Bate

by Jessie Rose Case

  Humans were a race that respected power Keo reflected. The Bataari had more than enough for all of them and when they’d arrived, the pissing contest ended real quick. Their mission was established. Take out the bad guys and show them the error of their ways. Be it drug producers and dealers or criminal groups, military groups or just despots. Anyone that was known to their own people as growing, selling, killing, trafficking and destroying their own and others or the world itself, were captured and detained, their work having been verified and wiped out, checked and pinpointed how deep it went, surveillance identified, then held for questioning and detained for their own people to decide on their fate or if they could not be trusted, given to those that could.

  The Bataari had the advantage of their own technology that made that possible. Could track anyone with a phone and all electronic communications across Earth and all of Earth technology. Nothing could be hidden from them. They had better weapons, better skills and using ‘drop’ technology it could put them anywhere, and using their camo, go undetected when they did. Earth was out classed, out gunned and out manoeuvred.

  The Bataari were an enigma to these people, the invisible army of warriors that were putting this world right. In the field of war they were the ghosts. No one saw them but the bad guys and then it was too late for them. There were whispers in circles around the world about them but no one could identify who they were. They had a good idea though, seeing as the bad guy’s problems started when the Bataari arrived. And the public face was very clear. They did not tolerate those that were destroying themselves and each other. Now the ghosts all had prices on their heads. Capture, not kill.

  These people weren’t stupid, they wanted intel. Wanted to know who they were, what they did and how they did it. They were hunted. A menace to the bad guys continued pay day. And that was ok with Keo and the Bataari. They were warriors. Had been fighting for hundreds of Earth years. They were good at what they did, the bad guys a disease that would learn, they would be their deadly cure.

  The Bataari could have taken this world but instead, wanted to save it. They would not allow it to destroy itself. They would not lose their future’s. They had come so far and waited hundreds of years on a journey that was difficult and dangerous at times. They would not stand by and allow this world to kill itself. Their King, their Rema, was determined this world would be helped, that their Prema, would be given every resource they had to secure this worlds future and Keo was happy to ensure they did. It held his future too. If she would have him.

  Commander Sharon Pitman came too slowly she could hear fighting. It was close. Thank god, she had her Bataari uniform on. It had protected her. She was lying face down on the ground. Her head hurt. A pounding headache clouding her mind. She lifted it and tried shaking it. “Fuck.” She called out that hurt. Ok not doing that again. Stretching her eyes open she tried to look around through the debris surrounding her. She was lying on dirt, she tried lifting head and shoulders, she seemed to be buried in more dirt. Dragging her arm forward she reached her face. Her laser gun still in her hand. Sharon smiled. Pay back’s gonna be a bitch. Using her arms and legs to crawl out from the dirt cocoon around her. She held back a scream as the pressure on her ankle told her it was probably broken. Fuck. Sharon gritted her teeth and pulled her body free of the dirt covering her and crawled to the end of the hole she was in and saw her team or what was left of it, fighting off insurgents. Sharon moved forward to find a good spot to hanger down in and took up position.

  Her head still pounding she picked a target and fired. They went down and her team mate looked in her direction, she gave a wave and turned back to take another out. Where were her Bataari men? Looking in the direction she’d last seen them. Shit, they were down and the attackers heading in their direction. She kept firing. Suddenly, they turned towards her. Yeah that’s right, this bitch isn’t dead yet. Sharon patted her leg for her sword and conventional gun. She had both. Ok then. Game on.

  Reaching for her coms “Sound off.” She called out to her men in between shooting out across the field of fire covering her people. Only two thirds of her men responded. Fuck. “Our Bataari are down. Protect them and come to me.” She called out. She had a defensive position the others did not have in open ground. What they had fired at her had left a big hole. They were trying to pick them off. “Cover each other I’ve got your backs.” She called out taking out her conventional firearm as well as her laser and started firing around them using both hands. Sharon watched as her men and women fought their way towards her. Trev was the furthest one away and the most exposed. Carlie came rolling into the hole. “Cover Trev his exposed.” She told her. Sharon kept firing at those attempting to get near the Bataari.

  Carlie scurried into position and started firing. More joined them. “Cover those coming in.” Not stopping, Sharon fired off keeping the attackers at bay and hoped to god they didn’t have a grenade. “Dig in. Bane, did you get a message off to HQ?” “Yes mam. Team is on their way. Maybe 10 mins out. Can’t drop here. There’s a dampening force in play.” Ten minutes. They can do ten minutes, she told herself. Sharon picked off two more going for Trev. “Trev get your arse in here or I’m going to kill you myself.” She called out and watched him hi tail it over to her and leap into the trench and take up position. She couldn’t help the wounded and hoped to god the team on its way hurried. “Protect our men out there.”

