5 Mar 6829
Syriph system
Sound doesn't travel in a vacuum, any school child knows that. The men on
the Terran Overlord Government's corvette Ennui certainly knew the science,
but none of them spoke above a whisper. The ship was deep in Indian country.
The captain of the Ennui stood between the pilot and flight engineer,
looking over their shoulders to check the timer on the control panel. The
invasion force was ten hours late, but he was not too concerned. H-hours were
always estimates. This was the third invasion he had scouted for, and it was
the third one that was late.
Music filled the silence between the hush voices. After the spy ship
arrived in system, the first thing the intelligence officer did was to find a
decent radio station. The official reason was to monitor for civilian
warnings. Fatigue was beginning to wear on the four men. They had been
standing watch for sixteen hours, waiting for the arrival of the invasion
force.
A sudden flash filled the small cabin with light. The pilot
immediately grabbed the throttle controls. At a momentūs notice, he would
accelerate the ship to minimum speed for hyperspace travel.
"I have one, two frigate size and one cruiser ships with multiple
returns." the intel officer reported. Seated facing an instrument panel, he
was the only one the flash did not blind. "Make that four frigates and two
cruisers. Fighters are launching."
"How about an eye-dee on those ships." the captain said. He continued
to blink his eyes, trying to see again. If this was a Commonwealth task
force, his small ship could have only seconds to make its escape.
"One confirm Invictus cruiser." the intel officer announced with a
smile. Relief passed through the cabin as the tension built up from the past
three weeks ended. The invasion force was here.
"Captain, I have contact with the INS Regorger. Secure data link is
on line." the engineer said.
The Ennui's captain looked down to make sure the link was valid. A
solid green light on the control panel. He told the intel officer to begin
sending the data they had collected. The most dangerous part for an invasion
was immediately after entering the system. The small spy ship reduced the
chance of being surprised and the time needed to locate targets in the system.
The pilot stretched his arms. "Where to now, Captain?"
Checking the data display, the captain said "Make for that Xerxes
carrier. They always seem to have the best food."
6 March 6829
Air Defense Command, Fort Sisco
0430L
The porcelain cup rocked back and forth in her hands. Her ring from the
academy made a clicking noise. Heat from the tea seeped into her hands,
warming them. Buried in the control center for Air Defense, the light colonel
stared at the three dee tactical display.
The toggies had been in system for some fourteen hours now. Two Xerxes
carriers had delivered over seven hundred fighters to the Syriph system with
three destroyers and a frigate being lost. The two space stations were now
fighting for their lives. Fortunately, none of that was her headache. Fort
Sisco was found just west of Nestle. Her job was only to defend the continent
of Falcon against all comers.
One of the baufrin sensor operators motioned for her attention. They
had picked up several transports moving for the planet. The display in the
center of the room updated to show the eastern hemisphere of Syriph XX. A red
dot inside a yellow circle was north of Falcontown. A larger dot was shown
centered on the plains east of Nestle. Its yellow circle covered almost half
the continent.
"What's with the two targets? Can you not get a good prediction?"
The bug-like alien twitched its maniples. "Unfortunately, there seems
to be two landing forces. Major Gcog believes they will attempt to split our
forces."
The human colonel looked to the kessrith. He was currently working with
the display. Major Gcog was the liaison from regimental headquarters. The
kessrith was used to being where the action was, not stuck deep in some hole.
He had been injured several months before and was only in his current
assignment while waiting for his injuries to heal. Unfortunately for the TOG,
the major knew about planetary assaults.
"What do you say, major? Will the toggies try to rain down on us as so
many Kennian fish?"
Major Gcog stood up sharply and squared his shoulders. This human
informality may be sufficient for the baufrin but he was clan Lprac.
"Lieutenant Colonel Richardson, I believe either the TOG commander is a genius
beyond my understanding or a contemptible idiot."
The colonel shook her head. She had gotten used to the kessrith
speaking in grandiose answers. He was a liaison and like any headache, he to
will pass. "What are you saying?"
The kessrith major walked around to the central holographic display.
"Observe the northern landing zone. The computer estimates that it contains
two legions, probably a strike and infantry."
"Great, they have a lot of troops dropping in on us. Second ACR and
871st Renegade are already mobilizing." the colonel said.
