Chapter 13 Endgame 1

Chapter 13 Endgame 1 Draft

D-Minus Three Weeks:

The conference had been long but very fulfilling. Andrew Webb turned from the bar with a fresh drink and asked, “So, we are in agreement then? Every milestone in the Logistics plan has been filled and all of the Training requirements have been met?”

Gates, Webb, Sasaki, Graves, Minters and Griffin all nodded in agreement!

“Then the three Bolthole Commanders can ship out immediately. Stand on 24 Hr ready until the Civilian side gives us the release. Chafe at that I might but we cannot lose the precious link to a Government that truly represents the people. We can only hope the Civilians understand that we will never again allow a Federated Government to evolve and this time we own the guns.”

“And of course all of our plans take into consideration that we win in the first place!”

Warrick Gates tipped his chair back and put his heels up on the table, “Shit Andy, if we should lose ain’t nobody in this room coming home anyway. I just flat do not think that is going to happen. I think bubble head over there has us far enough in front of them to make it work.” Chris Webb tipped his glass with an evil grin as Warrick continued on.

“We have the technological edge and you have been smart enough to not meddle in our various realms of expertise save for Logistics of course! I do not know about the rest of these Gentlemen, but I have never complained about having more equipment and supplies than I needed.”

“Way back when this started you asked three questions: one of me, one of Chris, and one of Williams as a stand in for the Government. At this point in time I see no one backing down or crying ‘Poor Little Me,’ let’s go for it.

“As you said Boss, Live Free or Die!”

Andy just stared at the back wall over Warrick’s head. “Are all of you idiots as crazy as I am? — Rhetorical question Gentlemen, You would not be here if you were not.”

“OK then, Warrick I am going right over your head with this one, and if you wanna bitch go right ahead! Joachim, Front and Center!”

Minters came to the front of the room, and with a certain amount of confusion showing saluted the Chief of Staff – Provisional Forces. “I am afraid I must reward good works with a tougher job.” Andy grinned and said, “You deserve better, but this is what I have. Commodore Minters, here are your orders as Vice Admiral David Winton McAllister to assume Command of the Chulmur Security Fleet based out of Bolthole Two. Move your family home and hold that back door for me Dave. By the time anyone from the FG sees you real name is back the Bastard that wanted you dead, will be dead!”

The room erupted in laughter as Warrick Gates stood and offered a toast, “To a life restored and to a Boss who can back door me that way anytime he wants! And by the way, how long have you known who he really was?”

“You want to tell him Dave, hell it was your plan?”

“Warrick, Andy was the guy who set up and executed that fake assassination. Hell I was the one wearing that damn vest and I wanted the best shot I could find!”

“Yeah, and I never did tell him Muriel took the shot. When the situation got fluid we were too close, what I was carrying would have killed you for real.” The look on Dave McAllister’s face sent the room into another round of laughter.

Andy raised his glass, “Tis time Tis Time, Lay to McDuff. And Damn Ye All Who cries ‘Enough!’ To Victory Gentlemen!” The toasts went down easily, the glasses draining quickly, and the room began to empty!

Andrew sat with his head in his hands, “Dear God Boy, what have you started? Good people as well as Bad are going to die. Is it worth it?”

Sixteen days later:

The door slammed loud in the relative quiet of the office as Liam McMasters barged in. “Damn Liam, I can’t think of more than one time in twenty years when you came through that door without bad news tagging along,” quipped Andy Webb.

“It’s worse than you think Boss. A very good operative has slipped in under our sight. And for two months, near as I can figure, has been free to act; we caught his trigger message only because the League used a compromised pipe; his target is Rob Williams. The date, as we have it figured, is tomorrow morning!”

“Ok Liam, let me see the file and there had better be some damn good reasons for missing it! I don’t need nor want to piss off Hank at this late date.”

“Andy, it was Hank that sent me. This guy scares even him!”

Andy started at the file for several long moments, “He’s right to be concerned Liam. I know this guy, Dear God I made him; the FG is on to something out here for them to be using him, especially under League control. I can’t send anyone else this time it would be suicide; this one has to be mine.”

It was a late, cold, morning in the back alleys of Travis, New Texas’ capital city, when an even colder voice from coming out of the shadows chilled further even this environment.

“Hello Randolph, what brings you here?”

LT. General Jacob Randolph MacRenolds, Federated Earth Government Special Forces turned slowly and faced the giant in the black outfit, “Only one man alive would call me by that name, how are you Andrew? Headquarters told me that you were either dead, fat and old, or out of practice. Like most Intelligence outfits, they could not get closer than that!”

“You can take your pick Jake! Now really — do you trust your lying eyes or are you ready to take that chance? And Jake understand this,” and Andy paused, “If for no other reason than you were the best student I ever had, you can walk. You have sixteen worlds to get lost in and I have friends who can lose you real easy! Think about it, please!”

“Sorry Andy I can’t. I actually got married a few years ago. Got me a great wife and an 18 month old boy; they are hostages to my Duty. I am afraid that if I just went missing bad things would happen!”

“Dammit Jake, we can go get them!”

“Not short of war you can’t old buddy. We are kinda of boxed into a corner here, either you kill me or I kill Williams.”

“OK Jake, I will give you this much. You get first break!”

