“There could be what 5,000 on board?” asked Dave.
“Yes but most of these would not be warriors” suggested Captain Greta Oppenheim the new Comms and Intel member of Phil’s expanding staff. “We estimate they’ll have a battalion of warriors on board at most” she said pushing her jaw a little forward as she spoke. She was a mature woman with short blond hair and smoky blue eyes that were looking directly into Dave’s. There was sincerity in her look and Dave liked that. He noted the smile lines around her mouth and knew that Alex would not recruit someone without a sense of humour.
“All right I can come at that but even so it’s not like we’re going to enjoy a two to one advantage let alone the recommended three to one. This is corridor to corridor, level to level, close quarter fighting. Even with the droids leading we’re going to be incurring significant losses in our marines. Are you sure it’s worth it?”
“From the data we have” responded Greta “the station is packed with sensors for monitoring the planet. It also has a substantial anti-ship and anti-fighter capability. If we can control that we can secure the planet with a lot less ships, freeing these to take the fight to other rogan home worlds.”
Dave nodded “but how much of that capability is going to be left functioning after we’ve fought all the way through it?” It was almost 2200 and Dave was tired. He recognised it and made a decision not to make any more decisions at the moment. So before anyone could respond he added “Perhaps it’s best if we adjourn this Sir till after I have had a closer look at the specs for that station.”
Phil could see the weariness on Dave and he knew all too well what it was like to be grilled for two hours. “Good idea Dave. Let’s say we meet back here at 1330 tomorrow. Will that give you enough time?” Dave nodded. “I suppose you will be taking your wife from me tonight” said Phil cheekily.
Dave chuckled. “That was my intention Sir but I have made it a practice to not make decisions for her.”
“Very wise” interrupted Rihan and looking to Phil she added “will that be all Sir?”
An hour later, Dave came into the ensuite of his cabin aboard the Resolute. Rihan had just pulled on her tee shirt after taking a shower. Her hair was down and the auburn curls were still damp and wetting her tee shirt where they fell onto it. She was wearing the black lace knickers that Dave had bought her. They were effectively a thong at the back. She leaned forward to the mirror and gave her face a closer inspection. She heard Dave come in and smiled at him via the mirror.
“I love those curves” said Dave.
She wiggled her bottom, knowing that it would be too much temptation for him. And it was.
He grabbed her buttocks with his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. She stood upright as he leant toward her and pecked her on the neck. Her hair wet his face as he did so. She tilted her head to give him better access to the nape of her neck and he took advantage of it. “I should have known” she said.
Dave came up for air. “What, that you have a beautiful rump?”
“No, that you are only interested in one thing” she replied. He dived back in and began sucking her ear lobe. She moaned lightly in response. He moved his arms around her belly and then up onto her breasts. “Well maybe not just one thing” she said with a little laugh. “Ooh, definitely not just one thing.”
Dave was in a hurry now to remove his present. Rihan obliged by bending forward, taking hold of the sink and lifting her feet in turn as the nickers parted company. Dave’s shorts had dropped just as quick. Rihan bent lower and pushed back with her bottom. She was looking into the mirror and could see Dave smiling at her. She smiled at him. “You know I don’t think these ensuites were designed for…Oh!”
Chapter 26. Dyritka 0740, 24 August
Aras hadn’t slept well. His back was aching and so too his left shoulder. He had always found it difficult to get a good night’s sleep when there were big decisions still to make. As was his ritual each morning he would check to see if there were any messages for him from his fellow conspirators. As he sat down at the table and checked his consul he hoped he would receive one from Letnus.
He enjoyed the moment of glee upon seeing Letnus’s message. After reading its content he was very happy indeed. He stood up quickly. “So much to do” he stated for his own benefit. He placed his console in his bag and left for work. “So much to do” he said again as he waited for the elevator. Another part of him though felt like singing. He hadn’t felt this way since making Admiral - such an elevation in power with so much potential. He felt a stirring within him that elated him.
Chapter 27. Resolute over Chelora 0805, 24 August
“Come in” said Dave to the knock on the door of his office.
“Sir” said Charles Chen as he came in.
Dave glanced up at him and could not avoid a little stare at the dressing over his ear. He waved for Charles to sit down. “So you’re off then?” said Dave.
“Yes that’s right. But I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done for me.”
“I didn’t do that much.”
“On the contrary. You have done me a great service and I am in your debt. If you ever have need of a friend with political clout, call me.”
Dave nodded. “So, is it back to Earth?”
“Yes after a short convalescence in Polaris.” Chen paused before adding “You know something, I actually thought I did something useful back there. It was a pleasant change. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think I want to come that close to getting killed again but it felt good to make a contribution.”
“And where do you see yourself making that contribution now?”
“Oh my mother has plans for me in politics. But I have some of my own. I must be off now - my shuttle’s leaving. Once again, thank you.” Charles stood up and extended his hand.
Dave shook it. “Good luck Charles.”
Chapter 28. Resolute over Chelora 1045, 24 August
Dave and his command staff filed into the officers’ mess for a late morning brew mentally drained. They had been looking at different ways to take out the enemy space station over Checklin since 0800. The detailed data they had downloaded, if anything, had made it look even harder.
