Cheerleader was now spending more time accepting trading contracts than working out where ammunition and supplies vital to the war effort were going.
The war was coming to an end. Earth was getting new lines that would hold the Kalu in position until Earth cleared them out, or got someone else to do it.
Daestramus was gearing up for their final offensives and the Universe around them was rushing to get back to normal.
These people had gone through the first war against the Kalu, then the oppression of some hopped up criminals, and then the Kalu had returned again. They were only now getting back to being free.
The universe wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t kind, but they had survived and they were looking to building a future.
Even if three planets were still battling Kalu on their surfaces, it seemed that they had trust in the Free Fleet to finish the job.
She looked over Parnmal’s massive hologram which showed the ships moving around the station. The yards were more active than ever and ships were plying their ways along the trade routes of Parnmal.
She flicked to the markets. People had returned and those that had stayed throughout the hostilities were welcoming them back. Business was booming and the Union was getting back on their feet.
It reminded her of the second world war when Germany had surrendered. Japan was still being a royal pain in the ass and troops were being re-trained and shifted from Europe to Japan’s area of operations.
The Japanese were still a large threat, but America knew that they could win. They had plans, and finally the manpower to strike back.
The same went for the Free Fleet, they had the people, the plans and they were closing in on the Kalu’s throat.
“Incoming contacts reading as Independent Kalu,” Wast said from his position at sensors, while Monk had left, his command staff had remained.
She could hear the tension in his voice.
“Open a channel with Kalvin,” Cheerleader said.
“Yes Commander,” Hulio said.
A few moments later the main screen showed the inside of a star-warrior and Kalvin over the odd chairs that rested under his body.
“Commander Cheerleader,” Kalvin said, his voice tense.
“No need of that Commander between friends Kalvin,” she said with a smile.
“Very well, Cheerleader,” he said, bowing his head slightly.
“I see that you’ve come to take me up on that offer of a drink. I was hoping that you’d forgot,” she said, smiling to make it clear she was joking.
“Well you did say that Parnmal had some of the finest spirits in the known universe. One such as myself could not possibly give up on such a fine invitation,” Kalvin said, relaxing.
“It will be good to meet. We will transmit landing procedures, let me know once you’re situated and we can go grab that drink. I am sure that my master of trade will be interested in talking to your traders,” Cheerleader said.
‘I hope that we can find some materials of value. The people of the Union have many items my people are intrigued by. The ‘art’ Min Hae shared with us was of great interest. It has started something of a movement,” Kalvin said, sounding amused. Cheerleader laughed.
Of course Min Hae got them interested in art, a race that has been fighting for millennia, now a bunch of artists! Not to dissimilar to many of the races in the Union.
“We must talk of this more, it sounds like there might be an interesting story to it,” Cheerleader said.
“Quite, my own daughter has taken up this ‘art’ I think mostly to annoy me,” Kalvin groaned.
Henry made some noises looking at the screen, Kalvin’s eyes shifted as he saw the boy.
“Who is this fine child?” He asked, any hardness to his features softening, the Independents looked after their children with a community sense, gone were the fights for survival, every child was precious to them.
“This is Henry, our resident rabble rouser, my nephew,” she said as the boy tried to scale the view screen.
“Seems like quite the lively fellow,” Kalvin said, his body rumbling with laughter.
“You have no idea,” Cheerleader sighed.
“With seventeen grandchildren I may have a little more experience in that arena than you’d guess,” Kalvin said with a smile.
“Seventeen? Your family has been a busy one!” Cheerleader said, it was hard to see the Kalu as not only a father but grandfather.
“Why thank you, it is a rather lively den back home. Might be the reason I find myself so far from it so often. Though my mate always calls me back, and for some reason enjoys my company even after my long voyages,” Kalvin said.
“I would love to meet them some time,” Cheerleader said.
“We would be happy to have you,” Kalvin bowed his head. Cheerleader returned the gesture. “Now I also have a need to talk to Min Hae, will he be available?” Kalvin asked.
“Yes, he should be around, if not I’ll go pull him from his various computer screens,” she assured Kalvin.
“Will Ashota be available, Deltai also wishes to speak with him,” Kalvin said.
“Father!” An outraged voice said from the side.
“It is the truth is it not?” He said, looking to where the voice had come from.
There was growling from the side, but no words.
“I’ll make sure they are available to meet,” Cheerleader said.
“Thank you Cheerleader, my people are following the guides and locks given to us, we will be within your safety perimeter in a few hours,” Kalvin said.
“See you shortly then,” she said nodding to him slightly. He returned the gesture and closed the channel.
“We haven’t even beaten the Kalu and then the Independents are already showing up,” Hulio complained.
“I will not have that talk coming from you or anyone else,” Cheerleader said, her cold voice making Hulio snap to attention in his seat.
“They were oppressed by the traditionalists much like creatures of the Union were oppressed by the Syndicate. They have fought along side us and lost a good number of people in aiding us. They took a major risk in helping us and have worked to give us the tactics necessary so that we could bleed the Kalu as they moved from system to system and even the ground combat. They are the Free Fleet’s allies and we are lucky to have them,” Cheerleader said, her speech for everyone, not just Hulio.
