Several of his men concentrated their fire on the flanking group. The rate of fire stopped them cold.
Dickens and Kelley opened fire with the bazookas they carried blasting two swats of warriors and forcing the others to duck and look for cover.
That gave them the opening they needed and they all started to retreat faster.
In the distance the Acadians plunged among the aliens tearing them apart. Several of the creatures seeing that their laser guns didn’t work took out long swords and attacked them with that. By the time they killed them more then forty of them lay dead.
Kim watched in fascination as the Acadians stalled the aliens advance.
Just as he was about to sign a victory he saw Miller taking hits in his chest and stomach. Sheppard was beside him in an instant but all he could do was watch his friend die.
“Shit boss… never… saw …it coming.”
Miller took out his dog tags and handed them to Sheppard.
“Take…care…of..”
He never finished the sentence. Sheppard took the dog tags and then he stripped his gear. He closed his eyes and retreated.
“I will Thomas, I will”
He knew of his friend’s final wish. It was for his children and his wife.
They all started pulling back as they did Sheppard saw Kim limping. He was covering a human girl and an Illian soldier that was carrying a child.
As he watched Kim took four hits to his chest. Before he could fall he took several more. One hit struck the Illian behind him. The human girl noticed them both fall and ran back grabbed the child and started running.
Kim felt the hits all over his body he felt them penetrating the Kevlar and the reactive armor. As he fell he watched the Illian fall in the distance. He saw the girl grab the child and run back.
He forced his last strength and took the rifle and leaned to the trunk of a fallen tree.
He noticed one of the aliens looking at Kelley as he shouted orders. Something in his movement gave him the inkling that that must be one of the enemy commanders.
“Got you…you fucking bastard.”
Burak saw the human he thought was the human commander shouting orders. He started to raise his rifle giving orders to the men around him to do the same.
He never saw the fallen human aiming at him.
He never saw the bullets that blew his head of and killed three of his men, and forced the rest to take cover.
Kim smiled as he saw the enemy commander fall. He noticed the instant confusion in their ranks as he killed him. He could feel his strength leaving him and felt the last blast in to his chest just as he saw Johnson running to him.
The last thing before his eyes was the face of the girl he saved, and her green eyes. He died with a smile.
“Johnn”
But even as he yelled Johnson knew that it was too late. He could see the scorch marks all over Kim’s body.
All that was left was to repeat the same thing that the others did. He noticed the smile on Kim’s face as he took out his gear.
“You died good you bastard. You died good.”
He closed his eyes and joined the other surviving men.
They kept firing and retreating.
Arnes was among the first to arrive at the base. He noticed the soldiers running and taking positions. They could all hear the firing and the explosions in the distance.
They saw him and the commander recognized him.
“Delegate what are you doing still here?”
Arnes inhaled and looked at Garth. The base commander looked back.
“General you must send men forward. The alteran scouts are fighting there stopping the troops that were supposed to attack you.”
“What scouts? I thought that the human scouts left.”
“These are not the ones that came before the council. There are three other teams that saved all these people back there. You have to help them.”
One of the Illian soldiers ran forward towards the artillery posts and started giving them coordinates.
The humans manning the artillery didn’t wait for orders and opened fire a moment later.
In the distance Arnes heard the explosions as the artillery found its mark.
Garth issued order immediately and a battalion of soldiers ran forward. Several of the soldiers that accompanied his group joined them.
Kelley watched as they all crossed the small stream retreating under fire. As they did Rupert was the last one to fall. He got hit in the back just as he turned.
He was the sixth casualty. Flint was wounded so were Johnson and Sanders.
He knew that they had no chance. They killed scores of the bastards, by free guess they must have killed more than a thousand, but there were simply too many. And they were all coming forward.
He looked at Ellis.
“I guess this is it.”
“Yeah…But before we die we’ll take them all with us.”
The comment came from Flint. He coughed blood as he spoke. He had a serious wound to his chest.
They saw the aliens advancing and closing in. Just as they opened fire explosions started landing behind the aliens. They looked startled. Soon Kelley heard running behind him and noticed Illian soldiers and a group of humans, Sicarians, and the furry creatures coming forward. There were several other races.
One of them started speaking in what he guessed was a communicator and moments later explosions rocked the front ranks of the aliens. Their attack shattered. The explosions landed systematically all over. As they tried to retreat the Illians opened fire. Kelley and his men joined them. As the explosions stopped a group of Acadians and Sicarians ran forward and among the surviving enemies. They killed them mercilessly.
Several minutes later the battle was over.
There were no survivors among the attacking enemies. Kelley noticed Illian rebels coming from the opposite side. He knew that they must have flanked them. As he got conformation he motioned to Ellis, Fly, Rabbit, Eric and Smith as well three people from Atkins’s team and they all moved forward.
One of the Illians looked at them.
