The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3)

by Kocho Trajchevski

  As Arnes watched the Dacarians prepare to kill the human, Kelley watched as well. Kelley knew the ritual. It was their way of giving a worthy opponent what they considered an honorable death. And it seemed that the human was agreeing to it. It wasn’t strange considering that he was already dying. As he watched his men deploy he knew that he would die but not by their hand.

  He looked around and then took aim and gave the signal.

  As he whistled the Dacarians raised their heads attracted by the strange sound.

  Moments later all eight members of Bravo team fired.

  Fly and Rabbit targeted the two dacarians standing over the human. The others took aim at the rest of the legionaries. For a moment the silence was shattered as the suppressed shots from the humans found their mark.

  Demetrios looked in amazement as he watched the strangely dressed creatures come out from behind the Dacarians. His sight was cloudy and hazed but he could still smile as the head of the legionary in front of him exploded and a moment later he felt the other behind him, their centurion falling as well also missing a part of his head.

  The other seven legionaries had just a moment to realize that they were under attack before half a dozen bullets hit each of them. The armor piercing ammunition had no trouble penetrating their armor. Even the one that humanity used before the invasion could easily break through and since then improvements were made enhancing the speed at which the bullets were fired and increasing the damage they could do.

  As the bullets hit them they thrashed around for a second before falling down. The entire action lasted no more than twenty seconds.

  Flint and Smith the team’s medic rushed towards the wounded human. The others went to the three confused aliens.

  Arnes watched the three humans approaching with startled look. At first he thought that they were members of the rebellion, a small unit that got separated but the uniforms they wore, the camouflage and the way they moved, it all told him something different.

  Miur and Hars watched the humans just as he did. Three more humans stood in the distance watching for any danger. They were carrying strange looking weapons and as he watched them he noticed they were projectile weapons. That in itself was a conformation of the thought that slowly formed in his mind.

  “Who are you?”

  The human looked at him with surprised look obviously not understanding.

  It took a moment for Arnes to remember that he spoke in his native Illian language. He stood up and corrected himself.

  “Who are you?”

  The human looked at him and suddenly his serious face formed a smile.

  Ellis turned towards Kelley as the alien spoke still smiling.

  “Damn sir it seems that Latin just got accepted as a universal language.”

  “It sure does. Make sure they are ok we have to move.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Kelley turned towards the wounded human watching Smith as he was checking the wound while the human was resting on the ground. He could see the pain on his face. He walked towards him.

  Arnes watched the small exchange between the humans not understanding it and when they were done he repeated his question. He knew that he sounded like a robot but he had to know who they were before taking them towards Ksamona.

  The human turned and looked straight at him. When he spoke he spoke in the common language that all humans seemed to use on this world but his accent was strange. He sounded like someone who wasn’t used to speaking the language often.

  “Are…you ok? Can you walk?”

  Arnes looked at Miur and Hars and then himself. They were bloody had bruises and cuts he had a nasty headache from the hit on his head but they were ok and could move. None of the injuries were dangerous enough to be hindering. They would slow them down but not by much.

  “We can move human.”

  “Good. Follow them we will come once we finish with your friend.”

  Arnes nodded and he directed Miur and Hars towards the waiting humans.

  The human was already turning but when he noticed Arnes standing he stopped.

  “Yes?”

  “What is your name and who are you?”

  The human seemed to take a moment to think and then answered him and offered his hand.

  “Ellis. My name is Ellis for the rest we will talk later when we have more time.”

  Arnes knew that that was the end of the conversation.

  “I’m Arnes.”

  The human nodded and pointed him towards the group that was already moving.

  He nodded back and moved slowly checking the muscles for any damage. He felt a little dizziness but he shook his head and then ignored the pain. There would be time later.

  Ellis watched the strange alien walking away for a moment and then joined the small group gathered around the human.

  “Any chance we can save him?”

  Smith continued cleaning the wound but his look spoke everything.

  “If we had a proper hospital and the proper tools then yes but here and now I doubt it. The wound is cauterized but he has internal bleeding, I doubt that he could survive for more than an hour maybe two. And they will be painful.”

  “Shit.” The comment came from Flint.

  “Give him painkillers at least it will give him peace.”

  Demetrios watched the strangely dressed humans. At first he thought he was dreaming but as he watched them and as his sight cleared he could see that they were real. Four of them were standing close to him, one checking him. From the way he probed the wound he had to be a healer. They were speaking but he couldn’t understand them.

  He watched as one of them took out an object filled with liquid and a needle. He shook it twice and then he injected him with it. He felt a small pain as the needle pierced his skin and it injected the liquid in to his blood stream. But he felt better almost instantly the pain subsiding.

  “What is your name?”

  Demetrious watched the one who asked him.

  “I’m…my name is Demetrios.”

  Kelley smiled as the human asked for their names.

