She looked at Victor and saw him screaming with his hands over his helmet. She knew that at least one if not both of his ear drums had burst. She held him in her arms for at least a minute or more. She wasn’t sure exactly how long. She realised after a while that she was dazed and disoriented. Her vision was blurred. ‘Where’s the door?’ she asked herself. Her vision began to get sharper. She could see the blood running down from Victor’s nose and pooling at the base of his helmet. He looked in a bad way.
It was then she realised that she had dropped her weapon. She initiated a status check on her console. This would require each member of the battery to check in and confirm their status.
A sleth trooper began grabbing his troops and pushing them past Steff and Victor to the door. Some were carrying what looked to her like portable missile systems. A couple had heavy automatics and the rest were armed with an assortment of pulse rifles and grenade launchers.
Steff looked around and saw three human suits. She was peering through all the dust to see their patches. Yes they were hers. She glanced at Victor who seemed to have recovered a little though she could tell he was in a lot of pain. She looked at her console and saw that she had 59 returns. ‘So 16 didn’t make it’ she said to herself. She quickly scanned the listing and saw that her Josh was still alive. She breathed a sigh of relief. She looked again at Victor and concluded that he needed to get medical assistance. She tasked Trooper Niki Vernon to get him to the aid post as soon as the sleth finished filing out.
Dan in another shelter 300m away dusted off the dirt from his helmet. ‘No nukes’ he said to himself in a relieved manner. The thuds he had heard were from the runway and battery area or so he presumed.
“Redbite this is Soln Control. Come in” hailed Dan.
“Redbite here” said Steff.
“SITREP”
“I show 59 actives Sir but we’re spread all over the place.”
“What about the radar and launchers?”
“Radar’s offline. I haven’t got out to check on the launchers but I’d say they are all KO’d. We took a pounding.”
“Understood. You need to get your troops back to the S3 complex. Confirm.”
“Confirm move to S3.”
Back at Dan’s shelter he turned to Sue. “Looks like were blind now.” Sue nodded and turned around looking for her Chief Rufus Picket. Two days ago he had been their weapons tech expert. Now he was Sue’s chief rustler.
“Rufus” she called out. But no answer. “Rufus” she hailed. He was sitting across from her on a bench on the far wall. He looked OK. She came over to him and shook his shoulder.
“Yes Maam” he replied. Sue knew that he was a bit shaken but she needed him up and about now.
“Come on Rufus you need to post two troopers so they can sight the runway. We need early warning.”
“What happened to Wu?”
“Not responding.”
“Damm…he was a good mate. Right oh Maam, leave it with me.”
Rufus left their bunker and scurried back towards the first of four bunkers that were deployed near the runway, the ones where he hoped there would be some 103rd Bty troops. He was going to press gang two of these.
His first waypoint was the terminal building. But it was no more. A huge crater claimed its space now. He arced around the left of the crater and then turned north to where he knew there had been a bunker.
When he got to the bunker, the entrance was now covered in a great pile of dirt and debris from the jungle and the nearby terminal building. He needed help to clear it. That would have to wait. He clambered over the broken ground. The first rays of the sun were starting to lighten the sky.
The next bunker was another 100m further north. He met Steff leading a column of her troops. She had progressively gathered them up. There were now about 40 in her column. He told her about the bunker and that he needed two troops for an observation post.
“Chang, Ricter, go with the Chief” Steff hailed. “The rest follow me.”
“Fighter” hailed someone from the back of the column. There was a mad scramble as everyone ran westward back into the canopy. The salvo fired from the fighter struck in a line from the edge of the runway back into the canopy. The explosions ripped the canopy apart along a jagged line.
Steff and Rufus ended up next to each other on the ground. Rufus couldn’t believe they were still alive. “Chief, are you alright” hailed Steff. He stood up a bit dazed but nodded back to her. He extended a hand which she took and used to right herself. She looked back to see her troops popping back up in fits and starts. She realised they could not afford to wait around here. “Come on. Everyone head west into the Canopy” she hailed.
“Anister and Fuki are hurt” hailed back someone.
“Just grab them and go.”
Rufus grabbed his two charges and headed south towards where the terminal building had been. He deployed them on a slight rise 50m south of the big crater and back a little so they were just under the canopy. They looked none too happy about being there. Rufus left them with this bit of advice “I’d be digging if I were you. One digs the other watches.”
“How long Chief?” asked Peter Ricter.
“Till you’re told otherwise lad” replied Rufus and he headed off for the collapsed bunker.
“Terrific” said Samantha Chang “You better start digging.”
Peter thought about arguing the toss but when they heard the sound of the fighter coming back for another run he pulled out his entrenching tool and got stuck in with great gusto.
“Control this is Chang. We have one fighter making runs over the runway.”
“Roger that” said Dan. “What about transports?”
“Negative so far.”
“Make sure you let us know as soon as you see any transports. We need to know how big they are, how many they are and where they land. Got it?”
“Yes Sir.”
By the time Rufus got to the bunker Steff had brought a party of six to help. She left them with Rufus while she would take the main body back to S3.
