“How serious losses are we speaking?”
“Three full cohorts my lord.”
He was surprised by the number.
“Eighteen hundred legionaries is a serious loss. Are you sure that one brigade will be enough?”
“We are not sure that that unit is still there, but even if they are we are better suited for fighting in this jungle. I placed my best brigade. And have two battalions that will act as support. Between them and the five cohorts of dacarian troops that are advancing there I don’t think we have much to worry about. If they run in to us they will be destroyed just like all else that resists us in this jungle.”
Ahura nodded. He expected that kind of answer.
“Very well…It is your front so you have the best view of it.”
He stood up and pointed at the map that showed their positions.
“From what the dacarians shared with us the line is well defended and fortified. It is several miles deep, littered with trenches, bunkers and mine fields. They also have some shield equipment which means that even with the bombardment from the artillery that will commence tomorrow morning some fortifications will survive. We attack tomorrow evening. We will try a night attack to test their defenses and start the real offensive the next day.”
“What happens if the defenses prove to be too strong to be broken with frontal assault?”
“We were promised support from orbit. If the line proves too strong we will call in orbital bombardment. I don’t plan to waste the lives of my troops. The dacarians may be our masters but we are still their vassals and allies. We will use all that they give us.”
They nodded.
The discussion continued until the food was delivered.
The feast on the prisoners started then.
It was a good start of the mission for the Argara.
Ellis indicated a stop sign as they heard the thunder of the guns. They all knew what that meant. It was lasting for hours now. It started in the morning and even now eight hours later it was still going. The noise was deafening.
He could see the fear in the faces of the civilians but there was nothing they could do.
He looked at Dickens who was next to him.
“It’s going for eight hours now. What do you think when will it stop?”
“Probably the moment their troops are in their final positions for the attack. I don’t think we have to much time John.”
They both turned to the civilians that were walking with them.
As they watched Atkins and his team returned.
“We are ten miles from the base. It still has troops inside. Not a large number but those that are there are there to stay. They are digging in.”
“Is there any sign that they are targeting them?”
“None so far, compared with what is happening all across the line its quiet here. Hate to say it boss but the shit is about to hit the fan. The sooner we ditch them the better for us.”
As Ellis made a grimace Atkins looked at him.
“John I hate it as much as you do. But we will never make it out if we drag them with us. We got them this far. We noticed some vehicles in the base. Let’s hope that they will be able to transport them to safety. This is the right move and you know it.”
Ellis nodded. No matter how much he hated it what Atkins said was true. The only way they could extract themselves from this situation was if they got rid of the civilians.
He looked at them. Some of them were warriors but most were women and children. The men would fight but he wondered how good that would bring. If they stayed in the base it would be a death sentence. But it was the only choice.
He waited as the group progressed until Kelley reached him.
From the grim face of his commander he knew that he knew the situation.
“We have to do it James.”
Kelley exhaled.
“I know, I know.”
“If it’s any consolation we took them this far. We saved them. Maybe not all of them but some will survive.”
They both looked at the group as it moved forward. The progress was slow but steady.
“Atkins says its ten miles to the camp but I doubt that they will make it tonight. He says that there is a small valley two miles ahead. I think that we should stop there and rest for couple of hours. Tomorrow we take them there and say our goodbyes.”
Ellis nodded. It was a good plan.
“I’ll tell him to go ahead and set up a camp.”
Kelley nodded and as Ellis moved forward he went to look for Arnes.
As the Illian saw him he stopped. So did his companions.
“You bring grave news.”
Kelley was taken back by his comment.
“What? What makes you think that?”
“The look on your face, and what we’ve being hearing the last few hours. We know what it means. The offensive has started.”
“Yes Arnes but the news I have are not bad. They’re just making me uneasy.”
“Why?”
“The base camp is about half a day journey from here, ten miles. And we will reach it tomorrow.”
“That is good news James. If the base is not attacked yet, then it will be a good place to rest and then carry on with your journey, without the civilians.”
Kelley nodded.
“You know as well as me Arnes that the attack will come if not tomorrow then the day after that. And you can’t be sure that they will be able to transport you all.”
Arnes looked at the human. It was strange to see that he felt guilt about what he had to do, even if it was the right thing to do.
“Lieutenant Kelley if it is our destiny to die there that is a destiny we will gladly embrace. We all know what is in store for us. You and your men are proof that maybe our children will have something better. Before these last few weeks we didn’t have hope. You gave us that. And that James is more than you can imagine. So don’t feel guilt. If we die we will die free.”
Kelley watched the Illian as he spoke. In his eyes he saw that he meant every word he said.
“You’re a good friend Arnes.”
“And so are you James.”
