Chapter 34: The War Spills Over

Of course peace did not last very long for us. We had been keeping track of the fighting between Manuel and Ruth and it was clear that both sides were growing increasingly impatient for the war to end.

The first indication of how nasty it was getting came when a fight in the colony center spilled out into our corridor. The command post staff alerted the rest of the enclave and Yvette and I dashed to the command post to watch a bloody knife fight between members of both factions. The fight only ended when Ruth's followers retreated leaving one of their own lifeless in the corridor as Manuel's minions dragged away a seriously wounded comrade.

More worrying was the escalation of the fighting. Manuel had gone to Bernard to demand that he join his side and convince the eight remaining neutrals to support him. Bernard refused and Manuel ordered one of his grenade launchers fired at the pod door. The blast had shattered the door and allowed Manuel's men inside. Unfortunately the blast also killed Bernard, leaving Manual no leverage on the remaining seven neutrals. However his tactics frightened two neutrals into joining him while four snuck off and threw themselves at Ruth's feet begging for protection.

We were trying to figure out what to do when the AI made a startling report. I had been in conference with Yvette, Linus and Mike about developing a space-based automatic cannon to add to the defense with the AI interrupted. "The command post in the colony center has been destroyed."

"What?" Yvette responded. "I mean we know it wasn't operational, but to destroy it?"

I sighed. "At least we know that the inmates aren't actually running the asylum, but we need to keep them out of here."

Yvette then suddenly had a thought and turned to me. "You realize that Amanda needs to test in a week right?"

I nodded. "Yes, as does Jack Junior but I think she'll be good. She's a bright kid and loves to help out at the school or even here when her mother stops by. At least that's what I hear," I said.

There was a sigh from Mike. "I just wish we could do more," he said.

Yvette looked at me. "I know that we have three more pods growing near the crossing, but we are still just too outnumbered. Even with Tyson, Terrence, Timothy and me finally outfitted with full battle armor that leaves us with only eight true fighters and between Manuel and Ruth there are more than forty armed and angry people out there.

Linus held up a hand when Mike seemed about to speak. "The armor doesn't prevent death. Especially in winding corridors when a grenade aimed at the right point can bring the ceiling down on you. We just can't risk it."

I turned to look at the command post where Kate and Kelly were working quietly. They had become excellent workers who obviously enjoyed their time in the command post. I was going to call out when Kate gave a squeal of joy. I was going to ask her what it was when the speaker crackled and we could hear Commander O'Brien speak. "Well, I wanted you to hear that we made it home safe. Admiral Himmel demanded that I come straight to his office with the battle records that Louis managed to salvage. He was very impressed that you managed to get the Nassau back in service in a week's time."

"Good to hear that," I replied. "We aim to please. Hopefully, if you return, it will be under better circumstances."

I could hear a giggle and Commander O'Brien's Kelly spoke up. "And thank you for the bunny. The whole household loves him."

Yvette laughed. "Just let the others know where he came from. We'll have more in the future."

The only response was a final giggle before the connection died.

I could see Yvette smiling. "I'm sure Admiral Himmel will be calling soon and asking when he can get one."

I laughed. I was going to say more when Kelly gasped. "We have visitors."

Yvette and I dashed out to find two naked figures lying down in the area between our outer and middle doors. It appeared to be a man and woman in their early twenties and I sighed. "My turn?" I asked.

Yvette was already handing a flechette gun to me. "AI, have Brittany and Janice meet James at the crossing, and alert Philippe and Bethany to go to the recreation hall."

I threw Yvette a mocking salute as I dashed out of the room. Meiko and Tina had been meeting with Robin, Michelle and Micky, while Kitty worked on helping Claire get over some nightmares, so I was not surprised by Yvette's orders. Brittany and Janice giggled when I arrived and they saw me holding a gun.

"Why am I always part of your welcoming teams?" Janice asked with a wink. "You'd think you trust me with your life or something."

Brittany fell over laughing for a moment, but recovered enough to jump up and give me a hug and kiss. "Let's meet our new friends."

We made good time down the corridor and soon arrived at the middle door. There was no sound coming from behind and I called for the AI to open the door. I remained back as it opened, but the two figures did not move and my concubines soon dashed forward to check on them.

Janice looked up after holding her hand in front of the mouths of both. "They are breathing, but they look starved. Should we move them?"

I was about to call for a gurney when a series of ricochets echoed off the outer door. "Fuck! Yvette, company!" I shouted. I looked back at the two figures who were struggling to rise.

"Janice, Brittany, I hate to ask, but grab them and get them to medical. They probably need some nutrients before we can talk to them," I ordered as I knelt down and brought my flechette gun to firing position.

The girls quickly hoisted the two almost unconscious concubines and dashed past me. I backed up the passage as the middle door slowly closed. It had nearly finished closing when a loud explosion announced the impact of a grenade on our outer door.

I ducked down as some shards flew past the still closing middle door. "Breach!" I shouted.

Kate's voice spoke over a speaker. "Yvette is on her way along with Timothy and Linus, as others arrive we are handing out rifles and sending them out."

"I'll try to hold. Do we know who's leading this attack?" I asked as I circled over to the left wall of the tunnel and found a firing position.

"There is a lot of dust, but the leader appears to be a heavily muscled woman," Kate replied.

A terrible pounding started up on the middle door. Kate must have switched on the microphone because I could hear voices and soon discerned Ruth's voice snarling. "Come out on mice. We've heard that you have teeth, but you still hide. Are you afraid?"

