Within fifteen minutes, the Deveron was lifting off once more. Chandra and Taylor both attended the bridge, partly to see Earth one last time as they departed and partly to escape Suarez. They knew he was going to be a problem they would have to deal with, but neither could face it there and then.
* * *
Five weeks passed before they finally got word of the fleet’s approach to the gateway. There had been little training to do for the troops of Inter-Allied. They passed the time with guard duties and familiarisation of the ship they were stationed aboard. Chandra and Taylor were called to the bridge for the announcement of the arrival of the mass of new vessels. A cheer rang out across the ship as Huber announced it over the comms.
“Just look at it,” called Huber. “The grandest fleet ever amassed.”
They looked out to space with the Washington’s projected display. They could see more than fifty sizeable ships, including a carrier not so different to the Washington.
“How on Earth did they manage it?” asked Huber.
“I hear that construction on some of these began just weeks after the war on Earth ended. They weren’t built in three weeks,” replied Chandra.
“No, but impressive nonetheless, Colonel. Before the war, it would have taken the dockyards three years to build such a fleet, and they’d have been unarmed. All this is in less than a year.”
“Amazing what the human race can achieve when it’s against the wall,” Taylor commented.
“Sir, we have a shuttle coming aboard.”
Huber turned to the two Inter-Allied officers.
“Please join me.”
They arrived at the docking bay in time to see the ramp lowering on a brand spanking new shuttle. General White stepped aboard with several other Navy officers they didn’t recognise.
“Welcome aboard, Sir!”
“Thank you, Admiral Huber, let me introduce you to Admiral Uxbridge of His Majesties Royal Navy, Commander of the fine new carrier you see out there, the Trafalgar.”
“My compliments.”
“Tell me, Admiral, is expert opinion unchanged regarding this space gateway?”
“Reiter and his team of experts still believe they can operate the device, but are a long way from understanding how it works or how, or if, it can safely be dismantled.”
“Then the only way is forward. It’s been a long journey out here, and I suspect your crews are as anxious for a change of pace as well. Are we confident about the stability and operation of this device?”
“We have already carried out tests with drones and safely been able to send them through the gate and recover them. The fleet is ready for immediate departure.”
“Excellent. Admiral Huber, you will remain as Commander of this fleet. Admiral Uxbridge being second. I will maintain command of infantry forces from here on board the Washington. I now pass over command to all forces to yourself and wish you every luck on this new undertaking.”
“Thank you, General.”
Huber lifted his comms unit and tapped it.
“Prepare the fleet for departure. Begin a thirty minute countdown and have Reiter synchronise.”
The command staff returned to the bridge with General White. It was an anxious waiting game as lights flickered and flashed around the gateway. Taylor and Chandra had missed the previous tests of the gateway, but they could see the bridge crew were still as mesmerised by it as they had been the first time. Taylor leant in over General White’s shoulder.
“Assuming this leads us into enemy territory, what then?” he asked.
“We strike at the enemy in any way we can. Hit the first targets hard and keep moving forward.”
“And what then? Do we try and take them to extinction, like they did us?”
Chandra could hear the conversation and leaned in to give her two pennies.
“Probably a damn good idea.”
White shrugged his shoulders.
“We need to remove the threat they pose. If we can do that by winning a few victories and showing them we are all powerful, great. If not, we keep pushing, and we do so until they can no longer endanger our lands. If in the meantime, if we can find a way to dismantle that gateway, we’ll take that option.”
The gateway suddenly pulsed with a violent burst of light and spun into life. The entire gateway began to rotate at a slow and steady pace. Beams of light darted across the core of the huge ring until they filled it in a giant swirling ball of blue light. It was beautiful and almost magical, but they could not help feel fear for what might be on the other side.
“One giant leap for humanity and all that,” whispered White.
The light faded to the centre until it was almost white, and the structure began to spin faster as the swirling core increased in velocity.
“The gateway is ready for entry, Sir!”
Huber hesitated for a moment. It was a frightening step into the unknown. He took a deep breath and breathed out slowly. He gave the order.
“Take us through.”
The engines of the Washington fired up, and they slowly ambled towards the swirling wall of light. Three frigates of the fleet were ahead of them, and they watched as the bows of the vessels pierced the light and continued on through as if vanishing into fog. Many on the bridge held their breath and felt fear overcome them, but they knew they had passed beyond the point of no return. The Washington pushed on through. Taylor’s right hand slipped over the grip of his rifle that rested on his flank. He didn’t like passing through into the unknown without being prepared for anything.
Eventually, they were through the swirling light. For a few moments, they were bombarded with strobes of bright white light that the ship’s display quickly dimmed to accommodate. In just ten seconds, they rushed out into the black of space once more. Many sighed in relief and looked around to see the fleet coming out behind them.
“That wasn’t so bad,” Chandra said.
Huber spoke up.
“Scan the area. I want a full status update on our location.”
The only light in the area was provided by the gate itself and the lights of the ships of the fleet. Like the other end of the gateway, it had been built far from any sign of life.
