Chapter 25: Escape from Hell part IV

Ko'Nar heard the accursed Marines coming. He stood there waiting. His knives were ready, and in the rooms on each side of the passageway, some of the Royal guard stood ready to fight. Hearing the breathing of the humans, he waited until he saw the gun, and swung his upper left arm.

The knife hit his target in its eye, and it went deep into its brain. Screaming as he stepped around, he started to hack at the next human, as it pointed a strange weapon at him. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground with his belly on fire. His fingers went numb, and the knives tumbled from his clenched claws.

"We will destroy all of you," he said as he died.

Lewis looked down at the first T'Lari he had seen wearing body paint, and thought on its statement.

He looked up and saw a mass of T'Lari charging him. He lifted the minigun, and let loose with a full twenty second burn. The mixture of armor piercing, tracer, ball, and incendiary rounds ripped the T'Lari to shreds. Their bodies started piling up. The pile crept closer and closer. They continued to fire at him over the corpses.

He flinched when a fletchen round scraped his left cheek. Another fletchen hit his left foot, and he started to fall, screaming in pain from the sudden shock. He tried to bring his gun back up. He looked up into the eyes of a T'Lari warrior standing above him with a spear.

Before he could think, a burst of cannon shells blew the T'Lari away. Julio and Jose were there with their miniguns. They started tearing the remaining T'Lari apart. Lieutenant Dawson moved up into the corridor, and started checking out Lewis' foot. He saw that it was almost severed at the ankle. Only a small piece of skin was keeping it attached. Pulling out his knife, he cut the remaining tissue off. Lewis screamed in agony and passed out. Pulling out a package of nanobandages, he wrapped the bloody stump. While Lewis was out, he stripped the weapon off the young man's waist, and looked over at one of the Marines.

"Johnstone, do you know how to use the minigun?"

Corporal Ira Johnstone looked over his shoulder at the Lieutenant and shouted, "Yes I do, Sir. Want me to take over for Lewis?"

"Yes. Get that weapon up and ready, I'll carry Corporal O'Neil," Jim said as he pulled the boy up onto his shoulder and adjusted him up onto his left shoulder so he could still fight, and then shouted to the civilians.

"Okay, people. Let's keep going. Vasquez, pick up O'Leary's body, were not leaving anyone behind!"

Juan ran up and picked up Cindy's body, and her weapon.

"Ready, Sir."

Watching as Juan Vasquez picked up Cindy's body. Jim checked the column of refugees and shouted again, "Okay everyone, we've moving! Marines, I want you to hustle them through the next door, and then seal it."

The civilians looked at the Marines in confusion, but they started moving faster. Soon they were almost running to the next door. Jim followed with Jose Peña and his minigun.

"Keep moving, people! There's no need to run, but we want to get through this door," Juan said as he helped a five-year-old girl through the doorway.

As they step through the bulkhead door Jim looked back and saw a horde of T'Lari charging them. Shoving the door closed he said, "Jose get the shield on it."

Jose stepped up and just as he about to place the disk, the door started to move. Slamming his shoulder into the door to try to close it, it moved an inch and he pressed the disk onto it and activated it. The shield spun up and they step away as the force shield sealed the door at a slight angle, and said, "Sir, it's not a tight seal. We'd better get the hell out of here."

"I know, but it will do for now. Let's get going," Jim said as he picked up his rifle.

Turning they started running after the group. They quickly caught up to them about three hundred feet down the corridor, where they were passing the children up one of the emergency escape chutes. Above, the Marines started herding the children down a short passageway and out to the shuttles. They put twenty children at a time on the platform. Fifteen minutes later, the last child was passed up, and the adults quickly followed.

The Marines started putting the bodies of the dead into anti-gravity bags, getting them ready to go up.

Tom knelt beside his brother's body, and brushed his hair back as he said, "Sorry, Sean. I'll watch out for your child."

Feeling hands on his shoulder he looked up into Michele and Amber's eyes and saw the love there for him.