  “Nice to meet you Demetrios I’m Lieutenant Kelley and these are Smith, Flint and Ellis.”

  He pointed to the other humans.

  They all nodded and smiled.

  “Who…are you? You…need to go. Other…units will come.”

  Demetrios coughed expelling blood. Smith raised him and sat him next to a tree for support.

  “He doesn’t have much time sir, and we can’t carry him.”

  Kelley watched them and nodded.

  He turned towards Ellis.

  “You three go. I will reach you.”

  They could have objected but they all knew him long enough to know that it would be for nothing.

  “Yes sir.”

  As they stood up Smith gave him morphine.

  “It will take the pain away and let him die in peace.”

  After this he turned and walked away.

  Kelley gave him a shot of morphine and he could see the pain subsiding away on his face.

  “You …should go as well.”

  Kelley smiled.

  “I will soon.”

  Demetrios nodded and smiled as well. He knew he was dying and he was grateful that he wouldn’t be alone.

  “Thank you for this.”

  As their eye met Kelley knew what Demetrios was saying.

  “Kelley, that is a strange name, I’ve never heard it before.”

  Kelley smiled.

  “I know. That is my last name. My full name is James Kelley.”

  Demetrios smiled.

  “James, it is still strange name.”

  “Well if it makes you feel any better where I come from Demetrios would be strange too.”

  They shared a smile but Demetrios face turned serious and his eyes wandered around looking hazy. It was because of the morphine but also because he was growing weaker with every second.

  He took shallow breaths and he felt
that slowly he was losing his strength.

  “It is good…to die free.”

  As he said that he managed to raise his hand and pull a medallion and a coin from the pocket of his torn shirt. It was a strange looking coin.

  He handed it to Kelly.

  Kelley watched him already knowing what he was asking him to do.

  “I have… a son Alexander. Give that to him.” He pointed to the coin.

  “Pay for my journey.”

  Kelley smiled remembering the ancient belief in the afterlife.

  As Demetrios started drifting away he looked at the medallion.

  It was made of gold and it was or used to be a coin. It had a face he couldn’t recognize but the letters were Macedon.

  He was a descendant of the nation that once conquered the whole known world, and a fellow human being.

  He looked at him. It was obvious he was almost out of strength.

  “I will and I will give your son the message. I will tell him his father died a noble death fighting the enemy. And I promise you this Demetrios a day will come when Alexander will see his home, when he will see Earth.”

  As he said the ancient name of Earth, as the word Terra came out of his lips Demetrios looked at him. His look was clouded but the ancient home was a dream that each human had.

  “Terra…”

  “Yes Demetrios, home has finally come for you. Soon your son and all his sons will be free. Every human and slave on this world will see and feel the wrath of your descendants.”

  Demetrios looked at him gathering his last strength. He looked at his strange uniform, at his weapons. He looked in to his eyes.

  “Who…are you?”

  Kelley gathered his breath.

  “I’m Lieutenant James Kelley Special Forces of the Terran Federation. And it is an honor to know you Demetrios.”

  A smile appeared on the face of Demetrios.

  “Thank…you.”

  As he said the last words Demetrios exhaled his last breath. He died with a smile on his face knowing that after eons of waiting and hoping, their prayers, the ancient promise was finally answered and kept. The legend was true.

  As he died Kelley saluted and then closed his eyes and placed the coin in his mouth.

  “You are free my friend. May your gods grant you the happiness you deserve in the afterlife…”

  After this he picked up his weapon and without a word went after his team.

  He reached them ten minutes later. The first one to see him was Fly who was moving about half a mile behind the others covering their rear. He passed him without saying a word just nodding on the questioning look Fly had.

  As the lieutenant went ahead, Fly said a silent prayer for the now dead human. Then he too started moving towards the group all the time watching for any signs of the enemy.

  Ellis looked at Kelley as he reached them.

  “Is it over?”

  Kelley stopped.

  “He is with his ancestors now.”

  Ellis nodded. Then he pointed to the Illians moving ahead.

  “They say there are tunnels ahead. They will lead us on the other side of the mountain. And they call themselves Illians.”

  “It is good to know. We have to use those tunnels. There are probably patrols all around this valley.”

  Ellis nodded. They started moving fast.

  It took them an hour to reach the tunnels. As they went inside the three Illians waited and then activated the mechanism that locked the tunnel after all the humans entered hiding it from sight. As the tunnel closed the internal illumination activated. Without a word the three Illians moved in front and they all started moving gaining as much distance as they could from their pursuers.

  In the valley behind them the fighting continued and a group of dacarians reached the place where Demetrios died, and as they saw him they wandered what brought the peace and smile on his face. None of them knew that he knew the secret, he knew that one of the ancient enemies of the dacarians is now back and that the dream of freedom was not a false hope.

  Not anymore.

