The Col Sec Chronicles Box Set

by Jan Domagala

  Storm and Hawk opened fire on the plasma cannons on the troop carrier. Solon was only using the one situated on the underside of the craft, as he couldn’t target the Ground Hauler properly from his position in the air with the topmost cannon. This made it difficult for Cowboy, who was piloting the shuttle, because he had to drop it down below the troop carrier slightly so that his men could target the lower cannon more accurately.

  The plasma fire from the two assault rifles hammered into the plasma cannon immediately destroying it. It caused a fireball as it exploded, pushing the troop carrier higher up into the air.

  Hacker missed with his first salvo aimed at the pilot’s cockpit as the craft was pushed upwards by the explosion on its underside, but keeping his wits about him he tracked his target with his assault rifle and kept firing until his shots landed on target. The plasma bolts burst through the Plexiglas windscreen of the troop carrier killing the pilot in a shower of blood and gore.

  Immediately the craft lurched and shuddered in mid-air as the death of the pilot meant all control of the craft was lost. Swiftly the co-pilot regained control, pulling it up moments before it crashed into the uneven ground below. As it was held it in a hover, General Solon saw the shuttle to their side and turned the remaining plasma cannon on top of the troop carrier around ninety degrees to aim at their attacker.

  Storm saw the action and screamed at his teammate, “Take evasive action NOW!”

  Cowboy steered the shuttle, banking the craft away just as General Solon let loose with a salvo from the plasma cannon.

  “Get us back around on that troop carrier, we have to stop it,” Hawk said through his NI to Cowboy.

  * * * * *

  Stryder wrestled with the controls of the huge ground vehicle after it hit the ground once more. There was a fire in the rear section that had almost been totally destroyed by the plasma bolts from the troop carrier.

  He knew he would have to get out of it and soon. There was a real danger of it all blowing up with him still in it.

  “I might need a lift a bit sooner than I thought,” Stryder said through his NI to Hawk.

  “We’re working on that as we speak Cap, we’re trying to get this troop carrier off your tail but it’s proving a bit of a nuisance,” Hawk replied through the same medium.

  “This Ground Hauler is about to blow, if you can force it down close to me, the blast when it does go should take care of it for the both of us,” Stryder suggested.

  “Good idea, I’ll see what I can do,” Hawk said, relaying what had been said to the rest of the team and a plan was rapidly formulated.

  Stryder kept the huge vehicle on as straight a path as he could, mindful of the time running out for the facility and for the Ground Hauler. It was getting dangerously close to the time when the fusion reactor back at the base went critical and wiped out everything around it. He knew he had to finish this as fast as he could and get off the planet with the Marines who had risked their lives to rescue him.

  Norsky was out of the picture. He was in no doubt he had been killed by his own men when he was thrown clear from the vehicle, then blasted by the plasma cannon. All that was left to do was take care of General Solon who was in the troop carrier above him and he could do that with the vehicle, but he had to get off first.

  Setting the autopilot, he opened the door and grabbed the rim above and pulled himself up onto the roof of the huge vehicle.

  “Okay guys do your stuff but be quick!” he said through his NI, hoping they could force the troop carrier down close enough for his plan to work or he could end up staying here with the rest of those doomed to die when the fusion reactor blew.

  * * * * *

  “Cowboy, position us over the troop carrier, right over the top of her and stay there, don’t let her grab any air,” Hawk shouted through to the pilot’s station.

  Cowboy steered the shuttle down over the top of the craft in question right over the plasma cannon and, as it had a limited elevation for the barrels, where they sat was the safest place to be. The plasma cannon’s barrels could rotate three hundred and sixty degrees but only had an elevation of forty-five degrees.

  * * * * *

  “Get me a clear shot at that shuttle,” bellowed the General, even though he was seated close by the co-pilot. The air rushed in at them through the shattered Plexiglas windscreen as they powered forwards gradually being forced lower and lower.

  “I can’t, sir, she’s sitting right on top of us. I can’t take us higher without crashing into the shuttle.”

  “Then crash into it, just get us up and away from that Hauler, she’s about to blow,” Solon said as he watched the flames on the ground vehicle begin to reach the engine compartment just beneath the driver’s cab.

  * * * * *

  “Don’t let them gain any altitude till I tell you to move, okay Cowboy. When I say move, take us away from here and as fast as you can, is that clear?” Hawk said.

  “As crystal, sir! Holding her steady until you say otherwise,” Cowboy replied.

  Hawk turned to Storm and with a smile said, “It’s about to get interesting.”

  * * * * *

  Stryder saw the troop carrier try to gain some altitude and knew his time was running out. He had to move and fast. He saw his opportunity and braced himself. Crouching down with his powerful legs bunched beneath him like coiled springs, he hurled himself upwards towards the troop carrier almost ten feet above him.

  He timed his jump so that he caught hold of the landing strut closest to him, wrapping his arms around it and swinging his right leg up to throw that over it too, to secure his hold. He pulled himself up so that he was standing, albeit in a crouched position, on the horizontal strut. He then proceeded to clamber up the outside of the troop carrier.

