The Price of Liberty (Empire Rising Book 4)

by D. J. Holmes

  Plasma bolts and gauss cannon rounds shot from the forest and tore into the Indian soldiers. They were well disciplined though and it didn’t take long for the return fire to overwhelm the attackers.

  Sensing they had the advantage, the Indian commander ordered his troops in combat armor to advance on the tree line, safe in the knowledge the attackers wouldn’t have any combat armor. This was the moment Johnston was waiting for, as soon as the remaining Indian troops in combat armor charged he fired on a supply truck.

  His second missile was the signal for his first surprise to join the fight. From fifteen meters back in the forest, the powerful lasers of two Havenite walkers opened up on the advancing Indians. Cutting through the foliage with ease, the lasers swept over the Indian lines, cutting down more than ten soldiers. The rest, obviously aware of how deadly the walkers were, dove to the ground for cover.

  They were more afraid than they needed to be. Johnston had sent a small contingent of Havenite engineers to the area to prepare two surprises for this ambush. One had been the walkers. They were wrecks from the Havenite attack on the initial Indian landing. The engineers had repaired their main weapon and positioned them for the ambush. Yet, they were largely immobile and, apart from their lasers, nothing else was working.

  With no more immediate targets, both walkers fired a couple of bursts at the supply convoy, destroying three more trucks, while Johnston’s team fired plasma bolts and gauss cannon rounds at any soldiers that tried to peek out from behind cover.

  A massive explosion erupted deeper in the forest which threw him to the ground.

  “That second tank isn’t out of the battle yet,” Clare shouted as she pointed him towards the danger. Whilst a large burning hole was clearly visible in its armor, the tank’s main gun was working and it swiveled around to aim at the second walker, having already dispatched the first.

  “Call a retreat,” Johnston said. “We are falling back.” With no more hyper velocity missiles there was no way they could stop the tank ripping them apart.

  Clare sent out another series of loud whistles. As soon as she was done, she was on her feet and running back to the defenses.

  The fire from the ambushers slackened considerably as those who were left fled deeper into the forest. The Indian commander acted fast. As soon as his remaining tank took out the last walker, he ordered his men to charge.

  Plasma rifle in hand, Johnston downed two of the Indians. The rest of his marines took out another ten. Yet there were more than twenty-five Indians in combat armor charging them and at least fifty more in normal battle suits. Within seconds it seemed like there was a wall of plasma bolts approaching the forest.

  Johnston didn’t wait around to see what sort of damage that would do. He sprinted as fast as his enhanced limbs would allow to the fall back line.

  “Pick up the pace Clare,” he shouted as he passed her and hurdled the defenses just before she got to them.

  “Not fair,” she replied as she elbowed him in the ribs after hurdling the defenses.

  Johnston spared a second to smile at her and then turned back to the approaching Indians. Whilst the Havenite forests were nearly impossible to traverse, they provided next to no cover from plasma bolts. As a result, the charging Indians had no cover to hide behind.

  Johnston and his team on the other hand were safely crouched behind durasteel reinforced firing positions. The engineers Johnston had sent ahead had prepared them for just this situation. As soon as they were in place, plasma bolts and gauss cannon rounds cut down the leading Indian soldiers.

  The source of the fire was obvious and the Indians poured a hail of bolts at the defenses as they charged. They expected the enemy fire to wither and allow them to close the range to the point where the superior speed and agility of their combat armor would allow them to finish the Havenites.

  Instead, the Havenite fire continued and as the Indian soldiers got closer they became easier targets. Then, before the Indian soldiers realized what was going on, Johnston hit the button in his hand.

  Starting just in front of the Havenite defensive line, a wave of explosions marched their way back through the forest towards the point where the ambush had begun.

  Three of the Indian soldiers in combat armor were killed when explosions went off right under their feet. The others were thrown about by the concussive forces but their armor protected them from any other damage. The forty or so Indian soldiers in battle suits weren’t so lucky. More than twenty of them were killed or badly hurt.

  Johnston had insisted the bombs include an incendiary liquid and instead of dissipating as the force of the explosions subsided, fire clung to the foliage and tree trunks, filling the forest with flames and smoke. Having received careful instructions, the ambushers poured more rounds into the inferno from the safety of their defenses.

  *

  The Indian commander, despite having done everything by the book, knew he had been defeated. His HUD indicated more than two thirds of his forces had been killed or wounded and as he looked at the blazing forest which created a barrier between what remained of his forces and the Havenites who had attacked him, he knew there was nothing he could do. His soldiers in combat armor could push through the flames, but the rest of his forces could not.

