by Gary Beller
***
The warship fight was brief, but intense. Vasa took on the light cruiser, while Teufelhund and Chancellorsville dueled with the destroyers. Although outmatched, Banor ships always fought hard, and unlike their fighters were generally well built and durable. Unlike the frigates the two Cruisers had faced a few days before, the destroyers refused to die quickly.
Vasa’s massive twelve inch particle cannons did, however, pack a nasty punch. As the Jumpers flew below the plane of the fight, Ben saw Vasa make a ninety degree turn to starboard and present all of her nearly five hundred meter length to the light cruiser; a moment later, Chancellorsville and Teufelhund pushed forward and copied the maneuver. At first this move puzzled Ben, until he saw what it did: The three human ships presented larger targets now, being significantly longer than they were wide, but by turning sideways they could bring their aft weapons to bear. All three ships could now engage the enemy with their entire main batteries, and half of their secondary batteries.
The Banor light cruiser attempted to make a similar turn, but as she did a torpedo that would have missed her slammed into her engineering spaces, three quarters of the way down her length. A fuel pod ruptured and was ignited by the explosion of the torpedo, and the force from the explosion turned the cruiser’s maneuver from an attempted turn to port into a slow starboard spin.
“Watch it!” Ben yelled to the pilots. Ahead of him the fighters were already going evasive to avoid the damaged and apparently out of control warship. Two more torpedoes slammed into the Cruiser’s midsection, hitting something vital, causing a massive secondary explosion that broke the ship in two. The jumpers, Valderan landing craft, and fighters slid past the wrecked vessel easily, but now the Banor destroyers had move to avoid collisions. Doing so took their most powerful weapons off target of the Human ships, and also made them bigger targets.
With Vasa’s captain apparently certain that the cruiser was done, he shifted his vessel’s fire, forward batteries helping Chancellorsville, aft helping Teufelhund. Although the destroyers had held their own against the eight inch guns of the cruisers, the twelve inch guns of the battlecruiser were a different story. Their massive beams sliced deep into the hulls of the enemy warships, blasting away chunks of hull armor, deck plating and bulkheads, and as the air rushed out of previously pressurized spaces, it took with them anything that wasn’t bolted down, including crewmembers. Several fires started on both enemy ships, fueled by the oxygen being pumped through their life support systems.
The coalition ships did not escape unscathed either. In desperation, a squadron of surviving Banor fighters slipped past the Navy Squadrons from the Majestic and made suicide runs on the human ships. Teufelhund successfully managed to shoot down three of them, and Vasa claimed another four. A squadron of Bearcats was able to catch up and down a couple more, but not before Vasa was hit by one and Teufelhund by two. One was driven off course and struck Teufelhund at the base of her superstructure, missing its intended target the ship’s bridge. The second that struck Teufelhund hit the wall of her hangar bay, and exploded on the deck, blowing off one of the two doors to the massive bay, and rendering the ship’s landing facilities useless. Vasa, was hit amidships, and a massive fire burned from the breach in her hull until damage control teams could get it under control.
CHAPTER 5
The landing of the ground troops went off relatively smoothly, compared to the rest of the battle. The jumpers dropping Delta Squadron landed and disembarked their troops quickly, then pulled off into a holding pattern, providing cover for the 8 mini jumpers, which landed near the doors of their two target cell blocks.
Two of the Valderan landing craft set down between their target cell blocks, while another four, designated as recovery ships for the prisoners, and orbited with the Human jumpers waiting to be called in to extract the prisoners.
At the east entrance to 1SMU’s target cell block, Ben formed his half of the team, and they made entry quickly. Resistance outside the cell blocks was minimal, but inside was a different story. With the Banor learning of the space battle, they had scrambled to get additional armed guards into the cell blocks and repel any rescue attempts. As Ben led his column in, he was met by fire immediately from both levels of the cell block. Open down the length of it, Guards on the second level had gone prone to present less of a target.
Initially, every guard in the block was firing on Ben and the half of the team that followed him in. Each cell door was set back in an alcove, making each cell space a relatively covered fighting spot. Initially, the Marines had to cross open space to get to cover. Flash bangs provided a momentary break for the team to get to a low, half wall that Ben realized the Guards themselves would have used as a defensive position if the prisoners did try to escape.
