“Understood flight control, One-four-nine out.” Yu was already increasing power to his engines by the time they had finished talking, his shuttle rose and headed out of the still opening doors.
He angled on for the new flight plan Young had supplied.
“Bobbie, how are the guns?” Yu said, looking at the tactical situation which was now covered in red halos. Someone had put out a sensor net across the city, how they’d done it through the enemy lines Yu didn’t know, or care at this moment.
“Five by five and ready to shoot something,” Bobbie growled.
“Good shit, seal up the armor panels, don’t want to burn the sensors off on entry,” Yu said. His blood was beginning to boil, he could already feel himself coming alive.
“Young we cleared for hot entry?” Yu asked seeing Bobbie was sealing up the ship while he checked their fuel.
“Cleared, we control the air,” Young said.
“Shit,” Bobbie growled.
“Oh, I know you love a ride Bobbie,” Yu said, dropping the formality.
“I hate pilots,” Bobbie said.
Yu only grinned as he pushed the engines power up and started hitting real atmosphere, the shuttle bucked and skewed.
Yu hummed, clicking his tongue here and there as he adjusted flaps, worked thrusters, and adjusted to inter-atmosphere flying.
The shuttle bucked for a few moments before skewing as Sacremon’s atmosphere resented their presence.
Yu adjusted his flight, bringing him back onto plan.
“They’ve lost the lobby and pulled back to the third floor,” Young said, her voice tight and harsh as if she was to blame for their predicament.
“Shit,” Yu answered.
“Weapons and sensors check, I want rounds on as soon as we got eyes on,” Yu said.
“Roger,” Bobbie said, opening the armored panels again to reveal the sensors.
“On it,” Young said while working with synchronized rhythm on various screens.
“On target in three,” Yu said, banking hard to bleed speed and bring them on target.
“I’m going to do a shudder hover,” Yu warned. two green lights came up on his HUD, his people were readying themselves and the Combat Shuttle for battle.
The timer wound down and Yu pulled up, angling the engines so they pushed against the ground. The sudden deceleration made everyone grunt and flex their bodies to stay conscious. It lasted for a matter of moments before Yu angled his flaps and engines, bringing them into a hover Across from the towers.
“Drop!” Bobbie yelled as a panel showed the lines playing out with troopers dropping below.
Yu ripple-fired his missiles, they streaked off, tracking the largest groups of enemy contacts.
Tower faces exploded as missiles shattered glass and turned floors into a bonfire.
Bobbie and Young were working the auto-turrets, red lines of tracers spitting through the air like an angry hornet at their targets.
“Clear!” Bobbie said, the lines whipping back into the reels of the ceiling, trapdoors slamming shut behind them.
Yu didn’t run away, he lined up a gun run on the towers.
The auto-cannons pounded, adding to the falling glass and deformed tower sides.
“Missile launch!” Young said, Yu had seen it but he was now pushing the engines fast and hard, throwing them in an erratic path.
Young blew out counter measures, smart-flares bursting from their sides.
The missiles lost them and slammed into a tower, fire exploding out the opposite side as Yu banked fast and hard around the tower.
“Woo fucking Hoo! GET SOME YOU FUCKS!” Bobbie said the auto-turrets ripping into colonist filled floors as they passed.
The odd round twanged and pinged off of the side, sounding like hail landing on a tin roof, but the Combat Shuttles were made to take such punishment.
Yu brought them out of the city, putting them into an aggressive turn, angling engines and flaps to bring them around like a boat doing a sweeping turn, cutting their motion and pointing them back towards the city.
He fired with the thumb trigger on his acceleration leaver to his left.
Yu tilted and moved the craft, bringing more weapons to bear and giving them better angles.
“Left, nose down,” Bobbie said. Yu adjusted with smooth movements, working against turbulence.
“Right rack, three,” Young said, three missiles piling into the tank’s coming over the ridge.
Words or simple phrases connected the three of them, as they worked to protect their people.
