by Danny Loomis
“You alright man?”
“Yeah, I think. What happened?” Pointy helped him to his feet, where he weaved for a second before feeling stability return. “You got a weird look on your face and keeled over,” Pointy said.
Ian unconsciously rubbed his chest, trying to fathom what had happened. He could feel the uneven surface of the crystal, as again he felt a pulse of unease.
“Get everyone armed. Something’s wrong,” he said, and spun towards the chamber they’d just inventoried. Within minutes all fifteen of the Edoan work party had loaded themselves down with weapons and ammunition. Ten had chosen the grenade launchers, five needlers. Ian and Pointy had both heavy needler rifles and pistols as they moved towards the furthest end of the cavern away from the entranceway that connected them back to the main cavern where the shuttles and Wasps were kept, almost a kilometer away.
The ground trembled seconds before a far-off booming sound echoed from the tunnel they were facing. “Lissa, go get help. Now,” Ian said, moving purposely forward. “Pointy, get the grenadiers spread across the cavern. Make sure they have good fields of fire. Oh, and load up on explosives. Once you have them in place, I want you to prepare the explosives we’ve got stored in the tunnel on the right for detonating. There’s not enough to bring this place down, but it might slow them up if we have to withdraw.”
Pointy hastened to comply and Ian motioned the other five forward with him. They had just entered the far tunnel when small-arms fire could be heard, growing louder as they moved forward. “Three of you make sure you’re twenty meters behind us. If we run across a force bigger than us, we’ll do a withdraw under fire drill, just like you were trained to do. Any questions? Good. Let’s move out.”
At a slow walk they proceeded another hundred meters before the firing suddenly cut off. Ian went to ground, the rest of his force an eyeblink behind. He placed a tripwire, backed up two meters and put out the “sweeper” booby trap he’d brought along. It consisted of an eight by twelve centimeter rectangle of metal with a thick layer of plastic explosives spread on one side, and dozens of steel ball bearings pressed into the explosives. A detonator was placed in the plastique, with a line running back to the tripwire. It tended to sweep a tunnel clean of anything living when it went off.
He crawled backwards, and motioned his people to back up to the next turn so they were out of sight of the tripwire. “Everyone on full auto,” he whispered. “And now we wait.”
An eternity of seconds crawled by. Suddenly the sweeper detonated and slapped Ian in the face with the force of the blast even from thirty meters away and around the turn.
“Wait, wait…” Ian sighted his needler ahead. It was another thirty seconds before the first movement was detected. A lone soldier crept around the turn. Two needlers seemed to shriek in the enclosed space as they were fired on full auto, physically knocking the Alliance soldier back around the corner.
“Put them on three shot bursts for now,” Ian said. He pulled the pin on a grenade and tossed it underhanded around the corner. “Move out!” They sprinted back and four grenades sailed around the turn, landing near their original position. The flat crack-bang! Of grenades pushed Ian beyond the three Edoans waiting for them to sprint by.
“Keep your fire low,” he said as he passed them. Twenty meters beyond, his small force set up fire support for the three in front. More grenades ricocheted around the corner, exploding almost instantly. One of the men in front stayed prone as the others backed away, rapidly firing even without any targets.
“Grenades. Forget about needlers, let’s use grenades,” he shouted, lobbing one down the corridor. Just as it passed out of sight it exploded. “How many grenades we got with us?” barked Ian, rolling to the side as the two Edoans sprinted past him. “Six,” “Three,” came the call from the two with him.
“Get the rest of the grenades from those in back of us,” he said, tossing another grenade. He touched the remaining two on his webbing, hoping they had enough to stall the force that pressured them a little longer. Another cluster of grenades came bumping around the turn. They threw themselves backwards, barely out of range. As soon as possible, Ian and the woman—girl, actually—pulled pins on their grenades and flung them back down the tunnel.
An infinity of time later they were down to three defenders and only one grenade. “Okay, troops. As soon as I throw this one, we beat feet down the tunnel. Got it?” Before they could answer Ian lobbed the last grenade, turned and sprinted for the opening, which was less than two hundred meters behind. He broke into the open and moved to the side, behind a stalagmite. The blasts of several grenades near the tunnel mouth caught one more of the group that had been with him before she could duck for cover. Ian ground his teeth in frustrated rage as he watched the young girl being ripped apart by shrapnel.
