Demilitarized Zone Part 4

Private Wayne contemplated the profoundness of his vodka-induced poetry, obviously believing he should be published. One of the Arthropodan marines b.u.mped into Private Wayne, causing Wayne to spill his drink. Ordinarily Private Wayne would have been upset, but tonight he was in an exceptionally good mood.

"Excuse me," said the spider marine. "I did not see you."

"No harm done," replied Private Wayne. "I'll get another drink. I will buy you one, too."

"I am new here," said the spider marine. "New Gobi is an interesting place. I think I like it."

"Yes it is," said Private Wayne, amicably. "It grows on you."

"What do you think of that human pestilence statue out front?" asked the spider marine.

"You mean Madam Liberty shaking her fist?" asked Private Wayne. "The sculpture is magnificent."

"I wonder," said the spider marine, "what it would look like to see a traitor like you hanging by your neck from the top of that abomination? Sc.u.m like you even smell like your human pestilence masters."

Private Wayne immediately pulled a large jagged combat knife from behind his belt and took a swipe at the spider marine's throat. The spider marine adroitly stepped back to avoid the knife, and drew his own knives. Bouncers fired shotgun nets at both spiders, and clubbed them into submission after they fell to the floor. Both were strung up and hung upside down next to me and Krueger. I laughed at Private Wayne the rest of the night.

Towards the end of the evening, the spider commander and his aides came over to gloat. By now about a dozen disorderly spider marines and legionnaires were hanging from the ceiling. Private Krueger vomited on the table below, scattering legionnaires, and upsetting Captain Lopez.

"You are a disgrace," said the spider commander. "You set a poor example for your soldiers. No wonder they are so poorly disciplined."

"That's what I told him," said Captain Lopez, too drunk to get up from his table, and still upset about Krueger.

"If you are the best leaders.h.i.+p the Legion has to offer, defeating the human pestilence should be easy," added the spider commander. "I look forward to the day."

"Screw you!" I yelled, thras.h.i.+ng about again as I swayed back and forth.

The spider commander then threw his drink in my face. The vodka stung my eyes, and I did not see what happened next. Pastor Jim lunged forward, hitting the spider commander on the head with a beer bottle. Bouncers immediately grabbed Pastor Jim and strung him up. They grabbed the spider commander, too, but he was bleeding so badly he had to be carted off to the hospital for st.i.tches and duct tape. For the rest of the night I had to listen to Pastor Jim babble a sermon about the psychology and technology of the mind, and G.o.d. Next time just shoot me. Next time just shoot me.

At closing time, biker babes, human and spider, chose from us hanging in coc.o.o.ns. Pastor Jim was carried off by two spider biker babes. The biker babes were all giddy and laughing, but Pastor Jim was screaming and yelling for help. We did not see Pastor Jim for a week. When he did finally show up, it was at church services. He looked a little worn out, but was in good spirits. Several of his biker babes were also in attendance, sitting in the first row, singing Praise the Lord louder than most.

Private Wayne was also carried off by biker babes. He did not seem to mind, though. In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say he already knew most of the biker babes. How could that be? How could that be? I looked over at Private Krueger. Private Krueger was unconscious, but biker babes carried him off, too. I looked over at Private Krueger. Private Krueger was unconscious, but biker babes carried him off, too.

A particularly large spider biker babe eyed me, and cut me down. Her exoskeleton was painted green and purple, and she was very drunk.

"Can I buy you another drink?" I asked, trying not to panic.

"Yes you may, you lovely hot human fur ball," she gushed. "One for the road. Then I am carrying you to my place. I am a traditional old-fas.h.i.+oned female."

"Cut my hand free," I suggested. "I have money in my boot for a six pack to go."

"I do not think so," said the biker babe, checking my boot for the money, and finding my throwing knife. "Look at what I found. You like to play with knives! Me too, love!"

s.e.x with an alien species can be a horrifying, traumatic event. What that spider female did and threatened to do with her fangs and mandibles was terrifying. The upside was that I was so drunk, I didn't care, and even started to get into it. I think she drugged me, too, saying it would enhance my performance. b.i.t.c.h! They're never satisfied. b.i.t.c.h! They're never satisfied.

When the sun came up, I woke and found myself alone, naked, on the ground in front of my office. Pa.s.sersby stared, but dared not stop. I guess maybe Captain Lopez was right. I really should start setting a better example for my legionnaires. I guess maybe Captain Lopez was right. I really should start setting a better example for my legionnaires.

