“Missiles?”
“No, Marines, in suits. Looks like they intend to force a boarding.”
“Ruth, bounce.”
“No can do, Boss. The drive needs time to recharge. Gene has a lot of reserve, but we got to the bottom of it.”
“Topper, do we have any destroyers free, to stun these guys?”
“Nobody who could get here without catching some of them in the disturbance when they emerge.”
“So, we’re going to be boarded?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Gene, are the Ambassador and his nephew still in the ready room?”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Please secure it so that only a Captain in our service can open it. Inform them they are to remain where they are for the time being. Saucy, tell Jackie to issue the new carbines. Our guests will no doubt be stunner resistant.”
“On it, Boss.”
“Topper, how many Marines do we have to fight them with?”
“Around a hundred and fifty.”
“Have Scotti send someone to the brig to weld the cells shut. That will free up Angus and his boys to help. Your ship, I’m headed to the armory. Nikki, you’re drafted. You’re Topper’s XO. Secure the bridge after I leave. Weld it, if you have the means.”
Topper said, “Understood, Boss.”
Nikki said, “Dammit, Bob! Be careful out there!”
Gene gave me priority, and dumped me out at the armory. Jackie had drafted Bone and Jasmine to help distribute weapons. Charlie came running up when I came out of the transit. “Uncle Bob, can I help? Jackie said she wouldn’t give me a weapon without your okay.”
“You’re as good a shot as most of us. Just don’t go getting shot. I don’t want to have to tell your Grandpa you got your silly hind end killed. You know how to handle an AR?”
“Some dopers put their grow patch too close to Squatch land last year, before Grandpa got bad sick. They dropped one on their way out, and Grandpa taught me to use it. We had to sell it for doctor bills, though.”
I patted him on the shoulder. “If your Grandpa thinks you know how, then I do too.” We got in line. Pete saw us, and came over. “What are you doing here, Boss?”
“Ain’t much to be done from the bridge, right now. Figured I’d come down and lend a hand.”
“I’m not crazy about that idea, Boss, but I suppose there ain’t much to be done about it, is there?”
“Couldn’t go back to the bridge if I wanted to. Told them to weld it shut behind me.”
“What about your buddy?”
“He was trained by one of the best. I wouldn’t challenge him to a shooting match, if I was you.”
“Combat is different from the range, Boss.”
“He’s seen enough to know what’s what.”
“Okay, Boss. I’m just trying to figure out what I’m going to say to your wife, when you get your fool heinie shot clean off.”
“Tell her I was your Boss, and I gave you an order.”
“If you’re going to be that way about it, we do have a place you could do some good. We figure we can hold them for a while, but they’re going to break through somewhere, eventually. Andre wants to let them break through at a place of our choosing, while fighting hard enough to make them think it was their idea. If we had you for bait, that would make them fight harder at the ambush site, and be more convinced that the breakthrough was due to their effort, and not a trap.” I wasn’t crazy about being the bait in their trap, that’s for sure, but if it would help sell it, I was game. Charlie had gotten our gear while I was talking with Pete. He asked, “Where are we headed, Uncle?”
“Pete was about to tell me.” Pete downloaded the location to my watch, and we were on our way, looking out for any early arrivals. Abe met us. “Boss, I don’t like this any better than Pete, but if you’re bound and determined, over here is where we need you. Try to be seen, without being shot, if you can manage that. You sure your helper there is good to go?”
“If he was going to let me down, he’s already had plenty of opportunity. Can’t say I’ve ever seen him in this particular kind of fight, but he says he’s okay, and I trust him.”
“All right. You’re the Boss. I was thinking about putting you right about there. Plenty of cover, but when you stand up to shoot, they’ll be able to tell it’s you.” I looked at the place he was talking about. It looked easy to defend, and there was a place Charlie could snipe from. I said, “Looks good to me. Where is our route out of here, if something goes sideways?” Abe showed me a couple of routes out of the bay, that would let us stay out of the line of fire. I asked, “So, what is the plan?”
“We have our Marines, and Angus’ boys, spread out at all the likely boarding points, with a reserve, if they do something we don’t expect. This bay is a little more heavily protected than most of the others, but it doesn’t look that way. We intend to give way here, and hold the line everywhere else. That should get them to divert their resources here, in hopes of taking the ship. That will let
