Star Crusades Nexus: Book 09 - The Black Rift (8 page)

He looked at each of them with no expression visible on his face.

“Every ship we can spare must be sent to Micaya. I do not want to fight them just to protect the planet. I want a decisive space battle that will give us room to maneuver. Helios Prime and Spascia will manage with what they have coming in the next five days. Everything else; and I mean everything else, will go to Micaya.”

He tapped his hands, and the image in the center of the table changed to show the Helios System and its orbiting planets. He pointed at a cone that ran from Micaya back to the Black Rift.

“With the combined fleets from all of our races, we will smash their fleet decisively, and then redirect from Micaya directly back to the Black Rift. If they try and come in while we’re busy, they will be in for one hell of a shock.”

The door hissed open and in ran a sweaty looking officer. He wore the uniform of the Intelligence Division.

“Admiral, news just in from Director Johnson on Terra Nova.”

Even the Admiral was surprised to see then man barge in, even more so that he felt it reasonable to mention such important and presumably classified information in front of an unknown audience. He moved closer and then finally stopped.

“It’s on every public network. The President, he’s gone insane.”

Admiral Anderson raised an eyebrow, more in surprise that anybody might think otherwise.

“Show us.”

The man nodded and then moved to the control system for the table based three-dimensional projector. It flashed white and changed to a live feed from the Alliance Network News.

“This is Chuck Harolds, ANN Reporter live from the Alliance Prometheus Seven space station. Forty minutes ago, a group of intruders surrounded the sovereign station and demanded its surrender.”

The Admiral reached for his secpad and checked the validity of the source. Coded information from High Command was already just arriving, but there was also something from Director Johnson.

Trust the media to be there first.

The man on the videostream walked through the station, along with a small group of marines. Running toward them were technicians carrying sidearms and thermal shotguns. The reporter grabbed the first.

“What’s going on?”

“Terra Novan interior ministry soldiers are on board. Their killing whoever they find.”

The man pushed past but next was a grim looking marine. A single bullet must have struck his helmet because it left a crease along the left cheek.

 
“The Colonel gave them fair warning, so they opened fire. So far, they have taken three decks and killed eleven Alliance crew.”

“Why are they here and on whose orders?”

The man lifted his visor and looked directly into the reporter's head-mounted camera.

“President Harrison ordered the illegal attack. He’s killing Alliance citizens, that bastard.”

The video shifted to one side and another appeared of the area of space outside the station. It showed six ships. Each one looked ancient, but they all bore the markings of the Alliance as well as Terra Nova insignia.

“Who are they?” Anderson asked under his breath.

A series of bright blue lights marked the movement of Alliance fighters streaking past the ships, and the two exploded in a bright explosion. The effect on those watching was electrifying. Anderson looked to the intelligence officer and beckoned him to come closer.

“I need to speak to Director Johnson, immediately. Where is he?”

The man swallowed, but it wasn’t fear, it was anger.

“We’ve lost contact with the entire division, Admiral. Rumor has it that he and three senior military commanders were executed in the public square in the last few hours. We’ve only just received the news.”

Admiral Anderson looked down at the message that had only just decoded on his personal secpad. He nearly dropped it at seeing the few words.

Coup on the Capital. Harrison is going to shut down the Prometheus Rift. They are coming for me. Good luck, old friend.

 
He dropped his face into his hands. The news was nothing like he had expected. President Harrison was a power hungry politician, but he also knew there was no powerbase in the military for him. Only the politically motivated troops of Terra Nova could offer him much in the way of help.

“Get me Churchill. He’s the closest to all of this.”

He then looked to the others.

“None of this affects our operation. Micaya first, then the Black Rift.”

* * *

Prometheus Seven Outpost, Prometheus Sector

Lieutenant Young ran down the corridor with his squad close by. A straggle of survivors came toward him, some with terrible wounds inflicted by coilguns. He’d been on the move for three minutes now after securing the third sector landing deck. Reports came in from across the station as infiltrators penetrated hidden shafts and vents to hide their movement.

“Lieutenant, the command center has fallen. We’re withdrawing to the primary passageway,” said the Colonel over the intercom.

“Understood, Sir. We’re a few more seconds out. Hang in there!”

They kept going, each of them puffing and panting, but still the gunfire could be heard not so far away. They rounded the next bend, and the passageway ran straight into a much wider section. This was one of the old levels that provided access to the lavish apartments, now research labs. Doors ran along the sides, but it was the colored glass ceiling that made the place stand out. It was truly stunning and both wide and high. Two men in black armor stepped out and took aim.

“Drop ‘em?”

The marines didn’t even stop and simply lifted their weapons to their shoulders and fired while sidestepping to confused the return fire. Only three rounds came back before both of the Terran Novan soldiers were cut down. Right behind them came five technicians plus Colonel Pierce. He moved slowly while helping another carrying a wounded cadet. Gunshots took chunks out of the wall as they moved from the corner and headed in the direction of Lieutenant Young.

“Colonel, over here!”

The wide and beautifully detailed passageway could have accommodated three Maulers in a long column, and the tall, intricately carved columns on each side provided the only cover from the bullets traveling in both directions. A single man in black appeared, and then more, as the pursuers entered the corridor and fanned out.

“Marines, cover them!”

