Planet Genocide II: Galaxies Collide 5: Onslaught

by Andrew McGregor

  The armoured helmet turned away, muffled explosions and gunfire erupting further south once more, the young Korean marine trainees still fighting frantically in Busan, cut off and without hope...sacrificing their own lives to delay the majority of the invaders.

  Gusung swallowed hard as he glimpsed the brightly burning army vehicles to the south of the wide river, his head shaking as he considered the waterway had saved the south from the North Korean invasion just after the Second World War. He swallowed in dread as he considered the Americans and United Nations had intervened then to save his country from an overwhelming invader, now realising no one would come to their aid…that his nation was on its own.

  Flashes in the distance as marines engaged the Morgon forward reconnaissance unit with their automatic rifles, most of the enemy troops still advancing through the heavily wooded slope above the road. Then his frame shook, further bright flashes in the trees to his right, a deep rumble and clumps filling the air, his wife gasping as the roar continued.

  Beneath the long wide bridge, hundreds of armoured bodies surged through the water, breaking the surface occasionally for air, their objective to move much further up the river to attack the next target, Daegu. The fourth largest city in South Korea, Daegu was situated one third of the distance to Seoul and then beyond, the border with North Korea…attacking Daegu would cut off most of the human forces south of the city, causing panic and desperation amongst civilians and the military alike.

  Gusung stared at the lines of flickering brake lights heading northwards ahead, the rain beginning to fall heavily across the windscreen as the Hyundai edged forward, noticing soldiers in camouflaged uniforms emerge from the forest on either side of the wide thoroughfare and begin to march grimly towards the bridge behind. His foot dropped to the brake, pulling the car over to the side of the road, the soaked soldiers moving aside to allow him to stop, a deep resigned sigh coming from his chest as the infantrymen walked past on either side of the Hyundai. Gritting his teeth in reluctance as he turned to look his frightened wife in the eyes, the stare was distracted as he glimpsed the artillery explosions high in the woods on the south bank, biting his lower lip as he thought of the terrified civilians attempting to flee in panic. Their eyes met once more, her head shaking as she realised his intention, her voice pleading and desperate, ‘No…no, please don’t…we all need to be together!’

  Tears filled his eyes as he smiled grimly, ‘I am an ex-marine, they need every man…’ His eyes closed briefly as she began to openly sob, ‘Drive to your parent’s house in the north…I will come and join you there.’ Gusung’s jaw tensed as he glimpsed the tears rolling down her cheeks, ‘We will all be fine…but this is desperate now, we cannot all hide…someone has to stand against them.’

  Slowly she nodded, the faces of his two crying young children emerging either side of their mother between the seats, his lips forcing a comforting smile in response, ‘You all need to be very brave…do as your mother says and go with her to grandma and grandpas’ house…they will make your favourite sushi and barbecue meats. You remember their table barbecue…the warm floor and soft blankets for when it is cold?’ He hesitated as the children nodded solemnly, ‘You will have all that until I come later…maybe a couple of days. Daddy will just help these soldiers…it is his duty…’

  Gusung slipped from the driver’s seat and into the pelting rain, wiping his eyes as he grimaced in emotional turmoil, his head turning to stare at the wooded hill behind, dark smoke rising on the horizon. Frowning in doubt as he considered he had seen dark dots in the sky, he forced a smile as his drenched wife emerged before him, grasping her shoulders, ‘Be brave…Jaelim…take them north and to safety. Eat well and tell our parents I love them…get both couples together and head north if I am not there in four days.’ He instinctively pulled her to him as she shuddered, tears flowing down her rain soaked face, his chest shuddering as their sodden bodies held each other. Her head slowly turned upwards as they immediately entwined in passionate embrace, only parting as they realised the two children’s grinning faces were pushed against the condensation filled rear window, the dog panting on the seat nearby, wagging its tail. Distant cracks of gunfire rang out from the south bank, Gusung stiffening and glancing round, seeing a nearby officer in a forward command tent on the outskirts of the trees to the right, his jaw tensing.

