by G. P. Hudson
Jon split the wall screen in half, with one side showing the alien ships in orbit, and the other the main fleet. The orbiting ships’ shields were already glowing red due to the Dvorkan defenses firing on them, and the color seemed to brighten as the jump bombs hit. Taymati warships were now converging on the enemy above their planet, adding their weapons to the bombardment. But their lack of shielding left them vulnerable to the enemy energy weapons, which continued to lance out at the Dvorkans, leaving gaping holes in their hulls.
The aliens were also targeting the surface, although the bombardment’s intention seemed surgical. They weren’t trying to destroy the cities. Instead, they seemed to be focused on the planet’s defenses, clearing the way for their landing parties.
On the other half of the screen, Jon saw they were finally making progress. Wherever the aliens were from, they did not have jump bombs and relied solely on their powerful energy weapons. That put them at a severe disadvantage. Their shields seemed capable of withstanding a sustained conventional strike, but were not quite as robust when it came to nukes. He noticed several ships’ shields now glowing a blinding white, before collapsing.
Nuclear jump bombs continued to rain on the enemy fleet, and the ones that had lost their shields were now left vulnerable to the merciless detonations. Sitting on the edge of his seat, Jon silently cheered as the alien ships blew apart one after another. The number of alien ships losing their shields grew exponentially, as radioactive blasts ravaged their hulls. The tide had turned.
Chapter 31
“We have a problem, your worship,” said Captain Vass from the darkness. There were no lights in the tunnel, and they did not dare turn on their flashlights for fear that the mercenaries would see them. They had not heard anything for some time, and there were no new gravity mine detonations. Nonetheless, Captain Vass did not want to risk discovery.
“We appear to have many problems, Captain,” said Emperor Kriss, moving warily through the pitch-black tunnel.
“We’ve lost communications,” said Vass.
“I thought our comms could work anywhere on the planet?”
“They can. Someone is suppressing our signal.”
“You think it’s the mercenaries?”
“It could be, although I am inclined to think it is the aliens.”
Taymati headquarters had warned them that the system was under attack by an unknown enemy, and that alien ships had appeared in orbit around Dvorkan Prime. Kriss suspected that it was likely the same species that had already attacked the Empire. He wondered if they would destroy the cities on the planet like they had previously done elsewhere. He wondered about these humans who were also in the system.
General Kiith had mentioned that they sought an alliance and that he had invited him to the Dvorkan Prime system to discuss matters further. The humans had offered their assistance, but now it appeared it was all a ploy to pave the way for invasion. The alien fleet did show up just a short time after the humans’ arrival. And now, their communications had been disrupted. What else could that mean?”
“I don’t believe there is a difference between the mercenaries and the aliens. The mercs are clearly working for the aliens,” said Kriss.
“I am inclined to agree, your worship,” said Vass.
“So, what do we do now?”
“We have to keep moving, your worship. Standing still is death. The tunnel schematic I am using shows a service tube up ahead. We need to try and reach it, and descend to the lower platforms.”
“Will it take us to the Taymati tunnel?”
“No, it won’t. But if we go down enough levels, we can access other ones that will.”
The Taymati continued advancing through the tunnel until they found the narrow service tube. One by one, they entered the tube and climbed down the long ladder. Considering the steep drop, the Taymati risked using their helmet lights to avoid any accidents. They climbed without stopping, passing several exit doors on the way down. Each time they did, Emperor Kriss watched the door with suspicion, expecting a mercenary to open it and fire on them.
He struggled to fight feelings of claustrophobia, as the cramped tube left him feeling exceedingly vulnerable. If the mercs found them in there, they were all dead. The thought of dying like that was almost unbearable. He could tolerate many things, but dying like a trapped animal wasn’t one of them.
After some climbing, the group reached the end of the service tube. The Taymati in the front of the line was ordered to exit, and he cautiously opened the door. The rest of the team followed when the man signaled that the other side was clear.