Chapter 8.

The spider commander ordered his engineers to dig their tunnels deeper. The Legion turned the tunnel cave-in next to Walmart into a tourist attraction. The spider commander wanted his next tunnel to reach the human pestilence church up on the hill. He could see the Legion engineers tunneling into the hill as they built up their fortifications to conceal more rocket-launchers and artillery.

The spider commander plotted to plant a tactical nuke under that hill, but the Governor of the North Territory denied his request for nukes. In the DMZ, only the Air Wing had access to nukes. Fine. Fine. It did not matter if the governor did not trust him, or still held a grudge. Conventional explosives could easily destroy that hill and all the human pestilence artillery on it. It did not matter if the governor did not trust him, or still held a grudge. Conventional explosives could easily destroy that hill and all the human pestilence artillery on it.

The governor kept asking about his missing military intelligence officer. The spider commander replied that the military intelligence officer was still missing in action from the Battle of New Gobi. The spider commander said he had cadaver-sniffing monitor dragons searching the rubble looking for him. What more could he do? If the military intelligence officer got caught on the Legion side of the DMZ, he could only hope for the best. Everyone knew how the human pestilence abused prisoners of war. So far, the Legion denied having any prisoners in custody, and had returned all bodies.

Thinking of the Legion reminded the spider commander of the wound on his head. That human pestilence would pay for that with his life. He looked in the mirror. The st.i.tches were healing nicely. Headquarters had denied the spider commander's request to declare the injuries as combat related. The medal of valor would have looked good in his file. He was convinced the governor did have it in for him. First, the governor exiled him to this G.o.dforsaken place. Then, he denied him any chance for glory. The spider commander fumed at the incompetence of the governor. The human pestilence were getting a stronger foothold every day, and all the governor did was send him a few worthless Air Wing pilots.

Today the spider commander went to his newest tunnel to inspect progress for himself. A good commander gets his hands dirty, A good commander gets his hands dirty, he told himself. This tunnel went deeper and farther than the others to avoid Legion detection. The spider commander gloated about being ahead of schedule. The engineers were using the newest state-of-the-art tunnel boring equipment. The spider commander talked to his chief engineer deep down in the bowels of the tunnel. Most certainly they were across the MDL. As they talked, water dripped onto the spider commander's head. he told himself. This tunnel went deeper and farther than the others to avoid Legion detection. The spider commander gloated about being ahead of schedule. The engineers were using the newest state-of-the-art tunnel boring equipment. The spider commander talked to his chief engineer deep down in the bowels of the tunnel. Most certainly they were across the MDL. As they talked, water dripped onto the spider commander's head.

"Is it possible we have finally discovered a water source?" asked the spider commander. He reached up to the ceiling and put a finger over the crack to plug the leak. Water dripped out a couple of inches away. The spider commander plugged that drip too. The crack spread, and more water dripped into his face.

"Fix that," ordered the spider commander, giving up and walking on. "Water is too precious to waste."

The chief engineer lagged behind, studying the drip. He spit out some chewing gum and applied it to the crack. The leak sealed. The chief engineer then followed the spider commander back up to the surface. Once topside, they could hear a deep rumble from below. Excited reports of a cave-in blared over the engineer's radio. Water burst through the tunnel entrance, was.h.i.+ng both spiders into a newly formed lake where a rock quarry used to be. After they dragged themselves onto dry land, the commander turned to the chief engineer and said, "Back on Arthropoda we have plumbers that can fix this sort of thing."

Word got out quickly that there was water and fertile land in the New Gobi Desert. At least one million colonists lined up in a semi-circle around the desert's edge for a chance at the una.s.signed lands. Each section of the New Gobi had been marked by the USGF Geological Survey. All the markers were part of a vast global positioning system. When a colonist touched his identification card to any marker, his claim was automatically recorded in a central computer.

It would be a race to the best claims. Colonists lined up for a thousand miles, waiting for the signal boom from the cannons. At precisely noon as planned, Legion howitzers fired in unison. The 'Boomers' raced across the sagebrush in dune buggies, trucks, cars, motorcycles, bikes, tractors, mobile homes, ultra-light fliers, on horseback, and on foot. From a distance, the spectacle looked like a New Gobi dust storm. Legionnaires stationed in front of the crowds for supervision ran for their lives to keep from being trampled.