"They are mobilizing, yes, but not moving yet. This landing zone is
only an estimate. Note the purple ring around the red. The computer only
projects this because of the other landing force, here.
"The other force appears to consist of a reinforced legion."
"How can you tell?" the colonel asked. Speaking with grav heads always
gave her a headache. The tea she was drinking was supposed to relieve stress.
"The first force I mentioned consists of eight Inju Maru transports in a
dual column arrangement. Four Inju Marus are approximately sufficient to
transport a full grav legion. If the TOG is dropping two legions in a small
area, logic would lead us to the assumption that one is a strike legion and
the other is infantry. Having two strike legions in a small area is a large
waste of firepower and two infantry legions would probably not be able to hold
off our counter attacks."
Colonel Richardson passed her cup to her aide. The man left to get it
refilled quickly. The ground liaison major often brought this on. "Now,
speak slowly major. So what?"
"The only reason we can foresee where this force will arrive at this
time is because the second force is two hours in front of it." The kessrith
interpreted the facial expression of the human to be confusion. "The second
force is telegraphing where the main force will be landing, there by removing
a degree of surprise for the TOG."
"How can we use this information?"
"By itself, the fact does not mean much. We are still not positive if
this will be a landing zone. That is what I meant by my comment about the TOG
commander.
"A closer look at the second force does provide some other useful data."
The major adjusted the Tri-Dee controls. "I have entered some changes to the
computerūs predictions, using my knowledge of grav drops."
The display centered to just north of Falcontown. A large oval
stretched across the northern edge. "This is the estimated landing zone.
Notice how the red reaches out into the sea."
"Grav vehicles can fly above water." the colonel said dryly.
"Ah, but a drop is incredibly rough on the vehicle systems. Drive coils
are known to burn out on reentry. A vehicle needs to set down as quickly as
possible." The kessrith carefully watched the human's face for any insight to
her thoughts. "Also, grav vehicles on the open ocean can be terribly
vulnerable to air attacks. No where to hide."
The colonel broke out her smile. "Get the twentieth fighter group on
the horn." These seventy-two fighters were stationed just south of
Falcontown.
"That is only the pudding, lieutenant colonel Richardson." the kessrith
said. "Notice the red on the peaks of the N'dry mountains, west of Falcontown.
The landing path of the grav vehicles will take them right across them."
"So the toggies could be landing in the mountains. Great."
"Not hardly." the kessrith said "The vehicles will be traveling much to
fast to stop there. No, the mountains will be as teeth on an iser machine,
weeding out the uncareful." He stopped to allow the thought to affect his
audience. "The trick we must pull off is to make as many vehicles uncareful
as possible."
The display backed off to show all of Falcon again. A blue arc cut
across the continent, showing the path of the transports. A red cone appeared
from the landing zone back to the arc. This was the projected path of the
landing vehicles. A yellow rectangle appeared where the cone and arc met.
The ground liaison officer explained that this was the launching area for the
landing force. The transports would have their forward shields down and be at
zero acceleration.
Colonel Richardson took her tea from the aide. She sat back down on the
large central chair. Excitement was building in her veins. The yellow
rectangle was centered above her base.
6 Mar 6829
Transport ship, Lakw
The bridge of the Lakw was surprisingly quiet. Legatus Deutus Hirnum stood
in the back. The ship's captain sat on a raised chair behind the crew,
supervising all.
The Lakw was fifth in the column of transports carrying the 3131st Shock
Legion. Legatus Hirnum was in charge of the supply manus. Because he would
be needed to coordinate the legion's supply from space, he was the only senior
officer not dropping down to the planet.
The Lakw's captain invited the supply officer to the bridge to watch the
activities. The two had a good relationship for being in two branches of
service. During the trip to Syriph, Deutus had won and lost several months
pay in the near daily card games. On the trip back though, he was going to
show these spacers some real poker. No sense tipping one's hand.
Legatus Hirnum watched the display showing the location of the different
transports. First came the transport ship Rasp. She had already started
deploying her cargo. Cohort Primus was out the door and dropping for the
planet.
Deutus didn't care for the prefect's strategy for the drop. He had made
many resupply drops throughout his career, both good ones and bad ones. This
was definitely a bad drop plan. The landing zone was very narrow, limiting
the time transports had to launch the vehicles. The course took the landing
vehicles over a huge mountain range. He shuddered to think the number of
vehicles that would be smashed on the side of some mountain.