Emmet Clark and Hank Carling, perched on a roof overhead, watched the drama below unwind. “This is damn stupid and a bunch of needless playacting on Andy’s part, Emmet said. “He could have finished this off without a word, or any risk to himself what so ever!”

“Not his way Em, he got the jump and has the thing under control.”

The knives and the shots crossed in the dark and as Andy Webb finished his roll he looked up and saw Jake MacRenolds falling backwards with a knife in his left shoulder and a gaping hole spattering blood in his right.

Pulling out his Comm, he called up Channel 3 and said calmly. “Walt, Rob, — they sent an Assassin from their best with Rob’s name as the target. He was the best they had; I know, I trained him. It’s time, get me a Civilian Order. Earth goes down NOW! I am not going to maim another friend for no damn good reason.”

The call from Muriel came in fast and said, “You mean he is still alive?”

Andy’s voice dropped into a cold report. “He is down, major trauma to both shoulders and I think he is in shock. I am field dressing his injuries but, this boy needs Surgery fast! Receiving room needs to pull and hold the contents of his pockets and packs for Intelligence!”

The dry voice of Muriel Webb replied, “EMT’s are 90 seconds out and teach your Grandmother to suck eggs General!”

“Let’s get off this roof Emmet; a coffee would go good about now, and I’m close to freezing.”

At the first light of dawn Muriel walked into the office. Andy was slumped over that huge desk. “I know you don’t want to see this sweetheart but, it’s addressed to you and was in MacRenolds hip pocket.”

* * *
There was little in the way of debate, the readiness reports examined and a few questions about conditions at Bolthole. Andy was there by the grace of electronics alone and pushed strongly for the release to happen at once. “We have a blade that can only become dull from lack of use. Let’s go now! Hank tells me there is some stirring in the Islamic League’s information gathering services. They can’t know what we have planed but they are starting to think we must be planning something. Give them any time to react to that suspicion and it will cost us time and lives.”

Lincoln Ditmars said, “Yes it’s time for the vote, I think if we delay any longer Andy will make the jump on his own without the rest of the fleet.”

“And you are certain Hank? That when we send the fleet New Texas will be safe from what’s left of the Federations military forces still here?” Rob Williams was asking for the record Hank thought. They had already had this discussion in private.

“I will give my final say in a week, but as of today the situation seems controllable. Once the Council says go, the number of people on New Texas who know what is taking place is going to expand by orders of magnitude. It will leak. And probably before the fleet jumps. So long as we control the transit point to Earth before the main fleet shows up we can keep Earth from finding out anything for the few hours necessary. I think we can handle any Federation personal on New Texas as well. They are going to realize that without support from Earth their position here is hopeless. Even the hardcore fanatics are going to wait to see how the battle turns out.”

“Hank’s absolutely correct,” Andy said over his comm link. “Suicide bombers don’t do very well in the regular army. Let’s vote and be done with it.”

No surprise — the vote unanimous and before the room emptied the first orders issued. There was nothing even close to celebration and the result a foregone conclusion. The die was cast.

Andy had a tense moment because his link dropped out just after he cast his own vote. Had to be accidental, no way the Federation could have anything to do with the dropout. Nothing was ever a given on the battlefield, especially communications, some called it the fog of war, others friction, but it was going to be a part of his life till this thing was over. And it was already starting.

“Thanks Love, but Walt just called with the Council vote. We Go! Win, Lose, or Draw; this is finally going to be over with.” With that he opened the envelope and read the enclosed sheet.

“Andy, if you are reading this I guess you were not Dead, Fat or Out of Practice. Here are pictures and data on Merriam and my son named Andrew. Think you might be able to get them off Earth; that would pay me back for you reading this!”

Andy looked up and said, “What’s his prognosis?”

“He will lose some range of motion in that right shoulder but, he keeps the arm. Left will keep range of motion but he will have some rotator cuff problems until I can get Regen on the books. All in all, he got taken down by a pro who did not want to kill him.”

“When are you going to operate?” Andy asked.

“As soon as we can get him under!”

“I need to talk to him first.”

Minutes later they were in the secure facility under Webb Enterprises, scrubbed for surgery. “Jake, I read your letter. First, Muriel here is going to fix you up. Second, your recovery is going to take place right here and you don’t get to see the sunlight till this is over. Third, we are going to go get your wife and son, anyone who gets in the way dies. Fourth, the teacher never ever shows the pupil all of his tricks. You just would not give me time to explain, we are going to War boy! — And we are going to win!”

Jake managed to get out through the pain, “Andy, you Bastard!”

“Sorry Jake, my parents were actually married.” As the mask went over Jake’s face Andy quipped, “Say Good Night Gracie!”

Andy watched as the anesthesia took effect. “Muriel when you get through patching him up, get Megan in my office. You two have a job!”

Muriel did not even ask, she just moved.

Two hours before the fast shuttles the FG had not known existed sped towards the three end of chain planets — It was on!

* * *
Liza was in the conference room they had converted into a classroom for this trip when Kevin Martin, the Senior Colonial Spacer on board the liner approached.

“Ms. Morgan, can I have a word with you in private? Please?”

“Certainly. Will my office be OK?”

They moved into the room which contained Liza’s desk and the servers for the education stations. As they entered Kevin shut the door and pulled a spy block from his pocket and thumbed it on.

