Nemesis (The MechaVerse Trilogy Book 2)

by Jeremy Cunkle

  Minutes after assuming their positions, sirens sounded, announcing the next wave of attacks. Kiryl opened the frequency with his company and the rest of the defenders standing shoulder to shoulder with him against the advancing horde, his brothers and sisters in arms. “Hold this line! Don’t worry about what happens one minute from now, or ten. We are all that stands between that army and our loved ones, our friends, our family, and our home. Stand tall, all of you! You can be tired tomorrow, today we have work to do! Today, I am proud to call myself a StormCrow!”

  Cheers erupted over the radio after the simple speech and then Kiryl cut the feed. As much as he wanted to reassure everyone with him on the front lines that everything was going to be all right, he knew they were on their own now and that they were in trouble. As powerful as the bunkers and the Salvatore reinforcements were, the enemy horde advancing on them were some of the best units the PDF could throw at them, having been held in reserve until this moment while weaker units performed all the hard work.

  The Hunter drones, leading the attack, were heavily armored, tracked vehicles that featured a cannon turret in the front and multiple rocket launchers on each side. They were the single most powerful land based drone in the PDF arsenal and hundreds of them were now advancing on the main defensive line; Hunters comprised the first three waves of the incoming wedge of armored vehicles.

  Behind the Hunters were hundreds of veteran pilots equipped with Block D and E, modern variants of Strident Mech armor, powerful armored titans that had served as the basis for his Intrepid as well as the Salvatores. Following the Roman style of warfare, the most capable enemies were bringing up the rear of the formation, using the front lines as fodder. Marine Steyrs were faster, more powerful versions of the Stridents, featuring stronger weapons, more capable energy shields, potent fire-control systems, and highly trained pilots for whom losing was not an option. Dozens of Marauder heavy tanks followed behind them, ready to charge into any breach in the rebel lines that the front ranks opened.

  The enemy field commander discarded all sense of strategy, knowing that the last attack had nearly succeeded in overwhelming the defenders with a smaller force of less capable units and that up until now the StormCrows had suffered high numbers of casualties. The armored wedge wasted no time attacking in a direct frontal assault against the bulwarks that Kiryl now defended, opening up with their weapons the moment they entered maximum range. Fierce barrages of explosives and laser fire began racing across the quickly diminishing distance between armies, ending in powerful explosions that shook the plain with the force of their detonations.

  Captain Cartwright and his company of Salvatores were on standby in the right wing of the defensive salient, commanding the support units and automated weapons. He waited with the patience of long experience gained from years of fighting the PDF, waiting for the approaching horde to close to within the full-kill range of every weapon at the rebel’s disposal. Meanwhile, the PDF continued their fusillade, firing from maximum range, their weapons ineffectively striking the energy shields of the hardened defensive salient. Slowly, their rate of fire began increasing as more of their weapons entered range. The energy shields began to show signs of strain under the steadily increasing fusillade but Captain Cartwright continued to hold his forces back, waiting for the perfect moment.

  Kiryl’s monster of a Mech armor sat stoically in the dead center of the front line, his false-calm demeanor serving as an example to those around him. Through it all, he waited impatiently with his fingers gently caressing the triggers, eager to take the fight to the PDF.

  Incoming missiles, rockets, and laser fire were beginning to take a fearsome toll on the energy shields protecting the salient, continuously increasing in intensity. When the StormCrows were finally given the order to return fire, the PDF were in visual range without the aid of weapon sights. Led by Kiryl, the StormCrows opened up with every weapon at their disposal. Rockets, missiles, lasers, and plasma weapons fired with precise abandon in a steady stream of violence and carnage. From the short range, it was nearly impossible for the defenders to miss the PDF continuing to advance in their neat formations.