***
Mark used his scope to look at the shuttles. He saw lights appearing under them with troopers dropping out of the craft and to the ground.
Mark couldn't make out individual people and the shuttles under-lighting quickly disappeared. They rose and turned, heading away from the city and back towards Reclaimer.
“You're going to want to see this,” Mark said to Gupta and Pullo pushing the bar to his mouth and finding that the wrapper was empty.
Gupta came over, staring at the scene around Growing city.
Towers were ripped apart by fiery missiles and lines of tracers, the city shaking and quivering with the blows. Flames ate at the towers, lighting the night sky.
It was odd to see it but not see it from inside the sound-proofed CEO apartments.
“Alright, we're going to have a platoon arriving at the base of the tower in a few minutes, be ready to move as soon as possible,” Pullo said through their helmets, everyone checked their gear as the city around them was hammered.
New combat shuttles were now pouring down from orbit, old ones moving past them as they fired their payloads into the city before settling down. The colonists fire had been cut back severely, no more missiles were firing up into the sky and rounds no longer arched up at oncoming shuttles.
Some combat shuttles were moving into the city, raining hell down from above on those that had dared to leave their towers.
Mark's eyes turned to the tower that fourth regiment had made it's stand in. It was easy to find with smoke that was coming from various levels, massive holes had been carved into the building from the impacts of missile fire.
Combat shuttles were circling it, their turrets laying waste to any resistance. Mark just hoped that there were still people holding out and keeping his brother safe.
“Platoon is getting close, let's get in the elevator and get out of here,” Pullo said, escorting the CEO to the elevator. CEO Harrison glanced out of his massive windows, looking over the view as if seeing if anything was awry, then with a nod, like everything was to his satisfaction he continued to the elevator. Mark and Jerome went first, opening it for the others who piled in. It was big enough for at least ten people so Jerome and Mark were able to get around to the front of the lift again as its doors shut and it began descending.
Mark used his implants to see what was going on around the tower. The fourth regiment were holding out and Charlie company that had been waiting on Reclaimer were now wading through the lobby up to their comrades.
Other regiments were working to take towers around the exterior of the city. Alpha company was raising havoc, they had planted bombs, hid and waited for their moment to strike. Their bombs killed dozens as they moved through their towers, using the confusion of the sudden attack to keep the colonists on the run. Reinforcements only added to the confusion. Half-sections were everywhere and peeled off as soon as the colonists started getting organized, a combat shuttle would hit whatever they designated.
Rounds smashed into the city, all amassing from the firepower of the combat shuttle’s auto-turrets and forward facing cannons. The crystal matrix might stand up to the strongest hurricanes across the majority of Earth’s colonies. Auto turrets were a different beast.
The glass shatter, fell like reflective hail. Explosive fires illuminated the towers from inside, causing any surviving windows to blow out.
There was nothing quite like seeing that sheer d
estruction being hurled at the city.
None of the noise made it into the main tower. It was odd seeing all of that firepower being used and silently watching it. Knowing that people were dying in droves but you could hear none of their anguish.
Mark turned to reading updates on the net.
While they had slept the entire carrier group had dropped into the growing city, including medics, support personnel and all of the add-ons that came with them. There were now roughly a hundred thousand EMF personnel on Sacremon, close to nine thousand of which were Troopers. Seven thousand had died trying to get down in the first wave, and when they had been tried to take the different cities.
A lot of people had died from the gas before a vaccine had been found. The forests had been covered in the crap.
It was like the sarin he had read about from his studies. Sarin had a damned long life, meaning that it didn't simply disappear, it would remain active, waiting for someone to simply touch it and turn a person's body against them. This poison was expected to last for another twenty years at least. With a vaccine now developed it would only kill those that hadn't been injected, meaning the colonists that hadn't taken part in the uprising. It was also deadly to the colonists that were fighting, thousands had died from it already.
