Defiant (The Armada Book 1)

by Jack Hunt

  He watched the behavior of the Taurgons as they circled around like tracker dogs. Their hairy legs crept forward, the large incisor fangs dripped acidic saliva. None of his soldiers spoke as they watched intently.

  Suddenly, one of them let out a piercing screech and scampered off north.

  The corner of his lip curled up. “Still here. Move out!” he yelled at his men as they broke into a run, not a jog or a walk but a full sprint into the forest. He breathed in the humid air, and dwelled on what was to come. He was about to revolutionize Drozleon and the Echobi people knew it. He had already won the hearts and minds of those who had lost family in the war four years ago, now all that was left was the remainder.

  Then, it would be Earth’s time to kneel.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “I hope you know how to use a weapon,” Reid said, taking a GX203 handgun from Viper and giving it to the ambassador. Skinner had already given him the heads-up that they were being tracked and two fast-moving hostiles were closing in on them.

  He cringed at the thought of coming face to face with Taurgons again. He’d seen countless soldiers torn apart. They were as creepy as fuck and more than capable of killing them all. The Echobi used them as expendable soldiers in their army, the way police on Earth might send in dogs after a dangerous criminal.

  “I don’t know how to use one.”

  “It’s easy. Point and shoot. Just don’t aim at us, we’ve already lost one because of you.”

  He pressed on leaving her with her mouth agape. It didn’t take her long to catch up to him.

  “This isn’t my fault. You have a job to do, so do I.”

  “Winning the hearts and minds? Right,” Reid said scanning the area for threats.

  He swiped at the thick brush with a plasma machete. It melted the foliage around him the way a hot knife would slide through butter.

  “What is your problem, Lieutenant?”

  “My problem is that my entire team was killed trying to save you, my problem is that I should be sitting on a beach sipping beer and relishing the fact that my ass isn’t out here being shot at. Instead, I am here with sweat trickling down my ass crack, two Taurgons on our tail and an army in pursuit because the assholes you have an allegiance to have left us out to dry. And to top it all off, my daughter is down here with me. That’s my problem.”

  The ambassador glanced over to Sophie who was slashing a path through the Echobis’ playground.

  “I’m sorry, Lieutenant, but I was not aware that you didn’t know about the extraction of the chancellor and the refugees.”

  “Tell me. What is so damn important, that we are risking our necks for the same people who are hunting us down?”

  “They may be Echobis, but they are not the same. Do you know how long I have been working with them to establish an outpost on Drozleon? The risks that I have had to take coming here?”

  Reid said nothing, instead he kept moving.

  “It cost Benja his life. He died trying to make peace.”

  “Please. Am I meant to feel sorry for him? How many of our people have died?”

  She glanced at him as if incapable of understanding his animosity. The fact was Drozleon wasn’t the first planet that Earth had failed to form an alliance with. There had been others, other species that outright refused, or simply chose to remain apart from the planetary union. Instead of seeing their refusal as a warning, or their decision as their right, Earth’s officials persisted. This had led to war with planets and had cost the UEDF thousands of men’s and women’s lives, all for just a piece of their world, their technology and their culture.

  Reid had heard many stories as a child of what Earth was like before humanity ventured into space. It seemed that not much had changed. Back then, countries imposed their will over others, went to war to protect their own and bullied others into alliances whether they liked it or not.

  “I’m sorry you lost your men, Lieutenant, but it’s critical that we secure the chancellor and the refugees. These are the people who have put their neck on the line as you so courageously put it. They have opposed the masses who wanted to go to war against Earth and stood in the gap on our behalf to protect our outpost. I will be damned if I will leave them here to die after their sacrifice.”

  His eyebrows rose. “That’s why we are going to get them,” Reid replied.

  “Yeah, well maybe in the meantime you can cut me some slack.”

  She charged ahead picking up the pace. Reid stared at her and broke into a run. He knew that it was only a matter of time before the Taurgons caught up with them and he had hoped to reach the gorge before they arrived. The only hope they had was to get to the other side and destroy the bridge. If they could do that, it would give them at least another day and increase the odds of them making it to the mountains.

  “How many miles to the great divide, Skinner?”

  “Two miles, Lt.”

  “And the hostiles?”

  “They are gaining on us.”

  Though much of their work as an SOSR involved being dropped into dark, ugly places and reporting back intel, they still had to stay fit. A requirement of remaining an SOSR was running six to eight miles every day unless they were on an operation. They could break up those miles according to the demands of a day. He often would get in as many as he could before his day began but sometimes he would do four in the morning and the rest in the evening. The SOSR higher-ups were sticklers for it and they had running equipment that would uplink to the main headquarters and alert them to any soldier who was slacking. It was the one area besides hitting the firing range that the UEDF didn’t budge an inch on. It wasn’t a macho thing, or even them wanting to have bragging rights that the SOSR’s were the best. It was because lives depended on accuracy and staying fit. Now, as Reid sprinted over the rough terrain he was thankful for every day they had pushed them to their limit.

