The Unknowing War (Optimum Project sequel)

Chapter 8

First mission

A low rumble was constantly emitted from the engines of the drop ship as it swooped down and came to a gradual and controlled stop a few feet from the ground, the pilot hovering it there for a moment before lowering the ship and landing it with a 'thunk'.

I flexed my fingers and lifted my pulse-rifle up to my shoulder, my nerves getting to me as the soldiers I was with prepared themselves similarly. I checked my A.P.S. Unit again, making sure it was on and ready despite the soldiers' earlier claims, after all, a little protection was better than no protection.

The top ranking soldier stepped forward and Tom gave me his credentials as Captain P. J. Simons, "Ok, boys! Our target is a communications relay for a rebellion cell that's causing trouble for the local government, they've been hitting supply transports that provide food to the local citizens and are starving them out."

A growl escaped the assortment of soldiers, nobody liked a bully. Simons turned and slammed his fist into the door release before shouting out further commands, "You've all been briefed on your squad assignments and objectives, this is a tactical strike, now MOVE!!!"

The door that had been lowering thunked as though punctuating his shout, and all the soldiers stood up and dashed out of the ship, breaking up into their assigned squads and jogging towards the city in the distance. As I stepped out the hot wind stung my face with sand, I had know we were on Kadeshek, a mostly desert planet, but I was still surprised at the heat that still radiated at me in waves. I was assigned to Echo Squad, which consisted of three soldiers and myself.

I jogged over to where two of my squad mates were standing, giving them each a nod hello. We had made introductions at briefings, the squad was composed of Blinkey, as our drone operator he'd keep an eye in the sky and keep tabs on the streets around us and the occasional nearby squad. The other currently present member of our squad was known as Chatterbox, he kept an ear to the ground and listened to the other squads communications to keep us in the loop.

"How's it going guys?" I asked them.

We all bumped fists and Chatterbox, of course, answered, "Just waiting on Knives, Technician."

I nodded, we were using code names for security purposes and I was fittingly labeled the 'Technician' I'd be placing the charges on one of the ancillary signal relays stationed throughout the city. Now we were waiting on our specialist Knives, called that because...well...knives. Add in the fact that along with being skilled with blades, Knives was also squad lead, we essentially had to wait for her anyway.

Soon she walked up, tall with long black hair, she carried herself as though she had seen lots of action and nothing could surprise her. It helped that she was decked out in full combat gear and up to six knife handles visible on her person at all times.

She nodded to each of us in turn, skipping formalities she said, "Let's move"

We followed her in a tight knit group, adopting a tactical crouch as we worked our way into the city, occasionally making hand signals for communications. A signal from Knives and Blinkey pulled out a frisbee shaped drone, throwing it up and into the wind. Tom tapped into the video feed and planted it in the corner of my vision center as Blinkey flew the drone down the next few streets that led to the relay, the drones own OS locating three tripwires, and a small turret on the way there, along with a squad of rebels camped around the relay itself.

Blinkey relayed the knowledge to Knives, playing back the footage and pointing out the traps.

She looked at the tablet and nodded, grabbing out her grappling gear she gestured to the walls of a nearby building, "We'll go up, that way we avoid the wires, we can take out the turret for a safe evac, and have the high ground on the rebels guarding the relay. Then the technician can set the charges."

Knives turned to me, "You can set the charges, right?"

I rolled my eyes and nodded, "they're three timed delay c-6 detonation plastics, I set them blindfolded and with my hands tied behind my back." After all, I could remote connect to the timers through Tom.

She nodded, satisfied that I could use enough lingo to look like I knew what I was doing.

"Ok then, let's go."
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The climb went without a hitch, and after everyone made it to the top we easily avoided the trip wires, Blinkey remotely disabled the turret with a drone, and we made it to a rooftop looking down onto the relay.

Knives signaled at us to spread out, so we moved into suitable positions, Tom pinging targets for me and making sure they were outlined as various objects blocked them from view. After everyone had signaled "ready" Knives held up a fist, "wait" and pulled out one of the very blades she was code-named for. Gripping it by the handle she peaked over the edge of the building and threw it to the far side of the square. The sudden clatter of the knife caused every gun in the square to swing toward the source of the noise.

Then Knives opened her hand.

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The gun fight was short, Knives' distraction did what it was supposed to do and everyone was eliminated in short order.

We picked our way through the corpses of the rebels and I set the C-6 charges on the relay, making sure I shaped them to do the most damage possible to the structure.

As we picked our way back through the streets toward the rendezvous we disarmed the tripwires and I decided to grab the turret, still a salvager at heart. I felt a pang of sadness as I remembered the days of my past life, wondering vaguely if I ever truly had one.

As we reached the rendezvous I had no misgivings about placing the charges.

Even from so far away the resulting boom of the simultaneous explosions was like roaring thunder, and as plumes of smoke rose from the sky, we were already flying away