by Brian Dorsey
“Magakisca, what’s happened?”
“I don’t know. But Martin sent a warning to abort.”
“Damn it—” A burst of automatic fire flooded the circuit. “They blocked off our path to the dropship. We tried to punch through but there are too many.”
“How many casualties?”
“I’m down to twelve with five wounded.”
“Where are you?”
“Standby…Frame 200, port side…5th deck.”
“Hangar Bay Bravo is about 30 frames aft of your position and up one deck. Can you make it there?”
Gunshots echoed through the communications circuit.
“Do we have another option?” answered Mori.
“No,” replied Stone. “Just get there…and I’ll get to you.”
“But the withdraw—”
“Just get there, Ino’ka.”
Stone looked toward Whitehorse. “I need one of your transports and 15 minutes.”
“I’ll give you as long as I can, Marshal.”
***
Stone raced through the hangar bay toward his dropship. The two minutes it had taken him to get there were two he couldn’t afford to lose. Just as his ship came into sight, Stone glanced to his right at battle-damaged fighter billowing smoke. As teams moved in to extinguish the flames, the pilot jumped from the cockpit.
It was Orion.
“Stone,” she shouted, seeing him. “What the fuck happened?”
Stone stopped. “Mori’s trapped on one of the orbital destroyers. I have to get—”
“How?”
“I’m taking my dropship over.”
“You’ll need cover.”
“Your ship is damaged and I don’t have time…I have to go,” he replied as he started toward his ship again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll catch up,” shouted Orion as Stone sprinted away.
In a few seconds, Stone reached his ship and quickly made his way to the command module.
“Sir, why was the abort order given?” asked Vae.
“I don’t have time to explain right now,” he replied, activating the ship’s intercom and speaking. “This is Marshal Stone. The attack has been aborted but I intend to board an orbital destroyer to save some of our Akota brother warriors. This mission may be a one-way trip, so this is volunteer only. You have 30 seconds to exit the ship if you are not coming.”
Stone stood silent. No one moved.
“We’re awaiting your orders, Sir,” replied Vae.
“Very well, General. Prepare to launch.”
Chapter 20
Stone stood by the pilot of his dropship as it exited the hangar bay, his focus centered on the tactical plot.
“There,” he said, “track Heavy 006. That’s our target.”
“Yes, Sir,” replied the pilot. “But…”
“What is it, Lieutenant?”
“I’m picking up multiple fighters around that vessel, and our scans show most of their air defense systems are still operational. We’ll never make it—”
“Dropship 1A, this is Raven Group leader in Foxtrot 7 Sierra. I’ll make a path…you keep up.”
Stone looked through the cockpit to see a foxtrot fighter drift into position directly ahead of his ship.
“Let’s go,” ordered Orion, and the two ships accelerated toward the orbital destroyer.
“1A, Raven leader, keep tight on your track. I’m gonna have to maneuver to clear the path, but you stay true.”
“Roger, Raven leader,” replied the dropship pilot.
Stone watched through the cockpit as Orion banked hard right and continued to accelerate as two Doran fighters bore down on their position. A blast from her guns obliterated the first fighter as she rolled left and down, only to pull into a vertical ascent and roll back onto the second fighter. Before it could turn to face her, another blast tore off its wing.
“Who the hell is that pilot, Sir?” asked the dropship pilot.
“Just an old smuggler, Lieutenant,” replied Stone with a smile.
Suddenly, Stone was almost knocked off his feet as a Humani fighter cut in from their left and raked the side of his ship with strafing run.
“Dropship 1A taking evasive act—”
“Negative 1A, stay on course. I got—”
Stone saw the Humani fighter disintegrate into a dozen pieces.
“—got it,” continued Orion. “You’re clear of aircraft. I’m gonna make a pass over the hangar entrance to draw the self-defense guns.”
Stone watched as Orion again accelerated and banked right and then swung left and flashed past the hangar bay entrance, her ship followed by tracers and bursts from the ship’s defense systems.