  “Fall back,” he ordered over the COM channel to his men. Reinforcements were on the way and he had just sent off fire orders to the howitzers based in the supply depot he had come from. There was nothing more he could do but protect the remaining supply trucks and ensure no more harm came to them. After that, he knew he would be facing a very angry commander, this would probably end up being his last command. There was no doubt in his mind that he had just faced the British marine who had first been spotted in Liberty over three months ago. Since then the resistance attacks had been getting more effective and more daring. Whoever his opponent was though, he doubted his commander would cut him any slack.

  *

  As soon as the first Indian soldier broke from cover and ran back through the flames to safety Johnston knew what it meant. “Fall back,” he said through his COM unit, then, raising his voice as loud as he could, he repeated the order for those without any COM systems.

  Using his COM unit would give the Indian howitzers an exact location to target, but if he guessed right, they were preparing to fire on their positions anyway. “Come on,” he said as he pulled Clare to her feet. She had continued to fire plasma bolts after the retreating Indians. “There is no time for that anymore.”

  Johnston’s words and his firm hand on her arm shook Clare out of her battle lust. “Ok,” she said after taking a moment to clear her head. “Follow me.”

  Clare had given each fire team their own escape route. The rest of his special forces marines had their own route to take back to the cave hideout Councilwoman Pennington had turned into her base. Their enhancements would allow them to get back hours before the rest of the resistance fighters.

  For those without enhancements, escaping a battle was always dangerous business. The Indians had ships in orbit, drones operating overhead and shuttles that could hunt down any sightings or source of movement. Clare had split the fighters up into eight groups, each of which would head off in different directions to confuse the Indians and make sure they weren’t followed before returning to the cave hideout. Johnston had insisted he be part of her escape group. He wanted to make sure she got out of the ambush alive.

  Clare and Johnston sprinted through the forest, the now familiar sounds of howitzer rounds exploding behind them. When they got to the tree Clare had marked as the rendezvous point for their group, there was no one else there.

  “We’ll wait for sixty seconds,” Johnston said. “If they haven’t arrived by then, they aren’t going to.”

  Clare didn’t answer, instead she turned and peered into the forest they had just run through and started counting, silently willing the others to appear. When just thirty seconds were up Johnston stood and peered into the thick upper canopy
of the forest.

  “Shuttles,” he said. “They are nearby, but they are heading north, I think they are tracking another group.”

  As if to confirm his words, a fresh round of explosions rippled through the forest to their north causing Clare to duck. She had already come closer than she ever wanted to the exploding shells of the howitzers. She still had nightmares from last time.

  When her counting reached fifty she turned and looked Johnston in the eye. “They’re not coming are they?”

  “No,” Johnston said. “And if we don’t move now we won’t make it out of here either.” Without waiting for Clare to reply, he took her by the hand and led her through the forest at a fast jog.

  With every second the sounds of battle drifted further and further away. Suddenly, Johnston ground to a halt, causing Clare to run into him. She let out a grunt as she bounced off his unyielding frame.

  “There are more shuttles ahead, at least three of them,” he said.

  “Three,” Clare said in amazement. “How many do they have out here after us?”

  “I counted at least four before, these must be new ones,” Johnston answered. “These three seem to be patrolling the area in front of us. We will have to go around them.”

  “You’re the one with the super hearing, you’d better be my guide,” Clare said as she waved Johnston forward.

  They carefully made their way through the forest, keeping a careful eye and ear out for Indian patrols or shuttles.

  When everything went quiet around them, Clare grabbed Johnston and tried to drag him to a halt. “Stop, can’t you hear that?” she whispered.

  “What?” Johnston said.

  Instead of answering, Clare signaled for him to listen. When he did, he immediately knew what she was talking about. “Ground drones,” he whispered to her.

  “Yes,” she said. “The Indians must be desperate to find whoever attacked the supply convoy. They must have sent drones into the forest.”

  “They are trying to track us, to find our base,” Johnston guessed. “If they know we split up they are probably hoping to follow as many groups as they can in the hope someone will give away Pennington’s hideout. “

  “So what do we do?” Clare asked.

  “We need to hide, lay low for a while.” Johnston said after a moment. “There are just too many eyes out there. We can’t take the risk of being spotted, there are too many innocent lives in the cave. If we can find somewhere to lie low for a day or so we can sneak back once the commotion dies down. Hopefully the other groups will do the same. Those that managed to get away.”

  “I think I know just the place,” Clare said. “It’s only a kilometer away.”

  “Then let’s go,” Johnston replied. He trusted her enough not to ask anything more.

  Moving slowly to spot any drones that came near, it took them forty minutes to carefully stalk through the kilometer of forest to the place Clare was leading them to.

