Talosian Chronicles 6: Armageddon (22 page)

“Red Alert! We have incoming fighters and missiles. All personnel take cover immediately. Stand-by for weapon's firing!” The announcement was closely followed by the rumbling as the huge guns rose from their hiding positions underground. In several locations around the park, the ground erupted as doors flew open on hidden missile batteries.

Armored troops, still trying to get the remaining rioters to get to safety, retreated to the shielded area to take defensive positions. Missiles being launched must have been the final straw for the remaining rioters; But instead of following the troops, they scattered and tried to take cover behind the surrounding buildings. When the big guns started firing and the shock wave knocked them to the ground. None of them had been wearing hearing protections because they had believed the threat to be specious. Most of them were knocked unconscious and had burst eardrums; some had broken bones. Of the hundred and fifty-three people, all of them were seriously wounded, fifty-nine critically, and three older gentlemen did not survive.

Unwilling to leave the people lying on the ground wounded. The troops called for medical assistance to get them to the emergency hospital for treatment.  Floating gurneys were sent and the troops put the people on them. The hovering gurneys were like small, short-ranged space craft. They erected a protective field over their patient, They were capable of fly over or around obstacles while returning to their programmed destination. The gurneys carried all the wounded to the small emergency hospital built in the park. The dead were also retrieved and taken to the morgue at the hospital.

In the command center of the armory, Adam, F'ren, Tonya and Adam's XO, Major Paul Hines stood around the big holotank that served as a tactical display unit for their area of operations. Currently, the tank displayed hundreds of targets, all of them Caldarian. Terran fighters were working on the enemy fighters and fighter carriers, and the surface emplacements were dealing with the inbound missiles and helping with the fighters. However, a small group of ships were shown to be almost on the surface, several miles west of Staten Island, and south west of Brooklyn. There was another group coming over the water to the northwest as well. Both groups were moving very slowly.

"What's with those two groups? Why aren't they heading in like the fighters?" Adam asked.

"They're troop transports," F'ren replied. "I imagine they are waiting for the missiles to soften us up first."

Paul snorted. "That isn't going to happen with Tonya's guns on the job. Besides, won't the shield protect the city from nukes?"

"Yes and no; the shields are good, but can only withstand one or two direct hits. The nukes they are using are far more powerful than those of Earth. These carry enhanced yield, anti-matter warheads designed to take down shields. Of course, if there is no shield to absorb the energy of the blast…" Tonya explained. "If one gets through, we could be in big trouble."

"What I find curious is that the Caldarians are sending troops here at all. According to our records, they should be trying to obliterate this entire area, not invade it," F'ren replied.

"How so?" Adam asked.

"Standard Caldarian invasion doctrine is to destroy the major populations centers, then capture the civilians in the rural areas as slaves. This entire area, for a hundred miles in all directions is a pretty major population center. They should be showering this area with missiles and orbital bombardments," F'ren explained.

"Maybe that's why, Major," Tonya said. "We took out the two Super Nova's; they don't have anything close enough that's capable of that level of destruction anymore."

"Is that what happened to Europe?" Paul asked.

Both Tonya and F'ren nodded, but Tonya explained. "Our shields are good, but concentrated fire from a capitol ship like a Super Nova is just too much for them. One sustained blast from a heavy mount laser, combined with repeated missile impacts, and the shield will fail."

"Inbound radiological alert! Multiple surface skimming missiles!" Tonya's people in the tracking area reported.

The troop transport ships had gotten tired of waiting and fired their own tactical missiles into the city. The missiles were too low for the guns to target, and the flight time was too short for fighters to intercept them.

The ground shook as several anti-matter warheads detonated over the wide spread city.

"Damage report!" Adam called.

"Fourteen impacts, Our shield is down to ten percent. Most of the missiles hit Long Island in a line from Queens to The Hamptons. All Long Island weapons sites report shield failure and heavy damage to the surrounding area, the weapons are still operational but the city has been destroyed. Site NY-One reports total destruction of Perth Amboy and the southern end of Staten Island. However, they have a lock on the incoming transports. Sites NY-two and NY-three report shield damage only," one of the soldiers manning a console in the command center reported.

"Tell site one to take those bastards out if they can," Adam ordered. "What about the northern group?"

"Moving in towards the northern Long Island weapons, it looks like they are going to deploy their troops, Sir."

Adam brought up the information for the area. "It looks like all we have up there are National Guards. F'ren, feel like taking a trip? Paul, send lats send one of our company's with them."

Paul nodded and began issuing orders quietly. F'ren smiled softly. "I thought you'd never ask!" She turned to the soldier who made the report. "Please transfer the relevant data to the T'gal and notify the people up there we are on our way."

"Yes Ma'am!" the soldier replied automatically. F'ren grinned at him as she left the command center, issuing orders over her own comm.

"Tracking, keep an eye on the southern group. I need to know immediately if any of them get through," Adam ordered. "Tonya, can we repair the shield? Get it back to full strength somehow?"

"The drones at each of the shield generator stations are already working on it, Sir," Tonya replied.

"Southern transport group reduced to two ships. Second salvo from the southern group! Staten Island and lower Brooklyn are targeted." The ground shook again, but not as hard as the last time.

"The shield is down, four generators destroyed, three hours to repair," the man reported. "Sirs, Site NY heavily damaged; weapons and command center are off-line, but I'm still getting a green status from the shelters. NY two reports heavy damage, one gun is still operational, but glitchy. The other gun and missile launchers are off-line. Most of Staten Island and the lower Brooklyn area have been flattened, Wait!" he paused for a moment. "Caldarians transports are moving in! They're entering the harbor, it looks like they're heading for the Narrows."

"Missiles! Put some hurt on those ass-holes! We have to keep them from getting to shore!" Tonya ordered.

