Chapter There are no victors in war

Chapter Holding Ground

Chapter Race against time

Chapter Time to go on the offensive

Chapter Line in the Sand

Chapter Endgame

Chapter A War of Attrition

Chapter Bad Days

Chapter Move it

Chapter Hard Decisions

Chapter Far from done

Chapter Help is Coming

Chapter It comes to this

Chapter And they held

Chapter Time to change tactics

Chapter Slow and Steady

Chapter Time to End This

Chapter Redeployment

Chapter Time to Face the Music

Chapter Don’t Catch a Tiger by The Tail

Check out http://michaelchatfield.com for a full map of the Free Fleet universe.

Chapter There are no victors in war

Hic Stamus rumbled with fire, it was a constant and tiring noise. We had been in the planet’s atmosphere for a few days, much to the displeasure of the Kalu.

With every rumble my super-carrier destroyed a new section of Chaleel’s planet. I tried to not think about the cleanup that would happen after the battle across the planet. Chaleel supplied many planets with food from the farms that ran around the entire planet. Fields now filled with Kalu that were trying their damnedest to make it through the Free Fleet ships that floated above them, the Heavily Armored Powered Armor, or HAPA’s that marched beneath us and the Chaleelian tanks that added their own withering fire.

We weren’t killing the Kalu, we were eradicating them. They were the new crops of Chaleel and harvest had come in the shape of the Free Fleet.

“Something on your mind?” Rick asked me. The first time I’d met him, he’d patched my shoulder up. I’d been Salchar a world-class gaming celebrity. He had been a recent new addition to the American Air force. Five years later and I was Salchar the Commander of the Free Fleet, he was the Chief of Staff.

We had fought the Syndicate, Kalu, every kind of race and even our own. We had somehow survived battles that all too many hadn’t, I was twenty-two and damn if I didn’t feel old.

“Just thinking about the first couple of times that we were here,” I said, my eyes no longer focusing on the screens that processed information from my personal fleet, and the other actions of the Free Fleet at large.

“Times be changing,” Rick said, I could hear similar emotions in his voice.

The first time we had come to Chaleel it had been in a baptism of fire. We had just finished training at Hachiro, it hadn’t been named that yet, and we were told to take and hold Chaleel’s power plants.

We’d taken those positions and terrorized the people of Chaleel under the instructions of the Syndicate. Half of our number had stayed here and the rest had continued on towards Parnmal. We didn’t have a choice in the matter, not doing as we were told meant that we were tortured, or killed.

My jaw clamped in anger, thinking of those months that had turned us from kids and teenagers into soldiers. It had also led to the creation of the Free Fleet.

With our return to Chaleel, we rescued our people and took on the Syndicate forces in the system. This also led to us freeing Chaleel. They’d been apprehensive of our actions at the beginning, it took them time to warm up to us. We promised to do our best in looking out for them and set out towards Earth.

Chaleel was under attack again, and again the Free Fleet was protecting them. They weren’t the only system that the Free Fleet was defending. We were spread across nine systems fighting the Kalu.

Sol had Orshpa making his entrance into the system.

Daestramus had started their ground campaign against Orshpa’s prime Falhu which had finally taken out the planet’s cities which had been converted into laser-canoes. Calling them Laser cannons was a weak comparison to the fire that they had hurled into the Kalu forces.

“How long until Bregend’s Henry-Classed Destroyers in Daestramus reach Earth and Cheerleader?” I asked.

“A day for Earth, they’re going to do three jumps. Five days for the other half to get to Cheerleader,” Rick said.

I nodded, they would be joining what looked to be the last two star-battles against the Kalu. Hopefully withering down Orshpa’s fleet down to something that wouldn’t immediately overwhelm the Free Fleet infrastructure and Earth.

I looked to the swiping information across the deck, while I wouldn’t be in Earth for a few days, Whorst and all of the ships I was capable of releasing from Chaleel were on their way.

I stood from my seat, striding forth in my powered armor, my feet clanked on the floor as I wrapped my hands over the railing. I watched the main screen that looked at the ground beneath us.