And then, any overshoots were going into some ocean. Deutus knew the
prefect's father was a senator but that was still no reason to give an idiot a
strike legion to piddle away. He was only thankful he was not making the
drop.
"Veloberg is at zero acceleration." one of the bridge crew announced.
The Veloberg was fourth in line and directly in front of the Lakw. The only
non-Inju Maru transport, she carried the legion's penal auxilia.
"Initiate launch sequence." ordered the captain. Crewmen started check
lists for launching the vehicles the Lakw carried. Most were from Deutus'
supply manus along with any unit that did not fit in the other transports.
Deutus could feel the thrust from the engines stopping. The gravity flickered
as the ship adjusted it on the cargo decks. The vehicles would be in zero
gravity until they made contact with the ground.
"Captain! I have a launch!" came a shout from the left.
"Status. Where are they?" the captain ordered. Fighters could sneak up
on any ship. The fleet assured them that there were no hostiles in the area.
"Ground side. Three, no... five fast burning missiles. From directly
below us." the sensor operator reported.
"Target?"
"The Leik Maru." he said, looking forward. The outside display
darkened as the Leik Maru was hit with five missiles carrying HELL warheads.
Her front shields were down, leaving the ship no defense.
Deutus watched the display showing the column of transports. The second
ship ceased to exist. He knew that some part of it must remain but the
display simply removed it from the formation.
The display did show the third transport immediately start to
accelerate. Any vehicles still in her cargo bay were being tossed around,
killing the crews. The ship began to rise into the path of the Veloberg.
Deutus shouted a warning but no one on the bridge of the Lakw cared. They
were to busy trying to save their own ship. Lasers were erupting from the
surface.
He watched in fascination as the two ships appeared to gently touch.
The kinetic energy released from two masses moving at high velocity can be
immense. The legion's transport bounced off of the larger Veloberg and fell
toward the planet. Large pieces were torn off as the ship made contact with
the atmosphere.
The Veloberg fared little better. The collision had broken the ship's
back and the two ends were starting to fold in on themselves.
A jolt brought the supply officer back to the bridge of the Lakw. With
gravity controls, modern space travel was relatively smooth. A look around
showed the crew was wearing polyplast helmets. He was the only one not
suited. Deutus suddenly felt naked.
"Lasers have the Rasp bracketed. She's done for." a crewman announced.
"Engineering. Where's my thrust?" the captain bellowed at the
intercom.
"ENGINEERING HERE. ENGINES UP TO MAXIMUM." came a voice.
Silence took hold of the bridge as the drama played out. Being last in
the column, the Lakw was at the highest altitude at the time of the attack.
With fast work, the crew was able to accelerate to a higher orbit while the
rest of the column sat in the kill zone.
When Deutus commented that they got away, the captain stared back for a
second. "Damage control. Status." The crewman rattled off the damage the
Lakw had received. No atmosphere below deck C. No answer from any station
below deck E. The ship had taken several direct laser hits and two missiles.
This shocked the poor supply officer. He did not notice the fight the
ship was in at the time. Suddenly it clicked that the cargo bay was deck G
and H. None of his troops were probably alive and if he had not been on the
bridge...
The sensor operator watched the supply officer collapse against the
wall. He turned back to watch the show below. The Rasp had given up any
fight and was starting to enter the atmosphere. The ground lasers were now
firing in broad patterns at the landing vehicles. Grav tanks would explode
when the megajoule lasers touched their hulls.
The grav vehicles that survived the lasers had to deal with a mountain
range in their path. The sensors recorded many that dived to avoid one
danger only to smash into the next.
Finally, as the Lakw passed over the landing zone, he recorded fighters
from the urban sprawl to the south, tearing into the few survivors. A handful
even overshot the landing zone and ending up in the ocean. The 3131st Shock
Legion had ceased to exist.
After the Lakw passed beyond the planet and was headed back into space,
the operator ejected the memchip he recorded the data on. He had some friends
that would be very interested in a recording of a legion being destroyed. In
six months, copies would be floating all across the galaxy.
6 Mar 6829
Hamilton, Syriph XX
0700L
The local news announcer repeated the warnings again. All civilians
were to remain in doors. Commonwealth authorities were responding to the
Terran Overlord Governments invasion.