“Liza, I am going to have to ask that for the New Masada transit you and the kids either stay in the classroom or your staterooms, no one in the Observation Lounge this time.”

“Well sure, we can do that, but why?”

“Because we got passed this morning by a fast shuttle from New Texas. We have Channel 3 instructions to seize this vessel and subdue and arrest the FG crew. By the time we reach New Masada that planet will have been taken over by the Provisional Government. The breakaway has started. They don’t want the Earthers to see anything and have a chance to turn and run. Nobody and I mean nobody wants to take a chance of having to fire on this ship.”

“I appreciate the thought but, why the sense of urgency?”

“Madam, look at the Parents and Grandparents of those kids. Do you want them coming after you?”

Liza worked hard not to let the mirth show in her face. “No Mr. Martin, that defiantly would not be my first choice!”

So early the next morning the kids were reacting to a schedule change and rubbing their eyes as Liza started classes an hour early. When the first warning for Transit came across the speaker, instead of stopping classes to go to the Observation Lounge, Liza ordered them to strap in their seats. She then moved to the airtight hatch that served as the door to the chamber, closed it and dogged it. Moving to her bolted down chair she belted in, taking the time to secure her large carrying case to the side of the chair. Only she could see the sub-gun in the case, built to fit by Andy Webb’s best armorer.

First came the hang of free fall followed rather quickly by the sickening feeling of the Transition Point, but the expected acceleration did not occur, nor did gravity return. Straining her hearing as best she might she thought she heard a couple of muffled thumps. After about ten minutes the voice of Tom Racker their Colonial Pilot came over the PA. “Ms. Morgan, if you and the kids would like to come to the Observation Lounge, we can show you what this was about.”

“Well children, anyone want to refuse that invitation?” The kids were already moving.

When they got to the Lounge, Kevin Martin was already waiting for them. “There will be somebody else to crew you back when the field trip is over Ma’am. Every one of us has to catch a ride on one of those.” As he finished he flipped on the magnification effect built into the lensed window. They could see the steady stream of ships pouring through what clearly another Transit Point that was nowhere in their school books. The stream of Challengers, Boyd’s and Roughnecks was a stunning sight.

“Tom skew us around so they can see the big show.” Skillfully killing drive motion without dropping the gravity, the expert pilot skewed them 90 degrees and New Masada Defense Station came into view. Liza’s heart skipped a beat; it was simply the largest thing she had ever seen in space.

“Mr. Martin how big is that thing and what could it be for?”

“It’s a hair under a mile long and a tad over a quarter mile in width. According to Chris Webb it oughtta’ be able to break fleets he has not even thought of yet. He promised the Governor-General that there would be someplace out of harms way when this started. Sitting behind that big SOB is as close as you can get to a place like that in this Universe.”

“The Governor-General was in on this?”

“Oh Hell yes, turns out he was Colonial Organization plant and hand picked his underlings. Last brief I had was there were only Three Political Directorate or League spies out here. I am betting good money that they went down last night. Anyway he is now the System Commander and wearing Colonial Forces Uniform. Hell, He’s going to meet us when we dock.”

“If I can ask, how did the take over go here?”

“The Pilot took one look at big boy and said, ‘OK, what you want me to do?’ The Astrogator asked if this meant he didn’t have to go back. The Engineer was the PD plant and he tried to be a hero, pretty dumb with Tommy standing right behind him. I mean Tommy’s only one of Becce Webb’s Alpha Squadron!”

The kids were fascinated as they moved into the shadow of that beast until it disappeared above their heads. Ship motion stopped, and then jerked 90 degrees upward with the drive halted.

“Clamp’s?” Asked Liza.

“Nope, Tractor Beams!”

One of the kids immediately popped off, “Tractor Beams don’t work. My Grandpa said so!”

Looking at the student name tag Kevin had to grin. It read Chad Webb JR. “Ask you Granddad for another math lesson after this is over. If his right hand will let his left know what it’s doing, he might be able to tell you.” The remarkably poised young man, grinned up. “Security and I did not have a Need to Know. We learn that stuff by the time we are two!”

They were able to watch the huge outer hatches close and heard the sound of the air pumping in. Obviously no boarding tubes here. “Grab your things kids, this is where we change rides,” Liza directed.

By the time they were ready the ramp was down into the shirtsleeve environment. Among the crowd on the deck was one man in the Midnight Black and Silver of Andy’s select SOCOM with the three stars of the System Commander. As he walked over Liza thought there was something almost familiar about that gait. He was a handsome figure. After introductions were made round then he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “How I’ve missed you, my own Moanin’ Lisa.”

Liza was so stunned she almost fainted. He steadied her elbow. Her pallor went from pale to deep red. No one but no one knew the Lisa nickname her dear Alex whispered in the heat of passion. Was it really him? “Well, fancy meeting you here, sailor. It’s about time you showed up!”

Before she could begin her barrage of questions, Alex hastened to explain: “I got caught in an explosion on Brevort. Damn near died by the way. I was still half doped-up after the last back surgery when the Colonial Organization approached me about being a Covert Agent. Next was plastic surgery, and then they plugged me into a slot that they had already created. I, and as it turned out they, had no idea where it was going to go down. That’s where the deed for the first Lone Star came from. Then Walt Davis convinced the Webb Clan to go to war. All that did was let me setup a place where they could build this and protect you! I told them from the get go that that was my price. It just took longer to get you here than I’d bargained for.”