The chug of grenade launchers could be heard as all ten fired into the mouth of the tunnel. Screams could be heard between the rapid series of explosions, bringing a grimaced smile of satisfaction to Ian’s face. Again he dropped back, ducking into the first side chamber. Nothing but food and clothing.
Ian darted to the next, tripping over an already open box of grenades. He rapidly filled his pockets and hung as many on his web belt as he could. He dashed out in time to add his firepower to try and stem the sudden tide of dark green uniformed men that flooded through the tunnel into the chamber. Several went down, but an uncomfortable number managed to reach temporary shelter on each side of the chamber. From there they began a fire and maneuver drill that chilled Ian. These guys were better than good. Commandos, he thought.
“Fall back,” he shouted, waving to catch the attention of Pointy who directed fire in the middle of the chamber. Pointy complied, ordering half the grenadiers to drop back as the others gave covering fire. Sloppy but effective thought Ian, scuttling to the rear. Dropping beside Pointy, he traded his needler for a grenade launcher and a satchel of magazines for it.
“Did you get the explosives set to go off?” he half-shouted above the sound of continuous explosions.
Pointy held up a small box. “Yep. Once we’re all in the tunnel in back of us, I’ll trip it. Should hold ’em long enough for us to get the shit outta here!”
“Then what we waiting for? Move ’em out!”
Pointy made a fist at the group on the right, and swept it back towards the tunnel. They sprinted to it and dropped just inside its entrance so they could provide covering fire while the rest retreated. After they hit the ground, the others, Pointy and Ian included, dashed past them.
Once all were in the tunnel, Ian dropped prone next to the supporting force, and slapped a new magazine into his grenade launcher. “Rapid fire, then let’s go!” Fast as they could pull the trigger, all of them sprayed grenades to their front. Everyone except Ian and Pointy sprinted down the tunnel, lost to view within seconds. Green-clad shapes were just materializing out of the dust and debris when Pointy jammed his thumb down. Turning, both of them fled down the tunnel. A blast of sound and air knocked both of them sprawling.
“Shit, there must’a been more explosives than we thought,” Pointy said, wobbling to his feet. Reaching down he helped an equally shaky Ian up. They both managed a shuffle-trot to the next chamber, passing four soldiers who busily dug into the sides of the tunnel and placed explosives.
They broke out into the cavern and were amazed at the beehive of activity that greeted them. Everything movable had been placed in front of the entrance, stretching back over one hundred meters in a pyramid shape to try and channel any attacking force down the middle. Lieutenant Perry trotted over, a half smile on his face.
“I can’t even send you out on a shitbird detail without you screwing it up,” he said. “What’s the scoop, Ensign?” With a start Ian realized the lieutenant had actually cracked a joke.
“Commandos, Sir. This barricade won’t hold them too long. We should get everyone who can fire a heavy needler back far as possible with clear fields of fire. Also, we need lots of gr
enadiers. Exploding grenades make an effective barrier, even for the best of troops, as these are.”
“Okay, Ian. How long do you think we have?”
“Probably five or ten minutes. I don’t think that explosion was able to close off the tunnel at the other end, but it’ll make it tough to get through at least for awhile.”
“We need all the time we can get. Captain Stanton’s sending everything he can our way, but he’s got forces attacking him from Vanport. Seems they came on the surface and tried to drop behind Stanton’s forces. Luckily he’d withdrawn, or we’d be getting a pincers effect from two sides.”
“What about the Wasps and shuttles, sir?”
“Warrant Throop is defending that chamber, along with a third of our forces. It’s only a hundred meters to the chamber’s entrance, so we’ve got to make it a killing field. That’ll be their main objective, soon as they know what’s here,” he said.
Ian glanced around. “Right. Can we blow the tunnel now? Maybe we could stall them long enough…”
“If we have enough time we will,” interrupted Perry. “But it’ll take at least another ten minutes to prep it. We’ll just have to keep preparing and hope.”