  As he reached the top he sank down so he was the same height as the plasma cannon. He needed to crouch down as the shuttle was close by and the downward thrust from its engines threatened to throw him from his precarious perch.

  “You need to move off slightly so I can come aboard and quickly as the Ground Hauler will blow any second,” he said through the link initiated by his NI.

  As Cowboy brought the shuttle away a short distance the troop carrier instantly started to climb and Stryder was pressed down onto the roof. Then, at that precise moment, the vehicle beneath it exploded in a cataclysmic fireball.

  The co-pilot of the troop carrier vainly attempted to outrun the fireball and the occupants of the shuttle watched helplessly as fire engulfed the craft tearing and destroying everything and everyone on board.

  “Holy shit,” exclaimed Hawk as he saw the event unfold before his very eyes and he knew that they had failed in their mission.

  Just then, the fireball expanded outwards even more, as if something was pushing through from deep within the interior. Then a figure, engulfed in flames, came bursting through screaming at the top of his lungs flying straight at them. Their first instinct was to back off in fear, but then they all realised at the same time just who the figure was.

  “Stryder!” Hawk said incredulously. They all watched as he leapt from the troop carrier, which by that time was completely engulfed in the exploding fireball, to themselves a distance of over twenty-odd feet and getting wider with every second as Cowboy banked the shuttle away to avoid being blown up.

  On the flight deck Cowboy felt the shuttle being hit by something and asked, “What the hell was that?” He received no answer, as the others were all busy helping the unrecognisable form of Stryder on board through the shuttle doors.

  Their own combat suits were flame-retardant and afforded them some protection against the living torch that was Kurt Stryder. His screams of pain were almost unbearable to them, but being the true professionals they undoubtedly were they set about the task of dousing the flames that were eating away at his flesh.

  “Go, go, go!” screamed Hawk to Cowboy. “Get us the hell out of here.” The young Marine needed no further encouragement, he steered the shuttl
e away from the exploding vehicle and up into the skies heading towards the ship in which they had arrived.

  Inside the shuttle the flames had been extinguished and they kneeled by the smoking ruin that was the man they had come to rescue. Each one was deep in thought thinking about what he had gone through in his last moments before life had left him.

  So close, they had come so close to succeeding only to have victory snatched from their grasp in the very last few seconds.

  Hawk was about to say something, lend words to the thoughts in all of their minds, when Stryder suddenly took in a sharp intake of breath, like a swimmer breaking through the surface of the water to take that first satisfying breath. He opened his eyes and then the miracle happened once more, right before their eyes.

  Flesh started to heal at an alarming rate, blistered and burnt flesh started to regenerate, hair began to grow again and within seconds he was returning to a more recognisable figure.

  After a few minutes, while the three Marines watched in total fascination, Stryder sat up and smiled at them, he was totally renewed.

  “Boy, was that hot!” he said.

  “And that’s why Sinclair wanted you brought back,” Hawk said finally truly understanding the importance of the naked man sitting before them.

  “Yea, he has suspicions about my party trick, but he doesn’t know just how well his little experiment worked. I was trying to keep that little fact from him for as long as I could. Guess that idea’s out now that you boys have seen what I can do,” Stryder said with some remorse.

  Storm glanced at Hawk with a look that said – it’s your call.

  Hawk looked at Storm, then Hacker, before finally turning back at Stryder. With a blank expression he said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about Cap. I’ve seen nothing. How about you two?”

  Storm and Hacker both said in unison, “I’ve seen nothing either.”

  “Let’s see if we can find you something to wear then let’s get you home,” Hawk said as he got to his feet.

  Stryder looked at Storm and said, “Did Sinclair ask for you personally to come here because of your knowledge regarding what happened on Research Station Five?”

  “As far as I know Captain Hawk asked for me and the team personally. He said you’d feel more comfortable with us coming, seeing as how we were there when the experiment went sour.”

  “I think Captain Hawk knows quite a bit more than he’s letting on,” Stryder observed as he got to his feet. Just then Hawk returned with some clothes he’d found in a locker in the storage section.

  “Here, don’t know if they’ll fit but it’s got to be better than nothing,” Hawk said as he tossed the bundle to him.

  “I’d love to see Sinclair’s face though if we returned with you as we found you,” joked Hacker.

  “Everyone brace yourselves!” Stryder said with a sense of urgency. The three of them turned to look at him in confusion as he was gripping the webbing attached to the side of the shuttle used to secure any cargo.

  When it hit, the shockwave threw the small craft end over end and the three others had to scramble to grab hold of anything to prevent being dashed against the bulkhead.

  “The fusion reactor just blew!” shouted Cowboy above the din inside the shuttle.

  “How the fuck did you know that?” Hawk wanted to know as he struggled to hold onto the webbing alongside him.

  “He’s tied into the computer down there, or was until it blew apart,” Hacker said before Stryder had time to reply.

  After a while, once the immense shockwave had washed over them, Cowboy got the shuttle back under control and had her on an even keel as he continued their journey up towards the transport they had arrived in.

  “There will be other craft escaping same as us as they evacuate whoever was left in the facility, so be careful Cowboy, it could get a little crowded,” Storm said to his teammate.

