Artifact: Rise Of Mankind Book 6

by John Walker

  “Hey, y’all. This is Jenks. I’m on my way, ETA less than a minute. I’m coming from the south so don’t shoot me.”

  “No promises,” Hoffner replied. “Team, listen up. After the sergeant arrives, I’m changing the rendezvous. We’ll converge on the monastery. Check your HUD for where I want you and don’t burst in without my order. You’ve just become backup.”

  Jenks jogged along some seriously uneven terrain to get up to his people, crunching rock under foot and negotiating around boulders barring his path. He finally saw one of the marines and he pinged them all with his computer before approaching. Someone spoke in the com that he’d arrived.

  “Good,” Hoffner said. “Move out. Now. Keep the formation loose and watch for ambushes. I doubt they can hide their signatures from our scans but they’ve already proven to be clever.”

  They didn’t have far to go. Less than a five minute force march, they came around to a path that led directly into the monastery. It was built on a plateau, with brick walls and a high, angled roof. An archway led into the courtyard where a fountain took up the middle of the area. The enemy’s shuttle sat right there off to the left but no one guarded the entryway.

  Hoffner motioned for two of the marines to approach, to take position on either side of the door. Jenks checked his HUD and found a number of people were inside the building but only one sat in the shuttle. The engines idled, meaning they planned for a quick extraction. If they got rid of that pilot, they’d have a ride out of there.

  “Captain, why don’t we claim the shuttle?” Jenks suggested. “Send someone in to take the guy out in there and we’ll have it ready. Even if the enemy gets out ahead of us, they’ll find the doors closed and won’t be able to leave.”

  “Holland, Ricks,” Hoffner called out two men, “you guys got it?”

  “Yes, sir. We’ll get it.”

  Holland cross trained as a pilot so he could fill in until their actual driver arrived. Jenks checked and saw he was still almost ten minutes out, a lifetime considering what they were about to do. When things went loud, the entire operation would take less than a few minutes. They’d clear the building or die trying.

  The two marines crept through the archway, moving to the lowered ramp in the back of the shuttle. They lifted their rifles, then boarded. Without firing a shot, Ricks called in, “enemy down. We have the shuttle.”

  Hoffner brought the rest of the men together. “A quick scan of the building shows multiple entry points. Four of us will go in to clear the place. The rest of you take cover around the courtyard and prepare an ambush in the event they get out before us. Check your fire so we don’t take down any civilians. Any questions?”

  No one spoke up. Jenks checked his HUD again to see where Walsh was and he happened to be one of the guys quite a ways out. He’s going to be pissed he missed this action. Those around him were a mixture of their respective units. Two others joined Jenks and Hoffner who moved in to the first door.

  Hoffner stood to the left while the others took position, pressing against the wall and waiting for the go order. They remained on internal coms so their voices wouldn’t be heard outside their helmets. Still, they needed to keep their voices down and Hoffner whispered for them to do a silent breach.

  Jenks tapped his computer to move the scanner to the left part of his visor. He also decreased the opacity to give himself some more visibility. He didn’t need nearly as much data as some of his men, who relied heavily on target detection and soft points in structures. Most of it felt like unnecessary noise to him.

  The door proved to be unlocked so they moved inside, their weapons leading the way. Scans indicated the largest cluster of people happened to be three rooms away. They engaged the suppressors on their rifles, stepping into the dark hallway. Night vision faded over Jenks’s visor so he could easily see the area they were traversing.

  Modesty was the order of the day. The room was empty except for some empty pots and a couple of bare shelves. Walls seemed to sweat in the area, showing quite a bit of humidity. Jenks wondered fleetingly about the virus that the quarantine talked about. The thought of an illness wiping out a planet creeped him out…and returning to that place seemed crazy.

  I doubt I’d be able to trust it.

  “Contact,” Hoffner muttered. “Next room, we’ve got two guards searching some crates.”

