The Morgonian Crusades - Book #1 - Power

Chapter 1

Through power, a hero is born.

Through a hero, power is made.

Explosive shells hit the ground around Morgeno, he saw another one coming in above him and he dived into a trench, narrowly escaping the blast.  "Corporal!  Don't get the medal!"  his commander shouted at him from behind.  Morgeno kneeled in the trench and looked back at his commander, who was running across the field with a squad of soldiers behind them.  "Hold your position godsdammit!"  He continued.  "We don't need another martyr!"  Morgeno raised up his gun and flipped around,  searching for a target.  His commander ran into him and shoved him down.  "You will follow my orders or I'll kill you myself," the commander yelled at him.  "disobeying orders gets people killed!  I swear to Boathe I will have you court martialed."  

Morgeno looked up at him and yelled "Yes Captain Lod Sir!"

Captain Lod grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him up.  The rest of the squad gathered around for orders.  

Lod jumped up and looked over the wall.  He surveyed the battlefield, and had to admit to himself that it was not a pretty picture.  Corpses littered the fields and the cries of the wounded could be heard occasionally over the artillery.  He blinked at his HUD and opened the map.  It had blinking lights of his location, the location of his squad members, the other soldiers nearby, and where they all were compared to various points.  It was almost time.

He knelt down and turned towards his troops.  "Alright!  When I give the signal, we will be joining the other squads on a charge on the guns.  There are three guns we have to destroy, and I will patch them to your helmets now," He did as he said, "once will disable them, we get out of there before they counterstrike.  At the same time, the other batteries will be attacked, so we will have some time.  If you are seperated, stay with the nearest squad, and we will all rendevous here."  He sent them that link as well.

"After that, we have one final assault on the stronghold, and we're home free.  Stay in cover, and watch each others back.  I don't want to have anyone go home in a capsule.  Forth!  For Tios!  For the Eccoians! For justice!"  With that he turned and ran up the slope out of the trench, yelling savagely.  With equal cries, Morgeno, and the other 15 remaining members sprinted the slope, guns raised, firing at any enemy that dared raise their head.  

Morgeno took the far left, the side with the fewest obstacles.  As a result, he needed to move faster or risk being shot rapidly at point blank range, which even the armor wouldn't protect from.  As he reached the trench,  a Irch soldier stuck his head up and brought his head to bear.  Morgeno popped his toeblade out, and kicked him in face.  The Irchian's visor cracked and blood spurted out.  Morgeno tumbled to the ground, not able to retract the blade in time.  Another Irch turned around and tried to attack him, but unfortunately, his head was blown off with a Lorian 600.  Aimee, the other corporal in their squad jumped down onto the the newly forming pool of gore next to Morgeno.  She shot down the trench line, buying time for Morgeno to get to his feet.  He got up and joined her, shooting at nearby targets.  Aimee pulled up a chat link to Morgeno, "Hey baaabyyyy." she said somewhat ironically, rolling out the syllables.  

Morgeno laughed, and replied with the same tone, "Hello Darrrrhhhlinnng."  He paused and shot down a few more approaching enemies.  "Nice day for a battle isn't it?" 

"Yeah, I always liked this planet.  Too bad the Irchians had to attack." She replied lightly, as she looked over her shoulder, anticipating new orders from Lod.

"Go go go!"  Captain Lod yelled, and the squad climbed out of the trenches and ran into the artilleries location.  There was minimal resistance at this point, only a few guards and the gun crews.  Aimee, Morgeno, and two others killed the crew of a gun.  The corporals knelt by the guns mechanism while the others stood guard.  

Aimee popped open her visor so she could see the bomb setting better.  She twisted a gear and stuck another bomb on the mechanism, then looked up at Morgeno and smiled.  "What a fine way to spend a summer morning" she joked.  

"Oh, can't complain!" Morgeno replied.  Aimee attached her last bomb and stood up, and looked around at the other guns the squard was dispatching, they were almost done so she nodded, satisfied.   She walked over to Morgeno and playfully slapped his shoulder as he stood up.  He turned and laughed, shutting his visor to hide his face turning red.  She slipped her arm around his waist and looked at him, sticking out her tongue.  Captain Lod called out to the troops to get a move on, so they pulled their Lorian 600's from their holsters and flipped them out.  

The squad joined 4 other squads and started marching off towards their rendevous point.  The captain stood at the side of the column and yelled at the marching troops, checking to make sure that everyone was out of range.  When they were, he pulled out a detonator and blew the guns sky high.  

A little while later, the army had assembled on a field, 4 miles from the enemy fort.  General Autio stood atop a small hill in front of the troops.  "Ladies and Gentleman.  In approximately 20 minutes, we will be moving in on the Irchian base.  This will not be easy.  Intelligence reports that we are outnumbered 10 to one.  But stay strong, remember why we are here.  We are here to defend the people of Mal, against their Irchian tyrants!  We are here to stand for those who can not!  We are here to bring justice to the tortured!  We are Eccoites, and we will defeat all evil!"  He raised up his gun into the air and fired off a shot.  

"Come brothers!  Come sisters!  Fight with me!"  He finished.  The company, which numbered almost 4000, raised their hands and saluted him, and standing there, looking immensely proud, he saluted them back.  Yes, fight with me, kill with me, for who knows which of us will still be here tomorrow? Autio thought, For the odds were great, even with such a versatile fighting force.

Shortly after, 100 gunships landed on the field, and loaded with soldiers.  As soon as they filled, they lifted off and flew at top speed toward the fort.  They landed as close as they could to the fort and let the soldiers off.  When they did, they lifted again and circled around the fort, providing air cover.  Morgeno and Aimee led their squad along the wall, taking down the Irchians air defense.  They took down their section of the wall, and raced down the stairs that led into the main compound, where the general was leading a final offensive on their commanders.  

A hundred Eccolites stormed into the doors.  Instantly, the bright lights switched on, and before their sensors could calibrate to the darkness, gunfire filled the air...