The squad broke formation and scattered to the sides. From the relative safety of the columns, they were able to put down a withering hail of fire. The Colonel used that moment of respite for one last spurt with his people. They made it just as the black armored soldiers took the other end of the corridor. One went forward and pushed a large hexagonal plate in front of him. As he moved, the plate made a grinding sound, and smaller sections expanded out to create a substantial shield. Another moved up and did the same, creating a wall of armor for the soldiers to advance behind.

“What the hell is that, some kind of pavise?” Lieutenant Young muttered.

Colonel Pierce dropped down next to the officer and looked back at the enemy.

“They came here well prepared. We were holding them off till they brought up stun grenades and shields. Looks like they brought the full set of riot gear for this one.”

A loud bang caught their attention. Both looked back and watched a door blast out behind them; a small group of black armored troopers appeared. They didn’t wait and quickly threw themselves at the few marines still fighting. Gunfire lashed between them, as well as fists and bayonets. The group quickly spread amongst the defenders, but one in particular made for Colonel Pierce. Two others followed him, swinging their carbines like clubs to smash their way through. They fought hard, but weight of numbers quickly overpowered the marines until just four remained standing against Lieutenant Dobbs and his entourage. They finally stopped and moved up around their commander, taking aim at the two officers and two wounded marines.

“It is over,” said the Colonel in a hard, bitter tone.

“You will give the order for your people to surrender, or we will vent this station.”

Colonel Pierce lowered his sidearm and looked to his security chief. With a quick movement of his head, he confirmed for him to also lower his weapon. A loud crashing sound came from further along the corridor, and part of the wall ripped apart. Chunks of masonry, glass, and metal fell about as six shapes emerged from the dust cloud. They were massive, easily the size of Marine Vanguards.

“Get down!” came a loud, booming voice.

Colonel Pierce knew that voice anywhere and found himself smiling as he threw himself to the floor, narrowly avoiding a bayonet to the face.

“Do it!” he yelled.

The seven black armored soldiers from Terra Nova and their leader turned their guns on the new arrivals. Coilguns blasted, but then came the high-pitched scream of powerful multi-barreled guns. The streaks of flame filled the passageway, and shells tore holes the size of apples into the body of anybody that got in the way. As he lay on the ground, he looked up at six dark shapes and the massive muzzle flashes that obscured them. Finally, the noise stopped, and all that remained were the grunts and groans from the wounded marines. Colonel Pierce tried to stand but stumbled and began to fall back down.

“I’ve got you.”

A thick muscled arm covered in crimson armor grabbed him so tightly it actually hurt a little. He found himself upright and on his feet, staring up into the friendly face of a mighty Jötnar warrior.

“Osk, it’s damn good to see you.”

The dust and smoke began to clear, and as it did, so did the shapes of the Jötnar begin to clear. They all wore the armor of the Red Watch, the dark crimson that each of them wore so proudly. All of the Jötnar carried the massive Gatling guns favored by their kind, either on their shoulders on special pintle mounts, or carried in both arms. Osk, the first female Jötnar and commander of the garrison on Prometheus, swung her arm and struck the Colonel hard on the shoulder.

“It looks like we were in the right place at the right time.”

He winced at the strength of the strike.

“Yeah, I knew keeping you on board for a few more hours was a good idea.”

He looked back into the corridor and the carnage the Jötnar had wrought. It was more than just the bodies. It was the damage caused by their immense firepower. Entire chunks of columns had been torn apart, and the Terra Novan soldiers had seen limbs and heads torn clean off. Not one of the intruders remained alive.

“Okay, Colonel, what next?” she asked.

The blood splattered and exhausted officer looked to Lieutenant Young, who just nodded at him. He then looked back to Osk.

“We clear this station, and then we will…”

Movement caught his eye. He followed the motion and spotted the mortally wounded figure of Lieutenant Dobbs. The soldier’s right arm had been shot off above the elbow, and his chest contained no less than three major puncture wounds. He tried to speak, but blood bubbled and gushed from his mouth. Osk walked toward him and then knelt down alongside him.

“Why?” she asked.

The man coughed twice and struggled to speak.

“To…remove you…”

Osk opened up her visor and laughed. It was a bittersweet laugh, but she continued nonetheless. The other Jötnar joined in for a while before quieting down. She reached out with her right hand to touch the dying man. He looked up at her, his eyes burning hot, but though he wanted to speak, nothing but blood now came from his mouth. Osk nodded gently.

“It’s okay. We will visit your homeworld and introduce ourselves.”

Her smile tightened into a grimace.

“Your soldiers will be punished for this outrage, animal.”

He yelled in pain and anger one last time and then slumped back, the black blood pooling around his mouth on the floor. Osk paced back and forth and then stopped in front of Colonel Pierce.

“I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. We will load up the transports on Prometheus and set course for Terra Nova. We will remove this usurper and remind the people of that place who we are and what we can do.”

She then turned and stormed over to her comrades. Colonel Pierce looked down to the shattered body of the soldier and reached down to close his eyes.

You fools! What have you done? Never, ever bring upon the vengeance of the Jötnar.

* * *

ANS Warlord, 3 Days from Micaya

The massive mainscreen showed the latest live feed from the exterior of the Prometheus Seven Station. It wasn’t an encrypted channel or even a military channel. The logo at the corner actually showed it was a live feed coming from the station, and the space battle had just become fiercer. Admiral Anderson shook his head when a flight of fighters ducked and dived past the mothballed marine assault transport. Turret fire blasted nearby, but the Alliance pilots expertly avoided the attack.

“Those ships are crewed by buffoons,” he said angrily.