The Second Book of the Alienbutt Saga. The Rise of Mr Fluffy. Part 57.

THE BATTLE FOR KALPHELLA STATION.

Chapter 15.

INTERSTELLAR NEWS CHANNEL 9. NEWS FLASH.

Rumours circulating of a build-up of Federal forces have been dismissed as false and just normal operational rotation. A spokesman from the Federal Navy said that a number of fleets that have been reported to be moving up to the front lines are being repositioned to avoid detection from Ick spies. The prolonged stand-off between the two forces has led to more muted calls for peace talks but during discussions in the Senate such ideas were dismissed while skirmishes continued.
In other news the family of Trescoplaphones at the centre of a bidding war after the collapse of the Loc Ness Olde Scotland theme park have been sold to the J.O. School Dinners for Olde Britannia plc. Despite objections from environmentalists the big beasties are heading for the dinner table.

As the rumbling of the explosions finished Quint had ordered all his off-worlders to him. Now over thirty had gathered in the food hall of the market, all armed and ready. Quint had underestimated the stranger Alienbutt. The fact that he had been able to not only walk, but work out what was happening with the amount of the drug he had spiked the drink with should not have been possible. Somehow he had made it back to his ship and killed two of his men, before seriously damaging one of his trading ships. Then, just to make a bad day worse, the main lighting had failed. That had sparked a mass panic amongst the locals who had run for the relative safety of their quarters on the lower levels, removing his civilian shield. The emergency lighting had quickly kicked in giving a dull red light just bright enough to see. Quint looked around at his band of men. Each one was handpicked for their ruthlessness and violent tendencies. Picking out his number two he beckoned him over.
“Tarnic, pick ten men and take the steps up to the hangar. Wait for my signal then you go in all guns,” Quint ordered.
“The stairs? But there’s about four thousand between here and the hangar,” Tarnic complained.
Without warning Quint backhanded him across the face, making him stagger back.
“I’m not interested in how many steps there are. I just want you up there and don’t damage his ship, I want the weaponry off of it,” Quint shouted in fury at being questioned.
Tarnic quickly backed off to gather up the men to take the stairs.
Quint’s attention then fell upon Crugack, who stood cowering off to one side. “You had better have some good news for me, Crugack,” he warned.
“He is still in the hangar but the explosions have knocked all the security cameras offline. We’re still working to reboot them,” Crugack said nervously, looking to the floor.
“Tell me, why do I keep you around?” Quint asked calmly, recovering his temper. Crugack didn’t answer, unsure of what to say. “No I don’t know either.”
With that Quint pulled out his gun and shot the security chief in the head. He walked over to the body and looked down at the dead Crugack. “Belorid, give it ten minutes then take five men up the lift,” he ordered, never taking his eyes from the man he had just murdered.

To be continued.
All images are mine.