  With a shudder marked by a quickly expanding series of detonations, the front line of Hunter drones simply vanished from sight under the weight of the incoming fusillades. The subsequent waves of Hunters continued advancing through the smoking and blasted out ruins of their allies, uncaring that their unmanned brethren were haplessly slaughtered before their eyes and that they were almost certainly about to face a similar demise. The Hunter drones fired their weapons in steady succession and finally began attempting to take evasive action as they pointlessly maneuvered back and forth, all the while continuing to advance through the maelstrom of chemical violence detonating around them.

  The PDF’s seemingly inevitable momentum was rudely checked by the remaining four squadrons of StormCrow MARS units who were not so willing to simply roll over and die. Their return fire was disciplined and coordinated, the complete opposite of the forces arrayed against them. The PDF lost nearly a hundred Hunter drones in the first minute, the Salvatore models proving exceptionally well suited to destroying the powerful drones whereas the older Justices often had to fire on a single unit multiple times in order to overwhelm their thick armor and deal a critical blow.

  “Justice pilots! Take out the enemy treads! Incapacitate as many Hunters as you can! Salvatores, take the easy kills! Work with the Justices and finish off the Hunters they cripple!” Kiryl yelled across his small army’s frequency. He traversed Intrepid’s turret from left from left to right, pouring forth a steady stream of kinetic fury, using the four main cannons to deadly effect wherever the Hunters threatened to overwhelm the defenders.

  The PDF pilots who had been expecting an easy victory were now watching in horror as the mighty drones leading the charge were systematically reduced to tiny pieces by the surprisingly capable defenders. The experienced Mech armor pilots immediately recognized the danger they were in, knowing that they had to close the distance to their targets and bring more of their numbers to bear on the salient. Strident pilots increased their speed, advancing shoulder to shoulder with the Hunter drones, while the Steyrs entered in a loping run, flowing around and encircling the salient, all while continuing to pour steady fire into the stalwart defenders. The enemy commander used his numbers to maximum effect, bringing as much of his force to bear at the same time as possible.

  Vera and her company of Salvatores had not been idle during the opening moments of the attack. Her company of Salvatores was equipped with powerful laser based sniper rifles similar to the one her Atalanta used as its primary weapon. She had kept her force hidden in reserve behind the main defensive salient, hidden within the shadows of the mountain, waiting until the most effective moment to reveal their presence. Her AI Athena had fully anticipated the enemy strategy and planned accordingly. As the enemy line flowed around the defensive salient, searching for weak points to exploit, Vera gave the command to fire. Her company joined her in placing accurate, high-powered energy fire wherever it was needed most.

  “Company! Aim for the Strident’s legs! Use your accuracy to your advantage, avoid the heavily armored torsos!” Vera commanded sternly across her company’s frequency. “Support those in the bunkers! If one of the bunkers is becoming overwhelmed, it’s up to us to even the odds and buy the pilot inside time to recover!”

  Seeing something that only he could recognize, Captain Cartwright judged that enough time had passed and that the moment was right. He gave the command, and powerful cannons that had remained well-hidden, deep in the thick layers of the mountain rose from their positions. They were old model artillery cannons, firing large “dumb” shells in high arcs similar to mortars, pre-sighted to areas directly on the outskirts of the salient. Dozens of the large caliber cannons began firing in tandem, raining high-explosive destruction down upon the still advancing PDF formations.

  The next several minutes devolved into organized chao
s as both sides closed to within optimal distance of their weapons, content with slugging it out. Pure ecstasy filled the StormCrows with confidence as it appeared that the handful of defenders would route the advancing army on their own. In the confines of close quarters combat, they destroyed or crippled hundreds more of the PDF Mech armor and other mechanized units while sheltering in the relative safety of their permacrete bunkers. The tide seemed to shift in their favor, and then came the beginning of the end.

  * * * * *

  Back in PDF High Command, General Akari watched the entire debacle unfold from the situation room inside the C&C, growing more frustrated with every passing second by the ineptitude of the unimaginative field commander. Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, he strode to the center of the C&C. His presence had the immediate effect of drawing the attention of the surrounding station operators who instantly prepared for new orders. He had wanted to save his own surprises for the rebels until later in the battle, but he was forced to act in order to save his forces from a Pyrrhic victory.

