?”

  “They’re hiding something,” Jake agreed, “but what? Zaros told me they had no human prisoners here. Maybe he couldn’t convince them we weren’t going to enslave their race.”

  ‘Tea, but logically they’d wait until we were through getting rid of the Bugs before they made a play, wouldn’t they?”

  “We’re imparting logic to them, but how do we know they have any,” Jake replied. “Hell, maybe they still have visions of being the end all of the universe. The way Zaros and his people talked, I thought they couldn’t get enough of us. I’m very hurt.”

  Mercer laughed appreciatively. ‘Tea, me too, I.hey Jake, look who’s coming down to join us.”

  Jake turned and followed Mercer’s gesture. Coming down in one of the clear bubble carriers were Mardoc and Zaros. “Well, well, well, maybe we won’t have to do any ET extermination today after all.”

  “He don’t look so good, but at least he’s still alive.”

  Jake led the way over to the carrier, with Mercer right behind him, and McClure’s Marines trailing them.

  “Jake, you have someone coming down to your level carrying something with a huge energy signature,” Dougherty cut in suddenly.

  “Vic,” Jake shouted, “put a hole in the ET with Zaros. Zaros is the one slightly hunched over.”

  Without a word, McClure shouldered his particle beam rifle, and put a neat hole right through the bubble carrier, and right through the head of Mardoc. Mardoc collapsed, and Zaros tried to steady himself, but he too fell to the carrier floor.

  “Nice shot, Vic,” Jake said. “Get everyone back until we find out what the hell he was carrying. We’ll wait and see whether Zaros can get out of there of his own accord.”

  “I hope it wasn’t a vid recorder,” Mercer joked, as they moved quickly away from where the carrier would reach the main level.

  “If Tim had him register on his scanner, then he’s carrying something more than an energy toy,” Jake grinned. “I assume it won’t take out the building, but who knows. At least we won’t survive this dumb ass mistake. I should have figured they’d try something like this.”

  “Tea,” Mercer retorted. “Just how the hell would you have predict
ed something as stupid as this?”

  “All I know is, I’ll have to hear about this from Doug. He’s probably powering up right now to erase the planet. We’ll be lucky to get back on Alpha and take off before the planet goes nova.”

  Mercer and the other Marines within earshot laughed at Jake’s mention of the Yorktown’s Commander and his penchant for handling situations straightforwardly. The carrier came to rest, as the Marines had gathered up the ET’s on the mezzanine level, and retreated to the main entrance with Jake and Mercer leading the way. The carrier hatch slid open, and Zaros crawled out. He pushed himself up to one knee, and gestured for everyone to stay back. He stood up, staggered back inside the carrier, and after using the inside panel, sent the carrier back up. When the carrier was on its way upwards, Zaros moved shakily towards the front entrance.

  “Stay here, men,” Jake ordered, and went to meet Zaros. He grabbed up the Passallion in one arm, and carried him to the entrance. As he laid him on the mezzanine floor, Zaros groaned loudly, but managed to smile up at Jake.

  “Hello, General,” Zaros whispered, his voice shaky. “I congratulate you on your success with eradicating the Queen and her nest. How did you know Mardoc had an explosive device?”

  “The weapons officer on board my Alpha Drop Ship has been scanning everything in the building, especially stuff approaching us,” Jake answered. “What’s this all about?”

  “Mardoc was to set off the explosive as soon as you came in range of the blast. It was hoped your death would discourage your people, and they would leave,” Zaros replied, lying back with his head on the medical corpsman’s bag.

  The corpsman looked him over, shrugged, and then glanced up at Jake. “He’s been beaten up, but I don’t know enough about them to tell you much more, Sir.”

  Jake nodded, and knelt next to the Passallion. “How are you? Is there anything we can get you?”

  “I’ll be okay,” Zaros replied. “When they planned this stupidity, I tried to reason with them, and so did my people who had been imprisoned with me. This military triumvirate told me they were very close to developing an anti-matter weapon capable of defeating your fleet.”

  “Let me get this straight,” Mercer said, disgust in his voice. “We save your people from the Bugs, and you wipe us out to show your gratitude?”

  “They allowed us to believe we were accepted, and then these three imprisoned us the moment your mission on the first nest started. While your fleet was busy with the Bugs, a cruiser was to attack with the new weapon. I am told it was destroyed the instant it took off.”

  “Any suggestions, before I have one of our Command Wing Fighters show you what an anti-matter weapon can really do?” Jake asked calmly. “I don’t suppose Mardoc was the leader of this military triumvirate, was he?”

  “No, but he was like others of my people, too proud to accept the fact we are no longer the most advanced race around, and certainly not the most dangerous. I thought with the way our people have adapted and enjoyed human idiosyncrasies, we would not only welcome your help, but also your friendship.”

  “Any chance this is just a small percentage of your people? Once the Bugs are gone, and we don’t fit you all for a slave collar, their opinion might change.”

  “Yes, it is possible, General,” Zaros replied, “but I did not dare hope you would give this a chance, after what they tried to do to your force.”

  “Where’s this military triumvirate located, and do you think they will be there?”

  “I can guide you to them,” Zaros offered. “It will be dangerous though.”

  “I have a little plan for that if you can tell us the level they’re holed up in,” Jake replied. “Hold on a second.”

  Jake flipped on his helmet communicator. “Tim?”

  “Yes Sir?”

  “You think your hovercraft could be used for a little mission into this building?”

  “Sure,” Dougherty chuckled, “but if we have to tear around inside the building in a hovercraft, why not just take out the building.”