Rufus had them clearing away the rubble in no time. He soon realised that the entrance tunnel had collapsed and got them to focus on where he thought would be the main door. Rufus believed in a ‘hands on’ approach to leadership. He didn’t have an entrenching tool so he helped with the removal of debris.
“Fighter” hailed Samantha on the all mission channel. Rufus and his team dove to the ground. The explosions though were further north. They pulled themselves up and recommenced their work.
“Found it” hailed one of his diggers. They scraped away the dirt from in front of it. Rufus thought he could hear something. He leaned closer. “Yes I can hear tapping. Come on faster everyone.”
Five minutes later they had cleared away the rubble and someone inside opened the door and pushed it outwards. It couldn’t open fully but enough for one person at a time to squeeze through. They pulled out 13 – three sleth troopers and eight from 103rd Bty. They were starting to congratulate themselves when Samantha hailed again “Fighters”.
This time the explosions were a lot closer. Rufus was knocked down by the blast. His head was pounding and his ears ringing.
“Transports” hailed Samantha.
“How many, how big, where?” demanded Dan.
“Four, big and they look like they’re going to land right here.”
“Pull back” ordered Dan.
“Where to?”
“100m back in you should find the S1 building, if it’s still standing. Go there and let me know if the enemy troops are coming that way. Do you copy?”
“Yep and they are definitely landing here. We’re Oscar Mike.” She then hailed direct “Peter, follow me.” Peter didn’t need any encouragement.
Rufus recovered just in time to see the first of the four large enemy transports touch down. His charges were already moving into the canopy. He took a big breath and pushed off after them. He nearly fell over the body of one of the sleth
troopers.
Automatic pulse fire erupted less than 100m south of him. It was returned tenfold by the automatic cannons on the transports. They began raking the edge of the jungle. Rufus knew they would probably sweep that fire his way real soon. He could see the last of his troops about 50m ahead. He was clambering over all manner of debris now. The canon fire was getting closer. He dived under some upturned sheeting. He could hear the cannon rounds ripping and tearing into the sheeting near him. He was sure he would be next.
“Chief where are you” hailed Sue.
“Stuck under some crap Maam near the old terminal building with enemy cannon fire all around me. I’m pinned down.”
“You’re not much good to me there Chief.”
Rufus thought of a few choice words he wanted to say but thought better of it. “Alright I’m coming.” The fire was heading further north, so he pushed off the sheeting and headed west into the canopy. A pulse rifle fired from behind him.
‘Shit. It just keeps getting better’ he said to himself. He clambered over a fallen trunk and was finally faced with some clear ground. He raced zig zag fashion as a few more shots came in his direction. ‘They’re not aimed shots’ he thought ‘just the guys in the lead assault line firing randomly ahead as they enter the canopy. Thanks god for that.’
He didn’t see the sleth trooper ahead of him until he put his rifle to his shoulder. Rufus thought he was a goner. But another sleth arm stopped the trooper from firing and Rufus ran straight on past them, nodding his thanks as he went.
Rufus was absolutely exhausted when he entered the control centre. Sue was hailing someone but she could see that he was done in. She continued listening to her call while watching Rufus collapse in a chair. He took a drink from the water tube in his helmet. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw a smile appear on Rufus’s face.
“OK thanks” and Sue finished her call.
“I’m definitely too old for this shit” said Rufus as he continued puffing “and definitely out of nick.”
“I’m sorry Chief but you are going to have to move again. We’re moving back to S3 now.”
That wiped the smile from his face. “OK” he managed. Dan was slinging a pack on his back and he tossed another to Rufus. Rufus didn’t looked pleased but he stood up and slung the pack, picked up his rifle and followed Sue and Dan out of what turned out to be very temporary digs.
Chapter 12. Soln 0700, 4 February
Sue led her control centre staff into the S3 complex, which was now more like a fort than its original role as a food and water storage facility. It was chosen as the last bastion because it was furthest away from the runway, where Sue knew the enemy transports would land. It was the only flat clear bit of ground within a day’s march.
Soln was built on the top of a substantial ridge line that ran roughly north south. On the eastern side of the north-south runway the right hand edge of the ridge ended abruptly with a steep slope. The bottom, of that slope was over a kilometre down. On the western side the slope back down was much gentler, about ten degrees. She had done a recce when she first came and she knew that if it came to it they could retreat westward some ten or so kilometres till they hit a ravine that once carried water north but now was rarely filled with water.
Originally the river had entered a cave system that cut through another ridge line that ran SW – NE. This cave system was the only above ground entrance to a vast system of subterranean caves that provided their most valuable life giving resource, water. It was to the cave system that she would retreat but only if they had to.
She saw Fowlsit talking to one of his commanders. She was still getting used to reading sleth mannerisms but she had no difficulty in realising that he was worried. The pulse fire sounded like it was about 800m back, which meant the enemy had penetrated about 200m into the canopy. At this rate she reckoned they would be here in just over an hour or less if part of the line collapsed.
Fowlsit saw her and finished off his conversation with his subordinate. He came over to Sue. “We should begin the evacuation now. I will commit one platoon as escort. How many soldiers can you provide?”
