Hell Fighters From Earth Book 2

by William C. Seigler

  “The Reptilians have troop transports out. Can you hold up high enough to see if anything is headed our way?”

  “I will do so. What do you plan to do if one is spotted?”

  “I’m not sure yet. I’ll have to think of something. First, I’ll have to bring the Admiral in on it.”

  “Yes, yes of course.”

  Smith called, “Admiral, we have something.”

  “Yes Captain, what do you mean?”

  I want to have Cee hold up at altitude in order to keep an eye out for any approaching enemy transports. I need someone to have a fifty ready when we get there. I’ll put it in the back of our spacecraft and fire out the back with the ramp down.”

  “Can that be done?” asked the Admiral.

  Smith looked over at Blackstone. “I think we can. I’ll have to pull a couple of circuit breakers which will mean that we can’t close it.”

  “Did you get that sir?”

  “Yes, I did. It might be good insurance. The Greys are on their way in. The evacuation will begin momentarily. How long before you arrive with the wounded?”

  “Give me five more minutes,” said Blackstone.

  “The medics are standing by, and someone is rounding up a fifty for you.”

  “Thank you sir.”

  Shortly, Blackstone slid the ship back under the overhang and set it down. Smith dropped the ramp, and the medics ran up the ramp to retrieve the wounded. As soon as they were off another team brought up a fifty. Blackstone was busy making the ramp inoperable.

  Smith was not sure how well this would work and wondered for a minute if he would not be better off supervising the evacuation personally. Then he remembered that the plans were already made; the Admiral was there to take care of any problems that developed. He had good unit commanders; they would get things moving without his breathing down everyone’s neck. No, he needed to be out where, if there were trouble, he would be in the middle of it.

  “How long before we’re ready to take off?” Smith asked.

  Blackstone came aft and said, “Let me get these floor panels up, and you can hook the gun right in here.”

  “That’s easier than I expected.”

  “Smith, the first transport is on its way in and two more just dropped into the system,” called La Force.

  “Yes sir, that’s great. We’ll be airborne in just a few minutes.”

  Suddenly, he heard Cee’s excited voice in his head. “We have spotted enemy atmospheric flyers. They have left their search pattern and appear to be headed to where the Legion is in hiding.”

  “Okay,” responded Denver aloud, while trying to keep his voice calm. “I need range to target and heading.”

  “Yes, yes, I will have that for you momentarily,” answered Cee.

  “Colonel, are you ready?”

  “Ready and packing, how do you plan to do this?”

  “Somehow, we have to get right in front of them, and shoot out the back,” answered Smith.

  “They’re not armed. It shouldn’t be too big a problem.”

  “They can open the hatch and shoot out the port side.”

  “Really, I never thought of that,” responded Blackstone.

  “We discovered it during our recon of the planet the navy was supposed to have liberated.”

  “That’s another issue,” said Blackstone, and if we live long enough, we must bring it up.”

  Cee’s voice filled Denver’s head. “I have the information. Take heading 075, and they are forty kilometers and closing. I suspect they have guessed where the incoming transport is headed.”

  “You in contact with Cee?” asked Blackstone.

  “Yes, they’re 075 degrees at forty kilometers heading in our direction.”

  “You say they are unarmed.”

  “Everyone I’ve seen is, but I’ve seen their soldiers shoot out the open hatch on the port side.”

  “Who do you plan to put on the gun?”

  “Me.”

  “And how do you plan to keep from falling out when I maneuver?”

  “Hadn’t thought about that.”

  “Well, you’re liable to go flying out the back. Hang on a second.”

  In a moment, Blackstone was back with a lanyard. He fixed one end to the deck and the other he gave to Smith who tied it into a bowline and slid it over his head down to his waist.

  “It’s not pretty, but it’ll do,” joked Blackstone.

  Smith positioned himself behind the gun and cinched himself down tight. He then placed the belt into the gun and cocked it.

  “Ready,” he said looking up at Blackstone.

  “All right, hang on.” Blackstone rushed forward and lifted the ship up almost as soon as he hit the pilot’s chair.

  They shot out of the overhang in the direction Cee had given them. Looking out the back, Smith could see the first Grey transport settle down.

  In a matter of seconds, he heard Blackstone call, “Tallyho. Captain, I’m going to swing around them, then approach from below and behind. You should get a shot.”

  “Right, standing by.”

  Smith hunkered down lower as the ground slid under him at incredible speed. Suddenly the ground turned up on its side, and he knew Blackstone was sliding in behind the enemy ships.

  This should be easy. The ship slid under the lead Reptilian and came up in front. It was an easy shot. Smith squeezed, nothing happened.

  “What the ….” He quickly cleared the weapon and prepared to fire again. Before he could fire, two rockets lanced out of the enemy craft.

  “Colonel, get us out of here; that thing’s armed!”

  “What?” called Blackstone as he saw the rockets flash past. He shot out away from the approaching craft and came around to keep them in sight. They continued on their course undeterred.

  “Captain, what happened?”

