AMP Rebellion (18 page)

Emily replied, "I know where that power station is Sir. My elementary classes were held in the school next to it. One of my classmate's fathers worked there. Johnny. He was kind of a bully and his father was scary mean. Everyone else was scared of him, but I felt sorry because he didn't have any friends."

I replied, "That makes you a better person than most Emily. You keep those kinds of thoughts in your head and you will have a good life. We all have our problems, some more than others, but if we can sometimes recognize that people often act the way they do because of other reasons, we can better work out our own problems. I have met some of the Dakar. They aren't all bad. They have been told to do what they are doing. Rather than hate them I sometimes feel sorry for them too."

Emily stopped and looked up at me. "Oh, I don't feel sorry for them Mr. Grange. Give me a spoon and I will take out their black eyes. They attacked our home and they are starving us."

I looked down at the nine year old girl standing beside me. The expression on her face was nothing but serious. I pulled out a blaster that I had as a spare.

As we continued to walk I spoke, "Have you ever used one of these?"

Emily replied, "No Sir. I've seen them in movies. And we did have a class where we were allowed to pick some of those up. But they didn't have a charge in them. The boys were all excited about it, but mostly everyone was scared. I picked it up. It wasn't scary."

I set the safety on the blaster and handed it to Emily. "Hang to this for a bit. Get a feel for handling it. I'll tell you how it works and then I'll give you a little quiz on it. If you pass the quiz I'll let you keep it. Who knows, you might get a chance to fire it if we run into trouble."

The young girl took the weapon and began to inspect it as we moved along. I explained the controls in as simple terms as possible. She was not intimidated and repeated back everything I had told her. As we walked, she tucked the blaster into the front of her shorts.

We managed to snake our way through the hallways to Transway-5 without an encounter. Surprisingly, the trans-way was clear. Troops had been pulled to battle the Humans as they moved towards their new destinations. Other than the small occupying force at the Wallace port, the rest of the section was inactive. Ten minutes later we found ourselves in the power station. A new office, which was not on the section schematics, blocked the vent leading to the maintenance tunnel.

Frost spoke, "Now that's a twist. What do we do with the girl now Sir?"

I replied, "We keep her. It looks like they may have covered over the shaft, so we will just have to uncover it."

Emily pulled out her blaster, flipped the safety and fired a bolt. The thin back wall of the office crackled and collapsed, revealing the vent shaft behind. Emily reset the safety and again tucked the gun into her shorts.

Frost spoke, "I think we found a keeper Sir. I like the way she takes command!"

I replied, "She didn't take command."

I turned to Emily, "I would appreciate you asking before firing that thing. Sometimes a bolt from that will send materials in all directions."

Emily replied, "I know. I set it down to 2 first. Saw it in a movie."

I smiled a firm smile, "Just ask first, OK?"

Emily nodded her head.

I spoke, "There are five turns you will have to make once you are in the shaft, right, right, left, right, left. Repeat that back to me."

Emily replied, Right, right, left, right, left."

I smiled. "Good. When you reach the final turn, you are going to have to go in backwards, feet first. You are going to need that orientation when you get to the grate at the other end. Kick it out with your feet. And then there is the door. Press the green button first, a panel should light up. Press the red button and hold it. There is a red lever that operates the lock. When you here a buzzing sound, release the red button, grab the lever and pull it all the way down. You should then be able to spin the wheel and open the door. We will be waiting."

We gave Emily a boost up into the vent shaft.

She looked back over her shoulder and spoke, "I will get this done Mr. Grange."

As she turned back and began to crawl away I turned to the others. "Let's get over to that door. Once through we can expect Dakar from the gun port to be coming to inspect it. Be ready with a TIG if we need it."

I picked up my pack and turned towards the office door. Lieutenant Aaron held up a hand to halt my progress. A Dakar had entered the power plant area.

Aaron spoke, "Sir, what should we do? If we take him down, more will come looking for him."

I replied, "He doesn't look overly interested in a thorough check. Let's just stay out of sight and see if he wanders on."

We squatted down behind the half wall that outlined the office we occupied.

Frost spoke, "I can take him out with a suppressor Sir."

I replied, "No, we let him be. If he leaves we can get through that door before anyone else comes. Once in, we seal it and no one else comes through."

As we watched the Dakar guard, he meandered around the power station floor, poking at handles and staring at gauges. I looked at the timer on my arm pad. Emily was due to open the maintenance door at any moment.

