America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 2: Reenlistment (22 page)

“Phil, are we really to believe the Emperor’s
rhetoric that many Arthropodan soldiers are now fighting with the
insurgency because they are afraid to surrender?” asked Jacobs.

“Brad, the Emperor, in a speech before the
Arthropodan General Assembly, made just that case when he revealed
that Most Wanted insurgent leader General Electric was in fact an
officer in the Arthropodan Marine Corps. He said computer facial
identification analysis of photographs of General Electric matched
their officer reported missing in action along with his whole
company of marines.”

“Phil, does anyone expect us to believe this
rubbish?” asked Jacobs. “It was everyone’s understanding that both
sides had accounted for all missing soldiers at the time of the
last prisoner swap. How can it be that now there is a whole company
of spiders missing?”

“Brad, the Emperor is demanding an
explanation, too,” said Coen. “He wants inspectors to search our
detention centers for missing soldiers, and he wants forensic
experts to exhume several mass grave sites to gather DNA data.”

“Phil, what is the Foreign Legion’s position
on these accusations?”

“Brad, I spoke to General Kalipetsis, and he
thinks Arthropodan Special Forces have been landing on New Colorado
to join, organize, and arm the insurgency,” answered Coen. “General
Kalipetsis calls the Emperor a lying sack of shit.”

“He doesn’t hold back, does he?”

“No, Brad.”

“Phil, wouldn’t that be an act of war?” asked
Jacobs. “Does General Kalipetsis have any proof of Arthropodan
adventurism and support for the terrorists?”

“Brad, General Kalipetsis says he has
circumstantial evidence, but the specifics are classified top
secret for now. My sources say the Legion recently destroyed an
Arthropodan Special Forces supply ship in orbit around New Colorado
after the spider ship attacked the starship T. Roosevelt. Also,
Legion warships may have damaged an Arthropodan Special Forces
troop shuttle that may have crashed somewhere near Finisterra.”

“Phil, there have been other rumors of the
Arthropodan Fleet violating United States Galactic Federation
space,” said Jacobs. “What have you heard?”

“Brad, my sources say an Arthropodan fleet
may be massing just inside spider space,” said Coen. “It is
reported that the Emperor is contemplating sending the Fleet on a
peaceful mission to protect Arthropodan citizens and soldiers still
on New Colorado.”

“Phil, would our defense forces consider the
invasion of our space at New Colorado a peaceful act or a
provocation?”

“Brad, the Legion would respond accordingly
to another spider invasion,” said Coen. “In fact, I’m hearing that
re-enforcements are being sent from the Coleopteran Frontier.”

I got up and turned the channel to a movie.
“The Emperor wants a war, and he is just looking for an excuse,” I
commented. “I just hope they don’t throw nukes all over the planet
again.”

“It’s all a bluff,” reassured Lieutenant
Lopez. “If the Emperor wanted war, he would just attack while we
were sleeping. All this talk and threats is just positioning for
further negotiations to split the planet again.”

“I hope you are right about it just being a
bluff,” said Sergeant Green. “We don’t need a war interfering with
business, just when things are getting so profitable.”

“Speaking of money,” I said. “How much is the
dead or alive reward for General Electric?”

“About twenty million dollars,” said Sergeant
Green. “I was just thinking about that, too.”

“The problem with finding General Electric
is, we probably killed him in an air strike, and he is buried under
tons of concrete,” I said. “That is why we have not heard from him
since we killed that fool Emperor of the North.”

“The marked bills from the Singh ransom are
still turning up,” said Lieutenant Lopez. “Mostly in New
Memphis.”

“I’ll bet General Electric is hiding right
under our noses,” said Sergeant Green, winking at Lopez. “He
probably got himself a job on an oil rig.”

“Shut up,” said Lieutenant Lopez.

“What we should do,” I suggested, “is shoot
Private Wayne, paint him green, and pass him off as General
Electric for the reward money. Haven’t you noticed Wayne looks just
like General Electric, except he is the wrong color?”

There was about five minutes of silence.
Finally, I got up and walked out to see if the armored car was
washed yet.

