Chapter 10

Once Khan and his command group realized that they were going to have to wait for fuel to make their getaway, they started making contingency plans. One of them, to reduce the load on ship resources was to billet their troops on the station. This was limited to the Marines at first, but later some of the lower ratings were also moved. Several large spaces were appropriated and living quarters fashioned in them.

This was fine by me. I liked the idea of a lot of my vermin being in one place for long periods. And with everything wired, I could keep a close eye on what they were up to.

I waited a couple of days for a routine to be built up. There were 4 barracks that had been set up and these followed the duty schedule for those troops. Basically, everyone in that barracks did the same things at the same times.

Chow, Duty, and sleep pretty much followed the schedule for the first 3 spaces. The 4th space however seemed to be a headquarters unit. Staff were in and out at all times of the day and night. But twice a day, 2 of the barracks residents were in a sleep cycle. Either going in, or coming out. Anyone disturbing those troops better have a damn good reason for doing so. I didn’t need a damn Good reason.

One of the ways I messed with them was the heating and cooling. 10 degrees above or below and fluctuating can be irritating. I also introduced mystery sounds in the ventilation. just small things that they couldn’t find or stop.

I also monkeyed with the air pressures. Too much, or not enough pressure can cause headaches, and fairly quickly. Soon there were long lines outside their aid stations handing out aspirin.

I also had some of our junior volunteers raid the bilge rat ranches and let their furry friend loose, In their mess kitchens.

Before the pirates boarded, I had stressed to our people to avoid causing a situation that would invite retribution from the invaders. I knew that could start a cycle of violence that would end badly for our people. they would end up as an out of control mob. And mobs do not defeat organized combat troops. Troops that wouldn’t think twice about mowing down a crowd.

For the most part our folks, while they might start something, would follow my advice and retreat before things got bad. Then when the investigation was made, it would be an obvious pirate discipline problem.

On most days, this is what would happen. With a little help.

A five man patrol was making a sweep through an area of the station that contained corridor side food vendors, go go bars and what were known as ping pong shows.

These shows were basically sex shows designed to set up customers for the working girls on the second floor. They were usually held in a small back room, just large enough for 4 pirates, a show barker and the girl. Admission included a cheap watered down beer and a discount chip for upstairs.

Outside, in the corridor, the food vendors for the most part dealt from a sliding scale. They were used to it. They had been scalping tourists most of their lives. Tourists usually got charged double and depended on whether they were polite or not, most got the fresher meat. But if you were a jerk, it was double the cost and salmonella on the menu. However, these days, folks went out of their way keeping the meat LLOONNGG past the due date. The locals ate at home.

“Central, this is Patrol 5-A checking in. Nothing to report.”

“Copy 5-A. Continue on. Be advised, your relief is gonna be 30 minutes late. They’ll be starting at the end of your route. When you meet up, you can knock off for the rest of the watch.”

“Gee thanks Central. What about chow? Are you gonna hold our dinners, or is it gonna be iron rations again?”

“I’ll see what I can do, But I can’t guarantee anything.”

The Corporal turned to his troops, “Damn parade ground flakes. I know that dinner won’t be there. I’ll bet the canteen will be dry too.”

“Say, Corporal, There’s a sweet little cantina up ahead. We can get some grub there. Plus, they’ve got this kick butt beer. I know the owner, I’d be willing to bet he’ll take a voucher for everything. They even got some real cute sweeties upstairs.”

2 hours later patrol 6-B checked in. “Central, this is patrol 6-B. We finally found 5-A. They stopped off at a bar and got blind drunk. What do ya want me to do? leave them here, or stick around until the shore patrol shows up?”

“6-B, Stay in place. We don’t want anybody wandering off. We might need your help getting them into the brig.”

“Aye, Aye Central, 6-B out”

An hour later, “Shore patrol one five to Central.”

“Go ahead SP-15.”

“Central, we’re gonna need another wagon out here. Both 5-A and 6-B are blotto drunk. In fact, if you could get another shore patrol headed this way. Some of these guys are getting belligerent’

“Copy SP-15, Shore Patrol one six, please respond to SP-15’s location for back up.”

15 minutes later, the radio lit up, “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY. THIS IS SP-16, we’ve got a full blown riot out here, call out the reaction force, SP-15’s down and I...” The transmission cut off.

“Central to SP-15? Central to SP-16?...”

“Please respond 15, or 16...”

“Central, this is reaction 1. The situation is in hand. We’ll need medics and transporters. Most everybody here is wounded.”

“Reaction 1, This is Command 5, report.”

“Sir, we’ve got 2, 4 man patrols. And then 2 more 3 man Shore Patrol teams, Plus an SP Lieutenant, down. 2 dead and the rest wounded or unconscious. I’ve also got 3 of my own team wounded.”

“What about civilians? injured, dead or in custody?”

“Well sir, that’s the thing. There aren’t any civilians. This all happened in a cantina that the manifest lists as having been closed for over a year. The entrance was sealed. It looks like our people broke into the cantina and started raiding the stock. All the other shops in the area are closed also. No one answers their hatch buzzers.”

OK, Reaction 1. What does the Shore Patrol Lt say?”