Con-Red: Recourse (50 page)

“Colonel Hallsworth,
I’m detecting a flight of Dragonfires on Station Three,” informed Bastion’s RAI, Bain, “designating Foxbat One Two and Three.”

“Three fighters
of Aries Squadron approaching low and fast from the southeast,” confirmed Specialist Ahron Ceasaris while studying the tactical display, “ETA to Telfor’s coast forty seconds.”

“I’m guessing General Hadim
wants to recon to know what’s happening on this side of the world.” Jonathan finally said as he studied the large wall display that updated the progress of these new contacts.  This was the first time they had received any indication that some of Westera’s forces had survived the invasion as well.  Since the alien attack on Destona and the rest of the Telfor continent, all news from Westera had ceased.  It was a perfect war tactic of course and Federation forces would have done the same if the sides were reversed.  One of the first rules of warfare is to limit the enemy’s ability to communicate, which the invaders had carried out almost flawlessly.

Almost being the key word,
Jonathan thought and allowed himself a small smile.  Thanks to the military’s planning and training there were certain contingencies put in place in case something like this actually happening.  Since reaching Bastion and finally having some time to recover from the evacuation of Destona, all of the unit commanders had come together to form a plan for the near future. Small units of soldiers and combat engineers had operated out from Bastion’s safety and installed a new network of TacNet relays along the peaks lining the Bragor Mountains.  With those relay units now operational Colonel Hallsworth had Tactical Network coverage of almost twenty square kilometers around the Bastion complex for all of his army units.  As such they were now able to carry out missions within the area with greater coordination.

Working together his small reconnaissance teams had been able to monitor enemy activity around the capital and also further out in the surrounding vicinity.  Small agricultural communities in these immediate areas were asked to evacuate to Bastion’s safety.  At the same time other small units that had survived the onslaught had been located when their systems
had picked up the TacNet transmissions.  One of these army teams had actually belonged to the ADS primary monitoring station.  With some of the Atmospheric Disturbance Scanners arrays still online the station was able to update Jonathan on the activity of many enemy craft throughout the continent.  This information gave Bastion enhanced early warning capability that they had previously lacked, allowing them to plan and adjust ongoing missions accordingly.

“There’s been increased activity around Destona for pa
st two days.  ADS has confirmed around the clock patrols and constant cargo runs by orbital dropship or transports.” One of the other analysts reported.

“Looks like they are consolidating around Destona before making another push,” Jonathan replied while crossing his arms.  He took note of these air patrols on the display screen with small groups of triangle symbols
race tracking around the former capital of Frontiera.  At the same time a new contact appeared on the display and descended through the atmosphere towards the planet.  The system quickly extrapolated its course to a point just beside the Mironia Spaceport.  It was the same area in which the enemy had been stockpiling resources for the past couple of days. 

Looking at the three approaching fighters Jonathan began to wonder if they knew what was going on this side of the planet.  General Hadim probably had no idea since all of their long range communications equipment had been rendered useless by the enemy.  It was then that he got an idea of how to relay as much information as he could.

“Ahron prepare a data packet for General Hadim.  Include as much as you an about our military situation and what we have gathered about the enemy’s capabilities.  I want it transmitted to that Aries flight as soon as they reach the coast,” Colonel Hallsworth instructed and studied the large display in front of him thoroughly.

While the specialist quickly went to work Jonathan watched
a few of the other image feeds on the tactical screen.  These particular windows showed the activities of three platoons operating outside Bastion at the moment.  Two were in positions around Destona monitoring enemy movements and extracting any civilians still outside enemy detention centers.  The third platoon was on the other side of the mountains setting up an ambush for an enemy patrol trying to locate the Bastion complex.  In the past two days his men and women had set up multiple traps and ambushes for the enemy forces, but he knew that soon they would adjust tactics.  With their superior numbers and their control of the high ground, in orbit, Jonathan knew that it was only a matter of time before they found Bastion and fully assaulted it.

“
Foxbat One thru Three approaching the coast in five seconds,” Bain called out calmly at that moment, causing the colonel to turn back towards the main screen.

“Alright, launch the Jayhawk.  As soon as it gets into range transmit the data we have.  We won’t get much time,” Jonathan ordered and glanced over at a display showing orbital data. 
One of the advantages that Bastion offered was a fully functioning Ground Based Observatory.  This electro-optical system was an aging high powered telescope that had rarely been utilized since its installation due to the fact that other more sensitive sensors were available.  Now, however, with all of those other system destroyed or rendered useless by the enemy, the GBO had become an important source of data collection.  By using this system Bastion was able to visually track enemy ships in orbit about the system as well as throughout the entire system.  At the beginning it was hard to spot them, but they quickly realized that each one had some sort of reflective or light absorbing coating making them almost invisible to the naked eye.  One of the engineers had reconfigured the automated tracker to search for transit effects, which were caused by various stars in the sky blinking out for a period of time before flashing back to life.  This effect happened each time one of the alien ships moved in space.  Thanks to this method Bastion was able to track six different ships above the planet, four constantly in orbit to provide fire support and two others probably in defensive formation again Federation counterattacks.

“Data ready for transmission,” he hears Ahron say.

Following the young specialist, Charles Helvik calls out, “Launching Jay,” just as one of the orbiting enemy ships, Sierra Three, passes over Bastion and drifts onward towards the other end of the continent.

