by John Walker
“Do it. Someone needs to get out here to defend these people while they rebuild the orbital weapons.” Gray returned to his seat. “I think everyone’s got an action item. Let’s get to work.”
***
Clea worked closely with Agatha as they attempted to establish come communications with the surface. The marines prepared for departure and Durant worked on a temporary relay to call in support. Unlike the last colony, this one still had people alive. It made the need to talk to them all the more important.
“I’ve got a signal,” Agatha said, gesturing to one of her screens. “See? But it’s terribly weak. I’m thinking personal com unit. Something designed only for surface communication. It would need a satellite up here to relay our way. Otherwise, they must have towers setup on the surface to carry transmissions…”
“And those might be down, too,” Clea added. She closed her eyes for a moment, working through the problem. They could easily boost their own signal enough to get a message to the person they were reading below but they wouldn’t be able to hear any reply. Somehow, they needed to come up with something simple since they couldn’t transmit voice data.
“I have an idea,” Agatha said. “We can send anything we want and they’ll receive it. If they get above any ground interference, I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to receive messages in plain text. The size is tiny and though it might get garbled, they can at least tell us what state they’re in.”
Clea nodded. “Good idea, Ensign. Go ahead.”
Agatha tapped in a message then read it out loud, giving the surface instructions on how to communicate with them. When Durant finished his relay, it might allow the people to talk to an orbiting ship but hopefully by then, the Behemoth would have the chance to install a proper communications system.
Clea turned back to Gray and let him know their progress. He continued working with Adam and Marshall on how the marines would approach the situation on the surface. They were planning on bringing a relief crew with them, a third shuttle with medics and artisans capable of getting the people back up and running quickly.
Krilan was not on the planet anymore, nor in system which was worrisome. If he got what he wanted, the Behemoth was running behind. If he didn’t, then another colony was in jeopardy. But they couldn’t leave the people defenseless. Any criminal could come along and cause some serious trouble and slavers would be worse.
Though this one planet may be a small loss when compared to what Krilan’s up to. I hate to be cynical…or cold about it.
“Ma’am?” Agatha drew Clea’s attention back to her. “I’ve received a text message. I’m cleaning it up but basically, it states that they were attacked and they need aid. The director of the colony’s hurt pretty bad and needs medical attention. She has information for us.”
Clea relayed this information to the captain, which upped the priority of their deployment. She turned to Agatha. “Let them know we have people on the way to help. They should be there soon.”
Gray joined them. “The marines are launching now with medical personnel and a couple of fighters just in case we need some air support. We’ll have this place locked down in no time.”
***
Recently promoted Sergeant Bobby Jenks and Sergeant Dylan Walsh led two squads of marines to the surface of the planet. Hoffner planned to coordinate from the relief shuttle so they’d report into him but their task was to clear the settlement, lock it down and ensure everyone remained safe throughout the mission.
Jenks looked forward to it. They both received their promotion after the last craziness with the Orion’s Light and neither of them could believe it. They’d seen the slow progress of others in the ranks but this worked out well. Unfortunately, it required a good six hour video training course but it was a small price to pay for a higher salary and more responsibility.
Still seems weird, having guys call me Sarge.
Their shuttle bounced around after breaking atmosphere. Turbulence knocked them around enough to turn some of the younger marines into whiners. They started razzing each other a few minutes into the drop, enough so that Walsh settled them down with a grunt. Getting too riled up during a relief mission never ended well.
Jenks had been involved with plenty in the past and whenever marines got colorful before interacting with civilians, there were incidents. He’d never forget when one of the other privates knocked out an administrator because they guy wouldn’t leave his house. That came with some demerits and the civvy wanted to press charges.
Luckily, Hoffner, then a Lieutenant, talked the guy down.
I’m just glad I wasn’t the dude who threw the punch. Some lessons are better to learn by watching than doing.
Jenks turned to look out the window, frowning at the smoke rising from the settlement they were descending toward. He nudged Walsh and gestured. “Great. These pricks messed them up, too.”
“Looks awful,” Jenks muttered. “Why go in and waste settlers? Is it really about no witnesses or are we seeing something else?”
“Psychosis and no witnesses,” Walsh replied. “Guaranteed. They’ve got an agenda and don’t want to share it with anyone who might be pursuing them. But they screwed up this time. Which is probably worrying Captain Hoffner.”
“Oh, dude, he gets worried during inspection.” Jenks shook his head. “This change up will mess with him. But I think it’s pretty obvious. They must’ve found what they were after.”
“Or something happened to facilitate a quick departure…an attack? Some other force?”
“I guess we’ll find out.”
The settlement itself was little more than ten buildings but they were clustered together to form three square blocks of a regular city. Most of them were only one story tall but a couple pressed three, probably storage units. Homes might’ve been away from the main area, possibly out near the fields or wherever the people were working.
The shuttle came in for a landing and moments before, he turned to both squads. “When we depart the craft, Alpha Squad will come with me to the east. Bravo sticks with Sergeant Walsh on the west side. We’ll flank the place, cover the perimeter then set up overwatch. From there, the rest of us will clear the buildings and ensure we’ve got a secure location, get me?”
