“Earth attacked Felix aboard Elshurvum and every instalation in Sol.” A report flashed over my screen. “Earth forces are fighting in Parnmal's yards as well.”
I wanted to punch the bulkheads we walked past on our way to Resilient.
How could they be so damned stupid!
I knew the answers of course, politicians had been playing to the fears of the people, making the situation seem as if it was apocolytpic. It was still too expensive for most people to get passage on a ship off of Earth, let alone around the trade routes that ran across what had been Union territory.
The majority of people didn't know what was going on outside of Sol, meaning that Politicians could use the fear of the unknown to give them unprecedented power.
Earth militaries were larger than ever and people wanted to assert control over the chaos that the politicians had emphasized.
Now it looked like the governments of Earth were acting upon their promises, they were going to remove the Free Fleet and show their people how Earth was going to lead the people into a new future. They didn't care about the Kalu, they cared about gaining more power. They'd come out of every war fine in recent history. They couldn't understand that the Kalu would wipe out an entire species, happily dying to add a race to their list of victims.
I didn't notice that Dsalia had left us until I looked up from my data pad to the shuttle-bay that was waiting for us.
“I'm going to move to Floater,” Yasu said.
“Look after yourself,” I said, turning to her, my tone more serious than usual.
She heard it and hugged me, I returned the embrace, breathing in her scent.
We released and she stiffened, becoming Floater's commando commander.
She looked to Krom and Shreesht.
“We'll do our best,” Krom said, tiliting his body in respect to his battle mistress. She nodded, I swore I saw a flash of wetness in her eyes before she started walking away.
I wanted to call to her, to have her come with me, but I knew that her place was with her commandos, as mine was on the bridge of Resilient. I straightened, my anger coming back to me as I headed for the shuttle at a brisk walk.
“It looks like the traitors are limited to the rear echelons. Most of the frontline personnel that got messages from Earth to attack us have reported it to their chain of command and agreed to be incarcerated. Others have been found within the frontline units but they went without a fight. It looks like they're more pissed to be associated with this, than they are unhappy about being arrested,” Rick said, trying to keep a neutral tone and failing. I nodded to the shuttles cargo master.
“Get us to Resilient as fast as possible,” I said, the cargo master sealed the door behind us as we made our way to our seats, there were a number of Resilients crew with us. Dark eyes and angered expressions met my own, sharing a sign of acknowledgment.
“If the people in question are vetted and checked by their commanders to be good people and they believe that they won't act out, then they can resume their positions.”
“There's something else,” Rick said. “Edwards is the one that sent out the message to everyone.”
I felt myself grind my teeth again.
The extra gravities from aggressive thrust stopped me from replying as our shuttle powered for Resilient.
“I want a warrant on that man,” I said, that would make sure that he wouldn't be killed on purpose, or by mistake. He would see judgment from those protected by the Free Fleet.
Having someone in the Free Fleet kill him would only further his attempts to make us look like a rabble instead of a true military.
“Sir,” Rick said. I looked to my data pad, looking at reports of what was happening in the very yards I was heading to. Traitors and Earth agents hit factories, mangled ships being worked on, and put the second slip out of comission.
It would take months to repair that damage, this was clearly a well thought out attack. The Free Fleet had reacted with speed to protect power plants and habitated areas, stopping several attacks already, Resilient and her AI friends were uploading the identities of the attackers.
Ships that were secure were now pushing their commandos into the yard to help and secure the facility.
None of the Earth agents had powered armor making it look like the situation should be cleared up in short order.
That wouldn't matter to the nearly seven hundred dead and four hundred wounded.
Gravities reversed themselves as we started braking, signalling the half-way point of our journey to Resilient.
We were greeted by power armor wearing Commandos, they passed scanners over everyone as we left the vessel making sure that none of the intelligence people had flagged us to be put into cells.
I made my way through the ship which was a hive of activitiy as Engineers were making rapid repairs to the ship in order to get them ready to fly.
I opened a new channel to Carsickle.
“How are we looking on the Commando side of things?” I asked.
“Good Commander, I was about to offer our assistance to the yard.”
“Very well Commander,” I said, cutting the channel as I made my way through the halls and finally to the blast doors that led to my bridge.
There was no fanfare as I walked in, that crap had never made its way into the Free Fleet's rules and regulations. I should know, I had to write the damned thing.
“Ben how are we looking for a plot to Earth?” I asked.
“Ready to go commander, I have clearance from Parnmal control,” Ben replied.
“In Sook, how are we looking for the fleet?” I continued.
“Information has been sent to your terminal,” she said, bent over her console as I took my seat.
“Walf can you get a map up of Parnmal yard, I want to see the areas that we've cleared and the areas that we still have to clear.”
“Yes sir. Do you want a similar map for Earth installations?”
“If you've got it I would very much so.”
I flicked information from my data pad to the various consoles before putting the data pad away and sorting through the mass of information that my command staff was now streamlining right to my chair.