This tunnel was well lit and in active use. That added the increased danger of the high-speed trains to the mix. Taymati headquarters was supposed to suspend the operation of all civilian trains until the Emperor was safe, but one never knew. If a train did come, they would be dead before they heard its approach. That reality kept them all off the tracks, and on the slender service platforms on the sides.
The Taymati teams marched down the tunnel for the better part of an hour before reaching another platform. Instead of the typical frenzy of activity, it appeared deserted. Kriss wasn’t surprised. With an alien attack underway and all rail service at a standstill, he didn’t expect to find anyone hanging around. Raising his weapon, he scanned the platform through his sights, looking for any sign of the mercs. The other Taymati were all doing the same, as the team stayed hidden in the shadows.
Captain Vass ordered several Taymati to advance. The men moved in quickly, spreading out and taking strategic positions on the platform. Several more men were ordered in, while the rest watched. When nothing happened, the rest of the team emerged onto the platform and cautiously advanced down its length.
“At the other end of the platform, there is a hidden entrance. Through that we can go down to the lower Taymati level,” said Vass.
“Understood,” said Kriss.
About halfway down the platform, the first energy bolt hit. Kriss couldn’t pinpoint its origin. The melee that followed did little to alleviate his confusion, but it hardly mattered. Kriss ran for cover and returned fire with the rest of the Taymati, targeting the invisible enemy as best as he could.
“They’re using cloaks,” said Vass. “Deploy anti-concealment ordnance.” Anti-concealment munitions delivered blasts of focused, high-intensity radiation, disabling a cloaking device.
The grenadier stepped up and launched several rounds in the direction of the enemy fire. White flashes followed, disabling the cloaking devices, and revealing the enemy’s position. The Taymati responded with a torrent of energy bolts and projectiles. Kriss noted that while some of the mercs still had shields, a few didn’t. The mines had done their job. The Taymati noticed too, and the vulnerable mercs were targeted and killed in short order.
The Mercenaries were good fighters, but they were no match for the Taymati. Without shields, this encounter would have ended a long time ago. But the rest of the mercs still had working shields, and with several Taymati now dead, Vass was forced to order a retreat.
Too far along the platform, they couldn’t return to the tunnel. Instead, they entered a nearby stairwell and raced up to the higher levels. As before, they left gravity mines behind to keep the mercs at bay. Running up the staircase, Kriss saw the safety of the lower Taymati tunnel falling further out of reach.
Energy bolts chased after them, and there were a few mine detonations before the mercenaries gave up their pursuit. The Taymati continued to mine the stairwell as they raced upward, back to the higher levels.
“How did the mercenaries find us?” the Emperor asked Vass.
“They must know about the Taymati tunnels. Either that or they can track us,” Vass said ominously.
“How would they do that?”
“I don’t know, your worship, but I’ve never seen shields before today either.”
“Where do we go now?”
“Back up to the street.”
“The street? Is that saf
e?”
“Probably not, but it’s not safe down here either. The Taymati will be out in full force by now. There will be safety in numbers.”
“Are our communications still being jammed?”
“Yes, your worship.”
“Then we have no way of knowing what the situation is on the street.”
“No, your worship.”
Chapter 32
“We have never seen anything like these aliens,” said Kiith through the wallscreen. “Aliens are landing throughout the capital city. Our forces have moved to intercept, but we are having great difficulty defeating them. Can you help us?”
“Are you asking me to send down ground forces?” said Jon, surprised by the request.
“I see no other way. Our losses are mounting, and we risk losing the capital. You possess shield technology. You can stop them.”
“It is risky. Those ships currently in orbit will hamper our efforts.”
“Can you not destroy them? I have monitored your tactics. They are highly effective.”
“Those tactics require nuclear strikes, General. Sustained nuclear detonations in orbit might cause unforeseen consequences. There is also the risk of a miscalculation, causing a detonation in the upper atmosphere.”
