{"id":2201,"date":"2011-06-04T18:20:25","date_gmt":"2011-06-04T22:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.allandouglas.com\/blog\/?p=2201"},"modified":"2025-04-21T01:56:41","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T05:56:41","slug":"chapter-4-cyborg-wars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/chapter-4-cyborg-wars\/","title":{"rendered":"Saturday Fun Stuff: Chapter 4 of Cyborg Wars"},"content":{"rendered":"

Continuing the Saturday Funnies, here is part four of my on-going Sci-fi tale.\u00a0 Remember: this is offered just for a bit of fun.\u00a0 If public opinion is that it holds any promise, I’d be happy to rework it and try it as a short eBook.\u00a0 If it stinks… well, why waste the time?\u00a0 If you want to start at the beginning [just click here<\/a>]<\/p>\n

____________________<\/p>\n

Troopers Kim, Barklay and Rodrigues work quickly as they double check each others gear: body armor strapped on, photon grenades clipped to waist band and on safety, phaser rifles loaded and on safety, extra clips secure, Comm set on and working. \u00a0 The ship is still at red alert yet the call went out for all ground assault troopers to suit up. \u00a0 Barklay, the squad leader, notices Kim fidgeting. \u00a0 It’s Kim’s first active G.A. mission. \u00a0 Since Kim joined the squad, fresh out of the academy, they had participated in one boarding party against a Birdman ship, and called to stand ready in three other skirmishes, but saw no action in those.<\/p>\n

“So, Kim, are you ready for your first taste of true G.A. action?”<\/p>\n

Kim grabs his rifle and brandishes it threateningly, “You bet!”<\/p>\n

Barklay smiles, “Good man. \u00a0 Just remember; don’t get close enough they can touch you.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If they\u00a0inject you, holler for one of us and we’ll off you. \u00a0 If they get one of us, you do the same for us.” \u00a0 A look of doubt crossed Kim’s face.\u00a0 Barklay pressed the point, “Have you ever seen anyone get assimilated? Believe me, it isn’t pretty. \u00a0 You would be doing me or Rodriguez\u00a0a favor.”\u00a0 <\/p>\n

A chime sounds, followed by the voice of the strike force leader echoing through the docking bay, “All troops, assemble at your transports. \u00a0 Prepare for disembarkation.”<\/p>\n

The three troopers rush to take up their positions in formation beside a landing craft. \u00a0 Sergeant Seikes looks every man over with the experienced eye of a long time trooper, then yells, “Load up!” and the platoon files up the ramp in the tail of the landing craft. \u00a0 The ramp swings up, locks in place and seals as the men strap in for launch.<\/p>\n

A landing craft is a multi-purpose ship. \u00a0 It can be used to bring in equipment, supplies, or troops. \u00a0 It’s not a large craft, so the interior has to be easily converted for each use. \u00a0 To land troops, the interior is partitioned into cells, two feet wide and 6 feet deep. \u00a0 The partitions are made of a metal mesh that rolls up and stows easily. \u00a0 There are two rows of cells, with an aisle down the middle. \u00a0 Each cell holds one three-man squad in standing position. \u00a0 Each man is strapped to the mesh behind him with safety belts. \u00a0 It’s no place for a claustrophobic.<\/p>\n

The ship lurches as it lifts from the deck and glides toward the launch bay door. \u00a0 There are no windows, but Barklay envisions the scene: fighters are outside already, falling in beside the shuttles as they emerge and begin their descent. \u00a0 A similar scene is occurring near the Val’Pah, which is joining the assault force, except that a Victorious does not carry fighters, so they use armed drop ships.<\/p>\n

Seikes strides up the aisle shouting, “We’re in close, it will be a short trip. \u00a0 There is little atmosphere, make sure your envirogear is turned on. \u00a0 There is one structure in the surface. Landing craft will set down in a ring around it. \u00a0 Company A will go in first and locate accesses. \u00a0 The rest of us will follow. \u00a0 Upon landing, disembark and take cover until I order you to move in. \u00a0 Is that clear?”<\/p>\n

With one loud voice, the company answers, “Yes, Sir!”<\/p>\n

Seikes pauses to listen to his head set, and respond to his orders before continuing in his loud, clipped manner, “Unclip, landing in 10!”<\/p>\n

