“I’m sorry,” she said, she didn’t know how bad it had been on Ershue but from the tone of the message it didn’t sound good.
“Most of them are dead, they were the first defenders, shipped right out from training on Parnmal. I was the lucky one to get stuck on Parnmal,” he said, turning the word into a curse. “Fuck, just fuck,” Dean leaned back and started crying freely.
Her soul tore at the sight, he was twenty-three he had become a famed Commando, trained with the hardest of best men and women of the universe and they had done their duty and done it well, but none of that mattered as death claimed them.
“Oh Dean,” she said holding the Commando.
He had been joking and messing around just minutes ago, hell even flirting with her. Yet all of this was just hiding under the surface, just a scratch away from being revealed.
Ershue had held and many people had survived, but the Free Fleet had paid one hell of a butcher’s bill. Dean wasn’t the first to cry in frustration, he wouldn’t be the last. Sadness and relief would come later, but for now it would just hurt.
Evelyn wasn’t a reporter right then and Dean wasn’t her protector, she was just someone consoling another that had lost all too very much.
She held onto Dean tighter, knowing that even with all of this pain and sadness he would go when asked. Earth, Daestramus, and AIH weren’t free of Kalu, the Commandos duty wasn’t over and she realized how she might never see Dean again.
The bright young man had delighted her with conversation, wit and a bright smile.
And he might be gone in a flash, a laser bolt in the wrong place, a Kalu claw or fang. Oh god. She was now seeing a different side of war, one from Dean’s perspective, it scared her.
If a Commando died they would not be forgotten, sure their name might not be called out, but Commandos were not just people, it was an entity. As long as there were Commandos, not one that had passed would be forgotten. They lived through one another, their training molded them into those before them, making them stand among brethren on high.
They would weep for the loss of those they knew, but their cries would be for all missing Commandos.
Blood salted their legacy and while great veterans like Henry would be waiting for them with open arms, Commandos grew stronger from that bond.
It was power, almost visceral, and it was painful. It was why losing even a single Commando hurt the entire group. Losing so many of them, well they were only sentients and those losses left scars.
Evelyn felt her neutrality falling away. She could understand it, but she knew unless she stepped into powered armor as a Commando, she would never truly feel it.
She couldn’t possibly be neutral now understanding the massive weight on the shoulders of these men and women. Combined with their sense of duty that wouldn’t let them stop until they had done right in the eyes of those that had died.
Some time later Dean stopped his crying and pulled himself up.
“Thanks,” he said.
“No problem,” she answered giving him her brightest smile.
“I was going to ask you on a date but I think that I’d be a bit of a downer right now,” he said with a sad smile.
“I’d love to go on a date with you Dean,” she said, smiling.
“I don’t really...” He said awkwardly his face showing all of his thoughts.
“I have a hotel, we can sit and talk about your friends, just talk and have something to eat,” she said putting no pressure on him.
He hesitated before nodding and looking to her.
“I’d like that.” He gave her a small smile, he looked almost feeble, scared that he had showed his feelings, showing that he wasn’t just a Commando, he was a person with friends and real emotions that lingered behind the façade.
“Good,” Evelyn smiled, hoping to lift his spirits. She settled for the slightly brighter smile he gave her.
***
The reinforcements from Ouquishar had deployed across the planet. Narvu and Bregend had been able to mount an operation to dig out outpost nine and get to the survivors hiding in the rubble.
They’d been lifted to the waiting merchant fleet on the reinforcements shuttles.
The Kalu had headed for the cities, groups of them rushed out to attack outposts but they spent most of their time in the cities.
The Engineers guessed it was because their armor had run out of battery power. Daestramus was a damned cold planet, which wasn’t good for electronics, or creatures that liked moderate or even warm temperatures.
Whatever the reason Bregend and Narvu were happy for it, their second batch of reinforcements from Ouquishar were coming in, the ships moving into orbit as they looked over city maps.
“If we want to clear the Kalu off, we’ll need to clear the cities,” Narvu summarized.
“Yeah,” Bregend sighed, he had already reached the same realization a few days ago.
“We’re not going to be able to do that with more Commandos. When taking a position, you always want at least three times the troops of those you’re attacking,” Bregend said his quote coming right from Commando trainers.
“That’ll take some time but we’ll get there,” Narvu said.
“I’m almost hesitant to ask, but it needs to be asked. If we can hold our positions, then do we really need those reinforcements right now?” Bregend asked, looking to Narvu.
Narvu’s features screwed up in thought before he sighed.
“No, as much as people are going to balk at it, after these reinforcements we’ll have enough to hold our position,” Narvu said, looking to Bregend.
“Then I suggest we send them to Earth, they’re getting hammered and they have little defense in most regions,” Bregend said.
“I agree, Daestramus’ people are secure for now. Earth is far from it,” Narvu said.
“I’ll send the orders,” Bregend replied, opening a channel to Kyle.
***
“Hey Carsickle, how’s it going?” Bok Soo said, sliding into the new trenches, his HAPA leaving deep grooves in the ground as he turned and got his guns into position, HAPA’s and Commandos jumped into the trenches moving to their positions.