The men all shouted affirmative.
“Don’t forget,” Walsh said, “the last planet our buddies met resistance from some jack asses who got left behind. If that happens here, you have to check your fire. There are still noncoms on the planet and no one wants to blow one of them away. Stay frosty but thoughtful. We’ve got this, guys. Let’s be professionals.”
The shuttle landed and the men departed with Walsh and Jenks shouted after them. Teams separated and started off for their flanking positions and they surrounded the settlement quickly. Once they were in position, Jenks checked his computer and coordinated with Walsh. They would start sweeping in any moment.
“I’m reading weapons,” Walsh spoke through the general com. “Quite a few. I don’t think there are only noncoms there.”
“Ambush,” Jenks said. “Guys, be ready. This will be ugly if it is. Stick to cover, watch your fire and keep your corners in check. Go!”
Jenks led the way, sticking close to one of the buildings and hurrying along toward the center of town. The others gave him some space and followed, ensuring they weren’t close enough together to make for an easy target. As they pressed on, Jenks kept his head on a swivel, watching all around for action.
It came swiftly, gunfire tapping the wall just in front of them. “Contact left!” Someone yelled and they moved for cover while returning fire. A series of blasts from the Behemoth marines nearly took half the roof off where the attack came from and Jenks’s guys moved around the building they were beside, to temporary safety.
“I think I was hit!” Private Trilling said. “Might not have penetrated my armor though.”
“Man up then,” one of the others said. “We don’t have time to fix you if it did go through.”
Jenks spoke to Walsh. “We’ve got contact. You okay?”
“They hit us too,” Walsh replied. “At least five on top of a building. We’re returning fire.”
“Maybe they’ll surrender with a little display of force.” Jenks turned to his men. “Lay down some suppressive fire.” He contacted their air support. “Eagle One this is Blade Two. We need a flyby of the settlement, something low and loud, do you copy?”
“Copy that, Blade two. You got problems down there?”
“Nothing too terrible but hopefully with a little danger close, they might settle down.”
The marines opened fire on the building, laying into it. A couple went around the other side of the building and offered a different angle. No one returned fire on them but Jenks had a feeling they were either hiding up there or trying to find a way down on the other side. The fighters would definitely give them something to think about.
He heard the engines roaring overhead long before they arrived. When they flew over, they rattled the building and made the very ground shake with their passing. All violence stopped for a moment but as soon as the ships were gone, the bad guys opened up again. “God damn it, they’re determined to play with us! Give those idiots some grenades!”
Two men got in position, cooked their grenades and hurled them from opposite sides of the building. They sailed through the air, landing with an audible plink even overt he gunfire. A man shouted from the roof in alarm. Two explosions brought about a series of screams. Jenks glanced just in time to see the meaty remains of one of their attackers hit the ground.
A quick scan indicated of the six people they had been fighting, only two survived and of those, one somehow remained uninjured. Jenks decided to try a little diplomacy now that they were in a position of strength. He shouted, “we know there’s only one of you combat effective left! Give it up, man! You’ll die if not.”
“You know nothing of death!” The man yelled back. Jenks watched his scan as a gunshot went off. The injured man’s life signs went dead. Are you kidding me? He’s…he can’t be!
“Don’t do it! Come on, this doesn’t have to end this way!”
“You’ll never defeat us, scum!” Another gunshot sounded the end of the man’s life. His suicide shocked Jenks but he snapped out of it quickly, turning to the others.
“We have to move. Let’s support Walsh. You two,” he grabbed some men, “get on top of the building to the flank of their attackers as quickly and quietly as possible. Get ready to tear them up. We’ll provide some suppressive fire from another angle. Should keep them busy long enough for you to get a good shot.”
“Shoot to kill?” One asked.
Jenks sighed. “I would love one alive but I don’t think they’re interested in obliging. Let’s worry about being safe before grabbing live intel.”
They hustled in the direction of the sounds of violence, a firefight that went louder than their own. Jenks checked his scanner as they moved and felt a wave of relief hit him as he noted none of the Behemoth crew were down. He heard Walsh over the com, remaining calm as he gave orders. They were planning their own means of ending the fight.
“Walsh, we’re closing in on your position. I’ve got two men taking one of the adjacent buildings to lay down some fire.”
“I think we’ve got this,” Walsh replied. “Keep your guys back. We’re going to try to take some of these yahoos alive.”
“How?”
“Stay back and provide overwatch in case there are more,” Walsh said. “Just be sure we don’t get flanked.”
Jenks gave the order, redirecting his troops to security positions. He advanced closer to see what his partner had in mind. Leaning around a corner, he caught a glimpse of the building the enemy fought from, once again on the roof. Two marines fled the scene just as the rest of their unit opened fire. The suppression kept the enemy’s head down.
“Fire in the hole!” Walsh shouted and the rest of the marines took cover. A couple massive explosions brought the whole building down. People screamed over the sound of crumbling mortar and the second the rocks settled, the marines darted out, plunging into the dust to collect whoever survived the blast.
