Jesse's Starship 3: Joshua's Walls (9 page)

The warriors gathered around him started talking and he held up his hand. After a moment they became silent and he looked at them, “You are citizens of Sparta and enjoy the privileges afforded those that fight for her survival. You know that our Commandant will not send us out to worthlessly spend our lives. If we are sent into battle, we will be given the tools we’ll need to make our lives count for something.” Krusiev looked around and said, “You do know that, don’t you?”

The warriors looked at each other and Shumoud said, “Then it may be that we’re never called on to fight, Sarge.”

The others didn’t like hearing that. Krusiev nodded, “There is that possibility. However, I don’t see that happening. Be patient and work on your skills at using your weapons. I suspect we’ll have a chance to give it a go at them.”

Yung tilted his head, “I don’t know whether to like that or not.”

Shumoud said, “Get in line, Yung, you’re not alone.”

• • •

Alex looked at the displays on the wall and answered questions from the Company Commanders in the Second Army. He had talked with the Commanders from the First army earlier and knew their concerns. He looked at the video gathering and said, “For the moment, we are frozen in preparing our warriors for combat against the Weg. Until the Alliance engineers can come up with new tools to confront them, we are basically having to start from scratch.” He saw the dismay of his Company Commander and said, “The only thing we can do for the moment is get our warriors in shape physically and train them to the highest standard possible in the use of their blasters and sliver rifles.”

Captain Loyd said, “Sir, our weapons are nowhere near as large as the ones used by the Gracken. It appears we aren’t in the same league as their warriors.”

Alex nodded, “Size and speed does have advantages, Captain. However, we will do all that we’re capable of doing and we will do it to the best of our ability. It may fall to us to support their efforts and they will have to do the heavy lifting. However, don’t be so hasty at making a rash decision. I know the Alliance Scientists and Engineers are working on new weapons to use against this new Weg species and until they give us their new developments, we will continue to stay at the peak of our conditioning and fighting skills.”

The video conference finally ended and Alex leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He really didn’t see what could possibly stop the massive wave of flying Weg. The only thing that had allowed the Gracken to survive was distance. They were able to keep the Weg far enough away from their ranks to manage to escape in time. This new Weg was a difference maker. They could approach underground and be in the air in a heartbeat. The only warning was when they were on top of you. He knew the Weg had to know about humans helping the Gracken. He shook his head and finally determined that the only way to stop them was to destroy every planet they invaded as well as their home worlds. The Gracken were of the opinion that the defenses around the Weg home worlds were invincible. He rubbed his temples and hoped that his youngest General Officer would come up with the tools needed to confront this new species.

• • •

Tilly sat in front of a large monitor on the wall and raised the rifle and looked carefully at the desert landscape on the wide screen. Suddenly, she turned to the right and fired a quick three shots. Three large snakes flew up in the air, blown into pieces. Mike clapped three, slow, claps and said, “That was good shooting.”

“Don’t distract me.”

“Why?”

“Real rattlesnakes can’t strike from two hundred yards away. It appears the engineer that developed this game didn’t possess that little piece of information.”

All at once, four snakes came flying out of the desert and Tilly fired three quick shots. The fourth snake hit and the game ended, “Drat. You distracted me.” She turned to him and lowered her eyebrows, “You just didn’t want me to beat your high score.”

Mike shrugged, “This time. You already have the high score.”

Tilly shook her head, “No, Janet has the high score. That dame is deadly with a rifle.”

“You’re just jealous.”

“Don’t you worry, I’ll beat her.”

Tilly reached for the start button one the console and Mike said, “Tilly, did we make a mistake offering to assist the Gracken?”

Tilly withdrew her hand and looked at Mike, “You’re worried about this?”

“I must confess that I am.”

Tilly walked over to the couch and sat down beside Mike and he put his arm over her shoulders. “You should have interrupted me sooner.”

“You don’t like being interrupted, dear.”

Tilly smiled, “No, I guess I don’t.” They remained silent for a few moments and Tilly said, “The Gracken have a rather simple world view.” Mike looked at her as his eyes narrowed as he tilted his head. Tilly said, “That Gracken Commander, what was his name?”

