Defending Earth-Searching for Death Feeders (29 page)

“I have no desire to carry this any further. Jelel should have just kept his temper. His fuse is entirely too short for my tastes.”

The Welken rose up on an elbow and Wes smiled, “You need to purchase a longer fuse like your friend here suggests.” The Welken nodded and Wes helped him to his feet. He walked over to Dom and he handed Wes his drink, “Thanks. Who are you?”

“I’ve just arrived from Boot.”

“It looks like from your unit patch that you and I are in the same unit.” Dom smiled and nodded. “Why don’t you look me up in the morning and I’ll show you around.”

“Thanks, I’d appreciate it.”

“Are they doing a good job of training on Eden?”

“I guess.” Suddenly, Wes threw a straight arm punch directly at Dom’s forehead. Dom leaned back and the punch stopped six inches short of making contact. Dom pivoted on his left leg and spun a left hand whip into the side of Wes’ head and he went down like a sack of rocks. When Wes regained consciousness, he saw the two Welken and Dom standing over him.

He shook his head and looked up at Dom, “Chin was your trainer?” Dom nodded. “What rating did you get?”

“He rated me a seven.”

“He’s never rates anyone a seven!”

“You can’t say that anymore.”

“Hell, I only got a six.” Dom helped him up and Wes stumbled into his chair, “You were anticipating me taking a swing?”

“You had your feet set to deliver it.”

“Chin always said to be prepared for trouble from the most unlikely of places. I guess you learned that lesson.” Dom smiled and nodded. “Well, you and I are going to be partners from this moment forward. If you’re a seven, then I could use the protection.” Wes stuck out his hand and Dom shook it.

• • •

Dom knew Wes was right but just didn’t like disobeying orders. Wes looked at the tactical view on his visor and said, “Dom, there are six heavy blasters moving in on us, if they get in range, all of us are going to go down. Are you with me?”

“The Lieutenant is going to have a duck.”

“Let him, we need to go remove those heavy blasters.”

Dom sighed, “Over or under?”

Wes smiled, “Under is always the best place to be.”

“On three, two, one…”

The two Armored Warriors left the front line of the Alliance Battalion at an incredible speed as they ran through the trees at the oncoming enemy forces. Red Alien Warriors were falling on each side of the two as they wove their way through the forest where the enemy had concentrated their forces. In less than eight seconds, they were a half mile from the six oncoming heavy blasters that began opening fire on them as they approached. Dom dodged right as a giant tree had the base burned out from under it and it fell with a crash on top of a platoon of enemy warriors. Dom raised his right arm and launched eight mini-missiles at the three heavy blasters on the right and he saw Wes launch at the three on the left. They turned and ran parallel to the enemy line moving in on them as the six heavy weapon platforms exploded and send a shockwave into the advancing enemy warriors behind them. Hundreds were knocked off their feet as the two Alliance Warriors opened fire on the right end of the advancing enemy line.

• • •

Captain Jacobs sat on the bridge of his transport and watched the Red Aliens advancing on the battalion that was holding formation against them and swore. He had already contacted Colonel Swanson and was told to mind his own business. The Colonel was an ass and was putting his command in jeopardy. He sat up straight as two warriors left the lines and attacked the advancing heavy blasters. At last, this idiot was doing the right thing. But after a few moments, he saw the two warriors had left the lines without orders. He heard Swanson order their arrest after the battle. His eyes narrowed and he looked at his scanner officer. “I’m recording everything, Sir.” Jacobs nodded and saw the massive explosion rip out into the giant forest as the blasters exploded. Without support, those two brave warriors wouldn’t last long.

• • •

Wes fired a swarm of missiles at the advancing enemy warriors, hit the ground, and rolled to the left as more than a hundred blaster bolts flashed by over his head. He immediately went to his feet and rushed over to Dom and laid down a heavy blaster beam across the woods in front of them. “I’m running low, Wes!”

“I am, too. Skip to the transport and reload. Another twelve enemy blasters are moving in on our lines.” Dom nodded and the two disappeared out of the forest and appeared on the transport’s landing bay. Wes yelled, “WE NEED A RELOAD!!”

