Jesse's Starship 3: Joshua's Walls (3 page)

• • •

“Sir, I have a very angry Official that wishes to speak with you.”

Josh smiled, “Hand him your communicator.”

“YOU WILL BE PUNISHED FOR YOUR VIOLATION OF OUR MOST HOLY SITE!!”

Josh calmly said, “Exactly what rules did we violate?”

“NO ONE BUT A MUSLIM MAY ENTER THE HOLY CITY!!”

“All of the ones used in this exercise are Muslim and have completed their Hajj.”

The Arab official looked at the Strike Force Warriors and saw their names on their uniforms. “You disturbed the time of the Hajj!”

“None of your pilgrims even know this event took place. Who told you about it?”

The Official looked at the Warrior standing next to him and saw him waiting on an answer. “One of my subordinates witnessed it. He contacted me. You sent armed troops into our Holy City.”

“We did that to remove the armed men who were violating the Hajj. We only came in after they attacked the Food Units that your King requested to be brought here. We would have never come but it was clear your pilgrims needed our protection. Perhaps you would like to contact him now and discuss this with him. I suspect he might not be happy that three hundred armed Rebels were able to set up an ambush during this most holy of times and you knew nothing about it.”

The Official knew that no one knew about the attack. It was over so fast that it had gone unnoticed. There were some residents of the city that witnessed it but they could be silenced when they came to him to report it. “Get your men out of the city and take these dead bodies with you!”

“Sorry, but those dead bodies came out of your city to ambush our convoy. You will have to take care of their disposal. However, my men will immediately leave.”

The Official wanted to ask about the six that were captured but he didn’t dare admit he knew them. He handed the communicator back to Mahood and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began yelling. The Strike Force Warriors began running and ten minutes later saw more than fifty large industrial garbage trucks that were moving out of the city toward the site of the ambush. Mahood smiled, that was the exact type of vehicle that should dispose of them.

The Official looked at the dead Rebels and sneered. He told them that it was against Allah’s will that violence take place in Mecca but they had ignored his words. Perhaps they would listen in the future. He looked at the strange soldiers running away and, though he didn’t want to, respected that only Muslims were used. They did respect Islam. He turned and ordered the garbage trucks to remove the bodies and take them out into the desert. They didn’t deserve a burial.

A
lmost three years to the day from when Jesse asked Josh to take command of a special Strike Force, the Brigade was in Tehran surrounding a nuclear facility. Thousands of Rebels were attacking their ranks as they tried to prevent losing the only nuclear weapon the Rebels possessed. This was the final stronghold of the Rebellion and all of the Rebel survivors on Earth had come to the city to make their final stand.

Josh watched the aerial view of Rebels attacking his positions and lifted his communicator, “Prissy, we have a large concentration of Rebels moving on our right flank.”

“I have three Hogs inbound.”

Josh looked up and heard the A-10s before he saw them. Their General Electric Gatling Guns opened fire on the charging rebels and ripped them apart. The A 10s turned for another run and the Rebels scattered looking for cover.

“Sir, it appears half of the Rebel Forces here are Chinese.”

Josh sighed, “This must be Yehao’s work.”

“Several Rebels we’ve captured say that most of the Rebels still alive have come here to defend their nuke.”

Josh nodded and said, “Keep them away from the facility, Cliff.”

“The Hogs have taken most of the heat off us. Are the other units dropping in?”

“They are. They’re just running behind time.”

“As usual.”

Josh smiled, “Yep, as usual.”

General Yang’s two divisions were airlifted to the site of the battle and he had his troops dig in ten miles from the nuclear facility. His second in command looked at him shaking his head, “Sir, our orders are to move in and remove the Rebels attacking the Strike Force.”

Yang looked at his Second and said, “What do you think is going to happen if Adams penetrates that facility.”

“I don’t know, Sir.”

“They have a nuke, Colonel. They’ll use it before they lose it. I’m not putting my command in that jeopardy.”

The Colonel looked at Yang and nodded. He walked away and took a Spartan Communicator out of his pocket and began talking.

• • •

“Josh!”

“Yes Prissy.”