“Are you referring to Rumel?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. He said that it wouldn’t matter if we didn’t join him or not. The Weg would eventually show up at our doorstep. It was only a matter of time.”

“I understand that but our civilization is billions of light years from the current conflict. We would have ample time to develop what we’d need to confront them when they arrived here.”

“You’re not taking into account that the Weg would also have ample time to evolve into something that can’t be stopped.” Mike looked at Tilly and after a moment nodded. Tilly pointed at the wall monitor, “It’s like those rattlesnakes. Once we develop enough skill to really run up a great high score, the engineer that developed the game will build in a bigger and faster snake. I suspect I would rather face the one in the current game than the one in the next one.”

Mike laughed, “You and your snakes.”

“I’m just sayin’.”

Mike hugged her, “Thank you, Tilly. I needed to hear this.”

Tilly smiled and went back in front of the monitor. She reached for the start button and looked at Mike, “One thing that would really make a difference in this game would be a better gun to use against them.”

Mike nodded, “I understand.”

Tilly pushed the button and raised the electronic rifle, “Get that message to our engineers. They’re the ones playing against real super snakes.”

She began firing at the monitor and Mike knew she was right. Facing the Weg would only get more difficult over time. They had to be defeated now.

J
osh stood beside the manikin stuffed inside human armor. It was held up by a flimsy tripod and it kept falling over. Josh held it up right with his hand and said, “Ok, start it up.”

Prissy said, “Just a moment!” She picked up Josh’s right glove from his armor and handed it to him, “It never hurts to be careful.”

Josh rolled his eyes and looked at Cheng who shrugged. He put the glove on and then reached over and straightened up the manikin, “Ready when you are.”

Jek nodded, “I’m activating the device in three, two, one, NOW!”

The manikin shot off the concrete pad so fast it made a small thunder clap as it disappeared. Josh was shaking his hand and smoke was rising off the fingers of his armored glove. He looked at Prissy and she looked up at the ceiling as she said, “Men.”

Josh looked at the gravity sled two hundred feet above and saw the manikin’s armor was wrapped around the metal arm sticking out from the side of the sled. He looked at Jek, “A mite quick, wouldn’t you say?”

Jek stared at the manikin and shook his head, “I’m glad your wife insisted we use a manikin first.”

Prissy looked through her eyebrows and said, “Men are the same regardless of species.”

Josh tried not to laugh but saw Colonel Cheng smiling and couldn’t prevent it. Jek looked down from the sled and said, “I guess I was not real smart wanting to make the initial jump.”

Josh looked up at the crumpled suit of armor hanging off the arm and laughed even harder, “No, I guess you were…somewhat…ambitious.” He grabbed his ribs and Jek sighed.

Prissy looked at the armor and said, “I like the speed it moved.”

Jek and Josh looked at her and Josh managed to get his laughter under control. Jek said, “It appears it was too fast.”

Prissy looked from the armor to them and said, “Jek, isn’t it true that like magnetic charges repel.” Jek thought for a moment and nodded. Prissy looked back up at the sled, “Well, I don’t know if it’s possible, but could you put a magnetic field on the arm that is a like charge to the armor being pulled? It should slow it down.”

Jek looked at the other two engineers standing next to him and they began talking and writing on a tablet. Josh looked at Prissy, “What made you think of that?”

“I used to play with magnetic cars.”

Josh smiled, “Cars?”

“I didn’t only play with girl toys. I would use one of them upside down and see if I could push another one into my playhouse’s garage. I just thought getting a warrior up to that arm has to be done quickly. If it isn’t fast, they’ll be caught.”

Josh looked up at the manikin and then at his still smoking glove, “If the Weg can grab one moving that fast, it will burn their claws off.”

He held up the armored glove for Prissy to see and she grabbed his cheek, “Oh you poor sweet baby. Next time make sure you’re prepared for any eventuality.”

Josh smiled, “That’s what I have you here for, Love.”

Jek walked over and said, “We’re making some changes on the arm. Meet us here in the morning.”

