The Goeben was a quarter the size of the barge, but they all knew too well that only civilian authorities and police protected the space within the barges.
"Get me the Captain of that vessel!"
"Captain Dokgo, most of the people aboard are Korean," said Vega.
A moment later a frantic Korean man, who appeared to be in his fifties, appeared before him.
“Admiral, I have reports that alien robots have boarded this ship. What is going on?”
“Captain, you are under attack by hidden enemy elements within this fleet that have captured one of our vessels and boarded yours. We are doing everything in our power to protect you.”
Screams could be heard over the comms channel.
“They’re here. They’re killing everyone. There are dozens of them, maybe hundreds… Admiral, please don’t leave us!”
“I won’t leave you, Captain. We already have marines en route to help. Are you in a safe area?”
“The bridge is safe, yes.”
“If you have blast doors, seal them.”
“But all those people?”
“Captain, just listen to me. Close your blast doors. Lock down the bridge.”
“Yes, yes, okay.”
Now, do you still have power to your engines?”
“Yes…yes we do.”
“We are sending you coordinates now, reposition and await assistance.”
“But, Admiral, I am watching people die now. They’re being slaughtered. How…”
“Captain Dokgo, listen to me. Redirect the coordinates we are sending you. We are doing everything we can to help you. Now I have to get to work. Stay on this line. I am passing you onto my number two…”
Vega took over the conversation on his own handset.
“Huang’s marines, what chance do they have?”
“We have no idea of the enemy strength or firepower.”
“What are their chances?”
“It’s a big ship and a lot of civilians to get in the way.”
“What are their chances?” Huber yelled.
Taylor shook his head. “If his marines are equipped and experienced anything like the marines you had aboard the Washington when I got here, not great.”
Huber shook his head and began to pace up and down the ship.
“We’ve got twenty thousand people on that ship. God knows how many are already dead. And now you’re telling me the rescue operation is destined to fail? I will not lose those people. We can’t afford such losses! Taylor, how quickly can you get your people together for a full breach of the barge?”
“Admiral. Our Mastiffs are beaten to hell. We have one fully operational at best. You haven’t got enough transports to get us over there in any great number, and we haven’t got enough in my unit alone to get this done right.”
“You? You of all people can’t get this done?”
“Right now it’s about saving as many lives as possible. I can go in there, and sure we’ll kill every last one of those bastards in time, but not quick enough. We need a rapid response, and we need it now. We need the weight of numbers now. In short, we gotta get there firstest with the mostest, and we’re already failing on one of those things.”
‘Time is short Taylor. Tell me what you need, and I’ll do it.”
“Crank this boat up, get us over there, and dock with that barge. Arm everyone you can with a weapon and send us aboard en masse.”
Huber was shocked.
“Dock? When Mechs run amok?”
“It’s all or nothing, Admiral. We can go in with maybe sixty marines now, and everyone aboard that ship could be dead before we have the job done, or we can go in en mass. I have close to three hundred marines at my disposal, and you yourself can spare a couple of hundred. Find Major Moye and have him deploy anything he can at the same time. Admiral, we can be hitting back within ten minutes, or we can piss about and lose a shitload of lives.”
Huber did not reply. He was stunned by the situation.
“Don’t risk it, Sir!” Vega pleaded, “We cannot risk the ship for the lives of a few civilians!”
“A few civilians!” Huber repeated in desperation.
He turned back to Taylor.
“Get your people ready and make sure this works,” He looked back to Vega, “Do it.”
Vega shook his head at the order, but he did not dare defy it. Taylor raised his arm and opened a channel on his comms unit.
“Inter-Allied, gather your gear and prepare for immediate assault.”
"How long until we reach their location?"
"I can have us alongside in two minutes and docked a short while after that, Admiral."
"Short while?" Taylor asked, "People are dying in there, probably in great numbers, get in there now!"
He waited for someone to order the ship’s Marine detachment into operation, but it did not come.
"Admiral. I need every one of your marines prepped and ready to board that barge with us. Have everyone who isn't currently working a vital job to grab a rifle. You'll have to defend the access points once we get aboard by yourself."
Huber hesitantly put out the order.
"How many points of access will we have?"
Huber looked to Vega because he did not know.
"I believe we have three docking corridors that will align with the lower hull of the barges."
"Get me a layout."
On the project before him, Taylor could see the access points were almost equidistant along the length of the Washington, a ship that was only a little over half the size of the vast barges.
"For the length of this operation, these will be designated zones A, B, C, and D, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta," he said, as he went from fore to aft and finally the landing bay, "Have your marines ready the forward and middle locations at A and B. My people will take C and D."
"And Captain Moye’s?"
"I don't care, just get him in there fast. We haven't got time for any great strategy here. This is a search and destroy mission, with time being a priority. How long until we dock?"
"Sixty seconds, Sir."
"You know what to do."