Suddenly the dropship rocked to port as one of the orbital destroyer’s defense batteries tore into the starboard side.
“Hold on, Sir,” warned the pilot.
Stone gripped the back of the pilot’s seat as the ship soared sideways through the air boundary to the hangar bay.
“Shifting thrusters!” shouted the pilot, as the ship jerked forward and to the right before slamming onto the deck of the hangar bay.
Stone crashed into the control panel between the pilot and navigator and rolled onto the deck.
“Are you okay, Sir?” asked the pilot as alarms and sirens blared.
“Fine,” grumbled Stone, hiding the pain shooting through his shoulder.
Pushing himself off the floor, Stone rushed into the command room. As he entered, he saw General Vae assisting a soldier with an injured arm. “Is everyone okay?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir,” replied Captain Juli.
The acrid odor of overheated and burning electronics filled Stone’s senses. Looking behind Juli, he saw smoke drifting from an electrical panel. “We need to get off this ship.”
“Yes, Sir,” replied Vae. “Captain Juli, disembark and set up a perimeter.”
“Yes, Sir,” said Juli, turning toward his small squad. “Let’s move!”
“Follow me!” shouted Stone, Mori the only thought on his mind.
The dropship doors flew open, and Stone burst into the hangar toward a stack of containers as bullets filled the air around him. “Ino’ka, where are you?” he shouted into his comms circuit.
“Forward starboard corner,” came her answer.
“We’re aft, starboard.”
“Yeah, that landing was hard to miss.”
“Can you make it to us?”
“We’re on the way if you can provide cover.”
Stone’s attention shifted to a Terillian fighter as it shot into the hangar, its rear section on fire. The fighter, still airborne, came to a sudden stop and turned toward the forward section of the hangar bay.
“Alpha Team leader, this is Raven leader. Get your heads down. I’ll clear a path,” came Orion’s voice over the circuit as small arms fire ricocheted off her burning fighter.
“Roger Ra—”
Mori’s reply was drowned out as Orion’s guns opened fire inside the hangar. In seconds, the path between Mori’s and Stone’s position was strewn with wrecked aircraft and bodies of Humani crewmembers and troops.
“You’re clear,” reported Orion, as her fighter’s engines failed and the ship dropped five meters onto the deck with a metallic clang.
“Raven leader, Alpha Team leader. Report status.”
“Alive,” grunted Orion over the circuit. “I’m coming to you.”
The forward section of the hangar bay cleared of most Humani, Stone’s team laid down covering fire against the few remaining troops left in the area as Mori’s team raced over the wreckage caused by Orion. The remaining Scout Rangers sprinted across the hangar, some carrying wounded comrades. Through the chaos, Stone’s focus was fixed on Mori. In the rear of the group, she stopped every few meters to return covering fire for her troops.
As they raced toward Stone’s group, one of the Rangers took a round to the leg and fell to the deck.
“Keep moving!” Stone heard Mori shout to he
r men as she ran toward the wounded Ranger.
“Cover her!” shouted Stone.
Mori stopped at the wounded Ranger, quickly turning to topple an advancing Humani soldier with a burst from her rifle. She grabbed the Ranger’s arm and helped him to his feet. Throwing the wounded man’s arm over her shoulder, Mori began to help the man hobble toward safety. A few meters from cover, she looked up toward Stone. Her green eyes locked onto his gaze and she smiled.
Stone returned her smile but suddenly his eyes opened wide. “No!” he yelled as he saw a grenade land next to her. “Grenade!”
Mori’s expression changed just before the grenade detonated, enveloping Mori and the other Ranger. From the explosion, he saw her body twist and go airborne from the force of the explosion.
Stone rushed from his position, ignoring the gunfire.
“Protect the Marshal!” yelled Captain Juli, and several Humani soldiers leapt from their positions to follow Stone.
Bullets whizzed past Stone as he sprinted toward Mori. Nearing her, Stone saw her start to crawl toward the other Ranger. His already pounding heart felt like it would explode when he saw a trail of blood from her body leading back to the lower part of her left leg.