“You could have at least sent a postcard. Honey, a girl can’t keep on bumming rides forever from friends just ’cause her husband’s got the keys.”

Racing through her mind was, ‘what to do right now?’ Usually poised, Aunt Liza had her troupe of kids in tow. Entrusted with 40 of the finest kids New Texas had produced. Every one of them, rich or poor, had parents who were a part of Attack Fleet Earth. Protect them at all costs, Linda had told her. “You do happen to own this big Resort called the Lone Star!” Here was that protection no matter what she did.

Alex led Liza across the open expanse of the docking bay to a large view screen that showed the entry to the point. Staged for transit was a stream of 12 Challengers, 27 Boyd’s and 50 Roughnecks lined up to go thorough the Point. And she watched them go through non-stop at .2C! As she gasped at what had been to her only a rumor, he reached into his pocket for a name tag and slapped it on the breast of his uniform. Being in Dress Uniform, it was gleaming silver lettering on a black background and said simply Morgan. The kids were the first to understand, followed quickly by the rest of the bay’s crew and the cheers rang out.

“I have the fanciest apartment on the planet and you own the biggest fanciest resort, so Darling; your place or mine?”

Her face breaking into that enigmatic grin that half of New Texas humorously feared, widely known as “Liza’s up to something grin”; she replied, “Why you know the children come first!”

* * *
Dave Roberts walked into the main office as Andy was wrapping up yet another conference call. “Boss, the Bravo and Charlie teams report in system and in position.”

“Notified the Rangers yet?”

“Yep, they are ready. We are right on the time line you know; that’s why Bravo and Charlie were in Truscott. Ric had that place sewed up years ago; the FG’s he couldn’t buy with money or papers they shot days ago!”

“I know, I am just doing my paranoid Commander routine. You know Dave I never really Commanded anything larger than a Company for all my rank.”

The man just stared, “A Company that could have brought down the government of Earth. Dear God you still don’t know why they canned you do you? Redmond was terrified of you getting Stars and becoming Commander of SOCOM.”

“Hell, I though I was going to Plans and Training and he did not want me writing OPLANS!”

“Sucker, Old Man Sandusky was no fool. The NCO Corps knew the deal; your butt was going straight to SOCOM. You thought G-2/G-3 scared his ass, Commander of the last unit not directly under FG control made him soil his undies. With you out of the way the move to integrate SOCOM could not be stopped, that may have been more important than stopping you! So now the reconstituted SOCOM is fixing to take his Colonies away from him or are they his anymore? Are we fighting Redmond or the League?”

Andy leaned back in the chair and stared at the roof for long moments, “The League Dave, we get Redmond for the Clan feud and we get the League for the Colonies. The rest we leave to Jamil and the Clans. Let’s go over to the Governor-Generals place or as you guys call it ‘The Brain-Dead Zone.’ ”

On the way they heard the broadcast on Channel Three from Combat Information Central (CIC) by Liam, “Faraway Station has reported, Objective Taken. Friendly KIA 0, Friendly WIA 0. FG KIA 7, FG WIA 0, POW 53. Station secured and Operational!”

Andy grinned at Dave, “One down and one to go, we hold until that report!”

They waited almost another hour until Liam’s voice cracked again, “New Texas Station reporting, Objective Taken. Friendly KIA 0, Friendly WIA 9, FG KIA 53, FG WIA 19, POW 0. Station Secured and Operational!”

“Damn Boss, the Regulars did not want to quit!”

“That’s why the FG kept them separate from the New Texas contingent. Those are the type we are going to run into down on Earth! Now we have our problem.”

“Dave, it’s time to go talk to those people!”

“I think you are nuts but, at another level you are so right. If we don’t have to fight these guys, why not a knuckle-headed back door shot!”

“Everybody in place, Dave?”

“In place, ready and willing!”

“OK, let’s not keep them on alert too long. Ain’t no time better than now!”

The guards at the Governor-Generals complex were more than a bit confused when the two large men emerged from the park across the street. The midnight black uniforms were not only unfamiliar but, somehow ominous. Then the larger of the two wearing the four Stars of a full General spoke, “Private, I suggest that you get on your communications and tell Colonel Nueavo that General Webb thinks we need to talk!” The Private took one look at the array of weapons draped across the pair, saluted and moved to his booth.

“Andy, I don’t think he quite shit his pants but, he was thinking about it!”

“That ain’t good; I must be loosing my edge!” Both of them started chuckling, a sight which in no way made the two guards any less nervous.

Ten minutes later the main door opened and a Colonel in FG Marine Combat Uniform emerged with a wry smile on his face. “It seems General Webb that your security people seem to be far better than my not so esteemed Bosses gave them credit for. My first real hint something was coming was two hours ago! I have spent the time since worrying that someone was just going to unload on us.”

“I would have felt better if you had had no notice. I am going to have to find out how you got that notice!”

“From a source you would never be able to stop in any setting General. One of my young Sergeants came back for duty after his girlfriend had begged him not to. Seems her brother is one of your troops and she wanted her finance to stay alive. Five minutes in my computer system pulling up old records, coupled with people of note dropping out of sight was enough to give me serious reasons for concern.”

