The Black Planet (33 page)

Charlie laughed all the way back.

Chapter 72

Steven was very disappointed.  They had alerted the admiral that he thought the Albany were going to reoccupy their main command centre.  By the time a destroyed appeared to blast the command centres to smithereens it was too late.  The command centre’s shields were already up.  He jumped involuntary as the guns it had cost them so much to disable roared back into life.  They took out a half dozen landing craft in as many seconds and they scattered.  The Earth fighters came roaring in and within a few seconds the guns were silenced, but they had taken many lives.

Buzz gripped Stevens arm, ‘relax bud, the boys did what they could.’

‘We should have done that to start with.’

‘No we did exactly what we were told to do.  We kept them underground and the deck of the ships clear of their troops so ours could land safely.’

‘Yeah I suppose you are right Buzz.’  Steven rubbed his face, ‘I don’t think I have ever been so tired.’

Sid Tulane tuned in his seat, ‘Captain we have been ordered clear of the area.  We are to report to the hospital ship to off load our wounded and dead.  Then you and Captain Komoru have to report to The Burning Wind.’

‘OK.’  He closed his eyes and heard Komoru’s voice.  ‘I received the order Steven, we will follow you.’  He opened his eyes; Hailey was watching him waiting for an order.

‘Get us out of here Hailey, find out where the hospital ship is and rendezvous with her.  Keep us out of the fighting but close to where the ships are coming and going through the shields.’

‘Yes sir,’ she sounded relieved.

Fifteen minutes later they docked with the hospital ship.  Medics were about to swarm on board but Steven stopped them.  Instead he beamed them straight into the clearing station.  He paid a quick visit to Sergeant Eddie before he was beamed off.

An hour later they were on The Burning Wind and were given a thorough debriefing.  Admiral Baxter paid them a visit.  He told them of how the Albany fighter base had been destroyed and their remaining fighters shot down.  The Albany were now up on the deck of the city ship and fierce fighting was taking place.  Their troops were fighting above ground and the civilian’s seemed to be fighting below it.  The American troops now held the central hub of the city ship and there was little point now in dropping large sections of the city.  The fighting was chaotic and confusing.  The Albany troops had been popping up behind their lines.  Now our troops were having to drop down into the ship and clear them out deck by deck.  Baxter assured them they were winning.  A million Chinese troops were now beginning to embark onto the landing craft.

He told Steven to go back to his ship and get some rest.  They returned to their ships and the ships docked.  Steven and Komoru spent the night together, but were too tired to do any more than hold each other.  By the time they woke up from a restless sleep the Chinese soldiers had been deployed and were spreading rapidly throughout the ship.  Steven and Komoru re-joined the fleet and watched as the Europeans joined the battle.  A million men from Europe took over from the exhausted Americans who were pulled back to rest.  There was no word from Charlie and De’ Beer or the rest of the Scottish troops and Steven fretted.  Even Babes couldn’t reach Charlie.

Colonel Howe stood with Tapper at the security station.  Occasionally they would exchange the odd word.  Buzz was keeping himself busy going through their stores inventory.  With so many soldiers on board for so long there was a lot of work to do.  Lady Jane arrived on the scene.  She approached Steven and handed him a nicely bound book.

‘What’s this?’ He asked.

‘It is a guide to Modloch protocols Captain.  I wish you to review it.’

Steven tried to hand it back, ‘not just now Jane please.’

She took a step back, ‘we all have friends who are fighting below Captain, but we still have a job to do.’  Jane turned away.

A flash of anger crossed Stevens face and he was about to fire a sharp retort after retreating back when Komoru grasped his arm.  ‘She is right,’ her gentle words appeared in his mind.

Komoru sat up straighter, ‘Lady Jane.’

She stopped and turned bowing slightly, ‘yes Captain Komoru.’

‘May I have a copy?’

‘I gave a copy to Lewis for you a little earlier Captain.’

‘That was thoughtful of you, thank you.’  Komoru gave a small bow from her seated position and Jane returned it.

When she was off the bridge Steven took a deep breath, ‘that woman just gets under my skin.’  He told Komoru silently.

