Degeneration: Age of Expansion - A Kurtherian Gambit Series (The Ghost Squadron Book 4)

by Sarah Noffke

  “Which just means they’ve been getting their asses handed to them, right?” asked Eddie.

  Marilla nodded in confirmation. “That’s how I understand it, but my clearance on this is low.”

  “So, the Mamaths are angry brute-types. Anything else you can add?” asked Eddie.

  “They aren’t very intelligent. The frontal lobe of this alien species is incredibly underdeveloped, which is the cause of their volatile nature,” said Marilla.

  Julianna spun to face Eddie with a serious look on her face. “Maybe you’re half Mamath.”

  “Ha-ha, Jules. We all know that I’m as cuddly as a teddy bear. I just choose to kick ass to keep things spinning round and round,” said Eddie.

  “Teddy bear, huh?” asked Chester measuring Eddie up. “I never took you as the teddy bear type, but it’s a cute description.”

  Eddie pointed at the hacker and smiled. “You’re the cute one, Chester. And you owe me a game of pool in the lounge when I get back.”

  “Got it, Captain,” said Chester with a salute.

  “Marilla, what else can you tell us about the Mamaths? Anything that Lieutenant Fletcher’s team might not know that we can use to help the cause?” asked Julianna.

  “Actually, there is something that I knew about the alien species, but the team didn’t know when they were deployed,” Marilla stated.

  “What’s that?” asked Eddie, immediately intrigued.

