by D. J. Holmes
“Twelve hours is good,” Miyagi agreed. “And we still have ten more systems until Alpha-two Fort. If we can keep this up, we’ll buy ourselves almost a week.”
“If we can keep it up,” James repeated. That, he suspected was going to be a hard task. Though he could give the order for his fleet to fall back immediately, James waited. An hour later, when the full Karacknid battlefleet entered the system, he nodded when he saw what he had been expecting. The Karacknid fleet had jumped in as one long line rather than as a ball. It meant that any attempt to pull their ships out of shift space would pull pretty much the entire fleet out. We’ll not be trying the ambush tactic again, James thought. Though he had expected it, it was still disappointing to see. The enemy commander had figured out what had happened to his missing ships. And that means we will see just how he plans to counter our gravity well cruisers, James thought. “Get the fleet moving,” he ordered, imagining what his opposite number might do. If he could figure it out, he could come up with his own counters. With only ten systems to go until Alpha-two Fort, he was all too aware that space was running out to buy more time for Christine and Koroylov.
Chapter 38
Whilst breakthroughs in naval technologies have transformed the nature of interstellar war a number of times over the last several centuries, ground combat has not gone through the same evolution. At least, not until we encountered the Antarians. The Marines had to adapt or throw out every tactic they used when it came to fighting our most fearsome enemy.
-Excerpt from Empire Rising, 3002 AD.
New Shanghai.
“How many more Colonel?” one of Johnston’s cadets asked as he shoveled a final load of soil to fill the hole his squad had recently dug.
“Each squad has five more launcher holes and their firing lines for us to be finished up for the day. Then it’s back to the barracks for lunch and back to training,” Johnston answered as he walked past the sweating cadets.
“Five!” the cadet asked as he straightened up.
Johnston felt a hint of sympathy for the cadet. Each of his twenty squads had already dug four, and they had been at it for the last three hours, since 05:00 hours. His sympathy only lasted for a millisecond though and he didn’t let it show. “Every launcher you bury could be one less shuttle full of Karacknid soldiers. That’s forty less Karacknids. You can either fight with your shovel now or fight forty more of them in a month’s time cadet. The choice is yours.” Without waiting for the cadet’s response, Johnston walked past the squad and surveyed the work of the rest of his three platoons. Since the news had reached New Shanghai about the Karacknid battlefleet, all the system’s marines had been put to work fortifying the planet as much as possible. Even the cadets had to work half days on the defenses. Johnston’s three platoons were laying single AA missile launchers around the perimeter of Bozhou, New Shanghai’s capital. The launchers were only a couple of meters long, but they needed to be buried a meter underground. Once in place, a thin nano carbon camouflage was put on top and then a final layer of soil. The launchers wouldn’t be visible to even the most determined ground penetrating radar. With their communication lines buried underground with them, they didn’t even have any receivers or radio signals for the Karacknids to pick up. The first warning they would get of the launchers would be when they propelled their ordinance through the recently dug soil and up against any atmospheric craft the Karacknids intended to land on New Shanghai.
More than a few of his cadets didn’t seem best pleased by the manual labor. To an extent, Johnston understood, none of them had seen combat before. Every marine who had was happily doing whatever backbreaking work was called of them. Even the most menial hard labor was better than coming face-to-face with Karacknid ground troops. They will learn, Johnston was sure. And most of them won’t survive to benefit from the lesson, he was as equally certain. Amongst the Colonels and other senior marines there had been a lot of discussion about whether or not the Karacknids, if they came to New Shanghai, would try to land ground troops. As far as Johnston was concerned they would. At least in that much, he and General Wu were on the same wavelength. Yes, the Karacknids had nuked Earth, but that had been as their fleet had fled after being defeated. Everything they had learned about the Karacknids since told him that when the Karacknids took a system, they intended to keep it. And with New Shanghai and the rest of Earth’s colonies, that would mean boots on the ground. He had contested a landing on the colony of Holstein. Then, after being defeated, he had been forced to fight a long guerrilla war against the Karacknid ground army. Johnston had no desire to do so again, and yet that was exactly what he was facing. That was why, when he got to the end of the line of cadet squads digging holes for the AA missile launchers, he picked up a shovel and got stuck in.
Four hours later, covered in muck and sweat, Johnston sat down with his platoon to a well-deserved lunch of stew. He only managed a couple of mouthfuls when he heard the snap of someone standing to attention behind him. Taking one more spoonful, he turned. “What is it Sergeant?” he asked the marine standing before him.
“General Wu has requested all his senior officers report immediately to his headquarters,” the Sergeant informed him.
“The last I checked, I wasn’t counted as one of those senior officers,” Johnston replied, hoping he could weasel his way out of another planning meeting. Wu understood the basics of defending a planet from orbital invasion well enough. Johnston had already written him a detailed report from his experiences on Holstein. Despite their differences, Wu had shared it with his senior officers. Johnston didn’t think he had much more to add.
“Your name was on the list Colonel,” the Sergeant said without hesitation. “A replacement has already been found to take your cadets’ training sessions for this afternoon. You are requested immediately. That is all I know Sir.”
