He reached the roof turned and pushed off, upside down to the deck as he followed the other Commandos, using the ceiling to keep himself moving.
They had four more slips to clear still, the biggest damned slips in the Union.
Best be about it then, Takahashi thought, a Kalu appearing in a corridor he was moving past, he hooked his foot into the rungs, stopping his forward momentum and pointing him down the hall from the ceiling, his gun fired, another Commando swinging around the side of the corridor from knee height.
The Kalu stumbled, tripped and floated, no motion coming from it.
“We’ll move down here... three, two, one,” Takahashi said, pushing into the corridor with his foot. The person below and to his right doing the same.
Others followed them as they advanced, moving the Kalu body out of the way, liquids floating out of the wounds.
I don’t want to be here when the engineers turn the gravity back on.
***
The Kalu had adapted again. They were more spread out so that machine gun fire, or nukes couldn’t kill off their entire force in one go.
I wish they were just dumb stupid, happy stubborn idiots, Bregend sighed looking up from his map, he wasn’t on duty so his HAPA was being used by someone else. They didn’t enough HAPA’s for everyone when they landed and the problem had only increased as HAPA’s had been broken or worn down.
More were coming with more parts but it was slow progress.
“Commander?” Mills said, breaking into Bregend’s private channel, something he only did if there was something vitally important.
“Go,” Bregend said, his voice serious as he geared himself for the worst.
“The HCD’s have returned with a full compliment of reinforcements from Ouquishar,” Mills said.
“How long until they get to us?” Bregend asked, his attention turning to the tac-table in front of him.
“Two-days,” Mills said.
The HCD’s had gone from Sol, creating wormholes through the dark between systems to Ouquishar and then onto Daestramus, that said Bregend wasn’t expecting them for another four days.
“Well we’d better find them a place to settle into,” Bregend said, firing a request for Narvu to join the ongoing conversation.
“You got a list of supplies and materials they’re coming with?’ Bregend asked.
“Of course boss,” Mills said.
Chapter Hard Decisions
Elisati looked around her office, it was buried deep within Olfix station in Quarst.
She watched as shuttles and in-system freighters moved through the Kalu debris field.
It marked the last battle fought in her system. Many people had lost their lives in order for her to be sitting in her chair.
The Independents had come to their aid, as well as the Free Fleet. She remembered her conversation with Kalvin, the Independents military commander.
He was a brash man, not much for beating around his true goals. The Independents wanted to join the Union. They needed allies against the traditionalists.
The traditionalists were stuck on their planets and stations, but they had many times the Union’s population. Given enough time then they would try to attack the Union again.
They needed to figure out some sort of plan that would get them to turn away from war.
Might be an idea to talk to Planner. He did get the Avarians to turn away from killing one another in hordes. He might have some insight, she thought, still watching the moving ships.
She rubbed her head, knowing she was trying to avoid her main issues.
The Free Fleet. They had done so much for the Union, come from slavery into the most powerful entity in known space.
Even if they lost a planet or two, it would just take time for them to reclaim it at this point. They had an estimated five million people under arms, from Commandos, to Parnmal, to the ship yards and ship personnel. That wasn’t even including the Free Merchant Fleet to which they were seconded, another two million personnel. Which while it didn’t sound like much, you didn’t need many people for shipping freight. The Kuruvian Empire had seven hundred thousand merchants by comparison.
Throw in the fact that the Free Fleet was a private entity and not one funded by the Union or sworn to it, a number of system and planetary governors were letting their unhappiness show.
She had got a communication from Jakram’s governor as well as Ershue’s.
Jakram had been saved from the Kalu but the destruction and lives lost was harrowing. Elisati knew that the governor was basically using the Free Fleet as a scapegoat there. Blaming them for the lives lost and not thanking them for the lives that they had saved.
Not the planetary governor but other political entities in Chaleel were voicing their anger at the Free Fleet leaving them, saying that the Kalu threat was not confirmed as destroyed. They were also raising havoc over the destruction caused by the Free Fleet’s actions to kill the Kalu.
While they were cursing the Free Fleet for the destruction they were praising their own militaries, making it look like it was them, not the Free Fleet which had protected their livelihoods.
She could see the change coming and she just hoped to all hell that they didn’t piss off the Free Fleet, she knew she would be angry in their position.
Yet she was a politician in a new Union, she needed to forge strong bonds with the other members of the Union for them to last. She just hoped that it didn’t mean making Salchar and the Free Fleet her enemies.
She remembered the look in Foshunti’s eyes when she had been asking about Heija. The Free Fleet was no simple military; they were a damned Empire.
Thinking about Empires, nothing has come out of the Kuruvian Empire. They seem rather happy with the Free Fleet. Hell their shipping stuff and making it for them at cost.
If the member systems of the Union were going to come down on the Free Fleet they needed to have a new Planetary Defense Force in position.
A message appeared on her system, it’s sender and other particulars hidden, marking it as one from her operatives.
Min Hae is back in Parnmal.