  “Sir, they appear to have armed their atmospheric transports.”

  “So it would seem. Did you get a shot off?”

  “No, the gun malfunctioned.”

  “Captain Smith, what’s happening?” demanded Admiral La Force.

  “Sir, they’ve armed the transports with unguided rockets. They’re still on their course to the evacuation site.”

  “I’ll alert the perimeter that we have incoming.”

  “Colonel, is there any other way to get a shot off?”

  “Hang on a second. I’m coming at them head-on from above. After we pass, you should get a shot.”

  “Let’s try it.”

  The spacecraft jerked and rolled. A moment later Smith saw a rocket shoot past.

  “What happened?”

  “They pitched up and got a shot off. Try it now.”

  An enemy transport came into view but was out of range in another instant. “I got a shot off, but it was ineffective.”

  “I’ll see if I can force one of them down.”

  “Say again,” said Smith.

  “I’m running out of ideas. I want to see if I can get over one and force it down.”

  A moment later, the ship shook as the enemy craft came into the field of Blackstone’s ship. Smith could see the aft end of the second ship off to his left and knew to expect to be fired on momentarily.

  He unhooked his lanyard and carefully shinnied up the ramp. Smith then ran forward and retrieved his rifle. He carefully moved as far out on the ramp at the edge as he dared. The wind screamed past as he stuck his head out.

  Not two meters below him, he could see the enemy transport. The door on the second was still closed. Bringing his rifle up into position, he began firing at the ship beneath him. Soon it rocked right and left but kept on course.

  Blackstone had heard the report from Smith’s rifle. “What’s going on back there?”

  “I’m shooting the ship
below us, but can’t seem to bring it down. The other one will open his hatch and the soldiers will be able to shoot at us.”

  “I don’t think I can force him down before they get within range of the Grey’s ship. We can’t let them shoot at it.”

  “Understood,” replied Smith.

  “Admiral La Force, can you hear me.”

  “Yes Captain, I’ve been listening in. I have already spoken to the ship’s leadership, and they are taking off now.”

  “Yes sir, did you get many troops out?”

  “Just the wounded, the rest are hunkering down.”

  Something thudded against the side of the ship. Denver looked up, and the hatch on the remaining Reptilian transport was open.

  “Colonel, they’re shooting at us!”

  “Who?”

  “The lizards in the other boat.”

  Smith raised his rifle; the wind made aiming and holding it steady challenging. He squeezed off a short burst but could see no effect. He squeezed again, and as he did so, Blackstone climbed hard and rolled right. Smith had trouble hanging on to his perch and holding on to the contents of his stomach.

  “Let a fella’ know when you are going to do that.”

  “Oops, sorry about that.”

  “Friend Denver, there is another enemy craft approaching from the area of the Reptilian base.”

  “Thank you, Cee.”

  “Captain, we are getting close to your hideout, and the transports appear to be separating and descending toward the ridges.”

  “Understood, and Cee informs me that there is one more inbound. I need to call the Admiral.”

  “Admiral La Force, we’ve got another enemy craft inbound and the ones we have engaged appear to be landing.”

  “Do you think they’ve repaired the damage you did to the launch tunnel?”

  “I doubt it, sir. They probably had other flying craft out, and now they are being called in to pick up troops.”

  “They can’t get enough to mount a serious attack.”

  “No they can’t, but all they have to do is disable a Grey ship, and that will be a major coup for them.”

  “I don’t think the Grey’s command will attempt a landing if they’re taking fire. How do you propose to proceed, Captain?”

  “One moment sir.” Denver tried to calm his mind and visualize how the battle was shaping up.

  The enemy battleships were out of commission, but Smith did not know if the Reptilians on the surface knew that fact or not. They might be expecting the ship, to carry the battle to the Greys in space.

  Then it hit him, if a Reptilian jump ship drops into the system, it’s game over. Smith knew their secret location had been compromised. He did not know if he could gather the strength to start over again, much less rally the Legion. No, they had to make it out now, but how?

  “Colonel, we need to get men up on the ridges to take on the Reptilians. We are doing no good out here. I suspect that they will use what resources they have to get as many troops to ring this area as they can and wait on a jump ship to drop in.”

  “Okay, but we might be able to take out these transports once they land.”

  “How?”

  “I’ll circle around overhead, and you use the fifty on them.”

  Smith suddenly remembered a tactic used back on Earth where a large turboprop aircraft armed with a cannon would be used in this way. Only they fired out the side.

  “Can you land somewhere so we can relocate the fifty?”

  “Relocate?” asked Blackstone, surprised.

  “Yes, move it over to the edge of the ramp so I can shoot out the starboard side.”

  “Sure, hang on.”

  “Admiral, we are going to try a new tactic. Can you get men to climb up on the ridges?”

  “Yes, one of your commanders is already working on it.”

  “Do we have any more explosives?” asked Smith.

  “I don’t know; why do you ask?”

  “Just in case Cee has to go back out and destroy another jump ship.”

  “Yes, that would be disastrous. I’ll see what I can dig up,” replied La Force.

