The Red Leopards of Zaxon B (Galaxies Collide Book 2) (24 page)

Tregan sat cross-legged next to the small girl in the barracks room, his hand extended to offer her one of the station’s three ration tins. The child seemed to consider studiously for a while, then slowly pointed to the green coloured canister, her eyes widening in anticipated hunger and excitement as the Trevakian leant forward and smacked the tin against the metal box, handing it to her, a grin spreading across his face as he spoke to her softly and reassuringly.

Riaz stared at the green tin in his hands, his body aching painfully from the exertions earlier, Shino glancing at him as he smacked the tin against the box, her voice concerned, ‘Are you in a lot of pain?’

The Asian male looked up at her, exhaustion in his eyes, ‘I have felt better…the suit does not seem to be taking the edge off the pain now…’ He twisted his shoulder, wincing in agony, ‘It certainly will make me alert…the pain seems to shoot down my side every now and again.’ The turned painfully and indicated to the two wounded and sedated marines sleeping at the end of the room, ‘Still, I should be grateful…my injuries are not as bad as theirs.’

Debra shook her head, ‘At least we are all alive…that was one hell of an escape.’ She grimaced, ‘Now we are going to struggle with the patrols…I think the Silaks know we do not have many personnel now.’

Tregan nodded grimly, ‘That’s probably correct…I just don’t understand why we were not warned they were in the valley to the north. It doesn’t make sense…where did they all come from? Let’s hope there is not a tunnel to Contax Base…we are not strong enough to face many more.’ The three others turned to look at him for a second with dread, then glanced across each other’s grime covered faces, their hair matted with sweat.

Riaz indicated to the small girl with his spatula, pulling the top of his canister open and lowering his face satisfyingly into the rising steam, ‘Perhaps Anastasia can tell us…or her mother. What do they know? Where is her mother anyway?’

The Trevakian leant forward, ‘Captain Dugachard is questioning her, she has asked me to see if the girl knows anything…split them up and see what will be revealed.’ He turned to the small girl, fondly watching her greedily deposit steaming food into her mouth for a second before speaking.

Shino sat back, opening a red tin and shovelling food onto her spatula, ‘The Silaks will probably try and stop us from leaving…will they attack us here in the outpost?’

Debra shrugged, looking across the tins in front of her and considering which one to choose, ‘It will depend if they have enough to take us on…we are well defended here, but exposed outside. Perhaps the captain will just want to defend the village. Patrols will be dangerous though.’ She lifted a blue tin, leaning forward to activate the cooking process against the metal container.

They hesitated as Tregan’s tone became more intrusive, his voice lower as he questioned Anastasia, the girl shovelling food into her mouth.

Shino coughed, tears welling in her eyes as she shook her head, ‘Wow…that mouthful had some spice…not sure this tin was mixed as well as the others!’ She fumbled behind her for a canteen, swigging greedily from the contents, the cold water soothing her overwhelmed senses as she swallowed. Leaning forward her voice strained, she stared at Debra, ‘What I don’t understand is why they did not fire on us at the upper pasture, near the animals. The Silaks were just subdued there, that’s confusing.’ She shook her head dismissively, ‘Also they speak Russian…with accents. If they are Russian and I think they are, probably Ukrainian, how are they still so young? Chernobyl was a long time ago…have they families here? Are these soldiers the sons and daughters of the ones taken from where the nuclear explosion was?’

Debra shrugged, Riaz dropping some more food in his mouth as he strained his eyes in confusion. Shino continued, ‘If they are Russian…or Ukrainian, why are they allied with the Morgons? How are these beasts controlling humans to fight against their own kind…it just does not make sense?’

They glanced across at Tregan, his body leaning towards the girls as he asked more questions, his voice seeming excited. The child seemed subdued, slightly uncomfortable by his tone as she replied slowly and carefully, Riaz glancing at Shino warily.

The Trevakian’s eyes widened slightly, the girl tucking back into the contents of her container greedily as the others waited in anticipation, Tregan slowly turning to face them. Speaking slowly, he seemed excited, ‘That is interesting, Anastasia has only been to the cave a couple of times…she does not like going there as the soldiers seem agitated and angry when they are in the darkness. The Silaks give them some food when they are short, and in return they will give them some of their warming drink. She says they have some strange machinery hidden in the darkness and that they are guarding it, that the commander is very nasty, often hitting his troops.’ He leant back, glancing at the child, ‘She said that she prefers to meet the Silaks up in the pasture, that they are a lot nicer there when they are away from the commander and the machinery.’

