The Red Leopards of Zaxon B (Galaxies Collide Book 2) (3 page)

The South Korean marines of the Blue Dragon Division ran through the trenches, their heads lowered and bodies crouched as dust and debris flew over them, the blast waves rocking the trench walls. Passing Trevakian Marines and shuddering terrified volunteers of the Heathrow volunteer battalion, their commander approached Captain Mason, offering a brief salute as he spat dust from his mouth.

Dropping to his knees, the South Korean nodded a grim greeting to Jozefina Kapralova, turning his black visored helmet to look at the American, offering a further courteous salute, ‘Lieutenant Kim reporting Sir, what’s the situation?’

Captain Mason gritted his teeth, screams echoing from further down the line as acid shells erupted across the broken terrain, ‘The enemy is now below the ridge…’ He indicated around him, ‘This unit should be in reserve, so we need your troops to strengthen the position…what men have you available?’

The short South Korean shook his head in annoyance, ‘Forty seven soldiers only in this sector…the rest are further north around the caves…they are clearing them out to use as a medical facility.’

The American grinned ironically, slapping the Korean’s shoulder as they both ducked instinctively, a shell burst nearby, ‘Well, that will have to do…spread them along the line and let’s go to the command post…see what the Trevakian’s have to offer us.’ He turned and gestured to the next trench, shouting at Jozefina through the thundering blasts, ‘You have the confidence of your troops, come along…we need to see how we can hold here!’

Jozefina glanced at the soldiers around her, indicating to the marine holding the struggling Rees below, ‘Keep him safe please!’

The Trevakian marine looked up briefly, a grim smile crossing his lips as he grasped the shaking man’s shoulders, ‘Don’t worry…he will be safe…I may have to have a rather forceful chat with him after you have gone!’ He nodded, applying more force to the writhing body below, ‘…It will be best for both of us!’

They ran half-crouched along the trenches, shell blasts rocking their bodies as they progressed. Around them, the screams of wounded and shell shocked drained resolve, their realisation that the soldiers were inexperienced and totally unprepared for what they faced undermining the commanders as they moved forward. The uniforms of the panic stricken soldiers reacted to atmospheric pressure, increasing padding for additional protection, chemicals to decrease anxiety slowly being excreted onto their skin follicles.

Jozefina ran behind, her eyes moist with emotion as she witnessed the terrified staff of the Heathrow volunteer battalion shaking with fear at the numerous blasts, her friends and colleagues frantically pushing themselves further into the dirt.  Nausea rose into her throat, the realisation she had placed them in ultimate danger, her helmeted head shaking in despondency as she realised that deadly reality was far removed from adventure and idealism. That the naivety of their resolve and bravery had placed them in mortal danger.

Dust and debris flew across the trenches, engulfing the defenders as they pressed their faces into the emplacement floors, gloved hands over their heads. Several sections of the defensive positions had polymer protective roofs, the sturdy sheets deploying automatically from their small portable self-embedded housings to offer limited protection to the soldiers below from shrapnel.

Flashes flickered around the terrain, the detonations throwing acid and shrapnel projectiles across the positions as they ran. Smoke billowed over them, the stench of burning matter and material filling their nostrils. Stepping over the wounded and screaming men and women, they reached a section of Trevakian marines, the highly trained soldiers all raising fists to their chests as they crouched beneath the trench walls, an officer realising their intent and pointing further down the line, ‘The command bunker is just ahead!’

Captain Mason stopped next to the commander, the Trevakian’s grin puzzling him as the others stopped abruptly behind. The American shouted above the raging noise above, ‘What’s the situation…when will the enemy break over the ridge?’

The Trevakian officer shrugged, ‘It may take more than that…’ He indicated further to the north as blasts echoed above, ‘The track leading up from below emerges further along…we have prepared a surprise for the Morgons when they advance. This was a designated fall-back position! The terrain will force them into a bottleneck…we have deployed laser turrets in front of the track as it emerges onto the high ground…’ He ducked as a nearby explosion covered them in dust, spitting, ‘The ravine walls are embedded with proximity mines…once the barrage ceases, we will draw them in and detonate…you will see…and hear it all from the command bunker.’

