Sprewell sat in his seat



Chapter 4 Bumblebee

Sprewell sat in his seat, with an unpleasant frown on his face clutching his brief case close to his chest.

Daphne Storm just came back from the bathroom where she had changed and freshened up. Her blonde hair nicely done with some fresh make up in her face, she looks kindly at the pale Thauran woman. "It is surprising just how good it does to freshen up a little. Would you like to borrow my Channel Box, you look very tired."

Lady Luna pulls herself together and her cool tone rebuffs Daphne... "No, thank you."

Daphne shrinks back into her seat, flushing.

Valthim leans forward. "You should ask for permission first to address a lady of such stature and her beauty does not need gaudy clown paint unlike it seems you do."

Hawk looks up. "You insult that girl one more time and they have a real reason for locking me up."

Doc Boone also leans forward. "This isn't the Thauran Kingdom. We give a hoot about Nobles and the self-righteous high born."

Even meek Mr. Peacock had something to say. "Didn't Federal Police arrest the Thauran Emperor and a group of his advisors for conspiring against the Union by doing business with the Worm and oppressing their own kind? From what I read it didn't sound all that noble to me and if I understand the commoners on Thauran worlds were quite pleased."

Valthim's hand flashed to the handle of a small Walther Laser he carried in a shoulder holster. The Shaill Sheriff said. "Pull the weapon, Sir and I will arrest and restrain you."

Valthim glares with unveiled hatred at the Mollusk, but sits down. Lady Luna fought hard to keep her composure and not burst into tears, the words of the drunken doctor and the liquor sales man hit close. They could not know that her own father was one of the Nobles implicated in the criminal activities. Activities she despised but had known about herself.

From the passenger deck a crying child could be heard. Valthim got up and closed the access door that separated the lounge from the stair case that led up to the actual passenger deck. Then he walked bored as he was over to the public GalNet terminal.

He was still angry and brooding about the insults but then he noticed the green blinking light and with an excited for him a totally uncharacteristic scream he pressed the activation control and the terminal came on. All the passengers as if electrified got up and stared in his direction as he activated the field screen. A voice came on reading the message that was flashing over the screen in Standard Union. "GalNet services for the Upward / Coreward region five remain interrupted due to external vandalism. SII GalNet and SII Security are dispatched and work as fast as possible to restore full service. GalNet has increased broadcast energy to all unaffected transponder stations and basic broadcast channels can be received.

Currently no two way communication or enhanced data services possible. We like to ensure our customers that everything possible is done to ensure fast restoration of all GalNet services."

Lady Luna who had also risen from her seat said. "Are there any news of the Army? Please call for Captain Lodyn"

Valthim said. "I am afraid this is not possible, GalNet is able to broadcast but no one in this region can send messages, but I am sure it is only a matter of time now."

Valthim switched to Union One, the official Government News Channel. The terminal informed him that visual or Avatar services were still not available, but audio was. "Here is GalNet Channel 1, the voice of the Union. A State of War has officially been declared between the United Stars of the Galaxies and the Shiss Empire. Civilian Traffic to the Coreward sector is rerouted through the space of our new allies, the Nul. All communication to the Big Corridor area has been lost as all GalNet Communication extender have been destroyed by Shiss forces. Army Units in the region are assumed to defend the affected settlements in the region. The Assembly is currently being addressed by Admiral Mc Elligott in a closed session. We will update you as soon as more information becomes available."

Boone's eyes sparkled. "Finally the Fleet is in charge!"

-""—

Gbuzzzh served the Nest of Hazzzock for all his life and his family did for centuries. He was now in charge of seven Kashirs and he himself managed to get a Zhum-Kashir from the First Nestling Shipyards at Shiss-Ta. Even the 400 meter Kashir, appeared small compared to this Capital Battleship, the finest and biggest ship class ever built by the Shiss. Only 200 existed and he was in command. The power and might, the destruction he could unleash and the horror he instilled. It had been built to answer the increasing threat of the Nul.

His current mission was to destroy the communication buoys in the region. The Karthanians had supplied them with a detailed map showing all the locations of these mostly automated stations. Some were occupied but then destroying them was even more rewarding.