  “Let me have point,” Jenks said. “Marsh and I will take them.”

  “Go ahead.” Hoffner stepped aside and Jenks joined one of the other marines, pacing inside.

  Sure enough, two of the enemy were hovering over some crates, their backs to the door. They were bent over and Jenks took aim, nodding to his companion. Their weapons popped but the suppressors kept them silent enough so no one in the next room would’ve heard. Both bodies collapsed.

  They were wearing hazard suits. Looks like they didn’t trust the virus thing but then again, they couldn’t have possibly known it burned itself out. The message was still broadcasting when we got here. Wow, whatever they’re after must be the alien holy grail.

  “Clear,” Jenks muttered. “We’re ready to move. Next contingency of people is in what must be a common area. Two doors down. I’m thinking civilians mixed with hostiles.”

  “Very likely,” Hoffner replied. “There are three entrances. We’ll secure this one. Jenks and Marsh, go to the far side. I need Blake and Killian in here to take the final door. Let’s move people, once we’re in position we’ll do a deep scan and finish this up.”

  Jenks and Marsh moved down the hallway, passing a set of double doors on their right that led into the bigger room. They found their position at the end, having to take a turn in order to arrive there and once they were there, they leaned against the wall and called back in that they were ready.

  Killian and Blake took nearly a minute to arrive and position themselves for the action. Jenks took a moment to deep scan the room. Several people were on their knees, hands tied behind their backs. He saw them as blurs through the brick, which effectively blocked out some of the finer details he should’ve been able to pull.

  The armed guys moved about, searching what was probably some kind of altar with enough storage to make a ruckus. They were tossing the place, throwing things around. Someone protested their treatment of the stuff and as soon as they opened their mouth, a guy cuffed them on the side of the head.

  “Marking targets,” Hoffner said. “Aim high. I’ll take out the lights just as we breach. Drop down as soon as you enter. These guys were trained in the air but they’re not ground troops or they’d have covered these areas. They’re all too focused on their hostages and whatever prize they hope to steal. We’ll take advantage. On my go, breach your door and let’s end this.”

  Several blips appeared on Jenks’s HUD, the enemies Hoffner identified. Perhaps from his vantage, the people were more obvious. Raising the opacity a touch, when he entered he’d know his targets by a distinct, red glow. Civilians would be outlined in green. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the mark.

  “Go!”

  Jenks kicked the door, plunging in with his weapon raised. He fired twice, taking down the first target on his left. Other suppressed shots popped around him and people started screaming. The civilians dropped from their position on their knees as their captors went down. Only two of them got off any shots. In the end, five men got blown away.

  A marine shouted, “clear!” Jenks swept the area and concurred.

  “This isn’t all of them,” Hoffner said. “Jenks, you, Marsh and Killian take the west wing. Ricks and Blake, take the east. We came through that area so I doubt you’ll find anything but let’s be thorough. We’ve got this area.”

  Jenks hustled off down the way with his two men right behind. They caught something on the scanner up ahead but just as Jenks was about to call it out, someone opened up on them. The marines scattered, bursting through the first door for cover. Marsh climbed to his feet and moved toward the door.

  “H
old up,” Jenks said on the com. “Sound off.”

  “Ass got me in the leg,” Marsh replied. “I’m good though. Just a graze.”

  “I’m good.” Killian sounded sleepy. “Caught me in the meat.”

  Jenks looked himself over, utterly shocked he came away unscathed. Checking the scanner again, the person who fired at them didn’t show up. What the hell does this guy have going on? Marsh leaned his weapon out, tilting his head as he did. Firing three shots they heard a scream.

  “Got him,” Marsh said. “But I think he’s got a buddy.”

  As if to support his statement, a bout of gunfire caught the wall, embedding several rounds in the wood. “He sounds pissed, too,” Killian added.