I grabbed Frost on the shoulder, "Get that suppressor ready. If Emily opens that door while he is there you may need to take the shot. If that happens, we are going to have to get through that door in a hurry. I don't want a firefight with that little girl involved."

We watched patiently. Several quiet seconds passed before the buzzer on the maintenance door began to sound. The Dakar guard moved towards the door.

I spoke, "Take him out!"

Frost replied, "I don't have a shot Sir. He's behind that column... come on dude, move, take one more step!"

The maintenance door then began to swing open slowly. Again there was silence. I jumped to my feet and began to sprint towards the door with Frost and the others quickly behind me. In what seemed like a slow motion action I could see the Dakar raising his blaster as I pulled the pin on a TIG. Just before he pulled the trigger a blue bolt came from the door, striking the Dakar in the center of his torso. His chest exploded in a violent way.

When I reached the door Emily was standing with her blaster still raised in her hand. A smile was on her face.

I spoke, "Are you OK? He came up after you were out of sight."

Emily replied, "That... was... awesome. I did it Mr. Grange! I killed a Dakar before he killed me!"

The girl was smiling. Frost strode up to her with a smile of her own.

Frost spoke, "You missy, are destined for the Marines! Heck, I'd be happy to swear you in right now!"

I looked at the Dakar with the now hollow chest. His eyes were still open and his face had an expression of disbelieve. I wondered for a moment what the last thought going through his head was. I could hear a voice coming from the headphones in the Dakar's battle helmet.

I spoke, "OK people, through that door and let's get it sealed. This place is going to get busy in a few minutes."

As the door shut I pushed up on the red handle. The echoing sound of metal on metal told me that the lock had engaged. When I turned back, Emily was looking at me with a worried expression.

Emily spoke, "I guess I'm not going home am I Mr. Grange. That Dakar soldier, he made that impossible."

Frost placed her hand on Emily's back. "You stick with me kid. I'll keep you breathing and fighting."

Emily offered a half smile.

Again I knelt beside the girl who had gotten us through the door. "Everything you have done here today has been incredibly brave. There is probably not another Human kid in the Universe who has taken down a Dakar warrior. Hang out with Sergeant Frost. She'll see to it that you make it back home."

The maintenance corridor heading towards the gun bay was narrow. I was continually bumping my wide shoulders against every pipe hanger that jutted out from the wall. When we arrived at the gun room the Dakar inside were waiting for us.

Lieutenant Aaron dodged a blaster bolt just as he rounded the final corner. The bolt struck the far, thick steel wall, sizzling the paint off as it spread out from the blast point.

Aaron fell to the other side. "I saw at least four of them Sir."

I readied a TIG and tossed it around the corner.

Pop!

The TIG detonated, leaving the Dakar without functional weapons. Frost was the first to round the corner.

Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak!

Laser fire was nowhere to be found.

I spoke, "Let's get this bay secure! It's not going to take the Dakar long to figure out where we were going. Aaron, make sure that main blast door is sealed good and tight!"

Frost spoke, "Sir, we have a clean shot at a dozen Dakar ships out there. I could take them all out with one series Sir!"

I replied, "We have one more gun bay to take down Frost. Until we do that I want our attention focused there."

Aaron reported, "Sir, blast door is secure. We are sealed in tight."

I walked to the gun station and stared at the monitors for several seconds.

I spoke, "Frost."

Frost replied, "Yes Sir?"

I continued, "You want to blow up those Dakar ships out there?"

Frost replied, "You know I do Sir."

I sat in a chair and turned towards her. "Well that might be the only thing we have left that we can do. With that maintenance access to the power station closed off, we have no way to get to that second gun bay. We are kind of stuck here."

Lieutenant Aaron stepped up. "Maybe not Sir, the maintenance corridor on this end has another blast door Sir. On the other side is a small maintenance port. There is an external maintenance shuttle that runs on a track just outside that runs from gun to gun. It lets the maintainers do fix-ups out there as needed."

Frost spoke, "Sir, if we can take that second gun we can fly that transport out of Wallace port. Let me take out these ships Sir. Then we saddle someone up in that maintenance shuttle and send them off to do battle with the Dakar in the next gun port."

I replied, "You think we can pull that off? Anyone know how to run one of those shuttles?"

