Karen Carvalho ran down the incline of the auditorium, it was sort of dim in the audience section but she realized that she could traverse the down sloped incline with out tripping on the path even though she was wearing knee high black leather boots with two inch heels. When she got down to where the a group of people had gathered close to the stage, that group of people pointed their weapons at her.
“Woe, don’t shoot it’s me!” said Karen with both of her hands pointed up like she was surrendering.
“It’s only Carvalho,” said one of the men in the group who was holding a hand gun “she’s cool.” with that the various people with guns pointed at Karen lowered their weapons which Karen happen to notice to be a mix of hand guns and rifles. The hand guns which seemed to be the A P twenty one model she could under stand being here but why the rifles which seem to be either the A R two fifty model or the A R three seventy five model, either of which would be over kill in the enclosed space of the auditorium.
“Has any one seen Admiral Dunham?” asked Karen “I was trying to relay a message to him, then all hell broke lose and I lost contact with him?”
“He is injured, I do not know how bad he is,” said the man who was holding the hand gun “but we are waiting for the medics to arrive.”
“A message from where?” said some one from behind Karen. She then turned around to see it was Admiral McCallister who had asked the question. Karen and the man who was holding the hand gun came to attention at the sight of Admiral McCallister who had his jacket wrapped around his right hand secured by his left hand, the jacket had blood stains on it, it seemed that his right hand was bleeding.
“Sir, are you all right?” asked Karen
“Never mind about me Lieutenant.” replied Admiral McCallister “What was the message about and from who?”
“Sir, it was from Captain Crane aboard the Dole.” replied Karen
“Well it’s about bloody well time,” said Admiral McCallister as he lifted his make shift bandaged right hand “he said some thing, if you pardon the pun.” It seemed that while the elderly Admiral McCallister was injured by what ever happed to him, it did not seem that injury was life threaten to him and he was in good sprits. “The man has been out of contact for what three days and he finally contacts us, I suppose he called collect too.”
Karen just looked at Admiral McCallister holding back the desire to laugh at this moment, had it been a less serious circumstance she would have laugh at his joke, no doubt he was trying to lessen the effect of his injury with humor but the events of the last five to ten minutes were nothing to laugh about.
A few seconds of no response from Karen, hinted to Admiral McCallister that humor was not called for so he continued by saying “I take it he is at the destination and has some thing interesting to report.”
“Well no” said Karen “the Dole is not at the destination, in fact both the Triskewura and the Dole just arrived here and the Dole is currently making it’s way home, hopefully they can join in the action with the Dillingham and the Raptor strike.”
“I know we are going to need every thing we have available but they should not wait for the Dole to join in.” said Admiral McCallister
“There are not going to wait for the Dole,” said Karen “the attack is going to happen as scheduled unless” just then a scream could be heard from an opening at the back of the stage.
“Who was that?” asked another man who was holding a rifle
“What happen to the contact team?” asked Admiral McCallister
“Last I heard there where back stage before the speech started.” said a third man who was holding a hand gun.
“Wasn’t there some one back there too guarding the back stage?” asked Karen
“Yeah, Bourdin and Emery” replied a fourth man who was holding a hand gun.
Karen was reaching for her left ear when a fifth man came by with a radio and said “Bourdin or Emery, this is Peck come in please.”
No answer.
Then another scream from the opening at the back of the stage.
“This doesn’t sound good.” said Karen as she checked her blazer’s pockets for what ever items she brought with her. In all the excitement she left her purse at the Press Box and the only items on her person was the radio controller on the inside breast left pocket and a cheap digital camera on the outside hip right pocket. She then said “I suppose I can’t trouble you guys for the loan of a flashlight while I go check out the source of that scream.”
“Are you nuts?” asked the third man who was holding a hand gun “Two of those are still uncounted for.”
“And what happen to them?” asked Karen
“They ducked into the opening.” said the second man who had the rifle while pointing his finger at the opening at the back of the stage “during the exchange of fire, they managed to fire first but we just had more to shoot back at them. One of them hasn’t moved from the stage, I take it he is dead, the other two just ran into the back stage. Some of us went after them, others went to the exits to make sure they don’t leave the building.”
“Damm” said Karen “Did anyone went to secure Press Box?”
“I don’t think so” said the first man with the pistol.
