"Great. You are one of my new recruits," said Sergeant Green. "Who ordered you to move these prisoners all by yourself? We are in a combat situation here. Spiders are popping out of their holes everywhere. You can't be escorting this many prisoners all by yourself!"

"I brought them up through City Hall," said Guido. "A spider clerk there said they could not stay at City Hall. Two legionnaires down the street sent me to you."

"Where were you ordered to take them?" asked Sergeant Green. Dumb Euro-trash. Where do we get these guys? Dumb Euro-trash. Where do we get these guys? he wondered. "Answer me!" he wondered. "Answer me!"

"These prisoners surrendered to me down in the tunnels," said Guido. "Le do questi prigionieri."

"What do you mean, they surrendered to you? You and who else?" asked Sergeant Green. Green ripped off his gas mask and took a closer look at the sloppy private. He was unshaven, dirty, and stunk. The legionnaire had spider a.s.sault rifles slung over his shoulder and spider-made grenades hanging from his belt. He looked more like Rambo than Private Washington. But his name tag said 'Tonelli.' Sergeant Green noticed the dragon and took a step back.

"It's just me that captured them," cried Guido. "I had to kill a few first. You cannot imagine how glad I am to be back. It has been h.e.l.l." Guido rushed forward and gave Sergeant Green a hug.

"That's enough, Private Tonelli," said Sergeant Green. "Don't be hugging me. Compose yourself."

"I could kiss you, I am so happy," said Guido as he released Sergeant Green.

"Don't you dare," said Sergeant Green. "This isn't the French Foreign Legion. This is the American Foreign Legion. We don't do kissing on the cheek."

"Yes, Sergeant," said Guido.

"Corporal Ceausescu!" called out Sergeant Green. "Organize a detail to escort these prisoners to confinement. Also, radio Captain Czerinski and tell him we found Private Tonelli alive."

"What about the giant lizard?" asked Corporal Ceausescu.

"Spot is with me," said Guido.

It was luck that the Lion of the Forest escaped death in the safe house. He had gone into the tunnels to find food for a sandwich. Shortly after he left, a Legion bomb from s.p.a.ce killed everyone in the safe house. It was fate. Even better, it was destiny.

"I cannot be killed!" the Lion of the Forest yelled to Heaven up above. "G.o.d protects me and our cause."

The spider freedom fighters rallied around him and cheered. He led them north through the tunnels, away from the DMZ. The starship could wait. Others had fled south and died from the gas. Cowards. They deserved to die for running away from the upcoming battle. Today the Lion of the Forest would lead an attack on the prison and free all the political prisoners held there. It did not matter that the legionnaire Tonelli had escaped or been killed. Today would see a glorious victory for freedom.

CHAPTER 5.

The spider regular army soldiers of Fort #6 had surrendered early in the war. It galled them that their onetime home was now their prison. But, they had been promised by E-mail that the first troops to surrender would also be the first repatriated. Somehow that promise had been forgotten. The warden, Captain Norris, promised he was looking into it. The war was over, and a treaty was in place. It was time to go home. But Captain Norris had not talked to them in a month, and the guards did not seem to know or care about when they would be released. They vowed the human pestilence would be forced to care.

Worse, the soldiers were now sharing crowded cells with common criminals and recently arrested members of the insurgency. Criminals could be handled on an individual basis. The guards did not care if a prisoner's throat was cut. But members of the insurgency were organized, and they were fanatics. And, they insisted everyone join their cause under penalty of death. Some spider guards smuggled in grenades and hand guns to the insurgents. Emboldened, insurgents killed two human guards with a grenade. The attack ended with several prisoners being shot when the guards stormed into the cell block. But the prison was not searched, and the insurgents remained armed.

The spider soldiers knew that the armory was in a central location close to their housing area. When the time was right, they plotted to break into the armory and seize the weapons so they could defend themselves and negotiate their repatriation. The armory had a.s.sault rifles, machine guns, mortars, RPGs, and unlimited ammunition. The armory was a strong point that could be defended. The Legion would have to listen to their grievances when they rioted. A riot was the language of the unheard.

