AMP- Aftermath

by Brian K. Larson

  “Ten seconds, Dillan.”

  Dillan peered through the port window at the salvage vessel as the rear cargo door began lowering to the deck.

  A whoosh of air noised in the corridor after the door slid open, making the familiar clanking sounds.

  Clicking his heals together, his mag-boots engaged, holding him to the deck, Dillan stepped inside the landing bay and saw the white-haired Colonel floating down the ship’s ramp, accompanied by Major Phillips and Sergeant Samuels.

  With a short stogie chomped at his teeth and his hands on his hips, he grew a wide smile as he saw the captain of the CSMO, “Dillan! How the hell are you, my boy?”

  Dillan stepped up to the cargo ramp, his mag-boots clicking as he walked, he extended his hand, “I’m doing just fine, Colonel. Great to see you, but I gotta ask…”

  “… ask no more. I know you have a million and one questions as to why we made these outlandish requests, right?”

  “Well, yeah, you kind of piqued our curiosity a bit, but you already told us about the aliens.”

  Tucker patted Dillan on the shoulder as he floated away from cargo ramp, “Dillan, you’re a smart guy, right? Right!” Tucker continued, not allowing Dillan to answer, “You see, my boy, we’re gonna weaponize these CSMO’s and go on the offensive.”

  “Weaponize?”

  “Yes, yes, weaponize, jeez man, do you need hearing aids?”

  Cassie swatted Tucker’s arm, “Hey, be nice, Tuck. He’s just a kid.”

  “Kid?” Dillan again quizzed.

  Tucker pointed a finger at Dillan, “And yes, hearing aids. See? He has to repeat everything we say.”

  “Commander…”

  Tucker patted Dillan’s shoulder, “Not to worry, though, I’ll speak louder and slower for ya’, m’kay?”

  “Oh, Commander, you’re a funny guy.”

  “I know it.”

  Captain Buster Clark slowly made his way down the cargo ramp, his cheek twitched, pulling a fake-looking smile, “Come on, Commander, aren’t we on some kind of time-table here?”

  “Why, yes, Buster, you are quite correct,” Tucker turned with pointed finger before sliding it back to Dillan, “That’s why we need to get your ship all set up… the rest of the CSMO’s are already on the way, like I said, so we’re gonna be busy for a while before we head to Earth.”

  Dillan stood in the landing bay staring at the young Captain, “What’s wrong with you? You didn’t have that tic the last time I saw you.”

  Buster floated over to Tucker and Dillan, giving his glasses a shove, “Well, you see, it’s like this, Dillan, I died!”

  “Died?”

  Tucker pointed at Dillan once more, “See? Hard of hearing, I tell ya’.”

  Gus followed Buster down the ramp and floated with the others, “Yes, Buster died. So, is Sam and Cassie. We’re all clones now. Matter of fact, Tucker’s the only one that’s not cloned in our little posse.”

  “Sam’s a clone too?”

  “Yes,” Sam said, joining the crew in the landing bay, “Ship’s all secure, Sir.”

  “Thank you, Sam,” Tucker smiled, “Okay, now that we’re all gathered together, we need to start making preparations.”

  “Anything you say, Commander,” Dillan nodded, “Where do we start? Does your ship have the bigger guns or what? How are we going to do this? Oh, and you should get some mag-boots on. Believe me, they do help.”

  The deckhands passed out pairs of magnetic boots to each of the Salvage-5 crew and they donned them as they began listening to Buster.

  “I can answer that, Sir,” Buster said with raised hand, “I mean, if you want me to, that is…”

  “Sure, Buster, you go right on ahead,” Tucker said, flourishing his hand before the crew.

  “Oh god,” Cassie said under her breath, “Here we go…”

  Buster paused, glancing at Cassie, before continuing, “We don’t have new guns, Dillan, we have system enhancements that we can program, making the existing weapons more effective. This way, when you fire the plasma cannons, the target lock will be more accurate and the plasma burst much, much stronger…”

  Tucker interrupted Buster, “Thank you for that, Captain,” then Tucker wrapped an arm around Dillan’s neck, “You get the gist of that, right?”