  He grinned reassuringly as Jaelim sniffed, nodding in reluctant understanding, ‘We had better get going…it will take hours. You need to go and speak to them…get a uniform and rifle.’ She stifled a sob, grasping both his hands as he stared into her eyes, ‘Please come…I…we don’t want to be alone…we have the rest of our lives…’

  Gusung tenderly swept her long wet hair back from across her face, forcing a smile and leaning forward to kiss her tenderly, his voice a whisper, ‘Give me five days then…but leave if fighting gets near. I will find you…’ He kissed her lips once more, a wet hand slipping to her jaw in fondness, then broke away, coughing to stifle his rising emotion as he strode round the car and towards the trees.

  Jaelim grasped the door handle of the Hyundai, gently pushing the eager dog onto the passenger side and slipping into the driver’s seat, watching her husband briefly talk to the military officer before saluting, tears in her eyes as she engaged gear, the car edging through the marching soldiers to re-join the traffic north.

  Outskirts of Tokyo, Japan

  Detonations rumbled in the city behind them, the wailing siren rising in ferocity in the distance, the crackle of small arms fire rattling and echoing from the high rise city buildings. They had been running for some time, his confused mother fearful and initially arguing with the excited and terrified youth as he returned home breathlessly. Then the sirens had commenced, his eyes welling with tears as he witnessed a beloved parent struggling to comprehend what was happening, the almost panicking voice on a nearby loudspeaker virtually shouting for people to leave as soon as possible from their neighbourhood.

  Jets had then suddenly roared overhead, helicopters following, the two staring out of the grime coated windows of their sixth floor apartment in awe as they glimpsed soldiers with red scarves sitting in the open doors of the choppers with automatic rifles, dust surging across the windows from the downdraft, the helicopters continuing eastwards. Several more dots were visible, banking across and around distant skyscrapers and the neon lights of the central city districts, large vivid advertising screens still flashing and spinning on the bright displays as frantic car horns sounded below, his mother frustratingly deciding to pack two bags with food as she shook nervously from shock.

  As explosions rocked the area of the fish market, she had sobbed uncontrollably, realising the fantastical stories of her son were probably true, the plumes of fire and acrid smoke rising into the air where her husband of nearly twenty years had worked. Any slim hope for her husband’s survival diminished as the bags were finally readied, her chest heaving as she wept uncontrollably, the two having then struggled down the stairs with startled neighbours to emerge into a panicked chaos at street level almost two hours earlier.

  Naomitsu Kanaya sprinted to the end of the alleyway, his slim frame heaving from the exertion and fear as he gasped, glancing in either direction into the next narrow street warily, eyes straining as he glimpsed the fires burning in high office buildings far to the right. Smouldering paper and debris swept along the thoroughfare with dust, the stationery queuing cars coated in a thin line of ash, black smoke plumes rising behind the youth as he spun round, gesturing to his mother frantically.

  Heat swept across his slim features, tears of overwhelming guilt welling in his eyes as he glimpsed his mother struggling along the alley, other startled Japanese residents trudging forwards with their own meagre possessions in the assembling and increasing throng of people. Many were stepping from their own properties on either side in shocked bewilderment, several stopping abruptly to stare upwards into the darkened smoke filled sky and then fearfully to the east and towards
the rumble of gunfire and explosions.

  Coughing, he lunged back towards her, shouting as other pushed past, losing sight of the smaller older female briefly as his panic rose, struggling through the throng of whimpering people he had previously broken free of, determined to carry the bags as his chest heaved.

  A nearby crack of gunfire caused the crowd to suddenly surge forward, shouts and screams filling the dust filled air in an urgency to escape, the loudspeakers once more bursting into life, the instructions to ‘remain calm and to leave the city as soon as possible…helping elderly neighbours and children to escape’. He pushed further as the official instructions continued, ‘residents were to move inland…and keep moving. To seek refuge with relatives or find military or government supply points.’

  Two more jets roared overhead, adding to the confused panic as further screams rang out, shell bursts to the north and south seeming to shake the two and three storey buildings on either side, the Morgons firing rockets into suburban areas to increase panic and to delay the advance of Japanese soldiers and reservists.

