Battle for Proxima (2 page)

“That isn’t a problem. Just take it slow. You need space in there, move in two by two, and give yourselves room to breathe. I don’t want you bunching up.”

“Understood, Sir,” Teresa answered with a hint of familiarity in her voice that she was trying to hide, with little success.

Sergeant Morato and Spartan had become close, very close since they met on the CCS Santa Maria before the war had begun. After a period of being separated, due to fighting and Spartan’s capture, they had pushed hard to be in the same unit. They were both hot headed and equally used to getting themselves into trouble with other people and authority. Teresa had recently been promoted following the Prometheus incident. The new rank gave her responsibility for a full twelve-man squad, serious responsibility.

“We’re moving on,” she said and pushed ahead to the front of her squad. As she moved the other eleven followed, each looking around them as they walked. The concern of Biomech attacks, from the ground or ceiling, was always a present danger to ground units. If they were careful they had a major advantage in combat. Even a small squad like theirs carried enough firepower to take on several companies of conventional infantry. Underground and in the enclosed spaces their armour and weapons would make the group almost invulnerable, providing they weren’t overrun or succumbed to friendly fire. This was often a danger in the maelstrom of combat.

“1st Squad, keep watching. I’m still picking up the bloom. This place has already been fumigated, so if anything is left alive it won’t be human!” she said, pushing away.

“Not human equals something we kill!” laughed Private Willis before being flashed a harsh stare by Sergeant Morato. Her stature may have been small, but in or out of the suit she was a real firebrand, and he knew it.

The group stomped forward, the heavy metal suits crushing the broken masonry and metal beneath the powered metal feet. Each movement produced a series of whines and whistles as the gears and pneumatic parts moved in the dusty environment.

Spartan waited for a moment at the entrance of the shaft to the Control Room. 1st Squad was already making its way to their objective and he wanted to make one final check before pushing on. Inside the suit was a scan of the hand drawn maps he’d made just minutes before the start of their operation. They hadn’t the time to map it onto their tactical mission software, but the image of the complex was still useful. He just had to remember that the structure was now so different it made the original maps almost useless for anything other than rough planning.

“Okay, follow me and keep alert, I want every marine to come back from this one!” He stepped inside first.

 The shaft was wide and easily big enough for half a dozen marines to stand abreast. He looked back at the warm yellow glow coming from the twelve marines as they bathed the tunnel in the powerful beams. Each was equipped with at least two armoured searchlights fitted to their shoulders as well as extra navigation lights. It made them easy to see but that wasn’t an issue in this place. It was better to be able to see than to be discrete and end up falling into a pit to your death. They moved at a slow, careful pace, each checking his sensors for potential trouble. The intercom crackled with an emergency signal from the sentry aircraft that was providing intelligence and surveillance operations in the area.

“Lieutenant Spartan, we’re picking up a seismic disturbance under your location. Advise caution!”

“Understood.” He switched to the tactical net so he could speak to the entire platoon.

“Incoming seismic disturbance, brace yourselves!”

Each of the marines positioned themselves in a stable location. Those near the wall or debris grabbed onto them with their armoured, but fully articulated hands. No sooner had they moved, than a series of small quakes shook the tunnel. Chunks of masonry dropped around them, several knocked one of the marines down. It was over in seconds, but not before clouds of dusts made visibility on all but thermal scanners impossible.

“Report!” called Spartan.

Each of the squad commanders called back to report no injuries. Spartan was please to see the fallen marine lift himself up and shake as the dust dropped off in clouds.

“Good work, keep moving ahead,” he said. They didn’t get far. Just thirty seconds after continuing through the two tunnels, further vibrations started to spread through the structure.

“Lieutenant, part of the Landing Pad has just collapsed, we’ve redeployed to the side walls for cover,” said Marcus over the intercom.

“Understood, all squads watch yourselves. I think we’ve been noticed,” said Spartan. He lifted up his right arm with its twin linked L48 rifles loaded and ready.