Well they were damned effective. Even my mental tone was biting as I looked at the most recent numbers and statistics of what the Attackers had been able to do.
A new alert went up on the board, another explosive had been detonated, turning quarters that housed workers for the yard into a massacre.
Commandos were quickly moving to the location to render assistance and to clear out any remaining Earth agents.
***
Connolly looked up from his cell, his teeth grated one another as he heard whoever had entered walk past the cells.
He remembered the orders he had been given when he left Earth, but after he had fought alongside the creatures of the Free Fleet he could never betray them. He saw reality clearer than ever. No matter what Earth wanted him to do he would not betray the people that would be willing to lay down their lives for his.
His eyes widened into surprise before thinning in anticipation as Yasu stood in front of him, wearing armor scared from Heija.
The door opened and she walked in with nothing but cold eyes.
Connolly had seen her fight more than once, he knew that trying to take her, even in these close quarters was a bad damned idea.
He looked at the floor, it was hard for him to not feel the disgust that ran through his veins. He had accepted those orders when he left Earth. There was a record of them somewhere probably.
It wasn't that which made him look down. Now it was the feeling that she now looked at him as one of the people that had attacked the Free Fleet, which had taken their kindness and training and repaid them with a stab in the back.
He was scared to see the pure fury in her eyes.
“Answer one question,” she said, her voice pulling his eyes to her. “Who do you serve?”
“The Free Fleet,” he s
aid, looking her dead in the eyes. That moment seemed to last a lifetime as she nodded.
“Well get suited up commander, the Fleet needs you.” She turned leaving him in a state of shock. She moved down the hall and went into another cell.
He creeped forward out of his cell and looked around in question.
Yasu had come out of another cell around the time he was fully out of his own cell, a part of him was wondering if this was some kind of elaborate trap.
“Move it Commander! We are under attack and I will not have you slacking off down here. I will get Eddie and his boots over here if I need to!” She barked, her voice would have put a Gunnery Sergeant's to shame as he snapped off a two finger salute.
“Yes Commander!” He said, turning and jogging through the ship and towards the armory to grab his powered armor.
More than one person gave him a stare that made him feel a shiver run down his spine and made him stand straighter.
I'm going to prove that I'm a Free Fleet man if it’s the last thing that I do. He thought, a new fire in him as those same words seperated him from Earth. He might have family back on Earth, but he couldn't forgive the people that made these orders, or elected the people that would give consent to them.
“Commander?” Druv, an Avarian from Connolly's platoon said, looking him over. “Why aren't you in armor?” He asked with perfect innocence.
“Long story Druv, how are we looking, I heard that Parnmal yards were being hit,” Connolly said, tapping his hand to a rack, his powered armor coming down.
“Floater is moving to group with the fleet that's going to Earth, some forces are getting shuttled to the yard to help. Parnmal station had a few hits but they reacted faster than anyone was able to anticipate,” Druv said.
Connolly got into his powered armor and began putting on the internal harness and making sure everything was in place.
Druv started to help him without being told.
“Who's in command of the Platoon?”
“Well you are commander, we were a little curious as to why you took so long,” Druv said as the last armored plate locked into place.
Connolly shook his head, letting out a small laugh as he powered up and detached the rack's harness.
He walked to the armory, grabbing his weapons and ammunition.
“Where are they?” He asked as he loaded and checked his rifle.
“Shuttle bay, just as we drilled,” Druv said. There might have been a little bit of pride in Druv's voice as Connolly slapped his visor down.
Druv followed suit as Connolly walked out of the armory.
A few members and then more and more turned to see him as he walked out of the armories.
“Connolly, you and your Platoon and half of my own are going to move to assist the Parnmal Yards, you have overall control,” Yasu said in his ear, using her senior commandership to override his comms.
“Yes sir.”
“Good,” she cut off of the channel as he sent a message to his commanders and those that would be joining him from Yasu's platoon.
Druv, being one of them stayed by Connolly as he took a knee, it didn't take long for the other commanders to join up.
Connolly looked to them, expecting to see hostility and anger directed towards him, there was little if any. There was more among the new commanders but those that had been on Heija were attentive, awaiting his orders.
He took solace in that and began his briefing.
“Alright, it looks like we're going to be helping out the units on Parnmal yard to secure the damned thing. Get your people moving to the shuttles, I'm going to check if I can get some more up-to-date information,” he said.
Squads rushed onto awaiting transports, their engines blurring the air with their heat trails.
Chapter a time to build and a time to fight
Silly clunked into the conference room wearing powered armor, his face as dark as any of the commanders or engineering chiefs that were waiting in the conferece room or following him into it.
They had cleared Nancy of any Earth agents, but it had been a bloody fight and three docks were out of order. Dock four might even need to be pulled entirely.
Why did they have to use the goddamn power plant? He thought, not without some frustration. Twenty thousand creatures had died in Sol so far by LaRe's counts.