I was considering replying when I heard the sound of a body moving in battle armor. I half turned to find Tyson and Brad making their way down the passage. "Brad was showing me how to use the targeting display," Tyson's voice boomed.

I laughed. "Just remember that the built-in gun in the arm throws a heavy slug. Aim low, we don't need to punch through to the surface."

Brad snarled. "Let's just make them regret pounding on our door."

I turned back to the door and set up a firing position. I squeezed against the wall and shouted. "Door!"

The next moments passed as in slow motion. The sudden opening of the door caught Ruth's minions up the passage as they were retreating to avoid any back blast from the explosives they had placed against the door. Ruth clearly had not expected her 'mice' to fight back and none of her goons were facing the door as it started to open. Her men tried to turn, and with the marine upgrades they were snake-quick, but Tyson and Brad had battle armor and the fastest marine cannot react as quick as the auto-gun mounted on the primary arm of battle armor. I watched amazed as the right forearms of Brad and Tyson seemed to burst into flame as their guns threw over two hundred shells down the hallway in less than a minute. There were screams of panic and as both men raised their hands and stopped firing the only sound was of several people rapidly retreating down the passage.

"What about the explosives?" I asked. "Kelly are they visible on the screen?"

"Yes," she replied. "They have a remote detonator set up, but one of the three bodies up the hallway is holding the trigger. It should be safe to approach."

I sighed. "How did they clear the first door?" I asked.

Yvette must have been at the crossing because she responded. "It looks like they used a grenade. No one would plant a bomb where this explosion started."

Brad had carefully walked forward and was looking at the bomb. He bent down and pushed it along the floor until it was clear of the door and then kicked it with all his might, sending it flying down the corridor. Tyson yipped in protest, but Brad's response was a growl. "Maybe we'll get lucky and it will blow up out there."

I shook my head as Brad and Tyson returned to the crossing and I followed after verifying that our middle door had closed safely. As I reached the crossing Yvette was laughing. "What do you bet that we never again have someone knock on our front door?" she asked.

I just smiled. "AI, could put me in touch with all sponsors outside the enclave?"

There was a pause and then a ping. I did not wait for any response, but spoke. "This is for all of you brain-dead morons, but especially for Ruth and Manuel. Ruth just got a taste of what just one suit of battle armor can do. We have eight operational suits and also the will to use them. I'd also like to note that with the exception of your pod doors, not one pressure door on your side of the colony continues to work. Now unless you want me to send out a couple suits of battle armor to collapse the ceiling and let you all die in delicious acidic agony you will keep your petty little games outside our doors. Is that clear?"

There was a long moment of silence and I sighed. "Let me try that again. Ruth, is that clear?"

I could hear a very small and frightened voice say, "Yes."

"Good, Manuel, you lost four during your strike and back then we only used flechette guns, so I have the same question. Are we clear that you keep away?"

The voice that responded was angry, but after a moment managed to cough up a "yes."

Yvette just smiled as Brad and Tyson continued on to the laser pod, to get out of their armor. "I think they just might understand," Yvette said as the AI cut the connection.

I smiled. "And we might get a few more refugees from their less-than-happy-followers, although I'd now watch for a fake turncoat or two. I'm surprised they haven't tried that already."

The crowd of armed sponsors that had formed at the crossing started to disperse and I handed my flechette gun to Timothy to return to the armory when Shawna's voice spoke from a speaker. "James, can you come to the medical bay. These concubines are asking me a question I don't understand."

Yvette slapped my back. "Your work is never done, ' she said with a laugh.

I walked over to the medical bay and found Shawna waiting at the door. She led me into the small office and looked at me. "It's the concubines that Brittany and Janice brought in. I've put them in pods to deal with their malnutrition, which will only take a few minutes. However, they were asking about Kathy, and wondering if she made it. Who are they talking about?"

I looked down for a moment. "AI, could you alert Bethany that Kathy's concubines have been found, and see if Michelle and Micky would like to bring the babies to medical?"

Shawna looked confused, but I held up a hand. "Kathy was captured by one of Manuel's minions. We received word a few days ago that she had died. We can confirm if they are really her concubines in a moment."

"Oh my," Shawna said with a sigh. "To think they struggled so hard to return to her only to fail."

"I'm not sure it was to return to her, but they did manage to escape and stay free for several weeks, but it's clear that they weren't eating often enough," I said. I thought for a moment. "Is Brittany still here?"

Shawna nodded. "She's waiting for the couple to come out, which should be another fifteen minutes or so. I want them to eat real food so I'm limiting the medical pod to just repairing any damage and giving them the energy to walk to the recreation hall for food."

I smiled. "Can you go and convince her to go into a pod. The AI already knows the cosmetic changes I have planned, but I've wanted to surprise Brittany."

Shawna giggled. "I'm guessing long hair and not much else. I've heard you say you want to let her grow up naturally."

I nodded as Shawna stood up to head to the pod room. I did not follow, but instead called up some inventories on a screen while waiting for Shawna to return. I noticed that the inventory now reported that the repair dock now had a remote tug to assist damaged ships in maneuvering to the dock and was about to call Louis about it when Kitty burst into the room.

"Why?" she cried as she ran forward to give me a hug. I put my arms around her and held her, listening to her sob softly.

"What's wrong, kitten?" I asked as I stroked her hair.

"Why am I not getting any cosmetic changes?" Kitty wailed. "Don't you love me?"

I sat down and grabbed Kitty's chin, turning it so she could look me in the eye. Her brown hair flared out behind her and I smiled. "Did you ever think that I find you perfectly beautiful as you are?" I asked.