Star Cadets - Soldiers of the Future 3

by Todd Mcleod

  “Why do you hate me so much?” Elvin demanded, “This is more than just because you think I don’t deserve my reputation.”

  “I lost a lot of friends in the invasion,” Dutch growled, “Gotta take out my anger somewhere.”

  “Makes sense to me. I’ve got more than a little to take out on you, too.”

  “Try it!” Dutch charged forward and kicked Elvin in the chest. The force sent him flying back, sliding on the floor of the pitch, and coming to a stop several feet away. He struggled to catch his breath, lights dancing in his vision.

  “I never fought because I had to,” Dutch taunted, “I did it because I liked to fight. When I drive my enemies to the ground and stand victorious over them, only then do I feel alive. I don’t care why we’re here. I just care who they put me up against, and that I can defeat them.”

  Elvin looked up to the hulking brute and felt anger flow through his body. He was no lamb to the slaughter, he was no prize, he was a soldier, and he would act like it.

  Dutch took several steps back, readying his glaive above his head and ran forward, leaping into the air in a move to strike down in a finishing blow.

  Elvin rolled to a crouch, bringing one of his blades forward and throwing it, causing it to spin in the air. The blade struck Dutch in the chest, filling him with painful energy and knocking him out instantly. Elvin rolled out of the way as the man fell to the ground where he was. He was still, unconscious, and unable to fight. Elvin looked up, the crowd deathly silent.

  “In an upset victory, Elvin has defeated Dutch,” the announcer shouted, almost in a confused tone, “Have we found a new potential champion?”

  The crowd began to roar in excitement, the idea sold to them and helping them process what happened. The deafening roar filled the storage room. Elvin felt a tingle of pride in the adoration of those watching. He was used to being underestimated, and always enjoyed it when he could prove otherwise.

  Chapter Four

  Even though the alien scouts still couldn’t get through to the thick rock walls of the mountain, they were getting closer by the day. Captain Stevens called a group of soldiers, including Elvin and Vi. His face was graver than usual, and he looked like he had not slept much.

  “It seems no matter where we go and what we do, we cannot hold out forever. We need to do something. We’ve had no reinforcements from central command, and we must assume they do not know the extent of the situation. To remedy this, we must get a signal out. There is a subspace relay tower that was just finished construction near here, and we believe it’s our best chance to get a signal out. As it was new, we’re hoping there’re are not many enemy assets on it.”

  “I can go,” Vi offered, “I’m very good at moving without being noticed. My mission to get the supplies is proof of it. If I move alone, I will be not worth their time and can stay under their notice.”

  “Even so. There are a lot of aliens out there searching for Humans.”

  “What about a distraction, Sir?” Elvin offered, “A group of us with some of the mining explosives from the bunker go out and set up a very visible target. Our movements and the explosion will give her a chance to get in as they respond. I volunteer to lead this distraction mission.”

  “I volunteer to assist,” Dutch added.

  “So be it,” Stevens replied with a nod, “May fortune favour the bold.”

  Soon Elvin was at the armoury, readying himself for what was ahead. He put on his gear in his own personal ceremony. Though he was already battle hardened, and few a match for his abilities, he knew that the challenge he would soon face would be his greatest yet. Once his gear was on and adjusted, he took up his helmet. It was well maintained and polished, but the many scratches reminded him how close he had come to oblivion. He outfitted himself with a vibro sword and a rifle. He was deadly and accurate with the gun as well as sword. He didn’t allow himself things like doubt, walking from his quarters like a man on a mission.

  As he walked to the outer open area past the entrance to the underground bunker, he could feel as though something was off. Outside were his other teammates, all formidable in their own right, but today there to support their impromptu leader. They were armed and geared, ready to assist. They had much experience fighting against men, but where they were going they would be facing none. At least not the way they were used to. The aliens managed to corrupt a human on the train, and there was no telling what else they could do. As Elvin walked out from the bunker, he could see the snow-capped mountains that framed the region. He admitted that it looked deceptively peaceful. Though calm, he knew there was something more, something sinister hidden beneath the surface. Aliens were hiding everywhere, and if they remained unchecked would threaten all, even the seemingly untouchable bunker.

