by Saxon Andrew
“I wanted to believe it but I guess I was amazed that you cared about me at all. You’re just so wonderful and special that I…I just found it hard to believe you’d agree.”
“You didn’t have to wait until a day before we skipped out to ask.”
“Yeah, but it was the fear of the coming battle that gave me the courage to ask.”
“Roy, if you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you!”
“Uhhhhh…ok.”
“I’m serious!”
“I know, I know. Just be careful.”
“What disruptor has your company been assigned?”
“Number six.”
“I’ve been assigned number two. They’re nowhere near each other. I suspect fleet didn’t want us close to each other to prevent us from going to each other’s aid if things get bad.”
“Lynn, fleet doesn’t keep track of their warriors’ personal lives.”
“Fleet keeps track of everything.”
“Come on Lynn. They wouldn’t know about us?”
“Want to bet on that?”
“What’s the wager?”
“The winner gets thirty minutes of back rubbing.”
“I’ll accept that but how would you prove it?”
“Stay linked to me and listen in.” Lynn pressed a button on her console and Eve appeared on her display. “Sir, I’m getting questions about the coming attack. Has fleet determined when we’ll be dropping in?”
“I’ve wondered the same thing but was told that I needed to learn patience. I would offer you that same advice.”
“Yes Sir.”
“By the way, congratulations on your engagement, Captain. I’m sure you and Captain McAfee will have a very happy life.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Eve disappeared from the display and Roy’s face replaced hers. Lynn could see his stunned expression. Lynn lifted her chin and looked down her nose, “I will collect when we get back.”
Roy was shaking his head, “I’ll pay up. I need to check up on my company. I’ll talk with you later.”
“I love you, Roy.”
“And I love you, too.” The display went dark and Roy pressed his company’s frequency. Eve Axel knew they were engaged. How was that possible? Now he was going to have fatigued fingers because of this. How could Lynn possibly know? Roy smiled, maybe his rubbing her back would be interrupted with other activities. He really hoped so. He shook his head again, Eve Axel knew! He blew out a breath and pressed his communicator. The light turned green and he said, “We have some time before we skip out to our target. Take this time to check your armor’s magazines and make sure they’re fully loaded and I do mean fully. You’ve trained for years to do this and I expect you to follow your training! I know some of you are feeling fear at this moment and that’s ok. It’s fear that allows us to be brave and some of us to be heroes. I ask that you give me your best and look out for each other. Now take this time and check your munitions.” Roy heard over his frequency the forty warriors in his company yell, “YES SIR!” He clicked off his communicator and thought, Eve Axel knows we’re engaged! He shook his head and began checking his magazines.
• • •
Chris watched the Pods flying at a high speed toward the oncoming mass of Grey Warships. They were nowhere close to their top speed; it wouldn’t do to fly too fast into that huge formation of enemy ships. He saw the battleships moving in with them and the sight was awe-inspiring. The bright force fields lit up the darkness of space and their beauty belied the deadly intentions of both fleets. Then, the two fleets hit head on and the dance of death began.
• • •
Marty Helms flew her pod into the formation of Grey Warships and went to the left of the one directly in front of her. The A-Pod to her right swerved to the right of the huge ship. Her three-disruptor turrets swiveled and fired two DE Beams at the ship to her left and one at the ship to her right. She knew the pod of the right side of that ship would also be firing a single beam into it. She moved even with the stern of both ships as they exploded in two massive explosions. In an instant, she was between two more ships and she opened fire again.
Across the entire front of the huge grey cloud of warships, massive explosions erupted at an incredible number. Ten enemy disruptor beams from the next ships in front of her hit her pod but were shrugged off by her force field. She opened fire on them as she passed and checked her force field’s status on her combat helmet’s tactical read out. Its power level was slightly lower but she wasn’t in danger…yet.
• • •
Chris watched his command monitor and looked at the average force field level of his pods. It was dropping slightly. The Pods were incredibly small next to the huge Grey Warships. They looked like fleas running between the legs of Great Danes. He smiled, not many of the dogs were surviving them, those that did were cleaned up by the battleships that were following them. He felt his rage at them grow by the minute and he reveled in the destruction he was witnessing. The Pods and battleships blasted their way more than twenty thousand miles into the huge cloud of Grey Ships and Chris pressed his communicator, “All ships will fall back to their original location and reform.”
The giant Alliance Fleet went to maximum speed and was back in formation in less than thirty seconds. The oncoming Grey Fleet had to slow down to avoid running into the massive debris field in front of them. Hundreds of thousands of Grey Warships were either burning or blasted into rubble. The grey cloud split with half of them moving above and the other half below the debris field.
He heard Allison say on the general fleet frequency, “Pod lines one through five will move below the debris field and six through ten will go above it. The Battleships above or below those two lines will follow them in. Stay close to the debris field to prevent being attacked from above or below.”
Chris saw the two groups move apart and he said, “Commence the attack.” The two groups accelerated around the debris field and slammed into the Grey Ships again. He said, “How many ships have we lost?”