  “They don’t like fire,” said Hatch from the doorway.

  ~~~

  After Hatch interrupted the meeting with perfect timing, Eddie and Julianna followed him back to his workstation next to the cargo bay. Apparently, Marilla had fed the mechanic/scientist the information, and he’d been able to pull some technology from his locker.

  “I guess I shouldn’t be shocked that these snow monsters are frightened by fire,” said Eddie when they paused in the lab.

  “I’d be surprised if anything logical occurred to you,” said Hatch, waddling over to Knox, who was holding a weapon of sorts. It had a long hose like a fire extinguisher with an insulated nozzle on the end, which attached to a tank with straps on it.

  “Go ahead and set up the targets,” Hatch ordered Knox. He nodded and ran off to the other side of the room.

  Knox had been working with Hatch since he’d been injured. Now, he was better and in more ways than just physically. Julianna had spied him smiling a time or two, which had caught her off-guard the first time. The grin transformed his face, making his oft-troubled eyes appear young, matching his features. Before that he’d previously looked like a kid who had been asked to shoulder too much responsibility too young. But here, Knox nearly had a skip in his walk.

  Knox pushed three metal statues from the back of the area, up to the front, only a few yards away.

  “I’ve created a flame thrower, in essence,” said Hatch, indicating the hose and the tank it was attached to.

  Eddie rubbed his hands together. “Oh, now you’re talking, Doc!”

  Hatch ignored the captain and glanced at Julianna. “From what I can tell, reading Marilla’s report, bullets and other weapons are mostly ineffective against Mamaths. They have thick fur and a hide that’s really hard to pierce. Your best bet is fire.”

  “But we don’t want to kill them,” Julianna stated.

  “No, they are dying out,” said Hatch, waving one of his tentacles in the air at her. “I read the report, so I know. But you want to survive and not be killed either. Fire will burn these monsters, and it will also scare the hell out of them. Just depends on how you play things. Strategy is your game. Mine is weapons.”

  “Which is why we make a great team,” stated Eddie, eyeing the fire blaster contraption.

  “The tank straps on your back. I have exactly three fire blasters, so you should be set,” stated Hatch, right as Lars entered the work area.

  Eddie waved the Kezzin over. He’d been ordered to report to them once it was clear they’d need extra forces on the mission. He’d be fully briefed in later. Lars was a quick study. He could join a mission halfway through orientation and do fine.

  “As I was saying,” Hatch continued, “All you have to do is strap on the tank, hold the hose in the direction of the target, and fire.” One of Hatch’s tentacles pointed the nozzle at the first statue, which was roughly fifteen feet away. Another tentacle pulled a lever on the bottom of the tank, which would be easy to access when it was strapped to ones back.

  Fire shot from the end of the hose and across the space. It enveloped the statue of a nondescript man, covering it in seconds. Hatch released the lever and the fire disappeared at once. Before anyone could say a word, he pivoted the nozzle an inch to the right and pulled the trigger again, taking out the second statue stationed a few feet over and back from the first. Then not turning the lever to off, he swerved the hose to the third statue. Fire trailed between the two statues until the last one was engulfed. Hatch released the lever and turned matter-of-factly to the group.

  “Any questions?” he asked, looking to be suppressing a proud smile.

  “Aim and shoot. I think I got this,” said Eddie, walking over and eagerly taking the fire blaster from Hatch.

  “Just remember… You can cook your dinner with this fire or you can cook yourself,” warned Hatch.

  “The only thing I plan on roasting is the enemy,” said Eddie, giving him a sly wink.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Alpha-line Q-Ship, Planet Klamath, Behemoth System

  “I don’t understand why you always get to fly the good ship,” Eddie said over the comm, pretending to sound bitter.

  “Because I’m older,” stated Julianna, focusing on the snow-covered terrain below them. “Besides, Hatch says he’s close to having another Alpha-line Q-Ship ready for us.”

  “Then this bad boy will be yours, Carnivore,” said Eddie to Lars over the comm.

  Lars had made incredible progress on the Q-Ship simulators. He wasn’t just an excellent pilot, but was also proving to be a solid decisionmaker when in battle. That wasn’t always easy when enemy fire was coming at you.

  “Pip has identified the area behind those caves on the eastern side to be the best place to land,” explained Julianna.

  “Why is he not talking to me? I thought he could interface through the ships,” Eddie asked.

  Should I tell him that you don’t want to share me? asked Pip in Julianna’s head.

  I never said that, she grumbled.

  No, but you’re thinking it.

  I’m not either. I’m only trying to keep things organized, and having you in the captain’s head simply doesn’t make sense.

  Are you sure you’re not afraid it would erase the walls? You’ve spent many decades building those iron clad walls. What if we break them down? What if we—

  Have you deleted, said Julianna, cutting Pip off.

  I can’t be so easily deleted.

  Can’t you? Let’s find out.

  Julianna landed the cloaked ship on a cushion of snow. Everything on Klamath was covered in a soft blanket of ice. It was kind of beautiful, if one could forget that eight-foot monsters owned the planet and liked to tear the heads off anything they came across.

  Julianna zipped up the thermal jacket she’d been given by Hatch. It had almost made her sweat inside the Q-Ship, but she suspected it wouldn’t feel so hot when she stepped onto Klamath’s arctic terrain.

  She had Pip lower the hatch and spied Lars and Eddie walking out of the hatch of their own ship. Julianna knelt over and pulled the flamethrower from the floor. She strapped it on and reinforced it into place, holding the nozzle with her right hand.

  “Ready to burn shit up?” Eddie asked when she joined them. Each of their footsteps had left prints behind marking their trek from the cloaked Q-Ships. It was fine though, since they had a short jaunt between the landing area and where the Special Forces were rumored to be stationed.

  “Almost,” she said, holding up a hand to Eddie. Lars stood beside him,
surveying the whiteness around them, his eyes intense.

  Pip, inform the Black Eagles of our location. We’re heading in and will need coverage from the sky, Julianna said in her head.

  I’m already on it. Black Eagles in place and ready for your command, stated Pip.

  Thanks. We’re headed into the mouth of the beast.

  As always, be careful.

  Julianna nodded, taking a steadying breath. Each mission was different, with its own unique challenges. One might think that after two hundred years it got easier, but that wasn’t how battle worked. Each day was unique, and so was each fight. It’s the soldier who took this uniqueness for granted who was most in danger. Complacency was the greatest weakness.

  “All right, let’s go,” said Julianna, taking the lead position. “Look alive.”