Some ca.n.a.l survey work had already been started. Colonists staked claims to these areas first. Of course, Captain Lopez and I had already claimed many prime sites. The Boomers pressed closer to the DMZ as available claim sites were quickly snapped up. The colonists were told they could not enter the DMZ. Flags marked prohibited areas. However, for many there was no turning back. The choice land behind them was already claimed. The promise of free land in the DMZ was too much to resist. Not finding GPS markers, the Boomers piled rocks to post their claims and mark boundaries. Still there was not enough land to satisfy everyone. About one hundred thousand colonists crossed the MDL and staked claims on the Arthropodan side. There were no border guards to stop Boomers from entering the Arthropodan Empire. Warning signs were ignored or knocked down. The first Arthropodan marine patrols to arrive requested reinforcements and instructions. The spider commander for New Gobi ordered the marines to defend the border and to arrest and/or evict all trespa.s.sers.

David Miranda and his oldest son were pounding fence posts on a hill overlooking their new ranch. Soon cattle would be grazing on the shoulder-high gra.s.s. Prefab buildings had gone up quickly, and his large family had already settled in. The next major project was drilling the well. Mom, dad, in-laws, sons, daughters, wife, cousins, brothers, and sisters all had come with him for the free land. All that was needed was a willingness to work.

Miranda could see a dust trail on the horizon. It was getting closer. As an Arthropodan marine armored car crested the adjacent hilltop, Miranda sent his son down the hill to warn the others and to radio for help. Miranda glanced at his a.s.sault rifle leaning against a fence post as the armored car came to a stop twenty yards away. d.a.m.n it, d.a.m.n it, he thought. he thought. It is too late to even think about grabbing the rifle now. It is too late to even think about grabbing the rifle now.

"You are trespa.s.sing seventy-five miles north of the MDL," announced a spider marine team leader. "You will leave immediately or face arrest."

"I am not going anywhere," replied Miranda. "This is our land."

"This land belongs to the Emperor," insisted the spider team leader. "The Emperor orders you to leave."

The team leader was about to say more, but was interrupted by two low-flying Legion jet fighter bombers responding to radio reports of spider marines confronting colonists. The jets' flyover was close enough so that the pilots faces could be seen. They circled wide for another pa.s.s. Bolstered by the Legion presence, Miranda felt confident he could stand up to the spiders. "I am from Texas," said Miranda. "And Texans do not back down. We're staying."

The spider team leader uneasily eyed the jets as they prepared for another low-level run. He radioed for Air Wing support. The smaller human pestilence that had run off was now returning up the hill with a third trespa.s.ser. Both human pestilence carried rifles. The team leader pointed to them. The machine gunner swiveled his turret from Miranda to the approaching human pestilence. He fired a burst of warning shots to halt their advance.

"No!" yelled Miranda, as he lunged for his a.s.sault rifle. Miranda grabbed the rifle, rolled, and came up firing on full automatic. The team leader was killed instantly. Bullets pinged harmlessly off the armored turret. The turret gunner swiveled back to Miranda and opened fire, cutting him in half. More bullets. .h.i.t the turret from down the hill. The machine gunner fired at the two human pestilence approaching, killing them too.

Soon another armored car arrived. This one had mounted cannon. The spiders fired cannon and machine gun rounds at the buildings below. The Legion jets might still be circling, but appeared to have dipped low over another homestead. Arthropodan Air Wing fighter-bombers strafed the ranch and dropped napalm. Human pestilence ran out of the burning buildings. The turret gunner shot the humans as they scattered, to put them out of their misery. The spider marines cautiously advanced to search the debris and check for survivors. None were found. A spider marine noticed a recently beaten-down path through the high gra.s.s. He followed to investigate. Where the parted gra.s.s ended, the spider looked about, seeing nothing. He squatted and watched stoically for movement.

Only inches behind the spider marine, a boy lay hidden in the gra.s.s. The spider had almost stepped on him. The spider could smell the boy, but could not locate him. Silently the boy slipped off his belt and looped it around the spider's neck. The spider fell to the side as the boy tightened his grip, squeezing the life out of the bug. The spider's exoskeleton, quite hard in places, offered little protection to the neck. The boy easily snapped the neck. The head dislodged from the shoulders. The boy carried it away into the high gra.s.s, a trophy of war.

The Legion jets could be heard coming closer. A spider team leader yelled out orders to move out. The armored cars raced off to the cover of another hill. They boy, now in shock, went to sleep in the cover of the high gra.s.s, still clutching the spider's head. "Aranas. Yo los mature todo." "Aranas. Yo los mature todo."