* * * * *

The Special Forces sergeant had led the
sniper team attack on the supply column. But legionnaires had
reacted quickly, killing all four insurgents he commanded. The
sergeant was lucky to have escaped the track of the Legion’s
monitor dragon by walking up a stream to hide his scent.
Lucky.
That would be his new name.

After the sniper attack, Lucky hiked back to
his base camp. He stayed there a month, contemplating the future.
The camp was empty, so he stayed until the food ran out. Then Lucky
counted his cut of the Singh ransom: sixty thousand dollars. After
packing the money into his backpack, Lucky began his hike into
town. There was a bounce to his step. Lucky had fought the good
fight, but New Colorado was just too big for one old sergeant to
take on all by himself. It was time to live a different life.

When Lucky got to the roadway, he sat down
for a rest. He dozed off, but was abruptly awaken by the sound of a
large engine. It was a Legion armored car, and a dozen legionnaires
had exited the vehicle, pointing their rifles at him.
I guess I
am not so lucky after all,
he thought.

“What are you doing here?” asked Sergeant
Green. “Tell the truth if you want to live.”

“I am an Arthropodan Special Forces marine
sent to New Colorado to advise the insurgency,” said Lucky.

“Where are the others?” asked Sergeant
Green.

“Dead, I guess. You killed them all. Everyone
I know is dead.”

“Why are you on this roadway?” asked Sergeant
Green.

“I was hiking into town to start a new life,”
said Lucky.

“You had a chance to do that a long time
ago,” said Sergeant Green. “It’s too late now.”

“Yes,” said Lucky. “I know that.”

“Prove you’re not just another insurgent
scum,” said Sergeant Green. “Why should I believe your tall tale
about being Special Forces?”

“I can lead you to my supply shuttle,” said
Lucky. “It tipped over in a pond west of Finisterra.”

Information about an Arthropodan marine
Special Forces shuttle interested Sergeant Green, so he radioed in
that they had a prisoner with information. Lucky was put into the
back of the armored car for the ride back to Camp Alaska. Tonelli,
sitting next to Lucky, searched the spider’s backpack.

“Hey look everyone,” said Tonelli, waving the
money he found. “This guy is rich.”

“Where did you get all that money?” asked
Corporal Williams. “Are you a bank robber?”

It’s more likely you were one of the
insurgents that ransomed Singh,” said Sergeant Green. “I’ll bet
those bills are marked. Is that where you got this money?”

Lucky hissed. Looking at the legionnaires, he
noticed two spiders. The driver was a Green. But the big black
spider was his old marine commander also known as General Electric.
How funny. G.E. was not saying much.
I don’t blame him,
thought Lucky.
Maybe G.E. thought I would not recognize him?
I’ll bet his Legion friends don’t know who he is
.

“Do you hear me?” said Sergeant Green, poking
Lucky with his rifle. “Where did you get this money?”

“I have nothing more to say until I talk to
your commanding officer,” said Lucky. “Harm me and you will never
find my shuttle. I have other very important information you will
be interested in knowing.”

When they arrived at Camp Alaska, Tonelli and
Wayne escorted Lucky to a holding cell. Private Wayne lingered
behind to talk to Lucky through a small window in the cell
door.

“Long time no see, Sergeant,” said Private
Wayne. “I appreciate you not saying anything about me earlier. Is
there anything I can do for you?”

“I see you are sleeping with the human
pestilence,” said Lucky. “How does it feel to be a traitor? Get me
out of here or I will tell your new friends who you really are.
Maybe I will even be able to collect the reward on you.”

“You would betray me?” asked Private Wayne.
“Have you no sense of personal loyalty?”

“You join the Legion, and you lecture me
about loyalty?” asked Lucky. “I will give you until tonight to get
me out of here, or I will tell the Legion everything.”

“I will see what I can do,” promised Wayne.
“But you have to give me a few days to arrange things.”

“Tonight!” demanded Lucky. “I want out
tonight.”

* * * * *

Later Lieutenant Lopez and Sergeant Green
interviewed Lucky. Lucky drew a map and gave detailed instructions
on how to find the Special Forces shuttle. Lucky also gave lists of
insurgent safe houses in Finisterra and Camp Alaska. At the
conclusion of the interview, Lieutenant Lopez told Lucky to think
long and hard about whether there was anything he wanted to
add.

