Suddenly huge growls echoed around the room. More Mortek died bloody deaths more quickly. The angry growling grew. The remaining Mortek never stood a chance. The battle became a mindless slaughter.
Nelson and Stein held their troops back. The violence and carnage were so horrendous that the two sergeants kept their men and women at bay, waiting for this nightmarish scene to play out.
The killing stopped. Six Elonian warriors came into view, almost spasming, in their search for more insectoids to kill. The four Sasanian marines followed. They too quartered the room, searching for more targets. None were found.
“Legate Buster, please contact Tribune Ambakai. Have him stand the Leopards down.”
Again, Buster froze and unfroze.
The Limpet marines slowly crept forward, wary of becoming targets of the crazed cat-people. By the time the sergeants reached the hatch, six Elonians stood around their fallen comrade, tails hanging, ears loose as they uttered soft mewing. Nelson held up a clenched fist, commanding the troops to hold position.
Walking softly, both sergeants entered and took positions on either side of Tribune Ambakai. Joining the grieving, they stood in silent respect, heads bowed, hands locked at their waists.
Buster floated in and took his position across from the Tribune and joined the death rite. Following Buster’s lead, the four Sasanian marines joined.
After a short time, Ambakai froze and unfroze. The remaining Elonian Guardsmen turned their attention to the last hatch, again focusing all their senses on the final target, the Mortek creature leading those that killed their brother.
“Sergeant Nelson, would you please place a sensor on that hatch? Could you ascertain what we are facing?”
“Davis! Sensor! Now!”
Corporal Davis rushed forward with the unit in his hands. Nelson pointed. Davis knelt, remove a backing on the unit and slapped it on the hatch. Stepping back, the Corporal pulled a tablet from a thigh pouch, tapped some icons and studied the screen.
“One Mortek, Sergeant. One high energy reading. It is armed.”
“One moment, Sergeant.”
“Yes, Buster?”
“I suspect that this might be the Mortek Commander which Commander Marston had attempted to negotiate with. We should ask what should be done.”
“We should smoke the bug, Sarge. No one hurts our cats.”
“Cool it, Lacey. Go ahead, Legate.”
Buster froze and activated his direct communicator to Krag.
“Captain, are you there?”
“I’m here, Buster. What’s the sit-rep?”
“We have reached the administration office. There is a single individual, heavily armed.
“Any losses?”
“Seven marines and one Leopard.”
Even electronically, Krag heard Buster’s sadness.
What do you want us to do with it, Captain?”
“If possible, capture it. If not, kill it.”
“I’ll see what we can do, Commander.”
Buster unfroze.
“Commander Marston is telepathic?”
“No, Sergeant. His cranial net has been reactivated. We communicated through that.”
“Oh. What did he say?”
“Capture the Mortek, if we can. Kill it, if we can’t”
“If that bug sees any hostiles, it will open fire. We will not capture it then. Any thoughts?”
“First, I believe that it has been viewing, at the very least, the battle in this room. Possibly it has been monitoring our entire assault. It knows what our capabilities are.”
“The invisible killing Leopards, you mean.”
“Exactly, Sergeant Stein.”
“If we send in the marines, it gets itself killed. If we send in the invisible Leopards, starts firing blindly and we lose more cats.”
“Precisely.”
“Not good.”
“Tribune Ambakai, Sergeant Boulos, please join the discussion.”
The two stepped over and faced Buster.
“We can nab it, Legate,” Sergeant Boulos stated.
“How, Sergeant?”
“Well, Amby, no offense intended, but you have a lot of over-heated furballs right now. If any of them get close, I wouldn’t put it past them to rip its throat out.”
“You are not mistaken, Bully. Those ‘furballs’ are filled with rage. You want to use your mud ducks.”
“You got it, Amby. Buster, we are recon. I and my men know how to crawl. And we know how to be quiet. We’ll sneak in and grab that sucker.”
Sergeant Nelson? Sergeant Stein?”
