Though the Stars Fall (United Humanity Marine Corps Book 1)

by Bill Roberts

  I reply quickly: “Don’t be. Let’s just hope we’re wrong and can all laugh about it in the pub tonight.”

  “I will buy the beer, as long as …” She pauses for a moment and I hear a crewman on the bridge speaking indistinctly in the background. Gloria looks down at me and says: “The Deeken ship just folded out. I have to go.” Her face becomes somber and she adds: “Good luck,” then cuts the connection.

  If we are right we have maybe a minute until all hell breaks loose. I open up a channel to Sunari and say: “Tell me you got something, Deuce.”

  Sunari starts talking: “I have found a set of small jagged hills about twenty …”

  Colonel Rainer’s face appears in my TACNET and begins talking: “Iron Six, this is Tarawa Six. My Three is telling me Iron Three thinks the enemy is up to something. What is going on?”

  Sunari: “… do with the information, Six?”

  My tactical display flashes me a warning as three large pirate ships fold into Tortuga orbit directly behind the amphibious ships of the Task Group. They immediately open fire. However, due to Gloria’s warning, the Navy is prepared and return fire almost immediately.

  George Clemenceu once said: “A man who has to be convinced to act before he acts is not a man of action. You must act as you breathe.” He knew what he was talking about. “Sunari, paint it on the tactical display. Mark it as battle position Apache.” Switch channels: “Tarawa Six, it’s just like Lothario. Stop your assault now.” I hammer another button on TACNET, the subordinate commanders of my battalion appear in my display. “Guidons, Six. We have hostiles in orbit above us.”

  Behind me Hildebrandt, his pleasant tenor riddled with confusion, says: “Sir, the naval gunfire has ceased … something about enemy contact.” I ignore him.

  At the same time Rainer transmits: “All Tarawa elements this is Tarawa Six. Cease all forward movement. Standby for new orders.” I do not need to respond to that. No time anyway.

  I continue talking to my subordinates: “Continue your fire and standby for new orders.”

  Sunari finishes plugging the battle position graphic into TACNET and my display shows it about twenty-five kilometers to the west. I hit another button: “Tarawa Six, Iron Six. There is defensible terrain twenty-five kilometers to our west. I recommend we head there as quickly as possible and establish a battle position.” As I say this I see that he is obviously listening to some other report. I hit a button and transmit BP Apache over the TACNET to every vehicle in the Regimental Combat Team. Everybody is going to need to move. I need to free up the artillery so I tell Hildebrandt: “Shut down the duration suppression. Now.”

  I hear him send an end of mission request to the artillery as Tarawa Six responds to my transmission. “Iron Six, concur. I want you to slide south then west and keep the objective under fire while I break contact.” Good idea that. If he just broke west some of my Kodiak’s projectiles could go long and hit a fellow Marine. “Once we are clear you can follow us how you see fit, but I want you between the enemy and the rest of the regiment.”

  My tactical display begins to show dozens and dozens of pods dropping from the pirate ships in orbit above us. The Deeken do not use assault craft or fancy suits. They just cram people or vehicles in pods and shoot them toward the planet they are hitting. They are rudimentary devices and essentially drop like bombs until they near the ground where they use simple reaction rockets to break and land. My tactical display paints their trajectories in bright arcs through the sky above us. The arcs indicate that some of the Deeken intend to land east of 2nd Heavy Armored and pin us between them and their comrades in the base to our west. Another group is heading south of 2nd Marines to do the same thing to them. I also see several heading for landing sites all around the artillery twenty kilometers to our east.

  Hildebrandt announces: “Late shot and splash rounds complete target number mike bravo five eight four four.”

  While Hildebrandt speaks Rainer contacts me on TACNET: “Iron Six, I want you to send a company to assist Prometheus Six.” Prometheus Six is the call sign of Lieutenant Colonel Navah Stavi, the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion 12th Marines. I acknowledge Rainer’s transmission quickly and break the link.