Michele looked down into Tom's eyes from her five-foot height.

"Tom, my sister and I have been talking. We want to be your wives if you will have us. We have fallen in love with you, we didn't plan it, but you make us feel safe, even in all this horror. If you don't want us, we will understand. But we pray you do."

Tom looked deeply into Michele's blue eyes and he felt his heart melt into the blue waters. Looking over to Amber, he saw the same devotion.

"I love you both so much. I would gladly take both of you ... That is, if you want me, as well."

Both girls wrapped Tom into a hug and started kissing his face.

"Yes, yes, yes! Oh yes," they said at the same time. Letting him go they looked at him with smiles on their faces. Then they stepped into his arms when he held them out wide.

Tom stood there with Amber and Michele, held them and said, "Tell them I said to take you to the Washington. Michele can use my quarters while Doctor O'Neil works on your sister. There is no one else I would trust to do this."

Kissing both girls, he guided them up the ladder. Tom watched them go through the hatch and then turned and took up a defensive position while the bodies were being passed up.

The Marines started going up as soon as the last body was up above, and carted away. The Marines started climbing up the ladder as the bulkhead door exploded off its mount and the T'Lari started closing with the fourteen Marines. The three mini gunners opened up as well as the two fifty caliber heavy machine gunners. Soon the bodies were pilling up until one of the T'Lari stepped up to the shattered hatch and pointed his laser cannon at them and started firing. The first Marine hit was one of the fifty caliber gunners. Both he and his weapon disappeared in an explosion, and three more Marines were wounded including Tom Morris. The Marines gathered up their wounded and hustled them up the ladder.

Lieutenant Dawson watched the weapons fire and moved over to the remaining fifty, and said, "Son get the hell up the ladder, let me have that weapon."

Private Regina Teal looked up as her shoulder was touched and listened to the lieutenant's words. She knelt, and held the trigger down as Lieutenant Dawson moved in behind the weapon and grasped the handle and started pressing down the grip and the firing button. Regina turned and ran for the ladder while ahead of her the rest of the Marines started climbing up. The bursts of the heavy machine gun continued to come from below and Regina stuck her head through the iris, and shouted, "Come on Lieutenant. We're all clear."

Lieutenant Dawson held the firing button down and the big fifty caliber rounds belch from the muzzle, which was white hot from the heat and starting to bend. 'Shit hurry up guys, get up there.' Sighting another one of the T'Lari, with a laser cannon he swiveled the weapon and started to fire on it when the creature fired from the hip. The rounds passed the bolt of energy and the T'Lari flipped back as he heard a voice calling him and as he turned to run, and he was suddenly flying through the air as the weapon exploded behind him.

Regina watched Lieutenant Dawson smash into the wall and she swung her feet over the edge and dropped the twelve feet. Landing beside the unconscious man she lifted him up over her shoulder and started climbing as fast as her legs will let her. As she climbed up through the iris, she screamed as she felt a sharp pain in her legs. Then she started to fall because her legs wouldn't hold her. The Marines on either side of the iris entrance grabbed her and the lieutenant and yanked them through the hole and she dropped to the floor with both her legs gone from the knees down. Regina looked at the shattered remains of her legs, saw the blood pumping out of them, and passed out.

Private Valentine O'Neil looked at the wounded Marine as she cranked the iris closed, and shouted, "Medic."

Timothy Showmen looked over as someone shouted medic and saw a Marine on the floor, with her legs missing. Running over as the one of the Marine's cycled the iris closed and another slapped a force disk on it, he dropped to the ground beside the woman. He pulled out two of the special nanobandages and placed them gently over the shattered limbs.

The nanobots quickly sealed the wounds, and he checked to see how much blood she had lost. He pulled out an injector already loaded with blood replicating nanobots and injected her. Turning to the lieutenant, he checked his condition and found his back was literally shredded with fragments. Ripping the armor plate and shirt off, he pulled a large sheet nanobandage out, and placed it on the Marines back and sealed it to his skin stopping the blood loss, as he shouted out, "Okay we need two stretchers in here."

