“You looking for me?” He asked after Angel and the rest of her squad had saluted the major.
“No sir, we actually came to look at the site,” Angel said. “It’s our first chance to see where the Swarm burrowed into the ground.”
“I was just about to head out there,” Hammonds said.
“Here, take my seat Major,” Cash said quickly standing up.
Hammond lowered his big frame onto the hovercraft, and Cash joined BJ on the rear of the vehicle. It moved away from the carnage of the slaughter. Angel noticed that many of the drones had no visible wounds. They didn’t have to go far to find strange swirls in the dark soil. Wherever the Swarm went they consumed everything in their path. The enormous field of corn had a wide swath through it. There were areas completely devoid of anything but dirt where there had been rows of neatly planted corn.
“Looks like they went straight down,” Daniels said.
She was the first one off the hovercraft. Cash and his fire team, still carrying their Trasker 51 rifles spread out in a defensive line. Angel thought their caution was unnecessary, but she noted the look of admiration in Hammond’s eyes.
“You’re Navy,” the Major pointed out. “One of the ARC technicians?”
“That’s right. Petty Officer Nicole Daniels, at your service, Major.”
“It’s nice to make your acquaintance. Do you have experience with xynobiology?”
“No sir, I’m just a gear head.”
“Were you with Lieutenant Murphy’s platoon at McDuall?”
“Yes sir, I was on communications. I didn’t actually do any fighting.”
He nodded and bent low beside Daniels.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Angel said.
“I have,” the Major replied. “Have you heard of an antlion?”
Angel looked at Daniels, then they both shook their heads.
“Where I grew up we called them doodlebugs. At least at the larva stage anyway. They made little traps in soft, loamy soil by burrowing down and leaving a little funnel shaped indention in the ground.”
Angel looked at the swirl of dirt. It looked like a dimple on a golf ball, but much larger. Angel guess the swirls looked to be about a meter in diameter.
“The doodlebugs would hide in the dirt, waiting for another species of ant to come along and fall into the funnel shaped trap. Then they would spring up out of the dirt and kill the ant.”
“Well that isn’t terrifying at all,” Daniels said.
“We’ve had people at the burrowing sites before,” Major Hammonds said. “They aren’t just below the surface. Our people have used shovels and dug into the ground, looking for tunnels or any sign that the Swarm were there. We found nothing.”
“So they burrow along and move the dirt from the front to the back, hiding their tracks,” Angel said.
“We need a geological survey of this area,” Daniels said. “Unless they encounter something they can’t dig through, they probably didn’t alter their course at all.”
“Like ants following a trail,” Hammonds said. “If a leaf falls in their path, they just go around it and continue on.”
“The more I learn about them, the more questions I have,” Angel said.
“Like what, Lieutenant?” Hammonds asked.
“Well, for starters, what are they drawn to,” she said. “If they’re going in a straight line, are they drawn to something? Why not just linger in this cultivated area the way they do when they reach a settlement.”
“You’re suggesting that they aren’t merely consuming, but actively trying to destroy our colonies,” Hammond said.
“In a round about way, it seems to be true,” Angel said. “They aren’t directionless, like a cleaning bot that goes in one direction until it encounters resistance, and then heads off in a random direction from there. Yet, they aren’t opposed to changing course when they need to.”
“Like at the lake,” Daniels suggested.
“Exactly,” Angel agreed. “They didn’t just alter their course enough to go around us and into the city.”
“But if they want to drive humanity off the planet, why wouldn’t they have just dodged us and continued on?” Hammonds wondered aloud.
“That’s an excellent question,” Angel said. “Perhaps they felt vulnerable.”
“They altered their course to stay hidden in the storm too,” Daniels suggested. “Maybe they don’t want anything to do with us.”
“I’d love to believe it,” Hammonds said, “but I think to do so would be naive. One of the principles of warfare is to avoid the enemy until you’re ready. My fear is that Swarm is drawing us to a battle field of their choosing.”
“It worked at Port Gantry,” Angel said, noticing the look of pain that flashed across the Major’s face. “We ran headlong into the trap they set for us.”
“So why not stick around to finish us off?” Daniels said.
“Perhaps that isn’t their way,” Hammonds said, standing up. “They don’t possess weapons that we know of. They don’t attack us per se. My guess is their objective is to make fighting them so costly that we give up and move on.”
“There isn’t much to see here, is there?” Angel said.
“No,” Daniels agreed.
“Let’s go back,” Hammonds suggested.
The trip back into camp was quiet. Everyone was occupied with their own thoughts. Angel dropped the Major at the command tent and promised to join him once she had gotten something to eat. Back at the camp, Angel gave her squad orders.
“Let’s keep the weapons packed up and everything ready to move quickly,” she said.
“You expecting trouble?” Bolton asked.
“No,” Angel said, “but we won’t be fighting here. We’ll need to spot the Swarm again, then choose a place to lay our trap.”
“You really think we’ll be able to?” Cash asked.
“Yes, and I’d like you to come with me when I speak to Major Hammonds,” Angel said. “You know more about guerrilla warfare than I do, and small group operations. Besides, I think you made a good impression on the Major today.”