It was a simple message but it made her heart flutter, having him out in the backwaters of the Kalu side of the line had been bad enough, his operatives were everywhere and damned good at their job.
Now he was home, linking back into the web of his people. Many people thought that the Union had formed because systems wanted to work together.
Min Hae had been in the background whispering into all of the governor’s ears whether they knew it or not. He was a smart man, meticulous in his ways and sneaky as all hell. No operatives she knew of had ever gotten close to him, or his inner sanctum of intelligence Commanders. Those that got close received a personal message from him, applauding their efforts and offering them a position to work with him. A few had taken him up on the position with the aim of feeding him false information.
Another hand written note would appear showing his displeasure and terminating their status.
Elisati had seen the notes only a few times, she wondered if there were more of her operatives that had kept the notes to themselves and were actually working for Min Hae. She only had to look to Earth, one of the more powerful nations was reported to be Min Hae’s agent. If he could switch a spymaster’s mind, then he could almost certainly turn an operative.
While she wanted to build her relationship with the other politicians from the Union, she didn’t owe them anything. The Free Fleet had destroyed the Kalu that landed on her planet. Sure that was mostly her plan. Yet they had thrown their ships at the Kalu fleet.
Cheerleader’s fleet had sacrificed themselves to protect Quarst and Elisati’s people. Free Fleet reinforcements had similarly rushed to the defense of Quarst, even calling on their allies the Independents.
It was clear to her that right now the Independents were the allies of the Free Fleet and no one else. She would try to change that but the Free Fleet’s power had been the thing to tu
rn them according to the rumor mill.
Politics weren’t straight forward; it was a minefield all looking to mess you over while calling you a friend. Most planetary governments thought that they had power and that was what really scared them. The Free Fleet had so much power that it scared the ever living shit out of them.
Not just the power of their fleets, but their crews and the people of the planets the governors ruled over. The Free Fleet had died for their people and even as the governments were trying to change their minds about that, there was no denying their sacrifice.
The independent reporters were making it clear to anyone watching that the Free Fleet was their only defense.
Worse than that, most of the independents didn’t like the Free Fleet, Evelyn Sparks had criticized the Free Fleet time and time again. She still was criticizing them in certain areas.
No one was perfect. Yet it was also clear from her stories that the Free Fleet wasn’t some soulless war machine.
No matter what she did, Elisati was going to have to tread whatever path she chose with care.
***
Evelyn looked around the freighter, shuttles were racked, stacked and waiting, they were packed with materials and Commandos.
They were going to Earth. Her home planet was the home of the most brutal fighting yet. The Free Fleet couldn’t use any of their heavy handed methods.
She had seen the reports coming from Chaleel. People weren’t happy about all the farmland that had been blasted into glass.
Even as it made her wince at the livelihoods lost, the Free Merchant Fleet was dropping off supplies to help them out and she knew that if the Free Fleet hadn’t been there it could be a lot worse.
They were the ones that built friggin tanks! What did they think was going to happen if they fired those guns? It wasn’t exactly going to sow a field, she sighed, politics were heating up on the planets that had escaped the Kalu’s grip and she didn’t know where it was going. Her people were reporting on the feelings of different groups. A team was enroute to Chaleel to report on the situation there. It had taken a hell of a lot of arm-twisting for her to grab this ride.
It wasn’t even supposed to be heading for Earth actual, but Mars. The hope was that they could break the siege on Nancy and Mars, then move forces from there to assist Earth.
Then Mars could be a staging point for people to be sent from the fast moving HCD’s to warships and on to Earth.
“Commence boarding, HCD’s have arrived in system,” The freighter’s captain said over the main communications line. Commandos moved into their shuttles, conversations dying. It was an ominous feeling. She knew most of them were getting orders and talking in their helmets, but as they closed their visors they became something other than creatures.
They were warriors with a duty, it made her feel safe as well as anxious. They had the most powerful armor and weaponry and they were marching off to war.
“Ma’am,” a Commando said, sounding as if he didn’t know how to continue.
“Yes Commando?” She asked, galvanizing him into action.
“The Commander would feel a lot happier if both you and your camera man were in powered armor,” the Commando said, his eyes flicking to her basic suit.
“I’d very much like that,” she said, knowing she’d feel safer in the bulky armor.
“This way please,” he replied, waving for them to follow him. Evelyn looked to Tuvio who was already standing, she didn’t miss the excited grin on his face.
Men and their toys, she thought, rolling her eyes. Sometimes things cross over species.
The man gave them two battle suits which were as good if not better than their regular space suits.
“Umm, if you don’t mind,” Evelyn said, looking up at the Commando.
“Hmm?” He asked, confused.
“A bit of privacy,” she said.
“Oh, sorry ma’am, seen so much naked in my life it doesn’t matter much to me. I’ll be outside,” he said shrugging and leaving. Most would have been left in a stuttering mess. With traditional militaries lower ranks lived in fear of higher ranks moods. Troops were a lot more confident in the Free Fleet, they didn’t have such a power complex.
It didn’t take her long to get into the battle suit, Tuvio did the same but looked away.
