The Trevakian glanced round towards him, several soldiers crouched in front of him, their faces white with fear beneath their visors. Tregan looked past Riaz, seeing the explosions and smoke clouds, the Morgon and Silakian infantry running in case the craft banked round to complete another attack. He turned to the remaining marines and miners before him, his voice rising, determination on his face, ‘Run…keep running…run to the village! Now!’
The soldiers glanced nervously at each other, then rose as one, their bodies lunging forwards into the bend. As Tregan turned and ran with them, his voice broken, ‘Throw smoke!’
Riaz pushed himself upwards, the tanks machine guns firing continuously in front of them as the armoured vehicle pushed forward. Debra grasped Shino’s shoulders, her voice rising in fear as she looked into her young face, ‘Follow me…keep low and run as fast as you can!’ Shino nodded solemnly, the adrenalin beginning to surge through her body as they ran into the opening.
Captain Dugachard spun round, the shouts from the forward positions distracting her as she issued orders to two waiting militia. Raising the field glasses quickly to her eyes, she drew breath as she saw the small transport craft sweep further across the valley, its lower laser guns firing continuously.
Moving the binoculars round, she saw the Silakian and Morgon infantry running to the right, their black armoured commanders desperately waving their arms to their men to stand firm. The tank ground on towards them, the flashes for the forward guns clearly visible in the morning light. She lowered the glasses and ran forward, stopping at the side of one of the low flat roofed buildings and raising them again, her breath held. The puffs of smoke began to fill the distant flat terrain as she frantically adjusted the zoom on the lenses, straining her eyes to see what was going on. Cracks from the sniper rifles behind and above her echoed out across the landscape as high velocity bullets swept towards their targets.
Glimpsing running figures in the rising smoke, she dropped the glasses into the dust, turning her head to the marines manning the defences, her voice a shriek, ‘Marines! With me…Attack!’
She grasped the assault rifle from her shoulder and bit her lower lip, running forward to the barricades as the marines checked their weapons. Hesitating, she glanced round, seeing the determination on their faces, ‘We bring them in!’ Her voice loud and clear, ‘Lay smoke! Forward! Our time is now!’
The twenty plus marines rose up, jumping over their positions, a collective aggressive cheer surging from the group as they charged forward. Captain Dugachard turned to the nearest militia soldier, fear in his eyes, ‘Reinforce this position from the north of the village…single shots…cut down anything that tries to stop us!’
The man nodded in terror, watching the slim figure of the captain jump the defensive wall and head out onto the open land after the marines.
Riaz was running hard, his chest aching as he pushed forward. Shino ran next to him, her rifle held at waist height as they approached the tank, the armoured vehicle beginning to accelerated, darkened smoke billowing from its rear as its engines revved loudly. Debra and Tregan were running together, the Trevakian throwing the last of his smoke grenades to his left.
The open ground seemed everlasting, the scattered bushes and broken rocks breaking the surface of the dust and snow. As the group ran forward, the armoured carrier emerged from the rocks behind, the driver accelerating as bullets clanked against the sides and back of the vehicle.
The smoke swirled around them as they ran, sporadic fire echoing on either side as they disappeared into the shroud, the ground before them now blanketed in a blind curtain. Riaz glanced to his right, seeing the silhouette of Shino in the gloom, some three metres away as he forced his exhausted and painful body forward.
Bullets whipped through the smoke, the swirling mist seeming to embrace their bodies as they gasped for more oxygen in the thin air. Several screams either side of Riaz indicated the casualties from lucky shots in the billowing shroud, his lungs screaming at him as he felt his legs muscles begin to ache, a numbness searing through them as his body yearned for more oxygen.
Debra stumbled, the ground beneath her feet uneven, Tregan grabbing her arm and half-dragging her forward, her muscles screaming for her to stop as she gasped for air. She jumped as she heard the tank fire its heavy guns to the right, a flash in the smoke indicating the heavy vehicle was less than twenty metres away.