  Jenks dropped prone and crawled to the door sliding just his rifle out. A small display on the right of his hub looked down the sites with a tiny camera. Even with night vision, it was hard to see the man. But his shape was obvious. However, the target didn’t seem violent, at least for the moment.

  What’s going on over there?

  “Please don’t shoot!” The person shouted. “They’re holding me here! I’m not with them!”

  The unfiltered voice was filled with panic. He sounded genuine but Jenks didn’t move. Someone else spoke up a moment later, grunting in that battle language they heard on Durant’s planet. A heavy blow struck someone and the first voice groaned. A body hit the ground and Jenks saw it—a man not even wearing a hazard suit writhed around in pain.

  His captor became visible and fired blindly down the hall. Jenks didn’t even twitch. The guy’s shots all went high. Lifting the rifle, Jenks fired two shots, catching the man in the face. Night vision made the blood splatter look gray as the body dropped. “Clear,” he muttered. “I think the guy trying to surrender needs medical attention.”

  “Hell with him,” Marsh said. “He’s with them, we should just put him down.”

  Jenks got to his feet. “Stow that. We’re not wasting prisoners. You two clear the rest of the hall and I’ll take care of this. Go.” He moved over to the man and flipped him over, checking to see if he’d been shot. Lucky for him, he simply took a heavy blow to the neck. “You okay? What’s your name?”

  “Wyan…” He muttered, sounding weak. “Wyan Sor’Trex.”

  “Nice to meet you, I guess.” Jenks had to admit the guy didn’t act like one of the enemies. First off, he was too cooperative. The other assholes wouldn’t talk, even under heavy interrogation. “You look like you’re going to be alright, as long as this virus really did die off. We’re going to get you some aid.”

  “You need to stop them…” Wyan struggled to sit up but failed. “They’re after an…an artifact. Krilan is mad…he plans on conquering the galaxy…taking control of our…our enemy…”

  “I’ll report that in,” Jenks said. “But you’re out of this stuff. Just relax for now. Believe me. We’ve got this.” He tapped his com and connected with Hoffner. “I have an update you might want to hear…”

  ***

  Hoffner let the marines leave before turning to the first civilian. “Who’s in charge here?”

  “I am,” another man said. “You have to stop these animals! They’re after an ancient artifact! An item which may have started the long war.”

  “What is it?”

  “We don’t exactly know,” he replied, “our science hasn’t been able to crack it. It’s an orb, roughly the size of my head. We know there’s technology inside but we have no way of opening it and our scans are pointless.”

  “So why do they want it?”

  “We don’t know!” The man struggled. “Will you get us out of these bonds?”

  “In a minute. Where’s the item?”

  “We hid it in the basement. There’s only one way in there. A coded doorway.”

  “Directions?”

  “West wing…there’s a stairway going down to a door that’s locked. If they figure out how to get in, they’ll have free access to it and a dozen other treasures.”

  “Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind. How many of these guys are there?”

  “Ten? Fifteen? I don’t know specifically.”

  Hoffner started to say something else when Jenks reported in, letting him know what they’d just learned. “Understood. You’re near a basement. The enemy’s objective is down there. Get to the door and kill anyone trying to breach. If it’s already down, guard it. We’ll be right there.”

  “What about the civilians?” Jenks asked.

  “I’m leaving some company for them. Just get your ass in front of that objective. We’re close to finishing this up but we can’t screw up now. Go!”

  Chapter 11

  Cannons blasted away at the enemy capital ship, splashing against their shields. Even with Durant’s modulation work, they weren’t breaking through. The enemy’s weapons were in the same situation. They couldn’t pierce the Behemoth’s defenses. Even with missiles and heavy ordinance, neither side could gain an advantage.

  “We need something, Durant,” Gray said. “C’mon. This can’t go on forever.”

  Durant tapped away at the console, his hands moving at a near blur. “I’m working on it, captain. I have to admit, I’m shocked that they’re able to withstand this sort of punishment. Scans do show they’re releasing a wild amount of energy and they are fading. This may be an endurance match.”

