This time, the enemy thought they had her at last.
Yet Naero knew something they did not, and called out into her own mind.
Om–you’re up. They’ve got me.
Take these bastards down hard and fast!
16
Naero’s insertion probe was knocked down out of the sky over Shuji-9, the first Gigacorp world that Bravo Command struck right after the events at the Spacer Grand Conclave.
The enemy, however, didn’t give a crap either way. Somehow they detected her cloaked probe and filled the sky with so much fire and airbursts of ordnance that they had to hit something.
She and Om barely teknomanced enough to keep themselves from dying, but not from crashing.
Naero burst out of her insertion probe with her small cloud of fixers, just before the small craft crashed into a battalion of Ejjai gravtanks, with its power core and jump drive set to detonate.
The resulting small gigablast was nearly atomic in yield, and gave her cover to vanish and get away to assess her situation. Naturally, she and her fixers cloaked, and then shielded, under the additional protection of Naero’s Cosmic abilities and Om’s defenses.
But they were still more or less in the middle of a fully involved battlefield between the Ejjai invaders, and the locals, the avian/birdlike Quess.
The Quess were sentient, birdlike humanoids with various avian heads, styles, and colorations of feathers covering their bodies.
On some worlds, some of them had wings and could still even fly. On others, their wings or winged arms and hands were either vestigial to some degree, not even noticeable. All possessed the ability to reason and speak at very high levels of intellect.
They were a space-faring species in all of their many forms and variations, and held to be very ancient and wise. Yet such wisdom did not always avail them in combat. And the Quess suffered against the invasion as all the sentient races did.
Naero tried to reach some of the defenders to join up with them and attempt to explain that the Spacer Marines would shortly arrive to assist them. But the combat around her was too fierce.
Each time she attempted to move away, explosions from something batted her about. Being unseen did not save her from indirect fire. Her shields would serve to protect her, but only for so long. And the enemy bombardments seemed both heavy and endless.
The original plan had been for her to drop down and spearhead a big dropship assault by going ahead of Bravo and 36, and execute an attack on the invader’s central command and control. She would help coordinate the drop, and then race ahead, slicing through key enemy positions in order to soften them up and spread confusion.
Something Shetanna seemed created to do.
But this DZ was clearly too hot to drop into. Bravo or anyone coming down into this level of fire would be shredded and take serious casualties before they even reached the ground. Naero got on her secure link and delayed the intended assault for the moment.
She had to find a new place on the white hot combat grid for Bravo to drop in and then start putting the hammer down on the foe. But it looked as if she was going to have to clear a DZ all by herself.
Perhaps if she could do enough damage or wipe out enough of the Ejjai in one place, the Marines could come down and strike while the invaders were still reeling and trying to regroup. Bravo didn’t need a huge window to execute a drop and pop.
Shetanna would find a way to blow open such a window for them. She informed them to stand ready and monitor her progress.
Lucky her, she was right in the middle of the nightmare of an all-out invader attack on the native military defense forces. The Quess defiantly held their own, but they were slowly being chewed up and forced back by the intensity of the invader’s combined arms attacks.
For the defenders, this grim fact was complicated by the attack taking place right within a heavily populated gigacity. Civilians and refugees attempted to flee in panic, clogging the streets and skyways, and trying to escape while the invaders poured withering fire at everyone in an attempt to cut them all down.
Wherever Shetanna scanned, there was grim, bloody fighting.
Om, link with our fixers. This place is a total disaster. Let’s coordinate our attacks for maximum effectiveness on the local combat grid.
They picked their prime spot to clear for the new drop zone. Om and the fixers directed her to the site. Shetanna buzzed up her glowing red katanas and accelerated to attack speed.
She swept in and sliced her way through the enemy formations where they were heaviest, causing the most destruction.
She struck so fast that often she deflected defender fire just as much as invader fire off of her shields and swords, continuing to rip right through the hottest parts of several ongoing battles along the invader positions.
Shetanna lopped off enemy commander heads, sliced throats, and cut the barrels off gravtanks and autoguns.
A black and scarlet blur zipped through the mingled invaders and defenders alike, leaving behind destruction and death, but only for the Ejjai.
The local defenders had no idea what the hell this strange new weapon or phenomena was, but from their voices over their links, they quickly realized it was taking out the invaders. Orders went out not to fire upon this new force, whatever it was.
Soon the defenders rallied, regrouped, and charged in behind and around Shetanna’s lightning assaults.
Om cut in. I’ve reported in to Bravo over the enemy jamming that just started up. They are on their way down to secure these positions.
Great, Om. We need them bad.
Shetanna spiraled up to take on a flight of enemy gunships roaring down out of the sky. She launched a full spread of float-seeker smartmines into the gunships, rocking and busting them up.
After a few minutes, she began to wonder. Where are our guys, Om? How come they’re not–
Blasts and explosions walked in and stomped in all over the enemy positions as the cloaked Bravo Marine dropships came down hot, hard, and fast.
Shetanna continued to strafe the enemy assault lines at the perimeter of the DZ, deflecting fire from both sides. She helped smash the enemy’s forward thrust at the dropships.