Dave kept hearing Chase’s words just before they adjourned for lunch. ‘70% droids, 33% marines’. These were the likely casualties with the best course of action (COA). They were even higher with the other COA. Dave wasn’t worried so much about the droids. That was what they were for, to take the heat and save human lives. But 33% meant 80 marines would either be killed or wounded from the two assaulting companies.
Dave spotted Jim sitting on his own. He pulled up a chair next to him and plonked his mug of coffee down. Jim gave him a weak smile and Dave knew all too well what was going through Jim’s mind. They both sipped their coffee in silence for a bit. Finally Jim spoke in a low voice “You know Sir I’m not one to grumble.” Dave nodded. “But this is a shit assignment. Why can’t one of the other units take the heat on this for a change? We’ve been leading the charge since Beta Phi. We’re churning through these young’uns so fast I barely get to know their names.”
Dave nodded and then added “Only a stealth ship will be able to achieve the surprise we need to take her out. We’ll have the marines from the frigates.”
“Even so I’m going to lose another forty or so. We just lost 26 on Q2. It’s having a bad effect on morale and this will knock us for six.” Jim looked deadly earnest, never more so.
Julian came in looking for Dave, saw him and walked up to the table. He leaned his lanky form over to get his head down to their seated level. “Excuse me Sir. Can I have a word.”
“Can it wait?” asked Dave.
“Well it’s just that I’ve been thinking about our problem…”
“Which one?” interrupted Dave. He was a little annoyed at being interrupted himself.
“The mission Sir. How to take out the space station.”
“OK what is it?” asked D
ave indicating for Julian to sit down.
“Well the biggest issue is the casualty rates on our marines, right?” Dave and Jim both nodded. “Well this is occurring because we operate the droids and the marines independently. They each have their own routes to clear through the station. Well I reckon we could reduce the marine cas if we integrated. The smallest droid unit that can operate from its pod is a platoon. So if we divide the force up into a series of integrated companies, each with a mix of droid and marine platoons then we could have droids leading on each of the routes through the station. I would like to work up a simulation and run a batch of tests to see what the results are likely to be.”
Dave looked to Jim. Jim shrugged his shoulders as if to say why not. “How long do you need?”
“Do we have a day?”
“No I’m supposed to be reporting back to the Admiral at 1330.”
“Can you delay that?”
“I can ask, when to?”
“1630?”
“I can try. But you know there’s still the issue of getting enough operators. We’ll have what six companies, so we’ll need six operators.”
“We’ve got a month before D day” said Julian with a smile.
“I like your optimism Julian. Jim can you get everyone back in to the briefing room and spend half an hour on coming up with some workable estabs for this new look force while I have a talk to the Admiral.”
“Sure” said Jim feeling a little hope lifting his spirits.
Chapter 29. Rollinium 1100, 24 August
Art and Sue were inspecting the shuttle that had flown in earlier in the morning. Rentra was deep in discussion with the pilot up front. The side panel had been removed in the main cabin. Art wore a worried look.
“What do you think?” he asked. “There’s not much spare space.”
“I was OK. What about you?”
“I felt like a sardine but if it’s only for a short while I think it will serve.” He leaned over and shone the torch down into the cavity. “We can store our weapons and kit there.” Sue nodded.
“Should we try this with our suits on?” she asked.
“Nah! Shouldn’t be a need to. I doubt if I could squeeze in then.”
“What about storing two oxy packs along with the kit, just in case.”
“OK” said Art. “I’m more worried about ensuring we have a way of getting out in case something prevents the crew from releasing us.”
They discussed this with Rentra and she tasked one of her staff to take care of it. She talked with the staff member as they walked to the hatch, saw him leave and came back to where Sue and Art were seated. “The riskiest thing in all this” she said “is convincing the authorities in Dyritka that we’re genuine refugees. They will thoroughly check our IDs and give us a real grilling. I will definitely be on their watch list. So I cannot accompany you. I have asked Lt Hoanna to accompany and support you.”
She introduced the young female rogan officer. Her first name was Beela. She looked to be barely old enough to fight let alone to be an officer but in the course of their discussions Art detected a hard edge in her voice. She had confidence to burn but was not cocky or arrogant. He liked that and knew that it was the product of experience in combat. Later Rentra told them that Beela had been with her from the start of the uprising and was her best platoon commander. In addition to Art, Sue and Beela there would be the pilot and ten others from Beela’s platoon plus a number of volunteer civilians to make it look genuine.
Art was not happy about this part of the arrangements but Rentra assured him that without them they stood little chance of being believed.
“I will have everyone, who is going, here this afternoon. We will rehearse then and you will leave tomorrow morning” said Rentra.
Sue and Art caught up with John and Chad at lunch inside the terminal.
“I must admit Sir” said young Chad to Art after swallowing a good mouthful “I have no idea what I’m eating but it’s light years better than our hard rations.”
Art laughed. “No argument there Chad but that’s not really much of a challenge.”