  I open up a channel to transmit to every vehicle in my battalion: “Marines this is Six. We got a massive hostile ground force inbound from orbit. We have a large force to our direct front. And the Navy is getting hammered above us. But we’re 2nd Heavy Armored and these stupid Deeken are about to learn they are fucking with the wrong people. Alpha and Bravo I want you to maintain fire on the enemy compound to our west. You will bound, by company, three klicks south then bound west. Bravo, you will bound first. Charlie, I want you and the XO to get on the jump jets hard and work east towards the artillery. You will help them defend the guns as they work to link up with the rest of the regiment. Scouts, you will help me and the Three screen the rear of Alpha and Bravo as we work our way around. Questions?” There are too many faces to see any of them clearly, but nobody says anything. “Execute now,” I command.

  The years of training and fighting together pays off as the battalion explodes into action. Charlie Company and the XO soar into the sky heading east. Bravo Company begins running behind Alpha Company heading South. Alpha continues to fire furiously on the Deeken compound. I shadow Bravo’s movements covering their back. As they bound behind Alpha they fire to their right towards the compound whenever their guns are clear. The Scouts take up positions to the east and I set myself next to them in anticipation of the Deeken pod’s imminent landing.

  I open another channel on TACNET. While I do so a bunch of new enemy icons appear on my display as dozens of Deeken fast attack vehicles boil out of the compound to our west. Alpha shifts their fire to the Deeken vehicles and their fire begins crossing with ours. “Prometheus Six, this is Iron Six. I have a company inbound to help you secure your guns.”

  Lieutenant Colonel Navah Stavi’s dusky face reflects the seriousness of her position as she responds: “Roger Iron Six. Thanks.” She cuts the connection.

  A Kodiak in Alpha Company explodes. I do not hear it. With no atmosphere the only thing I hear is my Kodiak bounding across the gray, flat, landscape of Tortuga. But my tactical display renders it and the little icon for Alpha Three Three turns red. Bravo company is now south of Alpha. They turn towards the compound and increase their rate of fire on the Deeken as Alpha starts bounding south. The Kodiaks from Alpha also fire on the compound as they run.

  New enemy icons appear to the east in front of me as the Deeken drop pods start landing. Enemy infantry and fast attack vehicles begin erupting out of the pods. I set my Kodiak’s feet in my position protecting Bravo’s rear and open fire. I gun for their fast attack vehicles first. The multi-wheeled vehicles carry the heaviest armament of the Deeken. The more of them we kill the tougher we make it for the enemy to damage or destroy the Kodiaks. Just to my left Gunner Jones also starts laying into them. On my right, stretching south, the Cougars of the Scout platoon open fire on these new targets as well. TACNET shows me Lieutenant Vanske’s face as he reports: “Contact East. Too many to count. Engaging.”

  Jesus forgive us our sins. There are so many of them. This is rapidly becoming one of the worst fights I have been in in years. Behind me another Kodiak goes down. This time one from Bravo. To my right a Cougar spins and crashes to the ground. More vehicles turn red in my display. I concentrate on firing as fast as I can. But there are too many of them. My display dims temporarily as one of the Deeken particle cannons scores a hit on me. We need more time. I select a full sweep and launch all forty of my missiles. As they streak across to the Deeken the Scouts and Gunner Jones follow my lead and empty their missile magazines as well.

  A line of explosions ripples across the Deeken to my front. A full missile salvo can quickly devastate an enemy. The problem is we can only do it once. A couple of minutes into the trap and I have already used m
y trump card. This is going to get rough. The rapid destruction temporarily causes the enemy fire to slacken. Alpha sets south of Bravo and behind me Bravo begins their next bound. I start accompanying them south. TACNET: “Scouts we are shifting,” I say. Vanske does not respond but his platoon starts moving. We all head south as fast as we can, firing madly to our left. I see Bennie and his wingman about a kilometer in front of us, covering the rear of Alpha. The two of them fire their missiles to help cover my move.