Nancy Harris stared at the display, slowly drinking her morning java.
Wendi would be getting up any minute now to go to school. What to do? TOG
had arrived.
She walked over to the window above the sink to look at the sky. Unlike
most single mothers in town, she knew what to expect from an invasion. Her
original home was on Ancona. It was lost when the TOG invaded in 6811. It
took her three years and a lot of pain to make her way back to the
Commonwealth.
Another flash moved across the sky in the north. Experience told her it
was probably a grav vehicle. She searched for others but did not see any.
Her mind pictured the continent of Falcon. A large plain was east of
Nestle, about five hundred kilometers north of here. It would be a good place
for an LZ. What to do?
Escaping from Ancona had taught the younger Nancy Harris many things.
She had spent months with a Naram Special Forces unit, making her way to
safety. What would that optio do now?
Not running like a bunny into some trap. That was the first thing the
Naram had taught her. The most dangerous weapon was her mind. She needed to
use it. People would be clogging major transportation routes. It would be
better to wait and find a better opportunity.
Wendi entered the kitchen, disturbing her mother's thoughts. "I can't
believe the TOG is invading Syriph!" she said.
"No, they're here honey. Why don't you come with me to the diner today
and skip school."
Wendi smiled with that. Sometimes she would wait on tables after school
to make some extra money. "Are you sure I can miss class?"
"Oh yes, I don't see any problem. Let me get some things first." the
mother took a small backpack from the closet. She was not letting her
daughter out of her sight and maybe something will come up.
6 Mar 6829
Headquarters, 816th TOG Strike Legion
1000L
Trajan's Ghost, the prefect was pissed, the optio thought. He thought the
man was angry during the drop when they learned that the 3131st Shock Legion
was landing over two hours ahead of schedule. Now, when it became clear that
the 3131st no longer existed . . . whoa. Maybe the old man would finally blow
that blood vessel and they could relax.
He stepped up to the converted Pompey vehicle being used for the signal
shack. Ignoring the posted guard, the officer turned the handle to enter the
vehicle. When the door did not budge, he started pounding on it.
The pounding brought the signal centurion back to reality. He stepped
to the secured door and checked the vision port. Seeing an optio bouncing
from one foot to another, he knew it was bad news. The centurion could just
hear the man shouting for them to open the door.
The man threw the latches securing the door and pushed it open.
"Yeesss?" he said.
The optio moved to step past the centurion and into the van. A stiff
hand firm in the chest stopped him. "I have a flash message to send to the
fleet. Itūs from the old man himself." the optio said.
The signal officer reached out with his right hand. "Give me the
message and I will send it with the next transmission packet." He tried to
keep a straight face. His left arm was throbbing from the sudden contact with
the optioūs battle armor. Still, he was having too much fun messing with the
junior officer.
"But I need to send it now!" The optio whined.
"Optio, do you have gamma-phi clearance?" The centurion asked. The
optio shook his head. He already knew the answer. The centurion had just
made up that clearance level. "Well, if you come into this van, I'm afraid
I'll have to shoot you." The guard outside stared at the two officers, his
face plate hiding a smile.
The effect was perfect. The optio backed up and whimpered that he still
had to send this flash message for the prefect. "I'll tell you what I'll do.
Since I remember what it was like when I was the staff messenger, I'll send it
up on the next priority message packet instead of a routine." The optio
smiled and immediately handed him the memchip containing the message. The
centurion closed the door in the optio's face and secured it.
"That wasn't very nice." came the voice of the sergeant.
"Nobody likes optios. They all need to have that crap the academy
teaches them knocked out of their heads."
"If memory serves, sir, you were an optio once." the sergeant said.
"Where do you think I got that idea of the gamma-phi clearance from?" he
said smiling. "Now, go get some fresh java from the mess tent. We're gonna
be here a while, letting that optio stew out there."
The signal sergeant shook his head and left for the door. Like any good
NCO, he would not betray his centurion to the hapless optio outside. In
fact, he might have a little fun himself.
The centurion turned and popped the memchip in an open slot. There was
no way he was really going to hold up a message the prefect said was important
just to annoy some optio. He quickly scanned the message as he was opening
the link to the fleet command ship.
Searching usual header crap, until he could find the meat. He was
sending three cohorts south to retrieve the survivors of the 3131st drop.