He had just destroyed the very last one, not very far from a Union Colony, called Charlie's Port according to the Karthanian intelligence.

Officially the Karthanians where neutral but they had little love for the Union, and the Karthanians had sent an envoy who was detached to his command.

Gbuzzzh was lying belly down on his raised Command roost and looked at the back of the rigid bony body of the Karthanian and said in the old language. "You served us well Karthanian but Zuhm has been called and Karthania is next, and you won't leave this ship alive."

The Karthanian turned his entire body and said. "You speak in a tongue I do not understand Nestling of Command, did you address me?"

Gbuzzzh snickered. "Oh yes, I just told my fellow command Shiss how pleased we are with your information and told them about the reward you about to receive."

That caused the rest of the Shiss that were also on the bridge to laugh. The Karthanian simply laughed too and said. "Your victories are payment enough." Neither the Shiss aboard the ship nor the Karthanian remembered that this behavior of the Shiss, betraying their allies was the real reason for the Shiss/ Nul war that lasted so long. The Shiss and the Nul once were allies and the trust of the Nul was used to lure them into a trap and a bloody massacre where the Shiss killed millions of Nul, but it appeared that the Karthanian would face a similar fate.

His Scanner operator said. "I am getting energy emissions consistent with these Communication buoys only two xaahz from our current position. It is not on the map and just came on."

Gbuzzzh laughed excited. "They are putting up a new one. So this time we will not only destroy the tool but the Union scum littering space with this junk."

The Scanner operator added. "I am getting mass readings and it looks to be a very big station." Right after the Scanner operator had said that a voice came from the Tachyon Radio station. "This is the ISS Security; you are identified as non-Union hostiles responsible for the destruction of ISS company equipment and causing lethal injury to Company employees. Please stand down and prepare to be taken into custody. This is your one and only warning."

Gbuzzzh rose from his command roost and snarled at the Shiss who among other things operated the communications equipment. "I did not authorize you to replay alien transmissions!"

The Yellow throat ducked in anticipation of physical punishment. "My liege, the equipment came on all by itself. We currently investigate a foreign program component that invaded our systems just now."

Buzzzh did lash his tail across the face of the Yellow Throat and paid little attention to whatever that meant. He had never heard of a species called ISS, but most likely one of the many Union species that supposed to exist. They too would…"

The Karthanian interrupted his thoughts. "We should vacate these coordinates very fast."

"We are not cowards and there is nothing that could stand against us now!"

Whatever else he wanted to say did not pass his teeth; there was complete silence as everyone stared on the main viewer. A spherical space ship appeared on the scanners and came closer very fast. It was engulfed in a shimmering purple bubble. The Union Letters spelled SII Security Across its hull. Dome shaped turrets appeared all over the gigantic alien ship.

-""—

Bumblebee as the Union settlers had called the third planet in the Minkor System had been a pleasant garden world with five large continents and deep oceans. Seemingly endless grass Tundra covered most of the biggest continent and with some imagination it was shaped like a Terran Insect called bumblebee. When the local fall season came around; the shoulder high grass that covered the ocean sized praries turned to a bright orange. Huge herbivores called Puffies then slowly moved slowly and in straight lines. like big combines gorging themselves on the protein rich orange seeds. Leaving dark, almost black stalks behind, furthering the symbolic visual analogy with that Terran insect. Both the grass and the animals had commercial value. The orange grain not only made colorful bread and cakes, it had a nutty flavor many humans liked and had the potential to make Bumblebee a very rich world. The first harvests where snatched up by produce dealers like hot cake. Three Giga Corps: Enroe, SII Agra and Tyson Food already set up local test farms and the local business development cooperation received a substantial grant from the Union Colony development fund, used to upgrade the local Space Port to a Class II, complete with Long distance scanners and ground defense batteries.

Baldy opened the Intercom and said. "Passengers it looks like we made another leg of our journey. We are approaching Bumblebee and all looks peaceful."

As the passengers walked down the boarding ramp onto the clean Duro-Crete of the landing area, sun drenched with a mild breeze tugging on their clothing they felt as if walking out of a nightmare. The air was fresh, but not cold. There was a faint hint of fresh hay in the air and the sky was clear and baby blue.