Mason’s eyes widened in surprise, a grin spreading across his face, ‘So we are not firing back for a reason…to draw them forward?’

The Trevakian smiled confidently in return, ‘The laser turrets are buried into the terrain, they only activate when the enemy approaches or if we signal them remotely…it is unlikely the bombardment will damage them too much.’ He waved to the west, ‘We have a reserve unit of self-propelled artillery behind us and that should open up once they break over the ridge…’ Debris poured down, the group ducking their heads as the officer screamed louder, ‘Once they are driven back or stopped, we will counterattack and hopefully break through to the cut-off defenders ahead.’

Lieutenant Kim nodded, edging forward, the Trevakian’s helmet reflecting across his visor, ‘What else do you have? Most of the earth troops are probably not fit for offensive operations…I have some men, but only a limited number.’

The officer grimaced, shaking his head in frustration, ‘I did not know…’ He turned, indicating for them to follow, ‘I will come to the bunker, explain the situation…we will need another Trevakian unit up here then to drive the counter attack.’

He let the two commanders pass, nodding to Jozefina behind them, her lower face solemn as she forced a smile. The Trevakian patted her shoulder, following her forward as she shouted, ‘Your English is very good!’ The blast nearby unbalancing them, a billowing cloud of flame and acrid black smoke rising into the air and catching in their breaths.

The officer grasped her arm roughly, steadying her as they stepped over outstretched legs of the soldiers below, ‘We all had to learn! We studied from your satellite transmissions…internet I think you call it. It was English or Chinese…your two most common languages?’

Jozefina turned briefly, nodding as dust swept over them, the tears concealed beneath her protective visor, her voice broken, ‘I’m glad you chose English…’ Her breath suddenly caught, seeing the green splatters across the defensive positions, several shattered bodies lying in the half-collapsed bunkers and defensive emplacements on either side, her head shaking as she saw the half melted uniforms, the name on the shoulder armour indicating the nine bodies were originally perhaps airport staff.

The green slime bubbled as it burnt through lifeless limbs, the smouldering broken bones extending through split and burnt skin slowly disintegrating and falling into the mush of gurgling liquid and blood. Body parts simply melting away as the acidic aroma steam drifted towards them.

The Trevakian officer pushed her forward forcefully, past the gruesome sights, ‘Many more will die today…you will eventually get used to it…’ Laser cannon swept above them, the whoosh of the intensely bright lights startling the figures…then the high pitched screech of remote rockets, their smoke trails soaring upwards before dropping vertically, falling beyond the ridge, a wall of flame rising in the distance as the numerous projectiles detonated.

The narrow walkway turned west, progressing down a gradual incline as they moved away from the front line, equipment boxes and ammunition cases lining the trench walls as they slipped through. Several Trevakian marines moved in the opposite direction, their uniformed bodies moving sideways to pass, black visors staring blankly at the passing men and Jozefina.

Two sentries stood at the entrance to the heavy polymer bunker, the emplacement mechanically buried deep into the scorched earth. Lieutenant Kim saluted, the two soldiers smacking their fists to right breastplates as the group progressed past into the gloom beyond. Further shell blasts erupted behind, peppering the roof of the bunker with shrapnel as they walked down a narrow light grey corridor, the gentle hum of machinery filtering through the emplacement.

Captain Mason glanced at the two closed doors on either side, both marked with black lettering he could not read, the symbols seeming to be almost skeletal characters. Following Kim round to the right, the corridor bending as the neon lights flickered above, he realised the section to their left was circular, the mechanical hum coming from the other side of the smooth walls in the centre.

Jozefina and the Trevakian officer followed, her eyes darting to the left circular passageway as three marines emerged from a side room, each soldier carrying a large black assault rifle, the weapons sturdier and longer than their own. She hesitated, seeing the blue piping around their body armour, their chest plates bubbled with additional heavy polymer style armour on their arms and legs, sturdy metalled boots with shining front plates clanking against the floor. Indicating to them, she glanced inquisitively at the Trevakian next her as they moved to the side, her visor lightening slowly, ‘Who are they?’

