Resilience (Warner's World Book 6) (27 page)

The race was on. Federation fighters were moving in a stream towards the pole, staying well above the atmosphere while the Confederate fighters, also above the atmosphere but at a significantly lower altitude were streaking towards the same objective.

Rose could see the cloak indicator flashing. She hailed “Once cloaked, head back to 10K above Rowisus and then descend to land. No further comms.”

The Confederate fighters were feeling more confident of an intercept when all of a sudden the Federation fighters disappeared from their screens in rapid succession.

The shock of the event forced many of the Confederate pilots to ponder their own precarious situation - no detectable objective, fuel low, no friendly ship to return to and no friendly spaceport to land at.

“Confederate pilots” hailed Kraag on an open channel “this is the Republican High Command. Your situation is hopeless. If you land and surrender at either of the spaceports listed in the message just broadcasted you will be fairly treated. Otherwise you will be hunted down. You must comply within fifteen minutes.”

“Do not listen to the enemy” hailed Meeka, who was furious at this attempt to lure his pilots. “Land at Lewista spaceport. It is in our hands.”

A momentary state of confusion overcame the Confederate pilots. But a simple check of the COP (common operating picture) on their screens clearly showed that the Lewista space port was still contested. One by one the Confederate fighters peeled off seeking to land at a spaceport that wasn’t a battleground.

“Aaagh!” howled Meeka as he realised he no longer had a fighter force either.

Chapter 33. Lewista 1650, 21 September

Arkimon Fetula, the ISS Station Chief, was under extreme pressure. He knew that a deal was going down to hand over a mass exchanger device to Sallusam. He knew that the Confederates had just landed not more than four blocks away from the ISS HQ where he was currently located. Given the earlier conversation they had intercepted between Sallusam and Melnar, it wasn’t too difficult to assume that this was Sallusam attempt to acquire the cash he needed to pay Melnar.

His over-revving mind had already determined that he had three top priority tasks, apprehend Melnar, deny Sallusam the funds he needed and stay alive.

Salinta had already despatched a team to nab Melnar. He had used a series of proxies to hide his exact location but Salinta’s analysts were top rate and while it took some time they had pieced together the indirections. Salinta convinced him that he was at Chelcene, a small private spaceport his corporation owned not more than 20 kms from the centre of Lewista.

She had also despatched a team to the Treasury but they were not responding to hails and both she and Arkimon concluded they hadn’t made it.

Salinta was also martialling troops to defend their HQ. Given all the other commitments they were over extended and had only fifty troops manning the hasty barricades. Both she and Arkimon knew that if the heavy hitters from the enemy turned their attention on their HQ it would not last long.

“Draag” hailed Arkimon.

“Yes” responded Felis. It had been an incredibly active period in the command centre at Neeblo and Arkimon sensed that Felis resented the interruption. “They haven’t made it” he blurted out. “We’ve lost contact.”

“All right. It’s down to Warner then. Just make sure you stop Melnar. But remember we need to find the location of those devices.”

“Understood” and Arkimon terminated the call. He turned to Salinta and said “You’re in charge here. I’m going after Melnar. I’ll take Titus and Plenta. Let our team know we’re coming. Call me if there are any problems. Best if there are no problems.”

Part 4
The Cauldron

The prize in the pot beckoned the lot

So they fought for it tooth and nail

So much blood shed and so many dead

But all knew only one could prevail

Anger turns to rage as the forces engage

But still they come and still they strive

Into the cauldron without caution

Determined to attain or to deprive

Chapter 1. Lewista 1700, 21 September

The report in from Lizzy was that the lead battlewagon had engaged an enemy vehicle up ahead and now both their surviving battlewagons were engaged in a firefight with at least one enemy AFV.

Dave’s vehicle had immediately pulled over to the side of the freeway. As Dave disembarked with Chase’s assistance, he felt the oppressive humidity. Thick almost black cumulus clouds were unfolding at a rapid rate low in the sky above. A late afternoon storm was in the offing and Dave cursed not having worn his full suit.

