The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) (71 page)

“I don’t know for sure but there might be there was a large group in the rebel camp we attacked. Some managed to escape as well as several slaves of the other races.”

“We’ll cut them off.”

“And they will pay for the legionaries they killed Krongar. I swear it.”  

While he spoke on the com with G’kan, Gunar received the report from the scouts of the other group.

A moment later he came to Krongar.

“He says that they have the track of the escapees heading towards the swamps. His team is already on route.”

As they spoke another explosion was heard in the distance. A moment later they could all hear the sound of plasma fire.

They reacted immediately running towards the sound of fire. The scout was running fast and as he watched him Krongar knew that it was his team that was trapped.

Before they got there the fire stopped.

As they got there he saw several legionaries checking the dead bodies of nine of their comrades. He noticed his counterpart their commander lying in a pool of blood together with two other legionaries. Two of the legionaries were missing parts of their face and as he looked at them he felt disgusted.

“Where are they? Who were you shooting at?”

The legionary he asked pointed towards the swamps.

He looked at the direction and then thought about G’kan and his plan.

He turned towards Gunar.

“We are following a different group than G’kan.”

As he spoke he pulled out a map of the area. He thought for a second looking at it and then he spoke again.

“Tell the shuttles I want those two teams placed deep in the swamp. He pointed two points on the map.”

The two spots were represented a small rocky area inside the swamps, two small islands placed five milliarium’s ahead. The swamps were deep around them but between them they were about one meter deep and his guess was that the slaves would head in that direction.

“You know that they won’t be able to pursue them. The ground in the swamps acts like quicksand and considering their weight even where it’s just mud they will drown and be swallowed by the swamp.”

“I know it is dangerous Gunar but we have to stop them. There is something strange with these ones something doesn’t add up and we need to know what it is. Send the order.”

Gunar nodded and he sent the message to the shuttles.

As he did he heard Krongar giving the order to the legionaries to leave the bodies of the dead. He knew they would hate it but they had to hurry if they wanted to catch their prey.

The legionaries moved quickly when the order was given. They hated it but they were soldiers and they knew that time was of essence. The group moved quickly constantly moving towards the swamps ahead of them.

  Rivers looked at the two snipers as they approached. They both came from different sides Doc arriving just seconds before Jenkins.

“How far are they?”

“We have ten- fifteen minutes max before they reach us. And we have at least a platoon of them ahead. Two shuttles went that way.”

Rivers looked at Jenkins and then he turned towards the Illian. The smaller creature stepped forward as soon as Rivers looked at him.

“You have question?”

“Yes. There are two shuttles heading forward in the swamps. Is there a place where they could ambush us?”

The Illian thought for a second and then nodded.

“There are two islands ahead.”

Rivers looked at the map he had. It was crude but it showed two small patches of land in the middle of miles of water and trees. He looked at the distance and he guessed that they were about five miles ahead.

“We need to move sir.”

Rivers looked at Kelly. He nodded and indicated to him to lead the group that was with him.

Kelly just nodded and without saying a word he turned and went in the swamp. The others followed.

As they did Jenkins set seven claymores at different points creating a wide killing field. As he watched him he noticed several patches of C-4 placed between the trees in the back. They would all be triggered from distance. All except the five land anti personal mines of their own design. They were trip wired and couldn’t be distinguished from the trees and bushes were they were placed.  They had a wooden shell and were filed with small metal balls that Stinger and Luis always carried with them they also had animal teeth, and small sharp stones. He didn’t know how much damage they would do but they were worth the try. There was no time for any traps like the ones they prepared before so this would have to do.

“Sir we have a large group of Illians moving in this direction. They are pursued by at least two teams’ maybe more.”

Rivers looked at Sosar as the Illian was trying to understand what they were saying.

“A group of your people is approaching.”

The eyes of the Illian spread with surprise and hope. But as he looked in the eyes of Rivers and the others he knew that it was false hope.

“I’m sorry Acura but we can’t wait for them. If we do we will be cut off and overwhelmed.”

“And you can’t allow any of us to stay and help them because we know of you, because I know of you.”

Rivers nodded.

As he did Acura watched Jenkins who was covering the mines with leafs, earth and branches hiding them from sight.

“Kill as many as you can human. Avenge mine and your brothers.”

“That my friend we certainly will.”

The Illian stepped in the swamp and joined the others.

Anderson and Luis followed him.

Rivers looked at Jenkins and Doc.

“Sir we can’t wait for them but me and Doc can help them. We can help at least some of them to reach the water.”

Rivers looked at them.

“You know the risk you will be taking. It is dangerous. And the range of their weapons is still unknown. It’s too risky.”

“We will be well hidden and inside the swamps. These babies have a long reach.”

As he said that Doc patted the Barrette XM500 he was holding. The rifle was quite possibly the strongest weapon in human arsenal. At least until the new version, a copy of the weapons the Alterans used would enter production. Some of them should be in the hands of the marines that were on their way here but that wasn’t sure.

The fifty caliber cartridges it used, even the old models could easy penetrate any armor the Dacarians would be using.  And in the hands of a trained and expert sniper like Doc or Jenkins they were a deadly weapon at a distance of one mile and even more.

“I want you to place yourself well away from any danger. Activate the mines give them some support if you can but get your asses to us as fast as you can. There will be enemies upfront and I want you there when we meet them. If we can take the bastards from a distance...let’s say it’s a chance we won’t miss.”