Captain William Norris found it ironic that he was appointed warden of a spider prison, because he had once been a prisoner of war himself. Captain Norris had been shot down over New Colorado on the first day of the Legion counter attack during the first spider war. General Kalipetsis thought Captain Norris would have special insight into how to run a wartime detention center. The general was wrong. Captain Norris found prison administration stressful and depressing. The prison had been a spider military base. Many of the dungeon-like cells were underground. Captain Norris spent most of his time in his office, avoiding contact with prisoners and letting his spider and legionnaire guards run the prison as they saw fit. The guards had no experience running a prison, so they ran it poorly. The Captain would get lost in his own prison if Sergeant Mendoza was not with him as an escort.

Captain Norris could hear explosions and fighting coming from Disneyland. That is where Captain Norris longed to be. Combat was the road to promotion, not babysitting spiders at this prison. He had been briefed on the next batch of prisoners arriving now, and on the rescue of Private Tonelli. The press would be here soon. For now, Captain Norris was required to leave the comfort of his office and a.s.sist with screening and interrogation of the new prisoners.

Capatin Norris and Sergeant Mendoza greeted the twenty-seven new prisoners in the day room next to the cell blocks. Spider prisoners were already calling out to the new arrivals and jeering the legionnaires. That was another thing Captain Norris hated. It seemed like the noise of prison was constant.

"Who is the ranking spider?" asked Captain Norris.

"I am Dragon Leader #7," said a spider, stepping forward. "You human pestilence will all die. G.o.d is with us." The other spiders cheered.

"You let one legionnaire capture you," said Captain Norris. "You don't seem so tough."

"Tough enough," said the dragon leader, as he spit on Captain Norris.

Captain Norris drew his pistol and struck the dragon leader in the face, knocking him to the ground. The other spiders pressed forward.

"Fix bayonets," ordered Sergeant Green to his squad. They forced the agitated spider prisoners back against the cell blocks. The spiders in the cell blocks were now yelling and throwing debris. Someone lit a blanket on fire.

"We need to separate these prisoners and interrogate them one at a time," suggested Sergeant Mendoza, sensing they were losing control. "It is more effective that way."

As the dragon leader picked himself up, he drew a large combat knife and slashed Captain Norris across the forearm and chest. Captain Norris just stood there in disbelief. Blood stained his uniform. Sergeant Mendoza shot the dragon leader several times. A grenade was thrown at Captain Norris from the crowd of newly captured spiders. It exploded, throwing Captain Norris into the air. Sergeant Green's squad opened fire, killing all twenty-seven prisoners. Several legionnaire and spider guards went down. Prisoners in the cell blocks threw grenades and fired pistols, forcing the legionnaires to retreat from the cell block area.

The explosions and small arms fire were the signal the captive Arthropodan soldiers had been waiting for. A sergeant grabbed one of the common criminals and hung him by the neck from a light fixture. Then he yelled to a spider guard down the hall that someone was attempting suicide. They all yelled and pleaded for the guard to do something. The spider guard, already wary because of the sound of fighting in another part of the prison, refused to go inside the cell block. He ordered the prisoners to get the hanging spider down. However, as the guard watched, he got too close to the bars. The sergeant grabbed the guard and pulled him in close to be gutted. After obtaining the keys, the sergeant released the cell block inmates and led his spider soldiers down the hallway to the armory.

The Lion of the Forest and three hundred freedom fighters dug their way up into the prison cell block area, only to find a battle already in progress. He was amazed to find the Legion already in retreat. The Lion of the Forest deployed his heavily armed fighters to strategic strong points. Machine guns and anti-tank missiles were put to good use. They had the advantage of commanding the high ground. The retreating legionnaires still were not safe, even after their retreat to the perimeter, because of spider snipers. A column of armored cars entered the prison gates and was quickly destroyed by anti-tank missiles. It appeared that in a few minutes the insurgents would overwhelm the Legion positions.