“Yes Commander!” Hulio said.
“If it was not for Kalvin and the Independents then we would have not got so many Henry Classed Destroyers active, we would not have kept the Kalu from attacking the people that call Quarst home. We would be fighting another war to destroy the Kalu traditionalists ships.
While we were fighting the Kalu in our space, the independents were making sure that the traditionalists didn’t start building another war-fleet.
They might share the same features as the traditionalists, but they are our friends and allies, the people that protected our backs so that we could fight without fear of the Kalu coming in behind our defenses. If anyone has anything to say against the Independents, then they can bring their issues up with me.
As no one knows what the Free Fleet went through unless they stood beside them in the trenches, the batteries and engine rooms of our fleet, we cannot know what happened with the Independents,” Cheerleader said, looking around the command center, all eyes were looking and listening to her.
“Hulio, connect me with Min Hae and Ashota. Akatski, could you make a reservation for dinner between the Kalu independents and ourselves?” Cheerleader asked, dialing down the tension on the command center, people continued moving for their tasks. Cheerleader knew there would be those that blamed the independents, it was ineveitable.
She also knew how Min Hae and herself had been working to stop that prejudice from forming. It would be a hard battle, but one that could bring the Kalu Independents and Free Fleet together.
With Min Hae’s plans for the future that alliance would nee
d to be strong, anger and prejudice would only make the Free Fleet weak.
Her speech would be making it’s rounds across the station and beyond, she hoped the Free Fleet was strong enough to look past their anger at the Kalu traditionalists and see the paw the Independents were stretching out in peace.
The Independents were all too aware of the anger that might come back on them. They were new to this open universe. They were scared of being pushed back. They learned so much from the people they’d already met.
Their extended offer was like a child offering their half-completed art to someone they looked up to. They were full of hope and innocence, if that paw was slapped away then it might break them as a people, making them turn away from the other sentient races.
Cheerleader wanted to see them grow up like Henry Cook, to watch with wonder and a smile as they matured.
She had enough of war, now she wanted to build something instead of destroy it.
Chapter Time to End This
“So what do you think?” Narvu asked Bregend after his little presentation on what would hopefully be their biggest and last action on Daestramus.
“I think we’re rested, fed, armed, reinforced, and ready,” Bregend said, looking to Narvu and the other commanders around the conference room, both in person and on their own view screens from their outposts.
“Our reinforcements will be dropping on us in a matter of hours. I say we form up and use those shuttles against the Kalu. We go with your plan, use the shuttles and go right in through the cities landing pads. It’s going to be a close and dirty fight, powered armor for close quarters, HAPA’s in support and clearing out the larger areas, go with high explosive missiles instead of nukes, a few of those and we’ll bring the damned place down on ourselves.
“There aren’t many of the Kalu fighters left, only a few hundred, maybe even less. MEF’s should take them out with prejudice as we focus on taking the cities one at a time. If we push the Kalu outside, then that’s fine. They can’t survive in these temperatures or environment as we’ve seen.
“We’re ready for this,” Bregend said, seeing the agreement in the other commanders, not one of them would have agreed if they didn’t feel the same way, there was no ‘going with the flow’. You did the best by your people no matter what. Even if it made you cross horns with Salchar yourself, that criticism could save lives.
Bregend looked back to Narvu, the man had gone from being the figurehead of the Daestramus Commandos, to their leader over the past few weeks, aging in years in only months.
Those hard eyes looked to the holographic image of the curved base of the city-tower Ekal, it led up to the sky and the massive missshapen heat vent from the city, which was being turned into a laser-cano. Landing pads sprouted from the tower’s sides.
Gashes and holes released heat vapor from where the Kalu had hit Ekal’s covering, or where they had crashed through it to breach the city.
“Alright, let’s go clear these Kalu out of Ekal,” he said, the view screens and command center got into motion, orders were being passed and people were being organized.
They had planned for this operation for weeks, holing up in their outposts and waiting for enough reinforcements to leave protection details behind as they started clearing out the cities.
The Kalu’s attacks were all but nonexistent now. Daestramus had drained their batteries and their armor couldn’t keep them warm for more than a couple of hours before they needed to retreat back to the cities.
“Zoka, change the reinforcement’s flight plans. They’ll be going direct to Ekal. I’m going to need shuttles moved to staging positions for the loading of personnel. How long till birds are in place to transport and how long until the reinforcements hit Ekal?” Bregend asked, standing up from his seat.
“Shuttles will be there within ten minutes, ready to go as soon as they’re loaded. I’ll get a time estimate on the reinforcements. I’m thinking around two and a half hours roughly,” Zoka said.
“Good, get it done,” Bregend replied.
“Yes sir.” Zoka cut the channel.
“We’re ready right?” Narvu asked Bregend as he got close, his voice low enough so only Bregend could hear.
“We’re ready,” Bregend assured Narvu, looking into his eyes.