When General Kalipetsis arrived in New Gobi, he immediately requested a meeting with the local spider commander. Tensions were high, and the President did not want another war. General Kalipetsis was at the point that he felt we should just get it over with and push the spiders from New Gobi while we still had them outnumbered. But he had his orders, and the spiders had some legitimate complaints. The spiders were objecting to the thousands of trespa.s.sers that spilled over from the land rush. He chuckled. d.a.m.n spiders have no sense of humor about trespa.s.sing. d.a.m.n spiders have no sense of humor about trespa.s.sing. Also there were rumors and unconfirmed reports of a ma.s.sacre north of the DMZ. Satellite reconnaissance had yet to confirm that, but a number of squatter shacks had been burned. Colonists were screaming b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l about it. Also there were rumors and unconfirmed reports of a ma.s.sacre north of the DMZ. Satellite reconnaissance had yet to confirm that, but a number of squatter shacks had been burned. Colonists were screaming b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l about it.

The spider commander, his aides, Captain Lopez, and I joined General Kalipetsis at the Walmart conference room. General Kalipetsis snickered about the MDL running through the conference table, and even through the ashtray. He adjusted the ashtray, noticing it was trespa.s.sing ever so slightly. The spider commander, trying not to show his sudden irritation, casually flicked the end of his human-made tobacco cigarette into the ashtray as he moved the ashtray back to its original position.

"Thousands of human pestilence have invaded our territory while the Legion just looks on and does nothing," started the spider commander. "This provocation will not be tolerated. Either you remove the squatters, or I will."

"Don't get your mandibles in a twist," said General Kalipetsis, calmly. "If a few colonists got lost and strayed across the MDL, I am sure we can move them back. The Legion will do it. Just don't shoot anyone."

"Your colonists have already attacked our patrols," said the spider commander. "I have brought helmet camera video as proof of their aggression. I gave a copy to your military intelligence officer, Captain Lopez."

"I have yet to review it," said Captain Lopez, sliding the chip into a player. "Grab the popcorn, it's show time."

They watched on screen as spider mechanized units approached two human colonists setting fence posts on a hill overlooking a small ranch. One of the colonists, a teenager, ran off to warn the others. His father stayed and argued with the spider marine team leader. As the boy returned armed with another colonist, the father shot and killed the team leader. All three colonists were then killed by the turret machine gunner. It was a ghastly video to watch, but clearly the humans fired first. It was unfortunate, but what could be done? General Kalipetsis, thinking the video was over, started to say something conciliatory about the death of the spider team leader. But, the video kept playing. General Kalipetsis settled back into his chair, wondering impatiently how long this was going to take. He checked his watch.

The spiders checked the colonists to see if they were dead. They shot the bodies a couple more times to make sure. Then they waited for more armored cars to arrive. With cannon and machine gun, the spiders fired on the ranch house and outbuildings below. Air Wing fighter-bombers dropped incendiaries on the colonists taking cover in the buildings. A burning colonist ran out of the house and fell. A child ran past her and into a field. The child fell as he was strafed by machine gun fire. General Kalipetsis looked away. The film ended shortly afterward. Captain Lopez removed his chip copy and left the room. He could be heard outside, shouting orders to legionnaires.

"There were no survivors?" asked General Kalipetsis.

"This unprovoked attack on our patrol occurred seventy-five miles north of the MDL," said the spider commander. "You will do something about these squatters and trespa.s.sers now."

General Kalipetsis was numb with grief for the murdered families. He focused on the small MDL drawn through the ashtray on the conference table as his anger built up. Finally he calmed himself and smiled at the spider commander. He drew his pistol. The spider aides, already alerted to the volatility of the human pestilence when confronted with irrefutable facts, immediately drew their weapons, too. General Kalipetsis fired one round at the gla.s.s ashtray, shattering it. A bullet hole was left in the MDL painted across the conference table. Captain Lopez and a squad of tense legionnaires burst into the conference room. It was just luck no one started shooting.

"That was the most immature thing I have ever seen a commander do," commented the spider commander. "Have you lost your mind? You should never have been put in a position of such great responsibility. Do you realize the importance of what is at stake here?"

"This conference is over," declared General Kalipetsis, rising to leave. "If any more colonists are murdered, I will order your arrest for crimes against humanity. I am immediately sending the Legion into the disputed border area to protect all United States Galactic Federation citizens present."