Shino’s eyes widened, her body leaning forward with excitement, ‘What is this
machinery
? Do we think they are influenced by this machinery? Is it another transporter? The Silaks at the pasture were not aggressive in any way…they just seemed defensive and wanted to get away.’ She shrugged, ‘Mind you, they may have been a different group I suppose.’

Tregan turned back and started speaking to the child once more, his questions adopting a calmer tone as the others watched, slowly retrieving food from their tins, their intrigue growing.

Riaz leant across and retrieved another tin, his hand slipping round a green one, ‘I am starving…lots of running, fresh air and long walks…it’s just like a holiday with the gym included!’ He grinned, ‘Mind you the enemy shooting at you and chasing us around the neighbourhood would lower the price…and I am not sure it would classify as a package deal!’

Debra grinned, lifting food to her mouth, ‘Always jesting…it’s good though, it keeps our spirits up.’

Riaz glanced at Shino, winking, ‘Thanks
Mum
!’ The Philippine giggling as Debra’s eyes narrowed in suspicious confusion.

Anastasia spoke softly, explaining her answer carefully to Tregan as the others looked on, their food lowered as they waited for the Trevakian to turn to them. He looked round as she spoke, his eyes sparkling with excitement as the girl continued, meticulously describing something to him as she looked down into her empty tin.

Riaz retrieved another food canister, leaning forward and offering it to the girl, her eyes brightening as she accepted it willingly. Tregan slowly looked back at them his breath held, ‘She says there are new Silaks in the area…ones she has not seen before. They are coming from somewhere, but not in large numbers…some are friendly, others are not. She believes they are coming from the cave and there are other small machines hidden in the rocks that she has seen…apparently her mother knows more.’ He slowly rose, ‘I will go and speak to the captain, we will need to find out where they are coming from and stop them. If the enemy assembles a force in this area, they can sweep through behind our forces towards Morasat.’

The door to the resin building opened, Captain Dugachard stepping into the room followed by the girl’s mother, her expression grave as the snow fell from her shoulders, ‘It appears the Silaks are reinforcing their positions in this area.’ She indicated to the bedraggled nervous woman behind, ‘They have a way through from Contax Base, probably a charging or small transporter with a limited range due to their low numbers. It will take some time for a transporter unit to re-charge after a soldier has gone through the portal, maybe even a few days.’ She grimaced, placing her hands on her hips, ‘We will need to find this transporter and destroy it.’

Debra gasped, her head shaking, ‘But they already outnumber us…how on earth will we do that?’

The captain grinned back, ‘That will be for me to plan, but I already have an idea that may work. We will also send for more troops from the supply base to bolster our numbers in case they come up with the idea of attacking the outpost. We must hold this position to ensure the base in the mountains is not discovered…’ She indicated to Tregan, ‘Choose two soldiers to drive the halftrack to supply, and take the wounded, the rest will stay here and provide limited patrols until first light tomorrow. Then we will make an attempt on this transporter of theirs.’ She shrugged, ‘Perhaps we may have reinforcements then.’

Captain Dugachard lowered to a crouch, running her hands across the girl’s head fondly, ‘Her father was a Silak apparently and we did not know. They are a strange people it seems and I am beginning to believe they are from your planet earth after what we have seen…’ She shrugged, ‘All will become apparent tomorrow I think…get some rest before sentry duty, I will need you all fit for the mission.’

Riaz stared out over the village street, the snowfall now having ceased apart from the occasional flake that drifted to earth. His rifle propped against the defensive shield of the upper rampart as the light gradually faded. Shino stood next to him, a thick jacket over her small frame as light began to spill from the cracks in the shutters and blocked windows of the small buildings, candles and tiny lamps being lit alongside the small fires for warmth.

The aroma of burnt stale wood drifted across the outpost as Riaz grimaced, ‘It’s all well and good for us to be in the fortification, but what about the villagers…do you think they will be frightened?’