“We pull everyone back and blow the door. It will know how many cats we have. So, we keep them visible. It doesn’t know how many marines we have. So, we keep them moving around, acting busy. It will never figure out what’s coming.”
“Sergeant Boulos, how long?”
“We creep at about a yard per second. With five second pauses. We’ll stick to the walls, surround it, then jump that bug. If that office is a quarter of this room, say thirty minutes.”
“Thirty minutes?” Stein asked.
“Yes, Sergeant. That’s no time at all. Like I said, we were recon before we joined up with this Griffin crowd. We’ve snuck for days.”
“This works right into our schedule, Legate. We need to take the rest of the ring, anyway.”
“I agree. While Sergeant Boulos and his squad capture the Mortek Commander, the rest of us secure the shipyard.”
“I buy in, Legate.”
“It is a go, then. Sergeants, Tribune, pull you people back and do busy stuff. Sergeant Boulos, pull your people back, too. Then go chameleon, before you come back.”
“Copy that, Legate.”
Everyone made a big deal about pulling back. They withdrew down the corridor leading to the administration offices. After moving back through the outer ring, they reached the protected area fronting their entrance point.
“Davis, blow it.”
Everyone heard the explosion.
“Davis, drone.”
Again, Davis released the fist-sized drone and, using his tablet, worked it into sight range of the Administrator office. Peeking through the destroyed doorway, those staring at Davis’ tablet saw the Mortek Commander resolutely prepare for the coming onslaught which would never come.
Sergeant Boulos and his three remaining members of his recon patrol blinked out. No one showed any recognition that this occurred.
“The clock has started, Sergeants, Tribune.”
“Copy that, Legate. If you would, please have you and your Leopards hold our landing zone. You have done enough, for now. Let us do our job.”
“Tribune Ambakai, is that acceptable?”
“Yes, Legate. We need some time to withdraw our animal lust and re-center.”
“We’ve got your back, Sergeant. The landing zone will remain protected.”
“Thank you, Legate. Jones, Garcia, point. Taylor, Moore, Harris, secondary sweep. Third, Second Squads, combine. Stevens, Davis, with me. Sergeant Stein?”
”Where do you want us, Nellie?”
“The ceiling and the walls. Put two of your best flyers with Garcia and Jones.”
“Ramirez, Cox, aerial point. Cover Jones and Garcia. The rest, in groups of three, ceiling, each side, get airborne. Move it, move it!”
Buster and the Leopards watched Nelson and Stein lead their remaining marines down the walkway and around the curve. As they watched, Guardsman Douhai cocked an ear in the other direction.
“Legate, Mortek are approaching from the other direction.”
“Tribune, please send a scout. Get a count.”
“At your command, Legate. Douhai, you have the best ears and sight. Go chameleon and fly.”
“Aye, aye, Tribune.”
Guardsman Douhai blinked out. Only a faint wash of air marked his take-off.
“Tribune, please place three Guardsmen high, you and two on the deck. Have them all chameleon.”
“And yo
u, Legate?”
“I will draw their attention.”
“You are wounded. I shall remain visible. I shall become the target.”
“My damage is minimal, Tribune. It does not affect my capabilities. Besides, I have the Leopards to ensure that I sustain no more damage.”
“As you wish, Legate.”
Douhai materialized.
“Twelve Mortek, Sir. Armored and armed.”
“Leopards, take them fast. No casualties. Is that clear?”
“Hoof, hoof,” Buster heard as six Elonian Guardsmen blinked from sight.
Buster floated into the air and waited. He didn’t wait long. As reported. Twelve heavily armed Mortek rounded the bend.
With his electronic sight locating the Leopards, Buster raised his Gatling and began firing. Slashes and cuts began to appear in the Mortek squad. Before any could sight their own weapons, Mortek arms dropped from their bodies, claw marks opened on their faces, thoraxes and abdomens.
In less than a minute, twelve Military Mortek lay dead on the fluid-drenched deck. Buster floated back down, dropping to his one good leg. With a slight lean, he achieved his balance and waited. Six Guardsmen, with blood on their blades and claws, re-appeared. Three floated and three walked, returning to their positions for protecting the beachhead.