“True” said the young man. “What do you think the chances are of the enemy hitting us before the fleet arrives?”
“Not much” said Art. “Look at it from their perspective. This planet’s doomed within the year. The only reason they were here was to stop the truth getting out about that device and that’s already out there now. Nah can’t see it really.”
“But they may see it a bit different if they see it from our perspective” chipped in John. “They will realise that this place gives us a springboard to attack their home worlds.”
“Maybe” conceded Art. “But I reckon these Imperialists are an arrogant lot and probably would dismiss this as a viable course of action. You also have to remember that they have been expanding for the last thirty years. That puts you in a certain frame of mind.”
“But they got their head handed to them over Polaris Sir” said Chad. “That’d make me stop and think.”
Art smiled warmly. “Words of wisdom for sure. So we need to be vigilant but my money is on them leaving us alone for now.”
“What about you Maam” asked Chad.
His question broke Sue’s pattern of thought which was on tomorrow’s operation and not on the merits or not of the enemy coming back here. “Sorry” she excused herself. “What did my husband say?” Art rolled his eyes. Chad explained that Art didn’t think the enemy would come back here. “Oh in that case they definitely will” she said provocatively with a cheeky grin.
“And that” said Art “is married life for you.”
Chapter 30. Slidwon 1200, 24 August
Jebna entered Angina’s office. He wasn’t agitated like he was yesterday. No, his face was a mixture of resentment and determination. “Here” and he placed an ePaper on Angina’s desk.
Angina glanced up at him and then at the ePaper. She kept swiping as she scanned the details. “Comprehensive isn’t it?” she commented without taking her eyes off of the list of addressees. She pushed the ePaper away from her like it was disgusting piece of filth. “Well there’s little doubt now.”
“We either run or fight. I’m for fighting” said Jebna.
She had been unsure how to broach the subject with Jebna and how he might respond. She was confident but not absolutely sure. ‘You never could be in this business’ she had said to herself earlier. But now it was him declaring first. The fact that he felt able to do that with her was comforting and reassuring. She smiled warmly.
“Of course you are Jebna. So am I and I have a plan.”
“Of course you do” said Jebna with a smile. The tension on his face had gone. The sharing of their commitment had flushed it all away. “Let me guess. It starts in Lewista!” he said with a grin.
“We know each other too well” said Angina with a light laugh.
“In a good way I think.”
“Yes in a good way. Right now here’s what I have in mind…”
Chapter 31. Rollinium 1415, 24 August
Art and Sue were gathered in the hangar with Rentra, Beela and her troops for the rehearsal. Art and Sue were crammed into their cavity. Beela, her troops and the ‘civvies’ were in their seats. Two of Rentra’s staff were pretending to be the inspectors. As the faux inspectors declared that they could disembark, all the communicators, which somehow had not been turned off for the exercise, all began ringing.
Art was still struggling to get to his when Sue got the message. “Shit enemy have just warped in” she told Art and then yelled at the top of her lungs “Let us out.”
But Art simply gave a heave on the handle they had affixed inside and knocked out the cavity panel in one go. Two of Beela’s troops helped them out. The craft was already emptying.
Sue got out first and began racing across the field. It was a good two hundred metres to the terminal where her command droid was located. Art was a good minute and half behind her. She saw the missiles risin
g from behind the terminal building. John must have activated the automatic controls rather than wait for her. Each of the four support droids was firing a volley of four missiles.
She knew that John would not have fired those unless there were enemy transports on their way. Another volley fired. “Fuck” cried out Sue and she pumped her legs as hard as she could. She knew that this was either because there were more transports or enemy missiles were inbound – counter battery no doubt and she was still in the open. She cast a quick glance back to see Art who was using his huge legs to overtake her.
“Basement” yelled out Art as he caught up to her. Another volley fired from the support droids. Art grabbed Sue’s hand as he surged past her dragging her on the hop. They aimed for the double doors. One side was already closed and one of Beela’s warriors was there waving his hand urging them to hurry. Art hurled Sue through, ducked his head and lunged forward as the warrior pulled the big door shut. As the fourth volley was fired from the droids the warrior helped Sue to her feet then bolted at his best speed for the stairs that led down to the basement. Art scrambled to his feet and he and Sue took off in hot pursuit
The first missile missed the terminal by a good twenty metres on the northern side, impacting the main runway. Its blast sent a shock wave that blew in the glass from of the main concourse. The support droids having exhausted their on-board stock began redeploying to the service area of the terminal building. Art and Sue rounded the stairs and descended as the second missile struck closer to the west. They reached the bottom as the third took out the two slowest support droids just south of the terminal. The other two were blown onto their sides and crashed into the wall of the building with such force they became embedded.
Art and Sue ran down the corridor to the temporary control room. They collapsed on the floor, trying to catch their breath, after they came in. John and Chad were at their stations. John was tracking the enemy missiles still in flight even though they had nothing with which to reply. Chad was watching the two surviving shuttles heading towards them. John broadcasted a message to Chelora and the Resistance net, advising they were under attack.
Audacity (Warner's World Book 5) Page 31