  “Is everyone ready?” Elvin asked Dutch and Brendan who were waiting to depart.

  “There is something amiss here,” Brendan replied, “I can feel it in my bones.”

  “We sent some men to patrol the area outside,” Dutch added, “They’re due to check in.”

  “Good.” Elvin put a hand on Dutch’s shoulder, “Thank you for coming with me for this. I know you don’t much like me.”

  “I don’t.” Dutch replied with a grin, “Though you earned a little respect for your win, and this is the kind of crazy stunt for someone like you to pull off.”

  The discussion was interrupted as they heard shouting from outside the perimeter. The men sent to patrol were in trouble. The three soldiers ran in, weapons drawn and ready for whatever they discovered. As they reached the sight of the disturbance, the fight was all but over. The men, seven in all were slain, felled by some manner of unseen hand. The men were on the ground, their wounds few but their lives lost. It appeared that whatever had attacked them had been swift, drained the very life out of them, and fled the scene.

  Soon other soldiers arrived along with medics. They took in the sudden horror for what it was, a small touch of hell.

  “It was an alien scout team,” one of the medics said to the others, “some kind of energy pulse weapon meant to incapacitate quickly.”

  “They grow fiercer and bolder every time,” Brendan added, “Also, they’re coming more often. How long until they send a full assault team to get into the bunker?”

  Movement caught in the corner of the Elvin’s eye, and he spun around. Not all of the aliens had indeed fled the scene. Instead they’d hidden, waiting for more live prey to take out. Elvin went to work, fighting with his comrades, forming a firing line and quickly dispatching the aliens within the carnage. The aliens were not heavily armed or armoured, relying like the previous ones on speed and surprise. Blood and adrenaline still pumping though his veins, Elvin and the others hid the bodies of the aliens as the medics took care of the human ones.

  “They will not be able to report this position,” Elvin said in a bold tone, “We have bought ourselves more time, but we still need to get this mission going.”

  “I will go,” Vi said as she came up. She was in dark tactical gear and packed to travel fast and light, “I will get in position near the tower, and as soon as you light up the target, I’ll go in and send the message.”

  “I have faith in you, but be careful.”

  “I would ask the same of you, but I know it’s not your way.” Vi laughed, “You will be as reckless as you can be, but somehow still get things done.”

  “I like to think I’m a little more complicated than that. Bring the cavalry, and I will see you soon.”

  “No doubt. I will move much faster than you. Light it up as soon as you can.”

  “It will be done,” Elvin said, gesturing for his unit to be ready to depart.

  “I know. This will be another one of our stories to tell later.”

  Elvin nodded as Vi headed off in a half run on the path she would take alone. He turned to the others. He was not one for ceremony or celebration; that would be saved for his return. The image of them all re-emerging from the wasteland victorious, wit
h reinforcements on the way was vivid in his mind. He simply walked to the head of the line of soldiers, took one last look, and then walked off. Gone was the sterile interior of the bunker, replaced by a bleak grey sky and a feel of bleak death and imminent dread.

  Vi headed around an old supply path. There used to be a mining town there, but now it was like a vast cemetery, a place devoid of all hope and joy. Beyond was a city, or at least was once a city. Though the buildings stood, and the place was quiet, Vi knew that nothing lived there, at least nothing like her. She felt no fear, always having wanted to fight back and not sit idly by.

  She moved though the city, investigating and searching for a safe path through. The labyrinthine buildings served as great cover. The planet was still new to colonisation. The buildings were mostly prefabricated structures that looked unnaturally old, thanks to the invasion and the hasty abandonment. The city appeared eerily silent. Vi began a slow search but found almost all of the area had been abandoned, weapon burns and scratches the only real sign that anyone had lived there. Whatever happened had been swift, and the evidence of it long gone. As Vi began to think the city was empty, she saw a slight movement. Before she could react, the alien scout was on her. It was fast and moved with frightening inhuman speed. She barely had her weapon drawn as the beast slammed against her, pinning her to a nearby wall. Had she not been wearing armour, she would have surely been killed. She could feel the alien’s strength and savagery trying to gain advantage over her.