  Naomitsu pushed further between the advancing figures, several swearing disapprovals in response, his eyes widening further at the breach of a normally accepting protocol, despite his actions. His head turned desperately in the crowd, misted scared faces straining ahead, several looking in his direction as he pushed through the throng, his actions becoming more frantic in search of his mother.

  Breaking through a line of people, he stumbled, dropping to his knees before a crouched figure he immediately recognised, the kneeling woman’s shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she sobbed. His hands stretched out for his mother, pulling her close as muffled explosions detonated in the distance, the passing figures knocking their frames in a rising panic to escape.

  The roar of engines, Nao’s eyes rising over his mother’s shoulder to see the armoured cars pull from side streets further east at the end of the alleyway, the main road littered with debris and discarded possessions. Soldiers ran alongside their vehicles, many ducked low and carrying heavy weapons and ammunition boxes, his eyes straining as he glimpsed the thick black smoke plumes ahead on the horizon, several buildings in the centre of the city burning fiercely.

  Flaming embers and burning paper billowed around their huddled frames, their bodies shaking in fear as Nao closed his eyes, gunfire rumbling in the distance as explosions rocked the high rise buildings, black acrid smoke rising skywards as a thick haze of debris filled the horizon towards the waterfront.

  Then explosions sounded nearer, the sound waves seeming to cascade over their frames over and over again, Nao forcing his eyes open in dread, his breath held as their frames shuddered with every blast. Glimpsing the burning vehicles, he gasped as he saw the writhing bodies of soldiers, Morgon artillery having fallen upon the advancing column. Several shattered bodies were still, his eyes straining as he saw the blood splattered tarmac and then further, seemingly glutinous pools of green liquid, the vision distorted as if heat was beating down on the cement, his instinctive thoughts to dismiss the initial conclusion.

  His eyes widened further as he glimpsed bodies desperately fighting to remove armour and uniforms, scorched chests and legs emerging as the figures struggled with acid soaked uniforms, many falling onto the tarmac in terrified agonising panic.

  Staring further, he watched other soldiers attempting to find cover, darting into side streets, behind bins and abandoned vehicles, another gasp coming from his lips as he saw the thin green wisped streaks across the sky, the projectiles falling towards the military unit. The explosions sent small spiralling green clouds upwards, numerous infantrymen falling as splatters splashed against their uniforms, the distant figures rolling and shaking in overwhelming pain as they desperately attempted to escape the biting acid.

  Staring further, the breath caught in his throat, the burning skyscrapers and heavy smoke plumes virtually obscuring the skyline of the city he knew and loved. His eyes following the lines that broke through clouds and made the smoke swirl in their wake, realising an air battle had commenced, his eyes widening further as he saw the burst of flame across one of the building fronts, a fighter shot down by Morgon rockets. Further detonations followed across buildings and streets as mortar rounds swept high into the city from the fish market, Morgon batteries targeting the Japanese defence forces.

  Naomitsu Kanaya gritted his teeth, feeling his stomach twist painfully in rising terror, hands grasping his mother tightly as he pulled her upwards, his shouts going unheard, ‘We need to leave…all is lost here! Tokyo is lost!’

  He turned, half supporting his shaking and defeated mother, dragging their bodies forward before stumbling, his bloodshot eyes straining through the swirling smoke towards the western horizon, the sky full of parachutes.

  United States Marines and paratroopers along with their Japanese and allied equivalents from Guam were dropping from low flying Hercules transport aircraft, his head shaking in disbelief and shock as he pulled his mother towards the next junction, frantic car horns echoing around the throng of civilians ahead.

  Little did the young teenager know, for the first time in unprecedented history, further to the north and south, one unit of South Korean and several brigades of Chinese soldiers were parachuting towards Japanese soil, his government’s desperate appeals for any military assistance that could be made available gaining the ultimate response…the time for resistance was now.

  Chapter Seven: Western United States

  A World in Peril

  Death Valley, Western United States

  Brad Zeiss gunned the motorcycle engine, waving to the green station wagon behind to wait, the two women staring warily through the dust coated windscreen, the bike roaring forward and into billowing dust clouds, towards the source of distant gunshots. The rising wind rattled the doors, the car swaying as further dislodged dirt from the surrounding mountains clattered across the bonnet and roof, the ferocious churning dust clouds sweeping inland from a devastated coastline.