Josh looked at him and nodded. Jek and the other engineers left the room on the run. Prissy watched them leave and shook her head, “They are motivated.”

Josh nodded, “This is what they live to do.” He looked at Cheng, “You can go and check in on the troops.” Cheng nodded and jogged away.

Prissy watched him leave, “Does he ever walk?”

Josh shook his head, “Nope.”

Prissy looked at Josh and smiled, “Did he give you that black eye?”

Josh sighed, “He is really good.” Prissy stared at him and Josh said, “But I’m getting close to him.”

“I did notice he jogged away with a slight limp.”

Josh smiled, “That was my doing.”

Prissy smiled and hugged him tight, “Does that mean you and I have tonight? Josh smiled and took her hand as he walked toward their small transport.

• • •

The next morning, Josh and Prissy arrived and found six suits of armor standing on the floor. They looked up and saw a gravity sled with six arms sticking out over the sides at least three thousand feet above them. Josh noticed the suits of armor had their force fields activated. He looked at Jek, “What’s going on?”

“We discussed yesterday’s mishap and arrived at some conclusions. Can you think of any situation where your warriors will not have their force fields active if they’re pulled off the surface?”

Josh shrugged, “Not really. They’ll be in combat and will have all their systems active.”

“We know that the armor’s force field is a form of gravity compensation. It’s built around the gravity unit so they can actually lift their armor.”

Josh nodded, “It and the weapons they carry would be too heavy without it. The old armor we used against the Gracken didn’t have it. It was added when your scientists reworked it.”

Jek nodded, “We ran some tests last night and determined that with the force field on, your warriors can withstand two hundred gravities of acceleration and deceleration.”

“What are you saying?”

“Step back and put your hands over your ears.” Josh and Prissy stepped away from the six suits of armor and Jek said, “In three, two, one, NOW!”

The six suits of armor disappeared from the floor and the thunderclap was deafening. Josh and Prissy didn’t see the armor as it disappeared and they looked up at the sled and saw the arms swing the suits of armor over the side. Josh shook his head, “What did you do?”

“We took your wife’s advice and put a matching magnetic field on each arm. The armor comes in at a speed close to seven hundred miles an hour but the like charge starts slowing it down a hundred feet away. Slowly at first and then it grows in strength with the square of distance. The final deceleration is twenty gravities. Once the armor comes to a stop, a relay is tripped on the arm and it moves them on board as the magnetic charge holding them to the arm turns off.”

Prissy looked up at the sled and said, “It’s a lot higher than yesterday. How high does this thing operate?”

“About two miles is the maximum effective height.”

Prissy stared at Jek, “I did an analysis of those creatures and they can’t fly that high in less than ninety seconds.”

Jek smiled, “You’re absolutely right. The warriors will be on their carriers before the Weg can try and attack them. It will be imperative that at the first sign of them, the system will have to be activated.”

Prissy looked up at the sled and said, “What happens if two warriors run into each other going up?”

Jek smiled, “That’s the beauty of being able to use thousands of different magnetic frequencies. Every warrior on a carrier will have a like charge on their force fields. It will keep the other warriors away as they move through the air.”

Josh thought for a moment, “Is there a possibility that a warrior from one carrier may be pulled up by a different carrier?”

“We have more than half a million frequencies to use. Each warrior’s armor will be assigned its own individual frequency that will be matched to the arm when he boards his carrier. The arms will be neutral until that warrior activates it.”

Josh shook his head in amazement, “This is incredible. When can you start building them?”

Jek shrugged, “We could start on them immediately but I thought you wanted them to be able to defend themselves in the event the Weg are able to get to them.”

Josh’s eyebrows came together, “I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

Jek shrugged, “You have a carrier full of warriors. Why don’t we give each of them a heavy blaster/sliver cannon to fire at the Weg as they fly up from the planet?”

Josh shook his head, “I don’t know about that, Jek. The numbers attacking the shuttles will be enormous.”

Prissy looked at the sled high above them and Josh saw the wheels in her head turning at high speed, “What are you thinking?”