Marines rushed in with two stretchers deployed and set them on the deck and then they placed the critically wounded Marines on them and carried them out. Suddenly the iris started ringing as something started hitting it on the other side.

Captain John Breckenridge walked into the small room and he heard the ringing on the iris and took in the situation as he said, "Okay I want two holographic claymores on the wall with the door, and aim them at the iris independent life detonation. Set mine one for five and mine two for seven life forms. I also want a deactivated shield disk on the door and then place one on each remaining wall and activate them."

Marines scattered. Soon three of the walls were glowing with force shields, while two Marines set the claymores for motion detonation. The holoemitter's came on, and the mines disappeared from sight. John checked everyone's job as they went about them, and then looked at the iris, as it was slowly being turned into Swiss cheese.

"Okay! Everyone out! Now!"

The Marines file out of the room, and John stood in the doorway and entered the ten-second-delay code on the force disk. He then stepped through as the door closed behind him.

John looked at the door, and then had everyone fall back to the main intersection to the command post.

Seeing one of the spider bots he walked over to it and said, "Spider I want a holoemitter built right here."

He watched the spider scramble over the floor and start to assemble the emitter. Within a minute it was done, and the spider went back to building a defensive position.

Kneeling beside the emitter John programmed what he wanted into it, and activated it. The corridor was suddenly blocked with wreckage from floor to roof, making it look like this section has collapsed. Stepping out of the effective area, he looked at the hologram and was quiet impressed with it. Behind him he heard the detonation of the first mine, and started walking towards his CP. Seeing the large group of civilians he shouted to his men.

"Okay I want three mini-gunners at those barricades. Back them up with two fifties, and two thirties. You Marines had better keep your yaps shut. I mean it, people! Not a peep out of you. We want the T'Lari to think the corridor is blocked with wreckage. So remember, you can see out, but all they will see is wreckage. No making any smart-ass comment or joke that you would think is funny. If they detect you, it's your asses that will die first, and then these civilians. So keep it quiet! Once again, remember, it's only a hologram. Now let's get these people out of here. You Marines get those weapons manned."

Ken sat in his office chair going over the damage report with Lieutenant Aiko Fujimoto. "Aiko, dispatch twenty more heavy spiders to the outer hull, I want those breaches sealed. Also, concentrate on the damaged missile rooms and the heavy laser turret that was destroyed. Everything else can be seen to as we get to it. Have we recovered all our dead and wounded?"

Seventeen-year-old Lieutenant Aiko Fujimoto, listened to the man she has come to respect since her father was captured when they stormed aboard one of the shuttles in downtown Edo. They had gone to pick up a load or recruits and the Admiral had talked her father into letting her join the Federation.

She replied, "Every missing person has been accounted for. The wounded and dead are in medical. In addition, Admiral, I will dispatch the spider bots right away. Is there anything else that honorable Admiral wants done?"

Ken blushed as Aiko talked to him that way, and he replied, "Please, Aiko. I'm just a normal man who has been given a job to do. Just like your father does with the Japanese Defense Forces, and I wish you would talk to him. I'm sure he misses you very much."

"I sent him a letter, just last week. He still disapproves of my choice of joining the Federation. However, he will keep quiet because it was my choice. He wants me to come home, and marry Akira Fukui as he promised me to them, many years ago, but I told him I refuse. I'll not marry my cousin."

Ken sat back in his chair, setting the computer pad on his lap, and said, "You know Aiko, that is just one of the things I do not understand about your country and how your own father could offer you like prized cattle to some man you have never met. I know it is a Japanese thing, but it still bothers me. You're a beautiful, intelligent woman. You should be allowed to make your own decisions on what you want to do with your life. With you here in the Federation, you have that choice so don't let him pressure you. One I won't allow it even if I do respect your father, but this is your decision and no one has the right to take that away from you," he said.

Ken stood up and stretched. Aiko saw him wince, and then his back popped from the stress he was under.