However the space bus was the only space ship there.

From the distant Terminal ground skimmer was coming their way.

Lady Luna once again clutching her cape said with a failing voice. "I don't see any Army Apaches."

Valthim said. "This is a civilian port, they have their own garrison and this place looks as if they have underground hangars as well." This seemed to console her somewhat.

The skimmer was a large passenger transporter and many of the passengers recoiled as they saw a Shiss behind the controls. Baldy tried to calm them. "Relax, this is Crhizzz, he is a Purple Throat and our companies local manager.

The tall muscular four armed Shiss jumped to the ground and Valthim fingered his rifle more out of instinct than anything else.

The Shiss said. "Forgive me, but the Port Facilities are closed since the crisis started and we did not even expect a bus coming through.

Baldy embraces the much taller Shiss. "Twenty nine hours from Cobalt Springs with a detour over 56454 that should be a new record. At least in Space bus terms!"

The Shiss agrees. "Yes you crazy human, that is fast, but why risk it?"

"They made us Post Ship again." The Shiss understands and gestures towards the landing field. "They didn't offer you an escort? Where's your escort?"

"They left us at Cobalt Springs, but you have plenty soldiers here?"

"None of the Army kind. They left yesterday to engage the Shiss at Shallow, They haven't returned since."

Lady Luna pressing her gloved fist before her mouth with trembling almost screaming voice. "Is this monstrosity saying there are no soldiers here either? I demand to know where Captain Lody is."

The Shiss hisses but it is more like a sigh. "I know I look like them but I am Purple throat and we are Union citizens for over 1900 years. I am a Civilian; I do not know the names of the soldiers or their exact plans."

Baldy sticks his finger directly under the nose of the Thauran lady. "I had about enough of you; you can find transportation somewhere else. You keep insulting my friends; you act like your something better. This ain't Thauran, Sister and you can stick all your noble nonsense up your light blue behind. On a more personal note, if you are Military you should know Soldiers receive orders and go where they told. Chasing some Army Captain during war time in a Space bus is about the dumbest thing I ever heard." Lady Luna started crying and Valthim actually pulled his gun, but only halfway. Hawk had, despite his cuffed hands grabbed the wrist of Valthim and said calmly. "I can break your wrists right here and now Mister!"

Valthim howled more out of rage than pain. "This insolent bastard, this peasant dared to insult a Lady of highest birth."

The Shaill Sheriff said. "He is the Shipmaster and has by charter of his company and by Union Law the right to refuse transportation to anyone. He is entitled to an opinion and by the second article of our constitution can express it. Ms. Lody may file law suits or complains and do all the thing civilized Union Citizens do. So Mr. Valthim do you want to act upon your impulses then do so and I will revoke any weapon license you hold by grounds of emotional instability and confiscate your hardware for starters."

Wilcox stepped behind the Shaill. "I back him up on that one too!"

Valthim nods and Hawk released his grip.

The Shiss said. "I bet all your nerves are raw and on the edge. Coreward Space Bus Company will pay for accommodations at the local Holiday Inn."

The Shiss gestured to the Skimmer. "I bet all those kids are tired and bored."

The Passengers, the kids, Wilcox and Baldy also climbed aboard, only Emerson and the Archa remained behind. The Archa said to the Shiss. "Any chance we got a Primary Cooler Unit in stock?" "The Shop is open but our personnel are gone, evacuated with most of the town folks."

The Archa raised his upper legs and said. "Come then Emerson; let us see what we can find." The Shiss piloted the open skimmer towards town and Wilcox asked. "If everyone left, why are you still here?"

"Not everyone left. SII and Enroe personnel are still here and so are all the beings of the Bumblebee Defense Militia." The Shiss pointed at a black and yellow sleeve patch. "I am one of them,"

Sprewell did not even try to veil his mistrust, as Wilcox did and said. "Why haven't the Shiss been here?"

Crhizzz pointed at two massive towers like structures in the distance behind the Spaceport. "We have them on our long range scanners alright, but ENROE just installed these as part of the Port defense."

Sprewell looked. "I fail to understand." Boone grinned deeply. "Because the Shiss who tried found out why LOKI torpedoes have such a terrible reputation. Those are Loki Torpedo launch towers."