  His lungs were burning by the time they broke through the tree line and found themselves at the edge of a ridge. Another vast drop appeared before them. It was ragged, rocky and made the Grand Canyon pale in comparison. The river below was nothing more than a speck as they made their way along the edge to a huge bridge that was made from rope, and slats of wood. Reid motioned to the ambassador and Sophie to go over first. In the distance, they could hear the screeching cry of Taurgons getting close. The ground beneath them shook ever so slightly.

  “Go!”

  As his eyes scanned the tree line and the vastness of the jungle he saw a dark hairy mass bolting and zigzagging its way around the large trees, and at times launching itself off them.

  “Phantom, get to the other side and hit those bastards as they come out.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  Viper was down on one knee readying for the coming onslaught.

  “How many, Skinner?”

  “Two.”

  To anyone else that might not have sounded like a lot but to him it was more than enough. He had seen these beasts wipe out fifty men as if it was nothing. Whipping through their flesh and impaling bodies with fangs, and swatting them with scorpion tails.

  “Fan out and whatever you do prevent them from breaching this bridge.”

  There was no way all of them were going to get over in time so they had no other choice but to fight. Reid dashed into the tree line and pulled out three trip grenades. He handed one to Bulldog and one to Priest and they positioned them in different areas of the jungle. The grenade itself activated when pulled apart and set at a distance of twenty feet. Reid slapped one portion of his grenade against a tree trunk six feet high, and the other half on the next trunk. The others did the same and then pulled back to the ridge.

  “That should slow them down. If they go over,” he turned and motioned with his head towards the gorge.

  “And if they don’t?”

  “Then it was good knowing you,” Skinner muttered.

  Over the comms unit, he spoke with Phantom. “The moment you see them, keep it tight.”

 
; “Skinner, how long?”

  “Two minutes.”

  He could still see the others making their way across the bridge that spanned the length of four football fields.

  “Priest, you got the Y2’s?”

  “Aye, sir.”

  The Y2’s were drones that could explode upon impact or remotely. “Send two either side. If those suckers come around, they are going to be spitting teeth.”

  Priest reached into his jacket and pulled out what looked like tiny marbles. “Activate.”

  They shot upwards and burst out into the areas that he directed them to go using a small pad on his forearm. Once they were in position it was just a waiting game. Viper and Priest were to his left, Bulldog and Skinner to the right.

  The ground began to shake and as the furious beasts came into view, their eyes locked on them and prepared for what could be their last stand.

  “Sophie, if we don’t make it, you blow that damn bridge, you hear me?”

  “Dad.”

  “Do it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then you get the ambassador out of there.” He paused for a second gritting his teeth as fear crept over him. The same kind he’d had four years ago. “Phantom. Get ready.”

  “I got eyes on them.”

  They bounded forward and then came to an abrupt stop a few feet from where the trip grenades were. They shouldn’t have been able to see them. The units didn’t give out any signal or any energy.

  “What are they waiting for?” Bulldog asked.

  The Taurgons moved back and forth sniffing the air, their multiple eyes scanning the area ahead of them.

  “Come on, you fuckers!” Skinner shouted, growing impatient. They let out a screech, and began backing up slowly as if retreating. Retreating wasn’t in their code. Reid had never seen them do that. How was that possible? Not even the simulation allowed for that. Had they evolved and developed new senses from their previous battles with humans?

  Their reluctance to move forward indicated they could see or sense a trap.

  “Lt. We should move. Take advantage of this. If we stay here any longer the Echobi will be upon us,” Skinner said.

  “Something doesn’t feel right.”

  “I choose to live. I’m going,” Viper said turning and heading on to the bridge. She looked back briefly and began to run. The Taurgons didn’t react. Reid didn’t want any of them to die and it was pretty certain that if they got caught on that side, it wasn’t going to end well. He tapped Skinner on the shoulder. “Go! Fall out.”

  Skinner started backing up, keeping his weapon on them and then turned and joined Viper in a dash to freedom. Still there was no movement by them. What were they waiting for?

  “Priest. You’re next.”

  “No. I’m not leaving you.”

  “Get your ass over there.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  He backed up and burst into a run that would have put some of the SOSR’s to shame.

  “Bulldog.”

  He nodded and as he passed Reid he tapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s go.”

  Both of them walked backwards on the bridge keeping their weapons trained on the beasts. Once they had reached the point of no return, the Taurgons reacted. They launched themselves forward, and spat acid in between the trees. Globs of it caused the trip grenades to go off.

  A huge explosion erupted and trees crashed to the ground, sending up a gust of air.

  Bastards knew! How the hell they figured it out was unknown but it didn’t matter now. All that mattered was getting to the other side.

  “Go!”

  Reid and Bulldog turned and moved as fast as their legs could take them. “Phantom.”

  “I’m on it.”

  Phantom began to unleash a flurry of shots. Bulldog reached into his jacket, pulled two cluster grenades and lobbed them backwards without even looking around. The explosion sent out a wave of energy that nearly knocked both of them down. Reid turned in time to see one of them receive the full brunt of the impact. Its limbs were ripped from the body and yet it still came forward shooting acid from its mouth.