“Very well,” Johnston sighed. Turning back to his meal he spooned up as much as he could in thirty seconds and then stood. Stretching, he worked out the strain on his muscles as he rotated his shoulders. “Do I have time to change or shower?” he asked as he let the Sergeant see the condition of his uniform.
This time the Sergeant did hesitate, but only for a second. “My orders were to escort you immediately to the headquarters barracks,” he explained.
“Then let’s get going I suppose,” Johnston replied. When they stepped out of the mess barracks, he kicked his boots together several times and tried to brush off as much of the dried mud from his uniform as he could. He quickly decided it was a lost cause. Looking ahead again he saw a group of cadets standing together looking up into the sky. “What do you think it is?” One of them asked. “A battlecruiser maybe,” another answered.
Johnston glanced up as he followed the Sergeant. The large ship that was settling into a low orbit explained Wu’s meeting. “She’s a battleship,” Johnston said to the cadets as he passed them. “One of our newer ones.” Given that all but two of the battleships had been sent with Somerville’s fleet in Operation Counterstrike, it wasn’t hard for him to guess whose. “She’ll be Constitution, Admiral Koroylov’s flagship.” The cadets all looked down from the battleship. When they realized who had spoken to them, they quickly straightened and saluted. By then they were already out of Johnston’s mind. Doing a quick mental calculation, he reckoned Koroylov must have been in the Sol system when Somerville’s news arrived. Must have left the very day he heard, Johnston reckoned. That meant one thing. Empress Christine and Koroylov were betting the Karacknids would come to New Shanghai. It probably meant James had told them he was trying to lure the Karacknids here. Which means we are most definitely in for a fight. At least Clare has already left, Johnston thought. He missed her but knowing she would be safe was far better.
As he entered the HQ barracks and made his way to Wu’s briefing room, Johnston wasn’t in the least surprised to see a group of officers in naval uniforms standing at the front. One or two that he recognized nodded to him. A third nudged the only officer
in an Admiral’s uniform. Turning, Koroylov caught his eye and gave him a wink. Johnston acknowledged the gesture and made his way to the back of the marine officers. When he slipped in between two colonels, they both turned and stared at him. Johnston didn’t know whether it was his attire or smell that had irritated them. He settled on it being both.
“Quiet everyone,” Wu’s Staff Sergeant called as the last senior commanders filtered in. “Admiral Koroylov and his command staff have just arrived from the Sol system. He has been put in overall command of New Shanghai’s defenses. He has come to fill us in on how we’re going to defend the system from the Karacknid battlefleet.” Turning to Koroylov the Staff Sergeant gave a slight bow and gestured for Koroylov to address the marine officers.
“Please, take a seat,” Koroylov said after clearing his throat. “I have already briefed the Navy’s senior commanders. Now I want to make sure you all know what is ahead of us. We are going to be truly busy over the next few weeks. I won’t have time to meet with you all like this again so listen carefully.”
As Koroylov detailed the plan he, Nogamoro and Empress Christine had come up with, Johnston did just that. As a general outline, it was what he had been expecting. Though Humanity had far fewer ships than the Karacknids, being on the defensive gave Koroylov some options. Basically, any piece of equipment that could be used to fight the Karacknids was being shipped to the New Shanghai system. What impressed Johnston was the size and scope of what Koroylov laid out. It was clear that the senior naval commanders saw New Shanghai as the last line of defense. If the system fell, then Earth would be at the Karacknids’ mercy. There would be nothing left that could resist them. It’s all or nothing, Johnston thought. Though he had known that already, hearing it laid out in Koroylov’s plans made it hit home.
Koroylov then turned to what was expected of the marines. They were to prepare for a planetary wide invasion and ground campaign. Tens of thousands of more marines were to be shipped in to reinforce Wu’s command. That worried Johnston more. The Karacknids would only be landing troops if they had taken the orbitals. And they’d only take the orbitals if Koroylov’s fleet had been defeated. Which means they are already planning on losing. They’re shipping in Marines as a delaying tactic. If they lose the system, they want to bog the Karacknids down fighting so many marines that it will buy them some time. Though time for what exactly, Johnston wasn’t sure. There was no way Earth could be evacuated. There weren’t enough ships in all of Human and Alliance space to take off even a fraction of the populace.
“New Shanghai, Earth and the rest of the Empire need the Imperial Marines to do their best,” Koroylov said as he drew his briefing to a close. “You may be the last line of defense we have against a deeper incursion into our space. Empress Christine asked me to inform you directly that she knows her faith in you all will not be misplaced.”
Though no one spoke, Johnston noticed several backs straighten and heads rise. Koroylov’s speech hadn’t been designed to rally the marines on the eve of battle, but he had encouraged them, nonetheless. Pausing for a moment, Koroylov glanced around at the officers and then nodded, seemingly in approval. “I will speak to Wu now. The rest of you are dismissed. Make sure that your marines understand the sentiments I have shared with you.”
