Star Crusader: Knighthawk Squadron

by Michael G. Thomas

  "General Honorious, the last of the great generals and still loyal. Stay back, Ensign Lewis."

  The Prince reached to his flank and pulled out a beautifully crafted pistol with his left hand. At the same time, one of the soldiers pointed off through a breach and cried out, "Her koma peir!"

  The armoured warriors joined him by repeating the shouting, and then they all ran to the breaches and presented their weapons out in into the dust clouds.

  "Skjota!"

  The defenders opened fire with their bizarre collection of guns. Some had pistols and rifles, but the majority used a bizarre thermal pike. The sound was deafening, yet still the shells landed throughout the facility. Nate rushed to where the Prince had taken a position alongside a massive breach. Three soldiers dragged a heavy metal tube to block the hole as the first of the mob rushed inside. Gunfire cut them down, but not before one had fallen down, planting his anti-Biomech standard into the ground. A soldier moved to grab it and took three hits to the torso. He stumbled forwards and collapsed face first on top of the banner.

  "Fire!" Nate yelled.

  More shapes leapt through the breaches as the disorganised mob tried to seize the circular building. What they lacked in armour and skill, they made up for in sheer numbers and willpower. Seven appeared in front of Nate, along with two in heavy Byotai assault armour. Unlike the Prince's entourage, this bore the insignia of the two-headed reptile, and Nate took that as confirmation they were with the mob. He took aim with his pistol just as General Honorious stepped in front of him.

  "Ut af leid mina!"

  The words were alien but the message clear enough. He opened fire with devastating effect. The energy blast from his gun blasted back four of them and scattered the others. One of the soldiers leapt at him, but Nate had the armoured figure in his sights. Holding the firearm carefully in two hands, he pulled the trigger. The autorevolver automatically rotated and cocked the weapon even as the 11.5mm precharged thermal slug struck the soldier in the chest. The single shot was so powerful he swung around and fell backwards, blocking the path of more soldiers.

  "Nice shot," said Billy.

  Nate grinned as his friend also took aim and both blasted away, sending the attackers scurrying for cover. Then an even larger section of the wall ripped open, and part of the roof came down on top of three of the black armoured warriors. Scores more of the mob were inside. As Nate rose to his feet, he was horrified to see the Prince surrounded on three sides.

  "Help him!"

  Nate rushed ahead, with Billy right beside him. Gunshots lashed around them, but either by luck or judgement, neither was hit. Nate grabbed the Prince's arm and yanked him away from the mob. Billy slid in another magazine into his service automatic and kept shooting. Like Nate, most of his shots did little more that suppress their attackers, but it at least gave them a moment’s breathing space.

  "We have to leave," said Nate.

  Prince Kratha deactivated his helmet plate for a moment so that Nate could see his face clearly. More of the black armoured soldiers fell back, creating s small row of guardians around their leader. Increasing numbers of the mob stormed inside. A loud scream like a jet engine drowned out any sound other than guns for a second, and then vanished. The Prince smiled at Nate and lifted his sword above his head. So much of the wall had collapse it almost seemed as though they were standing outside. A large part of the ceiling had gone, and Nate could see Alliance fighters coming in low and strafing distant ground targets.

  "No, my friend. Today we die, as heroes of the Empire."

  Both looked back at the approaching enemy and lifted their weapons to shoot. A light blinked inside Nate's helmet, and the face of Lieutenant Heiskell popped up.

  "Get down!"

  Nate looked to Billy who was still hiding behind an overturned desk and taking aim with his own sidearm.

  "Billy!"

  His friend looked back as he reloaded.

  "What?"

  "Get down!"

  Nate didn't wait and threw himself against Prince Kratha, knocking the two of them to the floor. Billy saw his friend go down and do the same as the entire wall near them tore apart. The Prince roared something in his native tongue and lifted his blade ready to plunge down into Nate's chest.

  "Now!" said the voice in his helmet.

