Audacity (Warner's World Book 5) (25 page)

There was obviously a third force. ‘Who has this capability? Who can operate so brazenly within rogan space?’ she asked herself.

The hallmark of the Resistance to date was that it was mounted on a shoestring. The Imperialists had so ruthlessly crushed all opposition before them that there was no faction, with interstellar combat ships, able to stand and fight, let alone defeat the Imperial Rogan Fleet.

Most of the successes of the Resistance to date had come through using asymmetric warfare. Sure there had been some spectacular successes recently in the distant sectors where the other races had drawn on overwhelming local opposition to the Imperialist to reclaim their home worlds. But within the original rogan home worlds, nothing. Within the extended territories such as Qwantum, the Resistance was making ground. Q2 had been in the vanguard. Victory had appeared within their reach until the anomaly. They had been hard pressed ever since, even though more flocked to their cause.

“Who are you?” she said out loud. Members of her staff, all crowded into the basement of a manufacturing plant, looked to her but then went about their business. They were used to her ‘thinking out loud’.

“Hanza” she called out. This time her deputy Hanza Beglitus responded with a simple “Yes”. “Hanza we must make contact with them.”

“Who?” asked Hanza.

“Whoever is up there in that ship” she said.

“Is that wise?”

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

“Maybe…maybe an even bigger monster.”

“So optimistic Hanza.”

“I do my best” he said and shrugged his shoulders.

“Do it. Do it now.”

Hanza gave a weary nod.

Unbeknown to Rentra or anyone else in Rollinium for that matter, four fighters of Charlie flight were providing top cover for the main ground force, being transported in five warthogs carrying marines, 4 Hippos carrying the Trojan battlewagons and seven droid pods. All craft were cloaked and heading straight for the spaceport

Chapter 13. Resolute over Q2, 2350, 14 August

“We’re being hailed on an open channel by someone from a Group Kaant or something that sounds like that” said Jasmin.

“Find out what they want Jasmin” said Dave.

“That will de-cloak us Sir” she warned. Dave nodded. A minute later she advised “Their commander wants to speak to you. They have requested a video feed.”

“Have they indeed” said Dave. “OK but make it tight, just on me. No need to show them anything more. Put them up on the main screen please.”

Dave rubbed his tired eyes. He didn’t want to appear as tired as he felt. The video feed came through with a female rogan face dominating the screen. It was a more mature face compared to Evie observed Dave. He was relieved to see that she looked tired too.

The female face began talking in rogan, which was immediately translated and dubbed over the image “I am Colonel Rentra Kaant of the Histonian Resistance currently in the city you have just bombarded. Who are you, where are you from and what do you want?”

‘To the point’ thought Dave. “I am Captain Dave Warner of the Federation Fleet Ship Resolute. We are from the Human system of Polaris. We have destroyed the Imperial Rogan Fleet ships above your planet and now intend to secure the spaceport in your city of Rollinium.”

“Why?” interjected Rentra.

“If you let me finish I will get to that” said Dave with a serious demeanour. Rentra nodded with an equally serious demeanour. Dave continued. “The gravitational anomaly affecting the fourth planet from your sun is going to make life in this system very difficult if not impossible. We want to ensure that the inhabitants have access to a spaceport so they can evacuate if they so wish.”

“Really?” asked a surprised Rentra. “Do you come as conquerors?”

“No we come as liberators. We will not be staying. I aim to destroy the imperialist forces at or near the spaceport, handover to local authorities and then move on.”

“Why should you do this?”

“The Human Federation is at war with the Imperialists, not the rogan people. We seek to support those that fight against the Imperialist and hopefully to remove them from power so that rogan can govern themselves without the need for conquering and controlling others.”

“Noble words but why should we trust you?”

“I thought the enemy of your enemy would be your friend.”

“Hmm…” said Rentra adding “provided he is not an even bigger monster.”

“We are not monsters. We come in good faith. We do not have territorial ambitions on rogan space.” A moment of doubt crossed Dave’s mind as he uttered those words and he prayed it was not conveyed in his facial expression.

