*
Jenny said, “This is our planet, we must have some other advantages. Maybe the generals need a few captives to interrogate.”
Johnny slowly shook his head. “They’ve tried. None of them will say a peep. Shock ‘em, stick ‘em with needles, whatever… not a whisper.”
Jenny asked, “Does that include commanders? We could round up a few if it would help.”
Johnny replied, “They haven’t cracked either. What we know so far is they have quick reflexes, tough bodies, and they can adapt. They have no issue with our air or water, or our temperatures or humidity. And other than the sniper rifle hit just up under the chin, those battlesuits don’t seem to have many vulnerabilities. The little goblins are just tough to kill.”
Jane remarked, “Compared to the other species we’ve encountered, they aren’t so little. The ones we’ve been fighting are all at least my size. Mr. Geerok and I were knocking them down right and left, but unless you smacked them with a direct hit, they kept getting back up. I must have sent three or four thousand flying. And we got what… four hundred fifty? We need a new advantage. These gloves are great, but limited to almost one shot one kill.”
Jenny said, What we need here is a ship with a plasma cannon. Heck, even a plasma cannon mounted on a pickup would do.”
Johnny smiled. “Maybe we could resurrect Gerty and mount a cannon to her. Might even be able to salvage one from the Rogers.”
Jane smirked at the thought. “As entertaining as that would be, we would want something that was a bit better at off-roading.”
Johnny pointed to the Humvee. “Maybe we use that. Anyone think we can fit a reactor and a cannon on one of those?”
Geerok said, “A mini-reactor could be mounted on the back. I don’t know that any cannons survived the Rogers’ crash, however.”
Jenny said, “Plenty of other downed craft on this planet. We just need to find one.”
Mace frowned. “Stark’s men must have gone through this same train of thought a few dozen times by now. If they don’t have one, it is most likely because none are available. If we had the shuttles running back to Gellos we might be able to bring a healthy supply of weapons from Promexa, or even new thunder gloves from Gellos.”
Johnny opened the door to the Humvee. “Pile in. We can discuss this as we drive to Lexington.”
Minutes later the Humvee was heading south on I-81. The right front wheel wobbled and vibrated at speeds above twenty-five kilometers-per-hour.
Jenny laughed. “This was the best you could get? We could run faster than this with our suits.”
Johnny shrugged. “This is what the general offered. I’m guessing the motor pool is running short of vehicles these days. Anyway, just sit back and pretend you’re getting a massage.”
Jenny shook her head. “Only thing that vibration is doing is making my butt numb.”
Johnny gestured out his window. “If you’d like I’ll pull over and you can run alongside us.”
A loud clang was met with a lurch as the right front suspension failed, spinning the vehicle clockwise as it skidded to a stop.
Jenny laughed. “Well, that was fun.”
Johnny walked around to survey the damage. “Looks like one of the A-arms snapped. Someone did a crappy job of welding it from prior damage.”
Mace climbed out and stared down the road. “Jenny, you thought running would be faster. Care to lead the way?”
Jenny looked at the others. “Lexington is about sixty-five kilometers. We should be there in a couple hours… unless anyone has trouble keeping up?”
Mace nodded. “Set the pace. We’ll follow.”
An hour after the run had begun, word came in from the Harrisonburg defense. A small offensive aimed at the roadway had the Dedrus fighters spreading out into the trenched fields on either side. As planned, fire-pots were lit and the back trenches filled with grenade throwers. Snipers fired endlessly as mortar rounds fell. The fire-pots burned down and as expected the gravel covered C4 explosives detonated, but the Dedrus soldiers continued to move forward as a nearly unstoppable force.
As the third row of trenches was breached, the Human defenders began to take heavy casualties. A complete retreat and relinquishment of the former city of Harrisonburg was ordered. A last effort was made by bombarding the fields with the artillery. After losing nearly a third of the troops in the conflict, General Daniel Wallace and his fighters limped toward Lexington. Estimates placed the Dedrus losses at just over two thousand… only a few hundred more than the Human toll.
In a surprise move, the fifty-six remaining Dedrus APC’s roared forward, catching the retreating Humans by surprise. Before the carnage had come to an end, another eight hundred fifty Human fighters had perished. The Dedrus had lost only eighty-six. Mace and the others arrived at the Lexington HQ to a somber but hectic atmosphere.
Mace met the general as he came from a meeting. “Heard about the latest attack. If you want, we can go back and see if there’s anything we can do to those APC’s.”
The general replied, “They’ve already rejoined their column. We should have planned for that eventuality. They continue to adapt. They caught us flat-footed.”
Mace offered a suggestion. “After whatever battle you have planned here, we could retreat with the troops. If those APC’s show up again, we might be able to stop them. Once they are unloaded and open, we could go in and smash their controls.”
The general replied, “That move would be up to you, Mr. Hardy. If our reinforcements make it to White Sulfur Springs on time, those APC’s won’t be an issue. When we leave Lexington, which I fully expect to do, we’ll be blowing the I-64 bridges over the Maury River. Forcing them to cross that river will be our biggest opportunity to inflict casualties. We have teams who have four of those Mawga reactors set up to provide power. We plan to electrify that river. My engineers tell me the reactors can handle the output we need, but the transformers we’re using to step up that voltage may not hold.”