“Where are you going?”
“We are going to pick up the bodies of our fallen. We must give them their last honors.”
The Illian looked at him. So did the Acadians.
“We will help.”
“Yess we will tooo...”
Kelley nodded.
They found all of them. The Acadians didn’t leave them to take the bodies. Instead they picked them up. All the bodies of the fallen, Illians, Humans, Acadians and the Macassi were picked up and taken back to the camp.
As they entered the camp Kelley noticed all of the people inside it looking at them.
He noticed Ksia running towards Flint as he was taken to the makeshift hospital.
One of the human girls stood forward and went to Kim’s body as he was levered to the ground. She touched his face gently and kissed his forehead.
One of the humans ran to her and embraced her. She pointed to Kim and started speaking. The young boy looked at her and than at the dead soldier. He then looked straight at Kelley and nodded.
Kelley looked at Johnson. He was limping from a wound to his left leg. And he had a nasty looking gap in his right hand.
He was looking at the girl too.
“He died saving her sir. He died for her.”
Kelley nodded.
He looked at the bodies. Rhodes, Miller, Haskins, Roberts, Kim and Rupert, six casualties, six men he knew for years. He looked at the peaceful body of Kim. He still had that smile on his face. Even in death he remained unchanged.
Besides the six men Flint, Johnson and Sanders all had serious wounds. As he remembered what they faced he was surprised that anyone survived at all. There were scores of wounded among the civilians. As he watched he could see medics running all over trying to help them.
He didn’t notice Arnes come.
Arnes watched the human as he looked over the dead bodies o
f his men. He could see the pain in his eyes, and on his face. In the past few weeks he noticed that these humans were close to each other, as close as brothers. He could see it in the way they moved, talked, in the way they fought. They moved as one.
He knew the creatures that attacked them. They were one of the vassal races of the empire. Their presence just proved how serious this attack was. The dacarians wanted to exterminate every rebellion on this world. The Argara were in a way their shock troops, elite warriors that had no mercy towards their enemies.
“The commander of the base wants to speak with you James.”
Kelley jumped as Arnes spoke.
Arnes took a step back as he noticed his hands moving towards the weapon. He realized that he must have surprised him.
Kelley regained his senses fast. He looked at the startled Illian. It almost made him smile.
“Sorry Arnes I was…”
“It’s alright James. If you need some time I will wait.”
“No, no. I will be with you in a second.”
He turned to Ellis.
“John you and the rest of the men prepare a burial site for them. I will join you as soon as I can.”
He turned and noticed the Illians watching them.
“Ask them to help. I think they will join you even if you don’t.”
Ellis just nodded.
Kelley turned and went after Arnes.
“I’m sorry for the men you lost. They died to save us.”
Kelley turned and looked in the Arnes’s eyes.
“They died doing their duty Arnes. It was our choice, my choice to help you. And if you ask anyone of us we would tell you that we would do it all over if it is asked from us.”
“I know…and they all do.”
He indicated to everyone in the base and the civilians.
“What you did today, and in the past few weeks…no matter what happens in the future your people will always have allies here my friend, always.”
It took them five minutes to reach the command bunker.
As they entered Kelley noticed the thick armored walls. It was strong fortification. Just as most of the other bunkers. It was one of the reasons that this base was still occupied.
Inside the bunker he noticed several Illians talking on a table that was covered with maps. They all turned as soon as Arnes and Kelley entered.
Garth looked at the human as he and Arnes entered. He noticed the demeanor of professional from the very reaction as he scanned the room as soon as he entered.
He was dirty still carrying the dried blood from his fallen soldiers, and from the dust and dirt on the battle ground. His face was black from the smoke. He guessed that it must come from their weapons considering that the laser weapons of the Argara didn’t leave a lot of smoke. But considering the amount of fire and the battle that the humans fought it wasn’t surprising.
He looked at his staff and indicated that he wants to be alone.
They all nodded and exited the bunker.
He stepped forward and extended his hand towards the human.
“I’m Garth, the commander of this base.”
“Lieutenant James Kelley, Special Forces of the Terran Federation general.”
Garth looked at the human as he heard the words. Even after he got the Intel and the new orders from Ksamona it was still hard to believe that the Alterans were finally here.
He was one of those that thought that it was just an old legend, nothing more. But as he saw the man standing before him for the first time in his life he believed. What he and his men did in the battle, the way they reacted, the way they fought it was proof enough that they are those people that the Sicarians and the Ksand spoke of. They acted like protectors, sacrificing themselves for the civilians.
He already got the report from one of the soldier’s that came with them. He knew of their action in the village, and the actions before that.
“It is an honor to meet you Lieutenant Kelley.”
Kelley didn’t answer anything.
Garth retreated and sat on the chair.
“You can wash your face there if you like and then we’ll talk.”