They got to the main lobby, gunfire could be heard from around the city, explosions rumbled through towers, fires that had started overnight released their black smoke into the skies. Support units were looking to reduce the fires. It would not be fun if the CEO's started getting pissy about the EMF destroying their assets.
A Combat shuttle dropped from the sky, it’s thrusters fired as tracers followed it, but nothing hit.
The back door opened and troopers rushed out.
“Let’s get the CEO on board,” Pullo said.
Mark and Jerome hustled the CEO along. Gupta, Pullo and the troopers that had rushed out of the shuttle were covering the retreat while they got him into the shuttle. The Cargo Master got him into a seat, pulling a harness down as the shuttle rose off of the ground, the rear hatch closed.
The troopers ran back into the tower as the combat shuttle piled on the power and shot away from the city, again tracers tried to catch it. A few rounds hit but the shuttle took the impacts in stride, like it was nothing more than bright lights in the night’s sky.
"Alright, we're going to be moving back to our original tower, we'll be linking up with the second regiment of our division and getting them through the door. Fighting has been hard and the rest of our regiment except Alpha company have been hammering the colonists still in the tower. Our people are holed up on the fifth floor and it looks like the colonists above them are going to come down. We're going back to the rappel lines and we're going to lead bravo company from the second regiment up to support our people in the middle of the fighting. There are too many wounded to have them simply retreat down the rappel lines.” Pullo's words were harsh and Mark's extra rest felt like some kind of sin now.
I was asleep while the rest of our regiment were fighting to survive.
"Alright, let's get moving,” Pullo said, taking the lead and running off, Jerome went second, Mark third, Gupta following as they ran and scanned for threats.
They jumped from tower to tower, every one of them were now occupied by EMF troopers. They ran through the buildings to the other entrances and kept running. Marks lung burned and his legs hurt but like the others he pushed such minor considerations to the back of his mind. Tyler could be killed while he was running, hell he might already be dead, Utkin was still alive, so was Dolche with some bad wounds, Captain Nerva would be giving his all and the people who had watched Mark's back and theirs were way more tired than he was and could die if he didn't hurry the fuck up.
No one talked as they ran, they just kept following Pullo. A few colonists showed their faces from buildings. Grenade launchers and a hail of rounds met them. No one was fucking around today.
They got to a tower just a few hundred meters from where the rest of the regiment were fighting their way in or holding their position.
Mark remembered this tower, it was the one which had served as a base for the missiles which had ripped into the tower, tearing holes into it, and taking out Simmons and Xiao with those explosions.
Mark's face was grim inside his helmet as Pullo cut the pace, peeled off his helmet and walked through troopers to the command centre where a number of officers were standing around a table. One of them noticed Pullo and the others turned to face him and the group behind him.
"Hold back,” Gupta said to Mark and Jerome, both of them watching the other troopers as if to glean some kind of information from their appearance, the troopers doing the same, studying their battle-scarred armor, well used weaponry and way that they held themselves.
Pullo was included in the pow-wow around the table, all of them turning away from the three others, a few glances were shot back, most looking at Mark's hastily repaired armor and the way that Jerome and Gupta’s eyes seemed to flicker over everyone as if expecting an attack at any time.
The talk was quick and Pullo was back with the other three.
"Mark and Jerome grab repulsors and as much ammo for them as you can carry, we'll do the same,” Pullo said, looking to Gupta as he put his helmet back on.
"They're going to plan out what they want to do, we know where the repel lines are and we aren't attached to them, we're going to help our people out right now. If any of you want to stay behind I understand,” Pullo said, his voice hard but he knew what he was asking.
No one moved.
"There's a reason they call fourth regiment a bunch of nutters,” Gupta said after a few moments of silence, turning. "I think I saw a supply mule back here.”
"Good?" Gupta asked as Mark shifted under the weight of ammunition that was liberally taped and strapped over his body.