Lieutenant Blake pointed at the two armor mounts, “Step in!” Dom and Wes stepped on to the two platforms and the robots came down and began filling their weapon’s magazines. Blake yelled, “DONE!!” Dom and Wes disappeared.

They arrived back in the forest a hundred yards in front of the advancing blaster platforms that were rumbling through the trees. There were no enemy warriors in front of the advancing blaster, it was suicide to be there. Dom stood up and emptied every mini-missile in his magazine and followed it up with three hundred smart projectiles. Wes emptied his magazines as well and the two disappeared again and appeared on the transport, “RELOAD!!”

Blake shook his head, “What are you doing?”

“RELOAD!!”

“Get on the two platforms to the left of those you just used!”

Dom and Wes reloaded and disappeared again. Meanwhile, the twelve heavy blasters went up in a horrific blast that leveled the forest for more than a mile around them and killed three thousand enemy warriors. Wes and Dom arrived as the shockwave blew out and rushed past the blasters that were burning.”

• • •

Cassidy Howell watched the explosions in the forest and knew that the two warriors that broke ranks were causing it. No more warriors had been killed after the two rushed away and everyone knew it was due to their efforts. Cassidy looked at the warriors around her and shook her head, “This is asinine.”

“Cassidy, hold your position.”

“Sir, tell the Colonel I think he is a real ass and I hope he eats dung and dies.” Cassidy looked at her tactical and activated her jump boots and flashed away from the lines and dropped in with Dom and Wes. “Could you two over achievers use a little help?”

Dom laughed, “Take the center and hold them back. We’ll work on the wings. Keep an eye out for their attack craft. I expect them to be arriving momentarily. The probes spotted six moving our way six minutes ago.”

“Got em on tactical. I’ll announce a launch when they arrive. You pay attention to the wings and don’t let us get surrounded!”

Cassidy raised her right arm and launched a hundred smart projectiles into the cleared land in front of her and hit the ground as three hundred blasters bolts flashed at her. She stayed on the ground and raised her arm and launched another hundred as the blaster bolts flashed by just a foot above her. This was what it was all about. She activated her jump boots and she slid along the ground out of the burning forest into the edge of the destruction. She used her heavy blaster to blow three large burning trees out of her path. She made it into the edge of the forest and leapt to her feet and ran toward the enemy’s right wing. Eighteen heavy artillery platforms were rumbling toward the front on their tracks and would be in range of the battalion’s lines shortly. She saw on her tactical visor that the other two warriors were also scrambling toward the artillery but she was closer. A Red Alien attack ship came roaring in blasting the ground with its blasters. She turned and jumped thirty feet to the right as the heavy laser beam flashed over the ground she just ran from. She raised her arm to fire a medium anti-aircraft missile but saw the attack craft blow up. One of the other two had hit it. She changed her aim and fired two missiles at two ships moving toward the other two’s locations. She went to full speed and wove her way through the trees. Blasters ripped through the forest starting another major fire but her armor could handle the heat. Two beams hit her but her force field shrugged them off. Her tactical visor suddenly emitted a high pitched sound and she hit the ground as ten beams from the artillery defenses targeted her and fired simultaneously. Thank God the probes were tracking their weapons. Every tree for a mile in the path of those beams was disintegrated into superheated gas. She turned and ran through the trees hoping the heat would disrupt the cannons sensors. She arrived on the backside of a slope and looked at her tactical view. The eighteen giant cannons were a mile away on the other side of the slope and she wondered why fleet hadn’t taken them out. She keyed her communicator, “Why hasn’t fleet taken these cannons out?”

Dom dodged behind a giant tree and said as he hit the ground, “It appears the other three battalions are in trouble as well. Where are you?”

“Can’t you see me on your tactical?”

“No.”

“I’m lying on a slope with burning trees surrounding me.”

“Got you. If you fire that close, those guns will fire a barrage at your location. You can only hit a couple and then you’re going to have to run.”

They’ll be in range of our forces in less than fifteen minutes. I have to take out more than a couple.”

“Wes and I are getting close. Wait for us to open up on their left flank and then take your shot.”

“That’s stupid! The two of you stand a better chance of taking them out. I’m by myself and can’t do nearly as much damage as the two of you. I’m going to open fire with every missile and projectile I have and the two of you should use that distraction to move in to their ranks and attack them from close range.”

