by G J Moses
As he made his way, he saw groups of Marines working feverishly around multiple gigantic columns of rock that had to be forty to fifty feet wide. Getting close to the sound of blaster fire, Jan saw that a large battle was underway.
Pausing to get his bearings, Jan looked at the ongoing battle. From his standpoint, it was easy to see the difficulty the Marines faced. It looked like there was access to the cave they were in from the Chohish camp above through a large fissure opening at the far end. The Chohish were in the process of attacking in large numbers. Opposing this was a much smaller group of Marines spread out behind every available piece of coverage. It was obvious, several marines would not be returning alive.
The Marines were positioned strategically behind a small rise in the ground that ran fifty yards where it butted up against walls that rose high into the recesses above. In front of them, the ground dipped down several dozen feet, giving them an excellent field of fire.
Behind them, another smaller group of Marines was frantically digging foxholes with firing pits. Finally, he saw a medical team working on several Marines leaning up against the wall close by, out of the line of fire.
Making his way to this last group of men, he could see these Marines must have been part of the ongoing battle. Their armor was heavily damaged and he was sure some have suffered decompression. Hopefully their suits had compensated for the breach before the damage was lethal. Most of the Marines were braced up against the wall, but he doubted it was through their own effort.
Looking at the group of Marines as he walked along, he saw one RGN marine that left no doubt that he was beyond any help. Next to his body lay his laser rifle. Taking up the rifle, he rummaged through the Marines pockets for spare power magazines.
Out of a dozen pockets, Jan could only find one spare power magazine, which he used to replace the one in the rifle. Feeling a tap on his arm, he saw that the neighboring Marine was holding out a pair of magazines.
Shaking his head in thanks, Jan saw several more pulling out magazines for him. After making his way down the line, Jan now fully loaded and ready for bear, signaled his thanks to all of them with a tap on the side of his helmet.
What should have surprised him, but didn’t, knowing the type of men and women these were, was that as he raised up to leave, he saw that all were holding their rifles close to their chest with a spare power magazine taped upside down to the one loaded. All rifles were flashing the ready light with the safety off. They were ready to go back in, if needed, even if they had to crawl back.
Moving next to one of the medical technicians, he raised his left hand signaling for private communications. Once he heard the familiar click of a connection, Jan ordered “Start moving these Marines to the shuttles. The ones that can lift a rifle, get them positioned to provide covering fire. But make sure we can pick them up easily when boarding. Get the men outside to help. If there are others around, grab them to assist. And you are?”
“Yes, sir, will do. Dana here, sir.”
“Dana, after you get the live Marines on board or positioned, I want the bodies recovered. We do not leave anyone behind. Dead or alive. Got it?”
“Aye, understood sir. No one to be left behind, sir.”
With that, Jan started making his way where he could help the most. As he neared the battle, he could feel the heat through his armor. His armor had been already hot from the atmosphere, but now, it sizzled.
Looking around for Khaleesi, it took a minute or two before he could find her. And, as he should have known, she was in the middle of the heaviest fighting. There were Chohish bodies piled high around her and several of her officers.
It was not easy to reach her as the fire from the Chohish was tremendous. Several shots glanced nearby before he could make his way to her side. Breathing heavily, he took a second to get his breath before lining up a shot at a Chohish. Squeezing the trigger slowly, he felt the recoil push his shoulder back an inch or two. His shot was true and the helmet of the Chohish exploded.
“Well, about time you got here. Did you enjoy your sled ride?” a tired sounding Khaleesi asked from within her Battleoid.
“Stopped for coffee. I dropped yours on the way in, sorry.” Jan remarked as he emptied his rifle firing on full auto as the Chohish rushed the Marine’s line. It was only after absorbing tremendous casualties, the Chohish retreated back behind cover to regroup.
“Damn, these suckers have been doing that again and again. I am down to my last power magazine.” Khaleesi stated.
Tapping Khaleesi on her leg where he then passed over several power packs. “Here, I picked these up on my way over.”