Commander Dasal a Krotek was leading the conference. His eyes were located in what would be a human's abdomen, his head was where his manipulating capable limbs spread out. He looked something like an odd tree with four legs.
“Mars and Hachiro are still under attack. Mars should be ending soon but the numbers have been low, there were a number of depressurization in the intake barracks, not many people knew how to use their equipment and died.
“The people on Hachiro have got HAPA's somehow, the entire station is a war zone. Commander Falheel who was taking over from Commander Whorst was killed in the fighting. Commandos, trainees and whoever we can trust with a gun are fighting against a well supplied and trained Earth military. After this meeting I hope to take two regiments to assist Hachiro, another three will be pulled from the ships that are getting overhauled and moved to reinforce us if needed. Another regiment of Commandos and hopefully ships will be moved to Mars to secure the training facilities and render aid,” Dasal looked around the room. “Most of the people on Earth have declared a unilateral victory against our forces.” This gained more than one angered noise from around the room. “I think it’s about time we showed them what happens when someone fucks with the Free Fleet.”
Hard noises of approval came back from the people in that room. Silly was shocked to see that anger in the eyes of more than one human in the room.
They were betrayed as much as us. He thought.
“What about the carrier?” He asked, looking to Dasal.
“They've been able to keep out of range of the freighters chasing them, I'm surprised they've lasted this long, but the ship is slow, and they only have PDS. The Earth forces must have cleared their hull of those systems a couple of hours ago. We can't get forces to them in time. Right now we need to secure what we have,”
“But Commander, they have laser cannons,” Silly said.
“Laser cannons? Like the unstable useless popguns of the Syndicate?” Dasal said, his confusion turning to annoyance.
“No, like the Free Fleet version that can punch through a Star-destroyer length ways,” Silly cut of Dasal.
“Fuck,” Someone said in the room, summarizing the chill that seemed to have settled through the conference room.
“Are they operational?” Dasal asked.
“Not yet, but they could be quickly,” Silly said.
“Shit,” Dasal looked to the conference rooms table and turned on the holographic projector. “What can we get to them?” He half-muttered to himself as he looked at the map centered on the carrier.
“We have a Battle-cruiser and two corvettes that were on patrol and are now moving in-system as per their orders,” LaRe said, opening the map up and showing the group as they moved towards the cluster of Free Fleet facilities around Mars.
“Put me in contact with them,” Dasal said. Hold on Felix, we're coming for you.
***
“How hard is it to catch a damned Carrier! We were on top of it when it came through the damned wormhole!” General Davidson barked at the freighter's Ship Commander, oh how he wanted to drive his powered fist through that idiots head!
They already had momentum, and as soon as they saw us they powered their drives up to maximum, they have less thrust overall, but we're still making up for their initial thrust.
With our hits to their engines we're now closing with them quickly. Not even their faster drives can keep them ahead of us now,” the Ship Commander reassured the General.
“You better be damned well sure about that!” Davidson threatened as he moved back down to the bowels of the freighter.
Alarms pinged in his suit as his HUD updated the plo
t outside the freighter.
“How in the hell?” Shock was quickly becoming anger as more alerts went off, a second freighter erupted in explosive atmospheric decompression.
“Fire everything we have at that damned carrier!”
***
“Well how's that for a live-fire,” Felix said as the jerry-rigged rear laser cannon fired again. This time it gave one of the freighter's a nice long scar down its flank. Bulkheads blew out where the laser had kissed them. Atmosphere was ripped out into vacuum as was anyone unfortunate enough to be close to the now open sections of hull.
“The Cooling systems still aren't fully functional, even with the power plant's plasma being redirected through the system to cool it,” Joqua said, one of Felix's chiefs said from his station.
“You hear that Xruz?” Felix yelled as another 'round' fired.
“Alright alright, slow down the rate of fire, got it,” Xruz said, trying to sound unhappy with Joqua's warning, but with the damned power of the cannon, it was hard for Felix to blame the Dovark's enthusiasm.
Interesting that I am more relieved to get weapons firing on people from my own planet instead of letting them board and get close to the creatures I never knew were up amongst the stars. Can't pick your brothers, but sometimes they're the ones you weren't expecting in the beginning.
“We've got enough ammo for twelve shots, pace them out, I'm going to see if we can get that damned array back on. If I get my hands on whoever gave them our location…” Felix let that sentence go unfinished as he walked out of the turrets command ring.
His powered armor thumped through the craft as he jogged to the forward sections.
There was supposed to be a crew of twenty five thousand on this carrier, instead there was nearly two thousand trying to get the ship fully operational and fighting.
The engines were not coming back, but they were giving almost everything that they could. If the Earth forces got onboard then they were going to show them what real acceleration was.
Felix's face was grim as he continued to run. The carrier shrugged off the Earth missiles with ease.
From Furies Forged (Free Fleet Book 5) Page 8