  Gray had let them fire missiles but only one didn’t get shot down. It hit Krilan’s ship and the shields annihilated it. They moved about each other, circling like large cats ready to do battle in the open planes. There was no leaving this fight. If the Behemoth didn’t take them out, they’d simply send more people to the surface to steal whatever they were after.

  Unless our people find it and return it first.

  “Sir, our shuttle has been shot down,” Agatha announced. “Our pilots have engaged the enemy and so far, all marines are accounted for.”

  “Understood, Ensign.” Gray sighed. Another complication. Those men were technically stranded down there for the time being. They’d have to prep another shuttle for extraction but he left that work up to Revente and Adam. This fight took all his concentration. He turned to Clea. “Any ideas? Insights?”

  “I’ve been scanning the area,” Clea replied, “and there are some interesting things in this system…”

  “Such as?”

  “Large masses…the kind Krilan used to mask his vessel back at our previous destination. Something which might cover our scan signature.”

  “What’re you suggesting?”

  “A microjump.” Clea brought the coordinates up on her screen. “To the far side of this planet. We’ll be out of visual and they won’t be able to scan us. For all intents and purposes, we’ll have jumped out of the system.”

  Adam looked sharply at them. “Allowing them to lower their guard and focus on their operation.”

  “We’ll have to make it look like we’ve got a reason,” Clea replied.

  Gray nodded. “Durant, can you simulate a core breach? Something realistic enough to fool them?”

  “Easily…When they fire the relay cannon again, I can make it happen.”

  “Good.” Gray turned to Adam. “Have the hangar load a shuttle up with every bomb they can fit on the thing. Tell them they’ve got a few minutes. Olly, how do you feel about some automated flying?”

  “I can handle it, sir…but in order to avoid their automated defenses, it’ll have to be totally cold and offline…thrusters only for absolute necessity.”

  “Sounds like you’ll need to pull off some math then,” Gray replied. “Get this ready and we can end our stalemate. We have to drop the shuttle before jumping though so let me know the moment everything’s loaded. Leonard, lay in the coordinates Clea provided. I hope we’re making the right move but this seems like one of our last options. I intend on making it count.”

  ***

  Krilan went through the reports on his screen and couldn’t believe what he read. How could the human ship poss
ibly withstand such an assault? He might need the entire fleet to take them on. The fact their shields held and they managed to screen their shuttle down to the surface of the planet shocked him.

  They even found a good use for their pilots!

  Tactically speaking, their captain proved shrewd not only to have survived two encounters with the Final Star but also to catch up to them so quickly. How? They couldn’t have tracked the ship, not that quickly. And no one sent any sort of message from this planet to get help. Ultimately, the answer didn’t matter. They were present and wanted blood.

  Perhaps murdering their pilot was a poor decision after all. They’re fighting with quite the gusto.

  At least the land crew would be able to hold their own. Before his fighters went down, they reported back that the human transport was taken out. That would buy his people some time to find the artifact and get it back to the ship but they would have to deal with the enemy fighters harassing them the whole way back.

  If they managed to make it to orbit, it would be a miracle.

  Yes, they want to destroy us for what we’re doing. I’ll need to get some more help out there if I expect to get my people, and the prize, back.

  “My Lord,” Brilin caught his attention, “their shields are not dropping. We can’t get them to go below eighty-percent before they somehow recharge…”

  “And they cannot breach ours either,” Krilan muttered. “We’ve fought ourselves to a standstill. How can I gain an edge?”

  Krilan scowled at the screen just as the relay cannon fired again. Something flared on the screen, a flash of light that filled the bridge with white then faded.

  Brilin shouted something incoherent. He stood and gestured to his monitor. “My Lord, an overload! It seems our weapon reacted with their shields, causing a power surge resulting in system failure. The computer estimates they will be vulnerable in less than sixty seconds! Victory!”