AMP Rebellion (13 page)

The Colonel came over the comm and asked for twenty minutes to consolidate his position and to prepare for a run up to Uriah-5. We needed time to plan out our run downwards. Every bit of information we had would be used to optimize our assault. With a bit of luck we would meet the Colonel on the way down.

After a short period of preparation Frig repositioned the portal to a storage room near the elevators on level Uraih-15. The standard portal was opened first and when the room was determined to be clear we each passed through using Frig’s parameter update. Frost was the last one through.

Frost spoke, "I do like that mode of transport Sir, gives you a sort of funky feeling as you pass through. I wonder what it would be like if you and I were…"

I cut off her conversation, "Frost! It ain’t happening. Get your mind on the game. Your banter is distracting people."

Frost replied as she winked, "Yes Sir!"

I rolled my eyes and turned my thoughts back towards our current mission. Our supplies were pushed through the portal and it was then closed and repositioned back to the prior location. Weapons, ammo and food were once again moving through in a continuous stream.

I spoke, "York, check that door. If that hallway is clear we can begin our descent down those stairs."

York replied, "Sir, can I suggest we take the ramp instead? It circles the stairs and it might give us better footing in a firefight."

I checked my pack before pulling it onto my back. "The ramp is fine York. You are the combat expert here so I will defer those types of judgments to your knowledge and experience. Besides, I’m putting you at point anyway."

York nodded as she replied, "That’s good with me Sir. The last in line misses all the fun."

The hallway was clear. We moved out along the wall and turned the corner into the trans-way. The stairwells descended 30 meters for each level. The gently sloping ramps surrounding them swirled four times over that distance. Rodriguez placed a small monitoring device on the floor. If anyone came into the trans-way behind us we would know about it.

As we began our descent, voices could be heard from below. It was the bellow of a Dakar officer ordering more troops down the trans-way towards the Colonel’s position.

Rodriguez spoke quietly, "Sir, the longer we take to get down there the more troops they are going to move in. I suggest we hustle before their numbers become overwhelming."

I replied, "I was having the same thought myself."

I turned. "OK people, we are going to pick up the pace! York, you have the lead. If you spot anything just bring us to a halt so we can evaluate."

York replied, "You got it Sir."

We had walked down the ramp until reaching the second swirl of four on level Uriah-14. The movement detection device sounded in our comms. I moved over to the stairwell and looked up. A dozen Dakar regulars were coming down the ramp towards our position.

I signaled the others to move out. As we came to the doorway for Uriah-14 we exited the trans-way.

I spoke quietly, "York, check those doors down to the left. Rodriguez, hit the ones on the right. The rest of you take position by that corner and ready a TIG in case we need to fight!"

As the others moved I began to check doors on the opposite side of the hallway. The first two were locked. York found an open door and the others hurried in. As I turned back their way the first of the Dakar had reached our level. I was left standing in the middle of the hallway. I casually leaned against the wall as if I was supposed to be there.

The first Dakar glanced back and alerted the others. The small troop stopped and five Dakar soldiers stepped into the hall in front of me.

The first Dakar spoke, "Human! What is your business here?"

I replied in a casual tone, "Just hanging out. Wanted to get out of the apartment for a few minutes that's all."

The Dakar scowled as he raised his blaster, "You are in violation Human. I would suggest you return to your apartment before you are arrested... what is that hanging over your shoulder? Is that a weapon?"

The sound of a metallic object could be heard rolling down the hallway behind the Dakar soldier. As they each turned to look they were greeted by the bright flash and pop of a TIG.

I raised my silenced AK and responded, "You. Dakar. All of you into that room over there."

The first Dakar dropped to his knees and pulled the trigger on his blaster. Nothing happened. He looked curiously at the blaster and then back in my direction. I again gestured for him to move towards the open door.

The Dakar stood, drew a long knife and took a step in my direction.

Pffft, pffft, pffft.

The Dakar looked down at the three holes in his chest. He again dropped to his knees and then collapsed onto his side. I again gestured with my gun. The Dakar moved.

