Chapter 9
They quickly boarded one of the Leers that had been moved to
the end of the runway. They were barely inside when it began to
move. It was packed with men. DeMal went forward. Phillipe
motioned Mulder to the back.
"You must change!" he ordered.
Mulder quickly stripped out of his clothes. The uniform was a
black coverall affair, that had a built in vest. He was surprised
it fit perfectly.
His feet were slipped into sturdy black boots that were tightly
laced, then Phillipe put a belt around his waist, and tightened
it.
"This is your hand weapon," he announced, taking the
gun out. It looked like nothing Mulder had ever seen...a tube
with a hand grip with a smaller tube coming out of the end of it.
"When you grip the handle," Phillipe continued,
"it is activated. It fires by pulling the trigger like any
of your weapons. It is effective up to one-hundred-and-fifty
yards. The extension barrel in the back of the holster will
double the range. But be sure to use the stock. It also increases
the kick."
He showed Mulder how these worked then put everything back.
"I do not think you will jump, but if you have to, this is
your descent device in the middle of the belt. To turn it on
twist to the left, and depress. It works like one of your
parachutes. It distributes your mass so you do not fall rapidly,
and use up your momentum when you strike the ground. It is best
to turn it off just before you hit. But as I say, you might not
have to use it."
"Who are The Shug?" Mulder asked.
"A renegade group of The Mora," Phillipe explained.
"When The Mora joined The Galactic Community and agreed to
the non-interference doctrine, The Shug secretly continued to
dominate developing societies, using them for their own purposes.
The current commander's grandfather led the security forces that
destroyed the majority of their operations, and captured their
leader."
"I take it he did not STAY captured!" Mulder commented.
"No," Phillipe answered. "He escaped some time
later. But before he left his homeworld, he visited the residents
of the present commander's grandfather. When he departed no one
was left alive, except the youngest son who found the bodies the
next day.
The family DeMal had made it their special project to hunt and
deal with The Shug, and especially NiSlide. This is one of the
last Shug groups." Phillipe fell silent, and Mulder didn't
inquire any more.
DeMal and another man came to the back of the plane.
"Mulder, this is Sub Commander Scott. I am leaving you in
his charge. He is in charge of the detail that will guard the
aircraft and relay communications. Do not think I am slighting
you, by leaving you with him. Protecting the aircraft is very
important, and having you with him frees a trained man to
accompany me."
"I understand," Mulder answered.
DeMal put his hand on Mulder's shoulder. "Move up to the
front of the plane," he ordered, "and strap in."
They flew on and Mulder could feel the growing tenseness. Looking
out the window he saw three saucer shaped objects suddenly appear
off their wing. Straining to see out the opposite window he saw
three more on that side.
"Fighters," Commander Scott explained, "from the
mother ship. They'll give us air cover. We'll need it!"
"Signal, sir!" the pilot cried. "Their sensors are
out, right on time. We'd just be coming in range now, for them to
penetrate our cloaks. Drop in five minutes."
"Disperse!" DeMal ordered. "Head for assigned
targets. Open the door."
The door noiselessly slid open. The regular lights went out and
red ones came on. DeMal made his way to the door. As soon as he
was in position others rose and fell. in behind him. The plane
made a couple of sharp turns and then the lights began to flash.
DeMal disappeared out the door. Most of the rest of the men
followed him. The plane made several more sharp turns, then
Mulder heard its wheels hit.
"Come on!" Commander Scott cried. The plane was still
slowly moving when he leaped out. Mulder followed. The planes
turned around and took up position at the end of the runway. Not
far away several aircraft were in flames. The fighters had done
their job.
"Take cover over there!" the commander told Mulder.
"Guard the communications officer. If anyone comes into site
challenge them. If they raise their weapon toward you fire. Our
men will seek cover. The adversaries may be wearing white, brown,
or gray uniforms. Anyone that doesn't look human, shoot them!
Shug are suicidal. They fight to the death. Be careful. They
sometimes pretend to be injured or dead, to get you to break
cover."
Mulder nodded, and took his post. But things around them were
quiet for some time. Muffled explosions in the distance told them
that was not true elsewhere.
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