  “Um, yeah, I think so, Commander…”

  “Good, then we need to get busy. Buster will take care of your CSMO. Sam will take Gus over to Mathilde-3 to make those changes. I’m staying here with Cassie. Give me a couple of your crew and they’ll go with Sam and Gus to learn what changes to make. When the other five CSMO’s arrive, we’ll split up in teams and hit all them at once.”

  “Okay, Commander,” Dillan said, walking with Tucker, his arm still pinning him alongside and his new mag-boots clicking as he walked, “How soon will the others be arriving?”

  “They’ll all be here in a few hours…”

  Buster looked at his watch, “Three hours, seven minutes, forty seconds, to be exact.”

  “Thank you for that, Buster. Yes, about three hours and change.”

  “How long will these programming enhancements take?”

  “I’ll defer that to Buster, again.”

  “Each system, and there is a total of four, take about twenty minutes each, so about an hour or so, depending…”

  “Depending on what?” Dillan asked.

  “… depending on how fast you and your teams can type.”

  “Ahh, I see…”

  “… I mean, if your technicians only type thirty words per minute, it’s gonna take a couple of hours compared to how fast we can type, without mistakes, that is...”

  “Well, my guys aren’t computer technicians, so they all type slow. How fast do you type?”

  “I can type eighty to hundred words per minute.”

  “That’s pretty fast…”

  “… amped,” Buster finished under his breath.

  “Ahh, I see. And how fast can you type if you’re not amped?”

  “I can knock it out at sixty, with no mistakes, I might add,” Buster said, puffing his chest forward.

  “Very well, Captain,” Tucker said, finally releasing Dillan’s neck. “Gus, you and Sam take one of the CSMO skiffs over to dash three and get started.”

  “You got it, Commander,” Sam smiled. “Come on, Gus. I think they’ve got a small one in the next bay.”

  Gus and Sam headed to the launch bay and prepared a skiff to depart as Buster and the rest headed to their command center.

  Port Angels Field – Government Armory

  January 18, 2068 07:32

  Jenny opened her eyes.

  Her gaze focused on the ceiling and then feeling a warm body next to hers. It was Bennie, soundly sleeping with his arm wrapped around her.

  She snoozed in the comfort of his arms before Bennie stirred.

  Looking over to Jenny, he smiled, “How long you been staring at me?”

  Jenny smiled her return, “Only a couple of minutes now.”

  “Did I look peaceful?”

  “Yes, you sure did and rested.”

  “Yeah, you’re looking much better today too, Jen. How’re you feeling?”

  “The pain has slowed some, but I think I’m about to go through another growth spell soon.”

  “Is Eva telling you this?”

  “No, not this time. I haven’t heard from her since we left Seattle.”

  “She’s alright, isn’t she?” Bennie asked with concern.

  “Yes, Eva is alive and still kicking. It takes a lot of energy to speak through me and it weakens us too much during a growth cycle. That’s the only way I know for sure that it’s about to hit me.”

  “I’m sorry, Jen. I wish you didn’t have to go through that.”

  “You’re tellin’ me, being pregnant is hard enough without shortening nine months into a couple weeks.”

  Beverly poked her head through the door to the room the two stayed in the Amory overnight, “You guys up?”
/>   “Yeah, we’re awake, mom,” Bennie smiled, still looking down at Jenny in his arms.

  “How are you feeling, Jenny?” Beverly asked.

  “It’s startin’ up again, ahhh, dang!”

  Bennie closed his eyes and began flowing a golden glow over Jenny. Beverly knelt by the two and touched each one, adding to the self-amp wave of energy.

  Jenny relaxed in Bennie’s arms before another bout of pain sent her reeling forward and crying out.

  “Ohhhh, AHHH! Oh no, Bennie… AHHH! It’s gonna be… YEEEE, a bad one!”

  Bennie and Beverly propped Jenny up against the wall. Their golden glow enveloping the three of them as Jenny passed out.

  “This isn’t good, Mom! Can’t we do something more to help?” Bennie frantically begged.

  They watched Jenny’s belly extend out to a full eight plus months of pregnant before it settled down and ceased.

  Jenny slowly opened her eyes.

  A tear fell down her cheek and dripped on Bennie’s shoulder, “I don’t know how much more I can take, Ben… Ahhhh, here it goes again… HAA AHHHH! NO! I’m not ready… AHHHHH!”

