Chapter 4
Deep inside the carrier in a maintenance room the AI lay on a
makeshift stretcher. The engineer put down his tools.
"We've fixed everything, colonel," he announced.
"He should be functioning now. I can't understand why he's
still down."
"He shut himself down!" McQueen answered.
"Probably set himself to awake in a certain number of hours.
It's their way when they're seriously damaged. I want a guard on
the door twenty four hours. No one is to be let in!"
The engineer nodded. "Sleep time!" McQueen told Hawkes.
The younger marine nodded and they followed the engineer out. The
door was secured and a guard posted. Several hours later an IC
officer approached the guard. "Stand down, marine!" the
officer announced. "I'm your relief."
"Sorry, sir!" the guard snapped, "I can only be
relieved by my superior officer."
Another IC man slipped up behind the marine and put something to
the back of his neck. The marine stiffened and sank to the floor.
"Stand guard!" the officer snapped. He opened the door,
quickly crossed the room to the AI, took a device from beneath
his shirt and leaned over. "Sorry!" he muttered,
"But can't have you waking up." He went to push the two
prongs on the device into the AI's chest when a powerful arm
wrapped around his throat, and pulled him back. The man struggled
violently but his struggles slowly subsided, and he went limp.
Lt. Hawkes lowered him to the floor, produced binders, and
quickly secured him.
Colonel McQueen appeared from the shadows and pointed to the
door. Hawkes nodded. When McQueen yanked it open the startled man
outside never had a chance. Two powerful blows from Hawkes' fist
put him down. He, too, was soon bound. McQueen checked the fallen
marine. "Stunned!" he remarked. "He'll have a
couple of hours memory loss but will be fine." They heard
footsteps and looked up to see the commander approaching.
"Good work, colonel, lieutenant!" he snapped. "Go
get some rest, lieutenant!"
Hawkes nodded and disappeared. The IC men were dragged to their
feet. "Caught two more of your boys," the commander
snapped, "tried to plant explosive devices on the bridge. As
you're not unconscious you're not these duplicate things our
friend in there warned us about. You're flesh and blood humans,
the worst kind of humans...TRAITORS! Get them out of here!"
The commander checked his watch. "Three hours, colonel.
You're relieved here. Get some rest!" The colonel nodded and
hurried off.
The commander walked in and stood over the AI. "Wake up,
dammit!" he cursed. "I want to know why, dammit, I want
to know why!"
He slapped his side and hurried out. Three hours later squadron
58 found themselves being woken up again. They crawled from their
beds, got dressed and reported to the ready room. Colonel McQueen
waited for them.
"If you've looked out the window," he remarked,
"you know we're hiding in a gaseous cloud half way between
Trin and Maxus. The first elements of Sledge Hammer are gathering
at Maxus, supplying ships that will be vital to the assault.
They're lightly defended. The AI brought us information. The
Chigs are on their way to attack. Three carriers, heavily
escorted, their decks loaded with bombers. They'll pass by very
close. We'll let the lead escorts pass them we'll come out and
attack the carriers...hit them with everything we've got.
Fighters will attack the carriers. Our own escorts will engage
the enemy's escorts. You will not withdraw until the carriers are
destroyed!
The commander has sent messages to two other carriers, and they
are intercepting two other enemy strike forces. If we succeed we
will not only save our supply ships, we will do something we have
never done before....destroy enemy carriers. We've damaged them
we've hurt them, but we've never destroyed any of them. Hit the
bunkers before they can land! Blow them up on the carriers!
Remember The Eisenhower! Get to your planes!"
"Yes, sir!" the pilots all snapped, and hurried to man
their aircraft. McQueen watched them go. He wanted to go too, but
he could do as well on the bridge, being their extra eyes and
ears. He hurried to get up there.
Out on the edge of the cloud a single ship watched; no sensors,
no telltale energy. They sat there watching.
An officer walked up to his commander. "Crew's asking for
heat, sir. Ship's getting mighty cold."
"Bare minimum," the commander ordered. He returned to
scanning with heavy binoculars. "Oh, Lord!" he sighed.
"They're coming! Communications stand by to signal fleet.
They're going to be even closer than we thought!"
In the distance several large Chig vessels paused, then the huge
carriers appeared. "Bring all systems on line," the
scoout's commander cried. "Signal fleet 'Jericho! Jericho!
Jericho!'" Moments later the human carrier burst from the
cloud, fighters rushing from it. On its bridge McQueen screamed
into his mike. "The lead ship is yours 58th! Go get
'em!"
"On our way!" Captain Vansen's voice snapped back,
"On our way!"
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