Chapter 59 - Taking a Warrant to the Extreme

We could hear people in armor moving down the corridor. I started to prepare the teleport system for a second teleport. Janice turned towards the doorway. She had a smile on her face.

Before she said anything, there was a loud roar that echoed through the tunnels. For a moment, the speakers for our communication system gave off static, and then I could hear the hollow hiss of a flechette rifle being fired.

"James!" Reggie's voice ran out. "Someone just used some kind of shaped charge on our main door. No one has come through, but I have movement in the corridor.

The echoing footsteps of people in armor sped up. I kept my back to the door and listened as four people ran by. At the same time, we could hear Reggie shouting.

"Bren, keep your head down! Damn! Shawna, we need medical!" he screamed.

"Who's down!" she called out. "David, get a gurney over there! Ed, you're our best at field triage, do you want to grab a kit?"

"Gina's Michael is down, he's got a wound in the left shoulder," Rene called back. I gasped as she so rarely spoke that I normally forgot about the former nurse. She must have been supporting Reggie.

"Reggie, who is there with you?" Yvette asked.

"Your Marie and Esther, my Bren and Rene, Gina's Michael, Amanda's Lisa and Catherine," he called back. "But we are definitely outgunned. Whoever broke in has at least one heavy automatic weapon."

"We'll be there in one," James called out.

By this time, we could hear the echo of ricochets. I nervously glanced over my shoulder to see Janice standing by the door. My sister concubine was staring through the doorway in the direction of the main entrance.

I wanted to run to her, but I felt I had to keep an eye on the teleport console. "Meiko!" Brad called out. "Do you want to bring us back?"

Just then, another attack started on the teleport controls. This one seemed geared more about stopping me from using the system rather than teleporting to the pad in the room. "Damn!" I screamed. "There's an ongoing attack on my control console. Someone is trying to get the AI to label us as lost behind Sa'arm lines and force it to destruct."

"What!" Yvette screamed. "Admiral Timmons, If you don't order Colonel Johanes to desist in his actions, we'll have to take this all the way to Admiral Tucker at Central Command."

"It's less than two dozen reject citizens and their concubines," Colonel Johanes spat out. "And they are here illegally to begin with."

"Did you order an attack?" Admiral Timmons growled.

In the background, I could hear a series of gunshots. It sounded like the chaingun mounted on some of the suit of armor.

"I wish we had visual," Janice muttered. "I want to know that James hasn't been hurt."

"Or taken," I whispered in reply.

"Thanks girl!" Reggie called out. "But be careful. The door has taken two more hits from whatever explosive they are using."

"Do they have any idea of the danger we face if they keep using those?" Yvette called out. "We aren't that far underground, and if they bring the ceiling down in that area, we lose any ability to contain the acidic atmosphere that will pour in."

"Have James surrender and the attack will stop," Colonel Johanes snapped. "Consider this a serving of a warrant. It's something I should have done the day I arrived when he was outside your little fortress."

"Colonel!" Admiral Timmons screamed. "That is an unauthorized action."

"How would you know?" Tiffany asked. "The only way you could have arrived when you did was if you were dispatched before Colonel Shithead had even arrived here. So there was no investigation."

"Not that it matters," Captain Gates commented. "Fleet Admiral Tucker as well as DECO director Miles Chandler both declared Ishtar a legitimate colony once they learned that it existed."

"Like you would know," Colonel Johanes snapped.

"I was at that meeting," Captain Gates replied. "At the time I was in charge of colonist selection."

There was more gunfire from the hallway. Then a small explosion and a female scream of agony and fear. "Reggie!!!"

"Talk to me!" Yvette called out.

"Some rocket just went through the hole these idiots have made in the door," an anguished voice replied.

"How bad is it?" James called out.

"I don't know," the voice continued. The person talking was sniffling and the anguish made it impossible to tell who it was. "The rocket hit the legs of whoever just arrived in armor. It looks like it blew their legs off. Reggie was hit by some metal that was flying around after the explosion."

"David! How close are you?" Ed called out.

"Be there in a minute," he called back. "But I can't lift someone wearing armor."

"Deb, can Orlando and Victoria go help?" Yvette called out.