“Do not concern yourself with that. We have a very active star in this system, which necessitated proactive action. We have hardened our infrastructure against any type of electromagnetic pulse.”
“Okay, good to know. Then with your permission, I will go ahead and initiate a nuclear strike.”
“You have my permission for that, and to send troops to the surface.”
“Understood. Stand by,” Jon said, simultaneously opening a comm with Commander Henderson on the bridge. “Commander, initiate a nuclear strike on the enemy ships orbiting Dvorkan Prime.”
“Yes, Sir,” said Henderson.
Jon watched on the split screen as the nuclear jump bombs hit their targets. The repeated conventional strikes had weakened the enemy’s shields considerably. Now they blazed a brilliant white and collapsed. With the shields gone, the second wave of nukes detonated inside the enemy hulls. Blinding explosions followed as the orbiting warships blew apart.
Tapping his control pad, Jon opened a comm with all his commanders, who appeared on the wallscreen.
“The aliens have landed in the Dvorkan capital. The Dvorkans do not have shields and have requested our assistance.”
“The Chaanisar will destroy this alien menace,” said Colonel Bast. “We will send our soldiers down to the surface.”
“We will also send teams to the surface,” said General Tallos, apparently not wanting to be outdone by the Chaanisar. In this situation, Jon didn’t mind the competition between Bast and Tallos.
“All the space battles have made my Reivers soft,” said Jonas. “They need some ground combat to keep them in fighting shape. We will also contribute forces to the defense of the Dvorkan capital.”
“Thank you, that should be plenty,” said Jon. “Move your ships into position and start deploying your troops. We’ll provide cover in case the aliens get any ideas. I’m also going to send a couple of the Freedom’s fighter squadrons down for air support. Pike out.”
The commanders all disappeared from the wallscreen, and Jon reopened a comm with General Kiith. “The aliens orbiting your planet have been destroyed, General. Some of my ships will move into orbit shortly, and begin deploying ground troops to the surface.”
“Thank you, Admiral Pike. You have turned out to be a man of your word. For that I commend you. I will do my best to convince the Emperor of the benefits of an alliance between our civilizations.”
“I am happy to help,” Jon said sincerely. The threat the Dvorkans faced was greater than they knew, and Jon had no interest in being forced to deal with another front in the future. They needed to defeat this scourge. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have pressing matters to attend to.”
“Of course, Admiral,” said Kiith, terminating the connection.
“AI,” said Jon. “Send a squadron of your ships into orbit as additional support for the landing parties.”
“Yes, Admiral,” said AI.
Jon watched as UHSF ships jumped into orbit around the planet. The aliens on the surface were now cut off from orbital support. If they were smart, they would surrender. If not, they would die.
With that matter firmly in hand, Jon returned his attention to the primary space battle. Most of the compromised Dvorkan weapon systems were now under AI’s control, and their guns were turned back on the aliens. The relentless nuclear jump bomb strikes were bearing fruit, with hundreds of ships lying in ruins. Payback’s a bitch, thought Jon, remembering how many of AI’s ships the aliens had destroyed.
Unfortunately, the Taymati fleet had also been decimated in the battle. The Taymati were brave, but bravery only counted for so much when facing superior technology. Technological advancements disrupted warfare throughout the milky way. First with the jump system, then with the jump bombs, and now with shields. Moving forward, any civilization that didn’t possess these technologies would not have a chance. These technologies could not be kept secret for long, and Jon knew that they would soon spread across the galaxy. You had to take full advantage of your technological edge while you had it.
Jon had yet another edge, though. That was AI. She may not have been as powerful as the Cenobi, or the Antikitheri and Erinyie, but she far outclassed any other form of artificial intelligence he had ever seen. “AI, have you made any attempts to break into the alien networks?”