“Not to mention Colonel, that I have pretty good Intelligence that you have a group of people under your command who plain don’t want to fight!”

“Right up to and including my Staff Communications Officer. I trust you have some idea of a solution or you would not be standing here talking. Which by the way beats having my compound blown down around my head!”

All three men chuckled and exchanged open smiles as the tension in the air dropped suddenly.

“Simple Colonel, muster out your people who want to stay. Tell the rest not to come into the streets in uniform and when this is over we give you, your men and your gear a ride to Earth. As a point of fact, to right where Jamil M’Butu is going to be!”

“And my alternative is?”

“We take this place lock, stock and barrel with lots of FG casualties. You are surrounded, cut off from Communications and there will be no relief from Earth as we control the transit point. In about fifteen minutes four of these are going to be setting on the point. May I?” With a nod from the Colonel, Andy reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a PDA and handed it to the Colonel.

The man tabbed through several screens which showed and described a Challenger class vessel. As he read he face began to drain of color and turned up to face Andy, “I assume you have surface weapons to match the technology here?”

“Where I need them Colonel, where I need them.”

The man handed back the PDA and walked a short distance away. Clasping his hands behind his back his head turned and stared into space. Andy noticed that he was staring right where the Transit Point would be in the clear blue sky. He held that pose and that stare for five agonizingly long minutes.

Slowly resuming a normal posture he returned, “Jamil is going to need us General!”

“I would suppose so. It’s going to be chaos there when I get through!”

Slowly extending his hand he stated, “Then General we can call the Battle of New Texas over, my name is Rico by the way!”

Returning the handshake, “Names Andy here, care for a snort?”

Troops on both sides relaxed as they watched the tall black suit pull a hip flask and the three men exchange toasts.

Rob Williams was in his office with Walt Davis and Kirstin Winters when his Comm chimed. He answered it and listened dumbfounded before uttering a quiet, “Thank You.”

Turning back to his friends, “You are not gonna believe this, Andy just took the FG compound without firing a shot!”

“Damn,” Walt exclaimed, “that just cost me 500 Credits. Never bet against Liam!”

* * *
The sensor tech was the first to sound the alert. “Captain, we have an energy distortion at the transit point but, no object to report. Sir, should I alert the science team?”

“Anything out of the normal for the Point Son?”

“No Sir, it’s in range for normal variants and shows no Tachyon Burst!”

“Record it and flag it for the Science Department in the morning. No use waking up the eggheads three nights in a row. Those Station Qualification drills for the new team have to have them beat!”

As their woefully out of date sensor system scanned the point, the Provisional Government Attack Fleet Earth flowed past them. Warrick gates grinned, Andy had briefed this as happening in sequence, but that was bullshit. The Fleet slid in under Chris Webb’s cloak to their Attack Positions. This shit was going down as one massive Strike. Andy had grabbed them all with his statement “I want all of the major actions over in thirty minutes people. We hit hard, fast and it will be decisive.” Attack Fleet Earth had not come to talk about anything. They were sliding into position to settle this fast!

The Challengers and Boyd’s came in on a time sequence, them what had the farthest to go came in first. The ripples in the Point energies went on for over five hours. Attack Fleet Earth was here and History was never going to be the same.

Warrick Gates Admiral Aboard on the Hood watched as it slid into position above the Moon stations. High and low. Becce Webb’s three Squadrons of Boyd’s were slipping into position around Earth geosynchronous orbit, with the three Challengers called Enterprise, Lexington and Regan which carried the Eagles as their payload. He was stunned as this armada slipped smoothly into place, Chris and Andy and their Army of technicians were as good as claimed. The Federated Government of Earth was fixing to get the biggest surprise in its existence. Twenty-Four Challengers, two Hundred Boyd’s, three hundred fifty Roughnecks and one hundred Eagles were poised in Earth system, ready to strike. More than Andy had asked for ‘Hell Yes’, whatever the former Colonies were going to call themselves had responded. Live Free or Die was the phrase of the day. Slotted into position this massive Armada waited for one voice.

Hours passed as the vast fleet waited, rotating their people through rest cycles until that one voice spoke, that one voice of Andrew Webb cracked over the Command Channel, “Attack Fleet, Execute Plan Alpha in ten minutes from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, NOW!”

* * *
The first thing all receiving units did was to compute the light-speed lag to the Commanders designated position and adjust their count down clocks. Some units would go before others based on that lag time. The idea was to hit Earth with a wave of destruction to overwhelm the decision loop of any effective forces.

The farthest out was the Belt, where Hank Carling’s superb Intelligence team had discovered that two of the Belt Stations were pure military. Clearly this was the hammer to control the hard rock spacers of the belt. Those two stations got two Boyd’s apiece. They did not uncloak, they just drove straight in until they were inside detection range and then let loose with four Graser shots apiece; the debris field was fine and minimal. The Boyd’s went looking for the Stations that were staffed by minimal FG forces and run by Spacers. Behind them, never uncloaking, were two groups of three Roughnecks apiece trailing behind them.

Next up was the Redmond Complex on Mars; true to the Family paranoia it was separate from the main settlement with a High Station in Geosynchronous orbit. That one got two Challengers; it registered on the Richter scale in the Spacer Complex.