As the officers around him stood and shuffled out, Johnston was in two minds. He wanted to go over and speak to Koroylov. They had become friends over the last few years. But it was inappropriate for someone of his rank to interject between an Admiral and Major General. His dilemma was solved when the same Sergeant who had fetched him from his cadets’ barracks appeared beside him. “Admiral Koroylov would like to speak with you Colonel,” he informed Johnston.
With a nod Johnston made his way over to Koroylov and Wu. When he stepped up beside them, Wu cut off what he was saying and frowned. “What kind of condition are you in Colonel?” he complained.
“I was helping dig the AA launchers,” Johnston answered, biting back the insolence he was tempted to put into his voice. He didn’t want to undermine Koroylov’s confidence in Wu. As much as he disliked how Wu had treated him, distrust between senior officers would only end badly for the ordinary marines. “Your Sergeant told me I had to come right here. I was just in time as it was.”
“Don’t worry about it General,” Koroylov said as he smiled and clapped Johnston on the shoulder. “I know General Johnston is not afraid to get his hands dirty. He is a fighter.”
Both Johnston and Wu stared at Koroylov. Koroylov smiled at them. “I didn’t misspeak,” he explained. “That’s why I want to speak to you both. Given his experience fighting the Karacknids in the Holstein system, Empress Christine has given me permission to give you a temporary field promotion Colonel. You will assume the rank of Acting General and take command of all of New Shanghai’s ground forces.”
“But I am the ranking marine officer here,” Wu complained as he turned and squared up to Koroylov. “I have been preparing the defenses. This is my homeworld. Defending it is my duty!”
“You will remain the senior commander of all marine forces on the planet,” Koroylov assured him. “But Johnston will hold the title of Supreme Ground Commander. The Marines and Colonial Militia will be under his overall command. He will have free rein to form his own command staff from the Marines and Militia.”
Wu ground his teeth together as he looked from Koroylov to Johnston. Johnston groaned inside. Working with Wu was already bad enough. The Chinese General would hate him now. Then a thought occurred to him. It was something Clare would have pointed out to him. “I will only accept the field promotion on one condition,” he found himself saying. “That General Wu serve as my second in command. I will need his organizational and leadership skills if we are to form the Marines, Militia and all the reinforcements that are coming this way into one fighting unit. If I die in battle, I would want no one else to carry on the fighting.” Though he looked at Koroylov as he spoke, his words were for Wu. Up until his last sentence they were even true. There would be more experienced commanders headed towards New Shanghai, ones who would be able to run rings round Wu tactically, but Wu knew the planet and he knew the Marines and Militia already based here. He would just have to make sure to appoint the more combat capable commanders to key positions.
Koroylov turned from Johnston to Wu. “Well? What do you say? I guess it is up to you.”
Wu hesitated as he looked from Koroylov to Johnston. Johnston could easily imagine his thoughts. If he did accept, he would have to work extremely closely with Johnston. At the same time, he would have more authority and influence over the decisions Johnston made. On the other hand, if he didn’t accept, they wouldn’t be forced to work so closely together, yet Wu would be stuck having to simply obey every order Johnston issued. “You really want me to serve as your second-in-command?” Wu asked.
Johnston nodded. “I have seen your organizational and leadership skills over these last weeks. I need them.”
Wu turned away from Koroylov and Johnston, still deep in thought. Koroylov raised an eyebrow as he looked at Johnston. Johnston covertly gestured for him to be patient. Wu turned back just a few seconds later. “I accept,” he said, “I will remain as senior commander of all marine forces. That will smooth out the chain of command and limit any miscommunication.”
“That works for me,” Johnston said.
“Very well,” Koroylov said as he glanced between the two men. “As long as you two both remember what is at stake here. This isn’t the time for petty squabbles.”
“It won’t be,” Johnston assured Koroylov. When he turned to Wu, Wu nodded.
“Very well, I’ll put the orders in writing,” Koroylov said. “You may as well get to work immediately. Is there anything else I haven’t covered with you both?”
“There was one other thing I wanted to ask you about Admiral,” Wu answered. “In your briefing, you didn’t mention anything about the evacuation effort. Nothing official has been started yet, but every fre
ighter and civilian spacecraft that can has been ferrying people out of the system. I think more than forty thousand have left already.”
“Aye and prices for tickets have increased by more than ten times what they once were,” Johnston added when Koroylov looked at him inquisitively.
“I will see to it,” Koroylov replied. “Any evacuation efforts will cease immediately.”
“Cease?” Wu queried as he took half a step forward. “There are many tens of thousands more who are willing to pay to leave.”
When Koroylov’s eyes flashed, Johnston gave the Admiral a slight shake of his head. He could imagine where Koroylov’s mind had gone. If Wu had been trying to profiteer from the population’s panicked attempts to flee, he would naturally be concerned about the evacuation being halted but, as far as Johnston knew, that wasn’t happening. Wu was just concerned about his people.
Drawing a deep breath, Koroylov shook his head. “There will be no more people leaving New Shanghai. Every freighter and civilian craft that is in the system is being commandeered by the fleet. We need them all. New Shanghai’s population will have to face its fate here. In the long run, it will make no difference. If New Shanghai falls, running to Earth or further afield will not save them.