***
Hundreds of Light-years away, at a playground on Camp Pendleton, in California, Rachel Bielema was pushing her young niece Sarah on a swing. The sun was setting in over the ocean in the distance.
“We should get home, Sarah, it’s almost dark.” Rachel said.
“Just a few more minutes.” Sarah asked.
“Two more.” Rachel said.
***
“Phantom Six to Phantom Blue, Stealth Entry whenever you’re ready” he said. Ben for a moment regretted the delayed entry of the second half of his team with Major Dawn, but in a moment he realized he made the right call. When John opened fire with his heavy weapon, the enemy was stunned momentarily to be taking fire from behind.
Kevin saw John’s weapon open, and signaled to begin firing in a coordinated manner. The result, along with Kate and Gene joining them with accurate fire, was devastating. Banor soldiers were funneled into kill zones, only to be cut down by the overwhelming firepower that 1SMU brought to bear.
Several enemy soldiers on the second level stood and ran towards the west end of the cell block, only to be cut down by fire from Kate and Gene. Ben heard an odd thump behind him, then a click-clack noise on the floor.
“Grenade!” yelled Bielema.
***
“Alright, time’s up, Sarah.” Rachel said, looking at her wristwatch. Sarah sighed, and let Rachel catch the swing so she could get off. As they started walking towards home, Rachel saw the flag detail arrive. In the distance, the slow, mournful tones of Taps played. Both girls, out of habit, snapped to attention. Sarah placed her hand over her heart, and Rachel saluted.
***
Everyone in Ben’s Column dove for cover. Ben threw himself over Ashlie to protect her from the grenade, but for some reason was compelled to look at the small device…which Bielema was now laying on.
“Kevin! No!” Ben yelled as the grenade went off, momentarily lifting Bielema a few inches, before dropping him back down. Ben crawled toward him, as did Ashlie. A red beam reminded him of where he was, and he spun around, and stood up firing his weapon at anything wearing the gray uniform of the Banor.
Ashlie rolled Bielema over and began to assess his wounds. “Man down!” Ben yelled into his comm. By now, the enemy was caught in a deadly cross fire, and was trying to fall back. “Push Forward” Ben ordered, and the Marines on both sides went over the walls they had been crouched behind. In an unbelievable sight, Geoff Mason tucked his rifle behind him and sprinted the length of the cell block, his pistol out, he shot several enemy soldiers as he went, and slid through a gap in the half wall, slamming into the stone wall beyond. He recovered and went to help Ashlie. “Command, Phantom Fixer One, We have a critically injured Marine in need of immediate evac.”
“Fixer One, Medivac is incoming, five minutes.”
“Not fast enough, Command, need them NOW!” He said. “Damn it Kevin, stay with me.” He said, trying to stop the bleeding. “His heartrate is low, BP falling.”
“Patch these chest wounds.” Geoff said, opening the remains of Kevin’s tactical vest, cutting it away and opening his uniform blouse. Ashlie leaned over to hear his breathing. From his chest she could hear the sucking sound as his chest rose and fell. Geo
ff passed her several bandages and began patching the numerous shrapnel wounds.
With the enemy soldiers either dead or having thrown down their weapons, Ben found the controls to the cells, and opened them. He sent John and Rob to give the two Corpsmen a hand while he yelled for the prisoners to form ranks for an orderly exit. “We will be exiting under fire, anyone willing and able to fight grab a Banor weapon. Throw those guards in a cell.” Ben directed Martinez and Smith, who had them under their guns. “Alright, you in that one.” Martinez grabbed one and shoved him.
Ben saw the bruises and cuts on the prisoners, signs of abuse…anger he was already feeling over Bielema being wounded welled up again. “No, throw them all in the same fucking cell.”
“Sir,” Sid said, “We should treat them humanely…”
“Fine. Split them up into three cells.” Ben said.
“That’s not much better, sir, still five to a cell.”
“Your objection is noted, Major. I will include it in my report.” Ben said, and turned to check on Bielema.