“It appears General Yang is not going to move his forces in.”

Josh looked up at the sky rolling his eyes, “Pray tell, why?”

“He’s of the opinion that the Rebels will detonate the nuke before losing it to us.”

Josh shrugged, “That’s probably the smartest thing he’s done this entire conflict.”

“JOSH! If that happens, the entire Brigade will be lost!”

“Along with all the Rebel forces defending it. Either way, this conflict ends today.”

“Josh.”

“I know, my love. I know.”

Josh turned his communicator off and looked at his Communications Warrant Officer, “Do you have the frequency being used by the Rebels?”

“I do, Sir.”

“See if you can open a channel to their leader.”

Josh waited as the standard communicator moved through various frequencies and he heard the Rebel Units yelling for support. Then he heard, “You will give your lives for this. Am I clear!?!”

Josh nodded and took the microphone, “Would you be willing to discuss that?”

There was a moment of silence and then he heard, “Who are you?”

“I’m Colonel Adams and I’m commanding the unit that has you surrounded.”

“There’s nothing to discuss.”

“There’s the lives of the warriors that have fought and died for you. Are they not worth anything? There is also the religious leaders here in Tehran that might have some value.”

“I have nothing to say.”

“Well use the time we talk to allow some for them to escape. Call a cease fire and I’ll come in unarmed.”

The Rebel Leader knew the conversation was being heard by all his warriors and what he said next was going to be critical to keep them fighting. “I have a nuclear warhead and I can detonate it. I’ll kill all of you if you don’t withdraw.”

Josh sighed over the mic and said, “That is the lot of true warriors. They know that their lives are the price of their loyalty to those that send them out.”

There was a moment of silence and then Josh heard, “Cease fire until I order otherwise.”

Josh took the main frequency handset and said, “All Strike Force Units. Stand down and cease fire until Major Adams orders you to continue.”

“Josh, don’t do this.”

Josh took the Spartan Communicator and said, “Prissy, if he detonates that nuke, it makes no difference whether I’m inside the facility or out here.” Josh looked up and heard the sounds of battle diminish and then stop. He removed his rifle, hand gun and weapons belt. He took off his combat helmet and stepped out of his armor. He moved out of the positions that his warriors had dug in and walked toward the nuclear facility. His warriors watched him walk away from their lines and every one of them knew they didn’t possess the courage to make that long walk. The brutality of the Rebels was well known and no one expected Josh to be alive very much longer. Most of them were surprised when he wasn’t shot before he entered the building.

• • •

Josh stopped at the main blast door and waited. It slowly moved and a small opening appeared. Josh stepped through and was immediately thrown to the ground and roughly searched. His hands were bound behind him with plastic snug ties and he was jerked to his feet. He followed a large Chinese Warrior with four warriors surrounding him with their Blow Guns. They walked through the giant facility and arrived at a stairway leading to the second floor. Josh followed the large warrior up the steps and turned left at the top of the stairwell. He arrived at a large door and it swung open to reveal a large nuclear laboratory. Sitting on a large table was a nuclear warhead. From the size of it, it had to have a yield of at least a hundred megatons. As he moved closer he saw a young Chinese man sitting next to it holding a round device in his right hand. The red button on top made it clear that it would detonate the warhead if the young man pushed it. Josh glanced at the warhead as he drew even with it and saw Chinese markings on the outer case. The young man smiled and said, “Take a seat Colonel. We don’t have very long to talk.”

Josh stared at the young man and after a moment recognized him. He had viewed the videos of the day Jesse had taken control of Earth’s Government many times. The young man sitting in front of him had left the Government Building with his father, President Yehao Qiangguo. Josh nodded over his shoulder and the young man smiled, “Remove his bindings.”

“But Master, this one is extremely dangerous.”

“Can you not kill him if he makes any sudden moves?”

The large warrior looked at the four standing around Josh with their blowguns raised to their lips and shrugged as he cut the snug ties on Josh’s wrists and Josh sat down and smiled, “Your father has to be proud of you.”

Shen smiled, “As is yours.” Josh nodded. “Why did you come here? You know I’m going to detonate this warhead. My warriors tell me that more than fifty thousand troops have moved in ten miles from here. I have no choice.”

