Storm' Fury: The Shenkar War (71 page)

February 1
st
, 2014 8:29 am EST

Lykaa

              Sub-commander Vort stood atop the battlement as he looked through his field glasses at the surrounding cavern. All the forward observation posts had failed to check in on their last scheduled times so it was safe to say the humans had captured or killed them. He knew human forces were out there but he had yet to see any lurking about. Originally Overlord Viero had wanted to collapse all the tunnels leading into the cavern but this could prevent his forces from restocking foodstuffs from the nearby caverns. They only had one gunship and with the Shenkar battle group destroyed there is no telling when they might be resupplied.              

              “Sub commander, do you think it is wise to stand in the open like that?” came a voice from behind and below him.

              Lowering his field glasses he looked back and saw his subordinate standing there.

              “We have seen no sign of the humans; I seriously doubt I have anything to worry about at the moment.”

              The subordinate looked as if he wanted to say something more but instead nodded his head and returned to his work. Turning back, Vort once again lifted his field glasses and scanned the area, not expecting to find anything. So when he did spot something moving it took him longer than it should have to react. At the opposite end of the cavern he saw humans and much to his surprise, Lykaans, spilling out of the tunnels and moving into cover. While they were too far away to be a threat the sight still unnerved him slightly. If the Lykaans had joined the humans then this would be something to worry about. This would increase the numbers brought against his forces and even though he had armored support this would present difficulties.

He was about to give the order for the armored support to open fire when movement caught his eye. He had been scanning an area closer to his defenses to confirm none of the humans or Lykaans had moved in when a flash of light reflected off of something in the distance. As he focused his glasses on the location, he dialed in to magnify the area. He did not understand what he was looking at at first. It appeared to be a piece of rock but it was moving. As the rock shifted, light once again reflected off of what he had spied a few moments earlier. Shock ran through him as recognition dawned upon him. He registered the flash of light but he was unable to move quick enough.

Vort was dead before he realized it as the depleted uranium round slammed into his helmet, punching through the thick armor to burn its way through his skull and into his brain. His head snapped back as his body fell backwards to slam into the ground below at the feet of his subordinate. With his death the area erupted in battle.

February 1
st
, 2014 8:33 am EST

Lykaa

Steve could hear the clear sounds of battle from the other side of the facilities but none of the Shenkar nearby moved to join their brothers. For now it seemed General Leonid’s assault was not enough to draw all the forces to the front lines.

“Lieutenant, is that the sounds of battle? Shouldn’t we move out?” asked Sergeant Robinson from behind him.

“Yes, but we have a problem, there is a few hundred Shenkar milling about just outside the tunnel.”

“So?” Robinson asked plainly.

“What do you mean so? We have to exit one at a time, I personally cannot kill or hold off that many before the rest of you can exit. Can you?”

Sergeant Robinson seemed to think this over for a few moments before he frowned slightly.

“Maybe but can’t say for sure.”

Steve only looked at him for a few moments, trying to gauge whether he was being serious with him or joking.

“You did hear me say a few hundred right?” Steve asked.

“Yep, I would have surprise on my side and I am sure they are not expecting an attack.”

Steve was about to disagree but he did see the man’s point. Then another issue occurred to him.

“Ok and if I let you do this then how do I let you out first? I am in your way.”

Sergeant Robinson seemed to think this over for a few moments as he looked about, above and behind before he spoke again.

“Lay down on your side, I should be able to step past you then.”

This thought had not occurred to Steve but he did not know if he wanted to let Sergeant Robinson throw his life away. While he would surely surprise the Shenkar, he knew they would eventually react and then Sergeant Robinson would die. Steve was not sure he was willing to sacrifice the man at the moment.

“Let’s give General Leonid a little bit longer before you throw your life away. Perhaps he has some plan that will draw our friends out there to him and give us the time to exit without you throwing your life away.”

Sergeant Robinson seemed slightly disappointed but did not say anything, only nodded his understanding.

Turning back to the opening, Steve listened to the battle as it unfolded. He could not help but wonder what was taking place out there as well as where could Liam be. All he knew was, the longer the Shenkar sat outside the tunnels the worse it would be for the human forces.

February 1
st
, 2014 8:33 am EST

Lykaa

The Shenkar officer’s head had just snapped back and he had fallen from the battlement.

“Nice shot!” stated James to Danny as he clapped him on the back.

“Thanks, let’s get out of here.” stated Private Henderson as he started to withdraw from sight.