“She’s right, Dom!”

“I don’t like this!!”

Cassidy shook her head, “We’ll discuss it over a drink after this is over.”

Dom shook his head and growled, “You’re buying!”

“Count it down.”

Dom saw the giant guns on his visor and moved in closer. He hit the ground and, a moment later, Wes landed next to him. Dom sighed and keyed his communicator, “Ok…on three; one, two,
Three!!”

Cassidy jumped up and fired every missile and projectile in her magazines. She saw the giant barrels on the heavy artillery platforms swing toward her and as her last missile left its magazine she threw herself backwards and activated her gravity jump boots. She shot down the slope and into the raging fire behind her. She felt the concussion of the artillery blasts behind her and her armor bounced more than six feet off the ground as she continued to move into the burning forest. Another huge blast close by lifted her fifteen feet and darkness took her when she slammed down to the ground as her systems overloaded.

• • •

Lieutenant Kemper listened to the transmissions of the three warriors that broke ranks and was ashamed at what was happening. He knew that those three had prevented numerous deaths of their fellow warriors. The two that initially left were his warriors. He heard the rumbling of the other members of his platoon and knew they were past anger. He sighed and heard the female warrior stop transmitting. His anger won. He hit his private unit frequency, “Lock and load. We are going to go and see about helping our brothers. On my command, jump in on those cannons. READY, JUMP!!”

The remaining forty eight members of the platoon left the lines of Alliance Warriors and sailed over the burning forest in front of them. Colonel Swanson screamed at Kemper, “MOVE YOUR PLATOON BACK IN FORMATION!!”

“Marvin laughed, “You have enough left to protect you. I have two brave brothers-in-arms that need protecting as well, Sir. Come on out and arrest me!”

“I’ll have you shot!”

“The enemy will probably beat you to it, Sir. But at least I’ll die killing enemies of our people.”

A moment later, Captain Purdue announced over the company’s frequency, “I believe we have some of our company in harm’s way. Follow me out to bring them back for disobeying orders.”

The other four platoons in E Company shot out of ranks toward the distant artillery platforms.”

“Captain Purdue! What are you doing?”

“I thought you wanted that platoon arrested. I’m going to carry out your orders.”

“I didn’t order you to arrest them?”

“You didn’t? Oh, my bad. But since I’m already out here, I might as well take out as many of the enemy as possible.”

Colonel Swanson was furious but saw eight more companies blast away from his ranks and move out on the enemy forces. He activated his communicator, “CAPTAIN JILES, IF YOU LEAVE RANKS I WILL ORDER FLEET TO FIRE ON YOUR COMPANY!”

“Don’t worry, Sir. I lost the draw.”

“WHAT DRAW?”

“All of the Company Commanders drew to see which one of us would remain behind to defend your worthless ass. I lost.”

“I’LL HAVE YOU COURT MARSHALED!”

“It’ll be worth it, Sir.”

• • •

Captain Jacobs looked at his Scanner Officer, “Send what you’ve recorded to the Admiral’s personal attention. Put a Red Star on it.”

“Yes Sir.”

• • •

Amelee was starting to look at the status of the other planets when the recording arrived and she pulled it up. She watched it and felt her anger grow to rage. She set the Light Drive and arrived above the planet and hit the drive on her armor. She arrived at Col. Swanson’s headquarters and saw the Colonel standing outside behind a company of armored warriors. She activated her armor, “Colonel, what are you doing here when your warriors are fighting the enemy?” Every warrior turned and saw the Admiral. Swanson was shocked and he couldn’t speak. Amelee looked at Captain Jiles, “Captain, shouldn’t you be fighting with your brothers?”

“Yes Sir. The Colonel is going to have all of them arrested for not following his orders.”

“I’d arrest you if you did. Now take your company and give them hell!”

Jiles smiled and said, “YES SIR!”

Amelee looked at Swanson, “Colonel, you have a decision to make.”

“What?”

“I’m arresting you for cowardice in the face of the enemy and that will probably get you shot. Or you can accept an immediate demotion to private and go out and join your units fighting the enemy. If you perform well, I’ll allow you to resign from the service.”

“But Sir!”

“There is no but!! Decide.”