Mace nodded. “Have you conducted any tests to see if it will have an effect?”
The general replied, “Several. The captured Dedrus we used didn’t walk away from it.”
Mace asked, “Would it be possible to maybe flood a roadway they are marching on and do the same?”
The general frowned. “Not going to happen. It’s taken us most of two weeks to bring this equipment in and set it up. They only finished testing it this morning.”
“How did you even know the Dedrus would come this way?”
The general sighed. “We didn’t. A major part of our strategy to date has relied on them pursuing our forces as we retreat. Getting them to turn northwest at Lexington along I-64 is crucial to us having any chance at stopping them. If we fail there, we’ll be left with nothing but guerilla tactics as they march from city to city. Our biggest concern is for them to totally change strategy to a scorched Earth type tactic. They could leave the roadway and begin destroying our food production. Before the summer was out, they could have the entire North American continent begging for food or dying.”
“How long before you expect the Dedrus to arrive here?”
“Our first defense for Lexington is at the crossing of I-84 and Highway 11. The effort there will mostly be sniping and general harassment. It’s also designed to make them follow us onto I-64. The Maury River fight will be our biggest effort to date. We’re hoping to inflict close to 15 percent casualties. We have eighty-five hundred men waiting to fire on them as they cross the river. As to your question… three hours. We expect them to hit the Highway 11 crossing at that time. Maury River a half hour later.”
Mace returned to the others. “They have two lines of defense here. The first at the Highway 11 interchange we just passed. The second at the I-64 Maury River crossing. That second one is the major stop. Anyway, I think I know what I’d like us to do. When the interchange fight ends, we engage. Our job will be to slow their progress until those retreating troops are safely away.”
The group settled in for a feast of nutrient bars and filtered water. The short rest was used to discuss options for defending the upcoming retreat. Each suggested idea ended with a return to the tried and true. Run and gun would once again be their method of stalling the Dedrus troops.
The advancing column moved through the Highway 11 crossing without slowing. Sniper kills numbered close to three hundred. Human losses—seventy-six. Mace, Jenny, Jane and Geerok covered the retreat. The I-64 bridge over the Maury River was crossed and the supports blown. The collapse left only a water crossing. General Tibbett’s troops were dug in and waiting.
Mace walked into the HQ tent located in a field beside Kerr’s Creek. “General, is there a position we can take as backup to anyone?”
“We’re expecting the bulk of the crossing to occur on the west side of the bridge. See Captain Holt, she’ll point you to where she most needs you.”
The group, including Johnny, jogged the short distance to the farm that bordered the river. The captain was found in the barn, briefing her officers.
“We need results. You men have been told of the one vulnerability on their battlesuit. See to it that they take advantage of it. We have five layers of berms with gaps for retreating. Positions must be held as long as possible. I know some of you men drew the short straw and go to the first berm. Tell them to hold fast until breach is imminent. Do your best to keep their troops in that water for as long as possible. The shocks from those reactors will be coming about every thirty seconds. Keep them wet and we just might reach our goals.”
Mace raised his hand. “Captain, we just came from Tibbet. I’m Mace Hardy. My squad is here for your use. Tell us where you’d like us to be. Our weapons are ideal for knocking the Dedrus back into the water. We can even replace some of those front-liners if you want.”
The captain nodded. “Sergeant Visoc, pick five lucky men right along this berm. Move them to berm four. Mr. Hardy, place your people here. Use the gaps in the berms behind you for retreats. And don’t linger too long at that front berm, it’s set to blow once they reach it. You want to play hero, you might just go up with it. Understand?”
Mace nodded. “We don’t have a death-wish, Captain. Expect us to fall back with your other forces.”
The captain rolled up the map she had laid out on a workbench. “Good. You can take your positions. If needed, you have about fifteen minutes to go down to scout the river’s edge. That will give you some perspective as to what the enemy will be looking up at. And I’d advise you to keep your heads down behind those berms as much as possible. One strike from those lasers and you’re finished.”
A short walk had the group standing on the river’s edge, looking back toward the defenses.
Jane offered a sarcastic thought. “Piles of dirt to protect us. I feel better already.”
Johnny pointed. “That berm to the left of the tree gives the best view of this bank.”
Jane replied, “It does, but you won’t be there.”
Johnny turned. “Why?”
Jane made a hump shape with an extended glove finger. “Because you’ll be behind the second row. They can see you, which makes you a big fat target. And you have the link to the general’s command channel. Take what shots you can safely take, but otherwise keep your head down and keep us informed.”
Johnny’s protests fell on deaf ears. The group moved up to the most vulnerable berm, laying on their bellies as they discussed the fields of fire. Johnny sulked as he walked to behind the second row of berms.
A handful of scout vehicles pulled to a stop at the edge of the downed bridge. The Human force waited patiently for any attack order. Fifteen minutes passed before anyone spoke.
Mace said, “Hold all fire until they reach this side of the riverbank.”
