by John Walker
“Great.” Fielding sighed. “Fine, you and Gorman enact your plan. I want you out there with backup. We’ll cover you from here.”
“Oh, thanks,” Gorman muttered. “I really appreciate the opportunity to do something stupid today.”
“Relax,” Heat said. “You love my plans. On my count of three, jump. You take the left flank and I’ll go for their rear. Got it?”
“Just … start counting.”
Fielding crept to the edge again, aiming his weapon out over the field. The two marines counted off and hit their jump packs, flying off toward the enemy. Heat overshot them and spun in the air, landing hard behind them. His weapon began barking, the muzzle flashes little more than fireflies against the foliage below.
Gorman started shooting before he even touched the ground. Beam weapons tried to return fire but the panicked shots of the enemy didn’t even come close. Fielding was about to relax when one of the Tol’An burst from cover and charged the shield. “Whoa, contact! One’s making a break for it!”
He took aim and fired, catching the man in the leg. He stumbled, spun in place then lunged toward the shield. A bright flash erupted around him and when it cleared, the body was totally obliterated. Static danced over the ship’s shields and a moment later, they dropped, their subtle warble replaced by the clear sky.
“Oh shit.” Fielding sighed. “What the hell did he just do?”
“He had some kind of disruptor,” Heat said. “One of these guys has one too.”
“They’ll be coming,” Gorman said. “Now that they know their plan worked, they’ll be coming in force.”
“Bad news,” Corporal Vine called out. He was stationed on the eastern side of the ship. “The enemies have either made a truce or they’ve decided we’re the bigger threat. We have contact on this side.” Gunfire punctuated his report.
“Heat, Gorman, get back up here.” Fielding brought Commander Bowman on the line. “Sir, we have a huge problem that you might already be partially aware of but … the two sides are charging now. We’ll do what we can down here but if you’re going to put fighters in the air, now’s the time.”
Chapter 3
Desmond turned as Vincent cursed. “Problem?”
“Shields are down,” Vincent said. “Some kind of disruption device … An enemy sacrificed his life to deliver it. The marines are engaged but they have a lot of numbers down there. I’m trying to scramble the pilots but the hangar’s having some system issues right now. Engineering’s working on it.”
“Never rains …” Desmond sighed. “Salina, Zach, can either of you get the shields back up?”
“Engineering was already struggling to keep them going,” Salina said. “The generators were strained by our landing and a couple of the emitters are out. They need to be replaced. I’ll do what I can to divert power.”
“Cassie.” Desmond turned to the agent. “Please tell me you have something.”
“Gil has confirmed my report that the beam’s power source originates from the nearby facility.” Cassie sighed. “But there’s nothing we can do from up here. The walls are shielded metal and I ran a couple simulations. Our bombs, powerful as they are, cannot penetrate the planet deep enough to damage the power source.”
“Are you sure about that?” Vincent asked. “We could try.”
“It might simply make getting in there impossible,” Cassie said. “If we destroy the entrance, we’ll be stuck here until they run out of power … and considering they seem to be drawing it from the thermal core of the planet, I think that would take longer than we’re willing to commit.”
“What do we need to do then?” Desmond asked. “Go down there?”
“I’m afraid so …” Cassie turned back to her station. “And from what Gil has said to me, it won’t be as easy as strolling in.”
“Why would it be?” Vincent asked. “Hold on … I think we’ve got hangar control again.”
Desmond looked at the reports flashing on his screen. The marines were heavily engaged, battling on two fronts. The enemy knew where the turrets could reach them and were staying out of their line of fire. They were held at bay for the moment but their sheer numbers gave them a good chance at boarding the Gnosis eventually.
He joined Salina and looked at her scans, scowling at the readings. The beam was not only still holding the Gnosis but the other two ships were also contained within it. He turned to Vincent. “If we launch the fighters, won’t they be effected by this beam? They can’t survive being grounded by this thing.”
Salina pointed at her screen. “Look at how it’s spread over our hull. They’ll launch clear of the beam because it literally is touching the surface of the ship. It’s not a bubble … but a form-fitting field.”
“I’m still not entirely sure … Why wouldn’t another beam grab our ships?” Desmond shrugged. “We don’t have data to prove otherwise.”
“Do you want me to hold on air support then?” Vincent asked. “We’ll need to arm more security personnel and get the marines some help.”
Desmond considered the risk versus reward. If they got fighters out there, the ground forces against them would be easily managed. However, if they simply lost pilots or had to launch a rescue mission, they’d be adding to their problems rather than solving them. They needed more information before they could commit the manpower and equipment.
“Tell them to standby,” Desmond ordered. “Get as many security personnel in place to repel these assholes as possible. Cassie, I assume Gil is going to need to go on this expedition to the facility. Am I right about that?”
“He has the most experience with this type of thing,” Cassie replied. “Who else do you think should go?”
“My preferred mission team is Gil, Gunnery Sergeant Heathrow, Sergeant Gorman, and you.” Desmond turned back to his computer. “You’ll be in operational command throughout the duration. Vincent, please prep that team and get them ready to depart. Like I said before, we don't have time to dawdle so we need to find a way to get them to the facility as quickly as possible.”
