Conquest ~ Indian Hill 3 ~ A Michael Talbot Adventure (43 page)

"Yes sir, he has not moved since the hu-mans placed him in that present location." Tuvok said evenly, even though his heart was beating rapidly, that was as close as he dared to approach insubordination. Kuvlar seemed lost in thought or was completely ambivalent to it.

"We will launch the rescue mission as soon as the teams can be assembled. Get it done." Kuvlar said as he stared through the viewing screen and to the tiny blue jewel in the distance. He would feather his cap with that jewel soon enough. Soon he would command a true war ship.

Tuvok was happy to finally hear those words, life aboard a Progerian vessel was never easy but certain commander's appreciated the efforts of their crew and other's like Kuvlar were merely in it for the glory and were more than likely going to get their charges killed or worse, dishonored.

T
w
en
ty
fighters along with 5 troop transports loaded with seven hundred of the finest genetically altered Mutated Genogerians the Dominion had to offer departed the Julipion less than an hour later. Their destination Colorado Springs, Colorado, Cheyenne Mountain to be specific.

***

When Paul's militia had left the mountains of Colorado for the tunnels of Walpole, minus their star player Michael Talbot, General Burkhalter had recalled his right hand man Captain Moiraine. The general had specifically sent the Captain to keep an eye out for Mike and to also see what Paul's next move might be, but Paul had been cagey, the General had felt that Paul had seen through his 'plant' from the beginning and with Paul going to ground anyway, the general saw no reason to keep such a valuable asset away any longer.

Captain Moiraine was hesitant to accept any armed force on American soil that was not in the United States military, but there was something about
Paul
Ginson he could not put his finger on, a resolve, was as close to an adjective that he could get. Paul was unhindered with the bureaucracies that were keeping the rest of the military might on a leash, he envied him that as he sat holding a rapidly cooling cup of coffee. His ass beginning to hurt from so much seat  warming. His mug shattered to the floor when he misplaced its resting spot when the giant radar screen off to his left lit up like downtown Tokyo.

"Incoming!" The radioman shouted after the fact.

Lights dimmed from white fluorescent to red. Klaxons peeled as men began to scramble. Dozens of fighters scrambled from the nearby Peterson Air Force base. In theory it looked like an
under
whelming force but Captain Moiraine knew the capabilities of their formidable opponent. If more than 5 of those scrambled fighters survived he would be amazed.

"They came out of nowhere!" Lieutenant McNult said.

"They have a tendency to do that." Captain Moiraine said evenly.

"Where do you think they are headed?" The lt asked. But even he knew the answer. This was one of the very last strategic hold outs AND they had in their possession one very pissed off Supreme Commander.

The Captain didn't answer he looked longingly down at the smashed glass and spreading brown liquid of his coffee wishing he had something to wash down the rising panic that was threatening to well up.

"Get everyone to the armory." Captain Moiraine ordered his subordinate.

The lieutenant, turned to look at his superior officer the weight of the words not fully registering.

"Lieutenant, unless I am completely off base we are about to be breeched and in the midst of an all out assault, would you rather die looking at your console or fighting with a weapon in your hand?"

"Sir I'd rather not die at all." The lt said taking a big swallow.

"Poor choice of words, we need to defend ourselves lt or we will die. Is that clearer?"

"Sir I've only ever shot once, and that was with a 9 mm pistol. I don't think I'm qualified."

'What I wouldn't do for a squad of Marines.' The Captain thought.

"Lieutenant get your ass up and issue the order for everybody able to wield a weapon to get down to the armory and do so." The Captain said evenly. "And if you say one more word about it, I'll shoot you myself."

"Yes sir."

It had taken over twenty minutes to convince everyone including the scientists to grab a firearm, in that time the Captain had wondered on the validity of his order when he already had two injuries from accidental discharges.

The air battle had gone better than expected but was still a pre-determined outcome, the Americans had adapted their tactics to the superior handling and fire power of their adversary but it was still not enough. Three F-22's limped away, 4 alien fighters had dropped along with two of the heavier troop laden transports. Captain Moiraine hoped that was enough, now it would be their turn to hold on, although he
already knew the outcome of that
battle also, maybe if he had some Marines he mused, just as the first blasts above them rocked the mountain.

"We've been breeched." One of the Air Force Staff Sergeants said as he checked his panel.

The mountain was rumbling from the multitude of explosions, as deeply buried as Moiraine and his team were they could not yet hear the small arms fire but it was really only a matter of time. He walked over to the coffee machine, grabbed a Styrofoam cup and poured a lukewarm cup of Joe that gas stations would have turned their noses up at.

"Sweet ambrosia." He said as he took a sip. 'Funny how good this tastes when you know it's your last one.' He pulled his wallet out and took one last look at his wife and kids who he hoped were still safely tucked away at his sister's house in upstate Montana.