Machines of war followed in our path, weapons fire lashing out from our turrets. I watched as we burned away Chaleel and the Kalu infection that had touched it.

We killed thousands of the Kalu in minutes. I had seen the feeds from Jakram, I remember having fought the Kalu on Heija.  Some might call this fight a genocide, I wasn’t sure that I’d disagree with them. I was sure that I wasn’t going to give the Kalu an honorable fight.

I watched and waited, I dared not look away, bartering my soul for the victory that would come. This was an extermination.

A part of me wished the fights had been this easy on the other planets. Another part of me wished that war was never as easy as this.

When the dust settles and the people finally look out to see their lands are clear of Kalu, will they look to the sky in fear? That thought pervaded my mind as Hic Stamus and the rest of my fleet continued their unrelenting push forward. Kalu fighters still tried to attack us, wings of our own Multiple Environment Fighters, or MEF’s smashing into them with the assistance of the Personal Defense Systems of our warships.

Hic Stamus rolled, we’d taken a number of hits on our presented side. Bots moved across the side not shown to the Kalu fighters and started their repairs.

“Not long until the Kalu fighters start running out of fuel,” Rick observed.

“Couldn’t come fast enough,” I replied, standing away from the railing while rolling the shoulders of my powered armor.

I walked back to my chair, pulling up information on Commander Whorst and Foshunti’s fleet.

***

“Let’s be about it,” Commander Whorst said, looking to his command center. Calling it a bridge would be pushing it. He was the Commander of War-station the biggest mobile platform in known existence.

Five decks made up the command center to relay all of the information of the station and the fleet.

A hologram appeared of a creature wearing a dark cloak with Dovarkian numbers in grey running over it.

“Devastahli, good of you to join us,” Commander Whorst said, the apparition looking to him with glowing red eyes. Commander Whorst had never seen the form underneath the cloak, but the way it lay across Devastahli’s body spoke to the holographically animated muscles that bunched with every movement.

“Seeing as you are the one’s piloting my habitat I have little ability to be anywhere else,” he said. His voice was harsh and deep.

Whereas Devastahli was large with a deep voice, Whorst was average height with dirty blonde hair and a muscular build. No one in the Free Fleet got through training without muscle.

“Such is the way of the Free Fleet, we go where we’re told,” Whorst said, his eyes on the holographic sphere around him. It took the collective information from those around him and allowed him to manipulate it with ease.

Right now he was looking at a representation of Sol, Orshpa and his forces had entered the system along a path that took them towards Mars. While it was a good path to mars, it wasn’t a good path to Earth. Earth was about Twenty degrees off of Mars and a hell of a lot farther.

“Wormhole generators are good to go, shifting power to the projectors,” Peck said from his position at Helm.

What looked to be a spinning sphere appeared before War-station and the rest of the Fleet. Their Wormhole to Sol.

“Let’s get a move on then,” Whorst said, the station’s engines increased power, passing through the wormhole’s event horizon, other ships also opening and passing through their wormholes.

The Screens changed for a few moments and then flashed to life with the Faster-Than-Light relays recognizing them and shunting all of the sensor data of the system into their systems.

“We are clear of hostiles,” Zal said, studying sensors.

“Clearing wormhole and setting course for Mars,” Peck said.

“Richter, take us off of alert.” Whorst looked to the blonde haired, blue eyed poster boy that was his second-in-command.

“Sir,” Richter acknowledged, his eyes on his screens as lights changed colors and people took their powered armor’s helmets off.

“Arfo, get me a channel to Commander Foshunti,” Whorst said as this was going on.

“One moment,” Arfo said.

A ping on Whorst’s holographic sphere told him that Foshunti was available.

“Letting us go Commander?” Foshunti asked. Whorst could hear the hunger in Foshunti’s voice, undoubtedly being stuck to go the pace of War-station had played on the other commander’s nerves.

You’d be lying if you said it didn’t play on yours too, Whorst thought to himself.

“Yes, you and your squadron are free to go, good hunting commander,” Whorst said.

“And you too Commander,” Foshunti cut off the channel.

“Commander Foshunti’s squadron is moving away,” Zal said a few moments later.

