[COPY] Home Fires-Containment Protocol-Part 16
Logistics & contingencies. Fiction. 1400 words, 7-minute read.
Last time, Booker, gripped by the brass fever, had just informed his men about the planned foray to the mountain of the gods. This chapter is a short one. I apologize for that. But I attended the Monumental Confusion science fiction convention, near Detroit, over the weekend. And, as many of you no doubt know, conventions gobble writing time like a hungry T-Rex on a weight watchers diet. Just yesterday, the 100th subscriber signed up for Science Fiction You Can Enjoy. So, celebrate that milestone with me. 🍾🎉
The rest of the Containment Protocol story can be found here: https://raytabler.substack.com/s/rays-serial-fiction
Home Fires – Containment Protocol-Part 16
By Ray Tabler
“Pinsky, get down here.” Booker ordered. “Looks like you’ve got plenty of ammo already.”
Pinsky was indeed heavily burdened with bandoliers of cartridges for his side arm and the two carbines from Fred’s armory. He waddled to the edge of the tank’s hull and awkwardly attempted to climb down. Suppressing a irritated sigh, Mulroney relieved Pinsky of some of the bandoliers. Olmer assisted Mulroney without waiting for the order. He passed bandoliers out to the other three scouts until the load was evenly distributed. There was no grumbling about the extra weight from the scouts. They too welcomed extra ammo, even if the small caliber rounds likely wouldn’t have any effect on dinos like they’d already encountered. Psychology is a funny thing.
Booker noted the way Olmer seized the initiative, small though the task was. The man might be ready for more responsibility. Should he survive the next few days. Should any of them survive.
While the ammo was redistributed, Gonzalez, Barney’s gunner, arrived, arms full of what the Army called assault rations. Which was no doubt a term arrived at by a focus group of DoD bureaucrats, in a carpeted, air-condition pentagon conference room. In the field, the troops just called them ass-rats. Nomenclature aside, the assault rations were lighter and more compact than the more palatable MREs. Individual opinions of the edibility of ass-rats...varied. Each of the scouts, Pinsky, and Booker packed the food in their rucks. DeWiess and Hudson quietly traded meals back and forth.
“Got any cheddar beef?” Hudson craned his neck to catalog DeWiess’s hoard of rations.
“Yeah. Trade it for the BBQ sandwich?”
“Okay.”
Booker spotted Muñoz headed over from Bedrock, and flagged him down. Muñoz strode up. He passed by Hudson and DeWiess.
“I’ll take any nacho beef stick packets.” Muñoz offered.
All four scouts narrowed their eyes at the former green beret. “You want that one?” Coffman asked.
“Sure.” Muñoz chuckled. “Tastes better than snake.”
“I think anything would taste better than snake.” Olmer pointed out.
“Beetles don’t.” Muñoz informed the group.
“Now I remember why I didn’t apply for Special Forces.” DeWiess looked as though he might be ill.
Muñoz smirked. “Hope you armored cav types are ready for a break from riding around in your big, steel Winnebagos.”
Booker wasn’t in a mood for banter.
“Did you talk to Zunta?”
“Yep. Vinzi’s right. Zunta and his buddies are already going stir crazy. They jumped at the chance to get out of here. They’re set to go.”
Booker blinked. “That’s quick.”
“Not really. The teeth-to-tail ratio for a prehistoric warrior is pretty high. They just have to pick up their gear and saddle up their swahldets.”
“Hmm. About that.” Booker frowned. “I didn’t think through us riding those domesticated dinos. How’s that going to work out?’
Muñoz grinned. “Zunta says he’d pick out some nice, tame ones for us. How’d he put it? Suitable for old ladies.”
“So, scaley, feathered Winnebagos?” Booker snorted.
“More or less.” Muñoz moved closer to Booker and lowered his voice. “You know, you might as well leave those carbines behind. They’re pretty much dead weight when up against a dino. Even the smaller ones.”
Booker shrugged into the carry sling for his carbine, and checked his ammo load out. “The carbines aren’t for the dinos. I know you trust Zunta and his buddies. But I want some insurance in case relations between the US Army and Bedrock go sideways. Hell, I’ve already had to save Pinsky from being burned at the stake. And that was just this morning.”
“That’s really unnecessary.”