Lieutenant Lopez and I entered the prison gates with a column of armored cars. We thought we were arriving to a.s.sist with a press release for Guido. The Legion had a new hero, and his promotion and medal ceremony was going to be broadcast on TV. An anti-tank missile struck the first armored car. Flames forced its evacuation. We returned fire with cannon and mounted machine guns, but were forced back when another armored car was. .h.i.t.

"h.e.l.l of a way to run a prison," said Lieutenant Lopez, as we jumped out of our burning armored car and ducked behind a wall.

I radioed to the T. Roosevelt s.p.a.ce Weapons Platform. "I need air support! The spiders have seized the entire Disneyland prison. We have lost at least two armored cars to anti-tank missiles and are outnumbered. The situation is dire."

The T Roosevelt used its s.p.a.ce cannon to drop 500 pound bombs on the prison. Helicopter gunships rocketed the prison, followed by fighter jets dropping napalm. A tank was used to secure the front gate. Its cannon fired into the upper cell block areas. I poked my head over a wall for a look. Plenty of spiders were still shooting back. The prison walls were too thick to do much damage to the spider positions. They kept shooting, then ducking behind thick walls or back to the tunnels.

I asked air support to drop bunker-busting bombs. These bombs would burrow deep into the ground and bunkers before exploding. They had immediate effect. One of the bombs was accidentally dropped on our tank at the front gate, causing more confusion.

By the second day, the surface buildings of the prison had been reduced to rubble by continuous bombardment. The spiders still controlled the underground areas and would pop up and shoot at anyone who moved. We brought in another tank. I followed the tank with a platoon. We planted an American flag on top of the great mound of rubble, but the spiders still fought on from the tunnels.

I radioed the T Roosevelt again. "We are inside the prison again with another tank," I reported. "Stop bombing. We only have one tank left, and we don't need you wrecking that one too."

"Sorry about that," said the new cannon specialist. "There must have been a miscommunication. It was the air force, not me, that hit your tank."

"Where is Sergeant Mendoza?" I asked. "Mendoza usually operates the s.p.a.ce cannon."

"Sergeant Mendoza should be down there with you," replied the cannon specialist.

"Oh. I'll look for him," I said. "He is probably on the other side of the prison."

"There is some good news. You should now have cell phone service to Disneyland," said the cannon specialist. "Is there anyone there you need to contact for supply or re-enforcements?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact there is," I said, entering the number on my cell phone.

"Good afternoon, Pizza Hut," answered a young spider. "How may I help you today?"

"I want to order five hundred extra-large pepperoni and sausage pizzas," I said. "Put it on my card. Do you deliver?"

"We most certainly do," said the young spider. "And we also guarantee hot delivery."

"Oh h.e.l.l no," said Sergeant Green. "I do not eat pork."

"You aren't Muslim, are you?" I asked.

"Get real," responded Sergeant Green. "Pork makes me deathly ill."

"I want to change that order," I said to Pizza Hut. "Make that 499 extra large pepperoni and sausage pizzas and one vegetarian pizza with extra cheese."

"Do you want mushrooms?" asked the spider.

"No. I hate mushrooms," I said. "And I want five hundred large bottles of c.o.ke."

"Sorry, we don't have c.o.ke," advised the spider. "Is Pepsi okay?"

"Fine," I said. "Deliver my order to the front gate of the prison."

"The prison?" asked the young spider. "I have been hearing loud explosions all day coming from your direction. There have been rumors of a riot from the conveys of troops pa.s.sing by. Is it safe?"

"Oh sure," I said. "You know those air force geeks. They are always practicing blowing something up. Sometimes it keeps us awake at night."

"Well okay, if you say everything is alright," said the spider. "Let me just say that Pizza Hut appreciates your large order."

When the pizza truck arrived, I gave the driver a big tip. I mentioned I was worried the insurgents had mined the road, but obviously not, since he got through. "We were starving out here," I told the delivery spider. "You have probably heard what happens when humans get hungry. We will eat anyone."