  Reid turned and emptied a magazine at it while the snap of Phantom’s rounds zipped past him providing additional damage. The rounds tore through its fangs, decapitating it and filling its body with hot plasma. It writhed around on the bridge causing the entire bridge to shift violently and knocking them off balance. All five of them clung on for dear life. His second magazine fell through the cracks and dropped. Reid reached for it but it slipped his grasp. He spun around to grab another only to see the creature succumb to firepower.

  There wasn’t even time to take in another breath when the second one came soaring over the top. Reid and Bulldog scrambled to their feet and hurried to escape but the creature was too fast.

  “Sophie, blow the bridge.”

  “Dad. No.”

  “Do it, now!”

  She moved to the edge and applied C4 against the rope that coiled its way around thick trees either side. Priest, Skinner and Viper still hadn’t made it to the other side.

  “We are going down. The moment that hits, use your boosters.”

  “Lt. Mine has only twenty-five percent left.”

  “Same here, fifteen.”

  Boosters were designed for entry not for exit. They had enough to get them to the ground from a helo jump with a small amount left in reserve but that amount would vary according to the usage by each soldier on the way down. Some preferred to use it up to gain speed as they powered through the atmosphere, while others would use it sparingly. Either way, it couldn’t be relied on. If they were lucky the others would have enough to grab the side of the bridge that remained, or if they were really fortunate, make it to the ridge.

  “Use whatever you can and then grab hold.”

  The creature was nearly upon them. Globs of acidic goo hissed behind them as it landed a few feet from their legs. Reid turned as the creature launched into the air. Its scorpion tail came over for the kill just as the bridge exploded. Rope snapped like elastic bands being cut. The planks of wood beneath them dropped as Reid slammed in a magazine and fired at the venomous stinger. Multiple rounds obliterated it and yet that wasn’t his only problem, the body came down and slammed into Reid knocking him further down into the gorge. Everything happened so fast, he had no time to see where the others were or if they had managed to activate their boosters.

  He spun wildly, and twisted in the air with no sense of direction. All the while he could hear that beast above him. He curled his knees up into his chest and tried to determine if he was up, down or sideways. Like a flash, he saw the river below coming up to meet him. It was still miles away but drawing close.

  “Activate booster.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Reid shot out sideways from beneath the creature and slammed into the side of a gorge. The booster coughed and sputtered, and for a few brief seconds he felt gravity pulling at him. Then, in an instant he felt something smack into him and push him upwards. He glanced over his shoulder to see Bulldog. “Got to have eyes in the back of your head, Lt.”

  He’d grabbed a hold of Reid and was using his boosters to bring both of them up. As they landed on the far side of the ridge, Bulldog released his grip and he collapsed on the ground. His stomach lurched and he vomited over the ground.

  “Lt. You need to lose a few pounds,” Bulldog said with a grin on his face. The relief of having survived was cut short by rounds being fired at them. Reid turned to see the Echobi on the far side. They had no means of getting across and even though they could jump further than any human, not even their unique abilities could allow them to pass that gap. Reid scrambled to his feet and they pushed off into the cover of the jungle. Once they were out of sight, Reid cast a glance around the group to do a quick head count.

  “Viper? Where is she?”

  At first, they all looked around hoping she had just fallen back but when Skinner appeared, panting and gasping for air, he sh
ook his head.

  “She didn’t make it.”

  Heaviness smothered them like a blanket. As much as they wanted to stop, or even go back to check, they all knew that no one could have survived that drop. Reid nearly lost his own life. He went over to Bulldog and gripped his hand. “Thank you, brother.”

  Bulldog nodded but he could tell his mind was occupied by Viper.

  “Are you sure, Skinner?”

  “Positive. Her boosters didn’t have enough power. I saw her drop.”

  He then noticed Phantom wasn’t there.

  “Where’s Phantom?”

  A few seconds passed as they looked around and then he came darting out of the trees. “Right here.”

  “For a moment I thought you had gone AWOL again,” Reid said.

  He ran a hand over his stubbled head and slumped down for a second to catch his breath. Even though his heart told him to stop and grieve for Viper, they were in a war and there was no time for that. Soldiers had to move on, continue the mission and complete the op. After, they could reminiscence, get choked up and drink away the horrors of what they had seen.

  “Skinner, how long will it take them to get to this side?”

  “If they run, they can cross using the second bridge. But I think we have at least eight hours on them, even at their speed.”

  “Then let’s go.”

  The ambassador leaned against a tree. “I can’t go. I’m too tired. Just leave me here and go on.”

  “Oh no, you don’t. I’ve lost two good soldiers because of this fuckup of an operation. You are not going to delay this mission any further.”

  “Delay? Whatever.” She snorted, pushed away from the tree and began to jog off into the dense forest. Though they were tired and badly needed to rest, they had too much ground to cover. They had ten miles left to go until they reached the mountains and the climate would soon change from warm to even hotter as they got closer. Unlike Earth, where the higher up a person went in the atmosphere the colder it became, their planet was different. The higher a person went, the warmer it became, and it was already humid and clammy and that was with their suits trying to keep their body temperature at a comfortable level.