“We’re losing him, sir.” Geoff said. Bielema was unconscious and bleeding heavily, both from his wounds, as well as his ears and nose. Gently, John and Rob Grimes lifted him onto the stretcher. “I will help carry him, Colonel.” A deep but crisp voice said.
Ben turned and saw it was Jarul Fignarigto. “Your Highness, it’s not necessary, my Marines will carry him.”
“I insist, Colonel. What happened to him?”
“He jumped on a grenade.” Ben said.
The Prince turned, and spoke. “I need volunteers! Who will help me carry this great warrior?”
Quickly, several other prisoners came forward. Each swapped the rifles they had gathered for pistols, and with Jarul at Kevin’s head, they lifted the stretcher. “Alright, let’s go.” Ben said. Ashlie and Geoff stayed with Bielema. “Phantom Six, prisoners secured, coming out now.”
“Phantom Six, Medevac and prisoner jumpers are waiting outside. Delta Squadron reports minimal enemy resistance.”
“Acknowledged.” Ben said, as they stepped out. 1SMU formed up to screen the prisoners and the wounded Marines. Geoff stayed with Bielema, and two more wounded Marines from 2SMU boarded before the Medevac jumper took off. Kay Jay looked at Ben. “Was that Kevin?”
“Yeah. Not good.”
“What happened?”
“Grenade.” Ben said. In short order, the newly freed prisoners were loaded up and lifted off, then the Marines loaded. Before Ben could board, the leader of the Valderan Commandos approached. “Colonel Pierce?”
“Yes, you must be Colonel Ghurial?”
“Yes Sir. My cousin told me about your Marine. Damned brave thing he did, Sir.”
“Damned stupid,” Ben said, “He likely won’t survive.” As he said it, the realization hit him. He had never considered the fact that Kevin, someone who was always so full of life and energy, always ready with a joke or a smile when it was needed, could be capable of being killed.
“He will be remembered, sir. He died saving soldiers of the Valderan Empire, and one of them a Prince of the Royal House. We do not forget such noble sacrifices.” Colonel Ghurial snapped to attention and saluted. “It has been an honor, Colonel. We shall see each other again, hopefully on a happier day.”
CHAPTER 6
The Medevac jumper landed aboard Majestic, and immediately the medical teams took him below. Geoff Mason stayed with him, helping the doctors. Geoff was told to wait while Bielema was wheeled into surgery. Ten minutes later, Ben, Sid, Rob Grimes, and Ashlie arrived in sickbay, along with wounded from the operation. Geoff pulled Ben aside.
“They are operating now, but it’s not good. He flat lined twice on the way here.” Geoff reported.
***
A moment later, the doctor came out of the operating room. “Colonel Pierce, Major Dawn, Captain Grimes.” He said, removing his mask, taking a deep breath. “We lost him. I’m sorry, sir, he lost too much blood, and we couldn’t keep his heart going.”
Ben blinked back tears. “Can we see him?”
“Yes, right this way.” The Doctor said, leading them into the operating room, where the surgical team stood silently at the edges. Ben stepped close, taking a good look at a man he thought was invincible. “Goodbye, Bee.” Ben said, then looked up. “Attention!” He said, taking a step back. “Present, ARMS!” he ordered. Everyone in the room, the doctors, nurses, and the Marine officers and Corpsmen from 1SMU, saluted.
A moment later, everyone lowered their salutes. “The mortician will prepare his body for transport to Earth.” The Doctor said.
Ben nodded, then looked to Sid. “Major, until we return to base, I want an honor guard on him at all times. Four hour shifts, two people each.”
“Yes Sir.” Sid said.
“I’ll take first watch.” Geoff said.
“I will, too.” Another voice said. Kate McMillan stepped into sickbay. She and Bielema had been close, often either flirting with or taunting each other. “So it’s true?”
“Yeah, Kate.” Ben said. “Alright, you guys take watch. Everyone else with me.” Ben said.