  “What happened down there?” asked Hawk.

  “They tried to duplicate the results of the experiment,” was all that Stryder would say at first.

  “And did they?” prompted Hawk. “Sinclair will want to know,” he added.

  “They manufactured what they thought was the serum and administered it to five Marines.”

  “I’m assuming they didn’t survive that explosion down there.”

  “They didn’t get the chance, I killed them before the serum had any chance to take effect.”

  “What about Hardy, you said she died?”

  “Yes, they killed her, said she was expendable so I killed them too. I’d have killed them anyway once I knew they’d been given the serum. I couldn’t take the chance that the Alliance had the capability of making soldiers with my ability. I would have destroyed the facility too but our fight took care of that. I also destroyed any samples of the serum they had left and the destruction of the facility has taken care of any chance they may have had of replicating their findings.”

  “Who was that guy you threw out of the Ground Hauler?”

  “He was the guy who brought Hardy and me here. I think he had a soft spot for her and when he found out they were going to terminate her, he released her. She persuaded him to release me too, so I knocked him out and made our bid to escape. He took it badly and somehow got them to give him the serum too. It was beginning to work on him as we fought, but General Solon took care of him with the plasma cannon when he was trying to stop me, and then of course the explosion of the reactor will have finished off any chance of him recovering. I don’t think it had had the time to affect his immune system as it has mine. So that just leaves me with the full effects of the serum.”

  “Sinclair will be pleased,” Hacker said.

  “He must never find out. As far as I’m concerned everyone who knew about the experiment died in that explosion down there, which just leaves those present. If General Sinclair finds out that it was a success to the extent it is, then he would put me in a lab under close guard while they did endless tests on me to learn just what had happened so they could reproduce the effects in countless others. I can’t let that happen. I won’t let that happen,” Stryder said vehemently.

  “I can understand why you wouldn’t want that to happen, but just think of the advantage that we could gain over the Alliance,” Hawk posited.

  “And just who are we to say that we should? The status quo exists between us at the moment. How many do you think would die if they could make more like me? If Sinclair could make an army like me who could heal on the battlefield, do you honestly believe he wouldn’t put it to use? There would be war, total all-out war in which the Alliance would be routed. Once they saw what we could do, what do you think their response would be? Lay down their arms in surrender or fight to the bitter end? Whatever they did, the outcome would be the same, more and more deaths. I don’t know about you, but I can’t have that on my conscience.”

  “What do you suggest? As we’ve seen you come back from being roasted alive it’s not like you can kill yourself to prevent them doing all the things you said. What do you intend doing?” Hacker asked.

  “There’s only one thing I can do really, and that’s carry on as if it didn’t happen,” Stryder answered.

  “How do you mean?” Hawk asked.

  “All along I insisted that the experiment was a failure. I just need to continue with that argument and until they get undeniable proof to the contrary there’s nothing they can do,” Stryder explained. He looked at each of them to gauge their reaction.

  Storm said, “Well as far as I know, you were damned lucky you got off that troop carrier before the Ground Hauler exploded or you might not have survived.”

  “Yep, damned lucky,” Hawk added with a smile.

  “Coming up on the Hyperion,” Cowboy said as they cleared the atmosphere of Toldax.

  “Let’s get back to the flight deck, we’re not out of this yet and it could get a little hairy,” Hawk said leading the way forward.

  “Commander Park we’ll be coming up to
your location soon. Please be prepared to drop your stealth shield so we can come aboard,” Hawk said through a combat channel.

  “We’ll be waiting, Captain. We’ve been monitoring the section and travel has become quite congested as the evacuation of the facility got under way,” Park replied.

  “I’m expecting that as soon as you drop the stealth shield you will become a target. Once we’re on board make the jump to hyperspace.”

  “We have the coordinates already locked into the computer, weapons systems are being manned and we’re ready to take you on board on your command Captain.”

  “That’s good to hear Commander, stand ready on my mark,” Hawk said. Then he asked Cowboy, “How soon?”

  “Now!”

  “Mark!” Hawk said through his NI and almost instantly an outline of a starship began to coalesce in front of them, taking shape from the inky blackness of space until it was fully formed and they recognised the Hyperion.

  “Ready to take you on board Captain Hawk,” Commander Park said, his voice carrying clearly through to the shuttle.

  Just as the shuttle made her run to the freighter’s docking bay, some of the other craft in the area noticed what was happening. Commands were issued through the ether and a plan of action was formed.

  Two starships veered off from their flight plan and took on an attack vector. Their target was the Hyperion.

  “We have two craft coming in hot Cap, suggest you get on board as fast as you can, things are about to get interesting,” Commander Park said.

  “You heard the man, Cowboy, let’s see just how good a pilot you are,” Hawk said to the man seated before him.

  “Hang on to your balls,” Cowboy said as he applied full thrust to the engines sending the shuttle hurtling towards the freighter at an alarming speed.

  Plasma blasts from the two attacking starships began to explode all around them as the two crafts closed.

  The Hyperion was the main target of the attack but when the attacking ships realised what was happening the shuttle too became a target.