“Sensor readings have just gone off the charts. We’re picking up movement ahead, unknown number of heat source and they are coming this way,” said Sergeant Morato.

“Okay, remember your training, people. Listen to your squad commanders and maintain discipline.” Spartan didn’t like giving orders from a distance like this. He was used to small groups where he could see and assist when things became difficult. Right now, in this situation, all he could do was help his own small group and hope that the training he’d been working on provided effective.

Teresa double-checked her tactical display, all her weapons showed as functional with a full load out of ammunition and no problems showing up. The suits had been massively improved since their last outing and in training only two had failed, due to servicing problems.

“1st Squad, check your weapons and sensors, report any issues immediately,” she said firmly.

Back in his own tunnel it felt to Spartan like he was on another ship, for all the good he could do. Nagging doubts in his mind almost made him turn and move back to provide assistance, but he knew Teresa was strong, well trained and easily able to handle herself. He just needed to give her the time and space to prove it to the rest of the team.

“2nd Squad, keep moving, just one hundred metres to go. Anybody picking up hostiles yet?” he asked.

A series of negative responses came back. The last team that had come down into the depths of the Bone Mill had been a mixed Marine and local Army militia unit. They had been well armed and equipped, but were very green and high after their success in saving the colony of Avagana. When they were attacked during a significant ambush, the Army recruits had panicked and turned back, running directly into the advancing marines. In the panic of the retreat over fifty had been killed. Only three made it to the surface, all with terrible wounds from which they died.

“How far away are they?” he asked.

“Seventy metres and closing fast!” Teresa answered.

“Okay, Sergeant, you know the drill, execute the salve formation. Everyone else stand your ground!”

“Yes, Sir,” she said firmly and then took a breath before continuing.

“Salve formation!” she called out to her squad.

“Private Alsop, kneel beside me. Next two close up behind us and rest your guns above us.”

They moved quickly and in just a few seconds the first two were on their knees. The large armoured suits lowering themselves enough to allow the next two marines to close in and shoot above them. It was a position they had been practicing to allow smaller units greater protection and firepower when engaging the Biomechs. According to Spartan, it was an old system used by soldiers with primitive gunpowder weapons. Teresa didn’t care about that. As long as it worked, she’d use it.

“Sergeant, there!” shouted Alsop. He moved his main beam to the right. With just a minor change in position, the four marines at the front were able to get a glimpse of the first Biomechs they had seen underground. The bright light and hard black shadows it was impossible to judge much detail, but they were smaller than those they had met on Prometheus. The creatures were slightly bigger than a man but with a bestial look about them. Their limbs were thicker and most carried improvised weapons. A flash of light came from the end of the tunnel as one of them fired a rifle at the marines.

“What the hell, they have guns?” shouted a private.

“Quiet!” ordered Teresa as she pointed her arms in the direction of the approaching enemy. Sporadic gunfire hit around them but their armour was strong and they stood fast, watching the enemy through their enhanced optics.

“Remember your training, short, controlled bursts and watch for friendlies.”

She turned her head, the reinforced metal head twisting slightly so that she could check on her squad. They were ready and waiting for her orders and unlike the rookies that had been here before, they were disciplined and professional.

“Open fire!” she cried.

The quiet of the tunnel vanished as the twin-linked large calibre automatic weapons fitted to the Vanguards opened fire. With each blast the shells pushed back their arms, the recoil proving substantial. Teresa had twin weapons on both arms and as she fired the tunnel flashed white and yellow from the muzzle flash. The two marines behind her leaned slightly forward, partially to absorb some of their recoil but mainly to help keep the first two in position as they continued shooting. The solid block of metal looked like an immovable bunker with a myriad of weapons bristling across the front of the marines. The second two targeted the surviving Biomechs and added their own fire, filling the tunnel with explosive rounds that allowed nothing living to approach them. The only thing that could have survived would have been another group of Vanguard Marines.

“Cease fire!” she called as her sensors indicated all movement had stopped.

