Book Read Free

The Col Sec Chronicles Box Set

Page 66

by Jan Domagala


  “Good shooting Mikal, now get me that last one so we can get out of here before they decide to throw anything else at us,” Saladar said.

  “Do my best Boss,” Danovic said as he switched targets to the attack craft leaving the planet.

  “Make sure you only disable her Mikal, it would be a pity if we killed the person we’re here to rescue, it would be incredibly difficult to explain too and we wouldn’t get paid either,” Saladar added.

  “I’m on it Jared, calm down,” Danovic said then he fired the pulse cannons.

  When the pulsed plasma bolts struck the engines of the escaping attack craft her forward momentum slowed but not completely as inertia kept it moving forward.

  “What the fuck just happened?” Tarkovic shouted as the craft suddenly slowed.

  Aswan was sitting in the passenger section in the mid section of the craft more frightened than he’d been since the very first attack on the Colonial Queen. He had been bound with magna cuffs and strapped into his seat and when the engines cut out, he thought they were all going to die.

  “We’re dead in space sir, our engines have been targeted,” replied the pilot.

  “What are you going to do with me?” Aswan asked. He had lost any confidence he may have had that he would get out of this alive. He was certain he would die, either at the hands of these Outlaws or by those who were attacking, he wasn’t sure but whatever the case, it didn’t matter, either way, dead was dead.

  “Don’t worry Prince, we’ll look after you well enough. You’re worth quite a lot to us so you’re in good hands,” replied Tarkovic who turned back to the pilot to ask, “Who the hell is attacking us?”

  “A starship arrived while we were down on the planet, not sure who they are yet, there’s no registration numbers or ID on the craft that I can make out sir, sorry,” replied the pilot.

  Suddenly a series of bangs were heard down the length of the small craft. Everyone’s eyes followed each loud bang.

  “Grapples!” Tarkovic stated after recognising the sounds. It could only mean one thing.

  They were about to be taken aboard the larger starship.

  *****

  In the ready room, Sinclair sat at the table and ushered Matt to sit too. Once they were both comfortable, Sinclair accessed a subspace com channel between himself and his opposite number in the Elysium Alliance, General Lokar Tillic.

  “General Sinclair, to what do I owe the pleasure of a personal call from you, some disaster looming no doubt?” Tillic said once the call was connected.

  Sinclair was struck by the man’s directness at first then said, “I agree, people in our line of work do not tend to socialise with our opposite numbers but why would you imply that there would have to be some trouble looming before I called to wish you well in your new position?”

  “Before you go any further, General, did you think I wouldn’t know where you’re calling from? Why are you out at the Tartaran Battlefield?” Tillic said with his voice taking on a hard edge.

  “A situation has developed out here.”

  “And that required you taking the Odyssey out there did it? You do know you’re in violation of the treaty?” Tillic was dumbstruck that he was even having this conversation.

  “This situation is complicated.”

  “Not from where I’m sitting, you’re in violation of an interstellar treaty, the ramifications of which are too severe to even think about,” Tillic snapped interrupting, yet again.

  “Well if you climb down from your moral high ground long enough, you might see things a little clearer,” Sinclair said calmly.

  “See things clearer? I can see things clear enough General.”

  “Why are Black Knights listed as KIA out here posing as Outlaws with high spec tec and munitions? When you have that answer, call me back,” Sinclair said then broke the connection.

  “That sounded intense sir,” observed Matt who had been linked to the call to act as witness.

  “It was, give him five minutes, he’ll call back,” Sinclair said.

  *****

  Colonel De Boer and ‘C’ Platoon were aboard two shuttles, De Boer was in one with half of ‘C’ Platoon whilst Captain Mayfield was in the other with the rest of the marines. In that way should one of the shuttles be damaged or shot down, all would not be lost as, half of them would survive and the mission could continue.

  “Are you ready?” De Boer said to Mayfield over the battle com.

  “Let’s do this sir,” came the reply.

  De Boer gave the command, and the two shuttles dropped like stones from the docking bays and the pilots fired the main engines at maximum burn as they powered toward the planet followed by four Nova fighters as escort.

  *****

  “Artie, we need a way out of here, now,” Riley said, he knew the AI was monitoring their com’s so there would be no need to contact him, he was also monitoring their life signs and the area they were entering and their surroundings so he could give ‘live’ updates.

  The group had pushed toward the back of the room. Kurt was facing the beast as it came, slinking slowly into the room, its head down as it eyed it’s intended prey.

  Vance, Cooper and Torres had fanned out to make it harder for the beast to pick just one target. Riley was in the centre of the group with Natasha close behind him. Despite their differences and various relationship issues they naturally came together when times got tough with Natasha seeking comfort from his protection which, he freely, unthinkingly gave.

  Kurt, knowing what he was capable of took on the role of guardian of these people. Remembering what his father had said to him that for evil to triumph all that was required was for good men to do nothing. It had been his reason for joining Col Sec and it was his reason why now, he would not allow harm to come to them.