“Good,” Narvu nodded.
Narvu led the way out of the conference room, following after the other Commanders that called the base home. They were already talking to their various sections.
“Shuttles are leaving the fleet and heading to pick up positions,” Vela said.
“Good, while I’m gone Lofa will be in command,” Narvu said. No one raised any eyebrows or countered the command. “Let’s see if we can’t take back our cities from these bastards.”
Hard faces and eyes showed their agreement as Narvu marched out of the command center.
Bregend followed, sealing his helmet.
A message appeared from Zoka. The reinforcements would be on the ground in two hours and ten minutes.
Bregend passed the message onto Narvu who closed his helmet as well.
“See you on the other side,” Bregend said as they came to a corridor, he needed to go and grab his HAPA, he would be leading them while Narvu was leading the powered armor wearing Commandos.
“Good luck brother,” Narvu said, holding out his hand.
Bregend wrapped the smaller man up in a hug.
“You too brother, look after yourself,” Bregend said, releasing him and heading for his armored beast.
He linked to it, running start-ups and checking the status of his people, they were moving from yellow to green. Getting into their HAPA’s and powering them up. He saw a number of them moving out of the armories and towards the massive armored doors that rolled open to allow their passage. Powered armor wearing Commandos were formed up into blocks their commanders talking to them as others passed them. The outposts exterior passages were a sea of motion.
The Free Fleet war machine ambling into position.
“How are we looking Tul?” Bregend asked the Commander of the HAPA unit that would be shadowing him for the operation.
“Everything's in the green, all ready and accounted for,” Tul reported in his deep Avarian timbre.
“That’s what I like to hear,” Bregend said, jumping into his HAPA, and flicking switches that brought the machine to life. He brought his harness down around him.
He checked his running lights, everything was in the green.
He moved forward, grabbing his control arms, moving his cannons and changing to plasmid blades, checking his reach and speed. Changing his movements to fit the HAPA’s outputs instead of his powered armor.
“Hopefully we won’t be needing those commander,” Tul said dryly.
“Best to know they work and not need them,” Bregend said.
Tul sighed, but his heart didn’t seem to be in it.
“Alright, let’s go grab our ride,” Bregend said, looking to Tul.
“Xal Company, move out!” Tul barked. The Xal was a vicious cave dwelling creature that produced acid for spit and could hunt in complete darkness. If you found yourself in a Xal lair, you had signed your own death warrant.
Xal company marched forward, their HAPA’s feet moving in time so they didn’t run over one another. Tripping in a HAPA was a shitty time. Staying in line was hard in a HAPA, but perfect line after perfect line marched out of the armories.
Bregend looked around as they marched out of the armories, past other units still mustering to come together.
The doors to the outside world were open wide enough for twelve HAPA’s to walk through.
Snow as fine as dust drifted in the wind, which seemed to whip across Daestramus.
Shuttles flared their engines as they came in to land, adding to the gales ferocity.
Commandos jogged past the Xal company, more HAPA companies before and after them. It was a sea of motion, people getting ready as fast as possible and then getting to their ride as s
oon as they could.
Revenge warmed their hearts as the company split into platoons and squads going right and left to board shuttles that had blown the fine snow of the planet off of the pitted and damaged landing pad.
Bregend marched up to a shuttle, HAPA’s stepping into harnesses, the cargo master shifting and turning them so they were in two lines, facing outwards. A squad of HAPA entombed Commandos looked at the platoon of powered armor Commandos.
“Dopro, looks like you’ve put on a bit of weight,” One of the powered armor Commandos called out.
“Thanks Ollkir, been working out. Seems you’ve been on the Daestramus diet, all ice and no calories,” Dopro said.
“Thanks! Better than the Kalu diet,” Ollkir said.
“Oh, what’s that?” Dopro asked.
“Daestramus ice with an iron supplement for dinner,” Ollkir said, tapping her rifle, getting grim laughter from the shuttle.
“I did hear it was to die for,” Dopro said, adding to the grim laughter.
All of them had lost someone and today they were starting what had been called the ‘last campaign of the war’ by many.
“Sealing it up,” the cargo master said, the wind died down as the ramps closed, the white light of the reflective ice turning to the warmer strip lighting of the shuttle.
Bregend looked to his HUD. People were talking, others playing games, or sending messages. Most just sat back in their harnesses and waited patiently.
The timer wound down on Bregend’s view as the first shuttles that had been loaded pushed more power to their engines, pushing themselves off of the landing pad and towards Ekal. They formed up into arrows, MEF’s descended through the blizzard that was washing over outpost one.
The shuttles shuddered but kept going, disappearing into the white cover.
“Powering up engines and going for a ride,” the pilot said, Bregend heard the engines power up. It took a few moments and then the shuttle shifted upwards and forwards slightly, both motions increasing as landing gear could be heard pulling into the shuttle. The noise of the wind rushing past the supports reduced as the shuttle shook with nature’s turmoil.
War's Reward (Free Fleet Book 6) Page 27