“A thousand Pods have been destroyed and one battleship. All of them were destroyed by accidently ramming into one of the Grey Ships. So far, none have been destroyed by their beams.” Chris nodded and watched the carnage continue.
• • •
Marty barely missed ramming a Grey Warship on her right when it swerved toward her. She moved out of its path, instantly fired on it with all three disruptors, and saw another grey ship swerve toward her from the left. They were attempting to ram her pod. She clicked her communicator and yelled on her Admiral’s frequency, “They’re trying to ram us! Evade above or below! Staying between them is suicide!”
The Admiral passed the message to the other ships in his fleet and the message was then passed on to the rest of the fleets moving through the enemy formations. Chris pressed his panel, “Jinks, you’re being very quiet.”
“I’m really here to observe. You and Admiral Simmons are doing an outstanding job. If I see anything that might help, I’ll be sure to let you know.” Jinks watched the battle and could see Chris’s malevolence toward the Grey Ships in his expression. He would not participate in commanding the fleets and take away from Chris’s joy of destroying this civilization.
• • •
Chris heard the message and recalled the fleets again. They reformed and Allison said, “Battleships will move in between the lines of Pods and you will stop in front of their formations and fire at them from a stationary position.”
Chris watched the fleets move into the new formation and said, “Commence the attack.” The two huge formations moved out around the giant debris field and flew in on the mass of grey ships that rushed at them without any semblance of order. They were on a suicide mission and they were being blasted along the entire front of the two formations. The Grey Ships spilled over the top and bottom of the front and were still hit before they could arrive at their enemy. Chris smiled, “How many of their ships have we destroyed?”
“
There is no way to tell. The only way to find out will be to look at the recordings after this is over. If it’s ever over.”
Chris looked at his scanner and still saw huge numbers of Grey Warships moving out of the edge of the galaxy. He wondered if Barbie was right.
• • •
Between the seventh and eighth recall of the fleets, the Drop Battleships from the Allies arrived. “I was wondering when you might arrive.”
“Getting the warrior’s armor loaded with full magazines and charging their reactors to maximum took longer than I had anticipated.”
“I’m surprised the Royal allowed you to come with the fleet, Kyel.”
“He is of the opinion that before I can lead them effectively, it’s necessary that I see the warriors in action. I didn’t have to ask to come with them.”
“The Royal never ceases to amaze me.”
“He really is the best of us, Chris.”
“Have your fleet fall in behind the Assault Pods? We are holding here until the ships being sent to attack us are eliminated.”
My scanners show that you have been involved in a massive fleet action. There are also millions still coming at you.”
“I know.”
“Do you want us to join in the defense?”
“No, I’m only going to use the Assault Fleets if it’s absolutely necessary. Keep your sailors at battle stations in the event things get out of hand.”
“I will, Great Leader.”
Chris started at the honorific and turned his attention back to his panel.
• • •
It took twelve recalls before the ships coming out of the galaxy stopped. At the end, the Pods and battleships outnumbered the survivors and Chris issued the final order of the battle, “Each ship will select one of the survivors and destroy it. You will break formation…NOW!”
A huge number of Grey Ships broke off the attack and turned back toward M-84 but they had waited too long. The huge number of silver pods and battleships fell on them and none of them managed to make it back to the edge of the galaxy. The debris field extended over an immense area from just outside the edge of the galaxy to more than forty thousand miles out. Once the last Grey Warship was killed, Chris lifted his communicator, “All ships will form up in their fleets.” The hundred fleets of pods assembled in an incredibly short time. The battleships took longer; they weren’t as nimble as the pods. Once they were in formations Chris pressed Allison’s frequency, “Send the targets to all of our ships.”
“Yes Sir.” Thirty minutes later she appeared on his display, “The targets have been assigned.”
Chris activated his communicator, “All of you have been assigned multiple targets. You have been divided into two hundred ship units with an equal number of pods and battleships. Move into formation with the other ships you’re assigned with. Once you make formation, skip out to your first target and destroy it.”
Chris watched the giant formation break apart and ships began gathering in smaller units. Within twenty minutes, the units started skipping out. Eve appeared on his display, “Is it time for us to go?”
“We will leave after I receive confirmation that the first targets have been eliminated!”
Eve’s expression said it all but she said, “Yes Sir.”
Chris sat on board and waited. He wanted the leaders of the Grey Warships to know what was happening to their civilization before he attacked. His eyes were narrow and he relished what must be happening on their planets.
• • •
An hour later, the first confirmation came in and it was quickly followed by thousands of others. Chris smiled and said, “You have the coordinates of the planet we’re going to attack. The Assault Pod Fleet will skip out first and fight their way to the planet’s surface. The Heavy Drop Battleships will follow thirty minutes later. Admiral Axel, you are free to skip to your target.” Chris watched the two long lines of pods on each side of his ship. In five seconds, they were all gone.
Barbie said, “Looks like they’re in a hurry.”
“Yes…it does.” Thirty minutes later, the battleships and the three admiral’s B-Pods skipped out.