This was going to limit his offensive options for the next month.
The penal auxilia attached to the 31st had suffered nearly 92 percent
casualties only with very few of the only wounded.
The centurion fancied himself as an armchair strategist. Reading of the
destruction of the penal auxilia, he knew why the word was out to avoid the
old man. The TOG forces had two large urban areas to capture on the
continent, neither of them would be taken without prisoners to be the cannon
fodder of the legions. If the prefect was lucky, he may get another within a
month. His chances of getting another strike legion to replace the 31st was
nonexistent.
A green light on the control panel announced that the secure link was
established. A flip of the switch sent the report onto the local TOG army
headquarters. The centurion stretched and looked around. Spotting the
sergeant's comic book, he snatched it up and leaned back in the chair. Let
the optio stew until the book's hero did the impossible and destroyed another
Renegade cohort.
06 Mar 6829
Wales Woman's Institute
100km north of Nestle, Syriph XX
1430L
The common room was filled with anxious teenage girls watching the
latest announcement on the tri-dee. Classes had been canceled that morning.
Rumor had it that most of the teachers had already fled the area. One or two
of the sharper girls pointed out that it was funny that the instructors who
preached most about the wonders of the Terran Overlord Government were the
first to leave.
Being one of the older girls, Ashley Flannagan rated one of the few
chairs in the crowded room. This allowed her to watch the news while not
having her buttocks fall asleep on the floor.
The news programs had gone from being terrifying, to boring. The news
announcers were continuously telling the audience that there was nothing to be
afraid of and Commonwealth forces were responding to the current emergency.
Civilians were to remain indoors while all registered militia members were to
report to their assembly areas immediately.
One of the younger girls said that since the tri-dee didn't say where
the TOG forces were, they could be right outside the school. Fear swept the
room with the images of TOG legionnaires storming the school grounds.
Ashley was critical in stopping the rout for the door. She pointed out
that if they were in any danger, their parents would be here to take them.
This logic seemed to take away some of the fears and had brought along the
current situation.
Being brave or a natural leader had nothing to do with Ashley's stand.
She had spent most of her life at the boarding school and did not know how to
react to the repeated questioning of the younger girls of when the parents
were going to arrive. One of the few lessons she learned from her parents was
control, especially self-control. She did not truly expect anything from her
family and did not understand the otherūs belief in theirs.
So when the summons to the administration office came, it surprised her
most of all. A few others had been called to the office that morning. Their
families had come to reclaim their children. Her parents had been up to two
days late picking her up from school breaks. Schedule conflicts were common
in their family.
Crossing the courtyard to the small administration building, she scanned
the near empty parking lot for a family vehicle. Usually, it was full of the
latest grav vehicles belonging to the faculty. The only car out of place was
a ragged old ground car parked in front of the building entrance. Ashley
stepped around the ugly, red, piece of junk and followed the sidewalk to the
door.
Standing inside the office was her grandfather Pipes, quietly talking to
the secretary, Carol. Her maternal grandfather was a constant source of
aggravation for her parents. Ashley knew her mother was embarrassed by her
father. His womanizing and rudeness were the result of serving in the army,
Ashley's father had said more then once. Father did not think highly of the
military though many of the products made by his company were sold to them.
"Hello grandfather Pipes." she said. She knew he was 'hitting' on
Carol. Ashley was humiliated. He was the last one she imagined her family
sending to retrieve her.
"Hey there, Pumpkin." Ashley cringed when she heard that name. "Carol
and I were just chattin' while you moseyed down here."
Ashley looked to the secretary for instructions. The old spinster was
looking paler then usual. "Ashley, because of the unusual circumstances, we
are prepared to send you home with your grandfather. Please go get your
things and then return to sign out."
The teen shrugged her shoulders and turned for the door. Maybe her
parents were off planet, that's why they sent grandfather. "I'll go with you,
pumpkin and give you a hand." Pipes turned and smiled to the secretary.
"I'll be right back, honey." Ashley watched Carol turn two shades whiter.
Oh, she was never going to be aloud back in school.
"Hop in the car, kiddo." he said when they got outside. Ashley rolled
her eyes. Of course this junk was his. She walked around and got in the
passenger's side. "Fasten your seatbelt." he said. She was thrown back in
her seat as the car took off. It left the parking lot and turned onto the two
lane road, leaving the academy.