  When she paused in front of a very large tree Johnston guessed they were there. “Where to now?” he asked.

  “On your hands and knees,” Clare said with a smile.

  “What?”

  “Do you trust me?” she asked, the same smile on her face.

  “Yes, but..” Johnston began to ask.

  “If you do,” Clare broke in, “then down on your knees. We don’t have time to mess about.”

  Rolling his eyes, Johnston wanted to say that their entire conversation seemed like messing about. Instead he did as he was told. As soon as he hit the ground, Clare pulled away a large piece of bark. In its place an opening appeared that went deeper into the tree’s trunk. Knowing what Clare expected, Johnston crawled in.

  “What is this place?” he asked Clare once she had followed him in and replaced the bark.

  “A sanctuary,” Clare explained. “I have been building them throughout the forest during my reconnaissance missions. I thought they would come in handy. Here,” she said as she reached behind her and pulled out a ration pack. “I have stocked them with some essentials, we should be able to stay here for a day or two if we need to.”

  “Impressive,” Johnston said. “This place is actually quite cozy.”

  “It is,” Clare said with a pleased smile on her face as she pulled a blanket around herself from another shelf she snuggled into it.

  “It sounds like I have been giving you too much free time. I’ll have to schedule some more missions for you when we get back,” Johnston said.

  “Just try it,” Clare said. “And if you don’t want any of my supplies, I’m sure I can enjoy them.”

  “I’m just pulling your chain,” Johnston chuckled. “You have done a good job. In fact, you deserve a reward. I’ll take the first watch. Get some sleep. You have earned it.”

  “Why thank you Major,” Clare said. “You are such a gentleman.”

  “I try,” Johnston said as he turned to face the hole they had used to get into the hollow tree trunk.

  Five hours later, Johnston poked Clare awake. Without waiting for her to say anything he rolled over and shut his eyes. The adrenalin from the battle had worn off hours ago and he had been struggling to stay awake.

  *

  When he opened his eyes again he found Clare staring at him, she had a ration bag open and was munching away at something.

  “Sleep well?” she asked him

  “I guess,” he answered.

  “Can I ask you something?” Clare followed up.

  “What?” Johnston replied.

  “Why did you assign yourself to my escape group? You could be safely back at the hideout with your marines planning your next attack,” she asked.

  “Well,” Johnston said, a little taken aback. “I guess, if I’m honest, I’m kind of fond of you. I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

  “You mean you wanted to keep me safe?” Clare said as she put her ration pack down.

  “Yeah, I guess,” Johnston replied. “What are you doing?” he asked as she moved closer.

  “I was watching you as you slept,” she replied as she leaned in, “and I’ve decided, I’m rather fond of you too.”

  A moment of panic ran through Johnston when he realized what she intended. An image of his wife flashed through his mind but he forced it down. It’s been two years, he told himself as her lips approached his. And you are fond of her. Moments later any other thoughts were gone as he was lost in the smell and taste of her lips.

  Chapter 7 – Enemy at the Gates

  War does strange things to the human heart. I can speak of this personally. When your life could end at any moment suddenly things take on a very different focus.

  -Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD

  10th July, 2467 AD, Haven.

  Two days later Johnston carefully removed the carved piece of bark and peered out into the forest. When there was no sign of any movement, he slowly crawled out and got to his feet. Again, he paused and looked for movement.

  “It’s all clear,” he said once he was satisfied.

  “Finally,” Clare replied as she crawled out. As soon as she was able, she got to her feet and reached her hands up into the air to stretch.

  “As much as I enjoyed our romantic break, it’s nice to be able to stand up fully,” she said.

  “You’re telling me,” Johnston replied as he too moved his arms from side to side to work out some of the knots in his shoulders.

  Despite their newly discovered feelings, they had both wanted to leave the day before. However, the occasional sound of shuttles overhead had signaled the Indians were still searching the area. On two occasions the tell-tale silence from the indigenous wildlife gave away the presence of an Indian ground drone which gave them a further reason to stay put.

  “At least we are well rested,” Clare said. “We should be able to make good progress back to the cave hideout.”

  “Let’s just hope everyone made it back okay,” Johnston said. Thoughts of the rest of his team had been plaguing him for the
last two days. Intellectually, he knew that with their enhancements his special forces marines should have been able to make it back to the base without any difficulties, but sitting around with Clare while they were possibly still on the run hadn’t been easy.

  “What route should we take back to the cave?” Clare asked.

  “I think we can take the quickest route at the moment,” Johnston replied. “If we come across any Indian patrols we can rethink things, but right now I want to get back and see what condition our forces are in.”

  “Right, follow me then,” Clare said.