Reason For Vengeance (Dark Vengeance Book 1) (6 page)

Often Valerie thought it was due to her unique upbringing.  She hadn’t been brought up in a Family that would do anything to protect its power and privileges.  Raised by the Legion, she thought of every soldier and sailor as an individual.  Each one as good as the next.  No matter if they were Officer or Ranker.  Prior to finding and marrying Tom, Shadow Company were the only family she had ever known.  Even with a husband and children, her feelings had not changed and it hurt her to lose her people to something as simple as a drug.

“One klick to target.”  Bickerstaff said quietly, breaking her from her morbid thoughts and switched to his com.  “Button.  Slow it down.”

“Acknowledged.  Slowing down.”  The Private responded over the Platoons net.

“Thanks, Gil.”  Valerie said.  “Let’s get into position.”

The Platoon moved stealthy through the undergrowth, until Valerie’s wristcomp showed them to be two hundred metres from the targets perimeter.  The trees ahead of them were too thick to see through and they had to trust the map.  Valerie waved Corporal Malick Ulrich over.  He pulled out a datapad with a ten centimetre dish attached and swept it in the direction of the target.

“No active sensors at this level, Major.”  He reported.  “I’ve been catching those aerial sweeps we saw from orbit.  That’s all.”

“Thanks, Malick,” keying her com, Valerie called Gibson on the freighter.  “Are all the Platoons in position?”

“Just about, Major.  Wait one,” the com went silent for a few seconds before his voice came back.  “Yes, Major.  We were waiting on Three and they have now confirmed.”

“Good.”  Valerie switched to the command net.  “All platoons move forward.  Silent kills and we only go to rock and roll when the balloon goes up,” she ordered.  They would only use their Pulse Rifles if the enemy became aware they were under attack.  Like the Tea Chests, those phrases origins were lost to thousands of years of human history.

“First Platoon.  Delta wing formation on me as point,” she said and moved off.  Slinging her rifle onto her back she drew a Thermal blade with her left and a Mag pistol with her right.  The Platoon spread out on either side.  The soldiers on her left and right, both off ten metres to each side and back five metres back. 

The planet’s two moons were high in the sky, their light blocked by the jungle canopy overhead.  It made no difference to Valerie.  Her helmets night vision had been on since they left the Helo and it gave her an excellent view.  Despite that, visibility was only a dozen metres through the thick jungle.  She moved cautiously and placed her feet with care to minimise any noise.  Shadow Company could not use any active scanners.  They would be picked up by the targets security.

In the same way, if the target used those same scans, it would become a beacon for the authorities.  Valerie expected to find spotters in this jungle.  Men and women sent out to warn the target of anyone trying to approach.

With her eyes scanning the undergrowth Valerie let her mind disengage and filter through all the sounds from the jungle.  She ignored the sounds of insects, wind moving the vegetation, small animals scurrying around and all the other ‘normal’ sounds a jungle created.  Valerie concentrated on picking out the sounds that should not be there.  Thirty metres from the target, she heard an unnatural sound.  It was the scrape of something large and hard against a tree.

Stopping where she was, Valerie knew the rest of the Platoon would do the same.  Not wanting to even whisper, she tapped a button on her wristcomp, flashing the symbol of a crouched person in their helmets.  Quietly, they all followed her order and crouched down, scanning the jungle with their senses.  Satisfied they were secure, she moved towards the sounds source slowly.  Every step placed with the utmost precision.

The gentle inhale and exhale of breath drifted out of the night.  Pausing, Valerie stopped breathing. Someone was behind a large thick tree six metres ahead and to her left.  Continuing her silent movement, she approached, keeping the tree between herself and whoever was behind it.  Once directly on the opposite side of the tree from her target she stopped, steadied herself, holstered her pistol and darted round.

The man leaning against the tree had no chance to react and his rifle dropped to the ground, Valerie’s knife burying itself in his throat.  The super-hot knife cauterised the wound even as it removed any chance for him to scream.  Valerie grabbed the man by the front of his jacket and held him up easily, while his body thrashed in its death throes.  They slowed quickly before coming to a stop and Valerie gently lowered him to the jungle floor.