“Um … I’m not sure I’m the right …” Cassie sighed. “Yes, sir. I’ll … head down and get ready.”
“Salina, you’re on full tech scans,” Desmond said. “And can someone get the screen back up? I’d like to see what’s happening out there. If we’re going to help people coordinate their efforts, we need to lift the blinders.”
***
Vincent hit the elevator button and let Cassie board ahead of him. He hit the button for the armory level and watched her take several deep breaths. Part of him wanted to reach out and touch her shoulder, to offer some comfort about the mission she’d just been assigned. He didn’t envy her. It would’ve taken a lot for him to want to head out into the alien world.
They had gone to dinner when they were home. Sneaking off base during a shift change, they enjoyed a quiet evening together before having to rush back to their duties. He thought it went well but he found it difficult to read her. She wasn’t aloof so much as … challenging.
Now, he saw her vulnerability. The AIA may had trained her well, but she’d only been away from the ship once and that resulted in a running gun battle. While she handled herself well and didn’t seem overly disturbed by her experience, he wondered if it bothered her more than she let on.
The marines on the Gnosis were not only trained for the type of job they were doing, but they had all been in combat prior to taking to the stars. They were veterans of conflicts and being shot at was not unfamiliar. Most of the officers who were chosen for the job had enough experience with their duties to take challenges in stride.
Cassie was one of the few people in a high position who hadn’t been in the field.
They disembarked the elevator and Vincent paused, drawing a concerned look from Cassie. “Is everything alright?” She asked.
“Yeah.” Vincent smiled. “Go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”
“Okay …” Cassie stepped away.
When Vin
cent was certain he was out of earshot, he raised the captain on his com. “That was fast,” Desmond said. “What’s going on? Is there another problem?”
“No, sir.” Vincent sighed. “I had an idea about this mission to the facility. I feel I should lead the mission. Cassie lacks the experience to be in charge of something like that and the marines aren’t really appropriate considering there shouldn’t be any combat in there. I’d like permission to run with this.”
“I hope you’re not suggesting you go because you have a thing for that girl.”
Desmond’s comment made Vincent’s cheeks burn and he had to bite back an indignant quip. He took a deep breath and asked, “Do you disagree with my assessment about the people going?”
“We could pull Lieutenant Fielding to go with them.”
“Another marine,” Vincent said, “and he’s going to be busy protecting the ship. Zach can coordinate the pilots for me if they’re able to launch. I seriously believe it would be in our best interests if I went on this mission.”
“Hm.” Desmond hesitated for a long moment, making Vincent’s heart race as he waited. When he finally spoke up, he sounded dubious. “Okay … you can go. I’m leery about this, Vincent. If we weren’t down Captain Gabriel, you’d be staying here.”
“Understood, sir.” Vincent smirked. “If it helps, I’m not thrilled at the idea of heading into the creepy alien facility.”
“No one probably is. Get them all back safely and turn that beam off. Also, not to add more pressure on you, but hurry up. I’d like to get out of here before our friends come up with some new trick to cause us trouble.”
“Of course.” Vincent killed the connection and jogged to catch up with Cassie. She was waiting around the corner, leaning against the wall. He nearly collided with her, pausing in his step. Eyes wide, he cleared his throat. “Um … Hi … What’s up? I um … I thought you’d be down in the armory by now.”
“I eavesdropped,” Cassie replied. “Pardon my curiosity.”
Vincent’s cheeks burned again and he moved away, heading down the hall. “We’d better get a move on,” he muttered. “We don’t have a lot of time and we still need to figure out how to get into the facility.”
“You don’t have to come with us,” Cassie said. “I can manage the team. I … I don’t want you to risk yourself unnecessarily.”
“Hey.” Vincent stopped and took her arm, looking her in the eyes. “I’m doing this for a lot of reasons, and yes … one of them is you. Let’s say you were the only thing compelling me to leave the ship. I can tell you right now, I’d call it necessary.”
“I appreciate the chivalry.” Cassie frowned. “You’ll be a welcome addition, for sure. Especially with the marines. They can be gruff to work with but … I don’t really know what I’m trying to say.”
Vincent grinned. “Then don’t say anything. We’re good, Cassie. Besides, I’m starting to get lazy up here on the ship all the time. I need to stretch my legs. Show the team I’m not a console jockey. If I take a captain’s promotion, I’ll never be able to do these missions. Might be my last chance to experience an alien environment first hand.”
“Then far be it from me to turn you down.” Cassie walked away, picking up the pace.
They arrived at the armory and found Gil Vaedra gearing up. He wore an environmental suit with a rebreather hanging about his neck. A pistol was strapped low to his thigh and several gadgets clung to his belt. He looked up and offered a smile, nodding to them. While he had picked up a great deal of English, he still acted as a man of few words.
Vincent changed into his own suit, choosing both a pistol and a small submachine gun he could easily wear on his side. He made sure the outfit was secure before tapping his com and bringing Lieutenant Fielding on the line. The man wouldn’t be pleased with the next orders but he’d proven to be flexible enough, even during dangerous encounters.