Crhizzz steering the flyer off the Space port and towards town. "We only got 2 torpedoes left but they don't know that, and the first 8 we launched blasted 8 Kashir to bits."

-""-

The passengers sit on tables in the Hotels dining room and a human and a Shiss female serve dinner.

Lady Luna not among them but appears from the elevators and walks toward the reception. Her steps are stiff and unsteady.

Before she could reach the counter the hotel door opens and a wounded, sod covered man stumbles in.

Doc Boone much more agile than anyone would have thought rushed to the man, gone was the drunken jolly man and in his place a man in charge. "Crhizzz get over here and help me get this man over there to the sofa. "Hawk get me my bag I left at the table." Doc Boone removes the blood soaked clothing and revealed terrible bite marks, and gory wounds. "Son, this will take a while but I think we can get you through."

"I am Ulf Banner, I am from Shallow, and the Shiss came. I managed to crawl away and escape in my old Poodle."

Luna stalks closer. "But the Soldiers there protected you!"

The man coughs. "No mam, the Soldiers were slaughtered, I doubt any of them made it. The Shiss killed everyone!"

Lady Luna whispered. "Killed anyone?" My husband..." Luna steps back, turns halfway to the counter and then with a sigh collapses onto the floor.

Valthim yells. "Quick, Wilcox, Doctor. The Lady she is ill!"

Doc Boone doesn't turn his head. "I still try to save this man's life. Isn't there a Health station in town?" The Nul said. "It hasn't been delivered yet and the Civilian Med personnel evacuated too."

Doc Boone with both hands bloody suturing and clamping said. "Daphne get help and get her to a room. Check her pulse and get her undressed. I be there in a moment."

-""—

Lyrrzzzh had joined Hazzzock only recently and by direct command of his First Nestling, another Gray Throat. His First Nestling was as enamored and excited about Hazzzock's successes and his brash, strong actions against the Union as the rest of the Shiss nation was. Lyrrzzzh was only a Yellow Throat, socially just a caste beneath the Grays but in the Shiss society it was a huge gap that could never be bridged no matter what.

Lyrrzzzh however was known to be a brilliant ship commander and so Hazzzock gave him the task to prepare Helzzzhi for cleansing. To the Gray Throat Shiss it was a sacred place and used to bury fallen warriors, to the Union Colonists it was just a planet and called Bumblebee.

Unlike most Shiss, especially the Shiss under Hazzzock, his Nestlings area was close to the Union Border in the Upward Sector and he had seen some of the power and might of the Union. Many of his friends had been Raiders and few ever came back. Those who did survive raids into the Union Territory told about the mighty Union Fleet and the incredible Union weapons.

Of course Hazzzock did not want to hear about it and believed most of it was exaggerated propaganda.

Neither did his warriors, but those who were with him had changed their mind.

They approached the planet wanting to orbital bombard it to prepare for a landing. Eight out of his ten Kashir cruisers were destroyed by some sort of missile. He had seen in horror the highly intelligent weapons coming faster than anything the Shiss could make, utterly destroying fully shielded Kashir. The weapon appeared to be highly intelligent and countered the feeble evasive actions some of the cruiser commanders tried. The Point defense weapons that were quite effective against Nul mines and Gravo bombs had no effect on the purple colored energy shields.

Bumblebee Colony was not a helpless victim at all. It had planetary defenses capable of blowing Kashirs out of the sky

Lyrrzzzh had retreated to the outmost fringes of the system and sent a courier with a report to Hazzzock.

Hazzzock he knew was just in the next system.

One of his officers reported the Courier back and with him came ten new Kashirs and even a Battleship.

The courier did not throw himself at the feet of Lyrrzzzh as he knew the Yellow throat didn't request these archaic forms of obedience in his bridge. The Red Throat said. "Hazzzock send you these ships and warriors and expects you to cleanse the Human colony. Do not return or contact him unless to report the cleansing has been completed. He is taking his force to attack the world the Union knows as Benton's."

"Did you show him the recordings of the Union weapon?"

