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

by Bill Roberts

  My scrutiny of the Marines complete I crane my head up and examine the Kodiak towering above us. We have kept the olive drab paint scheme, but have added tactical markings in black to the shoulders of the war machine. A silhouette of an armored horse’s head in black represents the battalion. Below that a chevron indicates the company. The chevron points in different directions, depending on the company. For Alpha it points straight up. Nestled in the base of the chevron large dots represented the platoon, one for first, two for second, etc. The company commander’s vehicle has two vertical lines, instead of dots, and the XO has one vertical line. With the new tactical software and displays the visual markings are largely superfluous, but we do it anyway. It is just one of those things you do.

  Wrapping up his brief Sutherland dismisses his Marines and heads over to me. He smiles and asks: “How are things at the head shed, Sir?”

  “Same as always,” I reply. “Division is doing the best it can, but they just …” Something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. I turn to my left and look up and to the west. A bright dot is growing slowly in the sky as it crosses the horizon. While I watch more dots appear. Oh my God. I feel an icy ball settle in the pit of my stomach as I turn back to Sutherland. He is watching the sky and in profile I see the blood drain from his face and he turns pale as a sheet. I look back at the falling stars above me and somewhere inside a voice begins babbling in horror. We have just run out of time.

  Somehow I tear my eyes from the sight above me and quickly scan the ramp. All of the other Marines are looking skyward. While all of the pilots and mechanics had trained in Wonderland, most of them do not know about the Synti. The Department of Defense wants to clamp down on that secret as much as possible. Several of the Marines begin talking in hushed voices. They are all curious about what they see. Poor bastards, soon enough they will realize that their world is about to deal with the greatest threat it has ever seen. Next to me Sutherland says: “I can’t believe this is actually happening.”

  The words break my paralysis. Once free, training and experience kick in. I silence the babbling inner voice ruthlessly. There are things to do. I am their commander. Time to command. I raise my voice loudly: “All pilots mount up.” I quickly search for a non-pilot Marine and find one gawking underneath the Kodiak to my right. Fortunately, I recognize him: “Corporal Watts. Quit gawking and get your ass down to headquarters as fast as you can. Tell the XO to round up the pilots up there and get them to the ramp.” Watts nods mutely and begins pounding for the trailers as fast as he can. I look at Captain Sutherland and see that he is looking at me. “Remember, most of these guys have not been read in on the Synti. Take the time to explain it to them after they mount up. I will be busy on the radio with Division Headquarters.”

  Sutherland nods and I head for my Kodiak at a run. The elevator does not work on my gantry so I climb the backup ladder. Because of the nanites I am in far better shape than I was three years ago. It only takes moments for me to reach the platform. Once on the platform I open up the access panel for the hatch controls and press the button. In front of me the hatch opens and I quickly climb into the pilot’s compartment. I shut the hatch and crawl into my pilot’s seat.

  I smash the silver and black Master Power button. The Kodiak slowly powers up around me. A sense of overwhelming power surges through me. I love this part. The terrible enemy has finally arrived, my battalion is understrength, and humanity is in imminent peril of extinction, or worse, but for a few moments all I feel is a visceral rush of supremacy as my war machine comes alive.

  The TACNET login screen comes up. “Lieutenant Colonel Morris, Shawn eighteen oh two.”

  TACNET replies: “Password please.”

  “Let him who loves his country with his heart, and not merely with his lips, follow me.” Garibaldi had some of the best quotes ever.

  “Password accepted. Welcome to TACNET Iron Six.”

  The Marine Corps is still an organization in transition. We have begun modernization to the Watcher technology, but things are still far from complete. Consequently, while I have several options on TACNET, I can only communicate with part of the Marine units aboard Camp Pendleton. Fortunately, the 1st Marine Division headquarters is one of them. I hit some buttons and the face of the Division G-3, Colonel Steven Phillips appears on my display. I say: “Sir, we’re firing up the Kodiaks now. I should have forty-five ready to go in about ten minutes.”

  While DoD limits the amount of people who know about the Synti it makes other efforts to prepare for their eventual assault. One of those efforts is a series of monthly drills where the military practice rapidly arming its garrisoned troops and setting up tactical communications between those units. Consequently 1st Marine Division now has a standing command post. That being said, the G-3 has no idea about the Synti. Although he is controlling it well I can still see the shock that must be coursing through him. He responds: “NORAD contacted us five minutes ago. They are tracking almost ten thousand unidentified objects making controlled descents all over the world. Almost a thousand of them are heading for North America.”

  The Commanding General knows about the Synti. I ask: “Is the General there?”

  The Three answers quickly: “No. He is meeting with the CO of 1st Marines at Horno.”

  1st Marines is one of two Marine infantry regiments aboard Camp Pendleton. They, along with 5th Marines up at Onofre, are modernized with the new Mobile Combat Suits and the associated TACNET. I expect the Commanding General of the Division is heading for the 1st Marines COC now and will soon be able to take control from there. But, every moment is critical. No sense keeping the secret any longer: “Three, you know where I came from before taking 2nd Heavy Armored right?” He nods expectantly. “I learned some things there that were classified through the roof. So, please believe me when I tell you that these incoming objects are definitely hostile.”