"Thank you, Sir. Now, Sir, come lay face down on the floor, and I'll fix your back for you."

Confused Ken looked at the oriental girl, and said, "What do you mean Aiko? My back is fine!"

Aiko used her mysterious Asian smile on him and replied in a soft voice, "Sir I heard it pop just now, so come lay down. It will not hurt you. In fact I promise you will feel better after I do this for you."

Guiding Ken over to the center of the floor, she helped him off with his jacket and pushed him down on to his belly. Grabbing a pillow off the couch, she handed it to him.

"Here, Sir. Lay your head on this."

Walking over to the replicator, she ordered a scented face cloth, and then went to the couch. She kicked her shoes off, and pulled her socks from her feet. Then she quickly washed them. Standing up she walked to Ken's side as he put the pillow under his head.

"Arms straight out," she said.

Ken slid his arms out and said, "What are you going to do?"

"You shall see Admiral. Ancient Japanese secret," she said with a mysterious smile.

Stepping up on his back, she started massaging his back with her small feet. She moved her toes until she found the sore spots, and worked them until the tension faded from them. Then she moved her feet to the next spot.

Then she stood on her tiptoes, and slipped her heal onto the small bone that seemed out of place. She placed all of her ninety pounds on it, and it popped it back into place. Working stubbornly on his sore shoulder she saw the sparkling mist of Amy appear. Before she could say anything, Amy did.

Amy appeared in Ken's day cabin, and was surprised when she saw him on the floor.

"Ken what are you doing down there on the floor, and why is Lieutenant Fujimoto standing on your back?"

Aiko did a small bow to Amy and replied, "Honorable Admiral is tense. This makes muscles sore, which makes him irritable, which is not good for command. I finish him now, please."

Ken heard Amy's voice and tried to get up. "Aiko let..."

"No you stay there Admiral, let me work," Akio said as she worked her toes into the sore shoulder muscles. She slowly worked the soreness out of him. Finally, the last bone between his shoulder blades slipped into place and his muscles relaxed.

Stepping off of Ken, she walked over to the replicator.

"Warm towel please." As the towel appeared, she took it and turned to see Ken climbing to his feet, she continued, "Take shirt off, sit in chair now."

Ken stood up and said " What? Why..."

Walking towards Ken, she turned him around and pushed him to his chair, and replied, "Now, Admiral! Shirt off, in chair."

Ken grumbled and peeled his shirt off, and sat down wondering where the shy, quiet girl has gone, as he said, "Okay I'm sitting."

Aiko wrapped the towel around Ken's shoulders and wrapped it tightly around him, and said in a firm voice, "Leave on for ten minutes. Then take off, and you will feel better." Leaning down she kissed his cheek, and with a caress of his cheek she whispered, "you feel better soon."

Slipping her socks and shoes back on, she bowed to Amy and walked out the door.

Ken closes his eyes and sighed as he felt the warmth soak into his body, and he said, "Oh that feels much better."

Confused Amy watched Aiko go out the door, and turned to Ken, and asked, "What was that all about?"

"Aiko saw I was tense and not moving very well. Amy, I need to start swimming again or rock climbing, I need to keep in shape." Opening his eyes, he looked at the beautiful image and asked, "What's up, my love?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she said, "Just as long as she doesn't try and steal you from your future wives. I don't mind if she makes you feel better, but you promised to be our husband." Amy thought of how beautiful the young girl was, and how she would make a good wife to Ken, she decided to talk with Tammy and Jessica. "She is a beautiful woman, and... " she stumbled with her words for a moment then continued.

"The reason I'm here, is I have our casualty report. We have eight-three confirmed dead, thirty-six missing and ninety-seven wounded. I'll transfer the data to your data pad. We have rescued five hundred and sixty-two civilians from the wrecked ship. I'm sure there are more, but that is what we have found. Estimated T'Lari dead is around six hundred. Jessica is currently overseeing the repairs of the damaged compartments."