Shino shrugged, biting her lip as she shivered, ‘They seem to know the Silaks, so I am sure they will be alright.’ Her expression strained, ‘I am worried about the girl and her mother though, the enemy might think they are collaborators or something…isn’t that what they call it?’

Riaz nodded, glancing down at her and then straining his eyes along the street, seeing the flames flickering on the torches at the edge of the village, ‘I think they will be fine…it is a strange war here though. We both give food to the residents and they give us milk in return. It was far more clear cut at Contax Base…they shoot at us…we shoot at them…’

Shino giggled, wiping her nose with a glove, ‘You have a funny view on things…this is the reality of war…people just trying to survive. The Morgons are vicious and evil, but the Silaks are different. They make strange and unnatural allies for each other…’ She shook her head in frustration, ‘If we could somehow turn the Silaks around then the Morgons would be alone. Perhaps we could beat them then…at present I not sure that is even possible.’

Riaz grimaced in silence, staring out over the darkening streets, his adrenalin rising slightly as he saw a shadowed figure slip across the snow, then realising it was one of the villagers. Below them, three Trevakian marines trudged slowly through the snow, their patrol now from the end of one street to the other and the return, a morale boosting exercise for the local residents and to demonstrate that the garrison still held strength.

They stiffened as a shout went out form the right, Tregan’s voice shrill through the darkness, ‘Halftracks are approaching…two more sentries to the gate!’

Riaz nudged Shino, his voice an excited hiss as he saw the pin lights on the hill to the east, ‘Let’s go to the gate…see what is coming!’

The vehicle engines droned as they began to descend the slope towards the buildings, the two halftracks skidding on the iced snow as their forward wheels spun over ice. Slowing as they descended, the drivers strained their eyes through the viewing slits as the vehicles lumbered past the outer torches, startled residents glancing out as the engines burbled by.

Jolting to a halt at the main gates, the upper quad gunner waved briefly to Riaz as the Asian male opened the gate, his rifle slung over his shoulder. A brief smile as he recognised the human face, the gunner called out, ‘Additional troops for deployment to the outpost…you have Silaks nearby?’

Riaz nodded, Tregan stepping out behind, ‘What unit are you from?’

The gunner grinned widely, ‘Mostly supply troops and staff from Alexion One…all combat trained though, our commander was very insistent on that.’

Tregan nodded, ‘Good…how many?’

The gunner hesitated, then lowered his voice, glancing around nervously as a cold breeze blew across the street, ‘Twelve in total…that’s all that can be spared. We have dispatches for your captain and an update on the war…we will have to all return late tomorrow.’

Tregan indicated for the gates to be opened, turning grimly to Riaz and Shino, ‘I guess we attack tomorrow morning then…’

Admiral Shadian spun round in exasperation, the space station shuddering again as the computers struggled to sustain a stable orbit, ‘What is the current situation someone?’

An urgent shout from one of the comms desks, ‘Multiple breaches Sir! Morgon forces control Decks 72 through to 78 Admiral! Our soldiers are holding out…but they are facing heavy resistance…we have scattered reports of small units holding out on the floors lost to the enemy, but their supplies are running low! Sensors report the oxygen levels are almost depleted!’

Shadian bit his lips, drawing blood, ‘What else have we left to offer them…get them out?’

Hands tapped across screens, the comms officers shaking their heads, ‘Limited military resource Sir…we only have reservists holding the floors above and below the enemy…’ The blue uniformed section leader rose slowly to his feet, his eyes strained, ‘They are fighting for their lives…and ours Sir…we are just not capable of launching offensive operations to retake the station…the enemy is too strong!’

Admiral Shadian slumped into his chair, slamming his helmet onto the desk in frustration. Glancing round the reduced personnel on the bridge he sighed, the remainder of his command staff now in combat uniforms on the upper floors. His head slowly sank into his hands, disbelief filling his mind, his emotions rising as his voice broke, ‘How long before the station falls?’