She opened the door to the room, the Commando waiting outside.
“Follow me,” the Commando said, taking her to two suits of powered armor that was open and ready. She saw the spikes that connected right into a person’s nervous system.
“Umm, I hope we won’t be needing nerve ports,” she said.
“No, those are only for Commandos,” the man said, smiling kindly, clearly proud.
“Do you have yours?” She asked, making light conversation as they got close to the machine.
“Yes ma’am, first day of Commando school. Anyone can get them but for the Commandos their mandatory. You get better control and it’s more of an extension of yourself rather than a covering,” he said all three of them reaching the armor. “Step in backwards, point your feet to get them into the boots while putting your arms in like donning a big jacket.” It sounded like he’d said it a hundred times and expected to say it many more.
Evelyn squirmed into the armor, she flinched as his armored hand came on her shoulder. She’d seen these machines bend armor plates.
“Don’t worry Ma’am I have plenty of time in this beauty, I won’t crush your arm,” he said with a light smile, his armored hand gently helping her into place.
“How can you change the output so much?” She asked, now properly seated in the armor.
“Practice ma’am,” he said simply.
“Please stop with the Ma’am it’s enough to make me feel old, just call me Evelyn,” she surmised.
“Very well Evelyn,” he said with a laugh and a smile.
I wonder if he’ll have some free time after this, is pretty good looking when he’s smiling, she thought.
“My name is Dean,” he said.
“Good to meet you Dean,” she said.
“You too,” he said giving her another smile. “Now I’ll activate the armor, it’s a universal model so it’ll adjust to your body.” His voice all business as he moved to Tuvio.
The arms and legs closed, locking mechanisms tightening to her legs, arms and hands. Her chest plate swung into position and also began locking up.
Tuvio’s armor started doing the same as Dean watched Evelyn with an analytical eye.
“I’ve put you on lower power so it'll be like your using your own strength,” he said, grabbing two helmets and throwing one to Tuvio, he caught it, grinning.
“Oh I could get used to this,” Tuvio said, checking his range of motion.
“Tilt your head forward,” Dean said, Evelyn listened, her hair falling over her head. Dean used the helmet to scoop it up onto her head and push it into position, it wasn’t the most comfortable but she wasn’t ripping hair out.
“I get why most people keep their hair short in these things,” she said.
“Let’s get back to the shuttles we don’t want to miss our ride,” Dean said, guiding them back to the shuttle. Tuvio checked his equipment and brought it aboard. Dean jumped using the grab handles of the shuttles roof to clamber into his HAPA.
Evelyn and Tuvio took their places among crates, the other seats had been removed to make more room for supplies and the two squads of HAPA’s that rested in the center of the shuttle.
“Closing ramps, one express ride to Sol coming right up!” The cargo master said.
This got a few noises from the Commandos, all of them talking in their armor.
Evelyn felt like she wanted to puke as her mind started laying out where she was going.
One day I’m going to stop going into warzones, she said, knowing that she’d made herself that promise to herself many times before. Much like a person puking after a bad night of drinking.
***
Kurft and Fal had hoped for
at least three more days, knowing that the eight days it would take to firm their position was a longshot.
They got two.
As the Kalu had been pressing on the scouting parties, most of which had been killed. A few hundred stayed undetected, they had been getting stronger, eating food that wasn’t going to weaken them.
Their digestive and immune systems were tanks, they weren’t the emancipated things of a few weeks ago but Kalu in their prime, pissed off and ready to fight.
They had come in a massive rush, crossing to the mound faster than Fal had ever seen them move.
Engineers became Commandos as they opened fired from their positions. HAPA’s scrambled to cover their counterparts as artillery boomed.
Fal wished they had grouped together, but they had learned that big packs got big nukes.
Kurft had rushed out rallying the Commandos and getting them to the front. Everyone was on those lines. The Kalu didn’t cross the dead ground on the edge of the mound. They took a new tactic and ran the perimeter, just on the incline and fired their lasers.
Fal cursed them in every language he knew, keeping his frustration from clouding his appearance. People were looking to him for strength.
Kurft had told him early on to stuff his feelings away, they weren’t useful to him, or anyone else. He was a commander, he needed to do his duty, the cost to his mind and soul could come later.
That advice kept Fal issuing orders instead of rushing out like Kurft had.
Kurft passed his orders to Fal, who checked them before issuing them out. Kurft was fighting, he only had a limited picture.
Commanders requests flowed through the command center like streams, connected to aid, to other commanders. They were damned good at their job, knowing lives depended on them gave little room for fuck ups.
The fighting had started a day and a half ago and it hadn’t let up, the Kalu were cycling people around the Mound. Hunger kept forcing them back to the forests for food. They were husbanding their strength, getting stronger for a battle.
Fal just needed eighteen hours, the HCD’s had powered in-system, their shuttles carrying them towards the warships in-system, the shuttles wouldn’t even brake as the warship’s caught them accelerating for all they were worth.
War's Reward (Free Fleet Book 6) Page 15