Picking up his rifle, she checked the safety was on before inspecting it.  Her helmets night vision clearly showed it to her in the deep darkness, a forty shot Mag rifle easily available on Gomez.

“Shadow Company, this is Lead.  One hostile down, armed only with a Mag rifle.  Nothing more high tech in evidence.  Continue with current plan.”

After receiving acknowledgements from the Platoon leaders, she signalled for First Platoon to move forward.  The platoon crept through the dark undergrowth and two of her troops also encountered watchers in the jungle.  They dealt with them just as silently as Valerie.  The jungle began to thin until they came to twenty metres of open grass.  It stretched out to the first buildings of the base.

They were simple, cheap, two storey, pre-fabricated units, that could be transported and erected easily.  Made of materials that would be of little defence against Shadow Company’s powerful Pulse Rifles; they would not help the defenders.

“What’s the plan, Major?”  Bickerstaff came up beside her as she crouched in the undergrowth.

“I can’t see any look outs.”  Valerie replied and turned to the soldier who came up and knelt on her other side.  “Any active scanners out there, Malick?”

“No, Major.  Nothing at all.”

“OK, Gil.  We do this fast and smooth in our fire teams, thirty metres apart.  Sweep through and killing as we go.”  Valerie ordered.

“Yes, Ma’am.”  The Sergeant Major replied and switched to the Platoon com net.  “First Platoon.  We are going in fire teams.  Mag pistols only, keep your rifles slung.  Alpha, from the Major’s position.  Bravo, take up position thirty metres southeast along the tree line.  Charlie, you’re thirty metres northwest and, Delta, thirty metres beyond them.”

Acknowledging Bickerstaff’s commands, the platoon spread itself out into teams of five people.  The four other members of Valerie’s team grouped themselves around her.

“Move out.”  Valerie ordered.  “Fast and low, First Platoon.”  With her eyes fixed on the buildings ahead, she took in the shadowy movements of each fire team in her peripheral vision.  She was pleased with their speed and smoothness.  First Platoon was a silent wave, reaching the buildings without incident and spread out seeking targets.

With her in the lead, Alpha team swept round the first building.  A man and a woman stood leaning against a wall.  Their rifles were slung on their shoulders and there was no time for them to react.  Valerie shot the woman and Private Button, just behind her, shot the man.  Their Mag pistols emitted only a slight hum.  Valerie with Button stepped forward and caught the bodies, lowering them to the floor carefully.

A door to the building stood to one side.  Valerie nodded to one of her team and Corporal Richings checked the door.  Finding it unlocked, she eased it open with Guggenheim backing her up and Valerie, Wester and Button looking outward behind them.  Richings darted inside, followed by Private Guggenheim and Valerie waited for them to secure the building, while she scanned for movement around them.

Richings came out with a shake of her head, indicating it was empty of any threats.  With a wave of her hand, Valerie indicated their next target building and led the team across the short open space.  They moved quickly and found no one outside.  Pointing to Richings, Guggenheim and Wester, she waved for them to stay outside, while she and Button investigated.  The squat two storey building had a stronger door, with an electronic lock, the previous one, merely a mechanical handle.

Valerie holstered her weapons and plugged a lead into her wristcomp.  A small circular pad at the other end attached to the side of lock.  Activating her wristcomp, it took a few seconds to synchronise itself with the security device.  The holo display showed a dimmed view of the lock.  After entering some commands, the small, powerful computer began attacking the much simpler program.  It only took a two more seconds before they heard a quiet click and the door swung open.

Drawing her weapons, she slipped silently inside with Button behind her.  The door opened into a corridor running the length of the building, with doors spaced along it and stairs leading up at the end.  Moving down the corridor, Valerie opened the first one to find a lounge area with a holovid and comfortable chairs empty of enemy personnel.  A quick shake of her head and a nod, told Button the room was clear and he should continue onto the next one.  That turned out to be a kitchen area, also with no one inside.  The third and last door entered into an empty dining area.