After that came the Moon, the Orbital Defenses and the Ground Command Centers. The Hood suddenly erupted into sensor range of Lunar High Station as, Becce Webb’s six squadrons of Boyd’s drove in on the orbital stations. The Combat Air Patrol (CAP) on station of Space Fighters suddenly found Eagles on their six. Simultaneously, three Challengers each screamed into the high atmosphere over Fuzhou China, Isfahan Iran and Cheyenne Mountain NorAm splitting the morning light with the full power and thunder of 32 Grasers, 16 Masers and 4 .5C Railguns from each Vessel. The devastation was beyond belief at each place, as the superbly armored and buried installations were being chewed down to bedrock and below. In high orbit four warships received full broadsides from a Challenger apiece, the Federated Government Space Navy died in 20 seconds. As this went on, the FG Raptor’s came screaming up from their ready pads with Challengers in their sights; as they did so, the Eagles screamed down to meet them. In the midst of this chaos, one small force slid in like a thief in the night!

* * *
They came sliding in as much a cloak as could be maintained down in atmosphere. Two Boyd’s and a Roughneck slipping quietly through the chaos that was Nor-Am airspace towards a small compound north of Denver, in what used to be the State of Colorado. The Roughneck hovered with its ramp two feet off the ground as a full 12 person assault team plus one descended with all the thunder of a herd of very quiet cats.

Moving towards the front of the compound they were helped by the guards at the entrance, standing entranced by the fire and thunder coming from the direction of Cheyenne Mountain to the South. The guards literally never saw or heard death coming. Moving thorough the gates the team split into smaller groups, with one-four person group moving to the center building. Once in position they readied and one figure entered the structure. The single figure stood in FG Uniform with Medical Flashes and entered the door.

“OK,” rang the voice of Muriel Webb, “who called the Emergency?” The four occupants of the room looked at each other and shrugged.

“No one we know of Capt., you wanna use our Comm to check it out?”

“Might as well, probably some clerk that don’t know how to type!”

The tall female medic moved into their group going towards the Comm sitting on the center table. Three Olympic Gold medals in martial arts and seven confirmed kills had just moved within arms reach. Mercifully for them it was over in seconds and the last living thing in the room was Muriel Webb. Muriel stepped over the bodies to the door to the rest of the building, ignoring the outer door opening as her support team entered.

Jumping and grabbing the exposed overhead beam, she swung both feet in to shatter the lock and hinges of the door. Dropping down She walked through and spoke simply, “Mirriam MacRenolds, I am here to take you and young Andrew to see your Husband. He is going to need some serious mental support during his rehabilitation program!”

“Who are you?”

The reply waited as a figure walked up with a large gear bag and the figure in front of Mirriam calmly stripped to her underwear, tossing aside the FG uniform like trash; she donned the midnight black uniform of a LT. General with the name tab that read Webb. “My name is Muriel Webb and I am the Surgeon who worked on your Husband and I am told the Godmother to your Son Andrew. More importantly, I am your ticket to see your husband again. Pack up and get ready to move!”

The figure who had carried in the large bag with the suit and gear spoke, “Don’t piss Mom off, she can get real testy!”

The face of the woman grew in surprise and she tried to speak several times until she could finally croak out a sentence. “You mean Andrew did not have to kill Jacob? He told me that was probably going to happen and I was actually prepared for it. Don’t lie to me please, is Jake really alive?”

The woman who had introduced herself as Muriel moved directly into Mirriam’s face and spoke softly. “Girl, I don’t lie to people I care about. I don’t know fully why my husband cares about Jake MacRenolds and you but, he was explicit! Anyone who gets in the way dies! So pack up you Son and let’s go!”

Mirriam moved and fast…..Jacob actually lived, despite his warnings!

Megan just looked at her mom and smiled, “You got Grandkids older that that new Godson!”

“Colonel, shut you smart-ass mouth. Especially as you have not produced any of those Grandkids, smart mouth!”

As Mirriam came into the main room she stopped stunned. “What happened here?”

“I told you Mom can get real testy!”

* * *
The skies over Earth were becoming a graveyard as Earth based Raptor’s tried their best to get to the Challengers and the odd Boyd as the Eagles chewed them up. Some of the Raptor’s turned for Air-to-Air and did not fail to take the shot, true to Chris Webb’s dire prediction the Colonies lost seven Eagles that day. No Raptor ever got a second kill!
Spread out among the Squadrons of defense Eagles were the hunters of Chris Webb’s 41 Squadron designated by their Tail Art of Aces from a Card Deck. The suits of the aces were assigned by rank and only one ship flew the Ace of Spades, in 17 minutes of insane combat that ship got 23 kills. The skies above Earth were clear and the Roughnecks started down.

In front of them four Boyd’s came screaming down at the corners of the Detroit Defense Zone and the massive fire support bases there ceased to exist. Behind them came two more Boyd’s aimed directly at the two fire support bases directly in support of the Government House complex. The two pulled up at a mere 1500 feet, leaving two smoking holes behind. Behind them the Roughnecks began to set down.

In the Southwest Quadrant of the Detroit Defense Zone five Roughnecks grounded with the intent of seizing the main approach artery. The first ship disgorged four vehicles that more resembled old Earth Dune Buggies than anything else. They swarmed towards the control structures and Police building with the aged sound of Budda-Budda-Budda of a .50 Machine gun from each vehicle. One figure stood on a roof and attempted to level an Electronics Killer weapon at a vehicle, the flat hard crack of a 7.62MM blew him off of his feet.