The comms officer spoke, but there was shock and disbelief in his voice.
“Sir, we are in the Tau Ceti system. The computer is still gathering data, but our maps are mostly accurate for this system already.”
“How far are we from the nearest inhabitable planet?” asked Huber.
“All planets in this system are hostile to life, but they may yet support it. I believe we could reach the first in twenty-eight hours, Sir.”
“Then plot a course, and open a channel to the fleet.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The room was silent as they awaited the Admiral’s announcement.”
“This is Admiral Huber speaking. We have now entered the system we refer to as Tau Ceti, named after its sun. We are almost twelve light years from home, and a distance the human race could barely comprehend just a year or two ago. Now we have travelled that distance, which is no small thing. Under any other circumstances, this would be a feat worth celebrating, but we didn’t come here to explore, or to mine, or to colonise. We came here to fight, and I fully intend on doing so.”
He took a deep breath before continuing. Several of the bridge crew nodded and murmured quietly in support.
“Admiral Uxbridge and half of the fleet will remain here to guard the entrance to gateway. Orders and status updates are being updated as I speak. Remember, that if the enemy cannot get through this gate, they cannot reach our homes. The Washington will lead the rest of the fleet to the nearest planet that we believe to be an enemy colony. Today we bridged the gap between our civilisations. Tomorrow, we make them pay for what they did to humanity, Washington out.”
Taylor still stared out into the depths of space. Up ahead, they could see the glimmer of stars and planets. The nearest appearing as a similar size as the Moon vie
wed from Earth. He had expected to step into a whole new and different world when they passed through the gateway. It was an anti-climax he was actually glad to have experienced. Huber turned around to address them.
“We’re heading for that planet to cause merry hell. There may also be much to learn on the enemy’s own soil. You can bet that we’ll need troops on the ground. Have your people ready.”
“Always, Sir,” replied Chandra.
The days and weeks of travelling were making them all feel utterly exhausted. Space travel had been limited before to the extent that few ever passed beyond the Earth’s Moon and the LaGrange stations. Taylor sighed as he yawned.
“We should both get some sleep,” Chandra said. “We aren’t needed here for a good few hours, and we’ll certainly need our strength when we arrive at our destination.”
Taylor agreed with her. He wasn’t going to fight about it. They strolled off the bridge together.
“I know you didn’t want to tread this path, Mitch. But you should know I would never have chosen it if I thought there was a better way.”
“I appreciate that. It just seems that whatever happens, we are always thrown in the shit. Isn’t it about time we were laid up to rest, and others took on the work?”
“We aren’t the only unit on this mission. The fleet is packed with soldiers and marines.”
“Mmm,” Taylor muttered, thinking about the most recent troops to join them. They had both been ducking Suarez since he had returned. “You know this Grey-Suarez situation needs to be resolved?”
Chandra sighed at the very thought of it.
“Follow me. Let’s get this over and done with.”
She carried on to the elevator, lifting her Mappad to check the unit schedules. She quickly learnt that Grey and his Company were carrying out hull breach drills. She hit the button in the elevator and stood silently. They rapidly descended to the Lieutenant’s level. When the doors opened, she stormed out at a quick pace with Taylor in tow. As they took a bend, they could see Grey up ahead. He stopped his unit and called them to attention.
“Lieutenant Grey! In recognition of your fine services during the assault on the space gateway, for your continued fine service, and under several recommendations, I am hereby giving you a field promotion to Captain. Your papers will be put in order on our return home, and your pips will be delivered to your quarters with the hour.”
The British former Staff Sergeant was flabbergasted.
“Well, what have you to say for yourself?” prompted Taylor.
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
“Carry on, Captain.”
She turned and strode quickly back to the elevator, leaving Grey still motionless and shocked by his abrupt promotion. When the doors of the elevator closed, Taylor finally spoke up.
“That wasn’t exactly...by the book.”
“What in this war is?” she replied.
“Oh, I hear you. It’s a band-aid fix to the Suarez issue. The fact you promoted one of your NCOs over him will probably just piss him off further.”
“Probably, but I’d rather have him pissed off than hounding me. I can promote whom I bloody well choose, and I just as rather Suarez had stayed at home. How you ever tolerated him, I will never know.”
“You can’t choose every officer in your command.”
“More’s the pity. I am sick of dealing with morons, cowards and idiots.”
Taylor was taken aback by her sudden outburst, but he didn’t want to pursue it any further. He had gotten himself into enough trouble in the past as it was.
“How about getting that rest?” he asked.
He could see the weary look in her eyes. They both knew a battle was coming, and neither of them wanted to go into it already fatigued. Taylor barely remembered much from this point on. He stumbled into his quarters and had just enough time to strip off his exoskeleton suit before dropping into bed with his uniform still on.
Fourteen hours later, he awakened and looked in shock at his watch. It was more sleep than he’d gotten in years, and it was an odd sensation to arise naturally. But within just a few minutes of sitting up, a warning alert blared out from the speaker in the corner of the room. A voice was calling him to the bridge.