The tank commander squinted through his scope, straining his eyes to see through the smoke. His eyes widened as two Silakians suddenly emerged from the smoke before them, the tank smashing into the figures, their screams of surprise cut short as their broken bodies were swept beneath the armoured plates, the tank lurching as it moved over them.
He glanced down at his driver, his voice tense, ‘Keep the engine noise up, it will help the others!’ Shouting round the rest of the cabin, as the tank cracked against rocks on the left, bullets bouncing off its armoured plate, ‘Keep firing until we break the smoke! Clear the way for the infantry and carrier!’
The driver shouted back, a wry grin forming on his face, ‘The engines half broken…I am not making that noise on purpose!’
The commander smiled in response, moving his right eye back to the cupola, ‘Just keep going!’ He pulled the trigger again, flashes from the front guns reflecting in the thick smoke around them as the tank drove on, bullets pinging against the side armoured plate resonating around the insides.
Shino moved towards Riaz, seeing his body begin to lean forward, his legs slowing as he struggled with his injuries. She grabbed his arm, his head turning in surprise as she pushed it over her shoulder, her voice broken with her heavy breathing, ‘Lean on me…keep moving!’ They jogged on, the smoke swirling around them.
Four hundred metres behind them, Morgon and Silakian soldiers swept from the openings in the rocks, the armoured carriers cannons whipping through the smoke cover. Explosions echoed round the landscape as the cannons fired wildly through the smoke, the gunner blinded.
The tank limped on, its engine gurgling as the engineer crept back along the armoured floor, trying to get to the damaged electrical mechanics, swearing as he cracked his knee against a locker. The commander shouted down, still squeezing the trigger on the machine gun, ‘Keep the motors going…only a few hundred more metres!’
Riaz and Shino stumbled on, the young Asian leaning on the Philippine as pain swept across his chest, his bruised and cracked ribs now restricting his breathing. Shadows moved next to them, their fear and nervousness high with the limited visibility. Several screams swept through the smoke, the sporadic firing from the sides and rear claiming unlucky victims in the swirling mist.
The tank fired to their left, seeming to be several metres away as the machine guns opened up again. Shino gritted her teeth as Riaz’s body seemed to sag, his breathing now becoming very erratic as his body struggled on. Reaching several rocks, he tried to slow, the small Philippine pushing forward, ‘Come on Riaz, we need to keep it up…the smoke will clear soon!’
His legs began to seem to lose strength as they jogged forward, his eyes misting over as the pain swept through him again. Shino gasped as she realised she was half carrying his weight, his legs slipping on the dust beneath them. Seeing the shadows of more rocks through the smoke, she considered stopping, then bit her tongue, determination and frustration rising through her body as she pushed on. The sweat was pouring down her face, her chest heaving as she supported the man next to her.
Then the smoke began to drift, the vision beyond the shroud seeing to momentarily become clearer, her mind focussing on the land ahead as they slowed to a brisk determined walk, their bodies exhausted. Shrieking behind them indicated the Morgons had reached the first few wounded, the screams cut short as limbs were cut through or severed in the clearing smoke.
Shino screamed in frustration, ‘I need you to run Riaz…or they will catch us!’ Her emotions swam as the feeling of defeat swept over her, the futility of running from this enemy. The
gruesome end in sight, the nausea in her stomach rising as she heard the blood lusted shrieks getting nearer from behind once more. Visions of her smiling mother and brothers entered her head…her father handing her a drink to celebrate her birthday, the cake and guests that had arrived un-expectantly. Her body felt numb, her legs seeming to have no energy, her consciousness swimming as they pushed forward. Pain swept through her legs and chest, the thought that she had been hit flicking through her mind.
Riaz’s legs seemed to push forward slightly, his determination pushing through his pain and swimming consciousness. The smoke swirled around them one more time, disorientation overcoming Shino as they struggled forward. Silhouettes became evident in the smoke, the shadows approaching them.
Shino squealed in terror, her eyes almost blinded by sweat as she glimpsed the raised guns with the shadows. Then hands roughly grabbed them, two marines lifting Riaz from her and turning to run as a face emerged before her, the eyes concerned.