"Navy ships are deploying in the upper bay, If the Caldarians stay on course, they'll fly right over them," the tracking soldier reported. "Another transport is down. It blew in mid-air. No survivors. Remaining ship is passing Fort Hamilton and has entered the Narrows. Navy ships are firing."

"Any chance they'll take it out?" Adam asked.

"They might damage it more, but I don't think they'll…"

"Heavy damage to navy ships, three ships sinking. Caldarian is past their line and approaching Lower Manhattan!" the soldier reported.

"Bastards are coming here!" Tonya said. "They figured out this is the command center for the whole damn area and they coming to take us out." 

"Paul, prepare the garrison for ground assault. Stage them along the southern edge of the park." Adam turned to another man, "Parker, get our ESAR drones heading out to help the navy guys."

"Enemy ship has slowed and is approaching Battery Park," the soldier reported.

"Tonya, if those assholes come up seventh avenue, can you use one of the guns on them?" Adam asked.

"Only if you don't care about the damage it'll do to the midtown buildings. At the very least it'll shatter every window in the district, it could cause a few of the older buildings along seventh avenue to collapse," Tonya replied.

"But aren't the FROGs equipped with the same gun?" Paul asked.

"No, it's the same principle, but a very different weapon. Our guns are designed for surface to low-orbit use; larger caliber, high velocity, and a different round design. The FROG Drones are equipped with a ground assault version; smaller caliber, slower velocity, and a different projectile composition. It's like comparing a Minute-Man II ballistic missile to one of your TOW anti-tank missiles," Tonya explained. "I can tell you that if that ship makes it all the way to this park, it won't be leaving. Our three guns at point blank range will shred it."

"What about the surrounding buildings?" Paul asked.

"We put stabilizers on all the buildings in a three block area surrounding the park. I'll grant that will strain them, but they should be fine," Tonya replied.

"Enemy ship approaching the Village and turning on seventh avenue. They've slowed way down, seventy-five miles an hour and dropping," the soldier reported.

"They're getting ready to drop their troops," Adam said and touched a comm channel icon. "Major Hughes, the enemy is deploying troops along seventh avenue near the Village. Head out and stop them."

"Understood Command. Any idea how many we're facing?" Adam's field commander asked.

"Intel says the ship can carry a reinforced battalion; based on it's flight profile, the most likely load is three companies of infantry and a company of armor," Adam replied. "You're in for a serious fight, John. Remember to use those heavy drones and that armor."

"Understood, we'll stop them," the man replied.

In the Holotank, Adam could see that Major Hughes was deploying his forces down fifth, sixth, seventh and eight avenues.

"New York Command, this is Condor
Borealis
, it looks like you have a pest problem. Fighter command says we can assist, but might get called away in a hurry," a woman's voice said over the comms.

"Welcome to the party, Borealis. Yeah, we have a fat pig moving up seventh avenue and it's about to drop a whole load of rats on us. Please make their life hell for us," Adam replied.

"We'll do what we can, but if we hit her reactor, it'll level lower Manhattan," the woman replied.

"That would not be good, we have friendly troops in the area,
Borealis
," Adam replied.

"We see them now. Be ready for a rush assault; once we start this, they may goose it and try to drop on top of you," the woman replied. In the holotank, Adam could see the icons for the fighters working up behind the transport. "Confirmed, they are dropping their troops. Along seventh avenue beginning at west fourteenth and it looks like up to east twenty-third street. Mostly infantry, but there are tanks and armored troop carriers."

"Commander, if you work the armored stuff, we'll handle the big bitch; after all, she has to pop up out of there sometime," Tonya replied.

"Transport is accelerating staying on seventh avenue and low! She's rushing us!" the soldier replied.

Tonya put her hand to her personal comm. "Guns Bravo and Charlie, reorient to the south! Caldarian assault transport will be emerging from seventh avenue. As soon as it's clear, scrap it!"

"I heard ya, command, I'll warn my kids to stay low."
Borealis
replied.

"Command this is Strike One, we have enemy contact and are engaging. The bastards seem to be in a hurry," Major Hughes reported. "Their ship is heading for you."

"It's a blitz attack, John. The armor is moving up behind their grunts, be ready," Adam replied. "Fighters are trying to keep the armor busy, but the closer they get to you…"

"Yeah, it's a bitch to be so popular," the man replied.

"Major Hughes, this is Captain Miles. Caldarian soldiers will never allow themselves to be captured. If any of them go down and let you approach, suspect a trap. They would consider it a great honor to kill themselves and take some of you with them."

"That's all well and good, Captain, but what are we supposed to do with them if that happens?" Hughes asked.

"Kill them, John. Trust me here, they would not hesitate to do the same thing to us," Adam replied.

"That still doesn't make it right, Adam," Hughes replied.

"No, it doesn't, but Caldarians never surrender and they will do everything in their power to make sure you and our men are destroyed. You
have
to kill them, or they
will
kill you," Adam replied.

Whatever reply Major Hughes said was lost in a loud rumble and the heavy shaking that suddenly strike the command center. The lights flickered, but came right back on, none of the equipment cut out at all. As no sooner had that passed when most people in the room were thrown to the floor as the room rocked.

The guard at the door called out."Colonel, the hallway outside caved in!"

"What the hell was that?" Adam asked.

The truth of the situation was in the holotank. The Caldarian transport ship had burst forth from the seventh avenue entrance to the park, but before it could fire it's weapons, the two big guns Tonya had tasked for this began firing. They were at such a low angle that it shook the ground in the area. The combined firepower of the two big guns made very quick work of the transport; they ate though the shields and armor in seconds. The big ship lost power and crashed. It rolled to a stop directly over the underground armory which is what caused the outside hallway to collapse. Somehow, it missed destroying the large gun near the entrance.