"He did not want to see it and dismissed it as you being incapable of evading some expected ground defenses"

Lyrrzzzh cursed the arrogance of the High Castes and their inability to see beyond their own tails. He climbed on the command roost that was shaped like a desert rock and was a symbol of prehistoric times when Shiss lizards sat on Rocks to get warmed by the Sun." Signal the group. We attack and won't retreat"

-""—

The almost white Shiss and close advisor to the All-White was a legendary warrior and commander in the eyes of the Shiss but the truth was, that Warazz never really commanded such a huge force, all he did before was engage Nul units in the fringe regions.

Being in charge of so many ships was a feeling of tremendous power. To know that these 25,000 Unit Combat Units filled with eager Shiss warriors would do whatever he said, considering his commands a direct extension of the Will of the All White, could not really be described. But he was well educated and he had seen the reports and the visuals from the war the Shiss fought against the Union 1950 years ago. He had seen the reports the Raiders and the Diplomats had brought back and he knew about the reports of the Intelligence branch. He had been concerned, but what did reports and visuals mean, when he looked on the Scanners and saw the power of the Shiss Empire so real and so immense. The First Nestling was right, Hazzzock was right; the Shiss had to stand to long in the shadow of the other three.

The most amazing thing in his opinion was that this was only half of the Shiss Strike force. The other, just as numerous was moving towards the Klack Hegemony and would not stop until the Klackt was destroyed.

His first target was a Union System they called Balmung.

-""—

The City of Bumble is eerily silent and dark, most residents had left, businesses and stores were shuttered up.

All the passengers of the space bus were in the hotel.

Boone had disappeared and so was Daphne. The wounded man from Shallow had been transferred to a room where he rested in the Stasis field of a Space suit.

Sprewell sat at the bar of the lobby.

Valthim stood by a window gazing outside.

Wilcox was dozing in a reclining chair. Baldy and the Shaill played a game while Hawk was glued to a GalNet terminal and listened to the news.

Peacock is talking to the Shiss female who appears to be the manager of the hotel at the other end of the bar.

Sprewell nursed a drink and then said angrily to anyone and no one in particular. "That's all we needed. A sick woman, a gaggle of kids and a wounded man."

Hawk turns his attention from the terminal, looks towards Sprewell but then turns his back once more.

Sprewell talked himself into a rage. "We're in a fine fix, my friends. That damn bus won't go on and we are stuck here. The Army has no right to leave a public place like this undefended!"

Hawk turns again. "Looks to me like the Army's got its hands pretty full, mister."

Just as Hawk speaks, Daphne comes out of the Elevator and rushes to the Bar, getting the attention of the female Shiss. Daphne has a rushed color in her cheeks. "Is there a Store in town?"

The female lizard much smaller than the male Shiss said, "Yes there is, the owners left but they left the backdoor open for the locals that remained."

"Can you show me how to get there?"

Wilcox raised his head. "What is the matter Ms. Storm?"

"Doc Boone needs a few things for the Lady." Daphne hurried out the door after she got instructions from the Hotel manager how to find the store leaving the men standing in a stunned.

Doc Boone arrives a few moments later walking straight to the bar.

Valthim looked over at him with a kind of suppressed fury. "You are a fine member of the medical profession." Valthim spits on the floor and hissed. "Drunkard! There is a woman needing your help and you are down here indulging yourself."

Boone does not take any notice and says to the Shiss woman in dry changed voice. "Can I have a mug of coffee please?"

Valthim walked over. "You drunken Swine! You are the only doctor here!"

Boone gets his coffee and turns on the barstool to face the man. "Mr. Valthim I am as sober as you are. I am not in the numb cloud I am usually are. The entire trip you belittled me and questioned my profession. Now you call on it and insult me further. Mr. Valthim I am a peaceful man but if you open your mouth one more time to insult me, I will personally stuff it. "

Whatever Valthim or anyone else said was drowned by a tremendous thundering sound and bright lights.

Everyone rushed to the windows and saw the Defense towers launch missiles and torpedoes into the sky."

The Loki torpedo tower fell silent after the last torpedo had been fired, but the SII dense towers on the other side still launched HAVOC Anti-Ship missiles.

The Shiss manager who had spoken into a local comm system said. "I think Hazzzock is here!"