              As they began to withdraw the world around them erupted in turmoil as the Shenkar forces unleashed everything upon the immediate area. It was clear the Shenkar forces did not know where the shot had come from that had killed their commander but they guessed the general area. The area exploded around them as they attempted to withdraw.

Shards of rock showered down upon them from a nearby explosion as they attempted to move as quickly and safely as possible. James Reuban thought he was going to die for sure when the assault they were experiencing lessened somewhat granting them a moment of reprive. Taking this moment to get his bearings he raised his head to see that the rest of General Leonid’s forces had drawn close enough to engage the Shenkar.

The flashes of energy being transferred back and forth was nearly blinding as the intensity of the battle grew. The crack of a rifle report made James look around to see that Private Henderson had given up on pulling back and had once again set up his sniper rifle. He was methodical in his attacks upon the Shenkar. Never rushing the shot as he sighted in on Shenkar after Shenkar, dealing one deadly shot after another.

Unfortunately his skill did not go unnoticed and as Danny took aim upon another Shenkar, two bolts of energy slammed into him. One hit him in the shoulder which was not life threatening but the second one took him through the eye socket, burning its way through to his brain and killing him instantly.

James weaved his way through cover until he made it back to his own lines. Upon arrival he rejoined his own squad and saw that Danny Henderson had not been the only casualty of the day. Dozens of Praetorian Guard members lay dead along the battle line as well as a couple Lykaan’s. An explosion nearby engulf three men and a woman in fire, killing them instantly.

“Damn it! We need to take those tanks out now! They are chewing us apart!” screamed a man to James left who he did not know.

James was forced to agree but he did not see how they would receive any help, however, this did not stop him from praying for some help.

February 1
st
, 2014 8:53 am EST

Lykaa

              Tank commander Dajet surveyed the battle field as his tank shifted slightly, lining up his next target. From what he had seen these humans did not pose much of a threat. They had certainly inflicted casualties against his own forces but they had yet to destroy or even disable one of the four tanks. It didn’t appear the humans had anything heavier than the shoulder rockets they had launched at them so far. He had to admit the rockets were certainly powerful but the armor on the front of a Shenkar tank was extremely thick. The only area of the tank where the armor was thin was in the rear, this was to prevent heat retention so the engines would not overheat. Dajet did not see a problem as long as the humans did not get behind them and even if they did they would need to go through the three hundred Shenkar warriors that were being held in reserve.

              This would be a good day because he would be part of the first defeat of these humans. This would prove these humans were not the indestructible force they were thought to be. Dajet smiled again as his tank fired again, incinerating a group of humans who were attempting to move in closer.

              Looking through his field glasses he spotted what looked to be a human that was giving orders, perhaps the leader of the ground forces. Looking away from the glasses he addressed the rest of his crew.

              “Target coordinates four by three by five, let me know when you have a targeting solution, I believe I have located their commander.”

              As he looked back he noticed something high up and above. A flash of energy exited an opening of a cavem roughly three hundred feet up the side of the cavern wall, followed by another flash. The flashes came quicker, building in intensity, until the light was a steady pulsing. Whatever was coming, Dajet had the feeling it was not good. His answer came soon after when he saw a figure surrounded in light ran and jumped free of the opening and began to plummet downwards.

              The figured fell until it was within fifty feet of the ground, when much to Dajet’s surprise, it stopped in midair. Due to the intensity of light surrounding the figure it was hard to make out who or what it was but if he had to guess it looked as if he was human. How could this be possible?

              The fighting seemed to lull for both sides as everyone looked upon the figure, clearly not sure of what to make of it. Dajet knew he had to do something, this figure needed to be eliminated.

              “Gunner, target that figure and fire!” Dajet ordered.

              The tank began to shift, its gun rising to target the floating figure. As the gun locked onto the figure, bolts of lightning lashed out, slamming into Dajet’s tank. Dajet’s body shook violently as the current pulsed through him and his tank, electrifying all within. He could feel himself cooking from the inside out, his mouth open but he was unable to scream. As Dajet felt his eyes burst, the electrical current ignited one of the fuel cells within, the entire tank exploded killing all within.

February 1
st
, 2014 8:55 am EST

Lykaa

As the schrapnel and fire from the explosion rained down upon the Shenkar, the figure began to move forward, levitating on pulses of electricity. More and more bolts of electricity began to lance outward, slamming into the other tanks. The result was the same, tanks exploded into fiery balls of flame.

“Jesus, did you see that!? asked Antonio to no one in particular.

Everyone looked up at the figure as it passed overhead, lightning impacting all around them yet injuring no human or Lykaan. A broadcast over the comm channel shook him from his gaze.