As he took his final drink, he began to hear the staccato bursts of small arms fire. In less than ten minutes the aliens had taken over three quarters of the mountain. If he hadn't been
t
here to witness it he wouldn't have believed it.

"Lieutenant take your weapon off of safety." The Captain said.

The lt pulled his pistol close to look. "How'd you know?"

"Just a guess. It has been and honor and a privilege to share this uniform with you gentlemen." The Captain said, the room was silent. What more was there to say?

The floor bounced as heavy feet tramped down the hallway. "Mother of God." The Staff Sergeant sighed as the Mutated Devastator troops rounded the corner. He had not so much as fired a shot when he was liquefied.

Captain Moiraine opened fire followed quickly by the rest of the men. Two Devastator's fell as they were struck multiple times. Instead of impeding their progress this seemed to spur them on. Their goal seemed to be overwhelming by vastly superior numbers. The Lieutenant fell next followed by a lab technician that had to have been pushing 60 but looked like he
had been
born with a rifle in his hand. Moiraine wished he had a dozen more like him.

The Captain had never seen an enemy so willing to sustain damage, his rifle barrel was threatening to burn out as he repeatedly popped out spent magazines and inserted new ones. It was down to himself and a green private. They were holding their own but ammunition was getting down into the red. The Captain felt a burning sensation as his shoulder absorbed the full brunt of an energy discharge, at first it hadn't felt much worse than placing one's tongue upon the terminals of a 9 volt battery, but as time progressed he began to lose functionality in his left arm and the pain began to increase, gradually at first and then to the point where he could think of nothing else at least until he was struck square in the chest.

"Margaret." He called out his wife's name as he fell to the ground.

***

Ground Frontsman Nacir strode through the wreckage of the last fortified human enclosure. "Have you found the Supreme Commander?" He asked his troops.

"Not yet Ground Frontsman." His second in command relayed.

Nacir was angry, he had lost a fair amount of equipment and almost half his troops and still they had not secured the package. Interim Supreme Commander Krulak had been very specific in his orders, if he did not come back with the Supreme Commander then he might as well stay on the planet, and that was unacceptable. Colonization was for colonists, he was a warrior, plain and simple.

It was two hours later and some sporadic fighting when the troops emerged with a bedraggled Supreme Commander. There was no thank you or congratulations. Only, 'What took so long?'

"Blow the mountain", Nacir said as he got the Supreme Commander aboard the transport. The Supreme Commander said nothing to those around him, he was seething in anger and considered it below his station to talk with those aboard the ship.

***

"Seize them." ISC Kuvlar said over the sound system as the transport ship came to rest inside the Julipion.

"What is the meaning of this?" Supreme Commander Vallezt shouted as he was roughly grabbed by two guards.

"We've been ordered to place you in quarantine. The hu-mans have  introduced you to biological weaponry." The guard said.

"They have done no such thing!" Vallezt shouted. And then it dawned on him, he looked up to the launch bay control center. "Kuvlar this is your doing, I can smell the taint from here. I will not sit idly by while you destroy everything. I have Progerians loyal to me!"

The guard on his right slid a needle into Vallezt arm, he barely had enough time to register a protest before he was sliding to the ground.

"Place him in his quarters." Kuvlar said as he turned to get back on the helm. 'Fortune shines on me today.' He thought.

CHAPTER SIX
T
Y
- Mike Journal Entry 18

I
found
my
self hungry but unwilling to go
and
get
food, certain
I
would run either into Beth or Tracy. And right now that would be enough to turn
off
my
appetite. But sitting
t
here and contemplating wasn’t going to solve
my
hunger problem.
I
was trying to remember the layout of The Hill in the hopes
I
could find the most obscure untraveled route to the mess hall and then
I
would order the quickest meal possible in hopes of getting out undetected.
I
was deep in thought of a grilled cheese sandwich when a soft knock sounded on
my
door.

Please be Dennis
,
I
prayed to the heavens.

“Come in
,” I said
with a small upward inflection, showing
my
nervousness which
I
hoped didn’t travel through the door.

The door swung in, it wasn’t Dennis. Beth strode in wearing a sky blue dress that matched her eyes.
My
heart alternated between stopping completely and then hammering through
my
chest cavity.

“Hello
,
Mike
,” Beth said
, looking down more at the
floor
rather
than at
me
.

Good
,
I
thought
,
she’s at least as nervous as me
. Thoughts ran rapid through
my
head
,
but for whatever reason
,
I
couldn’t formulate anything into words. She was just as beautiful, if not more, than
I
had remembered from any of
my
most vivid dreams. She had toned
up, I
could tell from the way the dress clung to her body. Yet she also carried a deep sorrow in her eyes. Som
ething that was not there when we
last spoke.

“Debbie’s dead
,” she said
,
finally looking up.

“I know
,” I answered
flatly. “I saw her.”

Beth looked surprised but did not press the issue.