"Disputed border area? Your invasion will not be tolerated," argued the spider commander, rising to his feet. "Your actions are a violation of the peace treaty!"

"Up yours!" said General Kalipetsis, giving the spider commander the one-fingered salute as he left. "Your actions are murder."

I whispered in the general's ear, "We might not have enough men and equipment in place to cover such a large area."

"The rest of the First Division will be here soon," advised General Kalipetsis. "I am promoting you to Lieutenant Colonel. I like the way you get things done. Take all of your legionnaires and establish a new protective MDL."

"The New Gobi is huge," I protested. "Colonists are spread out across a thousand miles, and the spiders are bringing in more marines and armor. How do you expect me to protect the colonists?"

"Bring nukes with you," said General Kalipetsis. "We are not backing down. The DMZ is going to be moved north."

The column of Legion armored cars raced across the MDL. Their dust could be seen for miles. Private Wayne, perched atop a machine gun turret, expected more from the enemy. However, this far out into the desert, there were no border checkpoints or guards. They made their own road when not following tracks left by squatters.

"I don't get it," complained Corporal Williams. "Why are we crossing into spider country?"

"To protect trespa.s.sers," said Private Wayne. The big spider legionnaire enjoyed annoying Corporal Williams, and would play devil's advocate just for an excuse to argue. For that reason, he had printed on his flack vest: DON'T SHOOT, I AM NOT FROM TENNESSEE.

"Anyone who crosses the MDL deserves to get shot," griped Corporal Williams. "The border is clearly marked."

"Anyone but us?" asked Sergeant Green. "Shut up!"

"It's our manifest destiny to colonize the New Gobi before the Empire does," said Private Wayne. "General Kalipetsis planned this all along."

"There will never be enough water to grow crops here," commented Corporal Williams, blowing dust out his nose. "This place is an endless dust bowl."

The column traveled about seventy-five miles north of the MDL, pa.s.sing several burned-out cars and shacks. They arrived at the Miranda-Pineda enclave at about noon. Captain Lopez immediately scattered the armored cars to establish a perimeter.

"Put a gun on that hill," ordered Captain Lopez, turning to Sergeant Green. "I want a body count. Search for survivors!"

They spent the day clearing rubble. Lying in dugout shelters under the rubble they found the burned and charred bodies of the colonist families. Three colonists still lay up on the hill where the initial confrontation took place. After burying them, Corporal Williams and Private Williams took a break.

"Why did they kill everyone?" asked Corporal Williams, expecting his spider friend to have special insight. "They even killed little kids."

"Because they were trespa.s.sing," explained Private Wayne. "Trespa.s.sing is a big deal."

"It's not that big of a deal," argued Corporal Williams. He took a drink from his canteen. "This was murder."

"Only fools cross the border when there is free land on the American side," insisted Private Wayne.

"You can join the others," said Corporal Williams. "I want to stay up here on the hill by myself for a while."

Private Wayne shrugged and joined the others sifting through the burned-out buildings. There was a cool breeze up on the hill. Corporal Williams intended to enjoy that breeze for a few moments longer. As he walked through the high gra.s.s, he tripped over another body. It was a boy of about seven years old. His brown skin was covered with dirt and thistles. The boy was cold to the touch. Corporal Williams stooped down and picked the boy up by his shoulders, shaking him. "Kid, are you alive?" asked Corporal Williams. "Come on, be alive!"

The boy's eyes opened. He pulled a knife and pressed it to Corporal Williams' throat, pus.h.i.+ng Corporal Williams onto his back. "Who are you, and why did you bring spiders with you?"

"We are the United States Galactic Federation Foreign Legion," replied Corporal Williams. He could feel the sharp knife poking against his throat. "We are here to protect colonists and to save you."

"That was a spider you were just talking to," accused the boy. "You let murderous spiders in the Foreign Legion?"

"Anyone can join the Legion," said Corporal Williams. "You must swear an oath to defend the United States Galactic Federation."

"Can I join the Legion?" asked the boy.

"How old are you?"

"I am ten and a half. What's it to you?"

"I think you are lying about you age. You look to be about seven, but it doesn't matter. You have to be an adult to join the Legion."

"If they let a funny-talking hick like you in the Legion, there should be room for me. Where are you from?"

"Tennessee," answered Williams defensively. "Tennessee is the Volunteer State. It's a long tradition in my family to enlist."