  Using all of her strength with her free arm, she managed to heft the beast off of her. She hacked at it with her knife like a woman possessed, lest it leap upon her again. It thrashed and screamed as Vi struck it again and again. When it drained off its putrid greyish green blood the alien finally stop moving. Vi moved on, her armour torn in places.

  She had been careless and had to be more careful and stay hidden. No more searching, only moving. The battles sounds had not gone unheard, and several other alien scouts scuttled out of nearby homes. Though they appeared not to have rational minds, these inhuman soldiers were dead set on the hunt. Were it not for Vi’s strength and skill, she would have been overcome. She pulled out a rifle and quickly cut down the aliens. She knew that the more she fought, the more aliens would come. She looked ahead to see a massive structure she knew connected to more of the buildings. She could move fast inside and avoid most of the eyes searching for her. As she went through the large doors and closed them behind her, a group of aliens ran past. She’d got out of sight just in time and had another chance to keep moving unnoticed. Vi took but the briefest moment to relax before heading off again on her mission.

  As Elvin’s group moved through the area, they knew they couldn’t stay hidden very long. Such a mission was not something that would stay under wraps, and if they stopped moving in the open it could lead to the worst. There were horrifying signs of the violence of the invasion, and many outpost areas had gone silent. It was easy to speculate how they were destroyed or taken over, but it was not yet time for such dark assumptions.

  Elvin led the group that contained the fiercest warriors they had left, and the most cunning, set in on their purpose to buy Vi the time she needed. Brendan marched up front with Elvin and Dutch, watching the group move from building to building, and trying to get a feel for what was happening. Elvin used to enjoy travelling this world. The planet’s beauty and feeling, he liked to take in as much as he could. On this trip, all he could feel was anxious. This was the last real chance to strike out against the aliens, and should they fail, the planet would soon belong to the aliens outright.

  As they grew closer to their destination, they spotted movement in a ruined building. He was a civilian from one of the outlying outposts, one that had been among the first to go silent. The civilian seemed eager to see the soldiers and requested to speak directly with whoever was in charge. Elvin called the civilian to him as the group behind set up a temporary camp to rest and replenish.

  “Boy, am I glad to see you guys.” His voice was gravelly and weak, “My name is Harry, and I’m glad we’re not the only survivors.”

  “We have not heard from anyone else.” Elvin went with him into the building where the camp was being set up, “We’re interested to hear news from an area we had thought cut off to us.”

  “Apologies, my friend,” Harry replied, “Things have been happening so fast, and the usual lines of communication have been interrupted.”

  “What news do you have of the survivors?” Dutch asked, “Are they mostly civilian, or are there soldiers amongst them?”

  “There are both. We have a lot of weapons and supplies, but not much food or hands to use them.”

  “Weapons?” Dutch asked in curiosity, “Weapons we need. We have food in our point of origin. We should combine our forces and resources.”

  “Indeed. I’m sure that the soldiers in charge will be eager to talk with representatives of your forces. There’s so little hope to be found at the moment.”

  Elvin nodded, seeming to be relieved of the reaffirmation that they were not alone after all. “This is precisely why we have come. We need reinforcements both from others here and elsewhere. We’re on our way to the main area of the northern outpost city for this mission.”

  “That is good news indeed, my friend. I have been requested by the survivors while on my scavenging runs to bring back any friendlies I find. We’re actually based near the main area of that very outpost.”

  “We will head there as soon as we are rested,” Elvin replied, “In the meantime, please rest and eat. You deserve much for your service to humanity.”

  “You are too kind, my friend.” Harry nodded and excused himself to relax after his journey.

  Elvin looked to Dutch. “What do you think?”

  “If you are asking me if this is too good to be true, I would be likely agree. I like to keep objective, but my gut feels otherwise.”