“This is finally it.”
The Major hauled on his equipment and rushed to Admiral Huber’s side. He entered the bridge to find Chandra already there, and she didn’t have the recently awoken look he sported.
“Did we wake you, Major?” she asked with a smile.
He looked out to the display screen to see a zoomed in picture of the planet they approached. It was a reddish-orange and appeared dry and rocky. The surface looked jagged and bombarded with space debris, but amongst it all, he could make out the uniformed structures of buildings created by intelligent beings.
“Have your alien friends join us. They may be of help,” ordered Huber.
They all stood and marvelled at the display, trying to imagine how it would look and feel to stand on an alien world. They didn’t have the technology to scan for much in the way of useful information at such a distance, but they could still peer at it through their ship’s telescopes.
Jafar and Tsengal stepped in, and it was clear they had been standing guard outside. They stood and stared for a moment, the same as the rest present.
“What can you tell us about this planet?” asked Huber.
“It is Krycenaean, but not a world we have ever seen.”
Huber turned in surprise. The prospect of not recognising a planet inhabited by your people was truly an unknown concept to the humans, but he could see in their faces, they did not lie. He stayed silent and let them continue to investigate what they could see. Finally Tsengal spoke.
“Neither of us have ever travelled to this world, but it certainly is not an important colony.”
“Not important in terms of life or resources, or what?” asked Chandra.
“I could not say. Only that we have never encountered it.”
Taylor looked to Chandra with the same curious expression Huber displayed. They all wondered if the planet was of little importance to the alien race, or of great importance and kept a secret.
“Whatever it is, we’re heading right for it. If we are going make any progress in this star system, we need to gain some ground.”
“I’m just not sure what is worth fighting for down there,” replied Taylor, looking at the barren landscape.
Huge caverns divided rocky outcrops on a dry scarred surface. As much as they were all curious to set foot on it, the planet looked far from hospitable.
“Would a planet such as that have any kind of defences? What about troops?” asked Huber.
Jafar shrugged his shoulders.
“Never having been there, I do not know.”
“Then I guess we’re going in blind.”
They caught glimpses of movement from the planet and watched as entrances opened on the surface. Small craft poured out towards them.
“I guess we have our answer. Launch fighters! Alert Admiral Uxbridge that we have made contact with the enemy!”
He turned back to Chandra.
“Have your unit ready to go. I don’t think we’ll have too much trouble with this lot, and I don’t want any delay in reaching the surface. Be ready to embark at a moment’s notice.”
Taylor’s eyebrows raised at the dismissive nature of the forces opposing them, and he only hoped Huber’s confidence was founded in fact. Chandra grabbed his arm and led him from the bridge.
“Stay near a comms unit in case we have need of you!” Huber shouted as they left.
The two of them rushed to the armouries. Jafar and Tsengal were close behind.
“Make sure to load re-supply crates aboard all ships and copters. I’ll be damned if we’re going to an alien planet without enough ammunition,” Chandra shouted.
“Still think it’s such a good idea? I mean we won on our own soil, but fighting over the enemy’s own territory is a completely di
fferent story.”
“Yes, it is a different story. We’ll give them a taste of the pain and suffering they brought to our world. These creatures are not as all powerful as they believe themselves to be. Their technological advances are quickly being matched, and they cannot withstand the adaptability and will to survive of the human race.”
They arrived at the Deveron’s docking area to find Jones had already assembled the Battalion. It half filled the vast facility. Ryan and his crew were formed up behind them and wearing much of the same equipment.
“Thank you, Captain. At ease!”
She strolled quickly to the centre of the formed up troops.
“Up ahead is an enemy planet. We don’t know what it’s called, and we don’t know what is there. It appears to be a small colony on the fringe of the star system we know as Tau Ceti. It may or may not have strategic value. We are all going into this blind. What I can say for sure is that it’s high time we pushed them back, and it’s time they were made to suffer. Inter-Allied are to be feared by all our enemies. This is our time!”
Cheers rang out, but they quickly went silent as all were unsettled by the uncertainty they faced. The Colonel paced along the line, and she could feel her pulse increase. It was the only thing that would calm her. Just a few minutes later, they heard the ship’s guns open fire.
“Listen to it. That is the sound of payback. Remember when we first faced them two years ago. Remember how scared you were when they rolled into our lands, all guns blazing. That is how they’ll be feeling today, and when they run, we’ll chase them!”
Taylor didn’t much care for Chandra’s bloodlust, but he could understand how it was useful to settle the troops and get them in the right mindset. He looked to Chandra, and she smiled back in response. So close to combat, their own squabbles seemed to melt away, and they both wished they had not wasted such time on them. Eli would never be happy with aliens within their ranks, but she knew she had no say in it. An enemy pulse crashed into the Washington on a floor above them, causing a breach. Blast doors shut down near the entrance to the docking facility as emergency beacons flashed.
Battle Earth V Page 9