  ~~~

  Julianna marched through the snow a few paces ahead of Eddie and Lars. Their boots crunched loudly, and the sound echoed off the hills ahead of them. In the distance there was a stand of trees. Marilla had explained that these were known as shelter belts. They appeared all over this land, and created barriers for the habitable areas.

  Pointing to the shelter belt, Julianna made eye contact with Eddie. He nodded in agreement before she ambled forward.

  The air was thick with moisture, and it was so cold that it burned Eddie’s cheeks and nose. There was no breeze, though, and for that he was glad. The sky was a dull gray, but the brightness of the snow and ice made him squint. Their jackets and thermal pants matched the snow, making them blend easily into their surroundings.

  A rustling sound made all three freeze. Julianna held up a hand, pausing them. They were between two snow hills, with prairie in front of them.

  The rustling increased, sounding like a man or an alien or an animal was approaching on the other side of the hill. Julianna turned, aiming the flamethrower in the direction of the noise.

  Eddie watched as her shoulders tensed. She was hyper-alert, even more so than usual. Something about this snow planet had her on edge, and he thought it had to do with him. Maybe he was reading too much into it, though.

  More noise, but louder than before. Whatever was on the other side of the hill was close. Then something as white as the snow hopped out. It took Eddie a moment to register what he was seeing. The small round bunny-like animal paused. It stared up at the three poised soldiers, its enormous brown eyes wide with curiosity. The creature was larger than most rabbits—about the size of a basketball. Its pointed ears stuck straight up.

  “Oh, fuck,” whispered Julianna. She relaxed a bit, lowering the nozzle of her flamethrower.

  “Don’t shoot the poor little bunny,” teased Eddie.

  Julianna cast a look of agreement over her shoulder. “That bunny almost got wasted.”

  One of the bunny’s ears twitched and then swiveled to take in a noise. Eddie’s enhanced hearing also told him that something else was approaching. Maybe a pack of bunnies? Then they’d be overwhelmed with cuteness.

  The bunny’s head jerked to the side and it darted the opposite direction, hopping more furiously than when it had appeared.

  Julianna looked back at Eddie, her expression tentative. As she was turning back around, a wolf sprang from behind the hill. The animal halted in the spot where the bunny had been and sniffed the snow. Then, noticing the three, he lifted his head and bared his teeth at them, growling deep in his throat. He had thick white and gray fur and was twice the size of Harley, who was a pretty large dog—or at least Eddie had thought so.

  Julianna reached for the lever on the bottom of the flamethrower. Her movements were careful to avoid spooking the wolf.

  “What are you doing?” hissed Eddie.

  “Getting rid of an animal who wants to eat us,” said Julianna in a quiet voice.

  The wolf took a step forward, growling louder.

  “It’s just a wolf. Remember what Marilla said…endangered species?” said Eddie.

  “Do you have a fucking bone? Because I’m fresh out,” said Julianna.

  A loud rustling filled the air. The wolf animal turned, looking in the direction it had come. Then a pack of wolves ran out from behind the hill. The new arrivals halted, having caught the sight of the three. The scout hopped at the wolf in the front. It was as if he were saying, “Look what I found.”

  “Fuck,” Julianna whispered. “Can I fire at them or do you want to pet one of these dogs?”

  The wolves advanced, making the three shuffle back a few steps. The beasts’ intent was clear. They were hungry, and the team would feed them for days.

  “No, fuck these mutts. Fire away!” yelled Eddie. He stepped forward, so he was beside Julianna. Lars did the same, so they formed a wall.

  Julianna pulled the lever. Fire shot from her weapon, but she had aimed it downward. The effect was immediate. The wolves retreated behind the hill at once, unharmed by the heat that had melted the snow in front of them. She released the lever to cut off the stream.

  “So, you do have a heart,” said Eddie, looking at her with a proud smile.

  “I figured I didn’t have to roast them. Just get them to retreat,” said Julianna. She trudged forward, stomping through the new puddle of water, and after a cursory glance around she let out a sigh of relief. “All clear.”

  Eddie caught up with her easily. “Wonder what other animals are waiting out there to eat us?”