He could feel his body perspiring as he hobbled forward, leaning on Chase’s shoulder. His left foot hurt like all hell. Each time it took any weight, he winced.

“Perhaps its best if you stay here” said Chase. “I can check on Lizzy.”

It was a kind offer but Dave wanted to do this himself. He did not know Lizzy, had no knowledge of how she operated and knew that if she needed prodding it was best he do it. “I’ll be right” said Dave and he made a conscious effort to take more of his own weight.

Together they moved up the rise. The freeway crested not more than fifty metres away and Lizzy was waiting for him just on this side of the crest, next to Tango 2, the second battlewagon. She was crouching down. Every now and then she popped her head up enough to peer over. Tango 2 was hull down, with just its turret visible form the other side. As Dave approached, it fired a shot from its big pulse cannon.

“So what’s happening?” asked Dave.

“Just as Tango 1 crested the hill” replied Lizzy “they could see a column of enemy vehicles up ahead. The freeway ends about a kilometre on, where the road levels off and enters the built up area. The enemy appear to be engaged in a firefight with some other force in the buildings lining the road at the top of the next hill. Anyway Tango 1 fired on an enemy AFV about a click away. They reckon they hit it, but it disappeared behind a building.”

“Have you tried making contact with whoever it is up ahead that has engaged the enemy?” asked Dave.

“Yeah, on the Republican open channel, but no one’s responded.” Lizzy looked to Dave expecting to be told what to do.

“So what are you going to do?” asked Dave.

“Oh! Um, what do you think is best Sir?” she countered.

“No Lizzy, what are you going to do” reiterated Dave with emphasis on the ‘you’.

“Oh…aah…call in for some fire from the support droids?”

“Nah, out of ammo.”

“Right, well uh…I suppose we could go around them.”

“And how long do you reckon that will take to head back to the last off ramp?”

“Yeah it’s a fair away back isn’t it? So we need to clear them?” Dave nodded his head. Lizzy looked to Chase for a contribution but Chase wasn’t forthcoming. “OK then, um… we attack them. I’ll get everyone disembarked and we’ll put in an assault.”

“How about before that we have a look” said Dave. He wasn’t very impressed with Lizzy so far but he counselled himself against letting her know that. He knew all too well that this was probably her first time in actual combat. He was prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt but not if that was going to cost lives.

Lizzy said “OK” and started to move up to the forward edge of Tango 2 and the crest of the hill.

Dave was wary about moving forward past the crest. He knew he would stand out hobbling with Chase’s support and he knew he couldn’t run and take cover. “Wait” commanded Dave. He then hailed Tango 2. “Jess can you supply Lizzy a camera feed and pan ahead. We need to find the best approach to attack from.”

1
^st
Lt Jess Abib commanded the 4
^th
Arm Pl, 30
^th
Coy. She was a veteran and knew exactly what to do. “You getting this?” she asked.

Dave could see the feed on Lizzy’s portable console. “Yeah that’s great. Can you zoom in on where the freeway ends?” Jess obliged. “What’s the range from that last known loc of the enemy AFV to where the freeway ends?”

“700 metres or thereabouts. That’s outside their beam range…but they could have moved closer by now” added Jess.

Dave looked at Lizzy. She took the hint this time. “Use the Tango’s longer range to overwatch our vehicles to the end of the freeway, deploy off to the left, dismount and form up for an assault.” Dave gave her a bit of a smile, just enough to encourage her.

Her mind was now gearing up and applying itself to the problem space. “Might be good to have the Tangoes lay down some smoke during the initial move.”

Dave gave her a warmer smile. “Anything else?” he asked.

“Lead with the droids.”

“Yep and?” queried Dave. Lizzy shrugged. A low long rumble of thunder emanated from the brooding dark clouds overhead. Dave was conscious of the time and knew he had to wrap this up. “You’ll need visual signals to control the Tangoes in case the enemy jam our comms. They usually do when we get close to them.”

“Oh yes, of course.”