  As soon as Blackstone touched down, he ran back to the ramp. “I thought I had lost you out the back,” he joked.

  “I almost was,” replied Smith.

  Blackstone removed small plates on the starboard side of the ramp. They strained and lifted the fifty setting it down so that it could be secured to the ramp. Smith could shoot out the side now. He grabbed more ammo and secured the box as best he could.

  “All right, see if this works,” said Blackstone as he bounded back toward the flight deck.

  In a moment, they were off.

  “Okay Captain, we’re coming up on the first target.

  As he passed the target, Blackstone banked right and Denver got his first look at what the enemy was up to. They were not just depositing riflemen; they were setting up light artillery.

  “This just gets better and better,” he said. “Colonel, they are setting up artillery on the ridge.”

  “Then we’ve got to take it out.”

  “Roger that,” Smith said and began cranking off rounds even as the transport lifted off and headed back toward the Reptilian base.

  The transport swung around so that it could get a rocket off at the marauding human ship. Blackstone pitched up so sharply that the field generator was not able to keep up and the g’s pressed Smith to the deck.

  He elbowed himself off the deck and grabbed the gun. As soon as he did, two rockets streaked past him. He was completely disoriented. Smith started to call Blackstone but thought better of it. He had his own problems at the moment.

  Blackstone dipped the starboard side of the ship, and the enemy transport came into view streaking back toward the Reptilian base, presumably for more troops.

  Smith squeezed the triggers and spat lead at the fleeing craft, but he was not able to stay on target for long. The other transport began firing at them. It too had dropped off its load of troops and was headed back to pick up more.

  Cee’s voice filled his head. “Friend Denver, there are two more transports headed in your direction. It also appears that there is a large number of enemy troops heading in your direction on foot. I estimate that they cannot reach your location in time to stop us.

  “Probably less with the transports picking them up,” replied Smith.

  “Colonel, we’ve got to knock those transports down.”

  “Understood, but first let’s fire up that gun emplacement before they can put it in service.”

  “You got it,” replied Smith.

  The Colonel rolled in on the enemy artillery and performed perfect turns around while Denver poured fire in on the weapon, its crew, and the pile of ammo.

  “I’m out of ammo; can you take off after the transports while I reload.”

  “Don’t fall out,” replied Blackstone.

  “Good idea, glad you thought of it.” Smith stumbled forward and retrieved two more ammo cans. One he loaded and the other he secured to his harness.

  “Coming up on target,” barked Blackstone.

  “I’m ready,” Smith replied.

  Admiral La Force came in over the radio. “Captain Smith, this is La Force.”

  “Yes Admiral, go ahead.”

  “Your Sergeant Jefferson is here with me. He wants to go out and try to cover the evacuation. I wanted to check with you first.”

  “Yes Admiral, that’s a good idea. Can you let him know what the Lizards are up to?” responded Smith.

  “Yes, of course, Captain. One moment.”

  Denver assumed he was giving instructions to Jefferson. What kind of war is this when an Admiral asks a Captain before taking action? I should be there running things. I should have sent Jefferson out in the beginnin
g.

  “Captain, Jefferson’s unit is moving out, and Captain, there’s something else.”

  “Yes sir, what do you have?”

  “We’ve already got the wounded out, and there is a wide flat area about two kilometers from here. I think we can march the troops over there with what they can carry. We’ll have a better chance of getting them out.”

  “Possibly sir, but they’ll be exposed.”

  “I’ve considered that, but with Jefferson covering the retreat, we should make it.”

  Smith’s mind raced as Blackstone rolled up onto a target. “Okay Captain, it’s all yours.”

  “I’m on it,” Smith replied.

  Smith took aim. “Admiral, proceed as you’ve suggested,” he said as he squeezed the triggers.

  Admiral La Force continued, “I understand your concern about another ship dropping in so I’ve removed some of the explosives over the morgue and have the unit standing by for pickup as soon as you release Cee.”

  There was no response.

  After a few moments, he called back. “Captain, are you there?”

  “Yes Admiral, it’s getting a little busy up here. Can you say again?”

  “I have the unit that blew up the ships standing by with explosives. I am awaiting your releasing Cee to pick them up.”

  “Understood, stand by.” He gave his full attention to knocking the dodging transport out of the sky. It began to smoke and spiral down, but made a more or less controlled landing. Reptilians came pouring out shooting at them. Smith began to fire them up, but Blackstone rolled off.

  “Colonel, what’s going on?”

  “The transport’s down, and I’m off to the next target. Why do you ask?”

  “The Lizards got out of the ship alive, and I was just opening fire on them.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  “Quite all right, the transports are our greatest danger at the moment. I got some of them though.”

  “They’re out of the fight for now. I’ll have you on the next target in just a sec.”

  “Standing by.”

  “Cee, can you hear me?” said Denver aloud.

  “Yes, Friend Denver and I’ve been following the battle. I am ready to pick up the demolition team at your command.”

  “Good, can you pick them up and then return to where you are now so that you can continue giving me information?”