“Thank you.”
When Kelley returned Garth poured him a cup of water. Kelley drank it eagerly.
“Arnes said you wanted to speak with me.”
He looked at the Illian general as he spoke. He was old, far older than Arnes, or any other Illian he saw so far. He could see it in his face from the wrinkles the same way like you could see it on a human. And he could see his experience in his eyes.
“Yes. I would like to say that I can offer you to stay here and rest Lieutenant but I think you know full well that by morning this base will be a warzone.”
Kelley nodded.
“The latest orders from headquarters said that if we are to meet a second team from you we are to offer you any help you might need. And help you get out of any encirclement. If you stay here that would be a violation of my orders.”
“We are not planning to stay much longer. Just until we bury our dead. We came here in order to leave the civilians. That mission is over now. We have a different mission, a mission that we need to return to now.”
Garth nodded and looked first at Arnes and then at the human.
“Arnes told me that you were informed that the council met with one of your teams, a team lead by Major Rivers. I believe he is your commanding officer.”
“Yes. We are supposed to meet with him once we leave this camp and cross your second line.”
Garth nodded.
“Very well, you will be transported in our armored vehicles, together with the civilians.
Your wounded have serious injuries. I believe that when you consult with your doctor he will conform that. We have no way of treating them here but in Ksamona we have the facilities that will help them make a full recovery.”
Kelley looked at the Illian at the last words.
Garth allowed him self a small smile as he noticed the surprise.
“Yes Lieutenant Kelley I mean full recovery. I can’t say how long they will be there but you have my word that you will have your men in full health. If all goes well probably before the end of your journey to the meeting with your commander they will join you.”
Kelley nodded.
“Thank you.”
Kelley looked at Garth for a moment.
“May I ask what is your plan here…This base is strong defensive position but you won’t be able to hold it. The moment they see they can’t break you they will call in orbital strikes. And that will destroy this base.”
“That they will face strong resistance here is certain. My mission here is to hold them off as long as I can in order to buy enough time for the civilians and most of the troops to retreat from the second line to the inner city. Our strongest defense is the third line and Ksamona it self. Every minute we manage to buy here saves lives. We save children that we hope will see the day when your ships blast the dacarian ships in orbit and their troops down on the planet. That is what we fight for Lieutenant. If we die our death will not be in vain.”
Kelley nodded.
“When our position becomes unsustainable my orders are to try and sneak troops in the rear of the dacarian troops and harass their supply lines and troops.”
Kelley smiled. He knew that that must be one of the things Rivers proposed. He knew that the Illians must have planned it all along. He was sure that even now there were troops behind the dacarian lines that were harassing them as they went deeper in to the jungle. As he thought of it his face got a feral smile as the thought came to him of the moment when he and his men will get the chance to attack them. Then they would pay for the deaths of his men.
“When you do that general we will find you. And together we will make them so miserable that they will wish they never stepped one foot on this world. You have my word on that. They will pay long before our fleet arrives.”
Garth nodded.
“I hope that I
will have a chance to see that day.”
They both rose and shook hands.
Kelley smiled for a second.
“When that day comes general we will be the anvil and our fleet will be the hammer that will squash them.”
Garth looked at him with confused expression. Before he could ask Kelley continued.
“It’s an expression on my world. If we meet again maybe I will tell you what it means.”
Garth smiled.
“I think I already know. I will give my men instructions to take you were you want.”
Kelley turned and nodded.
“Thank you.”
As he came out Kelley went to the hospital.
He found Johnson there overlooking Flint and Tony.
Johnston stood up as Kelley entered.
“Sir.”
“Sit down Aaron.”
The seal returned to his bed.
Kelley looked at Flint and Sanders. Both were sleeping.
“How are they?”
“Tony is ok, he has a wound to his stomach but it’s not serious. Flint is not doing so well. They gave him some medication and bandaged his wounds but i doubt that he will be in bed for a long time. I’m afraid that we will have to leave him sir.”
Kelley looked at the two wounded soldiers and then at Johnson.
He had two nasty wounds. He had bandages on his arm and leg. It was obvious that he was under pain medications to help him endure the pain.
That made his decision easier.
“Aaron we leave in one hour, right after the funeral. You, Eric and Tony will go with the civilians to Ksamona. They told me that they have facilities there that will help you recover fully.”
Johnson looked at him.
Kelley expected him to argue but Johnson just nodded.
“You’re right sir. We are in no shape to fight. Even I have trouble moving and I think that the hit to my hand damaged some nerves. Not permanently but it still hurts like hell.”
Kelley put a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry. From what they told me, you’ll all be back on your feet in no time. You might even beat us to the randevy.”
Johnson smiled.
“You’re not shitting me are you sir?”
“Afraid not…It would have been good to be rid of your sorry ass but not my luck.”
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 70