Captain Dugachard stared down at her as she collapsed to her knees, her head turning momentarily, as Shino heard a distant voice, ‘Casualty here…one marine to carry!’ As Shino slumped forward, her body shaking in terror and exhaustion, she heard the captain’s desperate voice above her, ‘Incoming! Defensive fire! Defensive Fire!’ Gunfire escalated around her, loud screams and shrieks piercing her semi-consciousness as she lay on the dirt track. An explosion and machine gun fire followed, more shrieking.
Rough hands grabbed her as liquid poured from her mouth, her chest coughing as the water she had drunk was ejected from her body, her lungs struggling to suck air in. She felt her body lifting upwards, her mind seeming disconnected from her physical state as cold air swept across her features. Her thoughts dimming as she considered she had been captured, that this was the end…
Chapter Twenty Six: Air superiority?
A muffled thunder swept through the bunker, dust falling from the ceiling onto the dirtied tablecloth as the man sat with his head in his hands. His unshaven features prickled against his palms as he slowly dropped his hands, reaching for the half empty wine glass in front of him and swigging greedily. His dust covered suit dropping dirt onto the tablecloth as he stretched his tried arms before him, he had not slept in nearly two days.
The two doors to the room swung open, startling him as two suited men walked into the room. Walking officially, they stopped in front of the wide empty table before him as another muffled explosion from outside made them flinch.
The first suited intelligence officer stepped forward, placing his hands on the table as he addressed the seated man, ‘Mr Prime Minister, Sir…we need to move you to another location, the bombing is increasing.’
The man looked up, emotion filling his eyes as he nodded slowly. Wearily, he rose to his feet, his voice low, ‘Thank you gentlemen…I will just get a situation report before we leave.’ He hesitated, turning to face them, ‘Where will we go?’
The security agent stepped back, his face solemn as he indicated to the door, ‘Probably Scotland Sir…it is remote there and we will stop at several safe havens en-route.’
The Prime Minister nodded in defeat, dusting his suits with his hands as his security detail looked at his open necked shirt, his tie now placed loosely round his neck. He nodded grimly, ‘Very well…let’s get the update, then we will be on our way.’
He walked slowly and wearily into the next room, several computer operators glancing up at him cautiously before continuing typing. An RAF intelligence officer stepped forward, the leader of the opposition standing behind him with the Deputy Prime Minister on the opposite side. His deputy smiled weakly at him, ‘How are you holding up?’
The Prime minister nodded, ‘Not sure ‘holding up’ is a way to put it.’ He indicated to the RAF Intelligence officer, ‘A full update please…don’t hold back.’
The Intelligence officer cleared his throat, waiting as another muffled explosion from above died down, then talking slowly, ‘Mr Prime Minister, we have been engaging the enemy for over three days now in an air battle over England and surrounding areas.’ He looked down at his notes, taken from the numerous e-mails, ‘I have to report that the RAF has suffered considerable attrition and destruction. We have approximately seven serviceable aircraft left fighting over Southern England.’ He swallowed nervously, ‘Sir, they are no longer an effective fighting force. Our allies have suffered equivalent casualties with fighters from other nations being virtually cleared from the skies. The enemy, ‘Morgons’ I believe, have now cut off the United Kingdom with the remaining air battles continuing over central and eastern Europe. They have driven our allies back, Sir.’ He looked up at the Prime Minister, his voice becoming broken, ‘Sir, we have only sixteen fighters left over England.’
The Prime Minister sighed, looking round the room slowly, ‘What is the enemy’s projected next step?’
The Deputy Prime Minister stepped forward, clearing his throat, ‘We believe the enemy is preparing to launch drop ships, Sir. The Ministry of Defence has discussed the possibility of them trying to land forces in the United Kingdom. We are an island…easily defended whilst they build their forces and start to move out across the rest of the world. They will use our population as a ‘human shield’ whilst they prepare to attack our nearest allies.’ He adjusted his stance nervously, ‘I have spoken to the Trevakian delegation and they also believe this will be the next step. In short, Sir…we have lost.’