Twenty-seven ships moved to intercept the Kalu heading towards Earth.

Whorst and nineteen other ships were powering on towards Mars. According to the laws of physics and Peck’s calculations, the Free Fleet would be there in a day with eight hours to spare before the Kalu arrived.

Whorst changed his view of the system, looking to the fleet that was approaching Earth, since it was going along a path with less planets and gravitational objects on it, the Henry-Classed Destroyers, or HCD’s were jumping around the fleet, hitting them with their laser cannons.

Whorst had watched their attacks while the Kalu crossed the systems between Chaleel and Sol, now they were on their final leg. Kalu fighters raced around the Kalu fleet and tried to bring the HCD formations under fire, but they were too far away and their lasers too weak to do too much damage. They had got lucky and the HCD’s had grouped together more tightly and spread away from the Kalu formation.

The hope was that the Kalu fighters would burn a hell of a lot of fuel, plus with their lack of bombs to accelerate themselves like the rest of the Kalu fleet, the Kalu fleet had to travel at slower speeds.

It wouldn't be long until they got too far in-system for them to keep jumping ahead of the Kalu without severe risks of the wormhole malfunctioning and opening in the wrong place or the wormhole’s being unstable and destroying any ships that traveled them.

Not long ago Whorst had been the system commander of Earth. In the short time that he had been away from his post it had changed. Mars was creating its own cities, Hachiro was now twice the size and there were three other asteroids that had been moved into orbit to become stations. Nancy was nearly as big as she had been before she donated Nelly and Nate to Chaleel and AIH.

Markers of haulers, freighters and shuttles moved between all of the different structures. Earth by contrast had only a few ships moving around the entire planet. After they had tried to take over the Free Fleet they had been ostracized by the space-going community at large. Most of the ships that were moving around were either private company owned, or built by the governments of Earth. Each of them represented a good chunk of Earth’s resources and credits.

The Kalu ships, even with all that the HCD’s had done outnumbered all of the ships in-system by a hefty margin. That wasn’t even including their fighters.

“Let’s have a look at those weapon emplacements around Mars again,” Whorst said. He had one task, keep Mars safe. It was Foshunti’s job to look after Earth.

Gun emplacements appeared on the map in front of him, detailing what their range and cones of fire were.

He had a battle to plan for and if there was a saint Murphy, and he knew there was there would be last minute alterations and decisions that he would have to make.

***

Commander Wesom looked over what had been the purple’s, yellows and blues of Jakram. Now there were just scars, fires and the bodies of Free Fleet and Kalu alike.

Five hundred thousand Commandos had been waiting on the planet when the battle had started, four hundred thousand more of the population had volunteered for combat, two hundred and thirteen thousand were left of either force, but the civilians were safe.

Wesom wanted to fall in the dirt and cry, he had lost so many friends, so many people had died and yet he had survived to see this terrible sight.

There was a booming noise from above, the first Free Fleet ships were finally descending towards the planet. Following them were the Free Merchant ships that would drop off what aid they could and gather up Wesom and his forces. They were needed on Ershue, Jakram might be safe, but the Free Fleet and the Kalu were far from finished in their war.

“Check all of our people, make sure they are ready to go,” Wesom said, he turned towards the space port. The view didn’t change much, signs of death and loss were everywhere. He stood in what had been the capital of Jakram. Now it was falling buildings, burnt parks and bodies. Kalu lay across defenses, civilians that hadn’t run lay in the street. Wesom had opened his mask when he exited the bunkers and promptly evacuated the purple soup the Free Fleet lived on.

The planet smelt like death a few months old in a humid atmosphere.

Civilians walked through the cities, looking in wonder and shock. Volunteers walked around, making sure there were no surprises. Some had found a comfortable place to sit and were crying, sleeping, or looking at what had become of their planet.

Wesom moved through defensive positions that he had manned just months or weeks ago, they felt like years.

He trudged through the mess, his second, Jar sent him an alert. The first Commandos were boarding their shuttles and other craft.

He picked up his pace, memories flicked through his mind as he focused on his path through the destroyed city.

It didn’t take him long to get to the space port.