In the woods south of the Intersection were Teams A,B,C and E of the Federated Government SOCOM, who happened to be the Fast Reaction Force for the Government House. The looks between the Team Leaders spoke volumes. LTG Rick Gaithers was the first to break the silence, “Ok, I will be the one to say it. Jake does not communicate and here comes a crew that looks like us only better trained and better equipped. Am I the only one who smells a big assed hills coon dawg?”

BG Jeff Davidson was the fastest to respond, “Smelly and we are downwind, I hear Asheville is having some great weather this year!”
COL Bob Griffin chimed in with, “Talked to my Dad yesterday and the weather is great down in Birmingham; he was trying to talk me into taking some leave time and making Mom happy.”

“All of those sound like great ideas!” All three turned towards the sound of the female voice, to find nothing. “Hold your fire boys, I am coming out.” The figure seemed to materialize from the trees and shimmered around the edges. She was hard to see even in the open with a solid background.

“Glad to find you all in one place, Dad was pretty insistent about me not killing off all of rest of young Andrew’s other Godfathers!”

“Who might you be?” asked Davidson.

“LTC Ashley Webb, Provisional Government SOCOM at your service Sirs!” The figure raised her face shield and the face of a robust young woman appeared as if out of thin air.

“Good Lord, are you any kin to…”

“Don’t even think about finishing that question; I am so tired of hearing it you cannot believe but, I am his Daughter!”

“Well, being as we only know your Daddy by reputation, how is it you know so much about us?” The female face was locked in study for several long moments before she even started to reply.

“Jake was kinda sloppy in his operational discipline, he had a memory chip with a whole lot of pictures of you lugs on it; I really think that he thought he was go to die on New Texas. Anyway when he could finally talk, he filled in a lot about you guys. It was like he was trying to sell Dad on a bunch of friends.”

“Jake is alive?”

“Yeah and he might get out of the body and fender shop in a couple of months, you don’t stop a man like Jacob MacRenolds without doing some damage!”

The three stared at each other — dumbfounded — they knew they were thinking identical thoughts. Jake MacRenolds down to a mercy stop, overwhelming force raining down from the skies against a government that they could give a shit about and the Daughter of a legend obviously here to parley. They nodded once and Gaithers spoke for the group, “I guess you have a plan or we would be dog meat right now!”

“Dad was right; sanity is breaking out all over the place.” Reaching into a side pouch she pulled out three small packages. “The idea is I give you these and a quick class on how they work! Then you gentlemen and your teams head for home, Dad was fairly sure you can figure it out from there!” She began handing out the comm units as her ear bud began to chirp with the battle of Government House.

Ten Roughnecks grounded around Government House and poured out their Teams twelve of Andrew Webb’s hand picked SOCOM teams twelve carefully selected killers from each, except for the Command craft which had thirteen and the thirteenth had no combat transponder. That suit just disappeared into the parking facility like a ghost. The remainder of that group crashed the front door and the fight was on.

That team was lead by what possibly were the two most dangerous men alive, everyone knew why Andrew Webb hated Redmond but, few knew what drove Dave Roberts. Only very few knew of the dead wife from a Redmond plot of which she was not the target, just the collateral damage. Roberts had vowed never to remarry until Richard Redmond was dead! This pair was what faced the die hard Security Force for government House and they were coming.

* * *
The main Lobby looked like hell when Mac Webb entered with his team, little did he know that 24 floors above an unknown ally was moving towards the office of the head of the Islamic League. The man who was Jamil M’Butu with an entirely new face was intent on the office of Hammad Gerondamid like nothing else existed in his universe and this confusion was his chance. As he neared the door to his preys office the guard had no reason to alert on what appeared to be one of their own, right up to the point where he pulled the twin .40′s and cut them down. Slapping the small explosives charge he carried to the door he dodged back against the wall and covered his ears, charging through the smoke of the explosion that blew open the door he charged into the office.

The man who faced Hammad Gerondamid was not the Jamil he knew. This man had been infected by the taint of Clan Webb and vengeance was to going to be his. In a quick volley from his .40′s it was his, he took two long minutes to stare at the hulk that had been Hammad Gerondamid, then began the chore of getting out of here alive! Below him in the building he could hear Hell coming to Breakfast and no matter how confident he was, the sounds shook him.

He could hear the dull thump of grenades and rattle of large caliber automatic fire. He knew the guard force for this building consisted mostly of hoodlums who were primarily good for cowing unarmed civilians. They were going to be less than useless against the force he knew Andrew Webb was going to bring, he knew the man like few other people. Jamil passed a security kiosk where the monitor still worked, swiftly flipping through the switches he found the battle front and it was all he feared. The Colonials were working a hallway between the stairwells on a floor in uniforms that were barely visible even through the enhanced security cam and they were cutting the guard force to shreds. Time to get the hell out of here Jamil thought.

Jamil left the stairwell like a mouse smelling cheese, all he had to do now was survive, it was fairly obvious that a vengeful Colonial Government was coming and he was fairly sure what its’ most dangerous face was going to be. As he turned the corner leading to the Northwest stairwell his fears came to the front, he was facing one of those shimmery hard to see Colonial Assault Uniforms in an open hall way with nothing in his hand. Jamil knew he was fast but not fast enough to take a soldier with weapons already in hand. His luck had run out, he was going to die here.