With that, Taylor rushed to the door and found Parker waiting for him with a gun and spare shield for his use. Jafar was there also.
"We got places to be. Let's move!"
He relayed his orders as he ran.
"Captain King, you're on."
When they reached the fighter bays, they heard a message over the comms, "Docking in three, two one.."
They felt the ship rock just a little as they clamped onto the barge. Rains was already waiting for them with another Mercury.
"Not had time to name her yet, Colonel, what do you think?"
Taylor did not stop as he strode towards the craft.
"I think we need to get a shift on. Let's go, go, go!"
Eddie could see the urgency in his face and rushed aboard. The engines were already running as Parker’s platoon rushed on board after Taylor. As the door slammed shut, he got a signal through from King.
"We've got the green light. Ready on your mark."
"This is Colonel Taylor to all units. Breach, breach, breach!"
He wanted to be in there first, but he knew they couldn't wait.
* * *
"Do you know where you are going or are you hoping for the best?" Reynolds asked.
Kelly had been driving for over an hour now, without giving any indication as to his intentions or destination. They were driving at high speed along a narrow old country road, surrounded by thirty-metre high trees that at least kept them concealed from any aircraft.
"I know of a place. A system of underground bunkers deep in the heart of the forest."
"How do you know of their existence?"
"I was briefed on their presence when we first relocated here. They're our best chance. We might even find a few allies there."
"I sure hope so."
"Don't hope, Captain. Hope didn't get us this far."
/> They both spotted a smoke trail rising from trees up ahead, but Kelly did not slow down.
"What do you want to do?"
"What we are already doing. Whatever may be ahead, it can't be any more danger to us than what will soon be at our backs."
Reynolds nodded in agreement. He lowered his window, raised his rifle to the frame, and took a deep breath.
"You know we'll need a lot more heavy gear than this if we're gonna make a difference."
"Got that right."
They took the bend up ahead and saw the wreck of an armoured vehicle burning on the roadside. They could already see from a distance that it was of human origin.
"Not good, not good at all. I don't like this, Boss," said Reynolds.
Kelly said nothing and continued on. As they neared the vehicle, they could see smoke arising from a few trees nearby and the tail end of a Mech fighter embedded in the foliage. That at least brought a smile to Kelly's face.
"Looks like they didn't go down without a fight."
The presence of the enemy fighter put Reynolds on edge, and he held his finger close to the trigger as they reached the wreckage. There was no sign of life by the armoured vehicles, but when they got the other side of it, they saw metal strewn across the road. Kelly stopped and got out.
"What is it?" Reynolds asked.
"Not sure."
Kelly took up his rifle and headed forwards carefully and cautiously. He studied every element of their surroundings while closing the distance, and finally recognised what he was looking at. The twisted metal shrapnel was in fact the remains of three or more Mech warriors who had been blown apart.
"Must have hit 'em with some pretty heavy ordnance," said Kelly.
"Like what?"
Kelly looked up at the large bore barrel of the wrecked vehicle beside them.
"Another one of those, I guess."
"So there were survivors here?"
Kelly let out a deep breath.
"I'd say so," he said, looking at the tank tracks continuing on past the wreckage.
"You see, hope," said Reynolds.
Kelly looked over to the wreck of the fighter and moved towards it.
"Sir, shouldn't we keep moving?"
"Not if there's any chance of some bastard alive in that thing. We've kept our movements quiet till now. Let's be sure to leave no stragglers like we did back in town."
He moved up cautiously through the foliage with his weapon held at the ready. As he neared the ship, he stopped dead on seeing two bodies ahead. They were both Mechs. He looked around for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. He carried on until he reached them and soon realised they were riddled with bullets from human made guns.
"Looks like they were hit wholesale, fish in a barrel," added Reynolds.
"Good."
"Whoever came through here meant business."
"Sounds like our kind of people, Reynolds."
"Yeah...maybe." He stepped nearer and could see just how much fire had been poured into the two Mechs. Someone had really gone to town on them.
"All right, let's move."
They got back on the road and navigated their way past the debris and carried on through the seemingly endless forest.
"You really know where you're going, Sir?"
"Have I ever bullshitted you, Captain?"
"No, Sir."
"Have I ever made anything up?"
"No, Sir."
"Have I ever led you into a trap?"
"No, Sir...but.."
"But nothing. Either say something useful or interesting, or shut the hell up."
Reynolds was silenced. He could tell Kelly had become a new man. He had reverted to the cold hard calculating warrior he had been when they were fighting for survival on the Moon. Kelly knew it, too, but he didn't mind. He knew he had to be an entirely different kind of animal to make a difference now.
They carried on for another ten kilometres when Reynolds could hardly contain himself any longer.
“How much farther until we reach the complex?”
Kelly turned and glared at him.
“You want me to be your number two, start treating me like it. I need to know our operational plans. I need to know locations. Whatever you know or plan, I need to know it, too.”