Aaron replied, "I'm sure it's largely automated Sir. Most of the maintenance on this station is fairly easy. I don't know who designed it all, but they are way beyond our league if you ask me Sir. I will volunteer to make the shuttle run Sir."

I thought for a moment as I again looked over the gun bay console. "No, you will sit tight here Aaron. I'm going in that shuttle. Just be prepared to send out that transport when I ask. And Frost..."

Frost replied, "Yes Sir?"

I pointed out the window. "Why don't you show Miss Emily here how you take out a dozen Dakar ships with a series shot."

Frost grinned. "Yes Sir!"

I stood and headed for the maintenance blast door with Aaron at my heels. "Sir, I have to protest. You are key to this mission. We can't risk you getting taken out Sir."

I depressed the red button until the buzzer sounded. I then pulled down on the red handled and was rewarded as the metal echo told me the door was unlocked. Four spins of the wheel later and the thick blast door pushed open.

I replied, "Either help me or get out of the way Lieutenant. That's an order."

I stepped into the alcove that had a small portal window to the outside. The shuttle is not here Lieutenant. This is a dead end."

Aaron replied, "Just give it a minute Sir. When you opened that door it was given the order to come to this bay from wherever it was. We are going to have to get you into this maintenance suit Sir."

I replied, "That thing? How am I supposed to fight from that? I'm going to look like I'm wearing a fat suit!"

Aaron shook his head. "It will be difficult to move around when you are in gravity Sir, but out there, you won't believe the freedom and protection it offers. Those Dakar blasters, they will be worthless against this suit. It will dissipate those ion bolts before they can do any damage."

I looked at Aaron with an inquisitive expression. "How do you know so much about this bay?"

Aaron replied, "Before I joined the Marines I had dreams of being stationed in one of these guns. I studied up until about half way through my senior year in high school Sir."

I asked, "What happened? Why the Marines instead?"

Aaron replied, "We took a class career tour about two months before I graduated. When we got to the bay I was all excited. The controls were cool, the simulation of a live fire, that was a thrill. But then I looked around at the soldiers who were stationed there. Not a smile on a single face. As it turns out Sir, it's one of the most monotonous assignments you can have. Turnover from the Gun Corps is high, and with good reason. After practicing in the simulator for several weeks you know all you will ever know."

I replied, "So, you joined the Marines for all the adventure?"

Aaron replied, "Well, I guess so Sir."

I smiled as I responded, "And look where you ended up; right in the gun bay where all the action is!"

Aaron smiled and responded, "Well Sir, you joined the Messenger Service and ended up in the same place."

Aaron flipped the last latch on the maintenance suit before picking up the helmet.

I replied, "Guess we both lucked out Aaron. While I would love to go back and reverse a few of the backwards decisions I've made over time, I'd have to say, given everything that is going on, that I would still want to be right where I am."

Aaron replied as he lowered and latched the helmet, "Me too Sir, me too."

Aaron was right. The big maintenance suit was cumbersome to maneuver in gravity. I clumsily stepped into the airlock as the shuttle pulled up outside. Seconds later I was free of gravity's burden and moved about the shuttle with ease.

I got on the comm, "You were right about this suit Aaron, feels like I'm in a bubble, but at the same time I can bend and twist to reach anything as I normally would."

Aaron replied, "You might want to strap in or hang on Sir, those shuttles move fast on those tracks."

Before I had the chance to grab a handle the shuttle began to accelerate. I looked out the port window as I was pressed against the back wall. The Dakar ships were beginning to move.

In an instant, a heavy beam of ions shot from the great gun's cannons. In that same instant the Dakar vessels exploded as their shields failed against the superior weapon. My shuttle ride to the next gun port was quickly over.

I held tight to a handle on the back wall as the shuttle rapidly decelerated. When the door opened I stepped out into the airlock and the door closed behind me. I could hear the rush of air as an atmosphere soon surrounded me. When the airlock button mechanism went from red to green I pressed the button.

Sshhp!

The door opened into the maintenance alcove. As I stepped out of the airlock the Dakar inside the gun bay made their fatal mistake. They opened the blast door.

As the door slowly swung open, ion bolts impacted the heavy maintenance suit. Each bolt of energy was easily dissipated. As I raised my AK I began to smile. I moved clumsily forward as I squeezed the trigger.

Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!

The four Dakar in the bay were dead. The gun was ours.