-""—

He had to watch in horror as the surface weapons decimated his attack force, but two Kashir made close to the planet, but then then other ship was blown to bits. His ship was the last one, but it had not survived the last volley undamaged. One of the rockets had shredded much of their drive section, but he was certain the Union defenders could not fire again, the weapons they used were too powerful to be used that close to the planet. His ship was filled with 800 battle hungry Shiss warriors and hew would give them a fight on the ground.

-""—

Hawk, he was standing at the window said. "At least one of the Shiss ships made it through. Something landed!"

Wilcox pulled his knife and turned to Hawk. "I can't leave you bound if we need to fight. Will you give me your word?"

"You got my word till Benton's."

The knife sliced through the tough plastic material and then the Ranger went to his bags and retrieved Hawks blasters. "Your word is good enough for me. Here you might need these and let's hope we all make it to Benton."

Hawk took the guns and rushed to the door. "I go and get Daphne."

Without waiting for a response he is out and gone.

Sprewell still at the bar looked very scared. "We all going to die!"

Doc Boone very relaxed sips at his coffee and smiles. "We all die sooner or later, Mr. Sprewell, all that matters is how we meet death. I actually prefer it like this than dying in bed alone somewhere."

The Shiss woman pulled a massive Pulse Gatling from a hidden compartment behind the bar. Peacock recoiled and wiped his forehead. "Oh dear lord she's going to kill us all!"

Boone padded Peacock's shoulder. "She and her kind will face worse than we do. She is a Purple Throat."

She looks at Boone. "I got more weapons here, do you need one?"

"Yes."

She hands him a military grade modern Pulse rifle and makes a gesture to Peacock. "Do you want to go down fighting or being slaughtered?" Peacock shook his head. "I never held a weapon!"

Sprewell however took one of the offered weapons.

Hawk returned dragging Daphne behind him. "They landed alright. I could hear blaster fire."

Wilcox sighed as they all looked at him for leadership and he said. "From what direction did you hear that?" "Hard to judge but I say about a kilometer or two from the other side of town, opposite the Space port."

Wilcox nods. "All right then get the Lady and the wounded man and the we all take the flyer and make it to the port. Let's hope we can fight them of long enough so Baldy can lift off with the children and the women."

Surprisingly no one objected.

-""—

Lyrrzzzh took stock, his ship made it down and so did the Escape pods of at least two other Kashirs. He got signals from over a 1000 fully equipped red throats. 200 Battle Riders and 50 Hytzzzy Fire Support Robots.

The light of battle rage was gleaming in Lyrrzzzh eyes as he screamed into the transmitter. "Raze the Union City, killed the Union Filth and gorge yourself on their flesh! Let no one escape, let none survive. These grounds hold the bones and hides of high heroes past. Make their spirits proud!"

The Shiss poured into the Union town. Fire and smoke belched out the first buildings.

A Shiss dragged a woman by her hair out of a basement. Another Shiss angry that he had not found something to kill grabbed the screaming woman's arm. The two Shiss shredded the woman to a non-recognizable glob of blood and flesh.

The slow moving Hytzzzy towering over the low buildings fired streams of plasma fire into the buildings, systematically destroying everything in their wake.

-""-

The Missile towers started to glow red hot and almost like candle wax they melted into puddles of glowing liquid metals.

Valthim and Peacock carried the bed in which the pale Thauran lady was; covered with a blanket up to her chin. She seemed dazed, not asleep but not reacting to anything much. Wilcox and the Shiss lady carried the wounded man who was still in stasis. Baldy and three humans of the hotel personnel had herded the kids and their mothers into the open flyer.

Sprewell more than accidently aimed his blaster rifle at the Shiss lady. "Where is the male Shiss? The one who got us here?"

She said. "My nest partner was in one of those towers!"

Wilcox said. "I swear to God, Sprewell if you don't shut up and pull your weight I shoot you myself."

The last one coming out of the now empty hotel was the Shiss Sheriff. His sled suddenly sported two snub nosed swivel mounted guns and he said "Go ahead I can keep up easy with the bus and provide rear guard."

Hawk had climbed onto the rear luggage and freight platform of the transporter and his TKU's roared. The super-heated plasma pulses revealed half a dozen Shiss far down the street, in the center of his fire had been two more.

