“We will face our toughest test getting the amplifiers set up, while a full scale attack goes on.” Jake nodded to Major Stedman, who started a hologram projector.
A hologram of the Bougainville complex, surrounded by five Drop Ships, appeared in the center of the wardroom. One of the Drop Ships fired a MAG50 round, with a blast radius coming within feet of the outer complex. Two other Drop Ships followed suit right next to it, after calculating the distances adjoining the first blast area. The one in the center filled the crater they made with Epoxy, while the two on each side kept up barrages of turret gunfire into their respective craters. This continued until the Epoxy dried. The hologram show ended with a Drop Ship landing, supported by the other four.
“As you can see, we do not believe they can disrupt the Epoxy LZ from drying if we can make it deep enough and close enough to the habitat entrance,” Jake explained. “We don’t have much time. The Drop Ship crews, flying support now, are exhausted. The Marines trapped inside cannot even open the entrance right now. I have two Command Wing Fighters running interference in case anything odd happens off planet before we get done. Any questions?”
A Marine Corps Colonel stood up. Although nearly six feet tall, the man appeared taller, because of his stiff bearing. His close-cropped blonde hair framed a lined, craggy face. “Sir, I’m Colonel Mark Kowalski, acting commander of the Marine force off of the Intrepid. The habitat is swarmed, Sir, and we cannot use particle beam fire to burn the things off for fear of blowing holes in the habitat.”
“Thank you, Colonel,” Jake nodded. He pointed to Chief Dougherty, the only enlisted level member in the group. “Want to take this one, Tim?”
“Yes Sir,” Dougherty replied, as he stood up and faced Kowalski. “We have an electromagnetic load for the MAG50 turret, which will fry the Bugs off the habitat, but will not zap everything electrical on the inside. We can use the charge anytime during the operation, until we get the receivers for the isolation signal relays mounted.”
The Colonel nodded his understanding and sat down.
“Thanks Chief,” Jake said. “If there’s nothing further, we have some Marines to rescue, and a mining colony to get back on line.”
Jake rode down in the cockpit of Alpha Drop Ship, with Sara and her co-pilot. As they dropped through the atmosphere above the habitat area, they could see the Drop Ships from the Intrepid were blowing up everything within a mile of the place, but could do nothing about the swarm covering the habitat. The Bugs poured out of the ground within yards of the habitat, all around the perimeter. A constant flow of the creatures roiled in and out of the ground, making the ground around the habitat appear as if it were a boiling liquid.
“Relieve the Intrepid Drop Ships officially, Sara, and tell them to go and get some rest. We may need them later for mop up. I’m going back with Tim.”
“Aye, aye, Sir,” Corey acknowledged. “Good luck, Jake.”
“It may get a little crowded on our LZ for a few minutes, Sara.”
“We’ll handle it. Just keep your helmet and uniform on this time. No posing for Charlie’s helmet cam.”
Jake laughed, and waved on his way out. He walked over to where Charlie Mercer had begun to form up the Marines going into the habitat. “Nothing new here, men. We don’t even have to worry about unruly colonists this trip. Anyone want to try negotiating this time down?”
Everyone laughed in appreciation, as they readied for landing. Mercer came along with Jake to where Tim made final preparations on his turret control panel. He looked up and grinned at their approach. “We’re all ready, Boss. As soon as the Intrepid’s Drop Ship contingent leaves the area, I’ll test out our Bug zapper.”
“Do you want to take a few MAG50 shots to zero in on the blast area?” Jake asked. “It will have to be very close to the habitat for this to work.”
“I am going to lay that baby in so tight, they’ll have to repair the edges of the habitat foundation,” Dougherty said confidently, “but I won’t even scratch the outer walls.”
“I want you to lay two in, Tim,” Jake replied. “I want this initial crater deep. I want these Bugs to have to swim through twenty feet of drying landing zone to be able to bust through.”
“Sounds good,” Dougherty replied. “The Intrepid Ships are clear. Permission to hurt this Bug blanket covering the habitat?”