"I have to go now," said the delivery spider, running back to his truck. "I quit this job! It's not worth it for minimum wage!"

The bombing stopped so we could finish lunch. Lieutenant Lopez offered pizza to any spider who came out of the tunnels and surrendered. None did. At 1600 we started throwing grenades down spider holes and using a flamethrower to burn them out.

"What we need is a nuke," I said to myself.

"Nuke?" asked Private Tonelli. "I know where there is a nuke. I could give it to you."

"They might consider nuking rioters a bit excessive," commented Lieutenant Lopez.

"I don't see much difference," said Tonelli, looking out at the destruction.

"It's good to see you, Guido," I said. "When this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk. Go help Private Williams and Sergeant Green throw grenades down spider holes."

"Yes, sir," replied Tonelli as he left.

By the third day, it was clear the spiders were not coming out, no matter what we did to them. Even gas had no effect. Finally, engineers redirected a nearby irrigation ditch to flood the prison underground. No spiders survived. They all drowned except for the Lion of the Forest and a few terrorists. They returned to Disneyland through the tunnels.

About eight hundred spider bodies were recovered. Most of our losses were spider guards. At the outset, legionnaires had retreated to safety and were saved by the quickness of the air support. Captain Norris' body was recovered. It had been b.o.o.by-trapped with a grenade. Sergeant Mendoza was still listed as missing in action, presumed dead and buried in the rubble.

"This is Phill Coen, World News Tonight, broadcasting live from the deadly prison riot at Disneyland, on the planet of New Colorado. Sources tell me that over eight hundred prisoners were killed when the Legion retook the prison. No prisoners survived. About sixty legionnaires and spider guards were killed or wounded. First we will be talking to the ranking officer on the scene, Captain Joey R. Czerinski."

"h.e.l.lo Phil," I said. "Long time no see."

"Captain Czerinski, this appears to be another ma.s.sacre. You have been accused of ma.s.sacre before," commented Coen. "I believe the spiders still call you the Butcher of New Colorado."

"That is unfair," I said, agitated. "We almost got wiped out when the battle began."

"At the very least, some would say that you used disproportionate force to quell the prison riot," said Coen. "You used tanks, armored cars, artillery, jet fighter bombers, helicopter gunships, and the strategic bombing platform of the T. Roosevelt starship. There is even a rumor you discussed using a nuke. How do you justify using that much firepower?"

"The prisoners had grenades, mortars, anti-tank weapons, and machine guns," I answered. "They almost overran our positions. We had no choice but to call in the big guns."

"The war has been over for quite some time, yet half the prisoners were still just plain Arthropodan soldiers waiting to be repatriated," said Coen. "Why would these spiders be so desperate as to riot?"

"I don't know," I said. "Captain Norris, the prison warden, would be more familiar with the prison living conditions, but he was murdered at the beginning of the battle."

"How do you think this many spider deaths will affect future U.S.G.F. relations with Arthropoda?" asked Coen. "Aren't relations already strained?"

"Whatever," I said. "Hopefully the spiders have learned that another cowardly surprise attack will be dealt with harshly by the Legion."

"Sources say the riot started when Captain Norris pistol-whipped a new spider detainee in front of the whole prison population," said Coen. "Is that true?"

"I don't know. I wasn't there. But, I doubt it. The riot was not caused by Captain Norris. It was caused by rioters."

"How can you explain that no prisoners survived?" asked Coen.

"At the end, we drove the spiders into the tunnels underground the fort," I explained. "They all died when we flooded the underground."

"Did you try to negotiate with the prisoners?" asked Coen. "Was there any attempt to establish a line of communications with the prisoners? Isn't that procedure in all prison riot situations?"

"The minute I drove my armored car through the prison gates, the car was destroyed by an anti-tank rocket. There was no time for negotiations. I was pinned down against that wall over there by machine gun fire and mortars."

"No time?" asked Coen. "Isn't it true you had time to order and eat five hundred pizzas from Pizza Hut?"