  General Akari began issuing a string of commands, his voice piercing through the chaos of the C&C with the calm, measured tones of authority. “Unleash the remaining airborne drone fleet against the defenders! Target at will. Have our artillery and missile command prepared to launch. Inform me when ready. Targets are the enemy defensive salient and the weapon emplacements stationed along the perimeter of the mountain.”

  Almost immediately, a lead operator from the stations overseeing the artillery and missile launchers called out, “Artillery and missiles are operational and standing by Sir!”

  General Akari’s hand raised into the air and then fell rapidly as he roared, “Fire!”

  Displays on the far wall of the C&C reflected in real time the results of his command. Hundreds of long-range artillery batteries and ground-to-ground missiles launched, the first wave focused on the defensive salient. The accurately timed barrages arrived in rapid succession of one another. They were immediately followed by short and medium range rockets launched from the remainder of the army waiting in reserve. Satellite feeds showed the terrible fusillade raining down upon the mountain from over a hundred miles away, overwhelming the defending laser batteries striving valiantly to mitigate the worst of the barrage. The high explosive weapons effortlessly punctured the energy shields, detonating against the ballistic glass and permacrete walls with fearsome power, opening holes in the defenses, making way for more of their kind to continue striking against the defenses. The artillery continued firing while the next wave of missiles prepared for launch, giving the terrorists no opportunity to recover from the sudden onslaught.

  Clouds of Wasp drones entered the fray, unleashing their missiles before immolating themselves in horrendous fireballs on the side of the mountain, leaving great rents where rebel guns had been moments before. Reapers and SkyHunters were next, flying overhead launching continuous volleys of artillery rounds, unchallenged and out of reach of the defenses. The mighty drones unleashed their payloads of accurate high-explosive missiles and bombs, ripping apart the automated turrets and other defensive measures of Mount Olympus.

  Through it all, General Akari closely watched the results, nodding to himself in self-satisfaction as he watched the terrorists reel from the intensity of the additional firepower. They were unable to adapt, pinned on all sides with nowhere to go.

  * * * * *

  The StormCrows began to break under the fierce onslaught that refused to let up, suffering increasing numbers of casualties as the automated weapons that supported them were steadily eliminated, leaving the human operated weapons exposed and vulnerable. The energy shields protecting them were ineffective against the high-explosive shells, intended to protect against laser weapons. They crackled angrily and in many places vanished, ceasing their protection altogether.

  Calls for the evacuation of wounded began overwhelming the allied frequencies as casualties began piling up. The triage and casualty collection points were overwhelmed and few were able to make it inside the relative shelter of the mountain. Many others remained outside, trapped by the fearsome brutality arrayed against them.

  The PDF seemed intent on leveling the mountain through the ample application of high explosives alone; such was the power of the barrages directed against it. The darkness of night was torn aside as the plain became lit, as if in full daylight, from the unleashing of such incredible chemical energy. Shockwaves of sound and pressure raced across the plain, crashing violently into one another. Targeting computers for both sides struggled to adjust, flashing from infrared to radar and back again as the sheer number of explosions interrupted their ability to acquire targets.

  Colonel Jansen, Commander Ultor’s second in command, watched in horror as the last vestiges of the StormCrows ability to defend their home were decimated. He met the gazes of many of the station operators surrounding him, searching for answers, finding none. The last cards they had to play had already been placed on the table; there were no other options left to counter the threat enveloping the eastern plain in front of the mountain.

  Just then, Commander Ultor rushed through the doors of the C&C, returning now that his other task was completed. Simply seeing him filled the station operators with hope, already forgiving him for leaving when they needed him.

  “Situation report!” Commander Ultor barked as he approached Colonel Jansen.

