Chapter 18: Battle report

By the time they returned to the CA, Pru's leg was functional again, though still not completely steady. She limped slightly but the exercise of walking actually helped wash the numbness away

Isabella was limping, too, but from a sprained ankle. She had slipped while getting into position to stun the guards and twisted it. She had known it would soon put her out of action, so she had aimed her stunner at a rock and moved her ankle into the field to numb it. By the time the action was over, she had needed to ride the sled back to the 'mobiles with Pru, sitting next to Zahlman's inert form.

Outside the portal, Said met them and took one of the 'mobiles with Zahlman and Isabella off to the hospital. Jazira insisted on going too, especially when Zahlman began to rouse from his stunning.

They all changed from fatigues and put on kilts, gathered things into their packs and returned to the safe house. The slug-throwers, remotes and other booty were left in the 'mobile for Said to recover.

Pru settled everyone for a thorough debrief, with beer, drinks and snacks for all. Solly appeared on the com.

"First, a 'well done' for all of you," Pru began. "Give me your reports, and let's start with Zaratta. For the record, Isabella's getting a med pack on her foot and will be here soon. Jazz and Zahl will be here as soon as he's steady."

Zaratta said — and Pru felt her pride in a job well done — "We had no trouble getting into our position from last night. When we moved in to attack, Izzy slipped. You know about that. I took the crossfire position instead, and once we had them down, Izzy took care of her foot. We moved down toward the jail without problems, just a little slow going, and Izzy took the crossfire position as you directed, Pru. She and Jazz took the guard down. I threw a rock through the window, then the grenade. Actually, there wasn't any glass or anything in the window at all. I think the rock hit someone; I just don't know who. That's about it."

Isabella slipped into the room as Zaratta finished her report. Her foot and ankle were encased in a boot that gave her support and metered painkillers and restoratives to her injured muscles and tendons.

Pru looked to Mira, who began her report. Her emotions felt as calm as her words. "After we zapped the guard, we advanced to the latrine and Pru bombed that guy. She sent me to set up a crossfire position and crossed the street. She and I took out the guard, though we could have used a grenade. Pru put two grenades into the main building and moved in. I followed. There were about ten men in there, two remotes. I think that's a total of five we found on the guards and in the main building. Someone came out of the back room and I think we both hit him. There was another guy in the back room; we heard him and hit him with a bomb. Pru caught some of the flash. That's it."

Alia was next. "Nothing really new from us. Took out the guards, got the remote, went to the main building. No way to get into it from the back, so Jazz took the jail guard and I covered. Easy."

For Pru, Alia's normal confidence had escalated to seriously smug.

Solly spoke from the com. "Very well done, all of you. I have some questions. Why did all of you bring along the guards' slug-throwers?"

Alia snorted. "You don't want them behind you, do you? I play it safe. I don't trust these stunners, anyway."

Pru said, "Sure made our jobs easier. I really like those grenades."

"Wait till someone throws one back at you," Alia countered.

Solly intervened. "I need more information on the com equipment. Did you get serial numbers and all that? Did you leave it in operating condition?"

They reported all the items of communications equipment they had found in the back room. Following on-the-spot instructions, they had used the slug-throwers to wreck the insides of the equipment. Even though it was highly integrated and miniaturized, it was possible to wreck it by sending a high-velocity bullet into the casings. "Brute force has its uses," as Solly put it. They had quickly searched the other buildings, too, but found nothing of interest other than several old-style copies of the Koran. Still, Solly wanted details on everything they had seen or surmised.

Pru asked, when Solly had more or less run out of questions, "What's the position of the OSG forces?"

"Well, that's the problem. The local OSG people aren't particularly concerned about these activities. They turn a blind eye, most of the time. In this case, with a kidnapping, they had to act, but I'm not happy with their attitude.

"One more thing. Did any of you get a good look at the man who came out of the back room?"

All of them had seen him, and Pru had asked Mira to take a snap of him with her camera. She had made sure that they had images of all the men at the main camp. She told Solly.

"Great. Send me copies immediately, please."

There was a commotion at the door and Jazira and Zahlman came in. Zahlman looked somewhat the worse for wear, but he was walking and generally alert. He had bruises on his arms and chest.

After Pru and the others had greeted him with hugs and chatter, they sat him down.

"Let's have it, Zahl. All of it." Pru could feel the mixture of anxiety and relief in him, and Jazira's joy and relief at his return.