Sue looked to Dan. “We have just under 50 left in 103rd Bty plus us” said Dan. “But half of the 103rd is on the line.”
“They need to stay there” said Fowlsit “with me and my troopers. We will buy time. You must go now. I place the safety of our leader and our future in your hands Chalker.”
Sue extended her hand and Fowlsit took it with his. “Go safely, go swiftly” he said. He then turned and left down the corridor. The sleth platoon leader, Jelka, guided her down another corridor to meet with Wenra. She was with her two aids, come bodyguards, in a room that had been made into her temporary sleeping quarters. Her gear was being packed by another aid.
Jelka explained to Wenra that they had to go and that Sue would lead the way. Wenra nodded her consent. Her aid scrambled to load what looked like a massive pack. The aid flung the pack on his back and by his stance declared that he was ready.
Sue started giving orders to her subordinates. She would lead with Jelka and his platoon, followed by Wenra’s party. Steff’s troopers would follow and Rufus was to be tail end Charlie.
“Dan I want you to accompany Wenra and her aids” said Sue. “Stay with her at all times.”
“Right” said Dan.
They filed out of the S3 complex and Sue gave instructions to form a staggered column formation. She soon worked out that the sleth didn’t understand what a staggered column was so she switched to the more natural single column.
The column of just under 60 souls stretched a distance of over half a kilometre. It began snaking its way westward.
A salvo of explosions rocked the ground about 700m to the east. The fighters were making a significant impact. Every now and then a “woosh” could be heard as the sleth fired off one of their portable missiles. But so far there were no reported kills against the fighters.
At 0800 the Sun was making everyone in a suit very hot indeed. The canopy certainly helped but Sue’s suit temperature read 42 degrees. She stopped for a rest and the bodies collapsed to the ground in a ripple that ran to the back of the column where Rufus was oh so glad for a break.
Sue took a suck of water, took a few breaths in and then hailed Fowlsit who advised her that they were still at S3 and holding. He reckoned that the enemy have run out of momentum.
“Should we come back?” asked Sue.
“No. More will come” said Fowlsit. He said it with such conviction that she saw no need to discuss the matter further. He added “You must go” and he hung up.
Sue agreed and got her body of sleth and humans on their feet and moving again. As they descended the slope the jungle thickened and the vines hung lower at least Sue thought so as she was spending more of her time pushing them away as she bent down and under them.
Fowlsit hailed her around 0900 to get a SITREP. He reported that the rogan were conducting a series of flanking probes to the south. He was not sure if they were being bypassed, though he still reckoned the bulk of their force was still to his front.
The map on her console placed her about 6 kms west of the settlement with another 4 to go before she hit the ravine. She looked up at the source of a sound she knew only too well to be retro rockets firing. She reckoned the craft must be about two kilometres away to the south. It must be low and searching but for what she wondered. She knew that the canopy would protect them from visual detection but it would only give them limited protection from thermal scanners. Thankfully they were all stopped and hence giving off less heat. But she was relieved when she could hear the retroes moving back eastward.
“On your feet” she hailed her group and they pressed on.
They reached the ravine about 1030. Everyone was dog tired. News from Folwsit was that they had repulsed an assault but sustained over ten casualties. He believed the rogan had setup a cut-off group behind them to the west. The fighters had stopped their attacks. He did not know
why but was grateful.
Sue turned right to the north. The caves were a kilometre ahead. Everyone in the column heard the shots that rang out from the south.
“Contact left” hailed one of Steff’s troopers. Sue looked but could not see anything from the front of the column. “How many? What are they doing?” she hailed.
“About ten I think” came the same voice. Some are firing and the others are heading our way.”
“Jelka keep moving north till you reach some caves about a kilometre. Defend there. Dan you accompany Wenra and stay with Jelka. At the caves find a safe spot for Wenra. The rest of us will conduct a delaying action. Heeley take 12 soldiers and form the first blocking position at my current location. The rest of you follow me and I’ll show you where to deploy. Rufus make sure we don’t lose anyone. Let’s move it.”
In fact Jelka was already with Wenra and Dan. He had his troopers moving off at a steady clip. Wenra seemed to hold her own. In fact it was Dan with his shorter legs that was struggling to keep up.
The firing was sporadic at best. Sue kept pushing the 103rd Bty troops forward till she counted to 13. Then she directed the next ones into firing positions till Steff arrived. Steff took over and Sue raced forward.
Rufus wasn’t up to the physical demands and was struggling to maintain contact with Sue’s group. Firing erupted from the direction of Steff’s group. He turned to see. A small little war was underway back there but it was the movement out of his right eye that caught his attention. He turned westward and could see a group of figures, about 5 or 6 of them, trying to outflank them about 150m further west down in the ravine. He adopted a firing stance, took aim at the forward figure and fired once. It missed but the group hit the ground. He crouched down slowly and went into a kneeling position. “Maam” he hailed “6 hostiles 150m west of my position.”
Sue was still deploying her dozen troops. “Roger that. Better move back here Chief. We’re about three hundred metres ahead of you. Heeley you need to pull back. Keep to the high ground. We’ve company down below.”
Redemption: Book 2 of Warner's World Page 26