Kelly nodded.
“Good, now you’re starting to think like a leader.”
“Don’t ask what you need to know, demand it.”
“Got it.”
“Then we are two klicks away from the first of the bunkers. They are not written down. They are on no map. Their location was on a need-to-know basis. I needed to know, and now you do, too. I do not have coordinates for their location. They are not near any town or settlement I know of. I only know how to reach them by memory, and you must do the same. That tank, the bodies, the fighter. Those are gonna have to go once we are set up. They are identifying landmarks, and that is something to be avoided.”
Kelly suddenly brought the vehicle to a standstill. Reynolds looked ahead at a large fallen tree ahead. It was completely cutting off access to the road.
“You don’t stop for a smouldering tank, but you stop for a fallen tree?”
“It’s too convenient. The vehicle back there was purposely moved out of the way for access.”
“Okay?”
“And so if whoever it was came this way, they’d have to have moved that tree, or they purposely placed it there.”
“Or it could just be a fallen tree?”
Kelly turned to Reynolds who he could hear wasn’t taking it seriously.
“Here’s a philosophy to live by. Treat every coincidence like a kill zone.”
“You just made that up, didn’t you?”
“Damn right I did, because you needed to hear it.”
“All right, so is it a barrier or a trap? I don’t see what we can do about it, anyway.”
“Go tell the vehicles behind. I want a dozen shooters on each flank to work their way through the trees, and have a few extra guys jump on the back of my truck.”
“Got it.”
“And, Captain…you make sure they’re well armed!”
“Yes, Sir.”
A few minutes later they were rolling forward along the trail at a walking pace to match those going through cover to their flanks. They had left the rest of the convoy behind. Kelly knew all too well what a death trap a narrow road could be, but he didn’t regret taking it. Reynolds hung onto the side of the truck, ready to leap off at a moment’s notice.
The road was so quiet; Kelly could hear the sounds of twigs breaking in the wooded areas as they advanced. He drove with one hand on the wheel and a rifle in the other.
“Would the Krys set a trap like this?” Reynolds asked, “Seems a bit subtle for them.”
“I doubt it, but we’ve been surprised too many times by the things they have done. We have to assume they are capable of anything.”
They were just twenty metres away from the fallen tree now, and had neither seen nor heard anything amiss. Kelly looked around frantically, desperately trying to spot the first sign of trouble. Finally, he rocked up in front of the tree and brought the vehicle to a halt. As he did so, he spotted something in the distance. He squinted to identify what he was seeing, finally recognising a wide bore cannon barrel protruding from dense foliage less than thirty metres beyond the tree.
“Gun! Get down!”
“He jumped out from his truck and took a knee beside it, but as he did so, he heard a wave of shouts of screams up ahead.
“Put your weapons down! Stand down!” they called.
“They’re human. We’re okay,” Reynolds said.
He began to get up when Kelly shouted at him.
“Get your ass down!”
“Identify yourselves!” a voice called. He peered through the branches of the fallen tree but could still not identify any people.
“Commander Kelly, formerly of the MDF!”
No response came for while unti
l finally…
“The what?”
“Moon Defence Force!” Reynolds shouted.
“Sir, they’re friendlies,” he added.
“We don’t know that.”
“Was it you shot down that Krys fighter back there?” Kelly shouted.
“Affirmative!”
Kelly got to his feet and clambered over the tree, carrying on in the open for all to see clearly. He held is rifle low but did not drop it, and held is other hand up to show he was no threat.
“Put your weapons down!” a voice ordered.
He was starting to pinpoint the location now by sound but could still not see it.
“Put ‘em down!”
He stopped in his tracks and stood calmly head on towards where the voice was coming from, a few metres to the right of the gun barrel.
“If you are fighting the Krys, then we are allies.”
“Put your weapon down!”
“And I put my weapon down for no man nor alien!” Kelly bellowed in return.
They all waited for a response. Reynolds looked around cautiously from the cover of Kelly’s truck, but he could still see nothing.
“Did you hear me?” Kelly asked, “Shoot me, or come out!”
Kelly still made no attempt to neither raise his rifle nor move.
“Ball’s in your court!”
Finally, he saw a few branches shake, and part of the tree seemed to get up and walk into the road. A man wearing a camouflage ghillie suit made of part man made materials and part local foliage stood before him. The man was so padded out and bulky he looked like a gorilla. Kelly said nothing and waited for the man to pull back his hood and reveal his face. As they did so, Kelly was shocked to see it was a woman inside.
A woman as tall as he was with her hair tied back and a both curious and suspicious look on her face. Her voice was so deep, and her body so tall and strong, it was hard to notice she was a woman.
“Corporal Berlin, of the…well not sure anymore. We have no unit. We are on our own.”
“Commander Kelly, formerly of the MDF.”
“You can’t carry on this way, Commander.”
Battle Earth X Page 8