“Sir” said Karen to Admiral McCallister “I suggest you get back to Press Box, get yourself looked after and take some people with you to secure Press Box. I have a funny feeling that the new guys may want to force themselves in to Press Box.”
“And you?” asked Admiral McCallister
“I am going to check out those screams.” replied Karen who then turned walked toward the stage.
“Lieutenant wait” said the second man with the rifle “you might need this.” He then unholster his side arm weapon and gave it to Karen. He then said “I take it you know how to use a”
“An A P twenty one” added Karen “Yeah, I know how to use the weapon. Could I trouble you for any extra clips for it?”
“Yeah sure” said the second man with the rifle. As he gathered three more clips to give to her, Karen was checking the weapon, removing the current clip, which she noticed had a full load to it. She then placed that clip back in to the hand gun. Karen took the three extra clips from the second man with the rifle and placed it in her outside left hip pocket of her blazer. She then moved a lever on the hand gun which the second man with the rifle noticed and said “You are taking it to the lowest level?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan, why?” said Karen
“Didn’t you hear what they said what they had planned for us and what they did three days ago?” asked the second man with the rifle.
“I did.” replied Karen “They wanted to scare the hell out of us and they did, however they did not expect us to react the way we just did here and I have a feeling they are not expecting the attack we are going to launch in a few minutes on their ultimate weapon. It’s my intention to capture the remaining two new guys here. You got a problem with that?”
“No madam” said the second man with the rifle as he sets his rifle level down to the lowest level who then said “Two of them, two of us, laser weapons from outer space versus two locals with high tech air guns, garins ball bearings we can take them.”
“Garins ball bearings” said Karen “What island are you from?”
“Maui” said the second man with the rifle “and you?”
“Originally from Kauai, but my home is on Oahu” replied Karen
“I should have known with you putzing around in a purple dress” said the second man with the rifle “what year you grad?”
“Let’s worry about that later, ahh” said Karen
“Lopez, Kenny Lopez” said the second man with the rifle as he stretched his right hand to Karen, he then cocked his head toward the first man with the hand gun and said “Commander Benson, called you Carvalho, you not that Karen Carvalho from the Puhi incident a couple of years back?”
“I’m afraid I am, is that a problem?” asked Karen
“Well this is not like Puhi.” said Lopez
“The young man is correct” said Admiral McCallister “this situation is not like that incident two years ago, I do not see the need to capture these two new guys, they caused enough trouble as it is.”
“Sir with all due respect, the remaining two new guys may hold the key to this entire affair, will kill them now, we will never know the true reason why.” said Karen
Admiral McCallister looked at Karen, then looked at the first man with the hand gun who Lopez identified as Commander Benson and said “Commander, assign more people to Lieutenant Carvalho’s detail.” Admiral McCallister then pointed to Peck and said “You there, let me borrow your radio for a second.”
“Yes sir Admiral” replied Peck who then handed his radio to Admiral McCallister.
“Press Box, this is McCallister, over” said Admiral McCallister
“Press Box, go ahead sir” said the voice over the radio
“Status on the security cameras?” asked Admiral McCallister
“Checking” said the voice over the radio, after a brief pause, the voice on the radio said “camera are out on the back stage, conference room three C and the vending machines on the second floor.”
“Stand by Press Box.” said Admiral McCallister, he then turned to Commander Benson and said “Commander Benson, form four teams, one goes to the back stage, one goes to conference room three C, the third goes to the vending machines on the second floor, the fourth goes with me to secure Press Box, the rest stays here with the injured until the medic arrives.” Admiral McCallister then returns the radio to Peck.
“Aye sir” said Commander Benson, he then yelled, “All right people listen up, here are the assignments. Lieutenant Johnson, you take Harper, Ross and Goldstein and escort the Admiral to the communications room on the third floor.”
A chorus of “aye sirs” came from Johnson, Harper, Ross and Goldstein who then moved close to Admiral McCallister.
“Lieutenant Chang, you take Philips, Packard and McAfee to the conference room, on, on” said Commander Benson.
“Conference room three C” said Karen “on the second floor, take the stairs and then turn right to the end of the hall, you get to the vending machines by turning left instead, it’s other side of the hall.”
“Why there?” asked Chang who did not speak up before.