I got on the comm, "Aaron. I have the bay. They opened the door for me. The suit worked just as you described. I would be tempted to wear it out into the hallways, but it's almost impossible to move. Besides, I would bet those Durian lasers would cut it to pieces."

Aaron replied, "They do have a high heat tolerance Sir. But I wouldn't want to be the one to test it out."

I replied, "So, how do I get out of this thing?"

Aaron responded, "You don't Sir. It requires assistance to put it on and to take it off. Make sure those other blast doors are secure and then head back this way Sir. I'll get you out once you get back."

I replied, "I didn't know this was a one way ticket Aaron or I would have let you do it. I'll be back as quick as I can. Be ready to get me out of this thing."

I checked the blast doors on the gun bay console. Each of the doors showed a green symbol meaning the doors were sealed and locked. Ten minutes passed before I was again standing in the maintenance airlock of the first gun. When the button mechanism turned green I moved out of the airlock and into the alcove. Aaron quickly removed the suit.

Aaron spoke, "I talked with Frig Sir. He has that transport coming out of the Wallace port. We have eight full squads counting us, ready to assault the Mako-7 port. The transport has a universal maintenance port adapter that we can use to board it. It will dock with the shuttle and we just have to pass through it to the shuttle."

I replied, "Do we have to put the suit on? I only see two of them."

Arron replied, "No Sir. Since the transport has standard atmosphere like the airlock we can pass through as we are."

The transport docked, we moved aboard and then began the short hop to Mako-7. The Dakar soldiers occupying the port had not engaged the ingress gravity block. Our transport floated in free and landed gently on the deck. Two dozen Dakar soldiers came out with weapons drawn as their commander hailed us from the control room.

The Commander spoke, "Transport, identify yourself!"

I pressed the comm and replied, "Help! We need assistance, we have wounded for our ships that were just attacked out there. This is Captain Stark of the Dakar ship Gopher. Please help!"

The Dakar commander began to yell at his troops to prepare to assist. Weapons were stowed and the Dakar medics emerged with their medical bags. The door to the transport opened slowly and two TIGs rolled out.

Pop! Pop!

The transport door slid silently into the side of the small ship. Frost was the first to emerge, she was all smiles.

Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!

Frost yelled out as she stepped out onto the deck and continued to shoot. "You want wounded? I’ll give you wounded!"

Ak-ak-ak-ak! Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!

Our squads poured out of the transport onto the deck. The Dakar were caught completely off-guard. In less than three minutes we had possession of the control room and were spreading our love throughout the rest of the port. Ten minutes later the last of the Dakar occupiers was dead and the port was ours, the giant blast doors secured from inside.

I raised the Colonel on the comm. "Colonel, we have Mako-7. If you have anyone assigned to take her I would suggest re-routing them to elsewhere. How’s your progress going otherwise?"

The Colonel replied, "We now have control of 23 ports plus the two you have taken."

I replied, "That’s 20 to go then. If we can button these up the Durians, Dakar and Prassi will only have Alpha bay as their point of access. That gives us only one point to have to strike to cut off their access to this station entirely."

The Colonel paused.

Boom-ch-ch! Boom-ch-ch!

The Colonel continued, "Sorry about that, had a little cleanup to take care of. We should know in about 15 minutes if we have been successful. I redirected the Admirals and their forces towards Alpha. That is likely to be one bloody mess of a battle. I’m expecting the Durian Helgron force to turn back at any time. They have the gravity drive control room, but it is not the prize it once was. I know Frig has been supporting our Evacs, but why don’t you ask him if he has any ideas of how we might start up those drives."

I replied, "I can do that Colonel. If there has to be someone I am relying on to come up with a solution, it would be him. What do you think our chances are of taking back this station in the meantime? Do you think we can?"

The Colonel replied, "We are going to give it our best Grange. I think sealing this place off is doable. If it weren’t for those Helgrons I would have confidence that we could accomplish that task in a few days. The Dakar and Prassi fighters don’t seem to be very motivated. When invaders lose that edge, occupations generally fail. At least that’s what the archives say. And when it comes to war theory, they have been an accurate source of study."

We continued our raids on the remaining ports on the Grid’s exterior. Fourteen hours passed before the final port was captured and sealed off. It was time to plan our campaign to retake Alpha bay. It would likely be our hardest fought battle yet. The Colonel and his Gray Ghouls looked forward to the challenge.