The officer nodded, his eyes widening in excitement, raising his fist formally to his chest plate in recognition as the soldiers moved past, one returning the gesture, his voice lowered but excited, ‘They are special combat troops of the Blue Leopard battalion…if they are here, then we will really see some action…that unit is used for heavy combat operations…something is planned!’ He touched her shoulder comfortingly, the two moving after the American and South Korean, his voice a whisper, ‘My name is Nao by the way…’

The eastern European airport supervisor turned briefly, nodding a weak smile, ‘Jozefina…Heathrow Battalion.’

Two more sentries stood ahead before closed silver doors, their uniforms the same as theirs, the inscription on their shoulder armour showing ‘2
nd
Infantry’ in bright white lettering. The soldiers nodded as Mason and Kim approached, their hands rising slowly to indicate for the men to stop, ‘Purpose?’

The Trevakian officer stepped forward, his visor now clearing, showing dark grey eyes, his face deeply scarred across the upper right side, ‘We have come for a situation report…I have urgent information for the commander…’

The sentry stood aside, nodding his approval for them to proceed, the doors sweeping aside as they sensed the soldier moving to the side. The visors tinted darker, the bright neon lights from the large room ahead causing pupils to contract as they stepped forward.

The sparse room was circular, the armoured protective walls thick and virtually shell proof. Four Trevakian officers stood around a large rectangular table, the smooth glass surface projecting a holographic image of the defensive positions. To the right, sat behind a small communications desk, a blue uniformed operator nodded a greeting, his eyes dropping to the dark angled screen below as reports from across the line appeared from the numerous ground sensors.

The four officers around the table turned to inspect the new arrivals, all dressed in combat uniforms, one with blue piping and bubbled shoulder armour. A Trevakian captain stepped towards them, the two pips on his shoulder armour and numerous coloured pips below indicating a highly decorated officer.

Lieutenant Kim and Captain Mason saluted, the Trevakian next to them and Jozefina raising their fists to their chests as the man smiled warmly, returning the gesture as the others nodded. His features angled and scarred below his helmet, his eyes sparkled in the light, ‘Ah good…our earth allies…’ He half turned, indicating to the oldest of the other three officers, ‘Welcome to the command centre for this section of the front. This is Major Hecklan, commander of this sector…’ The commander nodded, beckoning them forward and pointing to the table before them, the captain continuing as he nodded to the female Trevakian opposite, ‘Captain Mekeert…’ He smiled, indicating to the officer with blue piping, ‘Lieutenant Malikkas of the Blue Leopards special operations unit and I am Communications Captain Tarkai from fleet ground liaison.’

The Trevakian officer next to Jozefina nudged her, his voice a whisper as he pointed to the Blue Leopard officer, ‘He is Herrakian…from the far side of the next galaxy…brown skin and white hair, they are very vicious troops…they know no fear.’ The Heathrow battalion officer nodded, her eyes widening as she stared at the man’s unique yet appealing features.

Captain Mason stared down at the table, ‘Pleased to meet you all…’ The American nodded approvingly at the defences laid out before them, then his eyes darkened, ‘The unit in this sector are volunteers…my apologies, a mistake seems to have been made, they may be too weak to hold the line, let alone function in any offensive capability.’

Major Hecklan shook his head, his helmet adorned with three white lines at the back, ‘That is regrettable, but not fatal if they hold.’ He looked up at the female Trevakian, ‘Captain Mekeert, what reserves have we assembled behind the combat zone?’

The female officer nodded, sweeping her hand across the map, the holographic image moving to display the rear areas, numerous figures and armoured vehicles stood amongst jagged rocks and bunkers, ‘The 2
nd
Infantry and my own 16
th
Motorised Division have just moved up in reserve once we discovered the Morgon breakthrough. They are some distance to the rear but can offer fire support and move up on your command, Sir.’