that could be brought to bear, hammering the small formations.
“Bok Soo, allow the Kalu warriors to get in close. I want to see how the fighters react,” I said.
“Understood,” Bok Soo said, I could hear him issuing orders on other channels as I looked at the battlefield and my options.
Fighting the Kalu on the ground was damned terrible work, but fighting them in space was suicide, atleast with our numbers. We needed more ships and more fighters. One the ground though, everyone had been trained to fight in powered armor, and then work on their specified trade.
We had quadrupled the casualties inflicted in our space battle, on Heija.
“Coming into missile range,” Shreesht said, both his and Krom's rocket packs whirring so they were on their shoulders instead of tucked on their backs.
I readied my own, targetting reticules moving wildly with the swarm.
“Tighten up,” I said, the ground based cannons hitting the swarm with rail rounds and plasma. They were more stable than the HAPA's own cannons. Krom Shreesht and I moved within a few feet of one another. If a HAPA got seperated in a swarm, the fighters would hammer them, sometimes even try to drag them off the battlefield with their magnetic clamps.
We braced ourselves.
“Alright, five seconds, check your targets, I want Echo one four to go first with units to either side firing afterwards,” Bok Soo said.
The first barrage of missiles leapt free of their packs, arcing up into the sky, the targeted swarm tried to twist out of the way, but the slow manner in which they tumbled over one another to turn was too slow for the missiles as they split and hit the swarms. Other HAPA's and portable missile packs fired, the swarm that had been ripped apart was destroyed in their smaller collections.
I fired into a small swarm that was hit by two missiles, Krom and Shreesht adding their fire as the second swarm came into range.
The ground rumbled and the air screamed as the ships fired five missiles, they were as big as a suit of powered armor, instead of the five warheads of the small missiles the MEF's and the ground fighters were using, these had thirty and a grade higher. They were meant to destroy Star Warriors after all.
The missiles accelerating out of their bays rushed towards the swarm, three were destroyed. Two split apart, looking like a firework of blue lights before they reached the swarm.
“Brace!” Bok Soo barked. The HAPA's lowered themselves down as much as possible as missile after missile struck the swarm, so close that they sometimes detonated one another. Atmosphere ruled here. In vaccum the ships would have died in the explosion and been fine, now the forces of air pressure threw the fighters into disarray. Wind buffeted the Commando lines with gale-like force.
A number of HAPA's lost their footing, getting thrown or falling.
I fought nature's angry storm, created by or attempts to break nature's laws and bring destruction upon our enemies.
It pulled at us, then pushed us, rocking us.
“Alright, that's enough sitting back,” I said, standing, as my systems reported full functionality.
I brought my cannons online, firing at the nearest swarm, Shreesht and Krom rose, joining me as the other HAPA's and Commandos shook off the dust that covered us all and got back in the fight.
I targeted a close swarm, sending two missiles at it and firing at another. The first swarm tried to get the missiles, but with movin so much they weren't able to get a solid hit on them.
Good for area affect, not so good at accuracy. I said, remembering what Resilient had told me when trying to get me up to speed on the Kalu and their tactics.
The swarm, not being able to cut down the missile, and unable to get out of the way quickly, got raked by nuclear fire. I changed from the smaller swarm, back to my original target, a missile pod fired at it as I changed to a swarm down the line.
The HAPA responded with it's cannons sparking on the fighter's armor, the penetrator rounds doing their work as fighters exploded, or lost control.
“Reload!” Krom barked, down to thirty percent ammunition. Thanks to my recent reload I was at seventy percent. The HAPA's ammunition storage was immense, but with our rate of fire and the size of the rounds, it was easy to burn through quickly.
“Warriors are coming in,” Bok Soo said, I lowered my left arm, firing two more missiles, moving to fight another incoming swarm. The small swarms were coming together, making it harder to finish them off before they got to our lines. New swarms were already incoming. None were the size of the two massive swarms, but given enough time they would be.