  “I concur,” Corey put in.

  There was a chorus of agreement from Peters and Wilcox to add to Corey’s.

  “Okay,” Jake said thoughtfully. “Hold that thought. Zaros, how many innocent people do you have up in the other parts of this building?”

  “Possibly over ten thousand,” Zaros answered.

  “Sounds like acceptable losses to me,” Mercer put in. “They could have one of those anti-matter bombs up there.”

  “They do not, Sir,” Zaros broke in. “They want to live. They don’t mind sending a hapless dupe like Mardoc to his death, along with whatever number of our people were caught up in the blast on this level, but they feel too important to be risked.”

  “Okay, I’m warming up to the idea of taking these guys into custody, and letting Mr. Snappy reeducate them,” Mercer said angrily. “By the time I get done with them, they’ll nominate you for emperor of the planet.”

  “You know, Charlie,” Jake mused, “that’s not bad, not bad at all.”

  Jake gestured for McClure to walk away with him and Mercer. They switched off their outside channels, and took off their helmets. “Vic, we have a little problem in the upper level of the building. I want you to talk to your guys and see if they would want to volunteer for a small action, which would save a lot of innocent ET’s, and further our trade mission relations. It’ll be just me, Colonel Mercer here, your squad, and Dougherty at the helm of a hovercraft.”

  “I’m in, Sir,” McClure said immediately. “I’ll be right back.”

  McClure went over and huddled with his platoon-sized squad. There was some laughter, and then McClure jogged back. “They only want to know if they can kill anything that ain’t laying on the floor.”

  Jake and Mercer laughed.

  “We can’t put out the word, but we’ll have Zaros along to warn them, and Tim will be scanning for weapons. It will be a free fire zone. I expect some innocent ET’s may get caught in the crossfire, but our main concern will be three military guys, who are screwing things up for the whole planet. We could use them alive, with maybe just pieces missing.”

  “Can do,” McClure stated. “When do we leave?”

  “There also may be explosives,” Mercer added.

  “We are Marines, Sir. If we wanted to be safe like in our Mothers’ arms, I guess we all should have stayed there.”

  “Okay Vic,” Jake nodded, “hang tight, and we’ll get the hovercraft flown down here.”

  Jake and Mercer walked back over to where Zaros was now sittingup.

  “We’ll take you with us, and see if we can capture these guys,” Jake informed him. “There will be casualties amongst your people, but we’ll try to keep them at a minimum.”

  “General, our people are starving. They have no decent leadership, and they simply bide their time now until they are overrun by the Bugs. Once I am truly able to communicate and lead my people, this stupidity will end.”

  “Good.” Jake put on his helmet, switching on his outside com. “Have Tim’s hovercraft flown down ASAP, Jas. We’ll be waiting.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir,” Peters responded. “I had them ready to go on your word. The hanger bay crew chief said to tell Tim, he even managed to get the smell out of the back.”

  “Outstanding,” Dougherty chirped in. “Are you sure you’ll be alright with that, General?”

  “Alright with what,” Jake asked in confusion.

  “Well,” Dougherty answered deadpan, “without the Bug guts to wallow around in back there, I didn’t know if you’d want to go or not.”

  Jake sighed as the channel echoed in his ear with laughter. He silently gave thanks Mercer had not had his helmet on. “You know, Tim, I may have a special assignment for you once this ends. We always need mining liaisons down in the tunnels, and what with your experience and all.”

  “Sorry, General,” Dougherty replied quickly. “I’m back now. You were speaking to that other Dougherty, who can’t kee
p his mouth shut when he should.”

  “Jas, have another deck gunner flown down too,” Jake instructed. “Our new mining liaison to the Omaha Colony needs a replacement so he can go on his last combat mission.”

  “I’m in position, Jake,” Dougherty said from the cockpit of his redesigned hovercraft. The craft hovered just outside the sixth level of the flat-topped, pyramid shaped, ebony building.

  “Thanks Tim,” Jake replied. “Hold until Sara gets Alpha in position to scan the inside, and take shots when needed.”

  Alpha Drop Ship shadowed the small hovercraft.

  “We’re right behind you, Jake. Lieutenant Fajardo’s at the deck gun, and scanning,” Corey said.

  “See anything in the area Zaros showed you on the diagram, Lieutenant?” Jake asked.

  “Yes Sir,” Lieutenant Fajardo answered. “They have at least twenty armed Passallians inside the fortified room, along with five others without weapons.”

  “Shit,” Jake exclaimed. “They must have had an armory in there. Otherwise, they’d have been killed already. Can you kill the armed ones without blasting the guys we’re after?”

  “He can’t, Sir,” Dougherty chimed in. “It’s not that we couldn’t punch through the reinforced room, but if we do, the intensity needed to pierce it could kill everyone in there.”

  “How about around the room?” Jake asked.

  “I’ve taken out anyone who picks up a weapon with an energy signal,” Fajardo replied. “There are enough holes through the building, I’m starting to worry about building integrity, Sir. We’ve definitely shorted out their illumination circuitry, and communications.”

  “Then they’re blind as well as stupid,” Jake said. “Okay, Tim, let’s go in. Keep the building integrity in mind, huh?”

  “I will, Sir,” Dougherty promised. “I’ll cauterize it as we go in. They’ll have a hell of a repair bill after we get through.”

  “Cut in at your discretion, Tim, and pull up when you cut through to the section we’re looking for. Leave us something to stand on.”

  “Aye, aye, Sir, punching through now.”