  He shoots back: “I figured as much. But thanks for the confirmation anyway. NORAD promised me updates on where and how many of these things are coming in near us. As soon as I get it we will …”

  Major General Charles Little’s face joins our TACNET channel and the Three grinds to a halt. The General says: “I have Colonel Jennings,” the CO of 1st Marines, “with me. I need a Sitrep, Steve.” Colonel Phillips repeats the report he received from NORAD to the General. When he finishes General Little looks at me through the TACNET and asks: “What do you think, Shawn?” He knows that I am one of the few people aboard Pendleton that knew of the Synti prior to today.

  I respond: “Sir, we know nothing about these invaders except their name. So other than the fact that they mean to do us harm I have nothing.”

  The General replies: “Fair enough.” He ponders something for a moment and continues: “For now everyone just concentrate on getting their units ready. As soon as we know where exactly these ships are going we will go from there.” He shifts his focus to Phillips. “Steve, I am going to remain here for now. I can’t afford the thirty minutes to drive up to the Division COC. As soon as you hear anything from NORAD let me know.” With that he breaks the connection.

  I hit some more buttons. The XO and the Three for 2nd Heavy Armored have not logged into TACNET yet. This makes sense as they were all up at the headquarters trailers and will need time to get down here and into their Kodiaks. However, my three company commanders are logged in. I am not surprised. They had all been at the ramp with me when I gave the order to mount up. I open up a channel to the three of them. I say: “Guidons, Iron Six. I have talked to Division. They just got a report from NORAD that about ten thousand ships are descending towards Earth. About a thousand of them are heading for North America. The General has ordered us to get ready and standby for further orders. Questions?”

  They all were briefed during their time in Wonderland. So I do not really expect questions. However, Captain Miller, the Charlie Company commander asks: “Sir, what about ou
r families? Can we tell them?” Damn him to hell for bringing it up. I had managed to keep worry for my family at bay by focusing on firing up my Kodiak and communicating on TACNET. I reach for my phone in my pocket. I stop before I pull it out. The armor on the Kodiak is far too thick to use my cellphone while inside it. God I hope Liz and the kids are okay. Another layer of ice forms on the ball in my stomach.

  A Division all hands channel opens on TACNET and General Little speaks: “The President is using the Emergency Broadcast Service to inform the country of the invasion as we speak. He is advising everyone to remain indoors and begin stockpiling water.” He pauses for a moment looking to his left listening to someone off screen. After a moment he looks back into the TACNET camera and continues: “That was NORAD. We have three enemy ships heading for San Diego,” my soul freezes at those words, “and four heading for Los Angeles. These ships should start landing in the next ten minutes. The 1st Marine Division has been directed to deal with both of these threats. I will have orders for you in five minutes.” He pauses for a moment. When he resumes speaking his voice is hard as stone: “Whatever the next few hours bring remember who and what you are. You are United States Marines sworn to defend this great nation. I know you will not let me or the American People down.” With that he cuts the connection.

  I look at the faces of my company commanders. Their faces look a lot like mine I imagine. We knew this day was coming. We knew it would be a fight for our very existence. But, now? Now it is all too real and frightening. While I stare the faces of my XO and S-3 join us. I know I need to say something. I know it must be good. I close my eyes for a moment and think of all of the things I have seen in my more than twenty years in the Corps. I remember the battles I fought across Iraq and Afghanistan. Places where, no matter how bad our strategy, nobody could fault our ability to crush our opponents in a stand up fight. I go further back and remember the history of the Corps. I remember the great Marine victories at places like Peking, Iwo Jima, Pusan, and Kuwait. I feel the power of the Kodiak all around me. I draw courage from these things. I take a deep breath, open my eyes and say: “There are many things I could say right now. I could talk about duty and courage. I could talk about how this is a battle for our very survival. But, I won’t. None of that really matters anyway. All that matters is that we are Marines. Marines armed with the greatest weapons mankind has ever produced. I don’t care where these Synti come from. I don’t care what weapons they have. They have never seen anything like us before. We are going to go out there and we are going to crush them.” Nobody cheers. Nobody smiles. Nobody says a word. But, they all set their faces grimly. If it can be done, we will do it.

  I bring the XO and the S-3, Major Fischer, both of whom know about the Synti from Wonderland, up to speed on the NORAD reporting and what the President said to the American People. I then break the connection and start checking over my Kodiak while I wait for General Little to give us our orders. Normally the Marine Corps does not leave vehicles on their maintenance ramps with ammunition loaded. It is dangerous to do so. However, as part of our preparations for the expected Synti invasion we have started to keep combat vehicles fully loaded with ammunition at all times. As I check my displays I confirm that I have a full load of projectiles for the various electro-magnetic weapons, as well as, a full loadout of forty missiles tucked in their bays on either side of the cockpit. I then move on and briefly check everything else. The green lights and gauges confirm that my Kodiak is fully ready for battle.