They stayed like that for several moments. Then they both turned and continued walking.
They reached the camp site three hours later. It was already night.
The group spread out everyone looking for a place to sit and lie down.
Rhodes and his team took first watch. They spread out taking positions around the camp that gave good covering positions and open fields of fire.
Kelley and the rest of the soldiers took the break to eat and rest.
The night went by fast. The last watch was for Atkins and his team. As Kelley and the others rose they noticed that the rest of the civilians were already up and starting to prepare to move.
Kelley looked at the perimeter. The morning mist covered most of the view, but all seemed quiet, a little to quiet.
He exchanged view with Ellis.
“Zi I want you to keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious. Something’s wrong.”
The reply came in a single tic of the snipers radio.
“Tell everyone to move as fast as they can.”
“All teams lay low and spread out something doesn’t look right.”
At his command Gamma and his own team spread out taking flanking positions around Delta.
Kelley turned and noticed Arnes watching them. He could see that he didn’t understand.
He signaled him to stay quiet and to tell his men to move.
Ellis noticed Kelley signaling him and went to Arnes.
“Tell your people to stay low and move. The warriors need to keep the rear guard.”
Arnes nodded and signaled his own men. They started moving almost immediately.
Ellis saw that Kelley and the other teams were all moving back slowly while Rupert remained upfront covering them and keeping constant watch for any movement.
As the group started moving
back he noticed Rupert raising his hand.
Ellis immediately signaled for everyone to stay low.
Rupert watched carefully as there was movement upfront.
A moment later he noticed several morakul’s pass by. They were similar animals to the deer’s back on Earth only a smaller version. They passed by him without showing any reaction but he could notice urgness in their movement.
He smiled.
“Just some morakul’s boss, sorry for scaring you.”
He was about to move when he felt laser hit in his left shoulder. He could feel that it hit him above the protection plate. The pain hit him instantly.
“Sniper two o’clock.”
As soon as he said these words all three teams spread out and stayed low. The other five snipers immediately started scanning the trees for any concealed snipers.
Ellis turned to Arnes.
“Move!!! Everyone move!!!”
That got an instant reaction.
“I have him.”
The comment came from Erikson.
As Erikson opened fire Fly saw the same creature he was looking at.
“What the fuck is that?”
He noticed Rabbit looking at him.
“A big wolf?”
Burak watched as his sniper took down the first human. The human was still alive but he was incapacitated.
The rest of the humans and the Illians spread out immediately and he was sure they would be trying to find the sniper. He smiled at the thought there was no chance for that, not in this mist.
He was surprised by the fast reaction of the humans. They wore strange clothes. And the weapons looked unfamiliar. He would have to check them once the battle is over.
He was about to give the order when he heard a strange pop in the distance. A second later the snipers head exploded. A minute later three more of his men fell down.
“How could they see us?”
He turned to his second in command and gave the signal for attack.
His troops started moving forward.
“Here they come.”
“They will hit the mine field in one minute sir.”
Kelley looked at Smith and nodded.
They were all well covered.
Rupert was also taken care of. His wound was cauterized by the laser and he was already taking his own position in the line. He could see the pain on his face but they were all used to pain. Their profession made sure of that.
He turned and noticed the civilians moving away. He hoped that they would be far enough to avoid what was coming their way.
A moment later they heard a strange war cry in the distance and then the shout as warriors started running towards them.
A moment later Smith activated the mines.
A second later it seemed like in the distance the whole jungle erupted as the well placed C-4 exploded.
Burak was shocked as he saw almost a hundred warriors die in a second. His XO looked at him.
“This must be the group that killed those cohorts sir.”
“It would seem so. Send two battalions in a quick attack and take the third and flank them.”
His XO nodded and went to his task immediately.
Kelley looked in amazement as hundreds of strange looking wolf like creatures attacked. They were tall all were more than two and half meters tall. As soon as they rushed laser canons started firing.
Every human soldier stayed low. The armed Illians and the other races did the same. Explosions littered the rear, several exploding among the civilians.
The humans opened fire as soon as they noticed the strange creatures attacking. The sound of fire was tremendous.
Burak watched in amazement as his troops were met by a hail of fire that shredded their bodies. As he noticed it he cursed.
The humans were using projectile weapons. That was not in his report. And that fire was well coordinated. To well controlled. He was facing professional soldiers not rebels.
He knew that he will have to commit his entire brigade in this attack and use the reserve as well. He gave the order and then joined his own troops.
“Sir we have movement on our right I think they’re trying to flank us.”
Rhodes looked at Sanders. He knew that if they flank them they are dead.
He turned to Sheppard.
“Take Erikson, Miller and Haskins and stop the bastards. Roberts you go too and cover their side.”
