“Ninety-three minutes, not bad. Marauders are onboard, ladies suit up we’ll be exiting on the run” Thorne said his black command power suit in place, his oversized prosthetic robotic forearm exposed with the suit sealing to it, gauntlets far too small. The unit filed into the slick streamlined Slingshot drop ship, just enough room inside for them all kitted out in full power suits, equipment of choice and the two marauders, Medb and Morrigan climbing in and beginning the start up sequence.
“Ok, we’re cramped, we’re weighed down and we’re about entering a hot zone at extreme speed. We’re being followed by a second Slingshot, its carrying extra power units for the suits and marauders. Once we hit the ground Medb and Morrigan are to grab the crates and we move out find a place to dig in and then move from their in search of the prize.” Thorne spoke to them all through the Comm. “are you ready to kill some bugs?” He asked
“Yes sir!” was the response in unison.
“Get as comfortable as you can. Pilot, we’re in your hands” Thorne said
“Understood sir. Updates as when” A new crisp voice said over the comm.
“Sergeant” Thorne said over the comm. he’d flicked it to a secure channel to the sergeant with a few blinks of the eye.
“Yes Sir” Oakham replied
“I will defer to your judgement in the field as before if things get out of my remit, I admit I am not a combat officer, I am a researcher first and foremost but you and your unit are the best and it is the best that I need, are you with me Sergeant?” Thorne said in all seriousness
“I’m with you Sir, combat experience is one thing but leadership is another. You lead I’ll direct Sir” Oakham replied, even with all his misgivings from when he first met Major, he could not help himself from liking the man and in some ways, feeling sorry for him. He heard his comm. click and he knew it was no longer secure to Major Thorne.
“Alright you apes get a hold of something. Medb not with the marauder just lock the joints” Oakham said and the unit began bracing themselves.
“FTL drop-out in five...” said the pilot “four...Launch sequence begun...two...one...FTL ceased...Launch” The rapid deceleration of FTL was felt by the unit; then gravity hit like a wall as their bodies were pinned to the vessel as it exited the launch bay at maximum velocity, the roar of the vessel shuddering the sides. The moment they were out everything went deathly silent the only noise was the whirr of the power suits and the occasional clink of metal against metal within the bay.
“Heavy fire in bound, FTL engaged, Return to same co-ordinates in six minutes” A new voice echoed over the Comm. The unit realised they were not meant to hear that communication, The Dark Sword had left.
“Brace! Brace! Brace!” screamed the pilot as it banked sharply to the port.
*
Captain Decker thought the flight crew of Dark Sword was taking the piss. Heavy fire inbound was an understatement the space between him and the planet had turn blue, so many plasma shots he could hardly see the gaps between.
“Brace! Brace! Brace!” he shouted over the comm. and yanked on the controls. Although they were in space centrifugal force still created high G-forces and the minimal gravity plating in the passenger compartment didn’t help.
The sudden drop showed Decker the edge of the incoming plasma fire it was going to be close, he set the engines to maximum thrust and began to pull the on the controls praying the turn would complete and the lift would be enough. The slingshot whipped through the void towards the planet the incandescent balls of burning plasma moving closer.
The slingshot streamed through the edges of two, a huge burst of static followed by the single word “...hit”. Decker knew the other slingshot was now destroyed, but he had no time to worry about it, plasma bugs had begun to fire at random towards him, no longer the concentrated or directed aim for the Dark Sword. Pitching and rolling the vessel he continually avoided the different shots. The closer he got to the planet the easier it became to avoid the slow arcing plasma. The bugs could shoot into space, and the on masse fire was difficult and a hit catastrophic, but the rate of fire was too slow and the aim nowhere near accurate enough.
Decker eased down as they entered the atmosphere the trail of superheated air in their wake scorching the sky and giving the bugs a target to aim at. Fighting against gravity, Decker pulled on the controls to bring it horizontal and then the flight plan changed again. A swarm of Hopper and Rippler bugs appeared, they were on an obvious kamikaze flight into the Slingshot, Decker pulled hard on the controls trying to get it respond to evasive manoeuvres while the planet still held sway. Returning the engines to full thrust and firing every retro rocket the craft began to respond.
“Deploy drag chutes” he said to the co-pilot, he hesitated for a moment and then pressed the button. The ship stopped dead for a moment as the mass of material caught the rushing air, the retro’s kept firing, and everything seemed to stop. Decker watched as the Rippler bugs mouths opened and the storm erupted. Hundreds of barbed spikes darkened the sky; Decker tried to remember if they would pierce the hull.
“Detach chute and open fire.” Decker ordered.
The co-pilot clicked the button instantly and repeated order to the gunner who opened fire with all weapons linked, spraying the incoming swarm with rounds. The thunderous vibration was deafening within the hold with four large bore machine guns firing.