“If it’s all right with you, I’ll get together a group to use the heavy needlers. If we can get a chance to pick off their leaders, it may slow them some.”
“Anything’s welcome, Ian. Go ahead.” Perry trotted off, giving him a half wave.
Ian gathered twenty volunteers who professed some knowledge in the use of heavy needlers and moved them to the rear of the cavern, two hundred meters away. Getting clear fields of fire between the large stalagmites that reached from floor to ceiling was a problem of only a few minutes.
“Remember, shoot anything that’s in dark green. If you see someone who seems to be a leader, that’s a primary target. Otherwise, kill them all. Single shot only. Don’t waste any of your ammo.”
“We got twenty magazines apiece,” the last one in line said. “We’ll never shoot our way through all of those.”
“You’d be surprised,” Ian said, turning to leave. “I’ll be in the aircraft chamber if anyone wants me.”
“What’ll we do if we run out of ammo?” someone asked.
“Beat ’em to death with your rifle,” Ian called over his shoulder and trotted away.
The side chamber housing the Wasps and shuttles was a madhouse of preparation. All five Wasps were being moved to the rear of the chamber and covered with tarps. If the attackers made it this far, they didn’t want them to be seen. Attack shuttles were being lined up along both walls, with a squad of defenders digging in around each one. Ten meters inside the chamber a ditch two meters deep and three wide had been dug, the dirt piled as a defensive barricade. Pointy and Lissa trotted up to Ian, having just moved the last shuttle against the wall.
Ian looked around. “Where’s Warrant Throop?”
“He’s got himself an idea. Lissa and I are gonna work with him. What’ve you got in mind?”
“Thought I’d see who’s in charge and plug into the line somewhere.”
“Hah. It may come as a surprise, but soon as the Enforcers notice you’re here they’ll make you their glorious leader.”
Ian felt a familiar sinking sensation, emphasized when Enforcer Aosi came bustling up. “What are your orders, Ensign Shannon?”
“Um—make sure the Enforcers are scattered across the line evenly. We need to ensure none of the commandos get close enough to the aircraft to throw grenades. And above all, they mustn’t realize we’ve got Wasps here. Do we have enough Enforcers to supply one to each defensive group around the shuttles?”
“I shall see it is taken care of,” Aosi said, turning away. Six Edoans staggered up with several crates of ammunition. “Sir, we were told to get these into the line. They’re flechette rounds for the grenade launchers.”
“Everyone with a grenade launcher, hold it up,” Ian shouted to the group. Twenty weapons were brandished in reply. “Get ’em distributed, guys. And thanks!” He smiled in relief. Flechette rounds fired out of a grenade launcher were only effective out to seventy-five meters, but the hundreds of small darts sprayed an eight meter wide path of death in that distance.
“Any sweeper mines around?” hollered Ian, a sudden idea hitting him.
“Two cases, sir,” came the reply.
He stood on top of the berm that stretched across the mouth of the chamber, and directed the placement of the anti-personnel mines, aiming them in such a way they would cover the maximum amount of space in front of their line. Gotta hurry. Running out of time. Ian breathed a gusty sigh when the last one was set in place. “Run the leads from all of them back to the middle. Set up a detonator there,” Ian ordered. “Now everyone get down, and wait.” He settled down next to the detonator all the sweeper mines were connected to, and attempted to look relaxed. Got to make everyone think this is just a walk in the park. Can’t show nervousness. Nothing worse than a bunch of fidgety troops.
A muffled burst of gunfire signaled the approach of Alliance commandos. Ian jumped down into the ditch and peered around the corner towards the front of the cavern. “Toss me my rifle,” he ordered, scrambling out of the ditch and to the front of the chamber’s entrance. Webley in hand, he stepped behind a protrusion on the side of the chamber, one that gave him a clear view to the far tunnel.
With shocking suddenness the commandos poured into the tunnel, their assault weapons blasting noise as well as bullets at a furious rate. Answering fire thinned their ranks, while grenades arced toward them.