The standing comms officer glanced nervously across his colleagues, their pensive and fearful stares looking back up at him as he cleared his throat, ‘Maybe one day Sir…once they break through it will be a slaughter…’

Shadian rose to his feet slowly in grim determination, ‘Everyone but two remaining personnel with me…we will hold them back.’ He indicated for his rising second in command to re-assume her seat, ‘Arm all the able wounded in the transport bays…all medical personnel and orderlies to the upper decks…anyone who can walk comes too.’ He swallowed hard, retrieving his helmet, ‘If we lose this station, everyone on the planet’s surface will be lost too…I am
not
allowing that to happen…’ He strode across the bridge as other personnel rose, tossing their caps to the dust covered floor and donning helmets, his last remark as he approached the doors chilling them to the core, ‘We live or die defending our home…I will be on remote comms!’

On Deck 74, the seven remaining station personnel were pinned into a small enclave at the back of the outer corridor, holding a small number of rooms devoid of air as the multiple breaches in the hull slowly sucked the last oxygen from the deck. Bullets zipped past in the outer corridor outside, Brooks pulling his helmet back in as the visor glowed red once more, his exhausted body dropping to its knees. Barone slapped his countryman’s shoulder in encouragement, a Trevakian tossing a grenade at an angle out towards the Morgons.

Barone grimaced, seeing the oxygen level on his visor screen beginning to glow in alert, his voice muffled as he turned and grinned to the seven remaining soldiers in the side room, ‘Well, I must thank you all for your hospitality…it’s been a lot of fun. Now if you wouldn’t mind, we would like to go to our embassy now!’ The five remaining Trevakians shrugging or imitating an American style salute in jest, their distorted mechanical breath wheezing as the suits desperately attempted to locate air.

Brooks slapped his arm, gritting his teeth at the pain sweeping through his cracked ribs, his voice a wheeze, ‘Funny guy…when we get out of this I will get you a beer…’

Barone spun round, condensation beginning to rise across his visor screen, the carbon dioxide levels escalating as beads of water began to run down the inside resin, the computer readout flickering. His voice rasped as he grinned, ‘A beer? I am a Jack Daniels or Jim Bean soldier…I will need to see the colour of your Chicago
extortion
money first!’ He glanced out, turning back to the Trevakians, ‘Let’s give these Morgon’s a show to remember…for every one of these bastards we keep up here, that’s one less for them to fight below!’

Brooks struggled to his feet as the Trevakian marines stiffened, their fists slapping their chests as the sound of magazines being reloaded resounded across the room walls. Pulse grenades exploded in the corridor outside, dust and debris blowing through the open broken door as the station marine contingent stepped forward, their breath wheezing in their suits as they raised their rifles.

Slowly they approached the opening, Brooks nodding to his countryman as he winced. Barone glanced across the determined faces, their expressions contorted behind the condensed full helmet visors. The Trevakians passed pulse grenades between them, each man ending up with one explosive, one dropped into the hands of both Brooks and Barone. The Trevakian marine wheezed behind his helmet as he indicted the twist to the top of the shining metal cylinder, Barone smiling defiantly as he stepped nearer the doorway.

Bullets whisked past, the Morons throwing further smoke in readiness for the final battle for 74. Brooks gritted his teeth, his chest aching as he glanced round at the assembled group, one final nod before he twisted the grenade cap.

Then the seven swept from the opening, a hoarse cheer resounding across the corridor as they lunged forward, the flashing grenades flung to either side of the doorway. Charging the enemy Morgon forces, the eruptions threw bodies and debris, the thick smoke contorting and swirling with the detonations, flashes from the rifle muzzles sweeping across the walls.

Admiral Shadian advanced cautiously with his bridge personnel, the echoing of breaches being checked and pulled on the assault weapons behind resounding across the corridor. Glancing up at the floor indicator above, he shook his head, realising the enemy had reached decks that were furnished with full staircases.

The sounds of automatic fire echoed from the floor above, tentacles of smoke drifting down the two sets of side stairs ahead as the commander hesitated, indicating for the twelve bridge staff to split into two groups.

Laser blasts lit up the walls, the heavy Gatling gun firing a burst above them along the corridor into the thickening smoke as the Morgons advanced. Shouts of alarm filled the air, several distant detonations and screams, the squealing of boots as the now outnumbered Trevakian marines retreated, several dragging heavily wounded with them.

Admiral Shadian lunged up the steps, his voice rising with adrenalin, ‘Covering Fire!’

The blue uniforms of the bridge staff surged forward, dropping below the top steps as marines and reservists ran past them, some continuing along the upper floor, a couple pushing past the defenders to descend the stairs. The smoke swept towards them, the whine of the Gatling increasing above and behind them as its sensors picked up multiple enemies advancing.

Shadian hissed at his staff, ‘Concentrate your fire…bring them down!’

The first silhouette appeared, the muzzles flashing as the bridge crew fired in unison. Shrieks of hatred filled the air, the lead three Morgons falling as rapid laser blasts swept through their armour, slicing limbs. The smoke billowed as explosions ripped through the shroud, the Trevakians ducking back as dust and shrapnel swept along the outer corridor.

The guns mechanism whined behind, the laser blasts ceasing as the assault rifle fire slowly fell silent, the bridge personnel staring out nervously above the top steps. The Trevakian reserves behind cautiously moved forward, approaching the rear of the Gatling laser, their rifles raised as the smoke drifted towards them.

Shadian bit his lower lip, glancing across his staff as he listened, then staring blind into the smoke, his nerves stretched tight. Creaking and the shriek of the outer hull filled the corridor, the soldiers engulfed in smoke and blinded as they squinted to see what was happening. Distant firing on the upper levels and muffled explosions distorted the silence, the Admiral glancing round again at his personnel warily, a comms officer staring at him, ‘What are they doing Sir?’

Admiral Shadian shrugged, glancing back over the top step, his voice nervous, ‘I don’t know…perhaps they are regrouping, getting ready to attack again…or awaiting reinforcements.’ He tapped the helmet microphone next to his ear, ‘Admiral Shadian…any update? Where are the Morgons on 72?’

Static surged, then his second in command’s voice burst into his ear, her tone excited, ‘Commander…the enemy has sent another wave of dropships…there are numerous readings on 72 of the Morgons, but they have stopped advancing…probably waiting for their incoming reinforcements. Fighting is ongoing on all upper levels…the Morgons have now broken through to level 80! I have deployed the surviving upper gun crews as infantry! There is heavy hend to hand fighting on 74!’

The Admiral tensed, ‘More incoming…very well. What turrets have we left…are the flak guns still engaging?’

The woman’s voice surged through the distortion again, ‘The turrets are all out of action Sir…remaining flak guns are about to engage…’ Her tone changed, ‘Sir…there is something else…we don’t fully understand…’

Shadian turned away from the stairs, the adrenalin rising within him as he slowly descended the steps, his fear mounting, ‘What is it Number Two? I have now moved from the others…’

The second in command cleared her throat nervously, her eyes staring widely at the viewing window as the three other staff rose to their feet transfixed, ‘Sir…it’s the Morgon warships…they’ve gone!’

Tears or emotion welled in the admiral’s eyes, his voice becoming frantic, ‘Repeat message number two! Repeat message!’ The soldiers on the stairs glanced round in nervous anticipation, their commander’s voice rising dramatically.

The woman’s voice was strained with excitement, ‘I repeat…enemy warships have gone…just gone…there is nothing there!’ The four bridge crew stared in awe at the viewing screen, blue laser lights shooting across space at the incoming dropships and enemy fighters. Far in deep space, the Morgon heavy transports were still unloading infantry to the planet’s surface, more fighters sweeping across from the other side of the planet to support and attack the space station and beleaguered Trevakian squadrons.

Admiral Shadian dropped to his knees, two concerned bridge staff running to him as his mind swirled, his voice shaking as he tapped the microphone on his helmet, ‘What power have we for the transporter? How long can we open it for?’

The female voice burst through once more, ‘Admiral, we can only open it for brief periods…we have not the power to sustain the portal continuously…we have to check for faults…’

Admiral Shadian was breathing deeply, sucking the air into his chest as he rose to his feet, ‘Open it immediately…get as many through to us as possible…’ His voice rose as he heard the shrieks on the floor above, the whoosh of a rocket and explosions rocking deck 72, his voice rising to a shout, ‘I repeat…open the transporter immediately! Bring as many soldiers and manpower through as possible…keep opening it when we can!’ He glanced into one of the comms officers faces next to him as more explosions echoed above, shouts of alarm, ‘We can hold…’ He turned triumphantly, shouting at the soldiers on the stairs, ‘Keep firing…reinforcements are coming! Hold them!’