Krom's pack got hit, blow outs went off, stopping the worst, but shearing the HAPA apart. I was torn, I wanted to help him, but I knew to stop firing was to put others in danger.
“Get him medical attention,” I yelled over the local channel. “We'll give you cover,” I said, firing off four more missiles at the nearest swarms, Shreesht and I hammering the swarms with everything we had. We had better weapons and training, but it was a numbers game. They could suck up a ton of damage but they would keep on coming. They were driven like wild damneddogs looking for a meal.
Commandos jumped into the pit me and Shreesht were in, they climbed over the HAPA, hitting releases, and cutting Krom from the wreckage.
I risked a look back, my left side getting raked by lasers. I couldn't take the time to look on him. I moved, firing, fire and move that was all I could do.
“Left launcher out,” Shreesht said.
“Got six remainig, four left two right,” I said.
“Two right,” Shreesht said.
“Down,” I said, swinging my cannons ove Shreehst, a swarm deciding that we were a prime target swirling to meet us as I fired into them. Shreesht added his firepower, and there wasn't a swarm.
“Clear,” I said, lowering my left shoulder as I cleared Shreesht and fired my remaining four into a medium sized swarm.
A check of my HUD showed that Krom was being taken to medical aid, and that the warriors were just a few hundred meters away.
“Let the warriors get in close but not through our lines, commanders see to it,” Bok Soo said, iterating what I had requested.
I had a hunch, and while it would be damned hard, it could save some lives.
“Planner I want the rate of all Kalu forces fire compared to when warriors are close to the line and when they are not,” I said, sending a request for reload, I was down to forty percent now.
“Working on it,” Planner's voice no longer robotic sounding as he had when we had first arrived. Resilient was helping out, and he had coded and spun off dumb AI's to deal with most issues.
“Mother fucker,” I said, a Kalu group using some low ground behind a rise as cover.
“Gonna need a step Shreesht,” I said turning towards Shreesht.
He took a knee, firing over the ridge o our pit still.
“Set!” I got two steps before I smashed my left foot into the ground, my left came down on the back of his HAPA, giving me the step I needed as I pushed off, the Kalu now visible, and the gravity low enough to keep me in the air for a bit. I fired my two remaining missiles into the bank that gave them cover. I landed, shooting and moving outside of the pit, the added hieght putting the now stunned Kalu in my sights.
The buzz saw sounds of my cannons ripped along the Kalu formation. I jumped sideways, standing still was death, lasers raked my armor and HAPA as I moved backwards. The Armored Marine Commandos now had a clear line of fire, plasma eroded the small rise even more and turned Kalu into screeching creatures, their armor now their prison.
I slid into the pit, Shreesht moving and weaving.
“Requested an ammo resupply. Krom's okay, his left leg and arm got chewed up pretty good. He's not going for the treatments though. Apparently he's hampering an armorer for a new set of armor, then he'll be back,” Shreesht said.
“Sounds about what I'd imagine the tough bastard would do,” I laughed, imagining the four hundred pound Avarian putting the fear
of life into some poor armorer.
“FTL network is established, I have a number of messages, and the fighter's laser attacks are reduced by approximately sixty seven percent on AMC units. The ships take more hits,” Planner said.
“Have the ships get their shields up and work on just the fighters then, HAPA's in support of Commandos as they fight the warriors. Forward the message to Bok Soo, it's not an order, just a recommendation,” I said.
“Understood, doing,” Planner said.
I ducked into the pit, I was at twenty percent on ammo, Shreesht was at fifteen.
Ammo supply was only seven minutes away thankfully.
“Fire me the messages,”
“Relaying, Rick has categorized and sorted them into normal operations, operation The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend, training numbers and ship numbers,” Planner said.
“Training and ship numbers,” I said, a swarm that I didn't like the look of coming close to my area. I pushed off of the wall of the pit, standing and firing into the oncoming swarm. Lasers hit a few inches above my head, another clipped my shoulder, dragging across my armored chest.
I stayed steady, moving my cannons with the swarm.