The rounds turned the oncoming barbs to mist, and the bugs behind began to drop from the sky as wings and bodies were ripped apart. Decker flicked the controls and began a steep climb to avoid the oncoming bugs; the cannons aimed down and continue to fill the air with streams of metallic death. He pitched forward and watched as another swarm launched from the ground. He hit the throttle full and prepared to use the entire tanks of fuel. He knew that he was meant to return to the ship but with this amount of resistance and that there were no extra power cells, there was less than eight hours for the troopers to complete their mission.
“Major, come up to cockpit as soon as you can” Decker shouted over the comm. Decker hauled on the controls and started a short spin to avoid more barbs, he heard some clatter against the hull but not warning signs. The guns stopped briefly and restarted, but firing in bursts only; Decker knew the gunner was reaching maximum heat before they would be auto-shut down to cool. No gunner let their ship be undefended. A crash came from the corridor as Decker righted the ship and headed through the swarm, letting the bugs hit the armour but not the screen.
“You called” Major Thorne said stumbling through the door to grasp the pilot and co-pilot seats to steady himself.
“More resistance than we realised, second ship destroyed, no recovery, where do you want us to set down and we’ll get as close as possible.” Decker said glancing up for a moment to see the matte black armour and the grey steel prosthetic.
“In two thousand kilometres there’s a mountain range.” Thorne said looking through at the rapidly approaching terrain. “It should be directly ahead, looking at the scanner, we are way off target for the original drop.”
“I know” Decker said strain in his voice as he wrestled the vehicle through the swarm.
“Head for the canyon, use that for cover.” Thorne said
“That makes my life...” Decker began as they head a scratching sound on the hull.
“I’ll disperse my unit. We can gut it as it puts it head through the hull” Thorne said turning back.
“Major. Keep your unit together, I’ll get you as close as I can, you may have to jump.” Decker said, not looking back but watching the canyon as it approached; the deep shadows looking as welcoming as hell’s gate.
“It’s your bird, but if anything comes near us, we’ll kill it.” Thorne replied and staggered his way out as the vessel began weave between the spires of rock on entry into the canyon.
When the door had closed behind Major Thorne, Decker turned to the co-pilot.
“We need to make it to the mountain. Not back again. Understood.” Decker said
“Yes sir” was the reply, the co-pilot never turning to see him
*
Major Thorne clunked his way back, listening to the sounds of scuttle along the hull. Entering the bay with the rest of the unit they were readying weapons, the scuttling and scratching was getting louder.
“Sir, I believe the bugs are coming for us” Oakham said over the comm. Thorne check to see if it was local just to him or broadband, broadband the HUD told him.
“Back to back and keep your eyes peeled the moment we have a hull breach I want boots locked down and the bugs off the hull.” Thorne said to all. In the tight space it was difficult to move. “Morrigan, Medb, stay still. Olwen get up here and watch their backs with Sergeant Oakham.” As the exchanged places Thorne slowly made his way to the centre of the unit pulling one of his pistols from its holster.
As the scratching and ammo bursts continued the atmosphere became tense as they waited. They knew the bugs would come through the hull, and by their actions they’d been told where. The gunner couldn’t shoot them as they were attached to the hull and the strong grip they had was daunting as they ship bucked, swayed and leaned. Thorne began glancing round the unit noticing the extra kit they had brought from stores. Olwen up watching over the marauders had two issue machetes, one strapped to each thigh. Whereas Oakham at her side had a bandolier of ammo slung across his chest and his belt pouches showing the telltale signs of grenades. From the backs of those around him he could see bandolier straps, a comm. kit, medical pack, slung across one back was a triple GL, from the size of the back Luk had Javelin rocket launcher and two sets of rockets as well a detection kit; ‘he’s big enough to carry it all’ thought Thorne, the only other extra weapon he saw was a Voight and Gromann heavy flamer, or ‘Hel’ as most preferred. Looking at the troopers had calmed him slightly and he sent out his other sense, the unit was ready, keen almost for the combat and then a sudden bout of fear shot through his mind.
Wrenching metal was heard by all and a piercing scream, followed by the silence of the guns. The scratching intensified around them a moment later. All rifles snapped to shoulders and they began slow sweeps looking for the first piercing.
The rending metal gave way from the port side, Nabu and Luk opened fire without hesitation. The leg snapped as the rounds tore through it, the vacant hole showing the canyon whipping past appeared briefly before the maw of the rippler bug blocked the view and opened to expel barbs.
*
Decker saw the warrior bugs at the top of the canyon as well as tanker, blister and all other varieties they were watching as they screamed passed engines at full and bugs clinging to the hull. A hull breach was registered as the guns silenced. Decker knew the gunner had been removed, they were defenceless. The proximity sensor went off again this time for the port side. Weapons fire echoed through the ship. And then he saw their destination, a cracked mountain leading to a series of needle like points. As he was watching the largest plasma shot he’d ever seen erupted from the mountain, Decker continued to watch the canyon as he flew, he now knew what they were here to stop a new type of bug, his determination increased as he was told by his co-pilot
“That just vaporised an asteroid”
*
The mouth was open and ingesting the rounds while trying to fire its barbs, Thorne thrust his armour encased hand forward between Luk and Nabu, and the bug went spiralling back as the entire side of the vessel took a blow from within buckling the already damaged side. Thorne staggered back light headed. Then Aasith stepped forward with her rifle.