The ramp begins to swing down. \u00a0 A force field holds the air inside, but will allow the troopers to pass through. \u00a0 As squad leader, Barklay is on the aisle, he leans over to look out the door as the drop ship swings into position.
\n\"cyborg<\/a>The black sky is dominated by the planet around which this moon orbits. \u00a0 Basically a molten sphere of magma, spewing great plumes of molten rock, that look like bright flowers blooming on the surface, it will be millenia before that planet has an inhabitable surface. \u00a0 As the ship swings around he loses sight of the planet and something else drifts into view for just a moment; a very strange looking apparatus hanging in the sky; a tube made up of rings each comprised of small cubes strung together with very thin tubing. \u00a0 Not knowing how far away it is, he can’t even guess at its size. \u00a0 Finally he catches just a glimpse of a bizarre looking building; a massive circular core that flows up and outward ending in long spiky arms. \u00a0 To Barklay, it looks like a huge crown. \u00a0 Low, blocky wings of this building radiate out from the center almost to the edge of the tarmac, dividing it into wedge shaped courts. \u00a0 Then the ragged, rocky landscape they are about to land on. \u00a0 The ship touches down just as the ramp is fully lowered.<\/p>\n

Seikes starts at the ramp and trots up the aisle slapping each squad leader on the shoulder as he passes, yelling, “Go… go… go…!” When he gets to the end of the compartment, he turns around and follows his men out. \u00a0 As he runs down the ramp, he radios, “Clear!” and the landing craft lifts off and heads back up into the blackness.<\/p>\n

They were dropped at the outer edge of the tarmac.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Beyond the pad edge the natural landscape resumes with large shards of rock jutting up and chunks strewn about. \u00a0 It offers lots of cover and the company quickly disappears into the shadows of those stones.<\/p>\n

Overhead, not more than twenty to thirty thousand feet up, hang the Executioner, the Val’Pah, and two war birds. \u00a0 Barklay’s eyes grow large at the sight of the war birds.<\/p>\n

Rodrigues catches him looking up and follows suit, “Whoa, they landed us right under the ‘birds’ noses?”<\/p>\n

Even at this distance large burn marks are evident on the war bird hulls. \u00a0 One was glowing brightly where a plasma conduit had ruptured. \u00a0 There is no exchange of weapons fire, and none of the ships are moving. \u00a0 Two large beetle-like Stormer landing craft pass low overhead, humming softly as they lift back toward their mother ship, obscuring the view long enough to snap Barklay back. \u00a0 “They wouldn’t have landed us if those ships were a threat.”<\/p>\n

“I hope so\u2026”<\/p>\n

Off to Barklay’s left, Sargent Seikes is checking his company, and reporting in to Major Hammil, the strike forces commander.<\/p>\n

Barklay peeks around the boulder. \u00a0 Several piles of smoking metallic ruin dot the pad in front of him. \u00a0 And bodies. \u00a0 More bodies than Barklay had ever seen.\u00a0 Alpha company is just reaching the central building. \u00a0 Doors open in the walls and Cyborg drones pour out and engage them. \u00a0 Unconsciously Barclay rechecks his weapon and armament and says to his squad, “Get ready guys, the dance has begun!” \u00a0 His squad-mates check to see that their weapons are hot and get ready to spring from their hiding place.<\/p>\n

Sargent Seikes’s voice sounds in Barklay’s headset, “Epsilon Company, advance.” The Sargent jumps out in front and his company forms up in a “v” behind him. \u00a0 “Squads 15 and 30, watch our 6.”<\/p>\n

They advance at a fast walk rather than a run, watching the bodies as they pass through; some may not be dead. \u00a0 The two trailing squads pay particular attention to those inside the “V” where an ambush would be easiest.<\/p>\n