Wilcox more or less threw the wounded man onto the bus, offered his arm to the Shiss lady and yelled to Baldy at the controls. "Gun it!"

The large ground effect skimmer was filled to capacity and was not build for speed. A badly aimed energy bolt melted a piece of the luggage railing right next to Hawks; two more peppered the flyers rear end. Sparks showered Hawk and Valthim, but both men ignored them.

The Flyer slowly gained speed. More and more Shiss came into sight; Shiss normally walked upright on their hind legs and had two pairs of strong arms. A leathery membrane indicating that some of the Shiss could fly at one time spanning from the upper pair to the body. However they could also drop and use their lower pair as a second set of legs and run very fast, These Shiss were not naked but wore ability enhancing battle armors and the first Shiss were running and gaining on the Skimmer. Using their upper hands to fire their weapons.

Valthim's Raketen Gewehr made a fast high pitched rushing sound as miniature Seeker destroyer missiles accelerated fast and each triple series ripped a Shiss to shreds.

The Shiss lady held the Bolter Gatling and poured a blistering storm of fire into the beserking Shiss.

Hawk and Wilcox reduced the attackers, but only Hawks TKU's could penetrate the Shielded Shiss with the first hit

Smoke poured out of the left pusher turbine, Baldy proved what an excellent pilot he was even with a ground skimmer and compensated with ArtiGrav lifters as much as he could.

Wilcox had a blistering burn mark over his left eye where a drop of molten metal almost blinded him as he noticed Doc Boone no longer shooting; he was kneeling next to Daphne Summer who had a black blaster burn mark in her chest and a waxen pale face.

The Shaill Sheriff had flown next to the bus and fired his pulse guns at the pursuers, his sled protecting him with a shimmering shield bubble, but the Shiss fire biting into the energy barrier was overwhelming, The Shiss sled fell and spilled the wounded Shaill right in front of the raging Shiss attackers that did not seem to decrease in numbers. Despite the many killed by the skimmer riders.

The Space port gate came in sight, but even if they made it to the Space Bus, they had no time to board it with the Shiss so close behind them.

As they passed the gate from behind a blast shield wall rose an Octo bot cargo handling machine. A towering autonomus machine with twenty memory metall tentacle arms, usually meant to load freighters. It begun to throw flyer sized chunks of Duro Crete into the ranks of the Shiss. Not far from the robot they saw the large Spider engineer holding a robot control unit and three TKU rifles simultaneously. While waving at them. he directed the huge cargo bot and fired his weapons. The Octo bot was suprisinly effective as the Shiss shields could not displace that much Duro-Crete raining on them like an artillery barrage.

But then several Shiss blaster shots hit the unshielded machine and ended its existence.

The break they needed however came from the automated Space port defense systems, designed to prevent looters and cargo theft. Nothing military but solid SII technology. A high energy fence shot up and stopped the Shiss cold at least for now.

The non-lethal paralysator projectors did little to hurt the Shiss but it was a hurdle they had to overcome.

Wilcox actually grinned as he heard the friendly voice of the Security System warning the Shiss.

Baldy made it to the Bus, a crowd of men waited there already. Among them the Purple throat Shiss.

Baldy did not argue or even lose time on a single word as he stormed up the forward ramp to get the preflight procedures going. Valthim and Hawk herded the kids inside while the Shiss woman carried the wounded man. Peacock and Sprewell struggled with the bed but got help from the hotel personnel.

Wilcox said to Boone. "Ms. Storm is gone?"

"No she'll live but all I did was stabilize her."

The Purple throat Shiss said. "The Fore field will not hold them much longer, so we stay behind so you can lift off. We destroyed the Weapon turrets so they can't get the tech."

One of the men with the Crhizzz wore a SII employee uniform sighed. "We all die here and yet we could cleanse the Shiss off this planet easily."

Wilcox actually found time to say. "How?"

"There are 500 Cerberus Robots in the SII Warehouse over there, Fleet delivery that never got transferred, but only a Fleet Officer can activate them."

Boone dropped his bag. "Get me there, quick!"