From one of the dozen embedded launch tubes within the mountainside a single long sleek missile fired out just as the trio of Dragonfires reached the shore.  The sleek container had an oval shaped cross-section and a narrow nose.  Almost instantly it
adjusted its course towards its destination and accelerated to hypervelocity speeds.  At such high speed the missile shaped object came within range of its terminus in matter of seconds at which point the entire sleek outer body parted open in five distinct pieces.  From this shell the actual Jayhawk burst forth under its own power and extended its two stubby wings.  Being much slower by its nature the drone glided through the air under the carrier vessels previous inertia, but began to quick slow as the air resistance pushed back against it.  While in flight the little drone recalibrated its systems and quickly found the closest TacNet transmitter.  As intended the Jayhawk instantly became an aerial data relay platform able to cover a vast surrounding area from its present altitude of almost thirty-two thousand meters.

“Jayhawk active and reports good connection with Aries flight, sending the data.”

“They’ve been spotted.  Picking up one squadron of Alpha’s breaking from their pattern on intercept courses,” Bain interrupted.

Without waiting Specialist Helvik began to warn the flight, “Aries flight, Bastion TACCOM
, you have company closing in, ETA twenty six seconds.  Recommend you alter course to Zero Five Nine.”

“Roger that Bastion, thank you,” replied
Lt. Commander Velisa Brown, the flight leader whose name flashed on the display as she connected to the TacNet and Jonathan watched the trio bank towards the Bragor Mountains, “we have something for you as well.”

With that a new screen appeared inside the tactical display.  “Seems like General Hadim had the same idea sir, he’s sending us a data packet as well.”

“Let’s see if we can’t get those Alphas off their tail for a little bit longer,” Jonathan said in his own manner of command, knowing that the order would be followed to his satisfaction.

His new orders were carried out immediately. With the help of the reactivated Tactical Network
and the ADS Jonathan’s units were able to coordinate with efficiency not seen since the invasion had begun.  Ringing Bastion was a comprehensive aerial defense system of multiple hidden batteries.  Some of these he had brought with him, while others belonged to Bastion itself.  These had been installed during the complex’s construction, but had been upgraded over the many passing years.  Even though they were much older they were still highly effective at conducting their defensive duties.

It was these older systems that launched their missiles first.  Ten of these projectiles magnetically accelerated into the sky
, to better hide their launch sites, before igniting their rocket motors and angling towards the enemy fighter squadron.  They were joined seconds later by smaller and more advanced Avenger missiles from the Sentinel Air Defense units of the 76
th
RCT.  Each missile was assigned a different target with Bain’s assistance and traced across the clear sky in a hunt for its prey.

Inside the command room Jonathan couldn’t help by wince inside as each of those valuable Avengers took off into the sky.  Bastion had a vast stockpile of the older Indigo class missiles, but the newer ones equipping his units
would be harder to come by.  A fair number of replacements were acquired from a raid on a nearby supply depot on their second day inside the complex so his units would be able to rearm after today’s engagement.  Jonathan had no way of knowing how long this war would last, however, and when if ever reinforcements would arrive with a supply convoy.  Because of this uncertainty he would have to rethink of how they expend their already limited amount of ordinance.

On the display he could already see the enemy Alpha’s start to scatter in different directions in order to avoid the newly detect threats.  A few pressed their attack
without pause, probably hoping their defense systems would take care of the missiles as before.  It was then that new contacts appeared on the sensor display.

“Alphas just launched missiles!” Ahron called out without delay.

Colonel Hallsworth was about to order an interception when similar small objects raced out from the Dragonfires.  He breathed out a sigh of relief a few seconds later as both of these waves intersected and destroyed each other.  It was clear at that moment that Aries flight has linked with Bastion’s TacNet and therefore was able to receive sensor data transmitted through it.

“Bastion, Aries Two,
data received.  Thanks for the hospitality, we own you one,” the commander finally relayed and Jonathan watched Charles nod at the same time to show that General Hadim’s message had completed transfer as well.  One the screen he could see the three fighter start to turn and accelerate back towards the ocean.

Just then a scream filled the speakers and one of the Dragonfires disappeared from sensors.  “Aries, Bastion, what happened?!” Jonathan demanded as another of the fighters vanished without further warning.

“Taking ground fi…” Commander Brown started to say before the entire feed was cut off.

“They took out the Jayhawk sir.  Link is severed,” Ahron informed without looking up from his dedicated console, “she’s still airborne though.  Descended in altitude and accelerated away at high speed.  If I’m reading this right she must be pushing those engines into the red.
”

“
I think she took some damage, though,” the specialist stated again after a slight pause, “the Dragonfire’s aerial profile changed some.”

“Well I wish her the best of luck,” Jonathan added with a deep breath and looked away from the display screens.

The enemy forces had lost around four fighters to Bastion’s missile assault and could be seen turning away.  Whoever commended those forces didn’t want to risk losing more assets for little gain, most likely.  They would probably have some trouble getting replacements as well.  Fighters and pilots didn’t grow on trees.  Wherever these aliens had come from they had to have supply lines just like everyone else and Jonathan took a guess that Frontiera wasn’t the only planet under assault.  They had to have hit multiple planets at once since this was their one chance at catching the Federation off guard. 

That’s what I would do,
Jonathan thought to himself, but of course he knew that there was no way to really know what these beings were thinking and if they even planned their operations the way he would.  Judging by what he had seen in the past week, thought, Jonathan could say that he had a pretty good idea about how they operated.  He wondered how many worlds besides Frontiera they had taken or tried to take.  While they had lost contact with the rest of the UPF he had to believe that the entire Federation was mobilizing for an all-out war.  Their first step would be to slow and eventually stop the alien assault, which would be quickly followed up by a counter attack to retake planets that had been captured.  After that the attacker’s home world would be sought out and made to pay for its indiscretions.  He knew above all else that even if the attack was localized to just the Fringe Sector there would be a full outcry to declare war in kind.  In time the Federation fleets would return to Frontiera and bring with them much needed help to this fight.  How long that would take Colonel Hallsworth had no way of knowing.  All he knew was that they sooner they got here the better.