“For now anyway” said the wary rogan.

“We are offering you tangible assistance. It is being freely given and we are risking our lives to do so. Isn’t that enough?”

“It is a good start” replied Rentra. “Can we meet face to face? Alas it would have to be down here as we lack the means to come to you.”

“I could send a shuttle to pick you up.”

“Of course you could. But I have a battle to command down here. I cannot leave my forces at the moment.”

“I too am commanding a battle. Our forces are about to land at the spaceport. I have an officer with them Lieutenant Commander Art Simons. He can serve as my representative. Provide a location and I will direct him to meet with you there.”

“Fair enough. I will have my staff provide that shortly. Right now though, we have forces south west of the spaceport advancing to it. Please do not attack them. I will have my staff provide you their coordinates. I do this as a sign of my trust.”

“It is appreciated. In return I will have my staff provide you with the coordinates of our assault forces. I would also advise on the need to coordinate all offensive actions in advance. Commander Simons can stay with you to assist in that.”

“Very well Captain. I must go.”

“Thank you” said Dave and the feed was cut at their end. “Well that didn’t go too bad” said Dave to his staff in the command centre.

“What didn’t?” asked Val as she entered to take over the watch.

Chapter 14. Rollinium 0040, 15 August

“Thanks Jim” hailed Ivan from his new digs on the third floor overlooking the open concourse of the main terminal building. There was a good 20m drop down to the floor of the concourse. He found the guard rail he was leaning against too short for his liking. As he didn’t fancy a fall, he let go and stepped back.

He turned to 1
^st
Lt Tammy Jahir, the XO of 30
^th
Coy. She had setup the company’s HQ here and Ivan, without a staff to speak of, was piggy backing off her resources. Jim was out checking on the deployment of his two platoons.

They had met virtually no resistance. In fact the whole place was deserted. A few disorganised rogan warriors had started to dribble in from the west. Only a couple had opted to fight and they met a swift end. There was now a room full of prisoners being guarded on the level below.

“Any news from Sue?” Ivan asked.

“Yeah she’s still deploying alpha company. Ditto for Chief Shavez. The support droids are all deployed and standing to.”

“And the patrols?”

“Nothing yet and the same goes for commander Simons” she gave him a smile. “You know Sir, you might as well get some rest. I’ll be manning the fort for the next couple of hours. I’ll call you if anything happens.”

“Oh!” said Ivan somewhat surprised at the suggestion of resting. He had been wound up like a spring and now there was nothing for him to really do. But part of him drove him to do something. “I might go check on the troops downstairs.”

“The boss, I mean commander Bucknell has just done that.”

“Right then.”

“My advice Sir is to grab what shut eye you can when you can.”

“Good advice” said Ivan. “Thanks. I’ll be just in that room then.” Tammy nodded. He moved into what had been an office. His pack was leaning against the inner wall. He took out his toiletries bag and went looking for a bathroom, anything with some water.

He could not decipher the signage so he just opened the doors as he came to them and ducked his head in to see. Finally he found what he assumed was a kitchenette. It had what he thought was a microwave oven and a food replicator. Most of all it had a tub of sorts and what he was sure would turn out to be a water tap.

He waved his hand over the sensor and a stream of light blue water came out. The colour struck him. He put his hand under the stream. It felt like water. He cupped his hand and filled it with the liquid. Took a sip. ‘Mmm…tastes great’ he said to himself and pulled out his toothbrush and cleaned his teeth. He washed his face as best he could, dried it with a small towel he was carrying and then began looking for a toilet.

He found the toilets but was confounded by how low they were and how small they were. ‘Being a tall bugger has its challenges’ he said to himself. ‘Oh well here goes.’ After lowering himself down he relieved himself but was then struck by the absence of any paper. He waved his hand over another sensor on the wall next to him and went into mild shock as his bottom was flushed, lathered, brushed, rinsed and dried all in double quick time. “What the!” he said out loud. He didn’t dare move lest he injured something more valuable than his pride.