They all just nodded and immediately started moving there.
Before him the space erupted once again as the attackers hit the second mine field and the claymores.
“Jesus how many of the bastards are there?”
Kelley looked at Jenkins.
“A brigade at least. We must have killed over three hundred so far and they are still coming.”
Kelley nodded.
He heard the fire as the men Atkins sent opened fire on the flanking column. He noticed that several of the Illians were dead. So was one of the furry creatures that were constantly moving with the Sicarians. His body was riddled with holes. He noticed the two sicarians staying in the back and keeping a constant rate of fire.
“Time to move.”
He gave the signal and as he did everyone started an orderly retreat. They were moving two by two constantly covering the others as they moved. In front of them they could see the aliens approaching. He didn’t know what kind of creatures they were but they had courage.
As they moved he noticed Mitchell taking two hits to the chest. They knocked him down but he stood up fast. His armor stopped the hits but he knew that one more hit would be fatal.
He kept firing.
He noticed Sheppard and his men retreating. Miller was limping on his left leg.
“Hold the line. Hold the fucking line.”
As he kept firing he noticed Rhodes taking a blast from their cannons. He was thrown two meters in the back and hit a tree. He could see that he was dead.
“Shit…man down. Man down.”
Smith was immediately by his side. He just checked for vitals and seeing he was gone took his dog tags and striped him of his weapons and pack.
Before he could issue the order to move again Roberts took several hits that went through his armor and in to his chest. He died a moment later in the arms of Mitchell.
Mitchell repeated the process on him taking his dog tags and weapons, anything that would identify him as not from this place and started retreating.
“Move out.”
They all followed the order and started retreating.
Burak watched in amazement as the humans kept firing in order and retreating. He noticed Samak and his battalion, or what was left of it advancing. Five humans were retreating before them. As he watched one of the humans took a direct hit to his head. He was dead before he hit the ground. The others stopped for a second stripping him of his gear and then continued.
“By the gods they are amazing.”
He felt that amazement as he watched them fight. He knew that they were doomed but it was really impressive. He lost almost six hundred men and he had many wounded and they scored only three kills among them. He could see many dead Illians and even Macassi but it was the humans that were the most interesting. He knew that tactic of fighting withdraw.
He was suddenly surprised as several of the humans advanced and threw objects forward. A moment latter explosions littered the front ranks of his troops.
A second later as they were retreating, a second group did the same towards Samak’s troops.
He saw a bomb explode close to him and he saw his second in command die.
He could see the hesitation of the rest of the battalion. They lost more than half of their troops to reach this far. But the hesitation lasted just a moment. Then they pressed the attack.
Atkins saw Haskins go down. The shot blew a hole in his head. Sheppard stripped him in a second and started retreating keeping constant rate of fire as he did.
They were down three men already. Eve
n as he thought of that he saw Kim taking a hit to his leg and on in his shoulder. One of the Illians ran to him and picked him up and they both started retreating. As they did Kim noticed one of the Illian children and a young girl hiding in panic behind a fallen tree. He turned towards the Illian pointing to the child.
“Take them and go I will cover you, move behind me.”
The Illian looked at him and seeing his face just nodded.
He picked the child in one of his hands and grabbed the girl.
She screamed as he did but as she saw his face and Kim she rose and started running. Kim picked up his rifle ignoring the pain and opened fire.
He turned behind him and noticed the Illian retreating behind him.
The rest of the teams were coming back orderly. He could feel his wounds were slowing him down but he knew that if he stops he was dead. And he knew that he had to provide cover both for the rest of the men in his unit as well as for the two civilians he saved.
He noticed the girl stopping and looking at him. She was young no more then seventeen years. He didn’t know her name but he had to admit she was beautiful. He met her gaze and as he saw her green eyes he smiled.
He didn’t know if she saw that smile but it didn’t matter.
“Run, just run.”
He turned as in his thoughts he urged her to go and kept firing. The aliens didn’t rush any more. They were advancing slowly firing constantly and forcing him and the rest of the men from all the teams to look for cover. He noticed one of the fallen aliens that were part of the group a centaur like creature that fell as the laser cannons exploded before rise among them. He knew that there was no way to help him. He didn’t know his name he just knew that he called his race Acadian. He looked for a moment at the humans and his three eyes met Kim’s.
A second later two of his friends rose as well.
“Runnn humans wee will holddd thee lineee”
A moment later they pulled out two knives and two pistols in their four hands and attacked the aliens near them. He could see them taking multiple hits but they still fought. They had thick skin that acted like armor.
Kelley noticed the Acadians creating confusion among the attacking aliens. He gave the signal for retreat as they gave them the signal to retreat.
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 69