  As I reach Bennie another Kodiak goes down in Alpha due to fire from the fast attack vehicles attacking from the enemy compound. Having covered the two kilometers to the south, Bravo’s bounding move begins heading west, forming an L with Alpha, oriented towards the base as per my orders. I set to Bennie’s right and continue to swat any fast attack vehicle I can see. The enemy is recovering, but we have gained some distance and position on them. It has cost us a few vehicles, but it looks like we are going to escape the enemy’s trap. I spare a moment to zoom out my tactical display. Above me I see that one of the enemy ships has been destroyed, but I also note that the Bugler no longer exists. The three amphibious ships are maneuvering and firing rapidly. Not a Navy man I have no real idea how the fight is going. But, I trust Gloria. If it is possible for them to win they would, and if not … well Gloria would figure out a way, she is too good to let a bunch of pirates get the best of her.

  On the ground Bravo completes their bound and sets facing north firing at the Deeken base. Alpha is beginning their bound around behind them. Myself, Bennie and the Scouts are set about a kilometer east of Bravo oriented east firing on the Deeken who landed behind us. 2nd Marines is now about eight kilometers to our west firing south at the Deeken who have landed south of and behind them. They are a third of the way to BP Apache and look like everything is in control. I look to the east and see … disaster. Twenty kilometers away 2nd Battalion 12th Marines is completely surrounded by more Deeken than I can count. Oh God no. I open a link to the XO: “Five, this is Six. Sitrep.”

  “Six, this is Five,” she responds coolly. “They have been concentrating on the artillery pieces so we have not lost a Kodiak yet. We have used all of our missiles but there are too many of them. They have destroyed over half of the artillery pieces already. The artillery batteries have also suffered severe casualties in addition to their guns.” There are other parts to an artillery battery besides their guns. Ammunition carriers, a security platoon in MCS’s, and a headquarters. The XO pauses and looks at me and behind her calm and collected expression I see a dead look in her sapphire eyes. The look tells my heart what my brain already knows. The surrounded Marines are doomed. She continues: “We will do …” The channel goes dead. Oh no. No. No. No. Beside me another Cougar goes down. It barely even registers on my consciousness.

  I look down at my display and see that the icon representing the XO’s Kodiak is now glowing a lethal red. For a split second that lasts an eternity everything stops. For the second time in my life an enemy takes the woman I love away from me. I cannot really describe the emotions that flood me. Loss, pain, hurt, these words do not really do it justice. With the pain comes understanding. I know now why Svetlana left me. It is a shame she had to die for me to understand. It is a shame she had to die for me to forgive her. A great weariness also settles into me. For too many years we have fought against an endless supply of enemies who will just not leave us alone. No matter how many we kill, more just step in to take their place. How much more will I have to lose? How long before I can just die?

  As time returns dimly I hear Bennie call me on TACNET: “Six this is Three, we need to move.” I see two of Charlie Company’s Kodiaks turn red as the noose tightens around them and 2nd Battalion 12th Marines. Rage floods me with a white hot heat. The weariness vanishes. I have had it with these fucking Deeken. I do not care that we are outnumbered ten to one. They have taken enough away from me. That’s not right. I correct myself. They have taken enough from all of us. Our comrades are trapped. They will not be abandoned. Not while I … we still have the means to do something.

  I open up a channel to Rainer: “Tarawa Six, Iron Six. I request permission to attack to relieve 2nd Battalion 12th Marines.” I cannot help the anger that colors my every word.

  His muddy brown eyes bore into me. I hope he agrees with me. If not … well I hope it does not come to that. I am not sure what he sees on my face, but after a moment he answers. “Granted. I will give the same order to the rest of the Regiment. We probably will not get there in time, but we’ll do what we can.” His face softens for a moment; a look I have never seen on his severe face. “Good luck, Shawn. And may Allah go with you.” He cuts the connection.