  With these roles clearly defined, they took action as a team.

  Kurt fired his Sig P996 at the creature while it was still in the process of entering the room. Half of its body was in the room, with them, so that when the pulsed plasma bolt struck the creatures head and blew it apart the creature dropped where it was on top of the first dead creature.

  “Let’s hope that gives them something to think about,” Kurt said as the two dead creatures caused a bit of a blockage.

  The AI’s voice made the team start, “There is a hatch in the ceiling behind you that leads to a ducting that runs the length of the corridor. It has many exits and is large enough for you to travel through,” Artie said.

  “Right guys, get moving,” Riley said urgently.

  “You get going, I’ll keep an eye on the door just in case any more of those cats try to get in here,” Kurt said.

  “Coop, see if you can find the hatch Artie mentioned,” Riley said.

  “I’m on it,” Cooper said and within moments, he had the hatch cover off. He’d put a chair under it so they could climb up into the ducting.

  “Right people, let’s move it, you first Cooper. Once you get up there help Natasha, then the rest okay?” Riley said.

  “On my way Boss,” Cooper replied as he got on the chair, passed his weapons to Natasha then grabbed the edge of the hatchway and hauled himself up. Once up there he lay on his stomach, his head and shoulders in the open hatchway. Natasha passed up the rifle then Cooper helped her climb up to lie alongside him.

  “Move it people, these things are getting braver by the second,” Kurt urged as he kept his attention firmly on the doorway and the cat creatures moving around in the corridor. The creatures deep-throated growls were menacing and jangled on the nerves of those inside the room.

  Suddenly, one of the creatures bounded over the two dead pack members already partly blocking the entrance and straight into the room. It crouched down on its haunches and bared its impressive array of teeth, and roared.

  “We’ve just run out of time,” Kurt said tracking the creature with his Sig. He had the creature, head down in his sights but he had to divide his attention between the creature before him,
ready to attack and the doorway as he watched for others to join this one.

  Cooper, Natasha and then Vance were all in the hatch leaving Riley, Torres and Kurt to face the creature whilst they attempted to join their team members in the ducting and safety.

  The cat stared at Kurt then slowly, with another growl rumbling deep in its throat it looked at Riley then Torres. It seemed to be sizing up each one as a threat. Obviously, Kurt was the biggest threat as he had already killed two of their pack so it returned its gaze to him and roared.

  “That doesn’t look good,” commented Riley.

  “Looks like it has a real hard on for you Kurt,” Torres said.

  “You two get to the hatch now, and then give me cover fire when I try to join you,” Kurt said dismissing the comment.

  “I’m not leaving you...” Riley started to say.

  “Get moving Jake, I can handle this, trust me, but you have to move, now,” Kurt argued.

  Riley looked at Kurt trying to read him, could he trust him in a situation like this? Were the rumours about his abilities true? Did the serum he had been injected with help him achieve the potential the scientists wanted or was that a rumour too? If any of it was true then perhaps some of the abilities attributed to him may have been passed to Riley and the rest of the Wildfire Team he thought.

  Finally, he decided there was only one way to find out.

  “Okay Torres, move it,” Riley said.

  Torres sprinted to the back of the room where she was hoisted up through the hatch by those already inside. The instant she made her move, the cat creature pounced high into the air only to be shot down by both Kurt and Riley.

  “Move, now,” shouted Kurt. Another creature entered the room, followed by yet another as the pack surged forward.

  Riley sprinted to the rear of the large room vaulting onto a tabletop then using the height advantage, fired behind him at the creatures pouring through the doorway.

  Kurt was backpedalling, firing as he went, killing anything that came at him but even with his hyper accelerated reflexes he struggled to keep up with the speed of the creatures.

  Their feline grace of movement, coupled with their size gave them an inhuman speed so that when each cat creature entered the room it moved, not directly for Kurt as was expected, but rather away from him drawing his aim with it enabling more of their brethren to gain access to the room.

  It displayed an intelligence that bordered on human levels and was, to say the least, troubling.

  Riley reached the hatch and jumped up off the chair beneath it, caught hold of the edge and hauled himself up with relative ease.

  Kurt was still only half way to the hatch and was surrounded by the cat creatures with more pouring through the doorway.

  Firing left and right he calmly shot each creature that came within striking range keeping a perimeter around him that was clear of danger.

  “Come on Kurt, hurry,” shouted Riley as he looked through the hatch.

  Kurt had been firing steadily for several seconds and the charge in his battery clip was almost empty.

  “I need to reload, cover me,” he said and without replying, Riley began firing his Remm assault rifle at the creatures. This give Kurt time to reach into his shoulder holster, take out a fresh battery clip, eject the spent one into the palm of the hand holding the fresh one, then switch them so he could inject the fresh one into the butt of the pistol. He replaced the spent clip into the charging pouch on his holster then jacked the slide on the Sig to prime the clip and he was good to go. Time taken, one point three seconds, a well-practised manoeuvre learned through hours of training with Recon Delta aided now by enhanced speed and reflexes.