***
Five minutes later, the members of both Special Missions Units were gathered in a mess hall several decks below. Before talking to the Marines, Major Reynolds arrived to offer condolences. Aside from a few minor wounds, Bielema was the only Marine killed in action during the raid, which was somewhat of a miracle. With him was Majestic’s operations officer, Commander Jibari Greene. “Colonel, our orders are to return you to Starbase Leatherneck. Another Special Operations team will take over Ka-Bar, but all of General Hardfighter’s units are returning to Koliath.”
“Which General Hardfighter?”
“Praxis. The whole Corps is returning.”
Ben thanked the Commander, and returned to his units. “Attention on deck.” Ben ordered. “I have some good news, and some bad news.” Ben said. “We are returning to Starbase Leatherneck. I have no idea what prompted this change, we will all find out together at home. I can only assume that our Corps has been relieved from front line service for the moment.”
Everyone smiled at the news, but now Ben laid it on them. “Also, we lost Gunnery Sergeant Bielema. For those who don’t know, he died smothering a grenade with his own body. I have ordered that an honor guard be in place for the duration of our trip, on four hour rotations. Also, I need statements from those of you who were in my stick during the raid for my report.”
“Sir, will you be nominating him for the Medal?” John Roberts asked.
“Yes, Sergeant. That’s my intention. Any objections?” Ben didn’t believe there would be, and was proven right when no one spoke. “Dismissed. Watch bill will be posted in one hour. Major Dawn, a word?”
“Yes, Sir.” Sid said, stepping into the passage way with him.
“Make sure you file that report to Danny. You had a valid point.”
“With all due respect, sir, what report?”
“Major?”
“Permission to speak freely?” Sid asked.
“Granted.”
“Sir, although I still agree with my objection, I know where your head was in that moment. Honestly, if I had been in your position in that moment, I might have ordered those guards executed. And I thought that’s what you might do.”
“Throw them all in one cell and toss in a few grenades for good measure?” Ben asked
“Yeah, or line them up and let the prisoners bayonet them.” Sid said.
“No. But, thank you, Major, for doing your job.”
“Sir?” She asked, confused.
“Sometimes an XO has to question her Commanding Officer, remind him he is part of a team, and keep his head centered. You did that. Thank you.” Ben said, and walked off.
***
The trip to Starbase Leatherneck took just over three days. When they arrived, all of the Generals and their staffs were on hand. A hearse waited for the jumper carrying Kevin Bielema’s body.
Wh
en the jumper landed, the aft ramp came down slowly. Inside, Ben, Sid, Rob, Kate, Gene, Geoff and John stood at attention in dress uniform alongside the flag draped casket bearing Bielema’s remains. The General officers and their staffs stood in ranks, forming an honor guard. Joining the honor guard late, and falling in near the hearse, were members of 1 and 2SMU. “Honor guard, Attention. Present Arms.” General Praxis Hardfighter said firmly.
Quietly, Ben spoke. “Detail, Low carry. Up.” He announced. They lifted the casket up to roughly hip height. “Forward, March.”
The six pallbearers moved slowly down the ramp and across the tarmac. The hearse door was open, its driver waiting at attention, saluting with the other Marines.
Slowly, they crossed the distance. The Hearse driver helped get the casket onto the platform in the back, then moved to the back and pushed, while the pallbearers went hand over hand on the railings. As the end of the casket went out of each, they saluted. Ben closed the door, and saluted once more before the hearse drove away. “Honor Guard, dismissed.” Praxis said, and approached Ben.
“Colonel, I am sorry.” General Hardfighter said, “I received your report, and forwarded it up the line with my endorsement. Also, I am ordering 1SMU on official stand-down status, and to report to Earth.”
“Sir?” Ben asked.
“Your team is in need of leave. Three weeks leave, after you attend the funeral.”
“Yes, Sir.” Ben said.
“Go home, see your families. You and your Marines have earned it. Danny will come with you, and attend the funeral, then he’s coming back here.” Praxis said.
“Understood.”
***
Midshipman Rachel Bielema was released early from her training for the afternoon, and headed back to her sister-in-law’s house on base. On the way back, she had noticed the black sedan, but tried to ignore it, but wondered to herself who would get the bad news today. Carla had told her that they had been more frequent around the housing complex of late, which told her a major operation was likely underway.