Josh shrugged, “There are always choices to what we choose to do.” Shen frowned and Josh quickly said, “I do admit that some choices are difficult to avoid.”

“Do you honestly think you can persuade me not to do this?”

Josh tilted his head, “Probably not. But I really think it’s worth the effort.”

“What can you possibly say that would change my mind?”

Josh looked the young man in the eyes and slightly shook his head, “I could start by telling you that Sparta had no intention of ever taking control of Earth. Quite frankly, they don’t want to have to deal with the problems here.”

“You’ll forgive me if I choose not to believe you.”

“The evidence is there if one chooses to look at it honestly.”

Shen lowered his head and looked at Josh through his eyebrows, “Get real. The evidence says the opposite.”

Josh leaned back in his chair, “You were able to see privileged information in your Father’s office before he was ushered out along with his government. What were the short term estimates before Earth’s economy faltered and failed?”

“What does that have to do with this?”

“How long?”

Shen blew out a small breath and said, “Between six months to a year.”

“And what was the prognosis on what would follow?”

“Worldwide civil war would break out between the poorer nations and the richer.”

“And if that happened, the Central Government would have to bring the weapons out from their hidden warehouses and have order restored.”

“Order is important to prevent massive loss of life.”

“Who would then have dictatorial power over Earth?” Shen stared at Josh and knew his father would have had complete control of the planet. Josh said, “Don’t you find it odd that Sparta took control when it did and didn’t ask for anything in return to bring in the means to feed and clothe Earth’s populations? They saw what was coming and were trying to prevent it. Surely you’ve seen the latest economic predictions?” Shen stared at Josh and then nodded. “The economy has rebounded and every country is now on a solid footing. For the sake of argument, and I firmly believe this won’t happen, who did a better job of managing Earth?”

“I will not stand by and watch Earth loose its independence to Sparta.”

“If Sparta didn’t step in, would Earth be free?” Shen’s eyebrows came together and Josh said, “It would now be ruled by an all-powerful dictator.” Josh paused and said, “But that is not the real reason for this fight you and I have been taking part in.”

Shen was furious at what Josh had accused his father of setting up but his remark surprised him, “Oh?”

“Sparta could have used their advanced technology and ended this head-to-head between us long ago. They chose not to do it because this is a struggle that Earth must handle internally. Even if you detonate that bomb, Earth will still never return to what it was under the previous government. The entire planet has seen the benefits of what Alliance Technology can do for them. They will not go back.”

“The fight is to keep our independence from Sparta.”

“Not really.” Shen started shaking his head as Josh said, “This fight has been financed and put in motion by your father. He doesn’t care one whit about Sparta taking control and he knows better than anyone else that Sparta has no intention of doing it.”

“YOU…DON’T…KNOW…WHAT…YOU’RE… TALKING…ABOUT!”

“Your father craves power. Once you taste it, you can never let it go.”

“How does this give my father power? He stands to gain nothing from this!”

“Who is the richest person on Earth?”

Shen hesitated and said, “You know the answer to that.”

“Your father is the only one on the planet that could have paid to develop the Blow Guns you use and acquire a nuclear weapon. Why would he do it if it wouldn’t return him to power?”

Shen stared at Josh and said, “I can see no other reason than the one before you; he wished to keep Earth free of Alien intervention.”

“That is exactly what he wants.”

“Then what are we arguing about here!?!”

“Shen, he doesn’t want Spartan or Alliance intervention on Earth. Why would he want that after all the good the new technology has given us?” Shen stared at Josh and Josh dropped the bomb, “His wealth is built on what?”

Shen stared at Josh and leaned back in his chair, “His main wealth is tied up in Chinese currency and the US dollar.”

“You saw the Alliance intends to eliminate all currency in the future. People will be paid with service time they acquire while working. What would happen to your father’s fortune if that plan goes into effect?” Yehao stared at Josh saying nothing. “He wants to keep the Alliance and Sparta off Earth to protect his fortune and I suspect he’s told you that once you win the campaign to remove Sparta from Earth, the next one would be against the Alliance.”