  Nate tensed up as a massive metal landing ramp crashed down next to the breached wall. Grey armoured marines fanned out, cutting down the mob and their supporting soldiers. Prince Kratha watched as they came in, rose to his feet, and pulled Nate upright.

  "My apologies."

  Neither noticed the last three enemy soldiers; both equipped with thick assault armour and carrying multi-barrelled carbines in their hands. They leapt over the rubble and took aim at Nate and the Prince.

  "Out of my way."

  A massive two and a half metre tall figure jumped down from one of the broken walls and struck them with its left arm. As the two staggered away, another marine moved alongside her. She lifted her carbine and fired a single shot into the soldier’s back. Nate recognised the armour immediately as the marine moved further inside with other marines right beside her.

  Valentine!

  A Byotai soldier opened fired with a heavy weapon that managed to knock down two as they rushed him, before a third literally leapt on him and knocked him to the floor. More marines surged inside as the latest assault by the enraged mob turned into a rout. Nate spotted a familiar shape and lifted his hand to salute.

  "Lieutenant Heiskell, Sir."

  The marine approached the warriors, even as the last of the battle continued to rage in the distance. Private Valentine fired two more shots and then moved alongside her officer. She waited in silence, but always looking for signs of trouble.

  "It's time to leave."

  He then looked to the Prince.

  "We are here for you and your men. Are you ready to leave?"

  The young Prince hesitated, but only for a second.

  "You have brought warships?"

  Lieutenant Heiskell nodded.

  "Admiral Churchill is here to get you and your people to safety. Come with us and continue the struggle."

  He looked back over his shoulder.

  "Or let the Empire die here, today."

  Prince Kratha required no further persuasion. He called out to his warriors and in seconds they began to withdraw from their position. Even the wounded staggered away. Marines helped carry those too wounded to follow. Nate and Billy were amongst the last to climb onto the first Mauler's landing ramp and looked back at the scene of devastation. Shapes in the distance were clearly hundreds more of the mob, and rockets still flew in all directions, setting off explosions and causing even more fires.

  "It's like a scene from hell," said Billy.

  "Yeah," Nate agreed, "and we were right in the middle of it."

  The Mauler lifted off from the ground well before the ramp even began to close. Small arms fire clattered against the armour plating, while the multiple gun turrets tracked hostile positions and raked them with automatic fire.

  "Look, Nate."

  Both watched a pair of Knighthawk Squadron fighters scream underneath them, their under slung Gatling guns roaring. At that point the ramp began to lift up, keeping the passengers locked safely inside its armoured hold. Before it could fully seal, Prince Kratha approached and stopped alongside the two of them. The aged General Honorious waited at his flank, groaning from some unseen injury or ailment. He said something to Nate, and Prince Kratha listened carefully before explaining.

  "The General wishes to thank you for saving his life earlier. He is in your...how do you say...debt?"

  Billy looked to his friend with wide eyes. Nate shrugged and then tried to look as calm as possible.

  "Uh...no problem. You're welcome."

  As Prince Kratha explained, Billy leaned in close.

  "You're welcome. Are you kidding me?"

  "The General would like to know where you learned to fight on t
he ground, and in the skies?"

  Nate chuckled at this question.

  "Fighter combat we learnt playing videogames, and ground combat..."

  Private Valentine moved alongside the Prince and extended her hand to the noble. He took it while examining the marine.

  "They learnt their ground combat skills from Lieutenant Heiskell and our platoon sergeant on the way here."

  The Prince seemed a little stunned at this, and when he explained it to the General, the old warrior began to make an odd laughing type sound. Prince Kratha joined in for a second and then stopped almost as quickly as it had begun.

  "I see. And tell me, Ensign Lewis. Where are these ships of yours?"

  Nate looked up at the sky where he could just make out dark shapes. The nearest were easy to identify, but there were a number much higher up and barely visible. A series of massive explosions sent pulses of light up in low orbit, so bright they could be seen this far down on the planet.

  "That's ANS Warlord, Admiral Churchill's flagship. She a massive battleship and unbeatable."

  They were interrupted by the sound of the pilot’s voice over the internal speakers.