“Thanks, these will have to do until we can get another supply crate from the shuttle. We are running low on effective Marines.”
“How long before they finish setting the explosives?” Jan asked ducking a laser blast.
“Soon, hopefully sooner than later, not sure how much longer we can hold them off. I now understand what Hawke meant by their total lack of fear and stubbornness. Their losses have been staggering. They only pull back to gather more bodies to throw at us in their next attack. No change of tactics, just a repeat of the same. And it may work.”
The laser fire coming from the enemy increased all at once. “Here they come again” yelled a Marine down the line.
Hundreds of Chohish came storming through the fissure firing widely. Jan hugged the ground, as he returned fire.
Meanwhile, Khaleesi and the other Marines in Battleoids kneeled and let loose with their fusion rifles. Other Marines in normal Marine armor joined the fuselage of fire upon the Chohish, several lobbing grenades. The kneeling Battleoids were hit several times, but none fell while they fired continuously into the rushing crowd of Chohish who went down in droves. Finally, the Chohish pulled back once more.
“Status, need an updated status, now!” ordered Khaleesi.
“Hector here, low on ammo, systems down to twenty nine percent effectiveness.”
“Earl here, same on ammo, down to thirty eight percent effectiveness.”
“Cora here, same on ammo, down to fifty three percent effectiveness.”
And on and on came in the status’s, none good.
Jan tapped Khaleesi’s helmet where upon he pinged her to go private.
“I’ll go back and round up some ammo. You keep them pinned down until I get back. Keep safe.” Sliding back behind a rock projection, he started making his way back to the entrance.
Risking getting to his feet, he started running towards the entrance. Coming upon several Army personnel digging trenches, he motioned for them to follow him. Gathering more as he ran.
Once back at the entrance, he stopped to catch his breath. “Ok people, main issue right now is we need to replenish ammo. Resupply is coming to the front line too slow. If they fall, we all fall. I need you to pair up, grab as much as ammo as you can carry and make towards the front. Make sure you mix the type of ammo up. Now go, quickly.”
Pointing to one in the group “You, you are with me.”
With his partner, they grabbed a crate of ammo off one the men who had been dragging two crates from a shuttle. “We got this, go back and get more.” Stopping to grab the other crate, they loaded it on top and started to make their way back inside.
It was not easy to maneuver close to the ground while carrying two heavy crates with the ground shaking every now and then. Just as they reached Khaleesi, the Chohish rushed again. Khaleesi, fired her weapons for a brief moment before they went silent signaling, they were empty.
All along the front, the return fire lessened. “All right Marines, time to show them what Marines are made of. At them boys and girls!” and with that, the dozen Battleoids raised up and ran towards the enemy with only long sonic powered knives in both hands.
Two Battleoids staggered and fell before they reached the approaching Chohish. Jan watched as Khaleesi, leading the way, took hit after hit of laser fire. Staggering, but never stopping her forward rush, Khaleesi
led her Marines into the center of the enemy formation.
And then Jan saw what he had heard but had never seen. Khaleesi, was good, really good. Slashing right and left, Khaleesi took out the Chohish in pairs at a time. But her knives were not her only weapon. Khaleesi used the weight and armor of her Battleoid at the same time. While she slashed and stabbed, she kicked and rolled over the onrushing Chohish. The Chohish bodies piled up around her quickly.
Grabbing a handle on one of the crates, Jan worked his way down the line passing out power packs.
Just as it looked like the Chohish were getting the upper hand, Khaleesi and the remaining Battleoids showed they had one more trick up their sleeves. As one, they dropped to one knee as their Battleoids popped a pair of grenades from the upper recess of both arms. The grenades lobbed over the heads of the front Chohish line.
With terrific explosions, the Chohish in the immediate area were torn apart and flung into the area. The few Chohish left, staggered backwards in retreat. The Battleoids did the same, picking up any downed Battleoids as they went.