"Grandfather, my dormitory is back there."
"No time for that now. We need to boogie on out of here. And where
did you pick up this grandfaaather crap? At your snooty school?" He walked
the car through its gears. The small engine was screaming. Ashley watched
him shift the car. She had never ridden in a 'standard' before. She had
started driversū training at the start of the year, so she had heard of a
manual transmission.
"Grandfath...grandpa Pipes, what about my things?"
"You can go back for them later. We need to meet some friends first."
Ashley looked around the forest they were driving through. She had
never traveled on a ground road to it. They had always taken a grav car. The
trees were kind of pretty. "Grandpa, how did you sign the paperwork. Youūre
not a valid release person."
"Oh, I just charmed Carol a little, then I told her to call you or I
would blow her damn stupid head off."
"Grandpa!" Oh, she was never going back to Wales.
"Well, it worked." he said with a smile. Ashley had never known him to
be violent, but then again, she did not know he could drive a ground car.
Maybe her father was right, and the army had caused him to be disturbed. Now
with the invasion, perhaps grandpa Pipes had snapped.
6 Mar 6829
2nd Armored Calvary Regiment
1600L
Colonel Andrew Lombard walked over to the java machine. The sergeant at the
machine turned around to apologies that it was empty. He was going for water
right then.
Colonel Lombard groaned quietly and turned around to watch the
Regiment's operations center in action. Analysts were adjusting the central
display back and forth for the next briefing. Filling a fourth of the room,
it could give a three dimensional view of the Syriph system to a city block.
A groan behind him caused the colonel to turn back to the java machine.
The Regiment's executive officer, Arlish Halaene was staring at the empty
machine. "Why does this damn thing always have to run out when I need
caffeine the most?" The lieutenant-colonel started filling the top with
grounds.
"Sergeant Marks is getting the water." colonel Lombard said. The XO
nodded his head in response. A miscount of the number of scoops would make
the java either too weak, or a thick mud that would stop the heart.
"Colonel Lombard, a flash message from planetary HQ." a lieutenant
said, handing him a printout. The colonel took it in his left hand then
stepped out of the returning sergeant Marks' way. Java was most important
now.
"What is it, Drew?" the XO asked.
"Confirmation that the system VCLA got off a warning message before it
was destroyed." The Very Large Communications Arrays were the fastest way to
communicate between star systems. The need to mount them on space-based
facilities guaranteed a short life span with the start of the invasion.
Unfortunately, it was not unknown for TOG forces to destroy a system's antenna
without a warning being sent. Commonwealth ships would then stumble into a
bear's den until the intelligence services realized what had happened.
"Well, that's good news. Anything else?"
"Oh, the usual. They talk about the toggies landing on Falcon and want
us to attack the toggies as quick as possible." the colonel said.
"Well, duhh. What do they think we've been doing for the last, um,
thirty hours? Planning the Regiment's ball?" Arlish did not have a high view
of staff officers.
The commander of the second Cav looked at the clock on the wall. Syriph
XX had a rotational period a little more then seventeen standard hours. Some
bureaucrat back in history had decided that the planet was going to keep the
usual twenty-four hours in a day, only they were going to be shorter hours.
This made the old complaint about not enough hours in a day seem even worse.
The Regiment's people were used literally working around the clock.
"What's the status with the third squadron?"
The XO thought for a minute before replying "L troop should have made
landfall just north of Falcontown about twenty minutes ago. They're going to
pound of the remains of that strike legion that Air Defense blew to pieces.
We expect a sit-rep within the next two hours. The other troops should be
setting up search and destroy ops by midnight."
"And the rest of the Regiment?"
"The squadron commanders will be giving firm figures at the briefing at
1800. In a nutshell, the squadron's are in good shape equipment wise. The
personnel recall is going slower then planned. Recreation services had a ski
vacation planned and a lot of the troopers are there."
A red light on the java pot caught the two officersū eyes. The JDIL, or
Java Done Indicator Light was activated. The commander of the second Cav
filled his cup, enjoying the aroma. He was going to check on the sleep
schedule for the men. Maybe when the headquarters shifts to Falcon, he can
catch up on his lost sleep.