  Keo approached the firing from the trees. His men were also in position. It was clear that this group had been ambushed. A small pocket were holding their own in a trench. They looked to be human and keeping the attackers off others that were down. Keo looked around the field for the Bataari with this group. He noticed both were part of those down. Looked like they had been taken out first. “Surround the ambush party and get survivors.” They hadn’t been expected and their over confidence had been their undoing. His men moved in and took out those nearest to them and moved forward, before the others knew what was happening, it was over quickly. They had two who were going to be very talkative very soon.

  Sharon slumped back against the dirt when she realised help had arrived. She was exhausted. Her head banging like crazy. She looked round at her men. They had done well. She closed her eyes relieved to let someone else take the strain. “Commander? Medic.” Sharon looked up at Bane. “Your bleeding,” he came towards her, “looks like a head injury.” He told her coming over. “I’m fine,” she told him waving him off, taking the wad of cotton and holding it where he indicated, “check on our people still out there.” Bane headed out. Casey their medic stepped into his place and checked her head wound. “How the hell are you still awake?” She asked grabbing more wadding and holding it against her head. “Your gonna need stitches and you’ve got an egg on the side of your head, you should have concussion and be passed out.” Sharon smiled. “Yeah I’ll get right on that when we’re outa here.” Casey smiled then got serious. “Looks like they were after our Bataari,” Casey told her. Sharon looked in their direction seeing a face she knew coming towards her. He didn’t look happy.

  Keo approached the trench where the survivors had taken up position. He crouched down in front of her. “Commander Pitman.” The female known as Sharon looked up at him and smiled. “Ambushed. Keo, you are a sight for sore eyes, thank you. I have Bataari down and some humans.” Keo moved nearer to her. “You are injured female. I will call for evac.” Sharon reached out and grabbed his hand. “No. You will see to my men, evac those that need immediate attention, check the Bataari they have not moved, they were after them, then we all leave.” Keo looked at this female. Her leg was at an awkward angle and she had a severe head wound. “As you wish.” He told her. She maybe female but no truer warrior.

  “First warrior?” Keo turned to his male. “Both Bataari are alive. They have severe injuries but their camo saved them. The dampening field is down we can now drop.” Keo nodded. “The humans?” “Two dead, three injured.” “Arrange drop in order of severity.” His warrior t
urned towards the commander. “The female?” Keo looked over at Sharon who was now grimacing the adrenaline wearing off. “Won’t go till the rest have gone. She will go last with me.” The warrior stared at Sharon a moment longer gave a sharp nod and left. Human females were a species they did not understand.

  Fuck that hurt. She tried moving her ankle again. “It’s broken.” Opening her eyes, she stared at Keo. “Thought so.” “Medics are arriving and evac will be soon. You good?” “I’ll be fine. I need to update command. This was orchestrated to capture your people. The intel was bad. This was a set up.”

  Keo frowned. This wasn’t good. If they were being targeted, then this just got a lot more complicated. All the groups out there representing Bataari and Human interests in the field were going to have a target on their backs. That made them vulnerable. Keo got up and walked over to his second. “How long?” “Maybe 10 Earth minutes, we have some that need medical attention here before they can be moved, others we can move now to medico.” Keo looked round him. This was a mess. He needed to talk to command.

  Walking away Keo lifted his arm and touched the PID on his arm requesting, secure communications with the duty warrior. Several moments passed and his screen lit up. Keo was surprised to see the face on the screen. “Keo what do you have?” “My Lord Primera, it is an honour.” Keo said bowing slightly and got straight to it. “Ambush, bad intel, Commander Pitman is down but will be well, so are our Bataari, they were badly injured but will recover, they were targeted to be taken, the humans fought them off, Commander Pitman although injured carried the day, they have two dead, several injured.” “Why is the Commander not treated and here?” The Primera asked him. “She will not leave the field until our people and hers are seen to first.” Keo could hear the frustration and admiration in his Princes voice. “Get them back here I need to speak with her.” Keo gave a nod and cut off his communications looking over the field as more Bataari and humans arrived. There were some very unhappy people right now and he was one of them.

  Continued in The Beckoning. A New Bataari New World Novel. Book 2. On Sale Now.