-
Suddenly, from over a dozen buildings, Kleese began firing from windows, doorways, and openings they'd made in the walls. Beams of energy and high-powered RG rounds struck the inbound marines, killing many of them.
“Take cover!” yelled Casey as she felt her suit impacted in the leg by an RG round. It hurt like hell, but her suit damage display indicated it was still intact. Looking about, she saw a small vehicle close by and darted toward it. Other marines were going prone on the ground and beginning to return fire.
Ryan quickly assessed the situation, not liking the vulnerable position his marines were in. While the Type Four battlesuits were superior to the Type Threes, in this type of situation they couldn’t be used as they were designed. “Take out those weapons emplacements with your railgun cannons,” he ordered the tank crew. He knew they had been cautioned about damaging the buildings, but his marines were under fire. He would worry about the repercussions later.
Instantly, the hover tank began firing railgun rounds in rapid succession at the buildings. The tank’s central computer could detect inbound weapons fire and redirect the tank’s twin railguns to return fire along the same trajectory.
Casey was hunched down behind the small vehicle firing explosive RG rounds at the buildings. Her suit was identifying potential targets and she was firing nearly nonstop. Around her, other marines were doing the same, occasionally changing position when enemy fire came too close.
Watching the battle carefully, Ryan realized quickly that not all of the Zaltule had started firing at the same time. Many had waited and as their fellow warriors were taken down were stepping in to keep up the deadly fire on the marines. Once fire from one location was eliminated, it would start back up somewhere else. On his HUD, he saw another icon turn a glaring red.
“They’ve pretty well got us pinned down,” spoke Sergeant Morris as she fired at an open doorway in a building where she though she had seen some movement.
-
Beth was standing behind a small building with Sergeant Russell and a full squad of marines. On her HUD, she could see over twenty red icons and close to thirty amber ones. Whatever weapons the Kleese were using, they were quite effective against her marines.
With a sharp breath, she activated her long-range com. “Wade, we’re under heavy fire from the buildings. The Kleese aren’t coming out and we’re taking heavy casualties.”
“We see,” Wade replied from the Defender. “Don’t allow your marines to advance. We’ve pinpointed where the heaviest fire is originating from and are preparing to take the building out with ship weapons. I spoke to a head government official a few moments ago, and he has given us permission to use whatever force is necessary to remove the Kleese.”
-
Up in the Defender, the crew prepared to fire the ship’s planetary railguns.
“Ready to fire,” reported Captain Damon. She was standing next to Lieutenant Craig Coleman at Tactical.
Wade nodded at Commander Greer, indicating for him to initiate the firing order. He just hoped there were no marine casualties caused from the hellfire they were about to rain down upon the spaceport. Most of the buildings were made of heavy metal and they were designating two rounds for each one. He hoped Beth was far enough back. He knew she preferred to be in the thick of things so there was no doubt in his mind she was on the spaceport somewhere.
“Fire!” ordered Commander Greer.
The large planetary bombardment railgun turrets locked onto their assigned targets and then eight of them fired twin shells into the planet’s atmosphere. They lit up space like a fiery meteor but were traveling much faster. Down through the atmosphere they hurtled to impact the planet’s surface.
-
Beth knew what to expect as she had seen railgun fire used against the Kleese Communications Center on one of her earlier missions. Suddenly, in front of her, massive explosions shook the blastcrete as huge sections of the buildings blew outward and multiple concussion waves traveled across the spaceport, rattling the remaining structures. Rising black smoke and fire indicated where the rounds had struck.
“Move up!” she ordered. “We need to hit them while they’re still unorganized from the railgun strike.”
Beth stepped out from around the small building holding her RG rifle at the ready. Sergeant Russell and his squad were with her as they moved rapidly across the blastcrete toward the burning buildings.
