“But we’re aerial pilots, Sir, space isn’t our domain.”
“Well that is true, son,” said the Sergeant. “However, we need combat pilots for this mission, not space haulers. Now, every minute we waste puts more lives at risk.”
“You heard the man, Rains. Our task is to get supplies to the Moon survivors as quickly as possible. In my book, that means tomorrow. Our task is to get two vessels kitted out with the enemy engine technology and en route by then, with you boys at the stick.”
“It’s a tall order, Sir,” Rains replied. “It takes experts months and years to design aircraft, how are we going to manage it by tomorrow?”
“Look, we aren’t designing anything from scratch. This is a bodge job. We use the smallest space worthy vessels available and strap on those alien engines, job done!”
“It’s a crazy idea, Major, but what we come out with will be badass!” shouted Rains.
Eddie stepped down the ramps to look over the damaged alien vessels that were laid out across the floor. He was admiring the fuselages that didn’t resemble anything he was familiar with.
“You think it can be done, Eddie?”
“Damn right, Sir, you want us to build a monster, that idea tickles me just a little.”
“Right then, get to work. Whatever you build doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to work. I will arrange what cargo you’ll need to take, but the experts here have already found the best ships to start work with, get on it!”
Eddie lifted his arm in an almost comical salute with a broad grin across his face. Anyone else would have been beside themselves if they’d been asked to do what Eddie was, but he found the challenge entertaining.
Taylor had Captain Friday assemble a viable supply list that night. A list that would be vital for the survivors as well as feasible to carry on the new ships they were building. He left Eddie, his pilots and the tech guys to work that day and night, knowing there was nothing more he could do.
It was another uneasy night for the Major, knowing the pressure he was under to succeed in what could only be called an insane mission. Yet another night he slept alone for the few uncomfortable hours that he could manage. He had never longed for Eli Parker’s company. They’d fallen into bed when the time was right. Now he was beginning to wish she was home to greet him, to have some comfort in difficult times.
Waking up in a sticky sweat, Taylor pulled his uniform on as he begrudgingly imagined the results of their project. He had faith in Eddie Rains, even if he did resemble a drug-crazed hippy. The Lieutenant was one of the best pilots and most competent men he’d ever known. He just didn’t like to be seen as such.
The horn on Gibbon’s vehicle blared out violently outside before he’d even got his gun on his side. It was a make or break day for the supply drops to the stricken colonists. Many thousands of lives were depending on him and the project, he only prayed that they could succeed. Mitch ran down to the vehicle below, sweat already dripping through his clothes.
“Fine day for it, Major!” shouted Gibbons.
“If we were on the beach, there was no war and we had a bar full of ice cold beers, I might agree with you, Sergeant!”
Taylor climbed aboard, his concern transparent despite the fact that he tried to hide it beneath locker room humour.
“Don’t worry, Major, I’ve already been down to the hangar. Your boys have been working straight through the night, they’ve done more than anyone could have expected of them.”
The Major shook his head in gratitude and relief.
“Right then, let’s see it for ourselves!”
Approaching the hangar across the long open plain, Mitch could see that the huge hangar bay doors were wide open for all to see. It was perhaps the first time ever during daylight hours for a century.
“Nothing to hide anymore, Major. In a matter of hours, every son of a bitch on this base is gonna know about our creations, no point wasting time hiding now.”
“You really think they are gonna work?”
Gibbons nodded with a nervous expression on his face.
“I damn well hope so, Major.”
Pulling up outside the doors, Taylor could see that Eddie was walking around the nose of the vessel they’d been working on, admiring his work or perhaps inspecting it. There were two ships, one in front of the other. They were Lampeter class ‘spaceboats’. A small but armoured ship capable of carrying a hundred soldiers and equipment, or plenty of supplies. It was intended to act as a military transport and supply vessel.
A fraction of the size of the Deveron they had previously travelled on to the Moon, and substantially faster. It was mainly intended to act as a fast deployment vessel during any public disturbances, allowing earth forces to rapidly deploy troops to the Moon or any of the Space stations.
“You like her, Sir?”
“If it does the job, Eddie!”
The quirky pilot turned to greet the Major.
“It’s like the old fast boats the drug cartels used to outrun the authorities back in the day.”
Taylor looked around the fuselage of the vessel, it had two alien engines fitted, one slung under the belly, the other sitting on the top.
“We’ve kept her original engines, Sir. She was a fast bird to begin with, probably not enough to outrun what we’re facing, but a good start. With these wondrous beasts bolted onto her and she’ll outfly anything we’ve ever seen!”
“I certainly hope so. How much of the cargo capacity have you lost adding these things?”
“Nothing at all, Major. The energy sources those alien bastards use are fascinating, everything we have fitted is external. The tech guys here have worked out the engine tech, it’ll be a while till they understand the weapon systems and that chameleon tech they have.”
“So you think this can work? What’s your ETA?”
“This baby is ready, Sir, other one is having finishing touches. Captain Friday already has our cargo en route, I hope to be in the air in two hours.”
“Isn’t that a little premature, Lieutenant, you haven’t even tested these things yet?”
“We’ve tested everything we need to, Sir. The ships run just as they used to, the alien engines fire up and work as they should, any flight runs would just draw attention to ourselves.”
The Major nodded. He didn’t like the situation, but knew that under the wartime conditions they faced, some risks had to be taken.
“Lieutenant, I’ll leave you to it, let me know when you’re ready to fly.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Eddie ran off in a hive of excitement as he went back to work on his precious new ships. The Major climbed back aboard Gibbons’ vehicle and continued on to General White’s Command Centre. He walked in to find a familiar sight. Nothing had changed since his last visit, other than the enemy lines having pushed further into France and Spain.
“Major! Give us an update on your situation,” said White.
“Sir. The supply boats will be ready for lift-off in two hours. Additionally, Captain Friday has completed our report on operational requirements and further procurement.”
“Well done, Major, I have already received your report. While I congratulate you on your work with the alien technology, your report can be described as nothing but farfetched.”
“Major, you are asking for the manufacture of tens of thousands of new weapons, perhaps more, how can our country pay for this?” asked Smith.
Taylor looked at the General dismayed. In previous years he’d gotten used to budget constraints and concerns about overspending, but he had imagined that they were beyond that now.
“Sir, we are no longer a peacetime country that is maintaining our forces. We are at war with an enemy far superior to us, we need every advantage we can get in this fight.”
“Major, we have the best trained and equipped army in the world, is that not enough?”
“No, General Smith, it isn’t. The EUA forces in France and Spain have just as good equipment as our boys, and they’re taking a beating. Best equipment and army in the world accounts for nothing when we face an otherworldly enemy, Sir.”