  "Hold onto something, we're getting out of here. The Star Empire fleet has just arrived, and Admiral Churchill has given the order to leave. We're heading home."

  The door was now almost shut and left a gap just big enough to see the ships above them. Prince Kratha twisted uncomfortably to get a better view.

  "And that one?"

  The Prince pointed at the nearest ship moving through the skies and leaving a triple vapour tail behind it; a long, flat-topped warship, with dozens of fighters circling around her and multiple gun turrets blasting away. An enemy fighter exploded as Nate watched, and he felt a moment of pride upon seeing the old ship in action once more.

  "That's ANS Relentless. The battlegroup's assault ship and veteran of the Biomech War."

  Even Billy seemed moved by the moment. But Private Valentine said what both of them were thinking.

  "Our ship."

  THE END

  FURTHER INFORMATION

  Thank you for reading this book. Over the years I've written many more books that form part of much bigger series. The two largest are Star Crusades, an epic space opera set in the fictional future of the 25th century, and Star Legions, a sprawling military adventure series set in an ancient history inspired science fiction universe. Following some of the most significant events of the past, the series transplants great historical figures into futuristic stories on an epic scale.

  * * *

  STAR CRUSADES

  The Star Crusades universe includes many momentous events, the most significant of which are covered in my series, such as the Great Uprising that resulted in the establishment of the Alliance as well as the Biomech War. Currently the universe includes 'Uprising', 'Nexus', 'Mercenaries' and there are more to come. Please visit Swordworks Books to learn more, examine the historical timelines, and to see maps of the territories described in the books:

  UPRISING

  Set in the years 2437AD-2440AD.

  Star Crusades Uprising chronicles humanity's first interstellar confederation that is torn apart by religious strife and extremism. Mankind has expanded out from its Solar System and on to Alpha Centauri. Generations of stability are lost as a mysterious faction arises deep inside the Confederation. While the disparate forces of the Confederacy attempt to deal with the crisis, criminals and rebels launch terror attacks that destabilise the colonies and turn brother against brother.

  NEXUS

  Set in the years 2457AD-2463AD.

  The second series in the ongoing Star Crusades saga and follows the expansion of the newly formed Alliance seventeen years after the end of the violent schism known as the Great Uprising. Harnessing technology discovered in the war, the Alliance makes first contact with alien civilisations, as well as drawing the attention of the mysterious enemy, known simply as the Biomechs, begins. The heroes of the Alliance Navy and Marine Corps unite with their alien kin to participate in the greatest and most violent struggle in history.

  MERCENARIES

  Set in the year 2472AD and beyond.

  The third series in the ongoing Star Crusades saga, and is set in the aftermath of the apocalyptic Biomech War. The war may have been won, but after nine long years the future still looks bleak. Entire planets remain devastated, and millions of citizens are homeless. Charismatic leaders and their warriors vie for power, while new regimes rise to great heights, threatening all around them. It falls on the military, and the growing numbers of mercenaries and freebooters to keep the peace between the great empires and ensure the survival of the overstretched Alliance.

  STAR CRUSADER

  Set in the year 2472AD and beyond.

  An epic YA spinoff series set during the events of the MERCENARIES series that follows the adventure of a group of elite videogamers trapped aboard a renegade Alliance warship. In the middle of a crisis, Nate and his fellow cadets have just days to practice operating the ship's fighters. There are no others. Only they can defend the ship, or face death at the hands of the enemy.

  STAR LEGIONS

  The Star Legions universe is a science fiction fantasy that incorporates ancient historical events into a fictional space opera setting. The first series of seven books follows the famous story of Xenophon and the Ten thousand mercenaries. They are an unstoppable force of mercenaries from every known Terran planet in the Galaxy. They have little in common, other than their love of wealth and adventure, and a bitter hatred for each other. Known simply as the Black Legion, they will blaze a trail of death and destruction that will be remembered for generations.

  My official website:

  www.starcrusader.com

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  https://www.facebook.com/starcrusader