-
Minor War Overlord Braton stared out the thick, protective windows of the Operations Center at the destroyed buildings his warriors had been in. He let out a deep breath of frustration at how the Humans had used railgun strikes from orbit to obliterate the majority of his forces. This was a tactic the Zaltule used occasionally when an enemy was too concentrated to take out in a frontal assault.
“We are defeated!” spoke Caltill in anguish as he watched the Humans advance on the viewscreens.
Looking out the windows, he could see hundreds of battlesuit encased Humans advancing toward them. Only a scattering of defensive fire rang out from the few Zaltule warriors who'd survived the bombardment from space.
“Prepare yourself,” commanded Braton as he closed the helmet on his Type Three battlesuit and picked up his RG rifle from where it had been lying on a control console. “The Humans will be here shortly.”
“Vermin!” spat Caltill as he picked up his energy cannon. “How can we be defeated by vermin?”
Braton looked out the windows and only shook his head. While it had always been true that there were no other races in the known galaxy equal to the Zaltule in battle, he was beginning to wonder. These Humans seemed to be different and they were advancing toward him with such confidence. Was it possible they'd finally met a warrior race equal to the Zaltule? Braton found that thought hard to believe, but how else could one explain the Human victories?
-
Ryan had moved his marines up and formed his platoon into a long skirmish line as they quickly advanced toward the burning buildings. The other two Type Four platoons were on his immediate flanks. His lone remaining hover tank was just behind the skirmish line, swinging its energy cannon threatening back and forth seeking targets of opportunity. Occasionally the cannon would fire, obliterating a Kleese, who had dared to attempt to fire on the advancing marines.
Looking around, Ryan noticed they were quickly outdistancing their support troops on both flanks in the Type Three suits. The Type Fours were much more flexible and allowed for a greater freedom of movement as well as increased speed. As they neared the burning buildings, he saw marines from the three advancing Type Four platoons take to the air, leaping on top of buildings and other structures to give them a better view of the battlefield.
Taking a deep breath, Ryan raised his RG rifle and fired two explosive rounds into an open doorway where he thought he'd detected movement. A battlesuit encased Kleese stumbled out and fell to the ground.
“We need prisoners,” Ryan spoke over his unit’s com channel.
Lauren looked over at Alexander, who had stopped next to a tall tower. “You heard the lieutenant,” she spoke over their private com channel.
“Yeah, I heard him,” muttered Alexander as he activated the flight repellers in his feet and leaped up into the air.
He set back down halfway up the tower on a small platform, which was just large enough for him to stand on. Now I’m a sitting duck, he thought as he began inspecting the buildings around him with his enhanced vision. He checked each building one by one, not finding any potential targets. Then he looked at a building only one hundred meters away that was covered in large windows. Must be some type of control tower, he decided.
Alexander froze as he detected what looked like movement inside. Ramping up his vision, he gazed intently at the windows. Sure enough, he could see two Kleese in battlesuits looking out at the advancing marines. Both looked to be armed. Taking a deep breath, he raised his stun rifle and flipped off the safety. Aiming at the first target, he sig
hted carefully and pulled the trigger. With excited satisfaction, he saw the target go down. Before he could fire off his second shot one of the windows exploded outward and railgun rounds began to impact the tower around him. Then an explosive round hit, destroying the platform he was standing on. In desperation, he fired several stun rifle shots toward the shattered window as he felt himself falling toward the ground far below.
-
Beth gazed around at the burning buildings and the dead Zaltule around her. The Zaltule had fought to the end, never offering to surrender. Even now, a few Zaltule were still sniping at her marines as they combed the burning buildings and other structures.
“That looks like a control tower of some sort,” Sergeant Russell said, pointing toward a nearby structure. “It seems to be pretty well intact.”
“Looking at the structure, Beth could see several marines in the Type Four suits going inside. “Let’s follow them,” she ordered. “We can make that our command center until we’re satisfied we’ve eliminated all the enemy.”
