Star Crusades Nexus: Book 09 - The Black Rift

by Michael G. Thomas

  “That was one hell of a hit,” he exclaimed, as it crashed into the wrecked nose of the mighty capital ship.

  Then came the explosion. It started as a blue and white flash, running down the entire length of the vessel like a cannon fuse. As the blasts hit the rear, the ship ripped open and explosions wracked through the hull. All of the Maulers made it away safely, but each gave the damaged and ruined ships a parting volley of gunfire from their turrets as they passed them.

  “Where now?” Lieutenant Takeda asked.

  Captain Garcia looked ahead and at the wall of explosions that marked out the lowest tendril of the shipyard. The imagery reminded him of some of the Helion illustrations of the last Great War with the Biomechs. A time when vast fleets fought each other and entire worlds burned.

  Yes, which one next?

  There was little time to select a target though because they ran directly into a wall of fighters. They started off as a few dozen, and then there were hundreds all around them. The gun turrets on the Maulers were rapid tracking devices, but even they had a hard time pinning and destroying the enemy. It fell to the brave pilots of the Hammerheads and the soulless Avenger drones to try and beat them off.

  “That one.”

  Lieutenant Takeda looked at the tagged target on her display and swallowed.

  “The Cephalon command ship? How, Captain? We’re out of missiles.”

  He looked out through the starboard viewport and at a group of four Avengers. The delta-winged drones were the same size as a conventional fighter and armed to the teeth.

  “We don’t always need missiles, Lieutenant.”

  He tagged all of his craft and then allocated them different parts of the command ship.

  “We’ll rake her from bow to stern with everything we have, and then move on to these.”

  The display shifted and changed to a group of eight Biomech Bioray assault transports. They were being unloaded from the Cephalon on the other side of the ship.

  “What are they doing there?” Takeda asked.

  “Probably a boarding party for this part of the shipyards. Right now they are a fat, juicy target for our fighters.”

  He targeted all of them for the drones and turned briefly to face his pilot.

  “The Avengers are not just fighters. With the right orders, they become a guided missile.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Social underclasses existed on dozens of worlds, with few exceptions. During each crisis, these lower classes were always those that seemed to suffer the most. Even the privileged worlds of the Alliance found their civilian populations stripped down in times of war. There were always a few volunteers from certain classes, but the weight of combat generally fell upon those unable to support themselves or their families. The result of this was the lowest classes of all felt they had given the most in times of crisis, and it was this that led to so much of the social conflict that followed the deadliest of the wars.

  History of Slave Labor

  Alliance Defenses, Old Spascia City, Helion Sector

  Three large black shapes dropped down from the sky and moved in on a direct course for the chasm. Even at a distance of thirty kilometers, they were easily identified as Biomanta warships. Around them came the same number of Biorays with large amounts of escorting fighters. No sooner had the ships dropped through the gray sky and they opened fire. Gunfire and missiles rushed down to hit at the defenses all around the mountain. The overwhelming majority of the shots came down around the newly erected defenses all along the base. Some made it through, but Captain Tycho had done his job well. Interceptor batteries were now in position at fixed points all around the defenders. Counter-battery missiles arced up to reach the attackers while short-range rockets and guns attempted to shred the warheads just before they reached their targets.

  “They come like this every single day,” said Gun.

  The battle-hardened General waited at the bridge like a mighty sentinel. Marines, Khreenk, and Helion alike streamed past and on to the safety of the newly erected defenses. From the west bank of the chasm came a deafening roar of gunfire. Hundreds of warriors with a vast arsenal of weapons continued to pour fire off into the distance. Gun took aim with his own weapon and released a single long burst while roaring in delight. His eyes moved up and tracked a group of missiles as they struck the flank of an approaching Bioray. The large assault transport was small compared to warships, but it was still substantially larger than an Alliance Mauler.

  “Bring it down!” he yelled.

  There was no need to issue additional orders. The Khreenk concentrated their advanced weapons on the Bioray while a flight of Hammerheads raked it from bow to stern. It tumbled out of the sky and vanished deep into the bowel of the wide chasm that split Old Spascia from the mountain stronghold.

  “Gun, are you done?” Teresa asked.

  He looked down to her and laughed.

  “Almost, just a few more to get across. They keep trying to land troops on the other side. The chasm is filled with broken ships.”

  He glanced over to her.

  “Jack and the other wounded are being taken to the infirmary inside the mountain. Our best people are there. You got here just in time. Another ten minutes, and we would have been Biomech breakfast.”

  He spotted movement, and with a quick twist he tracked the three Thegns and opened fire. They had been sneaking up on a pair of Helion volunteers who were still dragging a machine gun unit. The bullets cut the Thegns cleanly in half and stopped just short of hitting the two of them.

  “Not bad,” said Teresa in mock admiration.

  Gun continued to check the horizon and added his fire where necessary to assist those retreating. He wasn’t the only one, and at the end of each of the bridges was a small rearguard. They could hold back the machines for a time, but not indefinitely.

  “Your timing was good, Teresa. Shame Spartan wasn’t with you. It would have been just like old times.”

