by John Walker
***
Trellan left the quarters Clea gave him, carrying a large case with the weapons he brought. She’d put him close to the hangar where the marines gathered for the mission but he still almost got lost. As he walked down the hallways, they were mostly vacant. A frantic young woman ran past him and a security guard paced by but otherwise, he was alone.
They must monitor the place from a central location and not bother to clog up the halls.
He stepped into the hangar where a large contingency of soldiers lingered nearby. They were dressed and ready for action. His battle armor fit well but he hadn’t worn such a thing in so long, it felt like it might chafe. As he looked at them, each of them in total ease, he wondered if he might’ve made a big mistake in pushing for this job.
Someone has to try what I can do and it should be someone with experience.
“Hey there.” A dark haired man approached him, extending his hand. “I’m Lieutenant Sander Vincent. You must be…Trellan En’Dal?”
Trellan nodded. “I am, good to meet you.”
“We’re waiting for Captain Hoffner before boarding the shuttles. What’ve you got in the case?”
“My weapons,” Trellan replied. “I figured I shouldn’t wander around the deck with them.”
“Good call. You can stow the carrier over there.” Sander pointed to a stack of crates all lashed to the floor. “Then join us over here. I’ll introduce you around.”
“Thanks.” Trellan complied, slinging his rifle and holstering a pistol and knife. He carried his helmet back to the others and looked them over. Each held the gaze of a real veteran, soldiers who had seen a lot of action in their days. Some of them even bore scars from their actions.
None of them appeared worried or nervous, which struck Trellan odd. He’d faced Devarans before and they were tough bastards. Going into a whole base of them sounded awful. And they weren’t bringing a hundred men. He counted thirty total. The chances of all these men coming back alive was exactly zero.
The longer I think about it, the less confidence I have that I’ll make it back. I guess I’d rather them live with some bravado than go in there twitchy and afraid. They’ll be more dangerous to themselves than the enemy in that case.
Sander came close and was about to speak when another man entered the room. The other marines shot to their feet and snapped to attention. Trellan followed their gaze and took in the injured fellow who used a crutch to approach them. He looked over the soldiers and nodded once before barking, “at ease!”
“Captain Hoffner,” Sander said, “the men are prepared and we’re about to board the shuttle.”
So you’re Hoffner. A real hero from what Clea said. Coming to see your men off was a good touch. They’ll remember that.
“Very good, Lieutenant,” Hoffner replied. “You all know I would go with you if the doctors and Lieutenant Colonel would let me. I’ve never missed a combat drop due to an injury. That last mission was worth it but I’m salty about this one. Lieutenant Vincent is a good man and he will see you through this.
“Look to your sergeants, Jenks and Walsh as well. Those two sons of bitches have proven to be resilient as roaches in the summer. I’d go into battle with them any day. All of you have a huge responsibility and I know you’re up for it. Good luck on this mission, men though I know none of you need it. You’ve got skill and determination.
“Kill those bastards and accomplish the mission. You hear me?”
The soldiers all shouted in unison, “hooah!”
“I did not hear you!”
They cried out louder, “hooah!”
Trellan didn’t know how the captain missed it the first time but the second nearly made his ears ring. Hoffner smiled and nodded his head. “You’re all ready for this. Get on those shuttles and move out. I expect a positive report from each and every one of you when you return. Go!”
The soldiers tore ass away, breaking up into three groups of ten to board the shuttles. Trellan followed, finding Lieutenant Vincent. The young man was directing traffic and nodded to him as he approached.
“You’re with me over here,” Vincent gestured with his head. “You ready for this?”
“Not as ready as they are.” Trellan grinned. “But I’ll do my best.”
“We’ll talk in the shuttle. We’ve still got some time before we deploy. Sorry about not meeting the troops…”
Trellan shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Considering the plan, I won’t be with you guys long anyway.”
“Yeah, about that…” Vincent frowned. “You sure about that?”
“It’s what I’ve been doing for a while now,” Trellan said. “And you need a backup plan in case the main one doesn’t work, right?”
“I just don’t like having someone run off alone. Seems a little more than dangerous…even foolhardy, if you don’t mind my saying.”
Trellan shrugged. “I suppose. But look on the bright side, the reason you’re going in there won’t be compromised by my efforts. We’ll just stay in touch and do what we have to, huh?”
“I suppose so.” Sander slapped his shoulder. “Come with me, ya brave bastard. Let’s talk more on the shuttle. Maybe you can tell me where you got those balls.”
“Um…what?” Trellan’s brows went up. “I don’t follow?”
Sander chuckled. “I’ll…try to explain.”
***
Meagan arrived at the hangar at the same time as Rudy and they paused just inside. He smiled but she saw he didn’t feel it in his eyes. He’d lost some fantastic pilots in their recent campaigns and she saw how it weighed on him. They’d been through a lot together, up to and including a nonstandard, undercover op.
“You don’t look very ready for this,” Meagan said. “It’s going to be alright. This isn’t any different than all our other operations.”
Rudy turned, looking distantly at the various ships all prepared to launch. He drew a deep breath before responding, letting it out with a huff. “The culture we encountered during the jump mishap could barely hurt us. When the enemy waylaid them, we got a real fight. The research facility, hell…back home? We know the guys we’re about to face can brawl.”