And all were back behind cover before Khaleesi would take her own cover. Her Battleoid looked like it was ready to fall apart, it had been hit so many times.
Breathing heavily, Khaleesi glanced at Jan. “Hope you had some luck my friend, we sure could use some.”
In response, Jan popped the crates. Turning, Khaleesi popped the back of her weapons ammo bay. Jan, with assistance, removed and replenished the empty clips. Sweating profusely, he hurriedly replaced the power packs where the ammo bays closed silently. Lastly, they struggled to lift the small missile and position it in place. Once in position, the Battleoid AI, extended its connector and after a satisfying click, pulled the missile close to its body. This was being repeated wherever a Battleoid was still operational.
As this was going on, Marine and Army personnel in regular armor provided covering fire. Jan watched as several fell from return fire. It looked like the Chohish were getting ready for another push.
But then, all heard the signal they had been waiting for. “Charges set, ready when you are Major Richards.”
“Attention everyone, prepare to return to the shuttles. Jan, notify your sleds it is time to land. Get all wounded and dead on board. Any operational Battleoids, you will remain here with me.”
There was a flurry of activity as everyone started packing up prior to returning to the shuttles. Dropping anything not needed, anyone not assigned to a task, stopped to assist moving the wounded and dead.
Unsuccessful in contacting Masson, he passed it to the next man he could reach and had them pass it on until it reached the men outside who were finally able to reach one of the men on the sleds. This was then passed back to Jan in the same manner.
With deliberation, Jan started his withdrawal assisting one of the wounded Marines. As he walked with the arm of the injured Marine draped over his shoulder, he could hear the pickup of fusion fire. Turning to see what was happening, he saw something he would never forget.
The push was intense supported by a heavy covering fire. When they were only twenty feet from the position he just left, he watched as all the Battleoids rose to their full height and let loose. The Gatling guns and laser, already raised out of their shoulders, fired on full auto along with the fusion rifles held in each hand while a few would pause every now and then to throw grenades with reckless abandon.
Reeling under the onslaught, the Chohish reeled backwards with hundreds laying prone and unmoving on the ground.
But the Battleoids did not just stand there. Now down to just seven effective Battleoids, these seven ran into the firestorm of exploding grenades emerging through the smoke to fire upon the dazed and injured Chohish.
The Chohish, the very few remaining standing, retreated backwards in a haphazard fashion. The Battleoids did not let up. They followed them right up to the fissure, where any Chohish survivors were eliminated.
Turning, the Battleoids calmly walked sideways in a ground eating stride while continuing to fire at the fissure. All, that is, except for two of the Battleoids. One slumping from damage, was leaning towards the ground when another with Major stripes on its arms, dropped a rifle letting it swing from its harness strap, to grab the Battleoid in an embrace. Lifting the Battleoid carefully over its left shoulder, it moved towards the entrance in a sloping stride.
It was no surprise when the Battleoid finally caught up to him and slowed to match his stride. But where he thought that the Battleoids work was finished, he was surprised when just as they left the entrance, they stopped to turn once more. The damaged Battleoid now in the open, able to make their own way, barely.
“Battle line here, provide cover for the shuttles.” ordered Khaleesi. “Release missiles.”
No sooner said, than done. All the Battleoids braced themselves, whereupon the missiles on their backs ignited flying through the mine entrance.
Unable to resist, Jan watched enthralled as the missiles raced through the cavern twisting around large pillars to strike the fissure where another group of Chohish was gathering. The fissure erupted in fire and debris.
Getting assistance from Richmond, Jan was taking the wounded Marine up the shuttle ramp when he heard a familiar sound. Masson and the remaining sleds came flying through the clouds to crash land nearby.
As Masson made his way to the shuttles, Jan could see the exhaustion in his movements, let alone the pitted and blackened armor. Masson’s face plate, when he stopped by Jan who was assisting another Marine, was covered in soot with a spider web of cracks visible. How he had been able to see what was in front of him, let alone what would have happened if the faceplate had been breached was frightening to think of.