  I open up the all hands channel again on TACNET: “Charlie is surrounded. We will not leave them to die. We are going on the offensive. Bravo on the jump jets to me. Alpha expend all remaining missiles at the enemy base and then on the jump to me. I want Bravo to my left and Alpha to my right. Three, you and Scouts will fall in behind us and cover our backs. Execute now.” The commanders roger up and I see my battalion begin shifting in my display as they follow my orders. Again their training and experience show. I feel a surge of pride about the men and women who make up 2nd Heavy Armored. A finer bunch of warriors do not exist anywhere. Too bad most of us are probably not going to make it out of here. Oh I could have continued to slip the trap and save most of my battalion. But, that would mean abandoning Charlie Company and 2nd Battalion 12th Marines to their death. This is just not the way things are done. That is why nobody is questioning my orders. This is why Rainer had given his approval to attack. They all know this attack has an almost zero chance of succeeding. But, nobody here wants to play the part of Aristodemus of Sparta. Better we all die trying to save each other, than live in shame for saving our lives at the cost of our friends.

  I open up a private channel to Gunner Jones: “Juniper, this is going to get rough. We’re going to take point. If I go down I am counting on you to keep leading the charge. This battalion will make it to Charlie or die trying. Am I clear?” Jones really is the best pilot in the battalion. If anybody can make it through what is coming it will be her.

  Bravo starts soaring in on the arctic glare of their jump jets and begins landing to my left forming a line of Kodiaks stretching to the north. Gunner Jones smiles at me in my display and says: “Sir, I reckon I can handle that. But, I wouldn’t worry none. These stupid Deeken are fucked.”

  I blink. I have never heard Jones cuss before. I reply: “If by some miracle we make it through this the first round’s on me.”

  Jones face grows serious: “Shawn, I’m a hundred and thirty-six years old. It’s a miracle I’m still alive. They do happen.” She grins: “But we don’t need one today. Like I said, these Deeken are fucked.” She cuts the channel.

  Bravo begins firing at the enemy to our east while what is left of the Scout Platoon begins moving west to cover our back. Bennie follows them, and as he does so he contacts me on a private channel with TACNET: “If this doesn’t work out, I just wanted to say it has been a pleasure being your mate,” he then wishes me luck with a cheerful: “Best of British.” The connection terminates from his end before I can respond. I hope he survives. One of us needs to make it off this rock to tell the tale.

  Alpha comes sailing in on a shallow trajectory, their jump jets pushing them forward. They land and stretch off to my right and south. Well nothing left, but to give the order. I open up the all hands channel on TACNET and give what I believe is the last order I will ever give: “Follow me.” I do not shout; I just say it with calm assurance. No point in stupid histrionics anyway.

  I push my control sticks all the way forward. Two reasons for this. First off, I am hoping that by moving at maximum speed I can increase the shock effect of this insane charge. Maybe I can set them back on their heels or route them entirely. Not likely, but there is a chance. Second off, I am hoping the speed will make us harder targets to hit.
To either side of me the remaining Kodiaks of 2nd Heavy Armored begin charging to the east. Because I went first I am slightly ahead of everyone else. I am fine with this.

  I embrace the feeling of power thrilling through me and lose myself in the speed and rhythm of the charge. Time to bring the pain. I sweep my reticles back and forth and fire as soon as they line up with an enemy. A fast attack vehicle lines up with my main gun and I vaporize it. Another vehicle falls under the reticle for my medium gun and a well-placed burst tears it to pieces, parts of the vehicle flying off in high sweeping arcs. My speed continues to build. With the low gravity I am soon taking almost fifty meters per step. A squad of Deeken infantry lines up with my main gun reticle and I mow them down with the ten millimeter rapid fire gun mounted coaxially to the main gun. My cockpit dims as I take a hit from a particle cannon, I spot the fast attack vehicle that hit me, but Gunner Jones nails it before I can get my reticle there. Keep searching for targets. On TACNET Colonel Rainer calls me: “Iron Six, Tarawa Six, we are in the attack.” I do not respond. What is there to say anyway? Fast attack vehicle, main gun, shattered. Another squad, burst from the medium gun, down they go. So on and so on.

  Time disappears, sound disappears, the battle-lust fills me completely. I search and fire as fast as I can. My cockpit dims again and some of my readouts go from green to amber. I barely notice. Search and fire. I bound into the middle of a squad of Deeken infantry and smash some under my Kodiak’s feet. The rest I ignore as my speed and momentum carry me past. The status indicators of my battalion’s vehicles slowly turn from green to red. I wonder how much farther we are going to go before none of us are left.