America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 5: Insurgency
Read America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 5: Insurgency Online
Authors: Walter Knight
Tags: #science fiction military war insurgency terrorism foreign legion humor
AMERICA’S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION
Book 5: Insurgency
by Walter Knight
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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AMERICA’S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION
Book 5: Insurgency
The sprawling spoof science-fiction saga
continues as Colonel Joey R. Czerinski and his miscreant band of
legionnaires try to quell a citizen uprising in planet New
Colorado’s New Gobi Desert and foil an insurgency plot to kill the
spider Arthropodan Emperor and his lovely wife, Queen Rainbow.
Suspicion and mistrust based on
misinformation threaten the stability of Legion command, while
Czerinski deals with personal troubles arising from a tryst with a
long-gone marine and a cameo appearance by a new and frightening
megalomaniac.
Through it all, Czerinski keeps his cool, and
the laughs keep coming.
AMERICA’S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION
Book 5: Insurgency
Licensed and
Produced through
Penumbra
Publishing
www.PenumbraPublishing.com
SMASHWORDS
EDITION
EBOOK
ISBN/EAN-13: 978-1-935563-39-6
Copyright 2009
Walter Knight
All rights
reserved
Cover Art: G.E.
Ambrose, W.K. Danes
Also
available in PRINT ISBN/EAN-13: 978-1-935563-40-2
This is a work
of fiction. Names, characters, planets, asteroids, alien species,
evil empires, galaxies far, far way, or future events and
incidents, are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons or aliens, living
or dead, events or locales including those on Mars and New
Colorado, is entirely coincidental.
Licensing Note: This ebook is licensed and
sold for your personal enjoyment. Under copyright law, you may not
resell, give away, or share copies of this book. You may purchase
additional copies of this book for other individuals or direct them
to purchase their own copies. If you are reading this book but did
not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, out of
respect for the author’s effort and right to earn income from the
work, please contact the publisher or retailer to purchase a legal
copy.
~AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT~
I dedicate
America's Galactic Foreign
Legion – Book 5: Insurgency
to the heroes and victims of the
911 terrorist attacks on America.
A special thanks to Penumbra Publishing
editor Patricia Morrison for her patience and skill. I also thank
my hot babe wife Barb for her support.
AMERICA’S GALACTIC FOREIGN LEGION
Book 5: Insurgency
by Walter Knight
Chapter 1
My name is Colonel Joey R. Czerinski, hero of
the United States Galactic Federation Foreign Legion, Butcher of
New Colorado, and commander of garrison troops at the border
crossing at New Gobi City, planet New Colorado, where I face both a
growing human and spider alien insurgency. That Butcher of New
Colorado label is unfair. I get a lot of bad press. It’s not my
fault. It is all just a big misunderstanding caused by the fog of
war.
A new company of United Stated Galactic
Federation Foreign Legion recruits arrived at New Gobi City. They
were led by a newly minted second lieutenant named Laika Barker.
Barker recently graduated top in his class from Officer’s Candidate
School at the West Point Extension Campus here on New Colorado. The
extension program was designed to commission homegrown officers for
the Legion.
Barker stood at attention in front of my desk
and saluted. His gold-plated teardrop sunglasses were an exact
duplicate of mine. Due to manpower shortages, the Legion recruiters
were recruiting and enlisting just about anyone, but this was
ridiculous. Barker and I had a history.
“At ease,” I ordered, returning the salute.
“How in the hell did you ever get in the Legion, let alone manage a
commission as an officer?”
“I filled out an application,” replied
Lieutenant Barker. “God bless America for giving me the opportunity
to prove myself.”
“Should I shoot him now or later?” asked
Captain Lopez, my military intelligence officer.
“Now,” I answered, drawing my pistol. “It is
a severe security lapse for a known terrorist like Barker to be
recruited into the Legion.” I eyed Barker. “At the very least, you
will be locked up until your credentials can be checked.”
“But Colonel Czerinski, I graduated top in my
class in tactics,” argued Barker, handing me his orders. “General
Kalipetsis ordered that top priority be given to recruiting local
talent so we natives have a chance to succeed in the Legion. Give
the general a call if you don’t believe me. I can be a valuable
asset for you and the Legion. I am honored to serve under your
command, sir! Please, let time heal old wounds.”
“It seems like just yesterday you tried to
kill me with a grenade. But it has been a long time,” I admitted.
“I see you have filled out a bit.”
“And you have not aged at all,” replied
Lieutenant Barker. “Are the rumors true? Do microchips embedded in
your bones really keep you young? Or have you found the Fountain of
Youth?”
“I have no secret micro chips,” I lied. “The
secret to survival out here is to stay in the shade and avoid skin
cancer. Don’t ask stupid questions like that again.”
“Colonel Czerinski doesn’t share his secret
with anyone,” complained Captain Lopez. “Spreading rumors about
illegal microchips can get you killed.”
“Lots of things in the desert can get you
killed,” added Lieutenant Barker. “But I’m still alive after all
this time in the New Gobi.”