6 March 6829
Noreast section of Nestle
2010L
Ashley was getting tired of following her grandfather around. The two
of them had waited outside of town before creeping in after dark. They had
left the battered car at a convenience mart and walked the last two
kilometers.
The old man had become even more elusive with his answers. She was now
fairly sure that her parents did not know about her leaving the academy. Her
father was sure to have kittens when he found her missing. The teen giggled
at the tantrum her father would throw.
Grandpa Pipes immediately turned and made a 'sh'ingū noise. He led her
across the street to a run down apartment building. He punched a button under
one of the addresses and waited. "Who is it?" came a female voice from the
speaker.
"Itūs your shnookums." grandpa Pipes said. Ashley rolled her eyes.
Ugh! He's taking me to a woman's house. A buzz announced the door was
unlocked. Grandpa opened the door and told her to follow.
Ashley stopped in the doorway. "Grandpa, I don't think this is right."
she said.
"Never you mind what to think." he answered and grabbed her by the
shoulder. They climbed two flights of stairs and stopped a door. The old man
rapped twice, waited, then twice more.
An older woman opened the door. She looked the two of them over once
then moved aside to let them pass. Ashley had never met her grandmother
Pipes, but this woman could have easily been her. After the door had closed,
grandpa said all clear to the apartment.
Two men came out of the kitchen and into the small room. Both were
carrying large weapons pointed at the ceiling. "Michael, I can't believe
you've talked me into doing this." the leader said.
"Look Cee-Em. We've been over this before. You owe me big and its time
to pay up." her grandpa said.
"Yeah, I know. Got to keep the troops happy." the man said.
"Got to do the right thing. We got here without a problem, but I need
to run. I've got to cover our tracks before the family thinks about her.
Here's my latest report." Grandpa handed over a memchip to the man. "Now,
let me say my goodbyes and go.
"Ashley, here's a memchip. It has a bank account on it with enough
money for you to start over. These men will get you back to safely. Get as
far away from Syriph as you can. Leave Shannedam county even, and start a new
life. Never forget, I love you." with tears in his eyes, Grandpa Pipes gave
Ashley a hug then opened the door and left.
Ashley watched him go then turned back to the others in shock. She was
standing in a stranger's living room, in the bad section of town, holding a
memchip and told to go with two men with guns. This was almost to much.
"Have you had dinner yet?" came the leader's voice behind her. She
turned and shook her head, no. "Meredith, could you get the girl some hot
food. We'll be leaving about midnight."
"Of course. I think I even have some cloths she could wear that
belonged to my daughter. I don't believe you will be wanting her to wear a
school uniform when you leave." The old woman took Ashley by the shoulders.
The teen followed, still in shock from the events.
7 Mar 6829
N'dry mountains, Falcon
0430
The partisan leader rubbed his eyes. It had been a long two days. First
battalion had made contact with the hidden storage area. The first supplies
were coming back to the military academy the young men called home. The first
thing brought back were the grav tanks.
The first day was spent organizing. Priority was on generating
intelligence for the small force. Teenage boys who the week before were
riding grav cycles for fun, were racing across the country side looking for
enemy forces. The years of goodwill efforts by the academy were now cashed
in. A mayor whose town was saved from a flood was contacted for food and
shelter. Foresters whose homes were saved from fire were given radios.
Now the grav tanks were arriving. Everyone in the academy watched as
the first Liberator tank floated onto the central yard. The tank stopped in
front of the flag poles and its commander stood proud. Snapping a salute to
the student leader, he announced that the first tank platoon was ready for
combat. Cheers erupted from the gathered crowd.
The partisan leader gave a tight smile. Now it was time to start.
7 Mar 6829
500 kilometers SE of Nestle
0700L
Ashley was fighting off sleep the best she could. She was in the back
of a ground car called a Cee-Jay. It was not the smoothest ride in her life.
You would think these commando guys could afford better equipment.
The old woman, Meredith, whose apartment her grandpa Pipes had taken her
explained that these men were Naram Special Forces. Her grandfather had made
a deal with them to take her back to safety. When Ashley asked about her
parents, Meredith said she did not know anything about that.
At first, she was excited about the adventure. Assuming it would be
like the tri-dee shows, she looked forward action and excitement. None of
that was true. Even the two secret agents were kind of ho-hum looking.
The leader's name was Robert. When Ashley tried to call him Cee-Em like
her grandfather, he immediately said that was a title and not to use it.