“I have, Admiral. The compromised weapon systems offered a promising opportunity to do so, as they were controlled directly by the enemy. Unfortunately, while I successfully took control of the weapon systems, I could not take advantage of the digital bridge between them and the main enemy fleet.”
“Why not?”
“The enemy AI is quite capable.”
“I thought you said it wasn’t your match?”
“That is correct. When it realized it would lose the weapon systems, it severed all connections to them.”
“It pulled up its drawbridge,” said Jon.
“In a manner of speaking, yes.”
“I understand. Don’t worry AI. I’m sure you’ll get another crack at it.”
“It doesn’t appear that way Admiral. The enemy fleet appears to be retreating.”
Jon realized AI was correct, as the multitude of enemy ships began to vanish. “Are they appearing anywhere else in this system? They might be trying to flank us.”
“No, Admiral. There is no trace of the enemy in this system. They are gone.”
Chapter 33
Lieutenant Jarvi tapped into the shuttle’s sensors and watched the approach through his combat suit’s visor. The UHSF fighter squadrons sent in by the Freedom streaked across the sky, swarming the enemy fighters wherever they found them. The UHSF fighters easily overcame the enemy shields. The aerial skirmishes became lopsided encounters, with the mercenaries on the short end of the stick.
The orbiting ships lent their support with surgical strikes wherever possible. This level of bombardment was particularly challenging, which was why ground forces were needed. Orbital bombardment was effective against an enemy city, but not a friendly one where you didn’t want to destroy its infrastructure. Still, the orbiting ships did what they could to ensure a secure landing zone. Despite their best efforts, the shuttles were targeted with sporadic enemy fire, albeit nothing that the shields couldn’t handle.
For all their quirks, the Freen proved themselves to be exceptional engineers. Their shields were powerful defensive weapons that the Freen managed to install fleet-wide quickly and efficiently. Once the technology had been put in place and understood, the ship fabricators went to work producing smaller versions for use on the fleet’s shuttles, fighters, bombers, and even on the combat suits. For the Chaanisar, it was yet another advancement adding to their considerable capabilities.
Th
e shuttles landed, opening their hatches to the intense street fighting already taking place in the capital. As Jarvi raced out of the shuttle, his visor immediately identified the friendly Taymati forces and the aliens. Jarvi would have likely picked out the hostiles without any help. Each used what something akin to a gigantic mech. Yet it wasn’t a mech, it was something else. A mech would require a pilot, but Jarvi didn’t see any room for a cockpit. He also got a distinct impression that the machine was somehow alive.
Each one stood several stories tall and carried a devastating array of firepower. Not that the Taymati were pushovers. They had brought in a considerable number of heavy weapons that they used against the enemy. But the shields foiled the Dvorkan efforts and glowed red almost permanently as the Dvorkan batteries hammered them. The alien guns returned fire with devastating effect, littering the streets with the carnage of dead Dvorkans.
Not wasting any time, Jarvi’s team of Chaanisar targeted the nearest machine and fired in unison. Their rounds struck, and the machine spun around, spraying them with energy bolts. Protected by their shields, the Chaanisar charged the metal monster. They traded fire with it as they advanced, until they bridged the gap between them, and were on the thing.
They leaped forward in great bounds, landing on its limbs, and using their augmented abilities to scale it at blistering speeds. Unable to shoot at them, the machine swatted with its arms, trying to crush its tormentors. But like a fly toying with its hunter, the Chaanisar stayed a step ahead of the thing, all along probing for vulnerabilities.
Lieutenant Jarvi, said AI, through his brain chip. Climb closer to the creature’s chest. I think I can access its systems from there.
“Understood,” said Jarvi, who leaped across the armored machine, finding purchase where he could. Gripping the slightest protrusions, he scaled up the metal monster’s torso. It flayed wildly, trying to shake the Chaanisar off. Jarvi’s feet lost their grip and swung precariously in the air. The Lieutenant held fast, like a pit bull gnawing on a bone.