Looking at her HUD, Beth saw with relief that Ryan’s glowing green icon was still unchanged. She knew which icon was Ryan's and had been watching it intently throughout the entire battle. The lieutenant’s platoon had also been the first one to reach the center of the spaceport with the other three Type Four platoons close behind. Marines from the four platoons had taken up positions on top of buildings and towers to cover the advancing marines in the Type Three suits. Beth strongly suspected when this was over with, the Type Fours would have a very high kill ratio, much higher than the Type Threes. She also noticed that Ryan’s icon indicated he'd entered the supposed control tower.
-
Ryan and Casey were climbing a wide set of stairs, which led to the main, level of the Operations Center. Privates Matheson, Hatterson, and Swen were with them. Everyone had their weapons ready, though they could hear no sounds, which might indicate others were in the building. Reaching the main level, they found a heavy metal door in front of them. Private Matheson reached forward and pushed the door open as the others rushed in with their weapons ready.
“About time you made it,” Alexander said from where he was sitting on top of a prostrate Kleese. Another was nearby and Lauren had her RG rifle pointed in its direction.
Ryan immediately noticed Private Parker’s right leg seemed to be buckled and his suit looked singed. “Are they alive?”
“Yeah,” Alexander replied with satisfaction in his voice. “They’re alive, though this one I’m sitting on blew me off the tower platform I was standing on.”
“Are you injured?” asked Ryan, looking at his HUD and seeing Parker’s icon was now amber.
“Broke both of my legs,” Alexander answered. “The suit’s injected meds so I feel fine, Private Adams helped me get up the stairs.”
Before Ryan could say anything else, he saw a marine in a command suit step into the room and quickly survey the situation. With surprise, he realized it was Beth.
“Are they alive?” she asked, seeing the two Kleese.
“Yes, they’re alive,” replied Ryan. “Private Parker got both of them with his stunner.”
Beth quickly turned her suit’s sensors on the two Kleese, detecting emanations of life. The sensors only worked at extremely close range. She gestured to two of the marines who had entered with her. “Keep your stunners focused on those two Zaltule. If they even twitch, stun them again. R&D thinks the stun effects should last about two hours on a Kleese, but we’ve never had a live one to try it out on.”
“Good job, Private Parker,” Beth spoke over the platoon frequency. “You’ll get a commendation for this.”
Alexander nodded, allowing himself to smile. The painkillers were really taking over and everything was starting to get hazy.
“Major Stevens is on his way up,” added Beth, looking over at Ryan. “I want your platoon to escort these two Kleese up to the Defender. I’ll have a cargo drop ship down shortly.”
Ryan nodded, his first trial by combat was over and he'd survived. Looking over at Casey, he knew she must feel extremely relieved also. This had been nothing like Charring Mountain, and he now realized why Charring was so hard. It was to teach marines how to survive.
-
Wade finally allowed himself to relax. He'd just received the latest reports from Beth as well as Major Stevens. The spaceport was secure and they were doing a final sweep for any Zaltule, who might have been missed. They'd taken a lot of casualties but secured their prizes. Two Zaltule had been captured and from the reports, one of the two might actually be a Zaltule Minor Overlord. Both were still unconscious and their suits had been removed as a precaution.
“There is still some minor fighting in the city,” Commander Greer reported as he listened to communications coming in from the surface. “I’m being told they should be wrapping up that part of the operation within the next hour.”
Wade nodded as he looked at the main viewscreen, which was showing a magnified view of the spaceport. Much of the spaceport was still covered in smoke and a few of the building were burning. He was pleased that it had been members of his brother’s platoon who had captured the two Kleese. Even more important to him, both Beth and Ryan were unharmed. He let out a deep breath and leaned back in his command chair. They'd accomplished their mission. Two Kleese had been captured, the Zaltule would shortly be eliminated on the planet below, and they had defeated the Kleese warfleet. There was no doubt in Wade’s mind that now the Alliance would come into being. For the first time, Wade felt optimism for the future. They now had a fighting chance against the Kleese.
