Star Kitten by Purple Hazel Page A

on practically every food depot on the planet.
    “Zorgs… they’re quick and small,” continued
General Hicks. “Use them as light infantry to draw fire from the
guards while our heavy infantry moves up… protected by boulders and
transport vehicles. These boulders will be discreetly placed; and
vehicles will be parked in a random fashion so to create very thin
narrow kill zones for the guards and their EIC’s. Our heavy
infantry must jump from protective cover to protective cover while
taking fire, slowly working their way toward the guard station.
Casualties will be high, but this is necessary for the Zorgs to do
while we get our infantry close enough to fire salvos of spears and
eliminate guard positions.”
    The Slarts were not terribly impressed so
far, but they nodded politely as Hicks stopped, gave a big long
humorous glance over at his life partner Perry, then looked back at
his audience of very intellectual and peaceful Slartigifijians with
an icy cold heartless look on his face. Then he spoke again, “But
it’s all just one big goddamn diversion, gentlemen….” All the
emotion drained from his face. At that, he turned back to the
diagram. It was sitting on a large stone side table and leaning
against the cave wall. Hicks pointed and gestured with his hands as
he described the rest, “Drawing fire from the guards in the kill
slots, we’ll be able to tunnel our way through the floor of the
station and come right up between their legs… right up their
asses.” He grinned while he gestured in an underhanded motion like
he was reaching up under something to plug it with his thumb.
    Then he reached his hand over the top of the
diagram and pointed downward, saying “Our Porko friends will tunnel
through the ceiling as well. By the time the guards realize they’re
being crushed like a vice; our infantry will be able to drill
through the gate of the depot and break in to eliminate the
garrison.”
    The plan, as Hicks proposed it, would
require over 2000 soldiers for each attack, with additional teams
of Porkos drilling and tunneling carefully through the planet onto
the roof of each structure; and through the ground below it
simultaneously without being detected. This would go on for days
before the actual assault and then, each attack would be signaled
to occur once the guard shift change was developing. Guard shift
changes were coordinated to occur at various times throughout the
planet; so Perry picked three that had similar schedules.
    Casualties in the diversionary assault would
be appalling, but the Porkos also would face a mauling when they
came up through the floor and through the ceiling. Hicks was very
blunt about that! However, the Slarts still liked the overall
strategy and accepted General Hicks’s plan, nodding toward each
other and toward their leader Architeuthis. “General Hicks, we
appreciate your honesty and boldness,” said Architeuthis. “Your
ingenuity and cunning have served you well in this endeavor; and we
are grateful for your efforts. We also thank you, Perry, for
assisting in the presentation.”
    But Perry wasn’t just the “loyal friend”
behind the scenes. Perry was actually the brains of that power
couple! Perry politely asked if he could add something to the
meeting, and the heretofore very masculine and rough-edged general,
suddenly became quite apologetic when he realized he’d skipped over
something very important: smoke bombs. “Oh yes, I almost forgot,”
snickered the grizzled general, “My partner Perry has something
more to add which will make things a little easier on our Porko
friends.” Perry chuckled a moment and winked subtly at his lover,
then said soberly, “Smoke bombs can be made for the Porkos to use
as a screen to disguise their movements within the guard station as
they try to climb through the holes they’ve created. To break
inside the roof and floor of the guard station, they’ll use
acetylene cutting torches during the attack. The noise of