“Take that you bastards!” I yelled.
“Ammunition is three minutes out,” Shreesht said, raising up and firing a burst with his left and then right. “Refurbishment has increased, the Empress, whose name it turns out is actually Empress has signed a muutal agreement with the Free Fleet. The Kuruvian Empire and Free Fleet will have taxes placed upon their work. Though yard workers can transfer with minimal taining onto Free Fleet yards. This was signed a week ago, there has been a massive influx of engineers. The Kurvians are looking to building freighters rather than upgrading. It is expected that they will produce a freighter every two weeks. A information trade has been established, the Free Fleet will be paid in resources or labour as royalty for the usage of Free Fleet practices.
Cheerleader, LaRe and Silly have worked out what to give the Kuruvian's what they need to push them along.
The Jump fighter second round of trainees are nearly done training. It is Commander Heston's recommendation that Commander Smith be given command of the Jump fighter. Based on his score he is the best Jump fighter pilot we have, plus he is one of the few creatures that is not accustomed to swimming, or flying,” Planner said.
“Do it, he has proved himself. It will be interesting how he will deal with command,” I stomped around in a random pattern, moving my aim to a new swarm, the first now upon our lines. Shooting it could lead to me hitting my own people now.
“I will pass it on. Furthermore; the Free Fleet's ability to upgrade and expand is expected to double within two months. Bregend's yard is now operational, his engineers believe that they will be able to resurrect the ships in the system within eight months. Bregend has been tasked out by Min Hae, to assess and disturb the production of Kalu fighting forces in their operational space. There is now atleast a patrol for every three systems, with another patrol three jumps away or less. Felix, Silly and LaRe have been thinking up some new ship designs. They want to make a bomber,” Planner said.
“Ammunition is here,” Shreesht said.
“You go first, you're down to seven,” I said, trying to do the work of three HAPA's. The laser fire had dwindled now that the warriors were only a few hundred meters away.
“Need help!” A commander said, I ceased firing, turning my left cannon over to the area where they were having an issue with massing Kalu. A five second burst cleared the area.
“Thank you for the assist Salchar,” The commander said.
“No problem,” I said, switching back to Planner.
“Go on,” I said, trying to not think of Felix, LaRe and Silly bringing back the Cruiser.
“It was taken from ideas of Earth, a bomber that was big enough to carry a hell of a punch, but small and manouverable to get close to the enemy and add in some damned impressive firepower with the MEF's and Jump fighter's. It would have automated Plasma turrets based off of the Jump fighter, multi-warhead missiles and a hell of a lot of them, plus it could be used as a fast drop craft,”
“Explain,” I asked, having no idea what that meant, warning lights flashed as I dropped below ten percent. My cannons blazing at the incoming swarms still, piling bursts into Kalu warriors that got too close.
“It could hold ten HAPA's or twenty armor wearing Commandos, dropping them from it's internal storage. It would be akin to a shuttle being a plane and a bomber being a helicopter. It could drop commandos onto the battlefield, wherever that might be, in small groups and really fast, as the shuttle takes longer, but drops way more ships. Felix is also building disposable missile pods that can be attached to a ships hull, and he has built a system that will allow our ships to accelerate as fast as Kalu ships, though it will mean adding acceleration couches, or having everyone in powered armor. Railgun conversion packs are being made, they need testing, but Felix believes that they could drop a shield in just a few hits, or blow a hole in a Star-destroyer,” Planner said.
“Loaded,” Shreesht was disconnected from the two loading arms.
I crouched, putting my HAPA into loading mode. Ports opened on my back as the loader slapped a loading arm into each port, once the connection was made.
“The Kalu warriors are making a push. Don't let them get into our lines” Bok Soo yelled.
“Salcharrr,” Shreesht said, his alarm evident.
I looked at the loader, I was useless without it's ammunition.
I used my left cannon putting it under the wheels of the ammunition cart, the HAPA's servos whined, compensated and I lifted the cart. My counters kept ticking up as I unlimbered my right arm.