“It’s where the contact team and the new guys were meeting all this time” replied Karen “as far as the vending machines, it was the closest place to get stuff to eat when the contact team was on break, the new guys saw the contact team there at times.”
“Thanks” said Chang
“Ensign Winters” said Commander Benson
“Yes sir” said the fourth man with the hand gun
“You take Norton, Bell and.” said Commander Benson who then pointed to the third man with the hand gun.
“Frost” said the third man with the hand gun
“and Frost” said Commander Benson “and check out the vending machines on the second floor”
“Yes sir” said Ensign Winters. “Sir what’s the rules of engagement in this situation?”
“For those set on low velocity settings, if you see the new guys shoot first and shoot to stun” replied Karen
“Do you mind Lieutenant?” said Commander Benson
“No she is right Commander” said Admiral McCallister “and I am beginning to see why.” He then turned his attention to Peck and said “Son, could I borrow your radio one more time.”
“Yes sir” said Peck as he gave his radio to Admiral McCallister.
“Press Box” said Admiral McCallister to the radio “this is McCallister come in please.”
“Press Box, go ahead sir” said the voice on the radio.
“Can you patch this call to the building’s public address system?” asked Admiral McCallister
“I can sir, it will take me about thirty to forty five seconds to do so through.” said the voice on the radio
“Go ahead and do so and let me know when it is ready.” said Admiral McCallister
“While we wait” said Commander Benson “Peck you with me as Lopez and Carvalho join us to check out the back stage.”
“Oh joy sir.” said Peck as he removes his side arm which looked like another A P twenty one hand gun that Benson and Carvalho were currently using from his holster and starts to check on the readiness of his hand gun.
“Carvalho, let me make this clear, I am in charge here in case you did not notice that my Commander’s strips outranks your sorry ass what passes for psuedo Lieutenant strips from the pansy ansy science fleet.” said Commander Benson.
“You know could order me to stay behind” said Karen
“I could,” said Commander Benson “but I suspect you would make such a fuss and besides you want to go in with only a flash light, so either you are brave or you are whack job, either way I don’t trust you but that’s due to me not knowing you, Lopez on the other hand seems to take a liken to you and I am doing this so I don’t lose the young Lopez to your mis judgements in your command style.”
Before Karen could respond Peck’s radio came on and said “Admiral McCallister, this is Press Box the patch in to the building’s P A system is ready, you can address it now sir.”
“Thank you” said Admiral McCallister to the radio “Let’s do it now.”
A couple of seconds later the sounds of the room’s speakers started to whine from the feedback.
Admiral McCallister then talked to the radio and said “To all U N S F personnel in this building and to our two way ward guest from the Imporium. This is Admiral Niles McCallister, supreme commander of the United Nations Space Fleet, I am offering the opportunity to surrender peacefully to us. If you do, no harm will come to you despite your earlier claim of hostility towards us. Please be advised that even though you seem to possess superior weapons, we do have the superior number of people here and the building is sealed such that escape for you is impossible. Please consider my offer of surrender, you will be treated well.” With that Admiral McCallister let go of the radio’s talk button. He waited for a while and it seemed that room’s speakers no longer made any sound. He then pressed the radio’s talk button and said “Press Box, this is McCallister, come in please?”
“Press Box go ahead Admiral, the P A system is off right now.” said the voice on the radio
“I wanted to know about that.” said Admiral McCallister “if I wanted to do another announcement again how long will it take to get it ready again?”
“Now that I got the cables ready, a second or two tops” said the voice on the radio.
“Okay I will be there soon.” said Admiral McCallister, he then turned to Peck and said “Hey you go son, thanks for the use of the radio.”
“Your welcome sir” said Peck.
“Alright” said Commander Benson, “let’s move out! Breckenridge”
“Yes sir” said another voice in the group “You are in charge the group now, get a team together to cover the main entrance and another to cover us at the stage.”
“Yes sir” said Breckenridge who then pointed to four people and said, “you, you, you and you go cover the entrance to this auditorium.”
“Yes sir” in a chorus of four voices then the four people chosen went up the same incline path that Karen came down earlier.
Breckenridge then pointed to four more people and said, “you, you, you and you go cover the commander’s six.”
“Yes sir” in another chorus of four voices then the four chosen people went to gathered group of Lopez, Benson, Carvalho and Peck.
“The rest of you” said Breckenridge “look alive and be on your toes.”