He reached her just as she made it to the other Ranger.
“Ino’ka!” he shouted, taking her into his arm and lifting her off the ground.
“The Ranger—”
“He’s gone,” replied Stone, glancing at the pile of meat and bones that used to be the Ranger.
He looked into her green eyes, now dull and heavy. “I’ll get you out of here.”
Covered by his men and the others, he cradled Mori in his arms as he ran back toward cover.
“How is she?” asked Orion as Stone laid her on the ground when he reached cover.
“Get me a med-pack!” he shouted as he looked over her injuries.
Blood was pumping from the mangled left leg, her calf and foot gone. He could also see blood seeping through the shirt of her uniform. He grabbed her shirt and ripped it open to see her undershirt soaked. Stone lifted her undershirt. Blood oozed through four wounds on the left side of her stomach.
“My men,” coughed Mori. “Did—”
“Don’t worry,” interrupted Stone. “Get me some damn meds!” he ordered.
“Here, Sir,” replied Captain Juli, handing Stone a med-pack.
Stone grabbed the pack from Juli and frantically searched for coagulate gel. Finding it, he pulled it from the pack.
“That won’t be enough,” said Orion. “We’ll need to apply a tourniquet.”
“Here,” replied Stone, reaching the gel applicator out to Orion. “Put this on her stomach wounds first.”
As Orion began applying the blood-clotting agent, Stone took a black band from the pack and slid it over the bloody stump of Mori’s leg. Once around her leg, he depressed a small red button and the band began to tighten until the pumping of blood from Mori’s leg slowed to a small trickle.
“Magakisca,” moaned Mori.
“Yes,” he replied, almost frantic.
“Maybe my dreams were wrong,” she laughed weakly. “Maybe I will see the Great Spirit today.”
“You’re not going to die today,” grunted Stone. He placed his hand, now covered in Mori’s blood, on her painted face. “I’m not gonna let you.”
“Marshal,” interrupted Captain Juli. “We need to get out of here.”
“Just wait!” yelled Stone, his gaze still locked on Mori. “Orion?”
“The gel is applied,” she answered. “I’m attaching a fluid inducer and platelet pack to her arm.” Orion looked up toward Stone. “And your captain’s right. We need to get off this ship.”
Finally breaking his focus on Mori, Stone looked around. Only a few of the Rangers were left uninjured, and several of his own men had now been wounded. He glanced over the cover to see Humani troops moving to flank them. Looking behind him, he saw the burning hulk of Orion’s fighter and his wrecked dropship. But beyond, he saw a Humani Eagle bomber.
“Lieutenant, can you fly that?” he said to his pilot.
“I don’t know, Sir. It—”
“I got it,” interrupted Orion, who had joined the group. “If it flies, I can fly it. Will everyone fit?”
“We’ll have to,” he replied. “Everyone move toward that bomber!” he ordered.
Stone took Mori into her arms and prepared to stand. “Move,” he ordered, and the group burst from cover for the bomber.
Stone and the others raced across the hangar bay to the bomber.
“Use the dropship for cover and protect our flanks!” ordered General Vae, as Orion opened the access to the bomber.
“You two,” said Orion to the pilot and the navigator, “come with me to the cockpit and help me get this thing off the ground…General Vae, you too.” She turned toward Stone. “You’ve got to get everyone else squeezed into the electronics bay and the payload compartment.”
Stone, with Mori still in his arms, ascended the small ladder and gently carried Mori through the already cramped electronics bay and into the payload compartment. Laying her on the deck, he ran his hand over her head. “It’s going—”
She had stopped breathing.
“Juli, get me the shock pads,” he yelled. “No! You can’t die,” he pleaded.
“Here, Sir,” said Juli.
“Get another fluid and platelet pack in her,” ordered Stone as he grabbed the two small cylinders from Juli. Pressing them to Mori’s chest and side, he waited until the lights on the device turned green and depressed a button on each, sending a shock through Mori’s body.