Chapter Sixteen
Xatul looked across the massive stone table at the other gathered Overlords. His multifaceted eyes studied each of the nineteen individuals at the table, weighing their strengths and liabilities. He knew his days as the Supreme Overlord of the Kleese race might be numbered unless drastic action was taken. Harmock was on his way back to the home world with his battered fleet and from the messages he'd sent ahead, the Warrior Overlord was highly angry with the Kleese Council of Overlords.
“Why were we not told of these Humans earlier?” demanded Darthu the Zaltule Overlord, who was also Harmock’s military science advisor. “How can a race of vermin do what they have done to the Kleese race?”
“Many of the Kleese in the outer regions of the Empire are weak and have failed in their service to the Empire,” began Martule, fearing his life would soon be in jeopardy. “They failed to deal adequately with the Humans when they first appeared as a threat.”
“Excuses!” spat Darthu, glaring at Overlord Martule and stamping his six feet upon the cold stone floor of the council chambers. “All Kleese are born to serve our race and to advance the Empire. We are the most powerful and intelligent race in the galaxy. None should be able to stand up against our ships, let alone take a trading station!”
Martule fell silent, knowing there was nothing more he could say. All he could do was to wait for more Zaltule to arrive, knowing at least one would challenge him for his right to be on the Council of Overlords. There was no point attempting to flee; the Zaltule would only hunt him down. He would stay, fight the duel, and probably die.
“The Zaltule have been asleep for over a thousand years,” stated Xatul evenly his eyes focused directly on Darthu. “Much has changed in that time and the Empire has grown. There has been no major threat to our race in all of those years.”
“Except the Humans,” spoke Tintul, darkly. “The great Council of Overlords has failed the Kleese race by allowing this inferior species to live after they stole one of our trading stations. They should have been hunted down and annihilated to the last member of their vermin species.”
“That was attempted,” Xatul responded in a cold voice. He leaned forward, placing his hands upon the surface of the table. “It would have been done except the Strell attacked some of our worlds in the neutral zone and it became necessary to awaken the Zaltule. Don’t make me come to regret tha
t decision.”
“You dare to threaten me?” challenged Tintul, rising up to his full height. “I am a Zaltule and superior in battle to all but other members of my caste.”
Xatul nodded at the two guards standing at the heavy wooden doors to the council chambers. The doors immediately swung open, allowing half a dozen heavily armed Kleese in Type Three battlesuits to enter. They quickly surrounded the four Zaltule standing at the council table.
“What is this?” demanded Darthu his eyes focusing sharply on the Supreme Overlord. “Why have you summoned armed Kleese into our presence?”
“I will not allow the Zaltule to dominate this council,” spoke Xatul in an authoritative voice. “You Zaltule have dared to challenge my authority as Supreme Overlord of the Kleese race. For that, you shall die.” Xatul nodded at the six Kleese in battlesuits who drew their Energy Lances.
In moments, three of the Zaltule lay upon the floor minus their heads, their life giving blood spreading across the council chamber’s floor. Only Darthu remained standing with an Energy Lance held against his throat.
Xatul strode around the council table until he stood close to Darthu. “For now, you will be allowed to live. Know full well that guards of my choosing protect the council area. There are fifty exploration ships in orbit with their full complement of assault ships. All are crewed by members of the Kleese race who are loyal to me.”
“What are you saying?” asked Darthu keenly aware of the deadly blade at his throat.
“Those of us in this room directly control hundreds of explorations ships as well as thousands of assault vessels,” explained Xatul. “We also control all of the trading stations and have placed extra Kleese guards of our choosing upon every one of them.”
“We do not want to fight a civil war against other Kleese,” spoke Darthu as he thought over what Xatul had said. “What are your demands?” He knew that while the Zaltule had a powerful fleet, it would be difficult to defeat all of the exploration ships and assault vessels the Council of Overlords had at its command.
Galactic Empire Wars: Rebellion (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 3) Page 23