Directly behind me, I heard a metal ping as something hit the side of the doorway. "I've got Brit with me! We are at the teleport room to give Janice a weapon and have her join." Kitty cried out. "We're on our way."

"Admiral," I heard Tiffany growl. "We don't have any command authority over Colonel Deaddrop over there, but I'm guessing that you are supposed to. Why don't you order him to stop?"

"It won't matter," Colonel Johanes shouted confidently. "I have a properly authorized warrant and I'm only doing my duty in enforcing it."

"A warrant you never mentioned to anyone when you first arrived," Yvette commented. "And I believe you are supposed to make a formal announcement that you have a warrant before you start blowing up things. Do your men even realize that they might kill us all?"

"No, they didn't realize that," Major Bonham shouted. "However, that doesn't negate the fact that we do have a warrant for the arrest of James Rabb for leading a mutiny against the Confederacy."

"A what!" a new female voice rang out. "I have no idea what officer signed that thing, but he better be prepared to face one hell of an inquiry. The idea that James or anyone living on Ishtar is part of a mutiny is absurd."

"My orders are to support Colonel Johanes," Admiral Timmons called out. "The orders I received said that he was suppressing an active insurrection."

"Really?" the female voice said. "That would explain the missile cruiser harassing the crippled corvette. Despite the fact that the corvette is clearly not engaged in any hostile action."

This mix of arguments was becoming bewildering. We had voices I did not recognize arguing over what was going to happen down here, while I was desperate to find out how James was and what was happening at our main door. Worse, the teleport block was still in place. I had managed to prevent the unit from destructing, but the system was still down.

"Meiko!" Yvette called out. "Can you teleport Brad and Deb back from our laser center?"

"No," I replied. "Someone from Colonel Johanes' team tried to force my console to destruct. They used the protocol we have to prevent the Sa'arm from having the technology. I blocked it, but the console is locked for the moment."

"All teleportation devices on Ishtar have been shut down for diagnostic testing," the AI called out. "This testing includes verifying the training and loyalty of the person operating the consoles. Control will be returned to loyal citizens shortly."

"Then it better not be returned to that girl," Colonel Johanes spat. "I recognize that voice and she's a concubine. You are only to return control to citizens."

"Meiko has been properly authorized by the administrator of the colony," the AI corrected Colonel Johanes. "Her use of the system in support of the citizens performing their duty is acceptable. Control will be returned to her momentarily."

Meiko!" Yvette called out.

"I don't have it yet, but as soon as I do, I'll bring them back," I promised. "I just hope it's in time for all of us."

"Hopefully it will be," David said tiredly. "Yvette, Alexis is alive, but barely. Whatever rocket was used ripped both of her legs off, but her armor sealed the wounds. Michael and I got her on a gurney and he's bringing her back. Rene says that Reggie has a serious concussion. We need to get him to a pod, but I don't have a gurney here."

"Marina will bring one," Shawna called out. "Anyone else hurt? I can send Lindsay with a medical pack."

"Not at the moment, love," David replied. "The hole in the door is at waist level and really only big enough to crawl through. So far, two of Colonel Limpdick's marines have tried to crawl through, but neither has made it. The opening is currently blocked by the second marine to try."

"A concubine used weapons on a marine!" Colonel Johanes screamed. "That is intolerable! Major Bonham, do something!"

Before the man could respond, James voice rang out. "AI, I can see that door number one is heavily damaged and won't stop the acidic atmosphere for now. Will doors two and three hold if we closed them?"

"Affirmative," the AI replied. "However, there are living men standing in each doorway, closing the doors would result in their deaths. Directly causing the death of a sentient life form violates Confederacy AI Protocols."

"No problem," James replied. "Barb, Mike, you're in position correct?"

It seemed that all over, activity had stopped. I could hear some faint banging, but otherwise everything seemed to spin to a halt.

"Colonel?" Major Bonham asked. "What are your commands?"

"I have orders to capture James Rabb and bring him to Rathlinat for trial!" Colonel Johanes screamed. "General Holdsclaw demands that he be used as an example."

"Thank you, Colonel Johanes for that enlightening riposte, but I don't report to Rathlinat, and even if I did, you don't have grounds to charge me with anything at this time," James replied. "Now I have to ask one last time, are you going to stand down?"