  Biting her lower lip, Emily gasped in rising fear, ‘It’s all falling apart…people are becoming savages in fear…’ She gestured a shaking hand towards the swirling dust ahead, ‘Will he be alright? He is only a boy…’

  Katherine turned briefly next to her, glancing at the wide eyed children in the back seats and smiling reassuringly, ‘He is a young man of considerable courage…someone I think we need to survive.’ She smiled further as the girl behind sniffed, her young brother resting an arm across his sister’s shoulders in comfort as the doors rattled once more, both innocent eyes staring at their new friend as she whispered, ‘Perhaps we will move forward slowly…we may be able to help him.’

  Glancing back, she smiled once more, seeing another vehicle emerge from the swirling dust behind, the pickup truck drawing alongside and jolting to a halt, the side window lowering as a middle aged man smiled in surprise at her, looking across the other passengers. His face worn with tiredness, he seemed to speak briefly before turning back to face them.

  Her own window lowered slowly, Katherine strained her eyes against the dust, the older man grimacing as he nodded, a worried female’s face emerging from behind him, two German Shepherd dog’s heads rising to stare out in curiosity from the smaller back seat. Shouting as he coughed, the man’s eyes strained once more, ‘Ma’am…ladies…good to meet someone else on the road. I think most people are ahead of us…’ He coughed once more, raising the window slightly, ‘There are very few behind on this route…the visibility is getting worse. I think most went for the highways…they are clogged with traffic…’ He indicated towards the centre of his truck, ‘We received a short wave message saying the enemy are bombing the main roads and towns behind us…that’s why we chose the mountains, they won’t be able to see us in this dust.’ The man stiffened, ‘The western seaboard is gone…there is nothing to stop them now, we need to keep moving.’

  Katherine shook her startled head in rising doubt, ‘Where will we go?’

&nbs
p; The man grimaced, shaking his head, ‘Further inland…we have adequate supplies in the back of the truck if you wish to join us? We also have a small cabin further north…remote and easy to defend.’

  Emily leant forward, tears filling her eyes, ‘We have a young man helping us, called Brad I think…on a motorbike…lovely boy. There were some shots and he has gone ahead to check…will you help us please?’

  The middle aged man’s eyes widened, ‘We had better get after him then…ensure he comes to no harm.’ The engine of the pickup revved as it slowly moved forward, ‘Be close behind us and keep moving…I am Benjamin and this is my wife, Elizabeth.’

  The motorcycle engine burbled at low speed, Brad Zeiss flexing his muscles beneath the motorcycle leather jacket and jeans in nervousness, his eyes straining through the darkened and scratched helmet visor in an attempt to see through the billowing dust clouds, his visibility reduced to just a few yards. He had been riding for seven minutes, the Honda moving slowly and cautiously through the billowing murk, his helmet moving from side to side in rising fear.

  The wheels turned gradually, Brad leaning forward to stare into the swirling dust, the red helmet jerking from side to side more nervously as shadows passed on either side, his heart pounding before relenting as he realised they were lone low sporadic bushes and trees. Then he stiffened, gasping as he glimpsed the outline of a car ahead, the passenger door wide open. Slowing further, he recognised the shadowed outline as a Ford Mustang, the bike gradually drawing to a halt as he drew breath, glancing round in nervousness.

  Bodies lay to the sides of the road, another MPV sitting on the opposite side of the thoroughfare, slumped sideways into a ditch with four doors open. Brad swallowed as the Honda motorbike stopped, slipping the stand down and lifting his leg across the bike seat silently, his breath held in rising fear. The swirling wind buffeted his leather and denim clad figure as he lowered next to the first victim, the elderly woman having been shot in the back as she attempted to run, the helmet turning in confusion to stare at the next victim, a young child laying face upwards, a gunshot wound to the lower abdomen. Biting his lip, he considered they had been shot at close range, luggage and discarded possession laying across the tarmac, the vehicles looted.