“Fire away. Charlie and I are going to watch the show from the view port. As soon as you clear the habitat, go ahead and blast for the foundation. I’m putting on my com unit, so if I see anything I don’t like, I’ll let you know about it. Be careful, Tim.”
“Will do, Jake. Get over by the port, and enjoy the fireworks.”
Jake and Mercer made it to the Drop Ship viewing port just as the round from the MAG50 turret jolted the ship slightly. It hit the habitat roof dead center. The black swarm of Bugs, completely covering the habitat, fried as their bodily juices boiled in the blue arc, which blasted out from the strike area. It swept down over the building and out twenty yards from the habitat, before dissipating.
“Oh man, that’s sweet,” Mercer exclaimed. “Look at them things. Listen here, Jake, I am not sweeping up that mess.”
Jake laughed. “Okay, no clean up crew for you, Charlie. We’ll just take a couple of quick jaunts down into hell, and let the colonists handle the light work.”
The ship jolted again, and then rocked slightly as the MAG50 round hit in front of the habitat. The two other Drop Ships, flanking Alpha, fired slightly back, and off to both sides of the initial round from Alpha. When the smoke and dust settled moments later, they could see the crater from
Chief Dougherty’s initial round had concaved an area with nearly a fifty-yard radius. Its perimeter virtually touched the habitat entrance. The other two blasts had added adjoining fifty-yard areas creeping to within ten yards of the habitat.
“I love to watch a professional work,” Jake said, as the second round from Alpha hit exactly at the center of the first crater.
“You’ve got that right,” Mercer nodded admiringly. “I knew gunners you wouldn’t want to trust being within a fifty yard range of their shots.”
The three Drop Ships moved back, allowing the two remaining ships to fly in and hover over the blast areas. They partially dropped their hatches, snaking out mixing hoses into the crater areas for filling them with the Epoxy mixture. The huge mixing tanks mounted on the sides of their ships caused some handling problems as the pilots held their ships as still as possible. It took only twenty minutes to fill the craters.
“Okay everyone,” Jake said over his com unit. “I want random fire from all five ships with the field charged rounds. Let’s keep the surrounding area zapped until our Epoxy dries. Fire at will, and pilots, keep moving around in a circle over our new LZ.”
The Bugs did not recover for another hour. By the time they started moving on the perimeter of the still firing Drop Ships, the new landing zone was dry. Alpha moved into position over the habitat, and lowered its hatch. Two platoons of men under now Lieutenant Robert Mendez, deployed onto the habitat roof, with four large particle beam stationary weapons and four MAG50 mortars. Charlie pointed at Mendez, smiling broadly as all of the Marines on the roof were knee deep in Bug crisps.
“Don’t get dirty down there, Bob, I want those uniforms kept spotless,” Mercer ordered, as Jake looked on.
Mendez saluted smartly, as Alpha moved away, and then flipped Mercer off just before the hatch closed. Mercer grabbed for his helmet, muttering about having a word with the insolent shave-tail, but Jake intervened.
“We don’t have time for you to play footsies with Lieutenant Mendez on our command channels,” Jake said good naturedly, grabbing Mercer’s helmet from him. “Besides, that was exactly what you would have done. You can dish it out. You just can’t take it.”
“This is about that pussy whipped crack I made, isn’t it?” Mercer asked, still tugging on his helmet.
“Major, can we get back to work?” Jake replied, as he
relinquished the helmet.
“Okay, but I may forget to take down extra water for your bath down in the Queen’s chamber,” Mercer said, nonchalantly.
“No more chamber diving for me,” Jake said quickly, his face screwing up in distaste. “I still can’t get the memory of that stuff out of my mouth. Everything I eat leaves a Bug aftertaste.”
Alpha landed softly on the landing zone, her rear hatch dropping down over the surface. The rest of the five companies of veterans from the Omaha landing poured out of the hatch, and into positions surrounding Alpha. Jake and Mercer jogged down to join them, and waited for their Marines to get set up before Jake called down the other two Drop Ships.
