Blood War 1: Last Stand of the Legion: Rift (25 page)

"Will he be all right?"

"Yeah Sergeant, give him a minute or two for the med's to get on board and really take affect. He will be fine. His arm will need surgery but the patch will do until we have time. He was lucky the wound in his side missed everything. I need to look at a couple of others; let me know if there is any change."

Padma
stood and trotted off to check other wounded.

"Aijuba, I fucked up
," Dasan said on their private channel. "I let the men and women down."

"Enough. You needed to do that to clear your head. I knew that would happen one day
, I just never knew when. Your hatred was too deep. Your guilt for the children we did not rescue was too consuming. No, it was needed. Now your head is clear."

"But what will the troops think? They know what I demand."

"Dasan, our four sergeants made sure that the rest of the command knew their Colonel had just charged the aliens single-handed and in hand to hand combat had killed four. No, my old mate, you just proved yourself a leader worthy of following. No string of commands could ever have worked better to establish your leadership. You proved you are a warrior. Now you have to be a commander."

"Help me up."

Dasan stood and picked up his axe and put it into his harness, then he reached down and picked up his rifle. He stood for a moment letting the nano's and drugs do their work. He felt stronger already. Dasan turned toward the Fleet Headquarters Complex.

"Let's get to the Complex
," Dasan said.

He began trotting toward the pyramid buildings of Fleet Headquarters, he felt stronger with each step. He carried his rail at the ready, fighting was going on all around them as new spikes landed. The remainder of the command group formed a circle around Dasan as they moved as a group toward the Complex. Dasan could see the first of his units reach the buildings. As the troopers reached a building they were jumping to the second, third and even fourth floors smashing through the glass
and beginning to take up positions in the buildings.

More Spikes were landing around them amidst the advancing troops. Small vicious fights occurred each time one landed and the aliens deployed. The aliens were out numbered and were decimated but they always took a toll. More and more Legionnaire armored bodies lay among the
aliens, their suit’s medical systems fighting to save their lives. The battle around the Complex was intensifying as more aliens landed and his Legionnaires fought their way into the Complex then fought from the complex. He could see red and green tracers flying in both directions as aliens and Legionnaires exchanged fire at close range. He saw an alien stop and fire a round into a downed Legionnaire. That had been a mistake. It disappeared as rounds from any Legionnaire near by fired at the alien. It was truly a fight to the death.

Dasan saw the first medical hovercraft emerge from Sirius building in Fleet Headquarters and race from one downed trooper to the next. Corpsmen would reach down and pick them up before rushing the wounded back into the  building for further treatment. Dr. Zhao had worked miracles to have a working combat medical system up and running already. Dasan hoped Dewitt and his engineers were just as good because his Legionnaires were way behind the curve. The aliens were striking hard and fast, it was obvious casualties meant nothing to them.

The aliens were moving fast. If he were the alien commander as soon as he had reports of heavy fighting at the Space Port and the Spikes around Fleet he would jump his timeline. It would know that Dasan would be racing to try and prepare defenses from the reports it was receiving. The alien commander knew it had superior forces but it was a matter of getting them into the fight. So if Dasan were the alien commander he would go ahead and change his plans and launch the rest of its forces.

The command group had almost reached the Complex when the first alien troop ship appeared overhead. It was large
and black with rotating engines attached to short wings. The first one aimed for a floor close to the top of the Rigel Kent in the Complex. The nose of the aircraft suddenly erupted with cannon and laser fire. It tore open the wall of the pyramid and the explosions continued as the ship entered the interior of the building. The craft never slowed down, it crashed through the hole it had just blown in the building.

"
Kak
did you see that?" Sergeant Taro said.

"Fuck yeah
," Sergeant Yu said.

"What the kak are they doing?"

Dasan had an idea but waited. Then sure enough the craft reappeared and exited the building and dove away. Almost immediately one, then another Legion trooper, not far from where Dasan stood, went down in a targeted explosions. The fire was coming from the floor where the ship had just landed.

"That's how they insert their troops. They have the high ground already. We need to get into
the building," Dasan said.

"These
kaks
are good," Taro said.

The command group began to run
, increasing their speed. The drugs and nanos had done their work and Dasan felt normal as he began to run. They began taking fire from the floor where the aliens had just landed. They had apparently identified the command group out of all the fighting that was happening around them. The fire, while aimed, missed throwing sand up in explosions around them. Dasan and the rest of his command staff entered the building through a garage entrance. As they entered they were almost run over by a civilian vehicle racing out of the building. Sergeant Masa had to jump out of the way so he would not be run over by the vehicle.

"I'm the only
broad that could get killed by being hit by a
kaking
civilian car during a
kaking
alien invasion."

"Shut up
, you’re lucky to be alive. I saved your ass back there," Taro said.

"Bullshit I had that thing."

"Enough!" Aijuba said. "Focus."

There was a crash and the building shook. Then another
, and another.

"
They're inserting more troops. We need to get enough troops upstairs to make a stand," Dasan said.