‘She is trying to distract you with mundane and routine tasks.  Maybe even distract you by doing something that annoys you.  You have just fought in your first battle Steven.  The mundane tasks of daily life are the road back too normality.  Lady Jane understands that.’  Komoru stood and bowed, ‘if you will excuse me Steven, I have a lot of work to do.’

Steven shook himself out of it and stood, ‘yes of course.’  He returned her bow.  ‘I believe I have too.’  She left and he approached the two military men.  They seemed to be studying his face, looking for something.

‘I would like to discuss upgrading the ships shields and weapons.  I don’t like the idea that we can withstand a blast from a nuclear explosion but not a broadside from a destroyer for any more than two minutes.  I want to at least match the standards from an Albany Destroyer.’

Something warmed in Howe’s eyes, ‘we have been discussing the same thing sir.  As we are we both firmly believe we are too vulnerable.’

‘Then let’s go have a cup of coffee and discuss it shall we gentlemen.’

Steven noticed the dark walls that had been put in place for the soldiers were disappearing and the pictures of the constellations were reappearing.  Cookie had been cooking up a storm and the canteen smelt of baking.  Fresh scones, bannocks and cakes of descriptions were on offer.  Steven suddenly realised this was Cookie’s coping mechanism.  When Lady Jane arrived for a cup of tea he invited her to the table.  She flushed with pleasure and the conversation swung onto different paths.  Steven was amazed when he found himself laughing.  His world was beginning to tilt back onto its proper axis.  He knew he would never be able to rid his mind of the memories of the fight.  The horrors of battle, the carnage.  This had never been his vison of exploring the universe.  He had always assumed that an advanced race would be a peaceful race just like the Builders.  It would seem that racism, greed and a hunger for power, wasn’t just a human trait.

Chapter 73

The new supreme commander of the city ship hesitated to make his report.  Eventually he realised he had no other choice and pressed the button.  An official’s face appeared first and he was told to wait.  Ten minutes later the face of his emperor appeared on the screen.  The supreme commander bowed low and greeted his Emperor with all the proper protocol.

‘Tell me what is happening commander.’  The emperor ordered.

His head dropped, ‘I am sorry to report highness that we are still losing.  When the humans took control of the auxiliary command centres they cut the oxygen to large parts of the city.  We lost millions in those sectors.  In the fighting since millions more have died.  Our soldiers are not containing them.  Our fighter cover is gone and all our outside guns have been destroyed.  My troops are exhausted, our resources are being depleted as we are being cut off from them.  Humans are in every sector within the city, there is little more we can do other than fight to the death.’

The emperor was silent for a long time.  ‘You cannot blame yourself for a bad situation that you inherited from your predecessor’s commander.  Tell me, do you still have access to the bio labs?’

‘Yes sir I believe we do and most of our top scientist have survived so far.’

‘Good, that is very good.  This what I want you to do.  Pull every citizen that has already been treated off the fighting and gather them in the central complex.  Have the scientists make as many small vials of the toxin as they can.  The survivors are to sew these vials into their clothing.  When that is done I want you to surrender.’  The Emperor leaned forward, ‘this is not a request.  As you know prisoners of war must be catered for on their enemy’s home planet or a planet they occupy.  From the information we have been able to gather so far, those they have taken prisoner already are being kept on a planet called Mars.  This planet however has no atmosphere.  This is unacceptable.  According to the treaty of Balang on the welfare of prisoners.  Prisoners must be accommodated on a planet or planetoid with fresh air and grass to graze on.  Prisoners must be given room to move freely within reason.’  The Emperor sat back.

The commander bowed his head, ‘highness, the humans have not signed the Balang treaty.’

‘Not yet.  We believe they may well make a move for citizenship within the universe.  All applicants must satisfy a very large list of preconditions.  The signing of the Balang treaty is one of those.  We and our allies will insist this precondition is met before we will even consider the petition.’

‘I understand highness.  When we arrive on Earth we release the pathogen.’

‘That is correct.  You may well not survive but neither will most of the human race.  We are beginning to build a fast ship with a mobile laboratory on it.  We will send it along with half of our home defence force.  By the time they arrive most of the humans will be dead.  We will retake the city ship.  I have no doubt they will move it closer to their home planet.  Once we have done that and produced enough serum a new occupational force will be sent.  Good luck supreme commander, do not fail in this last task.’

‘I shall not fail you Highness.’