“Sitting in a hole, waiting, pretty good,” Carsickle said.
“That’s the spirit, you got any ammo runners around?” Bok Soo asked.
“One second, jack into the net,” Carsickle said extending him a connection.
“That Gajos is good at her shit, she’s in the command center getting people moving,” Carsickle said.
“Lucked out with that one,” Bok Soo admitted, sending a reload request.
“Well she knows how to use Commandos and HAPA’s to ‘properly motivate’ some people,” Carsickle said.
“Oh I do love it when a lady knows her way around with a club,” Bok Soo said as the last Commando and Earth military personnel slid into cover. Bok Soo looked at the tell-tale mushroom clouds that marked their fallback plan. Drop nukes and run like fuck, Bok Soo thought.
The main difference between the ones the Free Fleet had and the ones that Earth was using was the fact that Earth’s denied the ground to humans and did nothing of the sort for the Kalu, while the Fleets were clean enough to roll in the dirt buck nekkid and be fine.
That said the nukes were only a stop-gap measure, the Kalu that survived just got back on their feet and started charging forward.
While many of the Earth forces looked on with horror as Kalu started appearing through what had been a town.
“Fire as they bear!” Gajos barked through communications channels, the military forces in position opened up with every weapon they had, from the Free Fleet’s rail guns to their emplaced anti-tank guns and heavy machine guns.
“Let’s show Earth how we do things Commandos!” Bok Soo barked, “For the Fleet!” Bok Soo’s voice boomed across the entire length of trenches, speakers actually talking over the weapons fire.
Bok Soo sent a request up high, his missile racks firing alternatively.
“For the Fleet! The roaring agreement came back, enough to chill the most veteran bones, and warm anyone that called the Free Fleet home with deadly intent.
***
“The fuck is wrong with these people?” One of the Lieutenant Colonels said, the Commandos yells reaching even the command center.
“Stow it Gruben,” Gajos barked, he technically outranked her, but she’d been given command of any and all Earth’s military forces, sealed with the Commandos approval and not without a few implied threats.
“Jezus,” One of the Dutch officer’s, Scharringa swore.
Every Commando that could found a firing line and fired, the firepower dwarfed what the combined militaries had been able to lay down. Buildings were hit by those rounds, exploding from the kinetic forces, the penetrator rounds turned anything left standing into wreckage.
Kalu exploded if enough rounds hit to compromise their armor, but they kept coming and Kalu fighters could be seen moving in.
“Call the MEF’s now! Get nukes in those Kalu fighters!” Gajos said, panic coloring her voice.
“Time to intercept three-minutes,” Scharringa said.
She winced, knowing how those three minutes wouldn’t be pretty.
The Earth shook violently, screens going out and people yelling in confusion.
“Kurwa!” She swore looking at the tact table which hadn’t even flickered, the battlefield was a mass of markers showing impact craters.
“Orbital bombardment,” Scharringa said.
“They’re fucking insane, bringing that right down on our heads and expecting us to fight through it!” Gruben barked.
“They have more experience fighting them than we do, so stow it or get the fuck out of my command center, I need results not bitching,” Gajos said, getting units into cover as hell rained down on the Kalu. Earth’s tanks wouldn’t have survived that barrage but the Kalu continued on, greeted by the Commandos guns on the other side.
Nuclear explosions rocked the Kalu fighters.
“Where did that come from?” Gajos asked, not liking all of these surprises.
“Those are the shoulder mounted missiles,” Scharringa said, looking to Gajos and then Gruben, their faces pale.
They have fucking nukes on their shoulders? She thought, seeing the same one going through the other two’s heads.
“Remind me to never piss them off,” Gajos said.
“We already did,” Scharringa growled, making Gajos and Gruben wince.
MEF’s came in low, raking up ground behind them, their rail gun rounds cracking through sound barriers with ease, hitting the Kalu swarms. The Commando’s shoulder-nukes had kept them off the lines long enough for the MEF’s.
Missiles streaked from their sleek fighters, screaming through the battlefield as Kalu on the ground and in the air targeted them.
They were quick and their pilots damned near suicidal. Gajos couldn’t lie that she got a rush just watching their ships rushing past.
“Get everyone to cover their eyes and ears, nukes coming in close!” Someone, almost American said through the tac table just barely over his music.
Gimme fuel Gimme fire Gimme that which I desire Ooh!
“Show off,” Gruben said, being from Germany he spent his fair share of time with American military.
He however didn’t make any comment when the MEF’s multi-warhead missiles buried themselves into the Kalu swarm.
The fighters didn’t pull away, no they charged in to meet their enemy, grouping into a pyramid, their rail guns firing on full to cut their way through any pocket of the swarm that started to come together in their path.
They cleared the swarm, powering hard and arcing upwards.
“Get me Bok Soo,” she told the table, her earpiece chirping.
“Sup? Bit busy,” Bok Soo said, sounding as if he was on the front lines. She knew him enough now to know that he probably was on the front lines.