"I have my orders!" Colonel Johanes screamed. "Major, I want that last door opened now!"

"David, make sure everyone is clear of the door," James shouted.

There was a loud yip of pain. "Damn!" David screamed. "Lindsay, we have two more wounded! And Rene is down."

"Who else?" James asked.

"Janice just got shot through her hip. Kitty is putting pressure on it, but she needs a medical pod soon," David replied.

"Is everyone clear of the door?" James asked.

"Yes, the shooting was getting a bit too accurate, so we had to back off from the door," David replied. He sounded like a man who had just run a marathon.

"Colonel, are you going to call off the attack?" James asked. I was stunned by how cold my master sounded.

"Fuck you!" Colonel Johanes snapped. "General Holdsclaw wants you arrested and I'm going to serve his warrant. The only way I call off the attack is if you surrender quietly. Major, are you through that final door yet?"

"He never will be," the ice cold voice of my master said. "Barb, Mike, weapons free, shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill. Door!"

Right after that, I could hear what sounded like multiple cannon firing close by. The shots gave out thunderous echoes in rapid succession. Occasionally a grunt or scream rang out as the thunder made the tunnels shake.

"Major Bonham!" Colonel Johanes screamed. "Report!"

"Barb," James called out. I was astonished that the AI was choosing to broadcast his orders over the communications system. "Clear the second doorway of the bodies and then make sure the area back to our remaining door is clear."

"On it," Barbara said. Like James, her voice was ice cold.

"Mike, you are carrying a shaped charge with your armor. I need you to go down the hallway about fifteen yards past the third door. Once you are there attach the charge to the ceiling. AI, if any marine or scientist from Colonel Johanes' band of criminals enters this hallway, I want that charge to blow,� James said.

"If the bomb goes off, the atmosphere will kill anyone outside the enclave," the AI reported.

"Release their teleport pad and allow them to jump back onto Sir Paridell," James said. "In fact, if you can use the ventilation system to force them to head to the teleport pads, I'd appreciate the assistance in cleaning Ishtar of garbage."

"Those men are not garbage!" Admiral Timmons called out.

"They treated us worse than garbage," Yvette replied. "And James isn't killing them, he's only ejecting them from the planet so we can do our duty."

"Well, Major Bonham and eight of his men aren't going to be able to go anywhere. I'm afraid their little adventure here cost them their lives," James hissed out.

"Murderer!" Colonel Johanes screamed. "Admiral, I want him brought up on charges! He murdered my men."

"Oh, give it up!" Yvette screamed. "Tam, can we get any communications line with Borneo?"

"No," she replied. "There is far too much interference right now from all the active sensors being used in the system. It doesn't help that the missile cruiser continues to attempt to jam our communications system."

"James, the charge is placed," Mike said. "I'm going to head back to the base."

"Go," James said. "See if David needs any help transporting the injured to medical. Craig, we need a detail to pick up the dead bodies and throw them in a recycler. They will be piled just inside our second door."

"Do we have a casualty count?" Yvette asked.

"Reggie and Alexis from our citizens," Donna replied. "Michael, Rene and Janice from the concubines. Janice and Alexis are the worst hurt if everything has been reported accurately."

"Add Mike, Barb and myself," James said. "our armor protected us, but we all took hits."

"How bad?" Donna asked.

"Right shin for me, minor," James said.

"Left shoulder here," Mike said. "the armor has patched it."

"Glancing blow on my helmet," Barb said. "I've got blood running into my left eye. I also lost my left hand to a rocket."

"You are still standing?" Donna asked.

"I'll be heading straight to medical," Barb said. "I think the armor has administered some kind of stimulant so I can walk there."

"James, will you be ok?" Yvette asked.

"My armor is compromised. I need to get it off and then allow Lindsay to bandage the wound for now. We also are down to four armored citizens. Yvette, we might need you to get into your armor," James replied.

"I believe that Colonel Johanes will be backing off for now," she replied.

"He'd better," James said. "I'm tired of dealing with that maniac. Admiral Timmons, I hope you'll excuse me, but my people need some rest."