“We’re a lot better now,” Meagan said the words, trying to convince both of them. Their technological advances definitely gave them an edge against Orion’s Light. Would it help now? Every ship in the fleet had been outfitted with advantages. Now, they’d get the chance to employ them against a real threat. “Maybe everything we faced represented trials…test runs of our weapons. We’re stepping up to the real arena now.”
“This is going to cost a lot of lives,” Rudy said. “Maybe mine…maybe yours. And maybe everyone. All the intelligence in the world can’t prepare us for an unpredictable race willing to sacrifice whole ships full of people to win a fight. What’s to stop them from dashing in with their largest ship into the middle of the fleet and detonating it?”
“When the fleet arrives they’ve been directed to spread out. If the enemy decides to pull that Kamikaze stuff, they won’t get whole groups. They’ll get one ship, two at the most. But I have a feeling they’re going to be fighting this time, not throwing their lives away.”
“Why?”
“Because we’ll be on their doorstep. They can’t afford to sacrifice ships when we know where they live and that’s an advantage for the Alliance. These guys don’t know where to strike back if they did win. For all they know, there may be a reserve fleet that will wait until they’ve been battered down then jump in to finish the job.”
“You’re pretty optimistic.” Rudy looked down. “I wish I could be. This fight…this one feels bad to me.”
“I don’t think many people are pumped up for it, that’s for sure. We want the outcome but not the labor to get there. I get it.” Meagan put her hand on Rudy’s shoulder. “This is what we do. We’re combat pilots and we’re both damn good at our jobs. Can you imagine doing something else?”
Rudy nodded. “When this is o
ver, I’ve figured out I’ll need to do it, too.”
Meagan’s brows lifted. “So what’re you thinking?”
“Civilian air service,” Rudy replied. “Ferrying people around. I just…I don’t want to be involved in this anymore. It’s not that I’ve lost my nerve, I haven’t. I’m going out there today and I’m going to do my absolute best to win this war for our unified people but afterward…no, I’m not interested in finding the next fight.”
“I understand.” Meagan stepped back and turned to admire the fighters. Technicians triple checked them as pilots climbed aboard. Ordinance was stowed and people chattered about preflight checks. She felt the excitement in the air and the dread. Estaban ensured they knew the risks, at least verbally.
Meagan doubted anyone truly understood what they were about to see or do. Invading a planet, essentially bringing an entire culture to its knees, meant a lot. It shouldn’t be taking casually nor with flippancy. Even the most arrogant of the pilots subdued their personalities as they went about getting ready.
We probably shouldn’t be changing our routines too much on the eve of this fight.
“You don’t intend to retire,” Rudy said. “You’re staying in.”
Meagan nodded. “I am. I haven’t been doing this long enough to feel done yet. Yes, I lost people and they hurt but I know what I’m doing is making a difference. I like being stationed on the Behemoth. I spoke to Estaban and he’s going to make sure I stay aboard when this is all over. I’ve got my ride.”
“Congratulations.” Rudy turned away. “I’m sure you’ll do quite well.”
Meagan wanted to ask him what he meant by his tone but a hand patted her on the back. Group Commander Estaban Revente stood beside her, suited up and ready to fly. The sight took all thoughts from her and she didn’t exactly know how to respond. Was he truly suggesting he planned on going out there?
“What’s all this then?” Estaban asked. “Rudy, why the long face? What’re you doing?”
“Just talking about the future, sir,” Rudy replied.
“The future is now,” Estaban said. “We’re going into the most dangerous battle any of us has ever known. I don’t intend to miss it.”
“You’re really going to be out there flying with us?” Meagan asked. “Is that a good idea? Who’s going to run Giant Control?”
“Don’t you want to do it?” Revente winked. “No, Wing Commander Gretchen Prior will do it. She got hurt in the last operation so I’m taking over Tiger Wing for her. They need someone decent.”
“But they got you?” Meagan joked.
“Watch it.” Estaban pointed at her. “I’ll be having your back out there. Believe me, folks, we’ve got this battle. Perhaps not in the bag but we’re definitely on the winning side. I can’t wait to give these bastards back some of what they did to us before we had the kielan technology. And I know our allies are itching for their own payback.”
“I’m in it to complete the operation,” Rudy said. “Anything more than that seems…I don’t know…premature.”
“You should always have your eye on the end goal, the prize.” Estaban smirked. “You need to know exactly what you want before you can get it. If you go into a situation like this without that kind of focus, then that’s a good way to get yourself killed. Believe me, Hale, you need to be on your A game this time.”
“Yes, sir.” Rudy snapped briefly to attention.
“I recommend we get to our wings and give them some assurance that we’ve got this,” Estaban said. “Mount up, folks and get comfortable. We’ve got almost an hour before we can jump. I’m looking forward to a brief nap.”
“You need it, old man!” Meagan called after him.
“We’ll see how old you think I am when I’ve knocked down all your records!”
Meagan chuckled and turned to Rudy. “Are you good? We can talk when we’re onboard.”