  The TACNET comes alive and General Little gives us our orders. “5th Marines with 1st and 3rd Heavy Armored attached will head north for Los Angeles. 1st Marines with 2nd Heavy Armored attached will head south for San Diego. 11th Marines will remain here on Pendleton and provide you artillery support. You will also have air support from the attack helicopters and fixed wing aircraft of III Marine Aircraft Wing out of Miramar and Pendleton. Your primary objectives will be destroying the enemy ships. Kill any of the enemy that you meet along the way, but do not get bogged down. I anticipate that if we destroy their ships the enemy will be cut off from their logistic support and we can hunt down whatever units survive more easily. Once the enemy ships are destroyed you will proceed to hunt down whatever enemy remains.” The General pauses for a moment. He delivered the previous words with crisp precision. Now he speaks with great solemnity: “Good luck to all of you and may God be with us.” He cuts the connection.

  I move my Kodiak out of its gantry and begin walking south. As I do so I open up the battalion tactical channel on TACNET and I repeat the General’s orders. That done I continue: “Three I want you to contact the Three for 1st Marines and start coordinating. I am going to call their CO. For now let’s just keep working our way south.” Fischer rogers up my transmission and I cut the connection.

  I open up a new channel and see Colonel Mike Smith’s face. I can tell by the distorted view that he is already in his MCS. He is giving rapid fire orders to 1st Marines staff and battalion commanders. “… south along the Five. We will move in … Ahh Iron Six, thanks for joining us so rapidly.” He probably should have waited for me to join before briefing his subordinates. But, things are a little crazy right now. “I was just saying that we are going to work our way down the Five towards San Diego and will work through the enemy ships from north to south. You are already further south than we are,” Horno is at the north end of Pendleton while Pulgas is in the middle of the base, “so I want you to take the lead and develop the situation as we head south. We will follow in column formation with 2nd Battalion in the lead followed by 1st Battalion followed by 3rd Battalion. Once we know where the ships land I will have more. Questions?” Nobody says anything. “Very well. Inchon Six, out.” He cuts the channel.

  I open up my battalion tactical channel and repeat 1st Marines’ orders to my Marines. I then add: “While moving down the five I want the battalion in a wedge formation with Bravo Company in the lead on the freeway, Alpha on the left and Charlie on the right. Where the buildings are too close to the Five we will move in column with Bravo in the lead followed by Alpha followed by Charlie. We will head for the Five now on jump jets. Iron Six, out.”

  Around me the Kodiaks of 2nd Heavy Armored begin hitting their jump jets. It is not done smoothly. The Kodiaks take off in small groups instead of by company. Individually we are all good pilots, but we have just not trained together enough to be really fluid yet. Hopefully coordinated jumps will be the biggest problem we have today. It is what we have the least amount of practice with. When it comes to maneuvering and firing we should do much better. Hopefully. After about twenty seconds or so all of the Kodiaks in the companies are soaring over the hills of Pendleton heading west for the Five. Once I see they are all away I hit my jump jets and am followed by the Three and the XO. The three of us have no wingmen yet. The Kodiaks for the master gunner, the assistant master gunner, and the assistant operations officer have not arrived yet. Today the Three and the XO will wing for me.

  As my Kodiak’s feet leave the ground Lance’s face appears on my TACNET display. “Good luck, Shawn,” he says. “I don’t know how this is gonna go, but I do know I plan on having a long conversation about it with you after it’s all over.”

  I cannot help but let some emotion creep in to my voice as I reply: “You too buddy. I’ll buy the beer.” My fellow heavy armored battalion commander smiles at me and then cuts the connection. May God grant that I see him again after this is all over.

  While I soar through the air my tactical computer picks up the incoming Synti ships. They are flying in over the Pacific Ocean. The ships are coming in at a forty-five degree angle and the computer begins to plot their apparent landing locations. It looks like one will land just east of Encinitas, one in the vicinity of El Cajon, and one near Rosarito south of Tijuana. The last one surprises me for a moment. I shake the surprise off quickly. What do the Synti care about human borders? These landing points will effectively surround the greater
Sand Diego/Tijuana metropolitan area. I do not yet know exactly what the Synti’s goals are, but their landing locations appear ominous. I open up a channel on TACNET and report the probable landing locations to Inchon Six. He rogers my transmission and tells me to continue my movement to the Five and south.

  I pass over the green, rugged hills of western Camp Pendleton and see the Five as a gigantic ribbon stretching north and south a few kilometers ahead of me. I start to guide my Kodiak to a landing in the Flores area of Pendleton. I will make another jump to complete my trip to the Five. Long jumps are sweeping and dramatic, but they are inefficient. They have their place. This is not one of them.

  As I start my second jump the Bravo Company commander, Captain George Hutch, contacts me: “Iron Six, Bravo Six. There is still heavy traffic on the Five. I am directing my platoons to parallel the road.” Of course there are a lot of vehicles on the Five. The invasion has come too suddenly and far too rapidly for people to have all taken shelter. Hell, I am sure there are more than a few of them that have not even heard the President’s emergency speech. I curse myself for not having thought of that. I take a deep breath and command myself to focus. I do my best to clear my mind and concentrate on the task at hand. If we are to survive the next few hours, I must do better.