These goddamn Commandos!
“I need you back here,” she said, she needed to know what else the Free Fleet had that could help her.
“What do you need from me?”
“I need to know more about your capabilities,” she said, knowing most commanders would lock up at those words.
“Here, talk to In Sook, she’s used to running a bunch of Commandos, fighters. and Free Fleet assets. I’m the CAMC, I’m staying with my people,” he said, she wanted to argue but she knew he had already made a decision.
“Major Gajos?” A female voice asked in her ear.
“Yes?”
“This is Commander In Sook, I would advise you pull back all personnel without rail guns or calibres in excess of seventy-five. I will dispatch shuttles to pick them up,” In Sook said.
“Wait, have you even done this before?” Gajos asked, she didn’t know who the hell this In Sook was, she only knew who Bregend was as everyone was briefed on the major military players of the Free Fleet, especially those that played similar roles within the Free Fleet’s command structure.
“I am the combined arms Commander for Hic Stamus, third to Salchar. I fought the Syndicate when we only had Parnmal, I coordinated the destruction of your backstabbing and I have coordinated Heija, Chaleel, Parnmal, and any contact this fleet has come into contest. So let’s stop with the measuring contest and work together,” In Sook said in the manner of a woman that would either have her cooperation or she’d find someone else.
“Alright,” Gajos replied, recognizing the tone. It wasn’t too dissimilar to the one she’d been using ever since Bok Soo walked into her command center.
“Good, now get those people moving, the shuttles will have weapons, armor and ammunition on them. Give me your best, they’re going to have to learn on the fly,” In Sook said.
Armor?” Gajos asked, getting a look from Gruben and Scharringa, it was more of a glance, they were coordinating their own battles.
“Powered armor, basic, universal version. Not important right now. I have artillery pieces I can bring down, not many, we’re thin on the ground with those. China has first dibs on that. That’s why you’ve got orbitals, your lines are clear,” In Sook said.
“Okay, Scharringa, get me a list of all units that don’t have rail guns or weapons less than seventy-five cal. Sort it by competency after that. We have supplies coming in, they’re going to have to learn on the fly. I don’t want idiots,” Gajos said.
“On it,” Scharringa said.
“What’s the range on artillery?” Gajos asked.
“Five kilo kilos,” In Sook said.
“Five kilometers?” Gajos asked, not that impressed.
“Five hundred kilometers,” In Sook said, sounding distracted by her own tasks.
“Gruben, find me an artillery position for pieces with five hundred kilometers of range,” she said. Gruben looked up to her, as if to argue before shaking his head.
“Ja,” Gruben said accepting that some times it was just better to roll with it.
“Got a basic list,” Scharringa said, sending it to Gajos’ terminal.
“That will do.” She scanned it briefly.
She opened a channel to the various unit leaders issuing them new orders, the Free Fleet tech automatically translated it into whatever language they were used to.
She got agreement and troops started moving to the rear as shuttles started entering Earth’s atmosphere on approach to her position.
“We’re moving back to second line,” Bok Soo said, his Commandos covering one another as they activated booby traps in the first line of defenses. The orbital bombardment had dropped in frequency.
There were Kalu fighters still in the air, but their swarms were not nearly sufficient enough to warrant calling in MEF’s.
Give them enough time and their reinforcements will change that, Gajos thought with disdain.
She fucking hated Kalu.
***
“Fucking prick,” I growled at the Kalu that had dove into one of the once perfectly maintai
ned and almost obsessively spaced housing complexes on the outside of Dongying. The city was a mess of old British lakeside residences and bridges with Chinese buildings, mostly steel and glass modern skyscrapers with communist building projects slapped wherever there seemed to be room.
Building projects like the one in front of me.
We’d held the ground in front of the building complexes for a few hours, we couldn’t use nukes, artillery or orbital strikes as there had just been so damned many civilians leaking through.
Either the Kalu were damned smart, or they were bored of killing civilians that couldn’t put up a fight. They’d run right behind them, herding them like prey. We couldn’t fire until they were practically on top of us. Since then we’d paid in blood to give the civilians time to move out.
Military trucks were helping to increase the distance between the front and the rear of the civvies. The Chinese were nothing if not economical in their actions.
I marked the building the Kalu were using as cover to get close to the new lines past the complexes.
Penetrators, used to punching holes into armored hulls, sunk deep into the concrete and brick constructs before turning the entire building into shrapnel.
One communist building project undone, I thought my cannons going silent as I shifted to bring the Kalu going around the buildings and rubble under fire. Debris and dust rained down everywhere.
Lasers burnt through the materials as my HUD added wire-frames to my view so I could see through the destruction.
It was only a matter of time until we were fighting with blades but we needed to get time and distance.
Defensive positions were already being built in our rear, kilometers back. While we soaked up damage the Chinese military erected trenches with a precision that made me happy to have them onboard.
Hell I was still surprised they were actually listening to us.
As long as the government agreed with us we were good, if they had picked to go against us, then this whole situation would have been a different story.
War's Reward (Free Fleet Book 6) Page 18