“Tribune, please place a scout a hundred feet around the bend.”
“We will keep a dialogue open so that he can report immediately.”
“Excellent thinking, Tribune.”
“Guardsman Negiani! Overwatch!”
“Aye, aye, Tribune.”
After the Elonian warrior disappeared, Buster remarked, “They seem to be picking up human habits, with the ‘aye, aye’, Tribune.”
“It seemed logical, Legate. We need one set of traditions, one style of command.”
Buster and the Leopards went back to protecting the beachhead. They heard the sounds of combat from the direction of the marines.
“Sergeant Nelson,” Buster commed, “Do you need assistance?”
“No, Legate. Everything is under control.”
“Do not hesitate to com if you do, Sergeant.”
“Rest assured, Legate. If we need the leopards, we will call. But I don’t think we will. The Mortek seem to be running out of soldiers. We’ve reached the first repair bay. At first glance, it’s empty. It looks like the civvie Mortek are fleeing.”
“I will apprise the Commander.”
“The next com came from Sergeant Boulos.”
“Worked like a charm, Legate,” Buster heard.
“That bug never knew what hit him. We’ve got him trussed up like a Christmas turkey.”
“Hold there, Sergeant. We are in the process of securing the yard.”
“Aye, aye, Legate. The bug will need some medical attention. It did get a little damaged in the dust-up. Corporal Faheem has patched it up, but we will need someone to look at it.”
“Understood, Sergeant. I will update the Commander.”
Chapter 21
Aboard Griffin – Cencore
While the Marines and Leopards continued their assault on the Cencore main shipyard, Krag revectored the shuttle and returned to Griffin. With the bay doors still open, Krag had no trouble setting down and anchoring. The bay doors clammed close. The pumps repressurized the bay. The all-clear light turned green. With a sigh, Krag left the comfort of the shuttle and headed for prickly field of politicking.
When Krag entered Griffin’s galley, he saw the three Odin officers sitting in silence at the table. Looking closer he saw them sitting as though exhausted from hard work.
Weiskoff looked up from his cup and wearily stared at Krag.
“We have come to a consensus. We, pending your conditions, will accept the Mortek cruiser and command a Federacy Fleet.”
Krag noted that Weiskoff used ‘we’, not ‘I’. knowing Weiskoff as he did, Krag understood that the Federacy Vice-Admiral left a backdoor open so that he could wriggle out of any commitment, blame someone else.
“Ambassador Suzume, will you please join us in the Galley?”
“Immediately, Commander.”
While Krag and the rest waited, he ordered up his own cup of coffee and took Mack’s seat, the end one facing Weiskoff, who had commandeered his own.
Keiko arrived, saw the arrangement and prepared her own cup of tea. Sitting to Krag’s right, she waited for him to begin the negotiations.
“Everyone here acknowledges that you are the ultimate authority for commanding a fleet, Vice-Admiral. As such, you need two things. A fleet and a flagship. We, I and Ambassador Suzume, have concluded that the Mortek cruiser, with modifications, will be an excellent flagship.”
“What modifications?”
“The first, and most obvious, is a jump drive.”
Krag and Keiko saw the gleam in Weiskoff’s eye.
“I accept.”
Keiko noted that Krag did not speak of the acid boobytrap which came with the jump drive.
“Next, you need a crew.”
“That goes without saying.”
“You dropped Odin’s crew on Tolimar. Would that crew be acceptable?”
“More than acceptable. When can you send a message drone ordering them to return to service?”
“That won’t be necessary. Preceptor Igaklay, will you please join us in the galley? Please bring your quant-com.”
Momentarily, Igaklay left the bridge and hustled into the galley. The three Odin officers watched the grey-green avatar pull a golden pyramid from his tool pouch and place it in the center of the table. Then they watched as he slid his highchair over to Krag’s left side, climbed up and sat.