Chapter Seven
Roy saw the tactical corner of his helmet’s visor start flashing red. He glanced at it and spun to the right. Three low-flying, high-speed attack craft were coming in ten feet off the pavement toward his company. He extended his left arm, extended his fingers, and quickly pulled three of them back. Three small flashes erupted from his forearm magazine and shot out at the aircraft as his personal communicator activated, “Roy, have I told you how much I love you today?”
Roy leapt to the right and rolled as the three aircraft exploded and the debris flew through the place he was just standing. He came to his feet and pulled his hand blaster and fired on two snipers taking aim at him from the top of the building across the wide avenue, “Yes, you have, love. And I love you too.” Roy hit a knee and raised his right arm and extended his fist, pointed with his index finger, and pulled it back. A missile ignited in his shoulder magazine and shot out at an enemy heavily armored disruptor vehicle. It went up in a massive explosion, and Roy rushed across the wide street with his company of warriors running right behind him.
Lynn fired a bee missile from her left forearm at six enemy warriors firing out of the first floor of a skyscraper and then hit an armored disruptor with a Dark Matter anti-armor round. “I just want to make sure I have.” The round went into the huge disruptor vehicle and the turret blew a hundred feet into the air as the high explosive charge on the back of the round went off.
Roy’s company arrived across the street and he saw a massive fireball to the east. “Lynn, four of the ground disruptors have been hit. I don’t want to be the last one to take out my target. Forgive me but I need to focus on my mission.” Roy dove to the left behind the corner of a building as a disruptor beam sizzled by just missing him.
Lynn looked at her tactical display and saw he was right. Her company was not close to her target and she needed to get with it. “Sorry, Love. Talk with you later.” Lynn replayed the last thirty seconds of her company’s attack on her visor and screamed, “JELLY, IF YOU WASTE ANOTHER HEAVY BLASTER BEAM ON A MINOR TARGET, I AM GOING TO PEEL OFF THAT TIN CAN AROUND YOU AND BEAT YOUR BUTT!!”
“Sorry, Sir! I won’t, I mean I’ll only use it on proper targets. I’m sorry!”
Lynn’s visor went full red and she twisted to the left as a heavy explosive round glanced off her force field rolling her backwards. She heard her gravity compensator whine as she managed to stop her slide and jump to her feet. She dug her boots into the pavement as she slid to a stop. She whipped the heavy blaster out of its shoulder harness and fire at the mobile cannon.
The huge armored vehicle was melted into a huge pool of liquid. She looked around to see if anyone had seen her do what she had just reprimanded Jelly for and blew out a breath. Good, no one noticed. She looked at her tactical display and saw her company was still two miles out from the giant ground disruptor. She saw and heard a massive blast go off to the south and knew that she was running behind schedule. The line of buildings in front of her warriors was covered with enemy troops and heavy weapons were dug in inside the buildings. Her eyes narrowed and she clicked her communicator, “Alright, I’m getting tired of this! Pull your heavy blasters and take down the line of buildings in front of us. Once they’re down, jump over the rubble and take down the next line!”
Lynn raised her heavy Dark Energy Blaster and sighted at the third floor of the building directly in front of her. She pulled the trigger and moved the beam across the front of the building from the right to the left toward the ground next to the first floor.
The building stood for a moment and then slid to the left and toppled into the building next to it that was also sliding down. An entire mile of tall buildings fell like a line of dominoes and her company activated their boot thrusters and jumped over the high pile of rubble. It took her another twenty minutes to take dow
n six more blocks of buildings between her and her target but her warriors finally arrived and saw the fifty story tall ground disruptor.
She yelled over her communicator, “Get out of here NOW!” Lynn pointed her right arm with her fingers extended at the giant disruptor. She heard a giant explosion to the west and knew Roy had taken out his target. She pulled four fingers back into her fist, turned, and ignited her boot thrusters as she felt four jerks on her back.
The four high explosive missiles leapt out of her back magazine as she blasted off the concrete and flew away from the disruptor like an artillery round. The surviving enemy troops on the ground tried to hit her with their beams but she was moving as fast as a bullet as she flew over them. She began her descent as the giant disruptor went up in a massive blast. She landed six miles away as her thrusters went to full power to slow her landing. She went to a knee as the massive shock wave from the disruptors destruction rushed in on her. She hit her gravity compensator and added a ton of weight to her armor and she fought being blown over by the massive blast. She looked at her tactical display and saw only one of the giant disruptors in her sector was still operational.
She gathered her company and saw the massive explosion as they moved out into the capital city. Her battalion had completed their mission but there were still hundreds of thousands of enemy troops and weapons still operating in the giant city. As she moved out, she heard, “I love you, Lynn.” She smiled as she began receiving enemy fire. Her tactical started flashing blue and she looked up. The huge battleships were a mile above the city and the sky was covered with large transports dropping to the streets with their load of Heavy Warriors. The sound of explosions began and didn’t stop. The Heavies were on the ground. “Call in your Pods and get into orbit!”
The Warrior’s Assault Pods came flashing in and the Warriors boarded them and took off at an incredible speed. Their sonic booms added to the deafening noise of the Heavies’ weapons. The Assault Pods flew into formation around the three Admirals and the battleships around them moved away to drop their loads of Heavies.