  Kurt was still backpedalling toward the exit in the ceiling as he dared not to turn his back on the creatures or they would undoubtedly overrun him. Riley shot a creature in midair to Kurt’s right as it pounced at him while Kurt’s attention was on killing the creature to his left, another sign of their intelligence, working as a group, sacrificing one for the betterment of the group

  They were overrunning his position, with every backwards step Kurt made; the creatures gained an extra foot or so.

  “You’re not gonna make it,” Riley muttered after a quick mental assessment of the situation.

  “I know,” Kurt replied. Riley was shocked, there was no way he should be able to hear that and yet, clearly he had. Before Riley could comment, Kurt said, “Throw me your knife.”

  Without thinking, he reached for the combat knife strapped to his forearm, unsnapped the clasps then tossed it down to Kurt who, plucked it out of the air without diverting his attention from the creatures around him.

  Pulsed plasma bolts flashed through the air striking the creatures as they ran and pounced at their intended prey. Blood splashed and sprayed from mortal wounds as the high intensity energy blasts struck their targets.

  A claw sliced down Kurt’s arm opening a savage gash down his bicep. The sleeve of his jacket flapped open where the claw had torn both material and flesh.

  Kurt grimaced through the pain but managed to keep hold of his Sig and slashed his combat knife across the throat of the creature that had attacked him as it reared up to attack once more.

  Blood sprayed out from the arterial wound as the creature collapsed at Kurt’s feet.

  More and more the cats came closer with their strikes. Kurt had to duck and weave as he tried to get away

  A claw raked his back slicing open his jacket and he arched his back from the sudden pain. His jacket in tatters he quickly tore it from him and threw it into the face of the nearest creature then thrust the knife deep into its throat. The blade penetrated the soft flesh of the neck right up to the knife’s hilt. Blood sprayed down onto Kurt’s hand coating his arm making his grip on the knife slick.

  Riley saw all this and continued to fire down at the eight-legged creatures. He watched as Kurt was cut and brutalised on his way to the hatch, saw his body immediately heal and began to understand the certain skill set he had mentioned earlier.

  Kurt cut, stabbed, slashed and shot his way to the hatch and finally reached it standing beneath it, covered in blood, his Sig P996 in one hand, the combat knife in the other, surrounded by the dead bodies of the creatures. On his way Kurt and Riley, had killed enough of them to cover the floor.

  Kurt was breathing hard from his exertions, which he soon got under control. He looked up at Riley who stared at him in amazement.

  “I’m impressed,” he said.

  “Don’t be, this was nothing,” Kurt replied and after he had climbed into the hatch he added, “Just remember, this never happened.”

  As Riley looked at him, Kurt glanced through the hatch and said, “I loved that jacket.”

  39

  “General Sinclair it seems I owe you an apology,” Tillic said when the subspace com link was re-established.

  “Why is that General?” asked Sinclair.

  “It seems I wasn’t in possession of all the facts as you pointed out. The operation you mentioned was one instigated by my predecessor, General Solon. As you are well aware of his reputation as a hardliner I won’t bore you with the details but just suffice it to say that it is not a mission sanctioned by the present regime.”

  “That’s all well and good but, where does that leave my men who are out there at the present?” Sinclair asked.

  “I will not sacrifice those Alliance soldiers, General Sinclair they are simply carrying out orders.”

  “And I won’t sacrifice my men just because your men are carrying out orders, that are no longer relevant set by a hard lining, ex-member of your General Staff. And what of the official report that’s been in place for over half a century, do you want to shatter that too? Does your government think it could ride out the scandal the truth would cause should it come out because I know my government probably wouldn’t and I’m not about to find out.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “That we combine our efforts to end this in a wa
y that the, so called official story, can remain intact.”

  “And what do you want from me?”

  Sinclair looked across at Matt who was smiling and gave a conspiratorial wink before he proceeded to fill in Tillic what he wanted.

  *****

  “If all those cat things are dead, why are we still crawling through this ducting?” Vance asked, uncomfortable in the confined space of their surroundings.

  “Because I don’t think they’re all dead,” Kurt said.

  “Artie, are those creatures all dead?” Riley asked their AI watcher.

  “No sir, several of them remained outside of the room and have now moved off, if I’m not mistaken sir, I think they may be attempting to meet you at a different location,” replied the AI.

  “Sounds like they’re headin’ us off at the pass, Boss,” Cooper said.

  “What made you think there were more, were you counting them or something?” Riley asked.

  “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Kurt deferred.

  “Try me but before you go any further I should tell you that we know about the serum they gave you,” Riley said then glancing down the ducting they were inside to see if Natasha was within earshot, added, “General Sinclair has instigated a program whereby teams would be administered a variant of the serum. The results, so far, have produced enhanced physical abilities, strength, speed, reflexes, eyesight and hearing among others.”

  Kurt looked him in the eye, assessing his words and even in their cramped location, he could see enough to tell he was telling the truth. “Your team’s the first recipient,” he said.

 

‹ Prev