  “Good to have you back Commander,” Colonel Jansen said, not bothering to hide the relief in his voice. “In the last fifteen minutes alone, we have lost over half of our remaining MARS units defending the salient and stationed outside of the mountain. Less than twenty now remain. The Salvatores have not fared much better. The team defending the salient under the command of the Omnos unit Intrepid, have been reduced to eleven remaining units. Kiryl is still standing, but his second, Lieutenant Jacobson, has been wounded and is out of the fight. Captain Cartwright and his company intercepted the enemy Steyrs flanking the right side of the salient, losing eight Salvatores in the process. His company remains in place, but they are facing off against far superior numbers and his Salvatores are dropping quickly.”

  He continued, “Omnos unit Atalanta and her company of snipers were forced to direct their fire against the incoming drones, rapidly becoming high-priority targets themselves. Aside from Atalanta, only seven of her Salvatores remain. Enemy Marauder tanks and Steyrs were threatening to eliminate the left side of the salient. Omnos unit NightHawk led a counter-attack, destroying most of the Marauder’s and Steyrs but losing the majority of his company in the process. Only six Salvatores remain. They are taking shelter in the remains of the western portion of the salient and are attempting to hold the line. Omnos unit DawnsLight led an attack against enemy artillery positions and succeeded after losing three units. The rest of her company suffered moderate damage and have taken shelter inside the mountain. They are undergoing emergency refit and repair, temporarily unable to fight. The good news is that Starkindler has returned to us, Sir, I believe thanks to your efforts. DawnsLight and Starkindler have joined forces and are currently headed to reinforce what remains of the defensive salient. They should arrive within the next few minutes.”

  Commander Ultor absorbed everything he was being told, aghast at how rapidly his army was being overrun. He scanned reports detailing the automated weapons and other manned turrets, shocked to find that over two thirds of the weapon emplacements on the mountain were damaged or unable to fire. Knowing that to hesitate any further would only render the situation worse, he called up a protocol on his data slate whose presence he had long since dreaded, placing his hand upon the glass in order to unlock the biometric seal.

  Immediately, red strobe lights throughout the entire base began flashing, accompanied by an electronic voice ringing from the PA system, cutting through the sounds of battle occurring outside the mountain. “General assembly has been initiated. This is not a drill. General assembly has been initiated. All personnel are to report to battl
e stations. Wounded and non-critical personnel are to be evacuated immediately.” Then the alert began again, repeating itself, set to loop continuously for the next ten minutes.

  This was it, the moment they had all feared was inevitable, serving as the moment that defined the end for the StormCrows. The few remaining personnel that had been waiting on standby now rushed to the airlocks and entrances, operating whatever weapons they came across, prepared to fight to the last man and woman. They knew that there was no longer any time to retreat and that the PDF would hunt down those that remained, showing no mercy to those they found. The evacuation had been completed barely a couple of hours before, all non-essential personnel and non-combatants had been forced to leave for the relative safety that was the Lazarus faction.

  Just when all hope seemed lost, to the rebel’s utter amazement, their backs to the wall and nowhere left to run, the PDF issued a call to retreat. The few remaining Hunters, Stridents, Steyrs, and Marauders that had recently numbered over four hundred units turned and fled. Less than a hundred surviving units wasted no time in retreating towards their friendly lines, but it was not their decimated ranks that forced the retreat. As broken as they were, the rebels knew that they were much worse off than the PDF.

  Not believing what they were seeing, the surviving StormCrows could do nothing but collapse in place, overcome by relief at having been spared certain death. Allied frequencies were filled with rejoicing, some taking the moment to declare that divine intervention had taken place. Other rebels announced the arrival of allied support, too tired and relieved to check for themselves, simply giving voice to false hope. Some even wondered if Starkindler had finally arrived. No other reason for their enemy’s sudden retreat made sense when the rebels were so obviously pushed to the point of breaking.