The Prime Minister looked up at him, his jaw stiffening as his hand pointed upwards, ‘What is going on above?’
The RAF Intelligence Officer spoke again, ‘Enemy bombing, Sir. We have insufficient resources left at our disposal to prevent them. Our ground batteries are mostly intact, but they are using pin-point accuracy bombing from above their ranges. Any missiles we send against them are shot down before they reach their targets.’
The Prime Minister sighed, ‘Damage?’
The leader of the opposition indicated to him, ‘Mostly government and military targets Sir…they are avoiding our infrastructure…I think they want to capture it. Most of the airfields in southern England are now unusable, army barracks have been bombed…Aldershot was virtually destroyed in only one air raid.’
They glanced round as the doors to the room opened, a muffled explosion above causing them to duck their heads instinctively. Admiral Karladen marched briskly into the room with his intelligence officer, their deep blue uniforms seeming untouched by the dust falling from the ceiling. The Admiral stopped before them, his face reddened from lack of sleep as he raised his voice, ‘Gentlemen…’ he glanced round the room, seeming embarrassed, ‘…And ladies. We have an important communique from the Trevakian Empire to disclose to you…please can we gather in your presentation room as soon as convenient.’
The Prime Minister’s eyes widened as he nodded nervously, ‘Y-Yes…of course…whatever you need now...’
The Admiral turned abruptly and marched officially from the room, heading to a room further down the corridor as the others followed slowly.
The Prime Minister’s eyes widened further as he walked into the wide television room, the contingency or emergency replacement for Cabinet Briefing Room A (COBRA). Stood along the sides of the room were the diplomats from other nations, quickly assembled by the Trevakian Intelligence officer at short notice. All nodded as the Prime Minister entered, most attempting to hide their surprise at his appearance, his eyes bleary. He stopped at the end of the long table as Admiral Karladen walked officially to the front of the room, coming to a stop next to the numerous widescreens.
The Admiral turned, smiling comfortingly to the assembled group, as he began to speak, ‘It came to our notice a couple of days ago that we had overestimated your planet’s defensive capabilities.’ He hesitated, seeing the stern reactions from the assembled ministers, ‘We therefore put a contingency into effect without your knowledge.’
The Deputy Prime Minister interrupted, his face flushed with anger, ‘You are our new allies
and you are deceiving us already?’
The Admiral raised his hand in defence, staring in disgust at the interruption, ‘We were unsure if our plan would work, so we did not want to raise your hopes.’ The screens flickered behind him, the President of the United States coming into view, followed by the Russian and Chinese Premiers and a variety of other world leaders.
The Prime Minister whipped his tie from his shoulders, the rest of the room stiffening as they glimpsed the screens.
The Admiral glanced round, a smile of satisfaction forming on his face, he glanced to his intelligence officer, nodding to him as he spoke again, ‘We have one short wave covert radio channel that the Morgon’s have not discovered, and a few minutes ago, we received a message through it.’ He smiled again, ‘The signal should be strong enough to share now!’ He indicated to his intelligence officer again, the man typing several commands into his small console.
The intelligent officer lifted the console to his face, talking briefly into it, ‘Patch it through please Sky Commander Petaski.’
The remaining darkened screen flickered briefly, static streaming across it for a short period. The screen flickered again, colour shooting across it as a picture emerged, the figure on the screen stood before a Trevakian mobile media camera.
The Prime Minister’s eyes widened in surprise, hushed whispers sweeping across the room. The figure dressed similarly to the Admiral, behind him, several operators dressed in dark blue sat at horizontal screens, their hands running across the surfaces as lights responded to their touch. The assembled group stared in surprise at the room behind the figure, the blue down lighting illuminating the large bridge of a space ship. On the screen far to the rear of the bridge, a large black screen projected the exterior of the ship, the stars sparkling across the view of deep space.
The Last Marine in the Galaxy (Galaxies Collide Book 1) Page 25