Mori’s body jerked violently. He read the readout on the cylinder: INEFFECTIVE TRY AGAIN. “Shit,” he cursed, his hands shaking.
“Fluids and platelets are attached, Sir,” replied Juli.
The green light appeared again and Stone depressed the button. Mori’s body contorted and she let out a grunt. He looked at the readout again: NORMAL RHYTHM DO NOT SHOCK.
Stone dropped the cylinders onto the deck and put his hand on Mori’s forehead. “You’re gonna make it…you have to.”
“Standby for takeoff,” came over the intercom. “It’s time to get the hell out of here.”
***
Standing on the bridge of Winterfall, Admiral Whitehorse watched as flashes of blue indicated the Akota warships were beginning to jump.
“Are all fighters accounted for?” asked Whitehorse.
“Yes, Sir,” replied the ship’s commanding officer.
“FTO, do we have a status from the other task forces?”
“Task Force Scout reports the destruction of the Gateway Station. Admiral Willow reports the loss of one carrier and four battleships. Task Force Raven reported they were able to start the attack, but multiple Humani warships jumped into the area about 30 minutes in. Admiral Evergreen reports the loss of two carriers and five battleships and was not able to perform a damage assessment before they jumped.”
“How many did we lose?” asked Whitehorse.
“We lost seven carriers and eight battleships…over 80,000 men at least.”
“Damn it,” cursed Whitehorse. “And Marshal Stone?”
“Recovered, Sir. Ka-itsenko Ino’ka is badly wounded.”
“This has been a very bad day,” replied Whitehorse, turning toward Winterfall’s commanding officer. “Captain Rain, you have permission to jump.”
***
“Are these the last of them?” asked Astra Varus, slowly walking in front of five First Family patriarchs on their knees in front of her onboard her private corvette, Dominotra.
“All that we know of right now, ProConsul,” reported General Vispa. “It appears a few escaped, and I am sure we will find more as the interrogations begin.”
“And Martin’s teams?”
“Orders are out and reports are in that all of them have been dealth with except for the Marine. Apparently he took out the mercs assigned to kill him and disappeared into the Port
Royal polis.”
“The other are…”
“Dead,” replied Vispa.
“Put bounties of one million credits on the heads of everyone that escaped—dead or alive,” ordered Astra.
Astra stopped
in front of Senator Marcus Tyris.
“Senator Tyris,” said Astra, reaching down and running her hand across his cheek. “It seems your little coup has failed.”
“We cannot live under the yoke of the Xen forever, ProConsul,” he replied. “One day the Humani people must regain their freedom.”
“You are partially right, Senator,” said Astra with a smile. “One day we will be free of the Xen. But the Humani people will always need to be led by a powerful leader—a leader that will not only shake off the Xen, but make them serve us.”
“You’re insane,” replied Tyris.
“I am not the one on my knees, Senator.” Astra turned toward General Vispa. “You have reported on her team, General, but any word on that bitch, Martin?”
“No, ProConsul. The last report was from the teams that responded to her father’s facility.”
“How fucking hard is it to kill one person?” huffed Astra. As she spoke, she pulled Vispa’s pistol, turned, and fired point-blank into Senator Tyris’s forehead. “See?…dead.”
“But ProConsul—”
Astra turned back toward Vispa, the pistol pointed toward its owner. “Now, General Vispa, you were not about to give me an excuse, were you?”
“No, ProConsul. We will find her.”
“See that you do…I do not want that bitch running free on my planet.”
She turned back toward the remaining traitors. Glancing at the body of Tyris as blood flowed from his head onto the deck, she spoke. “Now for the rest of these traitorous swine,” she spat. “General Vispa, transport them to Capro and keep them alive until they talk…but just barely alive.”
“Yes, ProConsul,” replied Vispa. “Guards, take this trash away.”
“And throw Senator Tyris in the cell with them,” added Astra.
As the guards drug away the remaining prisoners—and Tyris’s body—Vispa turned toward Astra.
“Your cousin has already started arresting anyone linked with the traitors. We will find them all.”