LYTEN SYSTEM

RIFT

FLEET HEADQUARTERS

EMERGENCY COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER

Admiral Raurk stood on the command platform above the ECIC's floor. She was watching the battle unfold in real time through a half dozen different feeds. Arms crossed across her chest, her face in what she called her command mask, she had learned long ago that the calmer she appeared, the better her command ran under any conditions and certainly in the midst of a battle. It was called command presence and she had perfected her ability to slip it on when a battle was at its worst. Istas stood behind her, arms crossed but her eyes were on the room and the people in it not on the battle screens. She was still as a statue but missed nothing in the room.

"Lieutenant Netis. Are you ready for a Battle Update Brief?"

"Ma'am. I was just finishing it. Are you ready for it?"

"Yes please Lieutenant
, go ahead."

"As you know the Xotoli are continuing to attack the anchorage. Currently we know that the Orin, Aquila and Indus all have been either completely destroyed or damaged beyond defending themselves. The Capella, Lalanda, Bernards, Rigil Kent, Lupus,
Pereus and Groombridge are sortieing out of the anchorage as you ordered. We expect other ships to be able to sortie but we are unwilling to guess at this point."

"Very good
, Lieutenant. Let's not guess about anything at this point. Continue."

"The Solace is taking the wounded and
is now working under battle staffing. They are reporting over a thousand casualties so far. The Phoenix still has enough power and is fighting back to the best of their ability. She is badly damaged but with power from the Von Fleet dock they have been able to stay in the fight. We are still sorting out the conditions and any actions the rest of the ships in the anchorage are taking. We have been monitoring the Legion's ground channels. The landings have started and there are heavy casualties on both sides. The battle seems to be in close quarters and very intense. Colonel Sand's troops are in heavy combat at both the Space Port and now above us around the Headquarters Complex. A recon team above us just sent this video from their sensors."

Usiche glanced up at the screen. It was an image of the red and black sand plains to the west of Fleet Headquarters. Spikes were landing everywhere
, exploding just before they touched and inserting their troops, touching off mini sand storms with each landing until the view was obscured by the fine sand in the air. It appeared to be flawless landing; of course it was unopposed yet still it had the look of experienced troops and commanders. Group after group of aliens formed up after landing and began moving toward the Fleet Complex. When they reached a red or black rock outcropping they simply jumped over it and continued forward. Nothing  it seemed could stop or slow them down.

The aliens moved as rapidly as Colonel Sands Armored Infantry did in full armor with all the strength and speed the armor gave them, yet these troops were like the one who tried to kill her. They wore light armor that did not seem to enhance their movement. General Buchman slowly stood as he watched the landings
, his eyes glued to the images. Usiche could see the effect of the reality the image showed as it slowly sunk into Buchman. He now could see what Sand and his Legionnaries were facing. It was a frightening prospect.

"The Legionnaires remain in control of both the Port and Headquarters but Xotoli continue to land troops. I would describe the outcome as in doubt."

Usiche glanced at Buchman. Their eyes met; just the look on his face told her all she needed to know. It was not looking good on the ground. Sand’s troops were putting up a heroic fight but the odds continued to mount against them.

"And our alien friends fleets intentions
?"

"Their fleet had taken up geo synchronic orbit above our position. Warships are providing a picket line around the platform and the support vessels that accompanied it. The numbers of troops being landed seems to be increasing using the number of landing craft we have been able to identify. While the fighters we have left are attacking the Platform the picket ships are proving very effective in keeping them at bay. The situation is still very fluid and a continuous situational awareness is proving to be a challenge given the number of different actions occurring at the same time."

"Very well Lieutenant. If you receive any information you deem important enough for immediate release do not hesitate to notify me and the room. In other words don't wait for the BUB. In fact you are to perform Battle Update Briefs as you see fit."

"Ma'am."

She now knew the intensions of the Xotoli and approximately the size of the naval force she was facing. She had ordered Admiral Lule to use the only forces she had left against the alien fleet. 

"General Buchman."

The General left his console and came up to the command platform.

"I've put you and your Legion
naries in the hot seat. I don't have to tell you how important this system is. Our Captain put it very nicely a few minutes ago."

"Ma'am," General Buchman said.

"Given the fact that we do not seem to be able to either repel the invasion at this point or even to slow it down, what  is your estimate of the invasion force we are facing?""

             
"I think the laws of physics still apply to them as well as it does to us. Dasan and I sat down and took a swing at what it would take to field an invasion force in planning for the exercise. We tried to calculate what naval vessels and personnel would be needed for us to invade and hold a planet. Please understand this is just our best guess but our calculations put the task force headed our way at somewhere from 65 to 70 ships. The mix would be primarily heavy lift ships for the troops and their equipment. I think that platform provides not only the primary landing ship but also most of the supplies needed to support the landing. We ran some numbers and it would take about four tons per combat trooper. Then there would be a contingent of warships for protection and prep fire that we see in the picket line now. They will have an air wing contingent whose sole job will be to establish air superiority over the planet. Once that is accomplished they will begin prep fire from a secure orbit. Then the landings would begin. Something on the order of 17, 000 troops if they are even remotely like us. With all their armored equipment, aircraft for in atmosphere operations and other equipment they would need the lift capacity for approximately 136 million tons give or take."