“Enough of a break I guess,” I said, standing, seeing the area infront of our lines swarmed with warriors, fighters were regrouping above, given time now the units on the ground were taking the majority of the front-lines fire.
Walking with the cart was difficult, but not impossible.
I pulled the trigger on my right cannnon, going off like a buzz saw again. Kalu, dirt and hatever was in my way was churned up.
Shreesht put bursts into groups, his cannons moving from one group to another so that it didn't even seem as if there was a pause in firing.
“I leave for five minutes and you get yourselves into an actualy fight,” Kroms amused tone came through the comms.
“Hey buddy, ho yah doing?” I said, spitting rounds into the oncoming Kalu, portable missile packs fired, the lines were alight with every weapon system firing.
Reactive armor embedded in the ground was set off, Kalu went flying, nothing more than mince.
“Missing a few bits, but the important ones are still intact,” he said, not counding amused at all.
I couldn't stop myself from laughing, Shreesht joining in.
Krom came to my left cannon, grabbing the masive ammunition cart, he lifted it with his Avarian powered armor. It looked like the armorer had given in to his demands.
“I'll hold onto this, you make those bastards pay,” Krom grunted, holding onto the ammunition cart so I didn't have to, freeing my left. I brought it up, adding it's fire to my right cannon.
“Moving left,” I said, ducking as lasers were getting too close for my liking.
Krom just grunted his agreement as I moved slowly. I didn't want to break the damned ammuition leads, or hit Krom.
I rose up again, my cannons paying back the assholes that had been taking shots at me with their damned overpowered laser pointers.
“Incoming!” Bok Soo said, the battle cruisers had fired their small railguns at low velocity, turning them into mortars.
The line went quiet as people ducked, the world shook with the mortars clearing the area of Kalu presence.
I rose to see Kalu strewn everywhere. I didn't have much time to look as the swarms were now coming in. I pulled my triggers, the cannons blasting into the swarms.
A noise told me I was loaded, I remotely ej
ected the ammunition leads and closed my ports.
“Loaded,” I said.
Krom placed the cart none to lightly on the ground.
“Cover me, I'm gonna try my HAPA,” He checked over the wreckage he had been pulled from not that long ago.
Krom was something on to himself.
“Did you want me to go on with the breifing?” Planner said.
“Please,” I said, taking me a minute to remember what we had been talking about as I kept adjusting my arms to inflict the most damage with my cannons.
“For operation enemy of my enemy, Cheerleader's forces are spread across the Kuruvian empire, they're using Jump fighter and the growing FTL relay to stay in contact. The Empire will be connected to our network, with relays to Rosho within the week. The Empress has mandated it for her returning merchants.
The reinforcements from the corridor will reach Cheerleader in two weeks. The Kalu are expected to reach the station in a week. Jump fighter ships will be posted to keep a watch on the station and make sure that no Syndicate forces escape. Commander Smith will be leading the four wings of trained Jump fighter from war station in two days, they are expected to reach Rosho in five days,” Planner finished.
“What I would pay to see what happens at Rosho,” I said, ducking and looking over at Krom who had cleared his HAPA and stepped back into it, one side was pretty much gone because of the pack exploding, but the other side and cannon were still functional. Something that he proved as he powered up, stood and set to adding his fire to Shreesht's I stood up, adding my own cannons to my protection details.
“Roatation coming up,” A controller said, signalling that we had been fighting for eight hours. Forces changed out with one another, three new HAPA's taking over our position as we stored our cannons and moved to the rear. It was odd, for eight hours we were fighting for our damned lives, the next eight we piled food into ourselves, slept maintained our gear and readied ourselves to walk back out into hell.
I rarely slept, instead volunteering my time at the med bays, or working on armor and weapons. This planet had been the last place that too many people had seen. Not doing anything was worse. Those that had gone to the light visited me, the images of Commandos being ripped apart by Kalu claws, lasers and teeth came to mind.
From the Black (Free Fleet Book 4) Page 22