The screen went blank and the supreme commander began issuing orders.

Chapter 74

Charlie ducked involuntarily as a beam of light cut down through three decks and obliterated the enemy position in front of them.   For a few seconds the experienced explosive decompression until the shields sealed the hundred meter wide gash. 

De’ Beer moved forward cautiously and peered over the edge of the gash, then crawled back.  His combat suit was stained and caked with filth.  For almost three weeks they had been in the thick of the fighting.  He rolled on to his back, ‘the way is blocked Charlie, can you leap that gap?’

‘I could with a run and more head room sir.’

De’ Beer sighed, ‘then we will have to find another way round damn it.’

‘Stop fucking moaning sir, you ordered the strike.’

‘How would you like to be a private again Murison?’

‘I swear I’m going to change my name to fucking yoyo.’

The men around them laughed and De’ Beer smiled.  After three weeks of continuous combat their spirits were still high.  He took out his map.  They had been fighting their way towards the main control centre on the third level.  This corner of the city had been stubbornly held and the commanders on all floors had agreed to the strike.

Charlie scanned the walls around him and began cutting holes.  The men followed him blindly and within half an hour they were past the large hole.  They came to a wide open area and the men blinked in surprise.  There were strange trees and grass growing under warm lights.  Beyond in the distance was the command centre buildings.  A strange mist obscured the roof.

Charlie scanned the area, ‘we are going to have to pull back sir.  There are thousands of the buggers coming this way.’

‘That might be a little awkward; we have just been told to hold our positions.’

‘Why?’

‘There is a general ceasefire in effect.  The enemy have called for terms.’

‘Well I hope someone has told these buggers.  They are all armed and look like they mean business.’

‘Well there is no cover here, let’s get to the edge of that grassy area.’  De’ Beer decided.  He ordered the men to run and a mad dash ensued.  They hit the grassy area and took cover along its edge.  De’ Beer kicked Charlie, ‘get up that bloody tree and cover me.  I’m going to challenge them.  If any of them so much as twitches kill them.’

Charlie nodded and scooted up the tree.

De’ Beer stood tall.  At the last minute he remembered his translator and fitted it to his ear.   ‘Translate human to Albany,’ he instructed it as soon as he heard the beep.

A few seconds later they strode into sight, ‘Halt.’  De’ Beer ordered.

There was a growl from somewhere in the Albany ranks and to De’ Beers surprise they halted.  There was movement within the ranks and one wove his way until he was in front.  He raised his weapon above his head.  De’ Beer thought it might be some form of ritual and mimicked him.  The creature strode forward alone and De’ Beer went to meet him half way.

‘I am commander A’ Ne’ Vara, a senior commander.  I have been sent to make first contact with your forces.  I am here to be guided to your supreme commander to discuss our terms of surrender.’

‘I am Lt Col De’ Beer of the 1
st
Battalion the Gordon Highlanders.  If you give me a moment I will contact my high command and appraise them of the situation commander.’

He gave a small bow, ‘I will wait with my men until the escort arrives.’

De’ Beer returned the bow and both returned to their own lines.  De’ Beer contacted HQ and was told to wait.  He called Charlie out of the tree.  ‘Well you seem to know what everyone is thinking these days.’

‘He thinks you are diminutive and dirty.  He is also disgusted with the performance of his own troops and finds it almost impossible to believe that such a filthy race of meat eaters could defeat them.  He also hopes that you know the proper protocol and that he will be met by a commander of equal rank and an escort of six men.  He will also field six men to protect him.  They will stay outside and guard the meeting place.  He is also hoping that the escort will be clean and not filthy like you.  He is also scared shitless.’

De Beer scowled, ‘dirty is it?’

‘You asked.’

‘One of these days you’re going to have to tell me exactly what that ship did to you.’

‘I would tell you sir but then I would have to shoot you.’

‘Don’t get fucking smart with me Murison or I will boot your arse from here to kingdom come.’

‘Aye well good luck on catching me sir.’

De’ Beer was still laughing when he got on the radio.

An hour later the entourage arrived and escorted the commander and his six men to meet with Admiral Baxter.  A few days later the Albany were evacuated from the ship and it was formally turned over to the humans.  A few hours later Charlie and his friends were on their way back to Earth.