Stainless Steel Rat 11: The Stainless Steel Rat Returns by Harry Harrison Page A
Book: Stainless Steel Rat 11: The Stainless Steel Rat Returns by Harry Harrison
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Authors: Harry Harrison
Tags: Fiction, General, Humorous, Science-Fiction, adventure, Satire, Swindlers and Swindling, Interplanetary voyages, Science fiction; American, Families, Satire; American, DiGriz; James Bolivar (Fictitious Character)
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around me and gave me a warm hug.
“You can do it. You are probably the only one in the known universe who can.”
She knew me so well! I returned the hug warmly and thankfully. Cheered and grateful.
“We’ll knock ’em dead!”
“That’s the Rat I know and love!”
“Now we can move all our gear into place. I checked out on the motorcycle and I hope you will sit behind me when we storm the bastion.”
“Of course—it will be a fun ride!”
Fun? Not quite the word I would normally use. But, perhaps she was right.
We could do it.
CHAPTER 12
The troops dozed under the trees through the warm evening hours. I was resolutely awake, planning the encounter to come. At first glimmer of light on the western horizon I walked back under the trees and woke my sleeping soldiers, then pushed them stumbling to their positions. Angelina joined me and shushed the waking farmers when they started talking loudly.
Stramm had all the equipment in position and gave me a thumbs-up, clearly visible in the light of dawn.
“Just tell me when,” he whispered, holding on to the launching handle.
“Very soon now.”
I climbed aboard the motorcycle and Angelina slipped up behind me. The gate in the wall was clearly visible, with the dark forms of soldiers on the wall above.
“Now!”
I hit the ignition button just as the loudspeakers placed among the trees blasted out the ear-shattering bugle call, drowning out the roar of the exhaust. The burning glare of the thermite bomb sizzled by over my head to crash into the wall with an explosion of flame.
Angelina held tight to me as the bike gunned forward, the front wheel rising high.
I had the throttle wide open as we roared towards the gate. Only hitting the brakes at the last possible moment so we screeched to a stop.
A second thermite bomb sizzled past—just over my head—and exploded against the gate. In seconds the wooden gate had caught fire and was now burning nicely.
“Very dramatic!” Angelina said, slipping off the bike. I touched the mike switch on my cap and the amplified roar of my voice replaced the blaring bugles.
“NOW HEAR THIS!”
What they heard was the shout of our troops as they stepped out from the cover of the trees, shaking their weapons over their head. As they drew back my amplified voice replaced their throaty roar.
“Obey me and you will not be harmed. My troops and weapons are here. My spacer is in orbit, armed with atomic weapons, and awaits my instructions. Open your gate for me—NOW!”
I paused for dramatic effect, then spoke with the voice of destiny.
“I am General diGriz, First Galactic Inspector of the Intergalactic Department of Religious Control.”
Carried away by enthusiasm Stramm launched anothersizzling firebomb against the already burning gate. I walked towards it, felt its heat on my face. Stood, hands on my hips, staring up at it.
“OPEN!” my amplified voice boomed—followed by an ear-blasting blare of trumpets.
More figures were moving about on the wall above now. But nothing was happening. I had to keep them off balance. I switched off the mike before I spoke to Angelina.
“Put a shot through the gate—up high.”
Before I finished talking a shot blasted a gaping hole in the wooden gate—and the gun was already back in its holster. I switched the mike back on.
“Followers of the Church of the Vengeful God, I command you: open—or die in sin!”
A little stir of their paranoia was called for here.
Was it moving?
Yes—the gate was opening!
We stamped our way in past the wall of flame.
Black-garbed soldiers stumbled away across the courtyard before us. I reached out and seized the nearest one of them by the collar and shook him a bit.
“Take me to your master,” I ordered, my words echoing from the speakers behind me. I thumbed off the mike as we followed after him into the grim building beyond.
Daylight was streaming through the high windows now, lighting up the building’s interior. Dark
“You can do it. You are probably the only one in the known universe who can.”
She knew me so well! I returned the hug warmly and thankfully. Cheered and grateful.
“We’ll knock ’em dead!”
“That’s the Rat I know and love!”
“Now we can move all our gear into place. I checked out on the motorcycle and I hope you will sit behind me when we storm the bastion.”
“Of course—it will be a fun ride!”
Fun? Not quite the word I would normally use. But, perhaps she was right.
We could do it.
CHAPTER 12
The troops dozed under the trees through the warm evening hours. I was resolutely awake, planning the encounter to come. At first glimmer of light on the western horizon I walked back under the trees and woke my sleeping soldiers, then pushed them stumbling to their positions. Angelina joined me and shushed the waking farmers when they started talking loudly.
Stramm had all the equipment in position and gave me a thumbs-up, clearly visible in the light of dawn.
“Just tell me when,” he whispered, holding on to the launching handle.
“Very soon now.”
I climbed aboard the motorcycle and Angelina slipped up behind me. The gate in the wall was clearly visible, with the dark forms of soldiers on the wall above.
“Now!”
I hit the ignition button just as the loudspeakers placed among the trees blasted out the ear-shattering bugle call, drowning out the roar of the exhaust. The burning glare of the thermite bomb sizzled by over my head to crash into the wall with an explosion of flame.
Angelina held tight to me as the bike gunned forward, the front wheel rising high.
I had the throttle wide open as we roared towards the gate. Only hitting the brakes at the last possible moment so we screeched to a stop.
A second thermite bomb sizzled past—just over my head—and exploded against the gate. In seconds the wooden gate had caught fire and was now burning nicely.
“Very dramatic!” Angelina said, slipping off the bike. I touched the mike switch on my cap and the amplified roar of my voice replaced the blaring bugles.
“NOW HEAR THIS!”
What they heard was the shout of our troops as they stepped out from the cover of the trees, shaking their weapons over their head. As they drew back my amplified voice replaced their throaty roar.
“Obey me and you will not be harmed. My troops and weapons are here. My spacer is in orbit, armed with atomic weapons, and awaits my instructions. Open your gate for me—NOW!”
I paused for dramatic effect, then spoke with the voice of destiny.
“I am General diGriz, First Galactic Inspector of the Intergalactic Department of Religious Control.”
Carried away by enthusiasm Stramm launched anothersizzling firebomb against the already burning gate. I walked towards it, felt its heat on my face. Stood, hands on my hips, staring up at it.
“OPEN!” my amplified voice boomed—followed by an ear-blasting blare of trumpets.
More figures were moving about on the wall above now. But nothing was happening. I had to keep them off balance. I switched off the mike before I spoke to Angelina.
“Put a shot through the gate—up high.”
Before I finished talking a shot blasted a gaping hole in the wooden gate—and the gun was already back in its holster. I switched the mike back on.
“Followers of the Church of the Vengeful God, I command you: open—or die in sin!”
A little stir of their paranoia was called for here.
Was it moving?
Yes—the gate was opening!
We stamped our way in past the wall of flame.
Black-garbed soldiers stumbled away across the courtyard before us. I reached out and seized the nearest one of them by the collar and shook him a bit.
“Take me to your master,” I ordered, my words echoing from the speakers behind me. I thumbed off the mike as we followed after him into the grim building beyond.
Daylight was streaming through the high windows now, lighting up the building’s interior. Dark
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