  “Besides Mamaths? Something tells me there are all sorts of fierce creatures on this planet,” said Julianna.

  “You good?” Eddie asked the Kezzin. He noticed Lars was shivering, even though he was wearing thermal clothing like theirs.

  Lars nodded, his pointy teeth ramming together as he violently shivered. “I’m fine. Kezzin aren’t really equipped for the cold.”

  “Will you be all right?” asked Eddie.

  “I’ll be fine. I just need to get moving,” said Lars.

  “Agreed,” said Eddie. He pointed to the shelter belt. “From the air it looked like there was a camp set up over there.”

  “Let’s hope it’s our Special Ops team,” said Julianna, taking the lead again and hiking in that direction.

  An explosion shook the ground, and a plume of smoke blossomed over the trees. Julianna spun, giving Eddie a cautious look. Lately they mostly communicated with looks rather than words.

  He nodded, and they both sprang into action, sprinting across the snow, toward the belt. It became denser halfway through the pasture, almost up to their knees.

  “Hey!” yelled Lars from behind them. He aimed his flamethrower at the ground and pulled the lever and the snow instantly melted, making the trek in front of him easier.

  “Good idea,” said Eddie. He relished the idea of using the flamethrower for the first time. He pulled the lever and fire roared from the nozzle like a stream of water. It melted the snow in front of them, and when he’d taken care of the next twenty feet they took off running as he kept the stream of fire flowing continuously. The path was slushy, but much easier to traverse.

  Julianna sprinted the last few yards and then threw her back against a tree. The explosions had continued, and were now joined by gunfire.

  “Sounds like we got here at the right time,” said Eddie from beside her.

  “Or the wrong time, depending on your perspective,” she agreed.

  Three Black Eagles streaked overhead, racing toward the explosions. A moment later Julianna said, “The Mamaths have the squadron surrounded. They are backed up to the shelter belt.”

  “Okay, then let’s spread out,” said Eddie. “Lars, you head south, and I’ll go north. Jules, you stay here. We’ll head through the trees and come out on the other end, with our flamethrowers blazing. We need to get to them before it’s too late.”

  Lars nodded.

  Julianna only stared, a tentative look in her eyes. “Be careful. Don’t do anything stupid,” she said after a short moment.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” said Eddie, spinning around and sprinting no
rth, through the trees.

  ~~~

  The shelter belt was thick, about fifteen yards of closely-positioned evergreens. Still, Julianna could see blasts from the explosions ahead through the trees.

  We’re going to try and push the Mamaths back. The Black Eagles need to support our efforts once they are far enough from the camp, she said to Pip.

  Copy that. It appears that the Mamaths found this spot just now, surprising the platoon.

  Maintain a visual from above and let me know if anything changes.

  You mean, watch your back?

  Exactly.

  Julianna crouched so she could brush through the tree branches more easily. It was warmer in the shelter belt, but not by much. It was also like pushing through an overstocked closet of prickly clothes.

  Soldiers were darting into the trees ahead. They had been pushed back as far as they could go. These guys would be sorely grateful for this surprise visit.

  “Hey!” she yelled to a guy three trees in front of her, and he spun around, with a rifle in his hands and fear in his eyes. He squinted at her for several seconds. It took him a moment to register what he was seeing.

  “We’re with the Federation. Here to help you out,” she yelled.

  Relief flooded the guy’s face. “You aren’t a moment too soon.”

  A loud explosion rocked the ground. Both Julianna and the soldier ducked to protect their faces from the debris that flooded the shelter belt. A second blast sent a heat wave into them. The explosions were probably keeping the Mamaths back, but apparently weren’t enough.

  “Where’s the brunt of the attack coming from?” asked Julianna, scooting up beside the soldier.

  He pointed at a clearing she could plainly see from where she was sitting. The Federation troops were hunkered down behind crates and half-destroyed tents. The Mamaths, which were much more menacing in person, thundered through the camp. They tore through tents with flicks of their wrists. The giants were impossibly tall, almost towering over the trees around them.