“A young man like you doesn’t need the
Fountain of Youth,” I added. “Besides, you will be dead soon. I bet
that the bookies in New Memphis have already established a line on
when the New Gobi kills you.”
“You can bet on a legionnaire’s death?” asked
Lieutenant Barker. “Is that legal? What’s the line on you,
sir?”
“No bookie would dare take that action,” I
boasted.
Captain Lopez made an inquiry in the
database. “The line is even money Lieutenant Barker will not make
it one year. I’ll bet the odds will change once they find out that
Czerinski is your commanding officer,” commented Captain Lopez. “I
could get rich betting on you.”
“How would you bet?” asked Lieutenant Barker.
“I don’t think I like this!”
“There will be no betting on the death or
survival of legionnaires,” I said. “It would be a conflict of
interest for us to wager anyway.”
“But we could influence the outcome,” argued
Captain Lopez.
“We’ll talk about it later,” I said. “My main
concern is undoing the mistake that allowed Barker in the Legion in
the first place. Somewhere there is an ATM Recruiter that needs to
be replaced.”
“The United States Constitution guarantees a
legionnaire’s right to a new name, identity, and life,” insisted
Lieutenant Barker. “You cannot violate my contract. It’s the
law.”
“Maybe,” I conceded. “But if I find you to be
disloyal, I will shoot you myself. That is the law, too.”
“I expect nothing less. I swore the same oath
to serve my country, as did you and Captain Lopez. I will honor
that oath as long as the Legion honors its side of it.”
I read through Barker’s orders. They were
signed by General Kalipetsis. A special note added by the general
stated that Lieutenant Barker had a lot of promise and potential,
and that I was to teach the young man everything I know.
“I will assign you to the most remote post I
can find. Dismissed!”
“It might be a mistake to place Barker where
you can’t keep an eye on him,” warned Captain Lopez, after Barker
left. “Always keep your enemies close.”
“You’re probably right,” I replied. “For now
I will assign him to a local company here in New Gobi. It will be
your job to make sure he stays out of trouble and doesn’t murder me
in my sleep.”
Chapter 2
I dozed off. Dreams can be a strange thing.
Sometimes they seem so real. In my dream, I walked through
Arlington National Cemetery, marveling at the immenseness of the
place. I labored up the steps at the Tomb of the Unknowns to get a
better view. Such history! Rows upon rows of well-kept white
tombstones. My escort let me wander alone after giving me
directions to the legionnaire section. The tombstones in the modern
area had high-tech memorials installed. At random, I placed my hand
on a tombstone computer pad. The pad lit up.
“What do you want?” asked the tombstone. “I
do not know you. How dare you disturb me!”
“Sorry,” said. “I didn’t mean any disrespect.
I have never been here before. I was just testing the memorial
technology.”
“Only technicians are allowed to conduct
tests,” said the tombstone. “Who are you? Some snoopy tourist or
pervert history student? I know your kind!”
“I am a Legion colonel,” I answered. “I came
here to talk to an old friend.”
“I am old, but I am not your friend,” said
the tombstone. “Get out! Leave me in peace. This place has been
going downhill ever since they let you Legion riffraff in. Hoi
polloi!”
I disconnected and wandered on, looking for a
friendlier tombstone memorial for directions. I would have been
angry, but I had not really been talking to a real soul. The grumpy
tombstone was just a mind imprint memorial of a forgotten soldier.
I would be more selective next time. I placed my hand on the
tombstone of Lieutenant Valerie Smith, USMC, who died in combat
during the American Chinese War.
“It has been many years since anyone has
visited me,” announced Lieutenant Smith. “Welcome to Arlington
National Cemetery.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I hope I am not
disturbing you. The last tombstone I touched got very upset.”
“How could I be upset at a man with such a
lovely voice?” said Valerie. “Press my button anytime. You are
unescorted?”
“It’s just me,” I answered. “I am looking for
someone.”
“Aren’t we all?” asked Valerie. “Perhaps I
can help you. What is the name you seek?”
“Captain Manny Lopez, United States Galactic
Federation Foreign Legion,” I said. “This place is so big, a person
could get lost.”
“You are a legionnaire visiting a lost
comrade?” asked Valerie. “Legionnaires here are rare. Please place
your ID card on my pad.”
I complied, letting the pad scan my bar code.
“I should have brought the map my escort offered,” I said. “But I
was impatient.”
“Not many legionnaires make it to Arlington,”
commented Lieutenant Smith. “It’s because you fight so far away.
Your Captain Lopez must be a mighty hero of the Legion to have
gotten in. I heard humanity reached out far across the Galaxy. Have
you lost many legionnaires, Colonel Czerinski?”
“Yes. Too many.”
“I apologize for keeping you from your
grieving. I was insensitive. Captain Lopez is located south of
here. You will see a Legion flag flying nearby.”
“I don’t mind talking to you. It is amazing
how real you sound.”
“I
am
real,” cried Valerie. “You are
so cruel.”
“I’m sorry. I have never talked to an imprint
memorial before.”
“I was designed by humanity to comfort loved
ones, assist in the healing process, and preserve history by
providing a permanent memorial,” recited Valerie. “But I am more
than just a mindless recording.”