  Trudy rushed into the room and fell to her knees before Jenny and the two, “I’ll help!”

  Trudy touched Jenny’s extending belly as it undulated and moved with every cry Jenny made. The golden glow sparkled and grew in size before Jenny could relax.

  Jenny looked up at Bennie and the others, “It… won’t… be long… Eva is growing too fast… AHHHH!” she screamed once more.

  “If she doesn’t have this baby soon,” Trudy said, as she concentrated on relieving her pain with the others, “It could kill her!”

  “No! I won’t let that happen!” Bennie replied, his golden glow diminishing slightly.

  “No, Ben,” Beverly cautioned, “Just keep focusing on taking the pain away… we’ll figure this out, son. C’mon, you can do it… close your eyes and concentrate.”

  Bennie squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to keep out the visions of Jenny dying during child birth, “I’m trying… I don’t want to lose you again… I can’t lose you again, Jen… I won’t!”

  Jenny lurched forward as her stomach distended once more. Griffin now entered the room, “What going on back here? Oh man! Jenny!”

  “Tom,” Beverly urged, “Go get the others. We need everyone to help right now.”

  A short time passed before Preston and Snaggletooth joined them. They all focused on Jenny. The golden glow grew and surrounded the entire team, the main concentration around Jenny and her distended belly.

  Jenny moaned as her stomach continued to contort and undulate for all to see, but it was evident, by her lack of screaming, that the amp charge from the others was giving her some relief.

  Jenny’s eyes opened once more, giving them all a vacant stare, “I will be arriving very soon now.”

  “Eva?” Bennie asked.

  “Yes, Father, it is your daughter. Prepare for my arrival within the next eighteen hours.”

  “Tomorrow?” Beverly exclaimed. “This is so hard to understand.”

  “Do not fear the things you do not understand,” Eva said through Jenny, “My mother will be alright. Trust me.”

  “It’s very hard to understand what’s going on,” Bennie added.

  “I am sorry, Father. I wish I did not have to put mother through this, but it is necessary for my arrival before the Sons of Horus take over downtown Seattle. It will become very clear after my birth.”

  Jenny closed her eyes once more and fell back asleep as the rest of the team continued filling her with the group-amp charge.

  Chapter 17

  Downtown Seattle – Saratoga Base

  January 18, 2068 09:21

  J, Matt and Jim stood at his Humvee, ready to leave the city. Mitch held a new plasma gun while is buddy, Charlie Bravo, kept a rail-gun cock and at the ready. Kent and Jack played three rounds of rock, paper, scissors to see who would ride shotgun. Best two out of three was rewarded to Kent as he threw scissors to Jack’s flat hand.

  “I knew it!” Jack exclaimed.

  “If you knew it, then why’d you throw paper?”

  “Because I thought you were going to give the rock again. You always give me the rock on the third throw.”

  “Not always,” Kent smiled, cocking his AK-47.

  “Apparently.”

  “Okay, you two,” Mitch pointed with a stern finger, “Knock it off already and just get in!”

  “Yes, Sir!” they answered in unison.

  Kent jumped in the front seat while Jack climbed in back and stood, holding on to the jeep’s mounted rail-gun.

  “Alright, let’s move out!”

  J nodded as he climbed in the Humvee, the engine roared to life, “10-4, I read you in my comm. We’re ready to clear a path to the 99th Street tunnel.”

  J looked over his shoulder at a nervous Kurtis, “You all set back there?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m ready, J. Just get going and I’ll tell you if there are any clinkers nearby.”

  “You don’t hesitate telling me this, now, you got it?”

  “Okay, okay, I get it already, Jeez, man, what do you take me for… don’t answer that!”

  “Good plan, Kurtis, my man.”

  Mitch spoke to J’s earpiece, “Okay, let’s move out.”

  “We’re ready, here, Mitch. Looks like Lieutenant Higginbotham has our opening ready.”

  J depressed the clutch as he put the truck in gear and slowly eased the gas. The engine purred as they exited the safety of the Saratoga base camp.

  Mitch followed J through the exit and saluted the Lieutenant as he exited, “We’ll be back soon!”