“All right” said Commander Benson “Let’s move out, Lopez, take point, Carvalho you behind me, Peck cover the rear. And what ever you do Carvalho be careful with that gun, you can poke an eye out with that or worse.”
“I get the message sir” said Karen
And with that the group of Admiral McCallister, Lieutenant Johnson, Harper, Ross and Goldstein went up the inclined path. Followed by the group of Ensign Winters, Norton, Bell and Frost. The group of Lieutenant Chang, Philips, Packard and McAfee took up the rear. Then all seventeen people left the auditorium to go to their assigned places.
Lopez with this rifle at the ready was first, then followed by Commander Benson, Karen Carvalho and Peck went carefully toward the stage. Then followed by the second group assigned by Breckenridge.
The rest of group had their weapons at the ready.
The trip to the stage took around twenty five seconds, in that time there was no further screaming from the opening of the back stage which was on the left hand side of the stage nor any other movement from that opening or the stage which was more lit than the audience section of the auditorium. Karen noticed that the podium that was on the right hand side of the stage had sported many bullet holes, even a section of the wooded podium was missing and left a big gap in the podium. Pretty impressive damage considering that it was caused by advanced air guns with variable velocity shooting bronze pellets. Those weapons must have been set at the highest velocity setting to do the damage that it did. She did notice a body lying down behind the podium, she then was about to inform Commander Benson about this but he too noticed the body and using hand signs told the second group to check out the body on the stage while Benson’s group would be the backup on this operation.
The four people in the backup group quietly and cautiously went up a section of small stairs on the right hand side of the stage. They got to the body on the floor with no incident, the second member of the group kicked away an object which the third member picked up and showed it up to Commander Benson’s group.
Lopez silently mentioned it was one of the laser weapons the new guys from the Imporium was using a few minutes ago against the people in this auditorium. The second member then gently tapped with his foot the body on the floor, after he tapped it the fallen body’s right arm moved, the four members then trained their weapons on the body. Commander Benson saw this, he then saw that Breckenridge noticed the events on the stage and quietly sent four more people to Commander Benson’s area.
Commander Benson thought this second group of four should back up his group and leave the original group of four on stage. Again using hand motions he told the first group to stay and hold the body and sure enough Breckenridge sent another group of four to help that first group.
The third group of four took up position at the stage just in front of the podium.
Commander Benson using hand motions informed the second group of four that they would back up his group. They nodded back in acknowledgment and then Commander Benson motioned to Lopez to go.
Hunched down Lopez, Commander Benson, Karen and Peck quietly went to the left side of the stage where another set of stairs where there. The second group of four followed them. Just before Lopez would step on the stairs the second group of four pointed their weapons at the opening at the back of the stage. Karen noticed that group had rifles trained at the door, none of them had the hand guns, unless they were in holsters similar to what Lopez had.
Karen thought no doubt the new guys did not anticipate the amount of weapons the U N S F wielded here. She would wonder what they reaction would be when the saw Raptor strike against their orbiting weapon platform that was causing concern in the last three days.
Lopez then started to climb the stairs, when he got to the top Commander Benson started to climb the stairs, Karen decided to wait until Commander Benson got to the top, when he did, she started to climb the stairs and it made a big squeak. Every one looked at her but did not say a thing. She could tell Commander Benson was not to happy with her on that, no doubt he was going to ball her out after this was all over. The next seven steps on the stairs did not make any further sound. Peck then started to climb up the stairs, he avoided the section where Karen stepped on that made the squeak that made her the bane of commandos every where.
When Peck got to the top of the stairs, Commander Benson motioned to Lopez to see if he was ready, he nodded okay, he then looked at Karen, she nodded okay as she held her breath for a while, he then looked at Peck, he too nodded okay. Commander Benson then motioned to the backup group that they were going in.
Then finally Commander Benson motioned to Lopez to go on ahead into the opening. Lopez with his rifle ready quietly went into the opening, Commander Benson then followed with his hand gun in his right hand, holding a flash light with his left hand and with his left wrist supported his right hand. Karen then followed in to the opening with Lopez’s A P twenty one hand gun in her left hand with her right hand supporting the weapon. Peck then followed Karen in to the opening, he too like Commander Benson had a hand gun in his right hand, a flash light in his left hand and using his left wrist to support his right hand.