Tales Of The Rocket Patrol 2

Chapter 3

     It didn't take long for news of Sergeant Star's firefight to spread around town like a wildfire. It had been almost twenty years since an exchange of blaster fire had taken place within the city. Citizens were used to hearing a single blast here and there as the law was being enforced but no one had heard return fire since the city's defense systems were activated. The tech that was created by one of the city's smarted scientists would deactivate any unauthorized blasters that were brought within the city limits. This made the job of officers and the patrol to protect the streets of the biggest city in the system much, much easier. After its complete success, other mega cities in the galaxy bought into the system and did the same to secure their cities. If someone managed to create tech that could bypass that system, it could spell big trouble for cities that use the system to protect their people.

     The news of a fire fight in Amanda's part of town had caused a panic. People of importance, like the mayor, were calling Patrol HQ and asking what they knew about the firefight that went on downtown. People were asking questions in a panic and often led to assumptions that just weren't true. Sergeant Star brought the man she arrested back to HQ personally. He was still out cold from the shot she hit him with. She also still had his blaster, eager to make sure it made it into the right hands. Amanda had lived in the city long enough to know that things the city deemed unpopular often disappeared when they were sent through the usual chain of custody and then denied as if they never existed. Star didn't want that to happen with this blaster, despite the panic its mere existence was causing. She landed in the section of HQ that handled prisoners and she had two guards pick up the man from her craft and carry him away.

     "Send him to interrogation one zero three." Amanda ordered when they took him away.

     "Right away, Sergeant." One of them replied.

     She was about to pull her speeder out when someone else approached her. "Sergeant Star?"

     "Yes." Amanda replied.

     "Is it true?" the tech in the landing zone asked. "Was there a firefight downtown?"

     "I'm afraid so." Amanda answered. "But the perp only fired a few times before I stunned him. It wasn't as bad as it's being reported."

     Before the man could respond, Star took her speeder back up to the level where she previously parked before starting her shrift. She could understand why people were talking; the blaster she was carrying was evidence that the city's security might be compromised. Amanda was eager to make sure the science department of the Patrol got a chance to see it and why it was able to beat the system they all depended on. If they couldn't find out why, the Rocket Patrol as well as the city's security forces could be overrun and that would cause mass panic in the capital city. As she was landing her speeder in her usual spot, the com-panel on her left forearm started to beep. It was a message from Rogers.

     ROGERS: Just heard about the blaster fight. Are you all right?

     Amanda sent a quick response to let him know that she's all right and that the blaster fight wasn't as bad as it's going around. She could tell that the news of an illegal blaster was already causing a stir. Her fears were confirmed when Rogers sent her another message.

     ROGERS: Top brass is freaking out. Watch your six.

     Amanda agreed that she had to watch what she did next. As she strolled through the lobby, she kept the illegal blaster holstered where her usual weapon was and she carried her own casually. She was about halfway through the lobby when someone stopped her from making it.

     Two guards stepped in front of her, blocking her route to the science wing. "Commander Anders wishes to speak with you."

     "Tell him I'm busy." Amanda replied. "I'll be happy to make time with him after I speak to a few people about something very important."

     "This is more important." The other guard replied. "Please come with us."

     They didn't seem to notice she was carrying the illegal blaster so she went along with them, casually carrying her own blaster by her side as if it were a fashion accessory. When she was arrived to Commander Anders' office, there were several high ranking members of the patrol in there. They had obviously heard about what happened to her and were waiting for her.

     "Sergeant Star." He called out. "We need to speak to you about today's rumored event."

     "It's not a rumor." Star replied. "Someone fired at me when I was trying to break up a robbery... several times as a matter of fact."

     "That's impossible." One of the other high ranking men in the room replied. "This city is secure from unauthorized blasters."

     "That doesn't seem to be the case, Sir." Amanda respectfully replied.

     The Commanders didn't seem impressed.

     "All I see is a Sergeant who is trying to use this controversy to make a name for herself." A lady at the back of the room suddenly commented. She could tell by her uniform she was from internal security, those who are in charge of the city's anti-blaster grid.

     Amanda replied by tossing her own blaster and then pulled the illegal blaster she took from the crook out and pointed it at her. "Are you willing to bet your life on it?"

     All the commanders in the room backed away a few feet. Anders was less than impressed. "Sergeant. What is that?"

     "This is the blaster that managed to bypass the grid." Amanda replied. "I was in the process of taking it to our scientific labs to determine how it managed to beat our system."

     "Sergeant Star!" the other Commander snapped at her. "If you do not bring these fictitious rumors to an end..."

     Rather than listen to the rest of that threat, Amanda pointed the illegal blaster at the other corner of the room and fired. In the corner of the room was a small bureau that was used to display Commander Anders' awards. The sound of the blaster was so loud, the windows shattered. As did Anders' bureau as the shot turned the solid wood frame into tiny splinters. Suddenly everyone in the room was witness to something that was not a rumor. The blaster was still functioning, despite the fact that it was within city limits. There were even more advanced security systems within Patrol HQ, which also failed to disable the blaster. Sergeant Star then pointed the blaster back to the woman she passed her own blaster to.

     "Do you require another demonstration?" she calmly asked the room.