As each moved past York into the open room beyond the door she gave them a shove in the back. I grabbed the dead Dakar and dragged his body into the room behind them. As I released the corpse I turned to look at York.

York spoke, "Well go on. I got this."

The statement caught me a bit off-guard, so I stepped past her into the hallway. She gave me one last look and then closed the door.

Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft! Pffft, pffft,pffft, pffft,pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft. Chk-slk-click-chk. Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!

Nearly a minute passed before the door opened and York stepped out into the hall. The team stared in her direction.

York spoke, "What? They were a liability... they invaded our home... they have killed our people!"

I held up my hand to quiet her as I replied, "It's OK York. I just wasn't expecting that. What was the extra time for?"

York responded, "I took their blasters and laid them in a pile by the door. If we have to come back this way for some reason they will be there for our use. Was common practice back in the Marines."

I replied, "If it's any consolation York, I like your thinking. We are at war. And with our current mission you were exactly right. They were a liability. Let's put this to bed and move on."

I looked around at the others. "Anyone have a problem with that?"

Frost stepped up with a grin. "I'll take point next Sir. Yorkie is having too much of the fun!"

We moved back into the trans-way with Frost leading the way. York picked up the rear with a frown on her face.

I turned to her and spoke, "You aren't being punished York. I actually like having Frost up there where she's not trying to grab my ass."

York replied, "It's not that it hasn't crossed my mind Sir. I just prefer to be invited. You aren't inviting me are you Sir?"

I looked back down the ramp as I continued to walk. "I hesitate to say no to you Sergeant after the way you handled those Dakar back there."

York chuckled. "No worries Sir. I was just taking care of business. If I don't at least give you a little bit of a hard time Rodriguez and Frost are going to hassle me about it. I don't mean any disrespect with my joshin' Sir."

I replied, "None taken York. Just keep doing what you are doing."

When we reached level Uriah-11 Frost held up her hand, stopping us just short of the doorway. Two Dakar could be heard talking in the outer hallway as they approached. Frost signaled and we each moved over against the outer wall of the ramp.

Frost knelt with her AK at the ready as the two Dakar entered the trans-way. They were deep in their conversation as they turned and began their way down the ramp without noticing the dozen Humans crouched against the wall behind them.

A Dakar private spoke, "Sir, we have been on this station for weeks now and the Durians are calling all the shots. I don't understand why command doesn't throw them out."

The second soldier was a Dakar lieutenant. "Private, you might want to keep those thoughts to yourself. Command has their reasons. They will let us know what is happening when they are ready. Until then, just enjoy the fact that we are not getting shot at."

The private chuckled and replied, "Shot at? By who, Humans? Hahaha. They rolled over when we came on-board. What other species have we fought with that has done that? These Humans aren't so bright if you ask me."

The Dakar soldiers made their way down the ramp and out of sight. As everyone stood I turned towards York. She was sliding her battle knife back into its sheath.

York looked up at me. "What?"

I glanced down at her knife.

York shook her head. "We can't very well use these guns in the trans-way Sir, would risk giving us away. That and the fact that I don't want Frost baggin' 'em all Sir."

York smiled as we continued slowly down the ramp. As we reached the deck of Uriah-10 the Dakar soldiers stationed on the level below could be heard talking. We waited patiently as we listened in. If the conversations were "everyday" we would be able to take them with complete surprise.

A Dakar spoke, "I had a model five when I was a youth. I dropped it in a bowl of Hicka broth and it was of course ruined. I was on track for receiving a model 16 AI, but my teachers lost trust and I was sent to boot school."

Another Dakar replied, "Jufis, you are too dumb to have had a model 5. You are making up stories. Your father was a booter and you are a booter."

The Dakar replied, "No, honest. I was all set to go to flight. That stupid broth. It ruined..."

A Durian stepped up to the conversing soldiers, "Who is in charge here?"