“What is it?” Fielding asked. The sound of gunfire filtered through the speakers.
“I need two marines,” Vincent replied. “Heathrow and Gorman. We need to get into that facility and free the ship.”
“Damn it!” Fielding cursed. “Hold on!” There were sounds of metal on metal footfalls. “Say again? Did you just say you need a couple of my best men?”
“I need some escorts,” Vincent replied. “Even if we kill all those people, we can’t get out of here if we don’t head into the facility soon. The captain wants us to hurry and I know those men are familiar with this type of thing. It’s definitely their type of mission.”
“But considering what we’re going through out here, don’t you think we should get rid of the hostiles first?” Fielding grunted. “You guys are serious about this.”
“Yes, we really need to get out there. I’ve already given orders to arm the rest of the security personnel and give them bigger guns. They’re ready to help hold off the assault. But right now, we need some tough guys who can help us out.”
“Without the power armor,” Fielding said. “Because you have no idea how big the passages are in there. They might not fit otherwise.”
“Exactly.”
Fielding sighed. “They’ll be on their way in a moment. This is crazy, Bowman. I’d do this differently if I were you. But I’m not so … let them disengage.”
“Thank you.”
Vincent understood his concerns and he had a valid point. Unfortunately, there was a chance that they wouldn’t be done holding off that force for several hours, maybe even more. Depending on how big the facility was, they might be done long before the conflict ended. Furthermore, if they shut off the beam, their enemies may want to talk.
After all, their ships would no longer be stuck either. If they cooperated, they could fix their vessels and leave together. The thought felt naive but he entertained it, if only out of his desire for peace. The Tol’An in particular would never bother to call a truce. They’d fight to the end. The other group might not be so quick to make such a decision.
While they waited for the marines, Vincent sent a text message to Desmond and Salina, offering them the idea to try for communications with the mercenary group. Maybe they could be reasoned with and even become allies toward escaping the world. If their ship was a total loss, the Gnosis had room to bring some folks on board.
Of course, if they turned out to be criminals in their own right, they’d be back to square one as far as conflict went. With our luck, they’ll turn out to be pirates who were fighting the Tol’An and crashed here without the beam.
Heat and Gorman entered the room wearing their power armor. They moved over to the frames that held them and hopped out and secured their gear before turning to Vincent. Neither of them looked happy but they went about preparing for the assignment, throwing on their hazard suits and grabbing small arms.
At least they’re not complaining. Not yet at least. Vincent turned to Cassie who hovered close to Gil. He pointed to something on her tablet and she nodded before making some sort of modification. He figured the archaeologist would be incredibly useful but he wished the captain would’ve allowed Cassie to stay behind.
She’s not going to be in the way but with the people we’re bringing, we don’t need her. Hell, they probably don’t need me either.
“Okay, folks,” Vincent spoke loudly. “Listen up. Our assignment involves getting into an alien facility, finding the source of the beam holding the Gnosis and shutting it down. We cannot bomb the structure because power readings are too far beneath the surface. Furthermore, we don’t know what to expect in there.”
Heat huffed. “So pretty much the worst possibly scenario imaginable.”
“It gets better,” Vincent replied. “Part of the challenge will be getting there. We have a fight going on outside between two factions trying to get into the ship. Slipping through their lines won’t be easy and when we do, we still need to travel three miles overland to get there. It could be chaotic.”
“Understatement,” Gorman muttered. He spoke up so t
he others could hear. “Why don’t we wait for the marines to finish these guys off? Make it so we don’t have to worry about them.”
Gil raised his hand. “I can answer. You see, we do not know if an alien intelligence will be on their way to see new catch. We want to be gone before they bother us or return.”
Vincent was impressed at how much English he had learned and his accent didn’t color it much either. Thayne had a better command but Gil picked it up fast. And it had been considered one of the hardest languages to learn back on Earth. He shuddered to think about how hard Pahxin was to master.
“So we’re worried about scarier aliens showing up,” Gorman said. “Makes sense to me.” He glanced at Heat. “You got any ideas of how we can get out there? I’m not worried about the commander or the agent … but this guy …”
“You don’t remember what he was up to when we met him?” Heat asked. “He hung around a seedy bar with criminals. I think we’ve got a scrappy crew here but stray shots don’t care how bad ass you are. And there’s a lot of fire going on around there. I’m afraid we’re going to have to take the long way around.”
Gorman groaned. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
“What do you mean?” Vincent asked. “What’s the long way around?”
“The enemy forces are coming from the east and west,” Heat explained. “They were fighting just to the north. Your facility is on the other side of the front line of their attack but we’ve got a clear shot to the south, through the forest.”
“So we head out,” Gorman continued, “and we loop around the entire group, coming at the facility from the opposite side. It’ll add … What do you think, Heat? Another mile? Two?”
“Three, easily,” Heat replied. “Shouldn’t be too bad of a hike … It’s the best bet to avoid being shot before we get there.” He paused. “Do we know about any automated defense? And let me tell you before you answer, I’m sick to death of those things. I wouldn’t be sad if I never saw another turret again.”
“Not that we’ve detected,” Cassie replied. “Unfortunately, I can’t promise they aren’t there.”
