Starfist - 12 - Firestorm by Dan Cragg

Author:Dan Cragg
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780345500502
Publisher: Ballantine Group
Published: 2010-07-02T10:23:43.362000+00:00

“Unhand me, you goons!” Cardoza O’Quinn struggled against the grip the two MPs had on his arms as they dragged him into General Sneed’s office.

Cardoza O’Quinn was ugly even when sober and he was far from sober, still in his nightclothes, disheveled, breath reeking of alcohol. His normally ruddy complexion was inflamed that morning by what he’d consumed the night before and the outrage at being pulled out of his bed so early and so unceremoniously in the morning. The warts that covered his bulbous nose, face, and neck, quivered with anger.

“We pulled him outta bed, sir,” the senior MP, a sergeant, reported. “The uh, lady, he was with never even woke up.” He grinned.

“I apologize to your wife, O’Quinn,” Sneed said.

“She weren’t my wife, Gen’ral, ’n’ don’t think you kin get away with this! President Summers is a personal friend of mine and I knowed Gen’ral Lyons fer years! Yer gonna be in hot water over this!”

“Well, neither of those estimable gentlemen is present now, O’Quinn, so you have to deal with me. We have word the enemy’s landed a force on the coast and it is probably headed this way. I want you to initiate the evacuation plan immediately.”

“What ’vacuation plan?”

General Sneed regarded the mayor silently for a moment. “The plan to evacuate your bowels, O’Quinn, so you won’t be so full of it! The evacuation plan I asked you to draw up in case Phelps ever came under attack! What the hell do you think I meant?”

“You gotta show me more respect, Gen’ral.” O’Quinn drew himself up and tried to look haughty.

“You get what respect you deserve, O’Quinn.”

“I ain’t got no time for any such folderol!”

“You mean there is no evacuation plan, Mr. Mayor?” Sneed asked, his voice deceptively gentle.

“Aw, fuck you, you tin—”

Sneed turned to the MP sergeant. “Take this piece of dreck out of here.”

“What do you want me to do with him?” The sergeant grinned.

“Throw him down a well.”

“You cain’t!” O’Quinn screamed, real terror edging his voice.

“On second thought, I don’t want to poison our water supply, Sergeant. Take him home. You are on your own, Mr. Mayor. But you get in my way and I’ll have you shot.” General Sneed turned to Major Spinoza. “General Josephus is standing by, Major; he has troops to put at your disposal. Do what you can to get these people moving. Do not let anyone down the Ashburtonville road, though. We’ll need that for our own movements.”

“I’ll commandeer all civilian vehicles in town, sir,” Major Spinoza said, “and put them on the road south, away from the coast. There’s a national park with camping facilities about twenty klicks in the direction of Gilbert’s Corners. I’ll get as many people there as I can.”

“Very good, Major.” They exchanged salutes and Spinoza left General Sneed alone with Captain Nigh.

General Sneed sighed and sat on the edge of his desk. “Quang, we’re headed for some real action. Chow down and take it easy while you can because for the rest of the time we’re here we’ll be hopping.

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