Johnny comm forwarded a call for the HQ tent. “This is Tibbet. Abandon all posts. I repeat… abandon all posts. Fall back. The Dedrus have ignored our invitation and bypassed the Maury. The bulk of that column is now approaching us from the south along Highway 60. They crossed the Maury in town. Drop back to our fortifications at Longdale Furnace. We’ll make our stand there. This is complete and immediate force pullback. Drag your feet and you’ll be swimming in Dedrus.”
The soldiers surrounding the group turned and jogged back uphill toward the farmhouse and barn. Laser bolts rained down from the far side of the river as the troops retreated.
Mace yelled, “Do what you can to stop those lasers. Johnny, get your ass back with the others! We’ll catch up at Longdale.”
Johnny replied, “Already on my way.”
Several dozen pulses from the group’s thunder gloves brought the laser fire to an end. The Dedrus troops retreated to their APC’s and were off to rejoin the column.
Jenny said, “That bridge in town they are crossing… what are the chances we could knock out its support columns with these gloves?”
Jane replied, “Only one way to find out.”
Mace said as he looked over a holo-map, “We cross just south of here at the downed local bridge. From there it’s a three kilometer run to where they are crossing. We’ll see what we can do to those columns when we get there.”
After a ten minute run, the team stood under the east end of the bridge as the Dedrus crossed overhead.
Jane shook her head. “Don’t think this is gonna do much. Look how shallow that water is. They can ford right across without blinking an eye. What do we gain… five minutes of disruption?”
Mace replied, “That’s five minutes Tibbet’s men don’t have right now.”
Jenny nodded. “I say we give it to them.”
Johnny broadcast on the comm. “The Dedrus APC’s are attempting to cut off the retreat. They’ll be hitting the bulk of our soldiers in about four minutes.”
Mace turned to face the closest bridge piling. A tight spread adjustment was made to the output of his thunder glove and a test round fired, liberating a chunk of concrete from the piling.
“Jane, you and Geerok continue here. Tight spread. Jenny and I will take the other piling.”
The bridge began to shake as each round pounded into a piling. Curious scouts came to the bridge abutment edge to report on what they were seeing. Chunks of concrete were being blown away from the bridge supports. However, there was no indication of where the destruction was coming from.
The piling supporting the inbound lanes gave way first. The lanes it held up tumbled ten meters as the other piling split and folded, causing a complete collapse of all lanes. In the aftermath, the Dedrus soldiers began to slowly pick themselves up.
Johnny called out: “The APC’s have stopped and are turning! Hope that was from you guys! If so, keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.”
Mace and Jenny joined Jane and Geerok on the roadway back to the farmhouse.
Chapter 26
*
Johnny again called out. “APC’s have stopped… they are turning back this way. We might need your help up here to deal with them.”
Jane said, “We should run, and run fast. That idiot will put himself right in the middle of that mix.”
A sprint had the foursome back across the river and back onto I-64. They reached the retreating column of Human fighters just as the APC’s were closing in.
Jane said, “Johnny Tretcher, you get your ass back away from those vehicles. If you want to help, you better be doing it from a distance.”
Johnny replied, “I’m on the interstate just to the south of them. I’m taking cover with the others here.”
Mace said, “Good. We should be passing you any second. Pass it on for the men there to not take shots at the Dedrus. We don’t need to get shot in the back. Let us take care of them.”
Johnny was quiet for several seconds. “The general just passed out that or
der. I would proceed with caution though. The temptation will be there for the snipers to get into position and to take shots.”
Mace replied, “Tell the general to reiterate that order. We need that order to be clear or we aren’t going in.”
Johnny came back several seconds later. “The order just went out. He added a few thoughts about what he might do should anyone get a happy finger. You should be good to go.”
The APC’s drove into the scattered groups of retreating soldiers. As the hatches opened and the Dedrus troops began pouring out, concussion waves were waiting. Bodies flew, some slamming back into the vehicles from whence they emerged.
At each vehicle, they pounded several rounds up into the control console inside. As the eighth vehicle pulled to a stop and the door lowered, four rounds caught the soldiers inside before they could make the hatch. The two dozen Dedrus fighters inside were pushed and compacted into the front portion of the cabin. None would fight again. The remaining vehicles turned, heading back toward the approaching Dedrus main column.
The retreat order went out to the Humans and the soldiers again filled all lanes of the interstate, heading northwest toward Longdale Furnace. Mace and the others caught up to Johnny as he ran along with the others.
Johnny chuckled as they appeared beside him. “Now that was perfect timing if I’ve ever seen it. Just mad I wasn’t able to participate.”
Jane said, “You don’t have the projector, you don’t fight unless you have to.”
Johnny frowned. “Can’t say that to the rest of these guys. Makes me feel kind of like a heel.”
Jane said, “You’re too vital to this team and too vital to me. There will be plenty of fighting coming up. So you aren’t missing out on anything.”
Mace said, “When we get back to the cave, we’ll see if there are any of those projector heads available. Until then we need you to keep your head down and be our eyes and ears with this force. The info you just gave us helped to keep them from slaughtering the remainder of this retreat. I’m sure the men here will be thanking you a-plenty for that.”
HADRON Emergent Page 25