Barklay mentally reviews his training on “bugs”; the Cyborg have power sources powerful yet small enough to power personal shield generators.\u00a0 This is a feat the other races have not duplicated, they rely on ablative body armor to disperse phaser fire. \u00a0 Birdman disruptors are harder to stop. \u00a0 However the Cyborg rarely use weapons, they prefer to take you alive for assimilation. \u00a0 They do so by extending a needle like tube from the end of one arm, piercing your armor at a weak spot, like the neck joint, and injecting an oily substance containing nannites into your body. \u00a0 The nannites: microscopic robots, get into your blood steam and spread throughout your body to begin the conversion process. \u00a0 Once they reach your brain, they attach themselves to major neural pathways inducing a stupor and paralysis until they’ve completed their work.<\/p>\n

Feds have developed a rotating frequency phaser rifle that is fairly effective against Cyborgs in short encounters. \u00a0 Birdmen disruptors somehow are a little more effective. \u00a0 Stormers have always preferred to fight hand-to-hand using a large curved sword. \u00a0 They consider beam weapons to be cowardly.<\/p>\n

As the company approaches the skirmish Seikes orders, “Spread out, hold position and take aim.” \u00a0 A contingent of Stormers off to the right snarl loudly and rush forward. \u00a0 They do not wear the full body armor that the Fed Troopers do. \u00a0 Theirs is much lighter with no helmet, just breathing gear, allowing them to move more freely, as is required for their form of hand to hand combat.<\/p>\n

“Open Fire!” orders Seikes.<\/p>\n

Each trooper Squad Leader chooses a target, identifies it to the rest of his squad with a tracer shot. \u00a0 Then all three troopers open fire on the one target. \u00a0 It takes a dozen or more rapid hits to overpower the Bug’s shield generator, the next round will kill it.<\/p>\n

Sounds simple enough, thinks Barkay; if Troopers outnumber the Cyborg 3 to one, and they don’t move around much, or have any place to take cover. \u00a0 Which is rarely the case.<\/p>\n

Barklay selects a particularly ugly Cyborg, orders, “Select!” fires his tracer shot, hits his mark, then orders, “Fire”. \u00a0 The squad squeezes off three synchronized rounds then another drone steps in front of its companion taking the fire, allowing the other to withdraw and recharge. \u00a0 They fire at that one as fast as their rifles will recharge, three shots and another one steps in. \u00a0 Alpha company can no longer be seen. \u00a0 Either they got through the Bugs and into the building or\u2026 Barklay didn’t want to think about that.<\/p>\n

Other squads were having similar luck. \u00a0 The Stormers, surprisingly were doing quite well. \u00a0 The drones, while quite strong were also very heavy for their size, and could not dodge the nimble Stormer warriors and their swords, against which their body shields provided little if any protection. \u00a0 Their bodies are armored with a metal\/flesh alloy, but even that has to have weak spots. \u00a0 Rodrigues had taken a pointer from the Stormers and fashioned a knife blade which mounts to the business end of his rifle. \u00a0 Sarge told him that he didn’t ever want to see that device in place during a drop, but Barklay let him carry it as long as it was tucked out of sight.<\/p>\n

“They’re getting past us!” shouts Kim.<\/p>\n

As if on cue, Seikes’s voice orders, “Fall back & eat dirt; incoming!”<\/p>\n

The Fed troopers spin around, take four long running steps and dive over the pavement\u00a0as\u00a0two fighters swoop in low\u00a0and strafe the Cyborg. \u00a0 Another wing follows. \u00a0 Cyborg body parts rain down around them. \u00a0 A glob of greenish-yellow goo containing an eyeball and a circuitry chip lands on Kim’s outstretched arm. \u00a0 He freaks. \u00a0 Screaming, he jumps up and backs away\u2026<\/p>\n

“Kim, look out!” Shouts Rodrigues.<\/p>\n

Kim backs into the arms of a Cyborg drone. \u00a0 The drone is missing part of one arm, but still walking. \u00a0 It grabs Kim with the stump of its left arm. \u00a0 A needle snaps out of its right wrist as it raises that arm.<\/p>\n

With one smooth move, Rodrigues rolls to his feet, snatching the bayonet from it’s clip on his leg as he goes, and snapping it in place on the rifle, then lunges forward, thrusting the knife under Kim’s left armpit and into the bug’s belly. \u00a0 Kim wiggles free and Rodrigues fires a shot, point blank. \u00a0 The bug, jerks, folds over and crumples to the ground, motionless.<\/p>\n