“Hi Masson, it is good to see you. We are ready to blow this joint. Get everyone loaded fast, we need to be airborne before we set the charges off.”
“Will do. Oh, and if I do not see another sled for another year, I will not be disappointed. That ride was rough, the roughest I have even been on. Let me help Hattie here and I will come back to check to see if anyone else needs any assistance.”
It was an agonizing long few minutes before the shuttles were loaded and ready to go except for the seven remaining Battleoids. These, laid down a final round of fire into the entrance as they made their way slowly backwards towards the shuttle. Whether that was having any effect was unknown.
The last to board were the Battleoids who did their skipping walk up the rear ramps of the shuttles. All but one last Battleoid who stood in the midst of their old camp. All the shuttles, except for one, proceeded to rise from the ground and head skyward under full thrust.
Scanning the area to make sure no one was left behind, the one remaining Battleoid ran to the cave entrance where it dropped a satchel charge just inside the entrance. Backing away with both laser and guns deployed and firing, it made its way to the last shuttle. Just before it walked up the ramp, it turned to trigger the satchel charge. Smoke, flame and debris exploded out of the cave entrance.
Hoping the satchel charge would supply the necessary time to get aboard safely, Khaleesi entered the shuttle and clamped herself into the Battleoids mooring hub.
As the last shuttle flew into the sky, the signal to the demolition charges were sent. The cave entrance disappeared in a violence only matched by the planet’s volcanoes.
Without the support of the huge pillars, the area of the Chohish camp collapsed onto itself, where the Chohish were buried under tons upon tons of rock.
Stepping out of her Battleoid gingerly, Khaleesi made her way to sit next to Jan. Looking around unsuccessfully for a rag, she grabbed the bottom of her shirt where she ripper a section off. Using this, she attempted to wipe blood off her face from a gash in her forehead. The padding in a Battleoid could only do so much. Blinded for a moment by the rag as the shuttle rocked violently from driving through the atmosphere, she was surprised when Jan grabbed her hair from behind to pull her into a wet passionate kiss.
Staring up i
nto Jan’s eyes, Khaleesi, returning the kiss just as passionately, murmured “hmm… now that is more like it. Sweets after a hard day’s work. What could be better than that?”
“How about you get a shower as soon as we get back? You smell like Danny and his crew.” replied a laughing Jan, “You stink, I mean you stink really really bad!”
Quite a few were startled when they heard a female’s hearty laughter echoing throughout the shuttle, all that is, except for the Marines, injured or not, who joined in with the laughter.
Then to the wonderment of all, the Marines laid their heads back against the bulkhead, closed their eyes and took a nap while the shuttle shook and rattled trying to get through the atmosphere in one piece.
Despair
Bwoom, bwoom, bwoom… echoed through the Fox’s speakers on the bridge.
“Keep pounding that mine. Captain Kinsley was specific, it needs to be reduced to rubble.” ordered Captain Kennedy. “Add a few volleys of MK’s in to the mix. And let’s send a few more probes, I want to keep the data on what is happening there up to date.”
“The Lucky Strike is moving to our port side to join in our bombardment. Captain de Clisson on the line for you Captain.” reported Wycombe, the Fox’s communication technician.
“Hi Jeanne, how did it go? I take it that you had an interesting trip. Did you get your “package’?”
“Hi Meghan, yes, we got our ‘package’. I am sending you the video’s and my report; you will find them very interesting. Please study them as something about that ship is bugging me, especially when we were on the Bridge. I would like your opinions on them. Maybe between us, we can identify what is wrong. I received the report from you and Jan, but have not had time to fully review yet.”
“Will do. I am sure you have been updated by now, but just in case, the action on the planet was successful although we did suffer casualties. Jan and Masson gave me an in-depth rundown of what they incurred. Major Richards, from what I have heard and seen, is an amazing officer. I like her a lot. Jan and Major Richards are currently in sick bay checking on the injured so if you want to talk with them, I can pass you on. And you, suffer any casualties?”