“Are you all right?” asked Tammy when he arrived back.

“Have you used the toilets?”

Tammy laughed. “Oh yeah! Did you like it?”

“No, not really” said Ivan shyly.

“Mmm…each to their own” and she gave him a shimmy with her hips.

“It’s all right for you. You don’t have your crown jewels exposed.”

“No I suppose not” she said trying to suppress a grin. “Oh well you’re good and dusted now. Good night Sir!”

Four kilometres north west Art and Cpl Kali Chada, who he shanghaied from 30
^th
Coy to be his bodyguard, were making their way tentatively through the rubble. The strong smell of things burning hung in the air. Thankfully the winds had died down but Art would have preferred them to this pungency.

They were challenged in rogan from up ahead. Art couldn’t see anyone with his thermals but knew that they could easily be behind the rubble ahead. With what little rogan he knew he answered back “Don’t shoot. We are looking for Colonel Kaant. My name is Simons.”

The rogan challenger stood up, his rifle covering Art. “Hands over your head. No false moves. Advance.”

Art slung his rifle and checked to ensure Kali did the same. Together they came forward with their hands over their head. The challenger waved them to pass through. From a metre away, he stared at Art’s face as he passed by and looked fascinatingly at Kali.

The last time Kali had been this close to a rogan the rogan’s head had exploded. It sent a shiver down her spine and she had to try really hard not to lose it.

Another rogan warrior led them on while the original challenger slotted in behind them. They had to be careful where they stepped. It was slow going in the dark. There was still burning embers and these kept flaring with his thermals, so Art turned them off and found it easier once his eyes adjusted.

After ten minutes they came out of what was once a building onto a street. The guard in front picked up the pace. He was walking quite fast now but Art at 1.9m tall found the pace just a little too slow and short for his long legs. They made their way through several turns to another building where they were again challenged. The guard up front handled it and they were led through a large factory with a few low lights only to guide them. At the bottom of some stairs they were again challenged and this time when the door opened the room was well lit.

Through an area crammed with terminals and screens they passed as surprised eyes stared at them. Art’s training as a spy cut in and he was taking in as much as he could without looking obvious. Kali was feeling very uncomfortable so she kept looking straight ahead till she reminded herself that she was supposed to be Art’s bodyguard.

But she didn’t have time to change her behaviour for they were ushered into another room where they met Col Rentra Kaant.

Rentra had thought she had seen it all but she was gobbed smacked as this giant walked in. She stood to greet him. He was a good 35cm taller, looked twice as wide and way, way heavier. She had seen footage of the sleth but they were reptilian. This human was a hominid like her. She welcomed them in rogan as she had done in her video with their captain. He spoke enough rogan to offer a translation protocol. She passed it to her assistant who scanned the memory stick, nodded that it was OK and updated their protocols with it.

“Shall we try?” she said to Art.

“Let me know if you need me to slow down” said Art.

A smile came across Rentra’s face. “No that’s fine thank you.”

“This is Cpl Kali Chada, my assistant. Captain Warner has asked me to liaise with you on how we can best cooperate. Our forces have secured the spaceport, but we are thin on the ground. How many soldiers do you have and can you take over the defence of some of the perimeter.”

“What you have secured it already?”

“Yes.”

“And no opposition in the north between our lines and your?”

“No just rubble.”

“I see. Here” and she directed their attention to the screen on the wall. “Your bombardment hit here. The fires it caused have split my force. I have three hundred warriors to the south and 200 here in the north. There are two other groups not under my command and they have about 500 warriors between them. They are east of here.”

“May I?” asked Art indicating her laser pointer. She handed it to him noting the sheer size of his hand. “We have 100 marines deployed in the main terminal facing northwest and west. We have 400 droids deployed on the north east and eastern side. Our intel indicates an enemy force deployed here” and Art pointed to the built up area east of the wetlands.

“That’s the 3
^rd
Coy 41
^st
Independent Bn. Tough troops. Perhaps if my warriors took over the western sector, then that would free your marines?”