“Fine by me,” Cash said. “Lead the way.”
36
C.S.F. Ramses,
Close orbit, Neo Terra, Tau Ceti system
“Commander on the Bridge!” The security officer said in a loud voice as Paula Mercer entered the control center of the interstellar ship.
She had served on ships for most of her career, first as an Operations Specialist, then as a communications officer, and finally as a space warfare officer, before being assigned to the Emergency Alert Station as a lieutenant commander. Through it all, her goal had been to command her own ship. She had finally achieved that goal, and it felt surreal.
“Let’s have an update on the search,” she said.
“Nothing new from EAS,” the comms officer said.
“The birds we sent out are searching in shifts, but so far, there’s no sign of the Swarm,” the space warfare officer said.
Mercer shook her head. She had been on the Bridge watching the battle unfold. The high altitude surveillance plane was part of the Ramses Air Force squadron and the high tech aircraft had maintained a data link with it’s parent ship throughout the operation. The new tactics by the Swarm were surprising, and yet not completely unexpected. It was the first time they had witnessed the aliens burrowing. Usually the Swarm served as a kind of shield, with the creatures crawling all over one another and no visual image of what was happening underneath. When the horde encountered the Marine battalion, they shielded their escape from the troops on the ground, but left the view from above unobstructed.
She watched, along with the officers of her Bridge crew, and every other ship in orbit, as the aliens burrowed into the fertile fields of the farming co-op. It was an awe-inspiring display, but only confirmed what they already believed about the aliens. And while the tracking medium they used to keep tabs on the Swarm would last for several more days, it
couldn’t be seen underground. That meant the satellite observers were back on high alert, hoping for a glimpse of the creatures with no way of knowing when or where they might resurface.
Mercer sat in her chair on it’s platform in the center of the room and brought up the many displays at her finger tips. She didn’t bother asking each division for problems. The ship’s automated system diagnostics would let her know if there was a problem. All systems were green and unless there were issues to deal with. Mercer believed in trusting her officers to do their jobs. She was getting to know them, looking for opportunities to spend time with each member of her senior staff. It would take time to build trust, but Paula hoped she would have more than enough time. Her goal was to remain a commander for as long as possible. Being promoted to commodore had it’s perks, but she felt her sweet spot was commanding a ship’s crew. Perhaps her feelings might change in the future. Her ambition had always been strong, propelling her to succeed, no matter the task. And that same ambition had served her well in the past. If it took her further in the service, she would accept that as well.
“Any word from the ground forces?” Mercer asked.
“They are formulating a new strategy,” the comms officer said.
“That makes sense,” said the weapons control officer. “What they’ve been doing hasn’t worked.”
“What about the task force?” Mercer asked. “Has Commodore Beauregard issued new orders?”
“No, Commander. The task force is holding steady.”
Paula felt a sense of boredom settling in. She had different responsibilities on the Ramses than she had on the Emergency Alert Station. They were just as important, but more reactive than proactive. They got ground imagery from the surveillance planes that belonged to the Ramses Air Force squadron, but not the multitude of images from the satellite feeds. The EAS could share those feeds when they needed to, but the Ramses didn’t have the massive antenna array needed to pick up the satellite imagery.
It was hard to think of their struggle with the Swarm as a war. She didn’t feel that her ship was in any danger, and yet she knew people who were placing themselves in harms way. She knew Lieutenant Murphy. The young officer was bright, humble, and eager to make a difference. She reminded Mercer of herself in many ways. The last thing she wanted was to grow lax in her duties and see someone like Lieutenant Murphy suffer because Paula had gotten bored.
“Let’s run a ship-wide readiness test,” Mercer said.
She brought up the testing scenarios and engaged the random generator. It would start at any moment and present the ship with a host of dangers which would have to be fulfilled as if the threats were real. It wasn’t what Paula would consider fun, but it would break up the monotony. She gazed at the plot and ensured that nothing was close enough to the Ramses to be of concern. A moment later, alarms began blaring all over the ship.
37
Battle site B, Belaire District,
Neo Terra, Tau Ceti system
“Our goal will be to find good ground,” Hammonds said. “Unfortunately, the geological surveys of the planet are sorely lacking. I’ve sent for a geologist to help us identify places the Swarm is unlikely to burrow into. Colonel Goldman is preparing a report and wants to outline your new strategy. So, let’s hear it, Lieutenant.”
There were several people in the command tent. Angel could see the sun setting in the distance, filling the sky of the colony world with gold-tinged red streaks that were breath taking. She recognized the talkative Captain who had accompanied Colonel Goldman on his inspection of the troops prior to the battle. She also knew Captain Malachi Reynolds, who had taken over command of the special forces platoons. Counting the ARC platoon, there six irregular platoons with special operators in the battalion. Major Hammond had the foresight to make sure he joined their strategy session.
Captain Nance was present too, sitting near the entrance of the tent with his long legs stretched out and his arms folded across his chest. The battalion had gotten used to the ARC platoon’s success against the Swarm and his victory among the battalion wasn’t being celebrated to his satisfaction. He was also irritated by the fact that his junior officer was being treated with respect by Major Hammonds. She had heard Nance making nasty comments about Marines favoring their own, but she had ignored his ranting. It surprised her when he joined the strategy session. As her platoon commander he had the right to be there, even though he hadn’t been specifically invited.