The lights on the suits bathed the tunnel, but the smoke and dust from the shooting made it almost impossible for anybody to see. With a quick tap, she switched back to thermal imaging. The visor clicked and it was clear the enemy attack was over. There were large numbers of hot bodies across the tunnel floor and the remnants of superheated shells and shrapnel.

“Lieutenant Spartan, the tunnel is clear. Looks like we were hit by about twenty standard size Biomechs, some armed with small arms. They must have taken them from the last team that was down here.”

One of the marines bent down, lifting a smashed Biomech body with his mechanical hand. The creature was bigger than a man and this one was only partially clad in clothing and armour. Its muscles were excessively big and the jaw and neck puffed up with enhanced muscles. He pointed to the built-in rifles on its head.

“Stop! I said, cease fire!” roared Teresa as she took three steps towards him. Pushing out her arm she grabbed the dead creature and tossed it aside.

“Get on point and stay awake!” she growled.

Spartan interrupted as the intercom in her suit crackled with updates from the rest of her squad.

“Good work, Sergeant, keep moving and get that tunnel cleared! We can’t afford any access points for the enemy. It’s easy to get overwhelmed down here. My squad is approaching the Control Room. Let’s hope the place is still functional.”

“Affirmative, Sir.”

“Jones, you stay up on point and keep moving, everybody else stay in formation. Let’s go,” she said.

They stomped ahead, some of them having to tread directly onto the bodies of the recently fallen. Luckily, the sickening sound of crunching bones could be avoided inside the armour. That didn’t stop them being aware of what was going on. In the lead, Teresa had a clear view of the tunnel. Rounding the corner, she almost walked directly into a large chunk of partially collapsed ceiling.

“Damn,” she muttered, bending down to look under the shattered masonry.

From her position, she could only see a few metres before more broken metal and rocks blocked the area.

“What do you think?” she asked Private Alsop, who was next to her.

He shone his powerful beam into the debris, looking for gaps they could push through. It was useless. ”No way, I’d say the collapsed section is at least twenty metres long, it could be a lot longer than that.”

“What about them, could they get through?”

“I doubt it, maybe a small animal like a cat or dog, but the Biomechs? No way!”

Teresa stood up looking left and right. There was no possibility of moving any further.

“Lieutenant, the tunnel is blocked. We’ll leave a sentry back in the tunnel and regroup with 3rd Squad at the Landing Bay.”

“Okay, Sergeant, regroup and await my orders,” he said curtly, evidently busy with his own work.

Back inside his own tunnel, Spartan’s team were now just a short distance from the crossroads on his map. According to the intelligence he had been given, the Control Room was on the left, opposite three small offices formally used by the Station Chief and the duty crew. The first fire team moved to the door, the other two spread out to provide cover.

“Private, the door!” he called to the nearest marine.

Lifting his armoured foot the man smashed forwards, knocking it open and to the side. An inexperienced team might rush the room, but not the Vanguards. With the door blasted open, a cloud of dust and dirt flew out to obscure their vision. One marine moved closer and bent down to check the floor for signs of explosives or triggers.

“Looks clear, Sir.”

Spartan gave him the nod and with great care he stepped inside. The lights from his suit lit up the room to show ruined desks, smashed equipment and a partially collapsed ceiling. He looked back at Spartan.

“Nothing in there, Sir, the room is destroyed. Looks like it has been down for sometime.”

“Damn,” Spartan said under his breath. They needed intel and an operational computer suite could have provided them with everything they needed. He fired up the intercom.

“Sergeant Morato and Keller, are you in position?”

He was quickly acknowledged by two affirmatives.

“This area is a dead loss. We’re going to have to move inside the complex and search it the old fashioned way. Check the Landing Platform, I need to know if there are any other access points or tunnels that are clear for movement. We’re coming back,” he said, switching channels to his own squad.

“Listen up, this is a dead end, according to the maps the tunnel stops here. From what I can see, it’s right. We will join with the rest of the platoon and see if we can find an alternative way in.”