Om fed Naero the combat grid data as it evolved. Our rapid deployment units have come out swinging and are already nailing the invader hard. Two other Bravo companies have gone ahead with your original mission to take out the enemy’s command and control. They’ll have to do without Shetanna’s assistance.
Good for them, Om. How are they doing?
Moderately well. They sent in two hundred heavily armed stealth strikers to perform the role that you usually serve.
Nice to know that it takes that many Marines to do what we do, Om.
They just want to be sure.
From that point on, Shetanna needed to conserve her Cosmic energies if she was going to fight all day and night beside 36.
She dropped the last of her microbombs and fusion grenades on an enemy arty position that continued to rain hell down upon the local population and its defenders and civies.
She left it behind her in flames.
Om, I’m out again. Get our fixers to regenerate a full spread of ordnance for me. I need to resupply.
N, hold still for a second and re-arm. The fixers can hardly keep up with you. Two full sets, ready and waiting to lock on and fill you up. Just give them a chance.
Naero chuckled. Hit me on the fly and let’s lock and load, Om. We’re burning daylight and I’m not letting up on these bitches.
Her fixers swarmed over her like bees on a queen bee, filling her pouches, pods, dispensers, and micro ordnance racks with all of the good stuff.
All while Naero maintained her racing attack arcs, her blazing red blades scything and hewing.
Om, maintain an automatic resupply of my weapons and explosives, bombs, and mines. Have the fixers fill me back up as soon as I use something, as able. If I brush them aside, just have them check back later and keep working on it. I don’t
want to run dry.
Will give it a shot, N. You zip around pretty fast.
Everywhere Naero saw the local Quess defenders getting licked, she swooped down and lent them a very heavy hand.
The locals stared at her as she flashed among the lines, ripping down the Ejjai. They looked upon her in wonder and awe at her fighting prowess. She made such an impact and caused such havoc among the enemy, that Bravo Command HQ allowed her the freedom to act as a wild blade of Chaos upon the battlefield and go at the enemy wherever she thought best.
In fact, both they and the locals cheered her on, directing her toward the heaviest pockets of intense fighting to either quell or soften up.
They sent 36 to support her, but she kept moving out in front of them so rapidly and erratically that they couldn’t keep up with her.
They merely swooped in behind, adding their fury and firepower to the mix, pummeling the enemy further in her wake.
But at one point, Shetanna’s Marines got cut off as enemy reserves poured in.
Corporal Parsival Patton was cut down from behind by several enemy grenades. And the bloody fighting continued the rest of that day and throughout the night.
The slashers tried to make off with Percy’s body at one point.
Shetanna wasn’t about to let that happen, and led a charge with elements of 36 that not only got Percy back with them, but shattered the enemy’s entire left flank until the Ejjai broke in blind fear and ran.
When dawn rose up the next day, the invaders were on the ropes and on the run, routed and attacked viciously from nearly every direction.
The Dark Angel of Death had worked her black magic once again, and helped Bravo teach the Ejjai invaders the depths and the meaning of absolute terror.
The locals even started using holos and even human impersonators of Shetanna on the front lines. Wherever she or one of her fakes appeared, all over the gigacity, the invaders panicked in cowardice and battled each other in order to get away.
Shetanna and her sisters drove them like flocks of frightened birds, into trap after trap–destruction after destruction. The gutless enemy withered in the flames of battle and were consumed.
After a short rest, the real Shetanna calmly walked straight into the dissolving front lines, unknown to the enemy, protected by Om and several unit-sized cloaked shield pods placed over her in layers.
The invaders poured everything they had at the phantom. Withering fire that pulverized everything nearby, all to no effect.
Shetanna walked through those destroying waves of fire like an avenging spirit, an invulnerable juggernaut.
Let the foe do their worst.
Shetanna kept coming, drawing fire, getting the hysterical enemy to repeatedly expose themselves and all of their firing positions on the grid for Bravo to light up and take out.
The enemy continued to shriek and scream in panic, and withdraw against such apparent might. And thunderous cries went up from the defenders until they became a roar.
Shetanna.
Shetanna.
Shetanna!
On she came and the enemy threw down their useless weapons with shaking hands and open, shivering mouths and were routed. This was a foe beyond their comprehension–impervious, indestructible, and unstoppable.
Shetanna kept coming. Whenever one of her cloaked shieldpods went down, Om and the fixers brought up another in its place, maintaining the terrifying illusion.
Line after line, she walked straight into the teeth of their heaviest fire, her deep violet eyes shining, head held high.
Utterly fearless.
She used the voice and paced right at them. Run, cowards. Flee you filth. You who can only butcher the helpless. Retreat and die, for Death itself follows me and falls upon you. Shetanna, the Dark Angel of Death comes for you all!
This is the blood I come from! And it is the fire of battle itself. No matter your putrid numbers, you shall never stand before our might!
Once the battles on Shuji-9 ended that night, 36 escorted and carried their Shetanna back to their dropship on a medbed like a champion upon her shield. Utterly spent once more, it would be nearly a full day before she could rise up again without weakness or pain.