  Teresa swallowed, that hard uncomfortable feeling she knew meant something much worse was going on.

  “He’s vanished, Gun. He went through the Black Rift with Khan and the others. They collapsed the Rift, but he didn’t get back in time.”

  A triple volley of missiles screamed past them from the enemy lines, but the majority were brought down by weapons fire from the mountain. Gun opened his mouth to speak and then looked at her.

  “The Bastion to the south is being hit hard. They are completely surrounded.”

  Their eyes met, and Teresa could see there was no chance her friend would leave any of them to their deaths. She checked her carbine and moved to the side to let a squad of Khreenk march past.

  “What’s the plan?”

  She could see that Gun wanted to personally involve himself in the rescue, but things had changed a great deal. He was no longer just a warrior in charge of a contingent. He was a general now, and it was his responsibility to maintain the war effort, even if that meant sacrificing his own warriors.

  “It’s Commodore Hampel. He was commanding our air cover when his ship was hit. He’s coordinating the withdrawal.”

  He pointed to the right.

  “Their firebase is strong, and they have a single functional landing pad. But the last shuttle to leave was shot down trying to land.”

  Gun shook his head angrily.

  “They are not going to make it out of there.”

  She was convinced there was something in his eyes, a message that was hard to read. He looked past his shoulder and to the mountain and then back to her.

  Yes, he wants me away from the mountain, for now.

  It was understandable, though not ideal. Teresa was an experienced commander, perhaps one of the most experienced in the entire Alliance. But she had already concentrated more of her effort, and even her own person in the rescue of Gun and the others. Many would question her command ability so near to her badly wounded son. At least another hour would give them time to get him into the infirmary, an
d she could put her effort where it was properly needed to continue the siege.

  I have a short window, and I can use that time better out here than managing troop dispositions and barricades.

  “How many people are in there?”

  “Less than thirty, barely a platoon in strength. There’s an entire company of Eques walkers and troops between us and them.”

  Teresa placed a hand on his arm.

  “Gun, you secure west bank and blow the primary bridges. I’ll get them out. Just leave me the small one to the south.”

  Gun looked at her and gave her a barely concealed grimace.

  “I’ll make sure you get artillery support. Just be precise, Teresa. Don’t do a Spartan!”

  Even Teresa couldn’t fail to laugh at that little jibe. Spartan was many things, but calm and collected wasn’t one of them. It was easy to send the wrong information when under great stress.

  “Okay, Colonel, do it. I will rally our defenders and prepare them for the next stage of the battle. When you get back, you can give a speech, and tell us all how you’re going to win this war.”

  He turned and moved across the bridge with his bodyguard following right beside him. Even as more gunfire ripped into the bridge, he kept going. Nothing was going to stop him, not fire, rocket, or bullet. At the same time, Teresa connected directly to Captain Tycho.

  “How are the defenses?”

  “Colonel. Everything is in position. I have the outer defenses operational, and the reserve is moving into the fortress. We have interceptor batteries running at full strength and pads are rigged to blow.”

  “Good work, Captain. I need you to keep at it. The defenses must hold, no matter what happens to the rest of Spascia,” she replied.

  “Understood, Sir. I have news on your son. His unit has already reached the mountain, and he’s being taken to an intensive care unit.”

  Teresa almost choked at hearing that.

  “How serious is it?”

  There was a silence, and Teresa could tell it was bad news.

  “He’s in a coma, Colonel. The doctors will do what they can, but right now there’s nothing you or I can do. The quicker we can get him to a proper medical facility, the better.”

  Teresa closed her eyes and ignored the sounds of explosions that never seemed to end on Spascia.

  Gun was right. I need to focus. Jack and the others need me to end this, and fast. Spascia is not just about surviving.

  She opened her eyes and looked up to the mountain. Flags of the Alliance, Khreenk, Helions, and a dozen other contingents ran up at different points. The largest was an old Helion flag with icons of their burning hot star. It was burned and riddled with holes, yet it still hung up high and proud.

  “Sir, are you ready to cross?” asked the Sergeant.

  Teresa turned back around to the man and found a ragged group of marines, along with their Lieutenant. One of the women, a tall, blonde haired firebrand carried the platoon’s standard. The flag had been ripped and attached to the end of a broken Helion assault pike. Teresa looked to them and couldn’t help but smile.

  “You fought damned hard at the Three Sisters, but we have more work to do.”

  She could see all of them were from different units, and two were from the regiments originally sent to defend Spascia. The Lieutenant and one of his privates bore the same markings as the regiment that had arrived with her. A single Helion waited among them with a Khreenk rifle in his hands.

  “You are an interesting squad. Will you come with me to the Bastion?”

  She pointed off to the south.

  “We have a platoon trapped in the defenses, but I need help.”

  One of the battered looking marines nodded quickly.

  “Colonel, we know your reputation. My father fought with you on Euryale, back in the big one. I would be honored to fight with you.”

  Teresa looked over the chasm and to the landing pads. She’d completely forgotten about Captain Tycho.

  “What about the mobile element?” she asked over the radio.

  “The Bulldogs, Sir?”

  “Yes.”