A Dakar sergeant spoke, "I am Sir. How may we be of assistance?"

The Durian Helgron grabbed the much weaker Dakar soldier by the neck and pulled him to his face.

The Durian spoke, "No, I am in charge here Sergeant!"

The Durian released his grip as he pushed the Dakar sergeant away.

The Durian continued, "You are sloppy. Ill prepared to fight. We have had a growing number of rebellious outbursts from the Humans below."

Another Dakar spoke, "If they are acting up why do we not just kill them?" The Dakar looked around and smiled.

The Durian flipped his arm quickly, slapping the Dakar soldier across the face. The smiles on the other soldiers quickly disappeared.

Again the Durian spoke, "We are at war! These Humans cannot be trusted to remain idle. They will attack. And when they do we must be prepared if we are to hold this station. I expect patrols of these corridors and of this trans-way; two men to each team. Random checks."

The Durian looked directly at the sergeant with a seething expression. "Sergeant, if I find things are not as they should be when I return you will pay a heavy price. Leadership comes with responsibility. And that current responsibility is to me."

As I looked around, York had moved over to the stairwell and pulled out a TIG.

York spoke, "It's a Durian Sir. We can't let him just walk away. He sounds like the only one there that knows what he's doing."

With that York pulled the pin on the TIG. After a four second count she released the negative ion grenade. After falling the 30 meters to level Uriah-9 the grenade went off.

Pop!

York was quickly on the run down the ramp. I followed with the remainder of the team. As we rounded the last swirl the first of the Dakar came into view.

Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!

Three Dakar fell hard back into the doorway as the other Dakar scrambled; their ion blasters seemed to have no charge. As York approached the Durian pulled his battle knife and hissed. York followed suit without missing a step.

At the last second the Durian swung his blade at the charging Human. York dropped, rolled and came up under the Durian's right arm with her own battle knife. The Durian attempted to let out a squeal as Sergeant Diane York placed her free hand over his small mouth.

York spoke as she looked into the now panicking Durian's eyes, "Get off my station lizard!"

With that comment York twisted the knife, pulled it from the Durian’s limp appendage and thrust it hard into his forehead.

Frost was next to unload.

Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!

Two more Dakar soldiers dropped to their knees as the others backed into the hall. The assault was upon them before they were able to react.

Frost spoke, "Yorkie bagged a Durian! I am jealous!"

Rodriguez was next up with her silenced AK.

Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!

Another Dakar fell backwards.

Rodriguez spoke as she looked at the next Dakar, "Did you say something?"

Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!

Frost replied, "And her hair was still perfect!"

The carnage ended with a dead Durian and a dozen dead Dakar soldiers. The fight was over before anyone but the three female Marines had fired a shot.

Frost turned and smacked my right buttock with her left hand.

Frost spoke, "That's how the ladies do it Sir, quick and dirty!"

I moved forward before Frost could fully take hold.

I spoke, "OK. Let’s find an empty room and move these bodies out of here before they completely bleed out. And look for something to wipe up the trails with. If we get more visitors to this level we don't want them rushing after us."

Corporal Mendez spoke, "We aren't going to be able to clean this up Sir. There is too much."

I replied, "Do what you can Corporal, anything is better than nothing."

When the bodies had been stuffed away we again moved into the trans-way and continued our way downward. As we approached level Uriah-8, two Dakar soldier were coming up the ramp towards us. We were caught mid-swirl with nowhere to hide.

The first Dakar spoke, "They were coming down from 14. The Major said they left ten minutes ago. Level nine isn't answering their comm. Let's just do this and get back."

The second Dakar replied as they continued upwards, "I don't care for the Major. She is too..."

York opened fire first.

Pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft, pffft!

The two Dakar fell backwards, but not before their commanding officer on Uriah-7 heard the commotion.

York took off into a full run down the ramp spirals as the Dakar Major spoke into his comm. "Fepa.... Fepa? If you and Mina are screwing ar..."

The Major dropped his arm and reached for his blaster as York charged in.

Pop!