“Too late with the grenades,” Ian muttered. “Can’t keep them channeled between the barricades that way.”
By the time the grenades exploded the first wave had passed, and were attacking the barricade on the right side. Already there was hand-to-hand fighting, the commandos clearly superior in their fighting abilities in that department. They tore through the defenders like a sickle through wheat. Within seconds, survivors of the first wave disappeared into the side chamber where the main factories were set up.
The second wave of attackers flowed from the tunnel, this time more of them being cut down by accurately timed grenades from the defenders. Again they attacked the weakened right side, and again they vanished into the first chamber. Over one hundred Enforcers along with some of the best trained Edoans had been stationed in there, and the intensity of gunfire and explosions was horrendous.
The largest mass of commandos erupted from the tunnel, and overwhelmed the remaining defenders on the right side. Instead of joining the fighting in the first chamber, they sprinted towards Ian’s position. He flipped his weapon onto full auto and emptied it before flinging it aside and dashing back into the side chamber. He almost fell backwards as he slipped trying to get out of the ditch, but eager hands grasped him and drew him to safety behind the berm. He flipped up the cover on the detonator switch.
“Tell me when they start to jump in the ditch,” he shouted above the roar of battle.
An older man lifted up to look and fell back, several bullets tearing into his upper body. Ian lifted up to look for himself. A wave of green washed into the ditch. His hand spasmed on the switch and caused a huge explosion in front of the berm. Thousands of steel ball bearings tore through the closely packed ranks of commandos, bodily throwing them back ten meters. A carpet of bloody flesh seemed to fill the space in front of the defenders. For several seconds there was a hush over the entire chamber.
“Grenadiers,” Ian shouted, “Hold your fire until I give the order. Then fire your entire clip.” Twenty forms eased their weapons to the top of the berm. Most showed varying signs of shock and revulsion at the death and horror spread out before them. All of them steadied down as the commandos began regrouping and advanced towards them.
Earlier he had placed two white rocks at seventy-five meters. The first attackers were just sprinting past the rocks when he bellowed “Fire!” and watched as twenty grenade launchers spit their load of flechettes in
to the leading ranks of commandos. Each blast took down two or three attackers, but still they came. By the time the grenadiers had emptied their clip, green forms were clawing up the outside of the berm. Without waiting the defenders met them at the top, needlers shrieking on full auto. Bodies from both sides were flung backwards at the close-in firepower, then it was hand-to-hand.
Ian drew his knife and flung himself on the first commando he could reach. For several mad seconds both remained locked in a straining embrace, each attempting to drive a knife into the other. His feet slipped, causing him to fall backwards. He used the impetus of his fall, put a foot in his opponent’s belly and shoved, flipping him several meters through the air, to be lost in the general rush of bodies. An Enforcer collapsed next to him, stitched with machine gun fire from neck to groin. Ian snatched up the man’s short staff which was tipped with a narrow-bladed spear point, and rushed to the aid of a white-haired lady being forced back by two commandos. A lunge and slash took care of both. He moved on. Quick jabs and short slashing moves cleared his path. He headed towards the middle of the tunnel, in pursuit of the commandos who had broken through their defensive line.
Several grenades arced through the air towards the rear of the chamber. The blasts tore at the coverings on the Wasps. No telling how much damage they absorbed. With a flurry of whirling slashes and spear-thrusts he killed or wounded the three commandos who had reached the rear of the chamber.
Panting heavily, he started back towards the front of the chamber when a loud warbling cry caused him to pause. All the defenders still on their feet dropped to the ground. Split seconds later eye-searing blasts of light filled the air when two of the shuttles fired their particle beamers. A path of destruction was carved through the chamber and out into the main cavern, decimating the remaining attackers within range. Dozens of Edoans were also killed who had been within the kill zone.
Ian fell to the ground and gasped for air along with everyone else in the chamber. One side effect of the particle beamers was the large amount of oxygen burned up when they were fired in atmosphere. It was several long seconds before Ian managed to draw clean air into his oxygen-starved lungs. He wavered to his feet and watched with a sinking feeling as another wave of green clad forms began moving their way, this time using more caution.