  Chapter Eight

  Arcadia

  Otkart looked at the placement of his fellow legionaries. There were twenty one of them hidden among the trees and the bushes on the small rocky islands in the middle of the swamp. As they were deploying they heard explosions and firing in the distance.

  He tried to establish communications several times but he got no response. He was astonished when his team was requested but as the report about the weapons used to kill the other legionaries arrived he knew that the commander of the pursuing unit made the right call. He and the rest of the legionaries were wearing specialized armoured suits. They were not as advanced as the versions of the emperor’s guard but they came close. They were practically impenetrable by projectile weapons and they could also resist the energy weapons.

  He was satisfied with the way his teams were concealed. The islands were filled with trees that offered great protection with their huge trunks. They were not as big as the ones on dry land but they were still thick enough to offer great protection even against plasma weapons. The vegetation was also a big help.

  He expected his prey to arrive soon and as he watched one of his snipers signalled that the slaves are approaching. He raised his own rifle and used the suits scope to see them.

  He noticed a mixed group of humans, Illians and Lacarians coming forward. He counted fourteen of them. He expected a bigger number but he guessed that the others must have died in the fighting. He raised his hand giving the signal for his team to prepare.

  Arn and his group moved slowly. As they approached the islands they scanned for any sign of the platoons the humans thought would be here. The islands were not big. Several hundred square meters each. They were on both sides of the small path through the swamp. He could feel in his gut that the humans were right. There were hidden dacarians there. He indicated for his group to spread out and as they did he wondered where the other humans that saved his life were now. He knew that two of them are far back. The two snipers were probably scanning the islands as well from their hidden positions in the rear.

  The other seven were somewhere ahead even now approaching the islands from two sides, two teams, one for each island.

  Rivers slowly came out form the water and he didn’t need to look around to see the others coming out as well. They came out slowly with raised riffles moving towards the positions that hid the dacarians. They used the specialized quantum military suits for this mission, the ones that made them blend in reflecting the sunlight and practically made them invisible. It was a new technology first introduced around 2012 and perfected since then. By the time of the invasion it was already in the operation testing by the various special forces of the Unites States and Canada and Britain. The uniform allowed total camouflage for the soldiers wearing it. It was problematic to undress in the swamp but Rivers and the rest of the unit knew that their lives and the lives of everyone present and those that were coming on this world depended on them managing to escape their pursuers.

  He moved slowly and Kelly and Luis took the flanks. They moved slowly practically making no noise as they came on the bank. The island was covered with trees and bushes that allowed for a small force to hide. They spread out and carefully not making any noise moved between the huge trunks of the tries.

  Anderson and his team did the same on the other island. Flint and Gordon moved to the right and Singer covered the left. As they moved Anderson noticed Singer giving the hand signal to stop and lay low. He was pointing to his right and as Anderson looked he noticed the armoured figures of two dacarians. The armour was black just as the uniforms they wore and it covered their entire bodies. It was obviously powered armour like the ones that many SF writers used in their stories. And that meant trouble. He signalled for his team to lay low and keyed his mike.

  “Alpha we have powered armour. I say again we have powered armour.”

  The answer came fast.


  “Copy that Bravo we have the same. Only weak points are the joints and the visor. We stay low and call the pack. It will be their job to wake the hornets nest.”

  Anderson thought for a second about the new plan. It was a reversal of the original which planed for a mutual action between them and the snipers. Now the snipers would start first and they would fire right after them using the confusion to remove the surviving dacarians.

  “I suggest we use the heavy explosives Alpha. Our weapons might not be sufficient.”

  His conformation came just a second later.

  Doc and Jenkins already knew what they were facing. It made their mission a lot tougher. They were both well informed about the powered armour the dacarians were wearing and it was not information that they liked. They all had a chance to study the armour before the start of the mission. Hundreds of armour suits were found on the wrecks of the dacarian fleet that invaded Sol. The armour was strong and the only weak points were the joints, the neck and the visor. The other parts were practically impenetrable by projectile ammunition, even small calibre rail guns.

  “Shit, like we needed this with our friends coming along.”

  “We should warn them.”

  Doc just nodded and a moment later he called the Illian soldier that seemed to be leading the ragtag group of refugees they had with them.

  “Arn we have dacarians in powered armour upfront. Spread out and try to find some cover.”

  A moment later the Illian answered.

  “Our plasma weapons might be more effective than your weapons human. Fire at the visor and joints with your weapons, we will draw their fire.”

  As he heard the last words he noticed the Illian signalling the other Illians and then speaking with the rest of the group. They were already spread out but as he watched Doc noticed them spreading out further and grouping, taking advantage of what ever cover the swamp offered. They moved like real soldiers but that didn’t surprise him considering that they were fighting against the Dacarians for god knew how long. The swamp had many fallen trees and many that were growing inside it. It reminded him of the jungles back on Earth especially the ones in South America.

  He sighed and took aim.