Dave gave her a pat on her shoulder. “Better get to it then, before we all get wet.” He gave her a warm smile and for the first time since coming forward he felt confident she would handle it.

Some 1200 metres ahead, Major Hecton Malessium was shaking his large head. He could not believe how bad this day was turning into. Leaving aside the fiasco at Mintoslum in which his brigade had lost over half its force, here he now was sandwiched between the Republicans and humans.

Just when he was grateful for a clear run into Lewista, he had bumped into the back of a column of trucks and utilities. They had shot up the rear two vehicles and the bodies, still strewn over the road, were testament to the slaughter. Alas enough of the enemy dismounted and managed to fire off a volley of rockets, destroying his lead AFV. With the enemy in a built up area and armed with rockets there was no way he could just barrel on through.

It had taken him a good fifteen minutes to form up for an attack when the human battlewagons bumped into their rear and returned the favour destroying his last AFV. He immediately stopped the attack forward so he could redeploy a screen to the rear. Now he had just finished a call with the Fleet Admiral who was not in good mood. He had left Hecton in no confusion over his course of action – well in fact two courses of action. He was to hand over command to his deputy. They would defend where they were and deny the enemy access to Lewista. Hecton, though, was to personally bypass the blocking force and make his way to the treasury post haste.

He had now handed over command and, with just three troopers as body guard, was attempting to outflank the Republicans up ahead. The thump and whack of the human battlewagon pulse cannons made him turn back to see the smoke rising from where he had just left. If he was honest with himself, Hecton would admit to being pleased not to be back there. But he wasn’t and so he made no comment about his own feelings or about his erstwhile comrades who were now facing a grim future.

1
^st
Lt Kalima Gregstorian looked down the hill at the smoke now covering the far slope. The remains of her ISS detachment were spread mighty thin occupying the six story light commercial building fifty metres from where her rear utility vehicles had been shot up by the enemy force.

With the shock effect from the enemy fighter’s strafing run, it had triggered pandemonium amongst her troops. She had been frustrated in trying to coordinate their deployment by the local enemy jamming. She had to hoof it and physically round them up.

When she saw the enemy forces forming up for an attack she knew this would be her last day. After the initial volley at the leading enemy AFV they had only four rockets left. She had at first thought of bugging out and taking to the back streets to get to the Treasury. Oh how she had wanted to do just that. But it was the certain knowledge that there was no other force to stop this enemy and her father’s voice in her head reminding her of her duty. ‘Even after all these years he still nags me’ she had said to herself at the time and reluctantly ordered her troops to defend.

But since then her fortunes had improved. First the human battlewagons that brought a halt to the enemy’s attack and now the smoke that she believed would herald their assault.

‘Just maybe we will survive’ she said with a light smile. If only she could make contact with them. “Branish” she called out to the sergeant peering out through the window.

Sgt Branish Neklorin was an unusual ISS trooper who had taken a while to be accepted by his comrades. It wasn’t that he was physically dissimilar but mentally he operated in another dimension. He was probably one the best conceptual thinkers on the planet, a great intellect. By some random chance or divine providence he was also blessed with a good technical mind.

If his parents had had any say in it he would have been a great inventor. But there was a mischievous streak that ran deep in his character and it had got him into lots of trouble over the years. He also had a penchant for danger and risk taking that quite frankly scared most people he came into contact - but not Kalima. She was probably the first and only person who really understood his nature. She saw the potential that just needed to be harnessed and right now she had a task for him.

Branish turned and gave her one of his tell-tale grins which was in stark contrast to the concerned if not fearful expressions on the faces of his comrades. “Yeah” he replied.

“Can you break into this system” asked Kalima pointing to the terminal on the desk in front of her “and see if you can call HQ?”

“Breaking in won’t be the problem” said Branish with a cock of his head “but what makes you think this humble establishment is going to have a cable connection.”

“Humour me!”

Branish smiled warmly at her and sat down at the terminal. He pulled out a device from his pack that he always carried with him, placed it on the desk, thumbed a control on its surface and was through the login in in a few seconds. “Well I’ll be!” said a surprised Branish.