With the Deck Gunners, from the three landed Drop Ships, firing on all new appearing targets, and the two ships still patrolling the entire area around the habitat, Jake met up with Colonel Tokoru on Drop Ship two. With two platoons of Marines, carrying the amplification gear and signal receivers, Jake led the group through the cheering throng of haggard
Marines spilling out from the habitat. A Major, with a bloody bandage covering his upper left shoulder, saluted formally at the entrance.
“Major Kitchner, Sir,” the Major said with a tired smile, as he shook Jake’s proffered hand. “Forgive me for saying so, but I’m damn glad to see you. Just the noise from those things was driving us mad.”
“We’re happy to see you guys too, Major. This is my second in command, Colonel Tokoru, and my Chief of Staff.”
“Major Mercer,” Kitchner finished for him, shaking each of their hands enthusiastically. “You guys are all famous. Everyone saw your first operation here, and the mission on Omaha. Those live feeds broadcasted back to Earth, where we deployed from, have kids running around with shirts sporting General Jake Matthews on one side, and a picture of you covered in Bug juice, blowing the crap out of the Queen on the other side. Marine recruitment for Colony deployment has skyrocketed.”
Jake looked around at the young, Bug weary kids, crowding around the habitat entrance, cheering and applauding. He turned to look at his companions, and saw the same rage coursing through him, reflected in their eyes.
“We’ll talk about this later, Major,” Jake said, gesturing for them all to get inside. “Let’s let Colonel Tokoru get started on our isolation signals, and then we’ll load you and your men up for return to the Intrepid.”
“Aye, Aye, Sir,” Kitchner replied, turning to lead them back through the habitat entrance, with the habitat Marines falling in around their relief column.
Tokoru went about the business of directing the setup of their Command Center, which would be the filter for all incoming and outgoing communications, in addition to directing and monitoring the isolation signal receivers from the top of the habitat. Major Mercer took the two crews, setting up the receivers on top of the station, through to where they could get to the roof. Turret repair crews went up to repair the habitat’s gun turrets, and to add the scanning receivers where they could track all movements above or below the surface.
Jake assessed the casualties inside the habitat personally. He shook hands with the walking wounded, and commiserated with the stretcher cases, promising to get them all out quickly. There were nearly two thousand Marines in the habitat, with nearly a third incapacitated, and some near death.
“Are you receiving all this?” Jake asked grimly into his helmet comunit.
“It’s all live, Sir,” Major Stedman answered from the Tennyson. “The commander of the Intrepid, Colonel Taskaroff, is on line, with General Risling monitoring from Genoa. Although on a delay, General Risling wanted me to express his anger, and stated he was using Genoa’s power base to break through the black out on Earth. Earth Command’s selection for Genoa command has arrived, and immediately voiced allegiance to General Risling.”
“General Matthews?” Taskaroff put in.
“Yes Colonel?” Jake acknowledged.
“I must protest the use of the Tennyson as the Command Base for this operation. I.”
“Listen closely, Colonel,” Jake broke in. “You may have noticed the Command Wing Fighter near your present orbit. Jas, you monitoring this?”
“Yes Sir,” Now Colonel Jason Peters replied.
“Space Corps Colonel Peters will land and assume command of the Intrepid immediately if I hear even one more challenge to my orders. I have people already on your ship, including your acting Marine commandant,
Colonel Kowalski, who has consolidated our support on the Intrepid. You will follow orders Colonel, or I will have you relieved. Is that clear?”
On board the Intrepid, Taskaroff looked around the bridge with dawning comprehension. The Intrepid officers and crew on the bridge, returned his looks with what seemed clear to be a waiting attitude. Colonel Kowalski entered the bridge, having been monitoring the command channel, with a squad of Marines plucked from certain death on Bougainville during the first botched nest attacks. One look told the Intrepid Commander whom they owed allegiance to, and it was not him or Earth Command.
“I am at your command, General,” Taskoroff said finally. “My apologies, Sir.”
“You have chosen wisely,” Jake stated. “We will lose no more Marines on this mission through stupidity. We are on schedule. In about one hour, Colonel Tokoru will have the receiving station set up, and we can get the isolation signals going. The first order of business after that will be to get these men off Bougainville. I will load them up on Tennyson Drop Ships four and five. They will proceed to the Intrepid, where you will strip off the Epoxy tanks from my Drop Ships, and see to the Marines. I want my Drop Ships back stat, for my nest mission support. Any questions?”