Then the figure he was facing holstered the left hand weapon and lifted the face screen of the helmet, Dear God now I am going to die, he was facing Andrew Webb in full battle gear and the man had no way of knowing his new face! He had seen those eyes before on a dark night in an alley, Jamil faced Death Incarnate. He was dead and he knew it! Suddenly the face softened and a “Go To Hell” grin formed.

“Hello Jamil, I trust that Hammad Gerondamid is toast! Take the battery out of that stunner that won’t work anyway and keep your hand away from that .40 on your hip and you can walk. I once told you I owed you one pass, this is it! Take it you stupid SOB!”

“Why should I believe you?”

“Because I know how you got those .40′s that you wear on your hip and under your shoulder. Do you remember?”

“I was given these by a young 1LT at his promotion to Capitan party. The line was ‘If you are willing to use them that way, you might as well keep them!’ That still does not answer the question, why should I trust you now?”

“Let’s start with the obvious fact that I have never lied to you. Hid information from you, Yes but, lied to you, No and you know that to be true.

“The reason I offered you a pass is because although you are no damn angel, you are better than most of these other bottom feeders. You came to get the man who ordered you father’s death yourself, just as you stood in that alley all those years ago. Remember why Jamil, because you would not ask your officers to do something you would not!

“You and I know that the damn Mob is going to try to jump into the power vacuum I am fixing to leave. Now ask me why I am willing to give a damn Zulu Warrior a pass! Now do I get on the comms and tell my teams you are walking out?”

As he was pulling and stowing the battery from the stunner Jamil commented, “You are unique Andy; you are exactly what you say you are. You do realize that the Mob is going to have more control over more of the food and fuel supplies than I do even if I can get the upper hand in Africa?”

“When I call Pax for you on this comm circuit, our supply ships will only talk to your people! The Mob supplies will run out soon, yours will not! Don’t fuck with us and don’t try to come through the point in an Armed ship and we will back you. Your pass was personally approved by Hank Carling and Rob Williams when I told them. Jamil you, are a damn crook and we both know it but you meet Heinlein’s definition of an honest politician, ‘When you are bought, you stay bought!’ ”

“Andy, my son who spent a summer out on New Texas told me; ‘Never ask a Webb a question you don’t want to hear the answer for’, damn he was right.”

Andy actually laughed, “No shit! Mack, you have the garage secured?”

“Sure do Boss!”

“All Hands, Jamil is headed for the garage and he needs clearance for his flitter thorough Combat Air Patrol, clear his path! Good luck Jamil, I have an appointment to keep and by the way your Troops from New Texas will be landing in about twenty minutes!”

“Andy, how are they going to know me? Hell, my Sons don’t even recognize me!”

“Jamil, your new image just went out to every Attack Fleet Commander in the system. Right down to Squad Leaders, you just don’t comprehend how far ahead of you guys we are!”

Jamil watched as the face shield came down and the hall filled with figures that had not moved a muscle the entire time so had not been seen. The scene was enough by itself to put the fear of God into almost anyone. As the wave passed he began to move towards the garage with the wheels turning in his head. He could hardly believe the carnage as he made his way along the halls and stairwells.

The former Colonies had certainly come with bad intentions in mind.

Moving past their encounter with Jamil, the lead pair for Team Alpha continued their trail of destruction upward towards the door they wanted. Finally at the top floor with it cleared, the lead pair pulled the stovepipes that had been on their backs for the long slug up this building The people who can fire the massive rifles that shoot the venerable .50 BMG while standing even in this day and time could probably be counted on the fingers of two hands and two of them faced that door.

Two quick shots apiece and the hinges were memory, a double shot at the lock mechanism and the massive double doors started falling inward. Richard Redmond was going into the hidden bolt hole built by his grandfather many years ago, that same grandfather had then had the builder and his family assassinated. They had missed only a great-niece who had a strange piece of jewelry, a pendant with a shiny center. Her granddaughter had figured out that centerpiece was a memory chip and a sold that chip for a six-year scholarship at Travis Central, courtesy of one Linda Webb.

Redmond secured the door walked the short distance to the one corner on the way to the hidden elevator and walked right into one of those colonial combat uniforms with this visor up and the vintage Colt 1911, that had been lovingly restored by her husband in a classic two-handed grip. “Why Richard, so nice to meet you here,” the smooth voice of Linda Webb would not have melted butter.

“You know my sons did promise me your head on a platter and they are good dutiful young men. With that, I give you the compliments of Clan Webb!” The Triple-Tap of .45 ACP Hollow Point frangible rounds left most of Redmond’s head on the far wall of the corner. The thirteenth suit moved around the corner and unsecured the door. “Coming out,” she spoke over the comm.

“Job done Mom?”

“Yes, now I have great-grandkids to worry about!”

“How did I know you were going to say that? Liam, what we got up there?”

“FMA’s all over the place just waiting for the word!”

“Get them moving Liam and tell Warrick to pull off the shooters and form up. Execute Strike Masada on his discretion. It’s time to start home!”

Page Author | OldDog April 26th, 2009