With the ground floor clear, Button headed up the stairs, Valerie by his shoulder.  At the top was a small landing with a single door.  Button opened it gently and glanced inside, instead of going in, he pulled back to give Valerie a view past him.  She saw a large open barracks room with beds down both sides, all occupied by sleeping men and women.

Valerie motioned to Button to close the door and pulled a booby trap mine from her belt.  Button moved back to cover her and she fixed the small and powerful explosive to the floor, placing it against the middle of the door.  Anyone who opened it would get a very nasty surprise.  A small button on the mine synchronised it to her wristcomp.

Valerie studied the floor for a moment, it wasn’t strong enough to stop the power of these small explosives.  With a nod to Button they headed back to the ground floor.

“Set some mines in the kitchen to bring the ceiling down,” she ordered in a whisper.  “I’ll do the same in the dining area and sync them to the door upstairs.”

“On it, Major,” he replied with a grin.  “That’ll give them a surprise.”

Valerie activated her com to Alpha fire-team’s net.  “Alpha, this Lead.  It’s a barracks.  Everyone is asleep.  We are setting explosives.”

It took another two minutes for them to finish and leave the building booby trapped.  All was quiet outside and Corporal Richings, Alpha’s senior ranker reported.

“Nothing going on, Major.  We haven’t heard a peep.”

“Alright.  Let’s move further in.”  Valerie took the lead of the small formation and as they moved out from the shadow of the barracks, the high pitched whine of a Pulse rifle came the north.  It was quickly followed by many more from the same direction.

“Thunder, I repeat Thunder.”  A voice identified on Valerie’s HUD as belonging to Private Neil Maslany, Third platoon, Charlie fire-team, called across the Company wide net.  Valerie and her team did not hesitate, immediately holstering their pistols and unslinging their Pulse rifles.

“All units, you are cleared for case Romeo, I repeat case Romeo!”  Valerie ordered back over the net, confirming permission for free engagement.  An explosion came from the east as presumably a fire team from Shadow Company’s fourth Platoon engaged with grenades.  The base would be fully alert very shortly.

Sounds of fighting came from every direction and Valerie sprinted towards the next building.  Her boot impacted with the door and whether it was locked or not, made no difference as it crashed open.  A woman stood with a Mag rifle in her hands, a look of surprise on her face.  Two bolts of energy from Valerie’s rifle hit her exactly in the middle of her chest.  Two men stood to Valerie’s left, their rifles rising as she swung to bring them into her sights.  Two shots came from behind Valerie, killing one.  Valerie’s own rifle whined twice to kill the second.

Without looking behind her, Valerie moved into the building, trusting her team were with her.  This building was a large storage hanger, two wheeled ground trucks sat loaded with boxes, with more stacked in racking along the walls.  Alpha team spread out quickly, checking every possible nook and cranny.

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

The reports came back from the team and, finding no one, Valerie rattled out her orders.

“Richings and Wester.  Set up fire bombs for remote detonation.  Button and Guggenheim, with me.  We’ll cover the door while they work.”  The team acknowledged her and she lead the two men outside.

Button and Guggenheim took up position.  They could now hear sounds of fighting coming from all directions.

“Ops, this is Lead.”  Valerie said on her com.  “Give me a sit rep.”

“Acknowledged, Lead.”  Gibson said.  “First Platoon is split into fire teams and engaging throughout the southwest side.  Second Platoon is also in fire teams and moving through the northwest.  Third Platoon is in fire teams and has the northeast side secure.  Fourth Platoon is concentrated and pinned into place.  It seems they ran into a large contingent of the enemy and are boxed in.  Some injuries in Fourth Platoon only.  No casualties.”

“Understood, Ops.  Has Fourth Platoon requested heavy support from Fifth?”

“Negative.  One moment.”  He paused for a moment and spoke again.  “Palicki, this Ops.  Lead is on the line.  Do you need Fifth Platoon?”

“Negative, Ops.”  She answered.  “We’re facing light arms only.  We got unlucky and are in a bad position.  If we can get a force in from behind them, we should be able to bust their perimeter open with minimum casualties.”  Valerie knew the Lieutenant was talking about Shadow Company and not the enemy.