“Feldmarshal Rosser, are you there?”
“Where else would I be, Hawk?
“Feldmarshal?”
“We needed someone to command the Tolimar Defense Force. Corry Rosser had been a lieutenant in the Federacy, so, he became the de facto Commander of the military. He needed a rank. Tolimar’s board awarded him the rank of Feldmarshal.”
“I ordered Major Wilson to command Odin’s personnel.”
“Major Wilson became Feldmarshal Rosser’s second in command.”
After focusing on Weiskoff during the interruption, Krag turned back to the pyramid.
“Corry, is Major Wilson around?”
“Preceptor Igaklay, would you please contact Major Wilson?”
“It is done, Feldmarshal.” Even Igaklay understood the formality required during this meeting.
“What can I do for you, Commander?”
“Where are you, Major?”
“Vice-Admiral Weiskoff? You’re with the Commander?”
“I thought that you were on Tolimar.”
“I am, Sir.”
Keiko stepped in.
“Vice-Admiral, Preceptor Igaklay has been kind enough to allow the use of more Ballisonian technology. The Ballisons have used quantum entanglement technology to create instantaneous communications.”
“Here, in Cencore, we are communicating with Major Wilson in Tolimar?”
“Not precisely, Vice-Admiral. You are communicating with Preceptor Igaklay and he is transferring the communique to Major Wilson. When the Major communicates, Preceptor Igaklay reverses the information flow.”
Weiskoff waved a hand at Igaklay’s avatar.”
“That?”
“Him, Vice-Admiral. And, no. as Commander Marston explained, you are in the presence of Preceptor Igaklay’s avatar.”
“Please hold, Major.”
“I’m listening, Commander. I had to work through this the first time. I understand.”
“Ambassador, please continue.”
“Preceptor, will you please display Ballison?”
A three-D image of Ballison floating in space appeared above the small pyramid on the table.
“This is Ballison, a planet approximately one-hundred and fifteen lightyears from Tolimar. More than two hundred lightyears from here, Cencore. Preceptor, would you pl
ease display yourself?”
A small moon floating above Ballison materialized in the hologram.
“This is Preceptor Igaklay. As Commander Marston stated, Preceptor Igaklay is a moon-sized artificial intelligence constructed by the Ballisonian people.”
“You are saying that, when anyone talks to this avatar, they are talking to that moon?”
“Through a quantum entanglement communicator. That is correct.”
“There is no direct communication.”
“Not over long distances, Vice-Admiral. Preceptor Igaklay handles all long-distance communications. May Commander Marston continue?”
“I will take it from here. Major Wilson?”
“Sir!”
“Have all Odin personnel report for duty and have them prepare for transport to Cencore.”
“There may be some problems with that, Vice-Admiral.”
“What do you mean?”
“Um, well, since the Federacy has been shattered and Odin has been destroyed, allegiances have switched, Sir.”
“What do you mean?”
“Over the course of the last year, many have hung up their Federacy uniforms and joined the Tolimar Defense Force.”
“That doesn’t matter. They are still Federacy personnel. They will fulfil their oaths of allegiance. If they do not, they will be charged with treason!”
“Hold it right there, Weiskoff!” Krag began to burn.
Seeing this, Keiko placed her hand on his forearm.
“Vice-Admiral, these are trying times. Flexibility and adjustments are required. Major Wilson?”
Recognizing Keiko’s voice, he responded, “Yes, Ambassador?”
“Please call Odin’s crew to a meeting. Explain that there is a new ship for them to crew. We can talk to them, then.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Krag and Keiko saw Weiskoff seething, holding in his infamous anger.
Keiko continued her politicking. “As you can see, Vice-Admiral, communicating between solar systems is instantaneous. This is one of the military advantages which allowed Griffin, Gazelle and the Stingers to defeat Mortek forces. Think about a flagship with jump drives having the capability to jump between star systems. And communications to command fleets instantaneously.
Victory in the Stars (Marston Chronicles Book 6) Page 22