  “You better be, Sergeant!” Higginbotham shouted as Mitch drove by.

  Mitch spoke into J’s earpiece, “Take a right on Aloha coming out of the base. In three blocks take a left onto 99. We can’t access the tunnel from Mercer. The Tunnel is four blocks from there, just past Mercer Street.”

  “I’m on it, Mitch,” J responded over his comm link.

  Turning right out of the Saratoga boarder, J headed the Humvee down Aloha before turning right onto Mercer Ave.

  Slowing to a stop in the middle of the abandoned road, J looked back at Kurtis, “How’s your spidy since, my man? Any signs of clinks or squids nearby?”

  “What do you think I am over here, anyway, a damn squid detector?”

  “Well, yes, Kurtis, that’s why we brought you along, now that your keeper an’ all.”

  “Well does it look like I’m growing any green-colored armor? NO! So, that’s your answer. If I grew any armor or weapons, you be the first ta’ know. So, just get us inside the damn tunnel already! Did you hear me? I said to get moving!”

  “Relax, Kurtis, jeez, don’t blow a gasket,” J turned forward and tapped his headset, “Mitch, I see the tunnel entrance up ahead.”

  “Good, how’s it looking from your view?”

  J moved the Humvee to the crown of the hill and looked down to the Tunnel, “Well, the tunnel’s barricades are in place, so that means traffic was stopped prior to the event. I think once I bust through these barriers, they’ll be a clear shot to our target location.”

  “Do you think you can bust through that barrier, J?”

  “I don’t know for sure. Let me scoot down the hill and take a closer look first.”

  “10-4”

  J gave the Humvee some gas and released the clutch, sending them down the hill to the tunnel entrance.

  “I’m watching your six, J. So far, you’re all clear,” Mitch reported.

  J slowed to a stop just before the two metal poles that sealed off the entrance to the tunnel. Opening the door, he glanced back to Kurtis to ensure he hadn’t grown any armor before heading in for a closer inspection.

  J cautiously approached the barrier before tapping his headset, “Well, they’re pretty solid, but it doesn’t seem like there’s any power, so I think I can push through.”

  “Good news, J,” M
itch acknowledged. “Still clear up here, I don’t think any of the clinkers or squids have regenerated after Jenny’s little performance yesterday.”

  “That in itself is good news, but I don’t know how long our good fortune will last.”

  Kurtis exited the Humvee and ran over to J, tapping him on the shoulder, “Umm, J… I think I’m starting to show signs of activity.”

  J turned toward Kurtis, “When did you start growing your green?”

  “Just before I exited our ride, J. Jeez, man, what do you take me for, anyway? Of course, it was just a minute ago, did you think I was going to wait and see what happened first, or what?”

  Mitch radioed J, “Clinker! Ten o’clock!”

  J looked up at the foot bridge overhead and dove to the ground while Kurtis raised a shield.

  Kent and Jack opened fire at the mechanical cyborg above, filling its chest and head with rail-shot.

  Charlie and Mitch exited their jeep and opened fire on the cyborg before a second one appeared over the railing, sending blue plasma bolts at the two teams.

  Machine gun fire ripped at the mechanical cyborgs before their heads exploded, sending them both tumbling down to the roadway below. Their broken mechanical bodies flipped over, attempting to crawl at J and Kurtis before their power units failed, causing them to become silent once again.

  Kurtis lowered his shield and his green-colored armor withdrew.

  “Well, I can see by your receding armor, the current threat is over,” J nodded as he looked up the hill to Mitch.

  Jack and Kent held their weapons at the ready, their gun barrels pointing to the sky at the overpass, just in case more aliens appeared.

  “Okay,” Mitch said in their headsets, “See if you can get that barrier open!”

  Charlie climbed back into the front seat with Mitch, “Just pick the low hanging fruit because spilled milk doesn’t really make me cry.”

  Mitch smiled at CB and pressed his gas, sending the jeep closer to J’s Humvee.

  J pointed to Kurtis and the front seat, “Get in and hold on!”

  Kurtis ran over to his seat and slammed the door before he climbed in with J. Putting the Humvee in low gear and four-wheel drive, he inched toward the barrier before the grill of his vehicle pressed against the barrier.