“Boys, set sound suppression to maximum” She said over the comm. as her barrel appeared between their heads. Two more ripplers came forward, rounds pour from Nabu, and Luk changed magazines. One booming round erupted from Aasith’s rifle and first rippler spun away showering other bugs with barbs making them drop from the hull. Aasith’s second shot ripped through the throat of the remaining rippler destroying the nerve stem, it scraped away caught next to the ship from its slip stream. Two heavy thuds landed from above and the scuttling came down the starboard side.
“New front, get ready” Thorne shouted through his daze.
The foreleg of a warrior bug pierced the hull deeper than they expected, Thoth sidestepped and tripped over Thorne’s boot, falling back onto his tool pack. Thorne raised his pistol and began firing; taking junks out of the leg but the warrior continued opening the hole. Aasith spun back around and fired a single shot through the joint; the tip of the leg dropped to the floor and the green mucus of the bug sprayed the troopers.
*
Decker watched as Tanker and blister bugs opened fire uncaring about their own as the approached their target. More warriors jumped from the cliff face along with hopper’s flying straight to them, continual thuds told Decker they would be weighed over by bugs soon. He began manoeuvring closer to the walls. Another hull breach sounded and the ship started to become unstable, another hull breach and he began to lose power to the engines, five hundred kilometres and they’d be at the base of the mountain.
The starboard side scraped down the canyon wall and then a hard impact on the port, the vessel felt lighter but still was sluggish to responded, he pulled up out of the canyon, trying to get height so that their velocity and height would get them the distance before he attempted to land. Two tanker bugs began spraying the air in front of the ship trying to stop their escape, Decker pulled harder on the controls fighting all the time to get it to lift the way it was meant to. The cockpit cleared the spray, and no sounds of the troopers being caught. He’d made it.
The engines died.
The tankers had clipped the edge of the engines and melted away the exhaust ports. The engines had shut down before a catastrophic explosion.
“Abandon ship!” Decker screamed into the comm. He pulled his ejection handle and nothing happened. The co-pilots did the same. The ship began to tip.
*
A sudden impact rocked the ship and all the troopers fell to starboard. The bug splattered against the canyon wall and the mass pressure squeezed it through the punctured hull, spraying the unit in arachnid matter. The vessel then slammed on to the port side and they scattered over the deck in a pile, Olwen and Oakham had fell from the stairs and where at the top of the pile. As they untangled themselves they felt the vessels pitch, a sudden shudder and over the Comm.
“Abandon Ship!” Decker shouted into their heads.
Oakham bolted to the release mechanism and nothing happened, a pool of acid came bubbling through just as he went for a second attempt.
“Morrigan, make us an exit. Get out as fast as you can, I need an under burdened volunteer, don’t ask, follow me.” Thorne said bolting up the stairs, he didn’t look back but heard a second set of boots thudding on the gantry,
Morrigan moved her M9 ‘Chickenhawk’ marauder forward and with the manipulator arms ripped the side of the ship wide open, a single bug tried to enter but was vaporised when she opened fire with the ‘Electric Eight’ rotary cannon .
“Ladies first” Morrigan said and stepped out letting her jump jets kick in during the decent. Medb moved her ‘Ape’ marauder M8 forwards quickly and dropped through the hole. Followed by the rest of the unit, all using jump jets to control their drop.
*
“What the hell are you two still doing here?” Thorne shouted at Decker and his co-pilot
“Ejection systems failed trying to control the ship.” Decker replied
“Fuck that” Aasith said and reached over yanking the harness off and then dragging the co-pilot back they way they’d came.
“You heard the Lance Corporal” Thorne said, Decker undid his harness and followed them back. By the time they’d reach the hold they saw Aasith jump out the hole holding co-pilot to her chest. Thorne and Decker moved down to the hole and prepped for the drop.
“Hold your breath and pray we haven’t been spotted” Thorne said as he jumped out. The pair spun for a brief moment and below he could see the unit in a small kill circle, the few warriors that had came to investigate were becoming corpses very rapidly. Thorne’s jump jets kicked in and their decent slow.
“Oh Shit! Major, behind you.” Decker shouted. Thorne glanced over his shoulder and saw the Rippler head straight to them. He felt his holster pulled and saw his pistol lifted in Captain Deckers hand.
“Captain don..” Thorne was saying but it was too late, Decker managed to fire two shots, the first hit ripping through the wing and the Rippler began a spiral to the ground the second was way up in the air as the recoil from the ‘Emancipator’ was so strong it had snapped his forearm. Decker cried out in pain and let go. Thorne grabbed his flight harness but it snapped from the grip of his prosthetic hand being far too taught. Thorne watched Decker drop, and one of his pistols spin away. He drew his second pistol and aimed at Decker. A single shot and his head snapped back spraying blood and brains in the air, the body spun end over end from the impact. Decker’s body turned to pulp as it hit the ground, Thorne angled his jump jets decent so he didn’t land on what remained.