“No Sir,” Taskoroff answered.
“Good. Jas, can you scan pretty well from where you are now? I want close support of the Tennyson and Intrepid from start to finish.”
“Yes Sir,” Peters replied. “I have a relay in place between myself and the other Command Wing Fighter. He’s out between us, and Omaha. We will be on everything from here to the far reaches of the Quadrant.”
“Outstanding,” Jake replied. “Would you send a contingent from the Tennyson’s Med Center to the Intrepid, Jan? We have a lot of casualties here.”
“Lieutenant Byers flew over with a staff already, Sir,” Stedman explained. “Our lab did a test run with the Intrepid, using the signal variation software Nick created. Everything is in place.”
“In that case, I will turn over running command to Yuri. He will direct all action from here on. You ready, Yuri?”
“We’re on line now, Jake,” Tokoru said. “Charlie says fifteen more minutes for the uplink. The Bugs are only just now arriving in mass from the two nests, so we hit them hard and fast this trip.”
“Okay then,” Jake acknowledged. “Let’s keep it smooth. I am switching off for now until I get the Bougainville garrison evacuated, and my nest crew ready. It’s all yours, Yuri, Matthews out.”
Jake took off his helmet, and continued circulating through the habitat Marines. He joked around with them as only another Marine could. The haunted look on their faces, he saw at first, had gradually dissipated. They looked at him with awe. Jake could tell they had been recruited with the promise of easy glory, and adventure. All the work, he and his Omaha veterans had done to document their missions, had been used to recruit a bunch of kids to again act as cannon fodder. His fists clenched in anger, and he visibly controlled his rage.
“Is anything wrong, Sir?” Major Kitchner asked in concern.
Jake shook his head. “No Major, I just hope you and your men know I had nothing to do with this travesty. We did everything we could to put together a plan of attack to prevent just what happened to you and your men. If I.”
“Sir,” Kitchner interrupted. “We know you had nothing to do with this. We all saw your operations, and thought General Zamudi was leading us on a mission, using your model. I was on the Intrepid Alpha Drop Ship when the Bugs exploded out from under us, and ripped through Zamudi and the men aro
und him like they were sugar cubes.”
“I landed back here at the habitat, and we fought our way inside, because they lost their entire command structure here in the first wave. The Bugs came up so close to the habitat, we could not keep our perimeter clear, and I didn’t react quickly enough to secure our roof. They had just barely gotten the damaged walls repaired when they were attacked here. We couldn’t even get the wounded out.”
“Under the circumstances, Major, you and your men did magnificently,” Jake said sincerely. “You should have received more direction from the Intrepid, and a hell of a lot more help. No one will be screwed out here in some God forsaken hell again. I am supporting General Risling on Genoa as Military Governor for all military operations on the Colonies and Jump Gate. We would like you and your men to consider joining our small rebellion to make sure things like this never happen again.”
Kitchner snapped to attention. “For myself, it would be an honor, Sir. I will let my men know of your intentions.”
“At ease, Major,” Jake said with a smile. “There will be no pressure put on anyone to come in with us, and no retribution afterwards, no matter the outcome. We will not fight Earth Force Marines under any circumstances. General Risling will be trying to consolidate our support on Earth, and if he fails, he and I will take the rap for this protest.”
“Sir, Earth stands with you now. Truthfully, if Earth Command announced they were going to send an armed force to oppose you and General Risling, there would be hell to pay, and they know it.”
Mercer walked towards them with a big smile. “We are up and running gentlemen.”
Jake walked over to the front entrance in time to see Drop Ship’s one, two, and three lift off to allow the other two to land. Marines exited the two Drop Ships, and deployed with their comrades in front of the habitat. Jake motioned for the habitat Marines to begin exiting with their wounded. Major Kitchner directed the loading of his troops onto the ships, and then came back in to shake Jake’s hand.
Casserine Page 24