  “I agree. I am inclined to believe this because I want to. Yet, some part of me feels that this is not as it seems.”

  “We are on our way there anyway,” Brendan added, “I think we need to be careful, but I can see no reason to stop. We have to get to the mission destination and set off the explosives. If we find anyone there, that is a plus.”

  “There doesn’t seem to be any other real alternative. Unless anyone else has a better idea.”

  Dutch thought for a moment, seemingly trying to come up with an alternative plan. “I think the potential to bolster our ranks is worth the risk. I think we should proceed.”

  “Either way I don't like it,” Brendan admitted, “But then again, I have not liked most of the operations thus far. I just hope this is not a trap.”

  “It could well be. But our purpose will lead us to that area regardless. We must take care, but we need to see if our suspicions are correct.”

  Dutch slowly nodded. “I suppose that if it is a trap, we have to walk into it to find out for sure. Either way, the answers we seek are ahead in that town, and we have to go to see it. I suppose we have to trust our luck, trust our abilities, and hope for the best.”

  “I will see to the preparations at once,” Brendan said with a nod, “We can be ready as soon as we are replenished.”

  “Good. Make certain the others are on high alert for this. Though I’m sure they are anyway. However, we must keep the air of calm around us. If it is a trap, we don’t want them to know that we know about it.”

  Brendan headed off into the camp. Elvin was awash with worries and dread, forcing himself not to think about Vi, alone out there, and what would happen should they fail.

  A few hours later the group arrived at the northern outpost. It was a town that served as a hub to the outlying areas, a place that was usually very busy. But as Elvin and his contingent arrived, the town seemed to be empty. There were still vehicles on the streets and signs that it had not long ago been full, but now it was an echo of what it once was. It wasn't until they reached the centre of the town before they saw s
ome semblance of what they were promised to expect.

  “That is our headquarters,” Harry said with confidence, “We have a bunch of soldiers just within. They will be pleased to meet you.”

  Elvin nodded, gesturing for Harry to go to inside to announce them. As the courier moved off, he seemed to be moving faster and more urgently than before. Elvin felt something was amiss but could see little. He scanned the surrounding area, and despite being mostly empty, there was nothing in the street to indicate an attack. The buildings nearby had their shutters closed, and there were no sign of soldiers present, alien or otherwise. That’s when the blitz tactics and speed of the alien attacks came to mind. As Harry reached the building and looked back, Elvin recognised something familiar on his face, a sense of satisfaction, no different than anyone who was seeing a plan come together. Elvin could not be sure of what he was seeing, but if he didn’t act fast it would be too late.

  “Form ranks!” Elvin shouted, hoping that the warriors around him would react with the time they needed to, “We are under attack!”

  What happened next seemed like it was in slow motion. Holes began to form in the buildings surrounding the contingent, soldiers being torn to pieces as if by seemingly invisible forces. After the carnage began could the survivors hear the explosions, and once the sound began it continued like a deafening ring of terror. The warriors moved as fast as they could, fighting to get into defensive positions, and to create a way to fight back. They were getting hammered on all sides.

  “Get to cover!” Dutch called out; firing back with a grenade launcher toward the source of one of the barrages, “Finish the mission!”

  Elvin grabbed Brendan who was unhurt, but instead of falling back rushed forward. With his friend behind him, he charged into the nearest building, readying his rifle. Inside, a tightly packed group of alien forces were manipulating large machines that seemed to fire the projectiles on an automatic gimbal. Elvin charged forward, trying to keep out of the direction the machine was aimed at. He fired, mowing through the alien soldiers, disabling their ability to work the machine. The aliens began to draw other weapons. Elvin and Brendan knew that should they use them they would be quickly killed. They moved as a pair, fighting to keep the aliens off balance so they could not fight back. Elvin cut down another alien with his rifle, drawing a sword in his other hand, and disabling another behind him. He didn’t have time to figure out any tactics. This was kill or be killed time. An alien solider drew a small pulse weapon and fired it. A hole opened up in Brendan’s shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain.