When the Stars Fade (The Gray Wars) (84 page)

             
They hit the ground running, collapsing their flight kits and bringing their weapons to bear. Those on the ground created a tight circle and waited for the rest of the team. Once Josh was safely down, they headed out. The rain and fog masked their movement as they crossed the scorched countryside and marched toward the enemy fortress. It took hours to reach the rally point, and the sun was low on the horizon by the time they set up camp.

             
Their mission was simple. Markov would have loved to spend weeks scouring the ship for all the hidden gems it had to guard, but Sasha had convinced him of a more important task. The Archangels brought with them a suitcase. Inside, inert in its unarmed state, was a simple looking bomb. When placed in the right spot, Josh had been told, the bomb could reduce the enormous alien ship to rubble. Thunder and Lightning had created a handy opening on the rooftop at the highest level. The trick was getting up there. If it had
n’
t been for the anti-air batteries, they could have landed on the roof. Each Archangel had a set of magnetic grapnels and climbing equipment in their packs, but no one relished the thought of scaling the alien structure.

             
As the group set up camp, Dax walked over to his commander. In his suit, he looked more machine than man
.“
Josh
,”
he said.

             
“What is it
?
”

             
Dax pulled his friend to the side to talk alone. It was unnecessary; the MCU inside the soldier had already isolated the audio link between the two soldiers
.“
Where is everybody
?
”

             
Josh shrugged
.“
Most of the Black Adders were pushed into Metts a day or so ago. The 151st is gone, along with most of the other divisions
.”
He sat down on a large flat rock. Sticking his thumbs into small slots by his jaw, he disconnected the helmet and eased it off it head. His hair was slick with sweat, matted to his face
.“
Most of the civilians were sent to the Arks, if they made it out of the cities
.
”

             
Dax pulled of his mask, taking a deep breath of cold air
.“
At least the far side of the planet is pretty untouched
,”
he said
.“
But tha
t’
s not what I meant. We have
n’
t seen a single alien since we landed
.
”

             
Josh wiped his forehead with a gloved hand
.“
I do
n’
t know, maybe they all ran off to fight. Maybe this place has automated defenses and does
n’
t need a crew. It does
n’
t change the mission
.
”

             
Dax sighed
.“
I guess yo
u’
re right. I
t’
s just, I feel really weird
.
”

             
Josh laughed
.“
Dax, yo
u’
re a professional athlete serving in the military, you have about a few billion credits worth of microscopic machines inside your body, yo
u’
re wearing armor more armor than most tanks, and w
e’
re about to climb into an alien ship to blow it up. Feelin
g‘
fin
e’
would be worrisome
.‘
Weir
d’
is par for the course
.”
He stood, placing a hand on Da
x’
s bicep
.“
However we got here, ther
e’
s nothing left to do but the job
.
”

             
Walking back into camp, Josh was happy to see the soldiers working with such coordination. Only months ago they had been at each othe
r’
s throats, fighting for a prize none of them knew existed. There was still work to be done, but Josh had to admit he felt some pride in being a part of this unit. There had never been anything like the Archangels before. It was a great feeling to be a part of something that big.

             
Cold wind rushed through the hilly area, sending chilling gusts at the Archangels as they worked. The soldiers stretched thin tarp between posted branches and created a small half-shelter. Josh put them at fifty percent security and let everyone catch a few hours rest before the climb. Before they took a break, they gathered in the center of camp. The lieutenant checked his watch. 23:15, right on schedule.

             
“Archangels
,”
Josh said, standing
.“
Our pilot is gonna set down and wait for us to finish. W
e’
ll start up at 0300. That should put us on the roof by 0530 at the latest. We might end up staying a day or two inside before we activate the TRD, so eat light
.
”

             
“Hooah
,”
Dax said
.“
Needed to trim down a few pounds anyway, boss
.
”

             
Josh nodded
.“
Brav
o’
s taking first watch, so grab what sleep you can. Tomorrow, we hunt
.
”

*              *              *              *              *

              The enemy fled before him, as countless others had in years before. Standing atop the shattered hulk of a human tank, Eruk djun Tolan basked in his victory. In his entire life, he had never encountered a foe worthy of a challenge, and these fleshy creatures were no different. It saddened him somewhat, knowing that there existed no being capable of giving him a good fight.

             
His armies had landed only a few hours after the human
s’
petty sneak attack. Within a day, the enemy was routed. Now they hunted down every fighting man and woman, crushing them into paste. The Druuma cautioned that the Clerics would not approve of such a response, but Eruk no longer cared. They could come and remove him from the field of battle if it pleased them so. He was content to wade through the bloody fields with the ground troops. With any luck, h
e’
d bring home a few new skulls for his collection.

             
“I have sent word to the M
a’
Arak
,”
the Drumma said. It gurgled in his chest.

             
Eruk grunted
.“
They have no place here. I am in command of this system
.
”

             
“You have too few forces to conquer this planet on the ground. And a Cleric must be present to witness a purge
.
”

             
“Fine
,”
the warlord said
.“
But I wish to kill something before the High Commander arrives
.
”

             
The Parasite seemed to like that idea. Together, the Cthanul and Druuma joined a small raiding party and set out into the world in search of a fight.

-                           
XII                            -

February 25, 2237

             
Fort Metts burned. Fires roared across the entire base, leaving the skeletal remains of buildings across the landscape. Smoke billowed so thick it blotted out the sun, causing a perpetual night to cover the entire area. The screams of the wounded and dying were drowned out by the constant staccato of machine guns and pulse of plasma bolts. Every few minutes the ground would shudder from a bombing run, followed swiftly by the thunderous explosion.

             
Zev raced from building to building, using the shattered remains of the post exchange for cover while catching his breath. He checked his rifle, pulling the magazine out to count remaining rounds. From the weight he knew he had twenty-six remaining, not counting one locked in the chamber. In the pouches on his vest sat another four magazines, each holding forty-five rounds. It was
n’
t enough by a long shot.

             
The offensive had failed as quickly as it had started. Even after the shock and awe effect of Thunder and Lightning, the Boxti had recovered and launched a sweeping counterattack. The Scorpion tanks routed Charlie Company, forcing a hasty retreat toward the reserve line. Smaller scout vehicle
s—
dubbed Pillbugs o
r“
Pill
s”
after their single rolling wheel underneath the chassi
s—
pushed the scouts off the hill and pursued them relentlessly. Half of Ze
v’
s platoon was simply run down, shot to pieces by the rapid-fire cannons each Pill carried. The rest of the scouts, including the lieutenant, had continued to run until they found themselves inside Fort Metts, or rather the civilian living section known as Paradise Point.

             
By this time, enemy air had joined the fight. A swarm of Y-shaped Hornets descended from the skies, as well as smaller aircraft nicknamed Wasps after the unique report of its single-core engine. These scout craft harassed ground troops with small rocket pods and twin repeater cannons. Operating in groups of three to five, the Wasps erased the frontline and scattered the remaining infantry. Friendly air arrived too late to hold off the attack and was forced to act as a reactionary force. In moments, the sky became a chaotic free-for-all of streaking missiles and exploding jets. Burning metal rained down on the fleeing human forces.

             
Zev and what remained of Shadow took up a position inside an abandoned building, once the middle school. Despite the recent violence, the interior was remarkably intact. As the soldiers crept through the classrooms, the empty desks and neatly stacked books only added to the tension. Built of thick brick walls and insulation against the cool winter, the school blocked out most of the sounds from the outside. It was too quiet.

             
“Any station this net, this is Shadow one. Come in
.”
Lieutenant Gabriel held the radio in a bandaged hand. Blood soaked the gauze, seeping out onto the cuff of his shirt. Their truck had taken a direct hit coming into the base, and the officer had nearly lost his arm when the vehicle rolled over. Zev managed to drag him inside just in time, but his hand had been crushed between the door frame and the road. He did
n’
t complain, however. His pistol was out and searching every corner and shadow.

             
Zev walked closer to his platoon leader
.“
Anything, sir
?
”

             
Gabriel shook his head
.“
Ther
e’
s too much interference. We need a more powerful antennae to broadcast. The radio station is
n’
t too far from here. If we hook up to their line, we can reach the TOC and figure out where to regroup
.
”

             
“The fallback position was supposed to be here
.
”

             
The lieutenant shrugged
.“
That was before here was the middle of the fight
.
”

             
They continued their movement through the school in silence. Zev counted out his men in his head. Only twelve survived the retreat from the frontline, including him. There was no telling how the rest of the company had fared, or even the battalion. A Boxti signal had jammed the radios almost immediately after the shooting started. The sound of battle carried on outside, never growing further away.

             
A young private led the group, rifle at the low ready as he crept steadily forward. He had just reached another intersection when the wall ahead exploded inward. Dust filled the hallway, blinding the soldiers. Zev shouted for everyone to drop to the ground and wait. He hit the floor, trying to keep from choking on the plaster in his mouth. Voices could be heard shouting from outside. He could
n’
t make out what they were saying, but it sounded like orders barked at soldiers.

             
The first creature stepped over the broken wall gingerly, as though into a pool of water. It stood seven-feet-tall, with two thick arms and four legs. Breathing through slits on its side, the creature scanned the area with three eyes arranged on the lower half of its face. The head sat perched on a slender neck that moved back and forth like a ca
t’
s tail. Though its feet were bare, the alien wore brown and yellow armor over most of its body. It carried a massive a quad-barreled machine gun in its arms and swung it around with ease.

             
More and more Boxti entered the obscured passage, each stranger than the last. Zev made out five different species in the squad of thirteen. Most carried a bull-pup weapon, but two hauled a heavy machine platform and another what appeared to be a rocket launcher. They spoke in low voices, in what sounded like the same language. A few hissed and clicked in their own tongue with members of their kind, but all listened to the four-legged leader.

             
Ze
v’
s platoon stayed quiet, allowing the enemy to completely step into the hall. Luck was on their side, and the aliens walked off in the opposite direction. Zev saw the opportunity at the same time as his platoon leader. The hall was narrow, big enough for two side-by-side but no more. Better yet, it was long. The Boxti had stepped into the perfect fatal funnel. Moving as smoothly as possible, Zev brought his rifle to bear and slipped the fire-selector from safe to semi. He willed his squad to do the same, smiling as he heard the soft clicks of the metal switches flicking over. The platoon sergeant was just taking aim on a target when Gabriel let loose.

             
The lieutenan
t’
s first shot struck home, punching a hole in the back of the rear security soldier. Its spine severed, the lizard-faced alien dropped to the floor dead. Immediately the rest of Shadow opened up. Bullets filled the hallway from floor to ceiling. Every inch of space became a torrent of hot lead and splintering bits of plaster. The lead alien dove through the wall to find cover, screaming with rage as his squad was torn to pieces.

             
“
J
o’
GRAW
!
”

             
Ze
v’
s neck hair stood on end
.“
Find cover
!
”

             
Bright purple bolts tore through the air. The Boxti heavy cannon spat out hundreds of rounds at the Terran soldiers. Zev rolled to the side as a volley came at him, eating through the floor where h
e’
d just been. As he regained his footing, a bolt tore through the soldier on the far side of the hall, splitting the young boy in half. He died instantly, his face locked in surprise. Ze
v’
s gritted his teeth, a roar building in his throat. Charging around the corner, he fired his rifle at the remaining creatures. Two fell under the spray of bullets. A third raised its weapon too late and caught the butt of Ze
v’
s rifle to the skull. The sergeant kept running straight at the last alien, the slender necked creature with the massive cannon.              

             
Zev dove into the enemy, his fists swinging like hammers into the creatur
e’
s midsection. His knuckles bled but he felt nothing, driving the Boxti heavy gunner into a corner. It caught his left arm mid-swing, hurling him across the room. Zev pulled a combat knife from his vest, baring his teeth. For a moment it appeared the alien was unsure how to react, then it drew its own dagger, a sickly looking black dagger. The two soldiers circled each other, looking for an angle to attack. The beast grinned, or seemed to anyway. The human had no idea how to judge emotion on that train wreck of a face.

             
Over his shoulder, Zev heard the firefight continue in the hallway. His platoon had pushed the aliens out of the building and exchanged shots with their remaining forces in the street. He turned his attention to the lumbering beast. It was hard to tell if his fists had any effect on it. The knife, he was sure, would.

             
“
Scroh, najak dju mohan
,”
the Boxti hissed through a mouthful of needles. It began to stalk closer and closer, its feet moving swiftly over the debris-littered ground.

             
Zev inched forward, his left hand up in a defensive posture. The attack came without warning. Lunging forward, the Boxti shot out its arm, the black blade cutting the air with a shrill whistle. The human stepped to the side, the edge of the knife grazing his cheek, and brought his own weapon up and out. The tip nicked the alie
n’
s chest and drew a bead of yellow blood.

             
They unleashed a flurry of attacks. The creature struck out, then countered Ze
v’
s attack. Another swipe went high and the platoon sergeant returned with a boot to the creatur
e’
s breathing gill, eliciting a deep groan. A bare foot came out of nowhere and struck the human in the head. Stars exploded in front of his eyes and for a moment he lost his opponent. The next thing he knew, the black knife came up and straight at his left eye. Zev spun around too slow and the edge drag a deep line across his face.

             
Blinded by the blood, Zev reacted on instinct, charging into the attack and stabbing furiously. First came the metal on metal of his knife hitting the alie
n’
s armor. Then he felt flesh give way under his blade, hot liquid pouring out over his hands. The Boxti soldier howled in pain, struggling to get away from its enemy. Zev screamed as well, his body shuddering with each strike. He did
n’
t stop until the alien dropped to the ground, dead. The platoon sergeant fell backward into the cracked wall, sliding down into a seated position. He felt strangely cold, despite being soaked in sweat from exertion.

             
Lieutenant Gabriel appeared in front of his eye, grabbing ahold of his shoulders.

             
“Sergeant Perez, can you hear me
?”
The office
r’
s voice sounded muffled, far away
.“
Sergeant
!”
Zev felt hands squeezing his shoulders and arms, running down his legs. His boots were unlaced and loosened. A part of his brain recognized that they were checking him for injuries. Aside from whatever had happened to his face, he felt fine. Ze
v’
s head lolled to the side, seeming of its own accord, and he looked down at his chest.

             
Buried to the hilt into the left side of his torso, the black blade protruded six inches from his cracked chest plate. The armor fell away easily, but the knife stayed in place. A dark stain surrounded the handle, growing slowly. Zev tried to laugh, but his body had taken over control of him. His fingers twitched as blood flow slowed to his extremities. Darkness encroached on his vision.

             
“Medic
!”
Gabriel shouted
.“
I need a medic now
!”
The lieutenant pulled the first-aid pouch from his left shoulder, tearing the packaging open with his teeth. He twisted the cap off a syrette and plugged it into Ze
v’
s thigh, holding it there for five seconds, then bent the needle and hooked it onto the soldie
r’
s shirt. Gabriel pulled a sealed packet of Neofoamas, squeezing all of the gel around the wound. The agent went to work, foaming into a sterile, sealed pack around the knife.

             
Ze
v’
s breath came in gurgles and wheezes. The blade had punctured a lung, and pink froth bubbled near his lips. Gabriel used a cloth from the kit to wipe his sergean
t’
s mouth.

             
“Come on, sergeant
,”
Gabriel said. He took the soldie
r’
s hand in his, squeezing tight
.“
You ca
n’
t be out yet. The figh
t’
s just getting started
.”
He looked up, his eyes wide
.“
Someone get over here! We need to move him
.
”