Several more are approaching. \u00a0 Rodrigues wrenches his rifle away from the dead bug. \u00a0 No bayonet. \u00a0 Just the same, he lunges forward, rams the end of the rifle against the bugs belly and fires. \u00a0 That one too, crumples.<\/p>\n

Excited, Kim and Barklay follow his example. And quickly dispatch several more drones. \u00a0 Kim runs toward another that is moving his way.<\/p>\n

“Kim, get back here!” Shouts Barklay. \u00a0 Kim doesn’t stop.<\/p>\n

He tries their new trick against this one but as he lunges, the bug raises its arm, needle extended and impales Kim through the neck. \u00a0 Kim goes limp, dropping his rifle.<\/p>\n

“Noooo!” shout Barklay and Rodrigues together. \u00a0 And together they open fire on the Cyborg. \u00a0 This time no others are there to protect it. \u00a0 It’s shields go down, and it follows. \u00a0 They pump several more shots into it before they get a grip on their emotions.<\/p>\n

Kim moves weakly, rolls onto his back.<\/p>\n

Barklay peers in through Kim’s face shield, “Kim, you OK buddy?”<\/p>\n

As he watches, gray tendrils creep up Kim’s face, his left ear shrivels like a dried apricot and his eyes, filled with terror, go glassy and lifeless as the nannites go to work on his brain.<\/p>\n

Barklay’s stomach tightens and a lump rises in his throat. \u00a0 He knows what he must do. \u00a0 He stands up, places the rifle end against Kim’s face place and fires.<\/p>\n

He says to Rodrigues, “He was the first\u00a0 squad mate I’ve had to kill.\u00a0 “Why did it have to be Kim.\u00a0 He’s just a kid.”<\/p>\n

Another group of drones were\u00a0moving in their direction.\u00a0 Rodrigues elbowed him.<\/p>\n

Barklay counted; four drones against the two of them. \u00a0 “What is it the Stormers say\u2026 ‘It is a good day to die.'”?<\/p>\n

He aimed his weapon, “Select!” fired the trace, “Fire!”<\/p>\n

They got three shots off and he expected that one to drop back and allow another to take its place. \u00a0 Instead all four stopped walking. \u00a0 The troopers fired again. \u00a0 Still the bugs stood there. \u00a0 They fired again and the bug dropped. \u00a0 “Select!”<\/p>\n

They dropped a second one just as easily.<\/p>\n

And the third, and the fourth. \u00a0 The Cyborg just stood there, staring.<\/p>\n

The two troopers looked around the tarmac. \u00a0 Other small groups just like theirs were doing the same thing. \u00a0 In a few minutes, not a single Cyborg was standing.<\/p>\n

“What? What is going on?” Rodrigues asked, but they didn’t get time to wonder about it.<\/p>\n

“Assault Troops, assemble for retrieval!”<\/p>\n

“Gladly.” Mumbles Barklay to no one in particular. \u00a0 He turns back toward Kim’s body. \u00a0 He knows they can’t bring a contaminated corpse back, but just to say ‘good bye’. \u00a0 He looks over at Rodrigues, who knows what he’s thinking. \u00a0 Rodrigues shakes his head slowly. \u00a0 “Bad idea, buddy.”<\/p>\n

Barklay nods. \u00a0 “I suppose so.”<\/p>\n

He and Rodrigues run back to their drop point. \u00a0 Their side had won. \u00a0 They should be rejoicing. \u00a0 But neither was in the mood for celebration.<\/p>\n

__________________________<\/p>\n

If you want to start at the beginning [just click here<\/a>]<\/p>\n

Continue for Chapter Five<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Continuing the Saturday Funnies, here is part four of my on-going Sci-fi tale.  Remember: this is offered just for a bit of fun.  If public opinion is that it holds any promise, I’d be happy to rework it and try it as a short eBook.  If it stinks… well, why waste the time?  If you … Continue reading “Saturday Fun Stuff: Chapter 4 of Cyborg Wars”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[13],"class_list":["post-2201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-muse","tag-scifi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2201"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20765,"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2201\/revisions\/20765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pineymountainfoster.org\/thoughts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}