“I’m good.” Rudy patted her arm. “Let’s make this happen, huh? I won’t let anyone down.”
“You never have, Rudy,” Meagan said. “You never have.”
***
Kale sent a coded message to Captain Atwell, letting him know when they’d be ready to jump and that if he needed anything to let him know. The Crystal Font flew along side the Earth ship but they began to put some distance between them for the initial hop into enemy territory. They, like the rest of the fleet, would ensure a suicide attack wouldn’t get them both.
Deva sat at her post, looking much better than when she arrived to speak to him about the mission. Their brief distraction helped settle her nerves. Many of the tech officers tended to be introverted and they didn’t really reach out for friendship or camaraderie, even at difficult times. Deva seemed to break from the mold and appreciated some socializing.
Most of the time they buried themselves in technical journals or video games, absorbing their attention with an entertaining part of their craft. After a long session of doing whatever they enjoyed, they bounced right back into their routines, rarely missing a beat or dropping in efficiency.
I suppose more of us could learn from their example. Lose yourself in something you care about then get back to work. Sounds simple but rarely is, especially for those who directly risk their lives.
Kale was thinking of the pilots and soldiers who took to ground actions. They celebrated in other ways, often loudly. He knew a few of them to get quite drunk, looking for distraction that drowned out the warnings their brains threw to the rest of the body. Some had gone beyond self preservation pushing them to avoid danger while others found a workable relationship.
It’s fascinating how we deal with potential trauma.
Athan glanced over his shoulder and announced they would arrive at the jump coordinates in less than ten minutes. Now’s the moment of truth. We’re about to make history. Children going forward will learn about this event, whether it succeeds or fails. And how we conduct ourselves will be remembered for all time.
“Very good,” Kale said, maintaining his commanding reserve. “Wena, please signal to the Behemoth that we are nearly ready. Ensure that we are synced up for this jump. I want as little of a delay between our arrival and theirs as possible.”
“Yes, sir.” Wena got on the com and Kale once again lost himself in thought.
When they got to their destination, they would likely be in battle immediately. All fighters were ready to launch the moment they arrived. Guns were hot. Shields ready. Durant came up with a method to maintain full power even through an FTL transit. They were as prepared for swift action as they ever could be.
Far better than battles in the past. The Fates genuinely are smiling upon us here. Our technology has advanced just in time to locate our enemies, giving us a chance to destroy them. We are truly gifted and cannot squander this moment. The fleets are all prepared. This decisive blow must be firm and without compromise.
We cannot afford another decade, another lifetime of conflict.
“Behemoth reports they are also ready,” Wena announced. “We are synchronized and a countdown has begun.”
“Very good.” Kale drew a deep breath and forced himself to relax into his chair, trying to expel all the tension in his body. A million thoughts went through his head, trying to anticipate the myriad of command decisions he would have to make. Each one held heavy consequences and meant life or death for more than just his crew.
The entire alliance rests on the shoulders of this attack force.
Thinking became a problem. Downtime before a battle, however brief, gave one too much time to think. He felt bad for the pilots sitting in their cockpits, waiting to get out into space. What they must be going through, even the hardest of them, could not be pleasant. While Kale sat on the safety of the bridge, those men and women would be in the thick of danger.
They must be triple guessing what they’ll face and how they’ll contend with it. Maneuvers, firing solutions, their past experiences, friends lost…My sympathies, friends. You won’t have to wonder for long.
“All stations report green,” Deva said. “Hangar, medical and weapons all have provided a final report. They are fully staffed and prepared for the jump.”
“Excellent,” Kale said. “How close are we, Wena?”
“T minus forty-five.”
So close! Kale drew another deep breath. “Begin a verbal at ten.”
“Aye, sir.”
I feel like one of those commanders from our ancient days, standing on a battlefield overlooking the calm plains. Waiting for the serenity of the scene to explode into violence, where bodies from both sides will stain the gold with their blood. For all the technology around us, all the firepower and defense, we are still warriors rushing to defend our lives and homes.
“Ten…nine…” Wena’s voice filled the otherwise silent room. “Eight…seven…six…five…”
Here we go. The moment we’ve all been waiting for.
“Four…three…two…one…jump.”
***
Chapter 4
The Alliance fleet moved out to the extreme edges of the system, sometimes pressing beyond it. Hundreds of ships spread out, giving themselves plenty of space for a surprise arrival, one which would not afford the enemy a chance to use their suicide tactics to cause extreme damage.
Battle groups of ten winked out in unison, heading off for the major battle. Atha-Dae Mei’Gora, recently promoted to the new rank, stood in charge of the invasion. His battle group would be the second to arrive after the forward scouts. He waited on his flag ship as his tech officer counted down one minute before their departure.
Each Anthar and commander running a ship was prepared for a specific task. When they arrived, some would take out communications satellites. Others were responsible for defensive platforms and other stationary combatants. The vast majority of his force would meet other combat vessels, driving them back toward the planet.
When they secured the perimeter, they would strike the planet. Key targets were already plotted into every ship’s computer. They would force a surrender of the Devaran people and conclude the war once and for all. Providing these fiends cherished their children, their lives and their culture, they would have to give up.