After that, Ashley tried not to speak to him again. Now he was driving the
Cee-Jay down some backwater road.
The car was rather unusual in that it was so plain. Again it was a
manual transmission, just like the battered car her grandfather was driving.
It did have good off road capability that Robert used whenever the road was
blocked by traffic. The backseat left a lot to be desired. Ashley could only
hold on to an overhead bar to keep from being thrown off of the bench seat. A
couple backpacks were crowded in with her to keep her from getting too
comfortable.
Sitting in the passenger's seat was Jeff Cooper, the other man from last
night. Jeff was by far the more talkative of the two. His jokes were really
bad and his ramblings about a stupid comedy show had gone from boring to funny
and back to boring.
Ashley was shivering in the backseat. The ground car did not have a
roof. Her only protection was a light jacket given to her from Meredith. She
was drifting off to sleep when she felt the car start to slow. She could just
hear the whining of a grav drive above the wind.
Ashley looked up to see a grav tank traveling the opposite direction
down the road. Robert slowed the car and slide to the side of the road.
Two heads poked above the top of the tank. Ashley was not sure who the
tank belonged to until she saw the Vee shaped crest of the Terran Overlord
Government. The two gun barrels slowly turned to point at the car.
Ashley squealed and hid behind the seats in front of her. She felt the
ground car turn back and forth then the engine quit. Jeff patted her on the
back and told her to get on out if she wanted breakfast. She sat up and wiped
the tears from her eyes. The car was parked behind a restaurant.
Jeff pulled the teen from the back of the car. He grabbed her arm and
led the way to the front door. Inside, Robert had already found a seat in the
back of the room. Jeff steered Ashley to the bench seat facing away from the
door.
Ashley stared at the two men reading menus. "What are we doing here?"
she demanded.
"We are deciding what we want for breakfast." Robert said. "Why don't
you pick up a menu?"
"What about that TOG TANK!"
"ASHLEY! Keep your voice down." Jeff said forcefully. "The people in
here will panic."
"Panic. Panic!"
Robert folded his menu and looked at the teenage girl. "Ashley, we are
perfectly safe. That was a scout we saw." He knew he was not going to get
any further until he explained it better. ūNow stop drawing attention to
yourself.ū
The waitress stopping at the table halted any more discussion from the
men. "I hope you folks have money. The owner doubled the prices with the
invasion and all."
"I'll take a java and a western omelet." Robert said, ignoring the
price increase.
The waitress looked down at the sidekick, Jeff. "I'll have a steak and
..."
"No steaks."
"Pancakes... and lots of java." he said with a big smile.
"And for the little lady?"
Ashley stared at the wall, trying to ignore them. "Get her some toast
and a large milk." Robert said. The waitress look over the three once more
then moved on to place the order.
"You see, Ashley." Jeff said after a moment of painful silence.
"Scouts get way out in front of the main force looking for the enemy. It's
like we're hiding where they've already been." The two men looked at each
other and shook their heads. They had been together so long that words were
no longer necessary to communicate.
The arrival of the food broke up the awkward silence. Robert noticed
the waitress giving Jeff a good look over. He was thankful that they were on
a mission and would not have to deal with Jeff chasing skirts all over town,
again.
Ashley continued to stare at the wall, ignoring the two men. She hated
being treated like a little girl but did not know how else to act. "How do
you know that was a scout? It could have been lost or something." She said.
Maybe chalenging their logic would put them on the defensive. It work in
school all the time. She could always get a professor to loose his cool by
asking questions.
Jeff looked to his partner. "It's because of the type of tank it was.
The Arciblades is used almost exclusively for scouting because of its high
speed."
"But couldn't it be lost?"
"It could be, but its very doubtful. A bigger danger is if the main
force is right behind them."
Robert inturrupted "And again, that's doubtful too because the TOG just
made a drop."
Right. "Their scouts will be roaming further than usual because they
don't have any contact with the enemy. They don't want to deal with any
petty civilians. While their shooting up some poor civs, a Renegade tank
could put a gauss round in his backside."
"A bigger danger is running into a military police unit." Robert said.
"Why?"
"Because a scout is too busy looking for the enemy to do anything. An
MP squad's job is to look for enemy spies." Said Jeff.
"Like us?"
"Like us." Said Jeff.
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