Jenks shook his head. The idea worked but he never would’ve considered it just for the fact he wanted to preserve the infrastructure of the place. Then again, the settlers did lie so losing a building shouldn’t be such a big deal. He hoped they didn’t have a choice but either way, he figured they’d lodge a complaint about the destruction.
A couple gunshots sounded and Jenks’s heart hammered in his chest. “Report in,” he spoke into the com. “Walsh, was that our guys firing?” He knew it wasn’t. The new rifles had a distinct sound to them, not at all like a discharging bullet. Despite the disorientation of falling through a damn building, one of them must’ve found the strength to take a shot.
Another gun went off, this time on the Behemoth side. Jenks cursed and moved in, holding his weapon at the ready. As he approached, he saw one of their men down and a couple marines standing over a dead terrorist. The other criminals had been secured, each locked up with cuffs.
Their medic knelt by the man on the ground but he shook his head. “Clean hit, point blank to the face mask. He’s gone.”
Walsh cursed but kept his cool. Jenks had a harder time. He felt a compelling urge to finish off the rest of them but fought it back. Considering what they were dealing with and what they needed, the survivors would be able to answer a lot of questions. But the fact they managed to take one of them down, sit heavy with Jenks.
“Let’s police up his body,” Walsh said. “Get it ready for transport. And move these assholes into the shuttle. Ensure they’re secure and provide any medical aid to ensure they don’t die on departure. The last thing we need is for Gregson’s death to be in vain.”
Jenks let them carry on while grabbing his own unit, moving them through the settlement to clear the rest of the place. He found the settlers in a building, unharmed with their own injured to take care of. A sense of frustration hit him. These pricks didn’t even warn them. They must’ve thought the enemy had the upper hand.
He didn’t even want to speak with them and instead left two men to stand guard and stepped outside, tapping into Hoffner’s com.
“Sir, I’ve got the settlers but we had some action down here. We lost Gregson.”
“Damn it.” Hoffner sighed. “We’re incoming. Is the area secure?”
“Yes, sir. We’ve locked it down and are in security positions around the perimeter. We managed to take some prisoners, too.”
“Well done. See you soon, Sergeant.”
Jenks killed the com and walked off his irritation. At least there was some success to show for the loss of their man. But why did these animals keep leaving people behind? Or had they? Were these criminals still in system somewhere? He felt compelled to warn someone. He sent the message to Hoffner, this time as a text. He’d let him decide who to tell.
Thinking too much beyond securing the settlement went above his pay grade.
***
Hoffner sat in the shuttle as it raced for the settlement where Jenks and Walsh met resistance. He reached out to Marshall and gave him a report, letting him know what happened between his men and the Orion’s Light guys. The loss of their man came first then he went into his opinion about the situation.
“The settlers are still alive,” he said, “and there was a large number of men set in ambush for us. This leads me to believe we’re not alone in this system. I think the Orion’s Light is still here somewhere and their ship must be up there too.”
“Explain.”
“They haven’t left any survivors yet,” Hoffner said. “Why start now? And the last fight we had with them on the other planet involved some guys who were stuck there. They didn’t set up to fight us. They just happened to have their camp in a good position to deal with intruders. The conflict down here was calculated and planned.”
“Fair point. Find out wh
at’s going on then and I’ll report to the Captain. You’re going to have to make this fast, Hoffner. If what you say is true then we’ve got a chance to stop them right here.”
“Yes, sir. I’m on it.” Hoffner heard the com line drop and he returned his attention to the task at hand. He didn’t particularly care for interrogation and preferred to leave it to the professionals but in a pinch, he could manage. The tough part came from the fact he had to deal with people who just killed one of his men.
The challenge came from not getting hostile and staying professional. Despite years of moving up the ranks, that was one part of his job he never got entirely good at. But he’d never hurt someone in his charge, never lost control. It just caused some internal conflict, arguments with himself as emotion battled reason.
They’d better have some valuable intel. I’m not in the mood for wasting time at this point.
***
Gray pulled Adam into his small office just off the bridge when Marshall reached out to them. They listened to the briefing, acknowledging the ground forces concerns. If they were right, the Orion’s Light ship harbored technology hiding them from long range scans and Olly was damn good at his job. They’d have to try something else.
“Thank you, Marshall,” Gray said. “Keep us informed of what Hoffner finds out during his interrogation. Gray out.” He turned to Adam. “Do you have an ETA on Durant’s makeshift communications satellite?”
“No, but the guy’s a freakin’ genius and he’s got some of our best helping him. It won’t take long.”
Gray nodded. “I’d love to have him to help Olly locate the vessel…”
“I think Clea could be pulled,” Adam said. “After all, she found that information about the enemy back in the day. She’s probably the right person to take a look at this too.”
“Okay, let’s get her on it. I don’t want to let this ship slip away. But if they’re lingering, it must mean they’ve got some valuable intel to collect still. You don’t think their commander’s still down there, do you?”