Angel stood up to speak. Her nerves were getting the best of her, but looking at Cash who sat on a crate nearby settled her down. There was something calm and reassuring about the staff sergeant. He was handsome too, in a rugged, unassuming manner, but Angel wasn’t in love with him. She had walled her emotions off the moment she had been put in charge of the ARC platoon. The fact that she had been supplanted in that role by Nance didn’t change the fact that letting herself like Cash as anything other than a team member was a bad idea. Still, his calm support and constant encouragement gave her strength.
“I think the Swarm is baiting us,” Angel said. “Facing the massed forces of our battalion isn’t going to happen unless we force them into a trap they can’t escape from.”
“Isn’t that what we’ve been trying to do?” Goldman’s Captain asked.
“Byron, let her speak,” Hammonds ordered the Captain, who nodded for Angel to continue.
“The Swarm is smart enough to avoid the battalion, but I don’t think they see smaller groups as a threat. That’s why they didn’t turn back in the mountain pass,” Angel said. “Now that they know we can hurt them, they’re avoiding us.”
“And with no strategic assets to guard or hold, we can’t force them to fight,” Reynolds said.
“Exactly,” Angel agreed. “What we know is that we can redirect the Swarm. They depend on their mobility to keep ahead of the battalion. Commander Paula Mercer of the Ramses suggested that we use their tactics against them by mobilizing small groups to essentially herd the Swarm into a trap.”
“The fox to the hunters,” Byron said.
“You want to use small groups to redirect the Swarm?” Reynolds asked. “I thought you said they don’t see small groups as a threat.”
“I did, so we’ll have to test our theory, but I think it’s possible. The reaction of the Swarm to the ARC squad today made me think that perhaps they fear our capability of disrupting their hive mind. If we branch out, stay mobile and keep clear lines of communication, we should be able to herd the Swarm into a trap they can’t escape from.”
The group spent and hour discussing the possibilities. Reynolds immediately volunteered his special forces groups to be the herders, which Angel realized was Hammonds idea from the start. Each spec op platoon could be divided in half, with a member from the ARC platoon going with each small group. If they converged on the Swarm one at a time, the aliens might not sense the danger until it was too late.
“The question comes back to this,” Reynolds said. “And I mean no disrespect, Lieutenant. We’ve all seen what you’re capable of in the ARC suit. But my understanding is that not everyone is as proficient as you are. Will one member of your platoon be enough to frighten the Swarm into changing direction.”
Nance was suddenly on his feet, his face red with anger.
“Excuse me? Did you really just refer to the ARC platoon as if Second Lieutenant Murphy were in charge?” Nance demanded. “Let me set the record straight. My team of pilots are more than proficient in the ARC suits and as senior officer I will speak for the readiness of the platoon.”
“I didn’t mean any offense, Captain,” Reynolds said, but the smirk on his face made the apology seem less than genuine.
“But you’ve offended me,” Nance snapped. “This entire exercise in futility, offends me. My people have terminated more of the Swarm than your entire Marine battalion combined.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Hammonds said in a low tone that sounded angry. “Most of the drones that died today didn�
�t have a single wound.”
“That’s preposterous,” Nance said. “We’re the future of the war. Without us you’d still be licking your wounds and wondering what to do next.”
Byron spoke up, sounding calm, but Angel could see he was angry. “Captain, if I may ask a question. Why did your charge falter against the Swarm today?”
“Are you mad? We didn’t falter.”
“It was my understanding that the ARC platoon was meant to infiltrate the Swarm and disrupt their hive mind,” Byron went on. “At the battle by Lake Excelsior Lieutenant Murphy charged into their ranks. At the battle today, you halted well short of the Swarm.”
“Because we aren’t fools,” Nance thundered. “We know our duty, but the Swarm didn’t open up for us. It did just the opposite. Were we supposed to throw ourselves into the massed creatures and let them rip us apart?”
“I believe the suits are made to do just that,” Byron said.
“You were armed,” Reynolds added. “Tactically speaking, you should have used those weapons to open gaps in the Swarm that you could break into.”
“You’ve all lost your mind,” Nance snarled. “We did what was necessary to win the day.”
“Actually,” Major Hammonds spoke up. “You played right into the enemy’s hands and wasted a potential opportunity. Those drones were sacrificed to give the Swarm time to coordinate their escape. Had you broken through the wall, you might have been able to disrupt the hive mind and given us a chance to decimate the aliens before they followed their queen underground.”
“I doubt that’s how the command staff will view the action today,” Nance said.
“The battle today is over,” Hammonds continued. “It was a minor skirmish at best and we need to remember who the real enemy is. Lets not step all over each other. Lieutenant Murphy has proven the effectiveness of her technique with the Swarm. I suggest that the entire ARC platoon take a page from her book. Colonel Goldman will undoubtedly give this new strategy a try, which means your people will have to do what she did. Captain, your orders are to go back to your platoon and prepare your people.”
Battle ARC Page 18