“I don’t like surprises,” warned Lieutenant
Lopez. “You have more to tell me. Spill it now.”

“Your Private Wayne is the famous insurgent
leader General Electric,” said Lucky. “I want to collect on the
reward money for turning him in.”

“Are you sure?” asked Lieutenant Lopez.
“There can be no mistake in your identification?”

“Of course I am sure,” said Lucky. “He also
used to be my marine Special Forces commanding officer. We landed
on New Colorado together.”

“I see,” said Lieutenant Lopez.

“How much is the reward up to now?” asked
Lucky.

“What difference does that mean to you?”
asked Sergeant Green. “How are you going to spend the reward money
if you are tried and shot for being a terrorist?”

“I am a soldier sent to New Colorado by the
Emperor,” argued Lucky. “I have been cooperative. There is no
reason for you to cross me. I will gladly share the reward with
you. It must be millions. There is enough for everyone to be
happy.”

“First, we will see if you are telling the
truth about the Special Forces shuttle,” said Lieutenant Lopez.
“Then your full statement about Arthropodan marines and aiding the
insurgency will be broadcast on TV for propaganda. If everything
you say turns out to be true, and if you have not held back any
important information or details, you will get the reward that you
truly deserve.”

That night at about 0200, a timed Legion
grenade was dropped down an air vent to Lucky’s cell. The grenade
rattled down the long vent, finally dropping onto Lucky’s lap.
Lucky was killed instantly.

<>
<chapter>>
<>

CHAPTER 18

The Arthropodan Fleet beamed unopposed into
orbit around New Colorado. Legion starships and planetary defenses
did not interfere because they were outnumbered and because no one
wanted another war. Ship to planet communications was soon
established.

“This is Imperial Fleet Commander #1. We will
remain in orbit around New Colorado indefinitely. My mission is to
obtain the return of all prisoners of war held illegally by the
United States Galactic Federation, and to protect all Arthropodan
citizens displaced by the war.”

“This Is General Kalipetsis. We hold no
prisoners of war. All POW’s were returned. We only hold insurgents.
We are doing our best, however, to screen insurgents as we capture
them for any ex-soldiers that my have joined them.”

“Our intelligence sources confirmed just this
week that you recovered an Arthropodan marine Special Forces troop
shuttle and captured a marine sergeant. Both have been missing
since the war,” replied #1.

“What sources?’ asked General Kalipetsis.

“Cable TV,” said #1. “I demand my sergeant be
returned now. I also want access to your concentration camps to
search for more of our missing troops.”

“You are violating United States territorial
sovereignty and risking war by your trespass,” said General
Kalipetsis. “I will not just let you go and do as you please on New
Colorado.”

“The matter is not negotiable,” said #1. “But
I am not unreasonable. I will submit to an escort. But first you
will return my sergeant.”

“I am personally looking into the matter,”
promised General Kalipetsis. Five minutes later he had the
information he needed. “Your sergeant was just captured. He had
joined the insurgency and had led attacks and participated in
kidnapping. He is currently being held at Camp Alaska.”

“A marine contingent and I will beam down to
Camp Alaska immediately and repatriate our sergeant,” said #1. “I
expect you will meet me there?”

General Kalipetsis met #1 at the landing zone
at Camp Alaska. He did not look happy. General Kalipetsis was
flanked by his staff, a platoon of legionnaires, Lieutenant Lopez,
Sergeant Green, and myself.

“Where is my sergeant?” asked #1, bypassing
formalities and getting to the heart of the matter. “I expected him
to be waiting here, too.”

“Regretfully, your sergeant was murdered in
his cell last night,” said General Kalipetsis. “I am truly so
sorry. The matter is being investigated.”

“Who was the ranking officer in charge of his
custody,” asked #1.

“Captain Czerinski,” answered General
Kalipetsis.

“You put the Butcher of New Colorado in
charge of prisoners of war? Again? Why am I not surprised my
sergeant was murdered in his sleep.”

“Sir, I had nothing to do with your
sergeant’s death,” I said.

“So, we finally meet,” said #1. “You will
again be charged with war crimes. I will not let this matter drop.
I demand the Butcher of New Colorado be remanded to my custody and
transported to Arthropoda City for trial for murder and the many
other murders at the New Disneyland Extermination Camp.”