Raurk glanced at Buchman.

"That was one hell of a guess, General. You nearly nailed the size of their fleet on the head. We have no comparable capabilities."

"No we don't. Not even on the civilian side. There is no need for that kind of lift capability. No
t even new world colonies need that much weight."

Raurk only stared at Buchman as she contemplated what a force of that size could do to the virtually unprotect
ed planet.

"In addition ma'am, they have been at this a while. The
y might have much more than I understand. That capability assessment was based on our needs. Their capabilities could be much different. It could be much worse."

"How good is our young Colonel and his Brigade?" Admiral Raurk
asked.

Buchman stared at her for a long moment before he answered.

"He has given up his career to make this Brigade happen. He has spent almost every waking hour since Gaxola trying to prepare the Confederation for this very battle. He has not had the money or the backing to do it properly, but from what I have seen he has the best the Legion can field and they are trained and equipped. There are just not enough of them."

Admiral Raurk turned to the situation display at the front of the room. It showed the Space Port and battle going on around it. The Legion forces were being attacked on all sides by a vastly superior force. Yet they were holding. None had moved from their positions and they seemed to be taking a toll on the aliens as they landed.

"They will have to be enough, because they are all we have General," Raurk said. "Except for the Tarawa. It is our only troop-carrying ship and it has the only reinforcements at our disposal. What is the status of the Tarawa?"

"Unknown, the plan was for a shake down cruise before the exercise tomorrow. The Tarawa was to leave the system then return in a landing trajectory for tomorrow but it should have been in contact long before now. We have been unable to raise it on any comm. Either the Xotoli found it and destroyed
it or the Tarawa is having comm problems. A new ship with all new comm, it is possible that their comm is not working. That is our best case scenario."

"What do you think General?"

"I think the Xotoli found it and destroyed it."

"General
, we need some good luck. I don't need any more bad news. Lets go with the comm failure shall we?"

Buchman smiled and said
,

"Ma'am."

Raurk took her eyes off the situation display and looked at Buchman. Only her eyes moved, her demeanor never changed. They had fought many battles over the years, going all the way back to when they both were just Lieutenants. They had come to respect and like each other professionally and privately. She then said in a low voice only the two of them could hear,

"One more ma'am out of you B
uchman and I going to bust you to private."

"Yes, Admiral."

A slight arch of an eyebrow let him know she had enjoyed the exchange.

"Get to work Buchman and find the Tarwara or what happened to it. We need those troops."

"Admiral."

Buchman returned to his console and called his staff over to him.

"Admiral, may I approach?"

Usiche turned her head to see Captain Kitmura standing at the base of the platform.

Yes, you may approach."

"Ma'am."

Kitmura stood at attention in front of her and waited for permission to speak. Part of the problem with Usiche's command presence was that those not used to working with her assumed that they were required to use formal protocol when they addressed her.

"Kitmura
, from now on do not hesitate to simply say Admiral I have something or look at this. We don't have time for that nonsense now."

"Ma'am. I'm not sure what I have but it is something. I wanted your take on it."

"Let's hear it, Captain."

"You know they started encrypting their transmissions and we could not decipher them."

              "Yes. Go on."

"Well as soon as the attack started I put my team back on trying to break their code using their combat communication traffic. They have been crunching numbers and trying everything they can to make some headway on the code. 
While we can't decipher everything, we have noticed something. The Xotoli keep referring to something called K. It is not simply a letter but something else. Now we are getting a few letters here and there but they seem to refer to this as if it was an object such as a ship."

"Could it be that monster platform that they are using for their troops?"

"Possibly, but there is one other thing. One of my guys thought there sure were a lot of fighters for the number of combat ships in their fleet. He ran numbers we have actually identified with our systems. Using our standard Legion compliment aboard the same type ships of the line that we have identified, he added up the numbers. By his estimate, and I think he is correct, they have fielded more than twice the number of fighters as we could with our current configuration."

"So? Couldn't it still be that platform?"

"Yes it could, but we have been tracking their fighters after their runs on the harbor. We can't be sure but they do not seem to return to the platform or the other ships in their fleet."

"You
r conclusion?"

"There is something else out there. Something that they are using as their fighter base. Something we could attack."

"Captain, you are stringing a lot of if's and maybe's together to get to that conclusion."

"Yes ma'am I am
, but I have a hunch."

"Your last hunch was a good one. Keep digging and get back to me with anything new."

Kitmura returned to his console. Usiche was puzzled something in the back of her mind was trying to get her attention. Something about what Kitmura had said had rung a bell but she could not remember where or what it was. She noticed that Captain Knott was sitting at his station and did not seem to be busy. In fact he seemed to be staring into space lost in thought or overwhelmed by everything.

"Captain Knott," Usiche snapped.

Her tone pulled him out of his inaction. He immediately stood and turned toward Usiche standing at attention.

"Admiral."

"Captain Knott do you have anything for me?"

"No ma'am not at this time."