They also saw to Percy, as they always cared for their own fallen.
The sooner Naero healed and regenerated her amazing abilities, the sooner Shetanna could fight once more. Bravo ghosted on toward their next objective, as they ever did.
Her mates came by as they always did, to check on her and give her shit.
She was up and around the following night, which was another Seventhday, and that meant both Sparring night and dance night, all over again.
Jonny Fox came to her as the sparring matches broke up and the dancing began. Naero still tried to slip away and hide somewhere, all to no avail.
This time, Jonny was not alone. He had an entire posse with him, including Trent Patton, Clive Luna, Razor Wilde, Acer Adams, Lance Allen, and Terrance Decker.
“What the hell is this?” Naero asked them. “You guys gonna take me on all at once? Let’s rock!”
Jonny held up his hands. “Nothing like that, N. So, frost. We’re just here to give you a little friendly education. That’s all. Nothing bad. Trust me, even if you don’t trust any of these other mooks, you know you can trust me.”
“All right. I still don’t get it. What’s with the goon squad?”
They all laughed. Acer spun in place. “Cause we are the best at what we do,” he said, running his hands down his sleek, athletic body.”
Naero rolled her eyes. Kill me now, Om.
“Re-lax, gal,” Decker told her. “We seen you bouncing around. We know for damn sure you ain’t got no moves. So we gonna teach you some.”
Her mouth almost dropped open. “Haisha! You…you mean you wanna teach me to–”
Patton called up some jump tunes. “That’s right. 36 Can’t have no asskicker MCL hottie like you who can’t burn the lines. Unacceptable!”
“Haisha,” Decker noted. “We’ve got a dance off with the other Companies in a month or so.”
Acer jumped in. “It would be an embarrassment, girl. We gonna teach you to move with style and grace…and Authorit-T!”
Naero tried to back away. “You got it wrong, guys. I don’t need dancing lessons.”
Jonny blocked her path. “N. You really do. Accept it. You stink right now…but we can fix that. You are an amazing athlete. Watch what we do, and we can teach you.”
Naero covered her mouth in humiliation. “I…I…can’t believe this.”
“Believe it sugardoll. We’re gonna switch those lame-ass stomps from sour to sweet. Come on, now. Work with us.”
Allen sang out. “No choice. You ain’t got no choice, honeypod. Company 36 always brings the heat, and when we flare out, our delicious little Shetanna is going to burn them all down to the fucking ground in smoking ashes!”
Seeing that she had no choice, Naero and gave in. She laughed and danced, working with all six of the best dancers 36 had to offer.
“First you learn all of the basics and the current stomps over the next few weeks,” Jonny told her. “Then we bring in our best gungirls to refine your steps, and all of your different acts and routines, and plans of attack. Even costumes. Dancing is like combat, N. It’s all attitude, and focus, and concentration. You size up your foes–execute–and proceed to take them down.”
For hours Naero danced and flirted with the guys, laughing together and listening to them instruct her and give her attitude and crap. She had a great time learning from them all. They were actually great teachers.
Naero never had a clue that Spacer Marines were so into dancing. But they were all so hyper-competitive about everything else, she figured it only made sense.
By the time her first session was over, it wasn’t just Acer. They were all madly in love with her and would do anything for her.
Naero hugged Jonny Fox and whispered into his ear. “Thanks Jonny. I never would have done
anything this crazy-stupid on my own. Thank you, my brother.”
“I know that,” he flatly said with a wide smile.
17
Fathom-5 was a hot world, close to its star, used for smelting and forging. Lots of volcanic activity along its fault lines. A hostile and toxic atmosphere. As well as the mining and smelting operations onworld, there were numerous research labs, giving the world a population of about 2.5 million.
The Spacer Marines were not there to evac the population.
Bravo Command came to fight, to take the invader head on and beat them into the ground. Their goal was to exterminate the Ejjai and put the system back to work for the locals.
Because of the harsh environmental factors, all of the Marines and the MCLs were heavily shielded, with modified, hotworld battle armor. Or they could elect to use meks. Some Marines did so, knowing that in a pinch, they could evac the mek and still remain lightly armored and shielded.
The trade-off was that meks usually drew extra fire, from the enemy trying to take them out first.
While the Alliance and invader fleets fought up in the big black, Bravo and 36 came down in the role of being assigned to security details. Such ops usually meant protecting the remaining civies and neutralizing any enemy attackers who tried to come after them.
The invaders had similar protective tek, and were engaged in combat with around fifteen major gigacities and population centers. The slashers were backed up by the usual armor, arty, gunships, and factory meatships and the like.
Bravo had the available numbers and firepower, so they engaged all fifteen enemy positions at once.
With the Ejjai invaders being there mostly to process the local population into meatblocks, as usual, they weren’t really very prepared to face significant military resistance of the elite variety.
The enemy had superior numbers on their side, and that was about it. Watching the Marines take the invaders apart was like watching an expert fighter chop and punch and kick her way through a gang of vicious thugs.
The thugs just kept coming, and the warrior kept taking them out.
Naero's War: The Citation Series 2: The High Crusade Page 19
