Gray Panthers: Dixie Read Free Page B

Johnson received the message. “Captain Johnson, this is Lieutenant Horton.”
    “Go ahead, Lieutenant Horton.”
    “Sir, I have plotted a course for planet Flem. Estimate eight hours by FTL.”
    “Stand by, Lieutenant.” Johnson opened a new channel. “Beater, have you reviewed the course set by Horton?”
    “Sir, Lieutenant Horton’s estimates put him inside of a hundred miles of what I would have plotted. He seems to be a natural, as humans would say,” Beater answered.
    “Okay, Horton. You can instruct Commander Poland to set course for the Flem home world. Johnson out.”
    “Well, Captain Young, in eight hours you’ll have a planet to explore. We’re looking for a place to dump as many ships as possible, out of view from space. Right now, I’d suggest going to your berth before the FTL is engaged.”
    “Captain to all hands. We will soon engage the FTL drive for eight hours. Recommend everyone head for their berths and engage stasis fields. Chief Short Blade, report to the bridge for duty. Captain out.”

Unclaimed lands, planet Dixie
    25 October 2128
    Scotty sat up from a dead sleep and almost fell out of his hammock. “Damn!” he muttered louder than he intended.
    Samantha rolled out of her hammock, drew her revolver and ran went to the window before she was even fully awake. Scotty watched her in amazement, resisting the urge to laugh.
    “Disregard. There’s nobody out there,” he said as he rolled out of his hammock and began to get dressed. “You told me before that when the scientists realized the AI was going to break down, they did their best to download as much information as possible, including how to repair it. I have what they need back at the plantation. We need to get the part to the city. If they can reactivate the AI, it can figure out how to bore more tunnels for the ships that are caught underground, so they can get out and attack the Libra ships in orbit,”
    “Not exactly the best timing on your part, is it? How did you come by the part, if I can ask?” Sam inquired testily as she pulled up her pants.
    “Back on Earth, we have the ability to build AIs, but there’s a component we have to get from another planet. It’s made using a substance from a rat that exists only on that planet. The inhabitants make their living producing the substance for export to the Flem. Business has been slow for a while, I guess, since the Flem disappeared. Anyway, while we were there on a run, I just happened to grab the part you need as kind of a souvenir.” Scotty stopped talking as the floor began to shake and the sound of engines deafened him.
    “Time to go!” He shouted, yanking on his boots without lacing them and grabbing his gear and weapons. He glanced at Sam to make sure she was ready to keep up with him.
    “Let’s head for the bush and see what they do.” He checked to make sure it was clear to the tree line. Looking back at Sam, he shook his head yes and then took off for the tree line. Sam ran slightly behind him, keeping in step. Scotty dove behind a tree and popped back up with his weapon, covering the approach they had just come from. He could see a pair of huge hovercraft trucks landing on the other side of the hut’s remains.
    The first to emerge was a huge Jacka mercenary. Scotty figured the warrior was ten feet tall. He was dressed in a uniform that closely resembled one from ancient America’s War Between the States, except it was bright red.
    The warrior’s face was that of a lion, with a huge mane tucked into the uniform’s tunic top. He had two sets of arms; the higher set cradled a huge rifle of some type, and each of the lower arms held a huge sword. He stood in the doorway of the hovercraft, slowly looking around and sniffing the air. Scotty was tempted to laugh, since all he could smell was the obnoxious exhaust from the vehicle, which stank like sulphur. The urge to laugh was quickly replaced by the feeling of his heart leaping into his throat. The warrior