-""-

The Shiss poured blaster fire into the energy curtain and even brought portable cannon to bear. That finally made the barrier flicker and collapse. A throaty victory scream went through the roughly 600 Shiss that made it that far. Lyrrzzzh would make them pay for what they did to his ships. There was virtually no defense down here, the wonder weapons that destroyed his ships self-destructed and the only survivors running towards something like a big shuttle. They would not leave!

His helmet visor noticed movement at one of the warehouses, so he zoomed in. "Robots were marching out on the landing field. There was no doubt what purpose these robots had, these were battle robots and never did he see a more dangerous and menacing looking machine.

-""-

Boone said to the robot that took lead. "Hostile Shiss are invading. Eradicate no prisoners!"

"Order understood!" The 350 cm tall Cerberus XI snarled. "Command Authority accepted Commander Boone. Order understood."

Several Cerberus formed a Cordon around the space bus while most marched with machine speed towards the Shiss. A whole regiment of 100 robots took to the sky.

There wasn't a dry eye among them. The Robots tore into the Shiss, with unstoppable force, their purple ParaDim Shields easily deflecting Shiss power. There was no defense against their Nano Load TL Gatling's, 5 Nano grams of antimatter at the time of explosion transferred right into the bodies of the Shiss, past their shields and armor. The Shiss stopped their advance, as warriors in their ranks suddenly and violently exploded.

Other Cerberus used their Nanite sprayers; deploying millions of aggressive nano dissemblers, swarming over the Shiss like gray carpets of dot sized swarming machines. The so confident Shiss now tried to flee as warriors left and right shrunk to skeletons and then to dust in mere moments and with agonizing screams.

Cerberus robots were highly intelligent and immediately infiltrated the Communications network of the Shiss. Identified the location of every Shiss but also the Command center.

Lyrrzzzh realized the stories were true, it had taken the full force of a Ship cannons to destroy six maybe seven of the Union robots, before they swarmed aboard. The whole ship was disintegrating around him.

In blank horror he fired his side arm into the shimmering shields of a machine that just ripped through six kaptzzh of armored bulk head as if it was paper.

The Machine did not kill him, snake like thin metal tentacles snared from the fingers of the robots hand ensnared him and made it impossible to move.

"You are identified as hostile sentient life form, Species Shiss, Non Union Citizen. You are to be terminated!"

The tip of one of the finger thick tentacles hovered directly before his eyes and it split open and a wriggling coil of even smaller tentacles engulfed his head. Lyrrzzzh could feel them penetrate his nostrils and into the small ear holes on the side of his head, more pried past his mouth and teeth. He wanted to scream but he could not. A loud voice boomed into his mind, "Biological Command Unit identified, downloading biochemical data. Brain link established."

There was no greater horror as he was no longer able to control his own thoughts. Memories, command codes, orders rushed in an ever increasing feel able inner mind."

All sense of time was gone; he felt nothing but utter impotence, violated to the very core of his being. The Shiss commander drooled and said with a feeble tone. "Have Mercy!"

The Cerberus had none and killed the Shiss. Then robot filed the Information and moved on to complete his orders."

-""-

The Space bus was loaded to capacity. Baldy had taken the Space bus into orbit and after his scanners confirmed there was only debris and no Shiss or other hostile contact was on his scanners. He keyed Internal Communications and said. "Since it looks like there is nothing for at Shallow we go straight to Benton's. Thirty two hours and we made it."

Wilcox taking his seat next to Baldy and watched the Shipmaster taking the ship to threshold speed. "How are we on fuel?"

"Since we could not refuel at Bumblebee, and we can't hope to get any fuel at Shallow. Otherwise we will be 5 kilos short going into Benton's. Or about a 5. 3 light years."

Wilcox said. "That' isn't so much isn't it?"

"Not with working ISAH Pods. Without it we can accelerate to near light speed and arrive at Benton's in about 6 years, but we will meet our Great Grandchildren there. Without ISAH Field there is Time dilatation."

"Well gives them plenty of time to fix GalNet." Wilcox joked with a serious face and said. "Serious?"

"We can use the Water of Life support but it is not compacted and not refined it might come down to you peeing in the Tanks."

"You are joking!"

"No I am not."