“Yes sir.”

He nodded and went in to the murky water slowly moving towards the rest of the group.

As he did Jenkins took out the last two claymores he had in him and two more fragmentation grenades. He placed them on the bank covering the most likely places the dacarians might be using to ambush the coming escapees and Doc placed two of his claymores in the water.

After this they both entered in the water and with quick strides moved ahead. It took them a good five minutes to reach the best positions that they scouted even before they planted the mines.

They climbed the tall trees that even in the swamps rose hundreds of meters in to the sky all around them. They were different from the trees on the dry side of the jungle. It was obvious they were from a species that was well adapted to survive in this environment. As they watched they could see several predators moving in the water. They resembled the earth crocodiles. Those creatures seemed to be able to adapt anywhere.

The positions they took gave them a clear field of fire and good cover.

It didn’t take long for the Dacarians to arrive. They came out slowly, spread out over a large area obviously careful to avoid any traps.

The first group didn’t activate any of the wired traps. As they came to the bank they stopped four of them facing towards the swamp the rest turning to cover the rest of the legionaries that followed them. This group wasn’t as lucky as the first as they activated two of the wooden mines. As the mines exploded they threw away metal balls, stones and teeth that hit six legionaries. Most of the stuff bounced of their armor but enough penetrated to kill or maim four of them two survived the explosion but fell dead to two precise sniper shots that blew huge holes in their chests. Both Doc and Jenkins used the confusion to each make one kill.

The explosions angered the legionaries but it also made them cautious. They moved quickly trying to reach the safety of the bank. As soon as they reached it the sounds of weapons fire reached them and they turned back.

Arn looked behind as he heard the sounds of the plasma weapons fire. The small group of humans, Acadians and Illians who were too wounded to continue stayed behind allowing the rest of the forty three to escape. Ten of them faced more than sixty legionaries. He knew they wouldn’t last long but it would buy him and the others the few precious minutes to reach the safety of the swamps. At least he hoped they would be safe. There was a big chance there might be legionaries up ahead as well. He had the leftovers of an entire brigade. They were the only ones that managed to get this far. He guessed that there might be other groups hiding in the jungle but he knew it was a fore lone hope.

He moved as quickly as everyone else. The sound of firing could still be heard in the distance.

He looked at the group. Most were Illians but there were also humans, Acadians, Mag, and Macassi. All united against a common enemy. And all without much hope.

They were almost at the swamps when the dacarians sprang their trap. He lost all hope as he noticed the first seven members of his group go down. The rest took cover and opened fire. But he knew their time was up. The enemy was closing in from every side.

“Kill as many as you can. At them…”

He could hear the roar of approval from the others as he rose and rushed up front.

Krongar cursed the gods for his luck as the second group of slaves the ones G’kan was chasing opened fire on his men. He had three more platoons that joined him before he reached this position. One of them was half the predicted strength considering the trap they fell in too. But he still had seventy legionaries. He had enough men to go in pursuit of the ones he was really after and leave men here to trap this group. But it all depended on having enough time and they arrived before he could divide his forces. And he lost six men to another trap as soon as they reached the swamps. As the legionaries moved to covering positions constantly firing at the approaching slaves, three more bombs exploded causing havoc among their ranks and killing three more. Two were wounded but could still fight. Then he watched the rebels rush his men. He knew that it was desperation but he also knew that it was their only chance. And it was a move he valued. As he watched the front ranks collided, the huge Macassi warrior easily killing two legionaries one with his rifle the other with a knife. He fell a moment later as a legionary blew a hole in his chest firing at point blank. He was about to turn and give an order when he noticed something strange. The legionary that killed the Macassi was about to open fire on an Illian when his chest literally exploded and then another one fighting with a fallen human lost his head at almost the same moment.

He turned towards the swamp and started to yell at the same time ducking down.

Jenkins noticed the mixed group of rebels rushing the lines of the legionaries. Several of them fell but more than thirty clashed with front rank of the legionaries. He and Doc aimed and fired. He killed the legionary that killed the Lacarian soldier while Doc killed another one fighting with a human. As he did that he noticed one of the dacarians turning towards them and ducking. He noticed him yelling and just moments later several dacarians started firing towards them. They were far from hitting them but it was obvious that they are closing in. He guessed they had a way to track the bullets.

He took aim and fired another shot at the dacarian that he assumed was the commander.

He cursed as another one stepped in front of him. And then he activated the first set of mines.

Krongar cursed as he noticed Gunar jerk the moment he stood in front of him. He felt an impact in his stomach as the projectile that hit Gunar exited and hit him. As he watched his second in command he knew he was already dead. Gunar tried to say something but only gurgled sounds came out and he coughed blood and fell on the ground.

Before he could give another order the world around him exploded. He felt the impacts of the shrapnel tearing through his body before blackness took him.

Arn was stunned as the entire line of Dacarians was shredded in front of them. The only ones that remained unscathed were the ones fighting with his men. Three of them fell just moments later as the same ones that activated the mines shot them. He looked towards the swamp but saw nothing. As the last two Dacarians were killed the survivors rushed towards the water. From the forty three just sixteen survived and two of the humans fell just moments later hit in the back. Their pursuers had reached them.