"About as good as a walking explosion ever is,” Mark said dryly, slinging his repulsor and checking his feed before checking the E-12 was secured on top of the extra ammunition pack on his back. It hurt like hell carrying this much weight but Mark knew it would be vital to the rest of the regiment.
"Real comedian, mind giving me a hand with my bomb suit?"
"With pleasure Sarge!" Mark said, Gupta chuckling and shaking his head at Mark's enthusiasm.
The Supply Techs helped to slap on as much ammunition as possible while Mark helped Gupta with a repulsor ammunition pack.
Pullo and Jerome waded over, Troopers kept watching them, Mark could feel their respect and their own annoyance at how they were being held back yet again.
"Let's be on our way boys, the regiment needs us and the fourth looks after his own,” Pullo said, his helmet off so he could raise his voice high enough that the other troopers shifted uncomfortably in their positions.
"Yes sir!" Mark said, Jerome and Gupta adding their own agreements over their external speakers.
Jerome led and Mark took up the rear as they jogged over to their tower, the noises of battle could be heard quite clearly as they moved to the rappel lines they had used just the other day to bring in the support that now surrounded them.
The lines descended with a command from Pullo. Everyone hooked on, Jerome and Mark going up first with their repulsors.
They didn't see anything as they got onto the floor letting the lines descend again.
Mark joined the regiment's net and targets started to fill his HUD.
"Everyone on the regiments net?" Pullo confirmed, his voice hard getting the green-light from everyone.
"Jerome, Mark you are free to fire,” Pullo said with grim satisfaction.
Mark and Jerome pulled their triggers, open firing right into the Colonist fighters that were moving into position to attack their comrades.
Thousands of rounds filled the air as Mark and Jerome advanced, using their repulsors like a magnifying glass against ants.
"Good to see you gents,” Captain Nerva said as if greeting someone that he knew in the mess.
"We've got ammunition for the repulsors sir,” Pullo said, he and Gupta were firing accurate bursts into the harder targets that Mark and Jerome weren't hitting. Any of the colonists that put their head down ere cut down by the foursome as they advanced.
Panicked colonists fired back blindly at the new threat. Their explosive rounds hit the walls and floors, coating the troopers in dust and sprayed them with shrapnel.
We knew we weren't surviving. Mark's grim thought making him shrug off the fire as he listened to Pullo speak, walking on like some kind of juggernaut, unaffected by the small shards that got through his armor. He didn't flinch or stop, to do so would make them lose the element of surprise and give the colonists time to reorganize and turn the new threat.
"Good man, I'll have a few people come and grab that from you. We do have some colonists firing into our positions. If you could look to clearing that out I can move forces up to you. Drop the extra ammunition and have Gupta keep Mark and Jerome moving with that fire. I want them to look to push back to the eastern elevator, that's the Colonist's entry point. You and I will look to clearing the floor and pushing more forces up with them, understood Pullo?" Nerva relayed.
"Yes sir, we're on our way,” Pullo answered.
"Good,” Nerva said cutting the channel. Mark felt that hearing 'good' from Nerva was like most people giving a stand-up clap for a person's performance.
"Mark, right, Jerome straight,” Gupta called out commands, directing the two repulsor's fire as they marched resolutely onward.
"Make a hole here,” Pullo said, firing a grenade into a wall, Gupta fired one as well. The wall splitting open. Jerome shifted fire and hosed the Colonists hiding on the other side.
"Jerome switch with Mark, shift fire left,” Gupta called on. So it continued, they advanced quickly and it wasn't long before they were near their people. Those that were able to, ran out from cover and helped free everyone of their extra ammunition. Gupta called out fire for Mark and Jerome who were facing outward from the less than platoon strength survivors.
Their ammunition now pulled back to the main position, Gupta had Mark and Jerome on the move, Dolche who was missing his left arm moved up to assist, another repulsor gunner by the name Coutu added her fire in. Ammunition packs were slapped directly into their repulsors, two more attached to their main reservoirs to fill them.
Sacremon (Harmony War Series Book 1) Page 23