  There was a very short pause, and Teresa used it to scan about her position. Apart from the squad that currently protected her, she could see less than a dozen heading for the end of the bridge. There was a single mobile gun Bulldog parked thirty meters to the north. Every ten seconds or so, it would fire its primary gun off at targets in the distance.

  “I’ve got eight APCs and one of the mobile guns waiting at the landing pads. Why?”

  Teresa checked her overlay and tagged the Bastion position. It was a small stronghold further to the south and shrouded in smoke and dust. Its main job had been as a perimeter defense, and also to offer air defense against craft assaulting the chasm from the south.

  “We have troops pinned down there. I plan on getting them out.”

  “Understood. Sending them to your position now. Colonel, you don’t need to command that kind of mission. I can easily do that.”

  Teresa shook her head, not that the man could see her.

  “No. You have the situation under control. This is something I can do. Send them to me now. I have my own platoon that can assist on this side of the chasm.”

  A single rocket arced up high and then began to drop down, heading right for the bridge.

  “Take cover!” yelled the Sergeant.

  Teresa joined the rest of the squad as they threw themselves behind whatever wreckage or rubble they could find. It came down with a terrifying screaming sound and then a bright yellow flash. The flash extended out for fifty meters and engulfed the debris field as well as the Bulldog. Right after the impact came a squeal and then a loud hiss. Teresa leaned around the rubble and watched a cloud of vapor appear around the Bulldog.

  Typical. I seem to recall we used to own the patent on this bit of kit.

  She climbed out, and the squad moved back around her. The Private that had mentioned Euryale spoke up.

  “Colonel, I know the ground along the chasm. I can get a vehicle down the trail without being seen from the east.”

  Teresa nodded.

  “Good. You can take the lead Bulldog with me. I intend on getting there in minutes.”

  The sound of vehicles was already beginning to match the sound of battle. Teresa looked back and found herself staring at the shape of a convoy weaving its way over the widest bridge.

  “Get ready, marines. This is going to get interesting.”

  * * *

  ANS Tempest, Micaya Shipyards, Helios Sector

  The Mauler twisted about its entire length as it moved between the two Biorays. The Biomech vessels were easily twice the size of the Alliance ship, but that didn’t tell the whole story. Whereas the Biomech vessel was large, tough, and filled with warriors, the Mauler was short, fat, maneuverable, and bristling with gun turrets. It vanished through the gap with only meters to spare and out the other side, just as the following Avengers crashed headlong into them both. Exactly as planned, the internal warheads exploded on impact, and both assault transports were torn apart by multiple explosions.

  “Yes!” Lieutenant Takeda shouted.

  Captain Garcia said nothing; he was more interested in holding onto the cockpit brace brackets as the craft spun about. The magclamps easily held him into position, but with all the buffeting and shaking, he felt much more comfortable using his hands to maintain some semblance of being in control.

  “You know this thing was designed as a heavy landing craft, don’t you?”

  Two kinetic rounds punctured through the port side of the hull and clattered about inside the empty cargo area behind them. The breach alarms blared, but neither seemed particularly concerned. Takeda laughed, and she twisted about once more.

  “Yeah, well maybe they shouldn’t have fitted her out with thick armor, formidable weapons, and the most powerful engines this side of a frigate! At least we’re not hauling passengers today.”

  It was true; being as they wer
e operating as heavy torpedo bombers, there was no need to carry marines. If they had, then many of them would have just been killed, due to the breach in the hull.

  span style="font-family:"DIHGEK+TimesNewRoman","serif"; font-weight:normal">“Get us in closer to the Ravager; I’ll bring the others in a column behind us. Be ready to slide.”

  She nodded and altered the configuration of thrusters to bring them incredibly close to the flank of the nearby Ravager. This ship was massive, easily the size of a full Alliance ship of the line and bristling with weapons. They moved fast and close, doing their best to avoid as much of the enemy gunfire as possible. Two more Maulers fell in behind, and soon all of them were moving in a loose column down its length. A handful of Biomech fighters turned to attack, but every shot that missed simply crashed into their own ship. A number of rounds did manage to penetrate the armor of two, but the rest kept on. At the same time, the Maulers were able to combine their turret fire to create a wall of metal that destroyed seven more of the enemy.

  “You ready? Captain Garcia asked.

  Lieutenant Takeda nodded.

  “Good.”

  He pressed the button to communicate with the Mauler squadrons.

  “On my mark, slide strafe at my target.”

  Captain Garcia had already selected the key known weak spots of the Ravager into the computer. The targets appeared on the main display in front of them all.

  “Mark!”

  The Maulers continued on their present course but spun about so that they faced the flank of the ship. Each opened fire and continued slowly rotating so that they could continue to blast apart the storage tanks, gun systems, and personnel. At the same time, the Maulers maintained their existing course, so they looked like a long line of ice skaters spinning about their axis. They would be unable to destroy the ship, let alone even cripple it. By the time the squadrons cleared the capital ship, they’d left a trail of destruction and scores of turrets destroyed. The data was automatically passed on to the command ships that then sent the modified data to the targeting systems and commanders of the other ships.