“I hope you’re right. I really do. But hope isn’t a plan.” Booker patted his carbine. “This is my back up plan.”
Muñoz frowned his disapproval, and opened his mouth to argue the point. Mulroney, had been eavesdropping on the debate. He agreed with Booker. Just then, he spotted a pair of figures approaching.
“Ahem, we’ve got company, sir.”
The group pivoted to see two women crossing the open ground between downtown Bedrock and the tank lager. One of them was Nohfa, mercifully clothed by now. The other female was an older woman, sturdily built and blessed with a no-nonsense face under a mane of flaming, red hair.
The women marched up to Booker, and Nohfa commenced a long, animated speech. Muñoz listened; an uneasy smile slowly blooming on his face. Throughout, Nohfa’s companion stared stonily at Mulroney.
“Why is that gal lookin’ at me that way?”
“Like what?” Booker asked.
“Like she’s an alley cat, eying up a rat.”
Booker might’ve offered up an opinion, but Nohfa finished, and Muñoz turned to translate. “Uh...” He paused to marshal his words. This is Loonza. She’s Nohfa’s, uh, sister-in-law, Zunta’s older sister.”
“Same hair.” Olmer confided to DeWiess in a whisper. DeWiess nodded at the astute observation.
“And, what can we do for the lady?’ Booker asked, dreading the answer.
Muñoz bounced a look at Booker, Loonza, and Mulroney. “Well, Nohfa has brought Loonza here to...mate with sergeant Mulroney.”
There was a stunned silence. Mulroney instantly experienced a flight-of fight response. Only military discipline throttled that urge.
Muñoz continued. “Loonza’s a widow. Her mate was eaten by velociraptors a couple of years ago.”
“I’m thinking it was suicide-by-dino.” Coffman shared his view out the side of his mouth.
Normally, Mulroney would’ve reprimanded Coffman for such a remark. However, Loonza stepped up close to the sergeant and grasped him by the bicep. She squeezed, hard, as if testing a melon for ripeness. Next, Loonza pulled Mulroney’s lips apart to check the condition of his teeth. She spoke to Nohfa. Who laughed.
“Do I wanna know what she said?” Mulroney tried edging away from his new mate. Unsuccessfully. Her grip was like iron.
“Probably not.” Muñoz wasn’t even trying to hide his amusement. “You’re a married man, sergeant. You should be up to the job.”
“Was married. Tiffany and me had three wonderful years together. Trouble was, we was married for fifteen years.”
“Tiffany?” Muñoz blinked.
“She was a stripper, when I met her.”
“Loonza’s just your type then.” Muñoz chuckled.
Booker decided that Mulroney was just going to have to deal with this situation on his own. He didn’t want to waste anymore daylight in Bedrock.
“Looks like you have things well in hand, sergeant Mulroney. We’ll be on our way. Use your own judgement. Keep the home fires burning. And try not to get burned at the stake while we’re gone.”
Booker nodded to Muñoz, who interpreted that as an order to lead the way. Which made sense. Muñoz knew where the swahldet stables were.
Booker, Muñoz, Pinsky, and the four scouts marched off toward the caldera wall. Gonzalez, who’d watched the drama unfold, tried to remember what everyone had said. The rest of the platoon would be hungry for juicy details. Loonza dragged a reluctant Mulroney toward her hut with a surprising amount of strength. Presumably for a test drive.
END.
Tune in next time for Part 17 – Back Door Dodge.
Find the rest of the Containment Protocol tale here: https://raytabler.substack.com/s/rays-serial-fiction
Shameless Self-Promotion Section:
Check out my novels at Histria Books https://histriabooks.com/product-tag/ray-tabler/
The Diesel-Powered Starship (due for release in September 2025) https://histriabooks.com/product/the-diesel-powered-starship/
A Grand Imperial War (Book 1 of the Grand Imperial series) https://histriabooks.com/product/a-grand-imperial-war-grand-imperial-series-book-1/
A Grand Imperial Heir (Sequel to A Grand Imperial War) https://histriabooks.com/product/a-grand-imperial-heir-grand-imperial-series-book-2/
Fool’s Paradise https://histriabooks.com/product/fools-paradise/
And visit my website, https://raytabler.com/, for Science Fiction You Can Enjoy!