Commandos, HAPA’s and personnel moved in order to the massive Free Fleet warships and Merchant freighters. He cast a look over the city that was perched on the edge of a cliff. The sun was near afternoon, but the red dust from bombarding the planet so many times with the Free Fleet’s shipboard guns made it look pink. Some said that it would remain for generations.

A month of fighting and we changed an entire planet for generations. He shook his head, not knowing if he felt, disgust, guilt, anger or just frustration.

He opened up his HUD, information filling his field of view, a line showed him the way to his ship. He joined the moving mass of a hundred a seventy-three thousand Commandos.

It was quiet other than the thumping of armor on the space port’s reinforced pad. They all knew where they were going and they all knew some of them weren’t coming back.

They were veterans, one and all, gone were the illusions of heroism or the belief that they couldn’t be killed.

I just hope I kill more of the bastards before they take me out, Wesom summarized their feelings as he thumped aboard a shuttle. The doors sealed and the shuttle took off, he fell into a seat, a harness clamping over him.

The rough jostling was nothing like the pounding of the Free Fleet’s cannons, he quickly fell asleep, he’d need all the rest he could get before Ershue.

***

Fal looked at the main screen that displayed what had come to be referred to as ‘The Mound’ on Ershue.

The landscape had changed in ways he had never thought possible since the Kalu landed. Swathes of sacred forest had been ripped apart by both the mound's artillery and the Kalu's lasers.

The mounds flat top had been dug into with massive trenches and the three-kilometer-wide and three story tall base that he stood in the center of.

Smoke rose from the forest. Trees for kilometers around the mound had been turned into wreckage. The vibrant colors of the forest colored with destruction.

It hurt him inside to see the new scars that his planet now bore.

"We will rebuild Fal," Kurft said, reading his thoughts as he too looked at the main screen.

"I know," Fal answered, their eyes meeting briefly before they looked towards the screen again.

"We have word coming in from the guerilla forces," Poj said, referring to the platoon sized Ershue units that had been deployed around the planet to make the Kalu's lives a living hell. They'd done well in their duties, poisoning food and water so Kalu were barely able to fight, booby trapping their lines of approach and designating camps for bombing targets.

It hadn't been without risks. Hundreds had died in order to carry out their duty.

"On screen," Kurft said. The guerilla forces always got priority.

It was an artillery designation, the reason that they were asking for confirmation was because it was on a fuelling facility.

The Kalu weren't as dumb as they looked, they had brought machinery and supplies with them in order to keep themselves and their weapons going. Including Helium processors that could turn water into fusion fuel.

"Confirm target and send," Kurft said, his voice gruf, he knew the kind of damage that would come on the planet. Fal felt as if he was bartering a bit of what the Human's called 'soul' away as the order was given. A number of Ershue had needed to be removed from the command center as they watched their planet being destroyed. Their planet was their legacy, their home. It was a part of them like few other races felt.

Kurft seemed to be touched by it and understand it on some level.

Somewhere in the base Planetary Rail Cannons fired, and a swathe of Ershue was cleared of all life. The area of forest on the screen bloomed into a cloud of destruction. There seemed to have been a power plant on the location. It had been punctured by the artillery fire, reacted with the opened storage tanks of Helium-three and turn into a bomb that shook the base with it's ferocity. Kilometers of forest burned. Fal just hoped that there was little to no fallout so that they might one day reclaim that portion of their home.

"The Kalu look to be massing along sector three," Poj said with sadness and determination in her voice.

"Alert the HAPA units in that sector, have artillery see if they can coax them out," Kurft said looking to the map.

The Mound base had thirteen trench lines that extended to within a few kilometers of the incline that led from the forest to the barren rock face.

Seven of those lines had been pulled back from, sealed off and their booby traps activated.

Fifty-nine thousand Commandos, both from the fleet and Ershue had died in the defense of those lines. It was a small price to pay for the more than a hundred and fifty million Ershue that hid in the catacombs cut under the base and into the mound.

“I’m going out,” Kurft said, passing his pad to Fal.

“I will come too commander,” Fal said respectfully, their HAPA numbers had been ground down. Fal was certified to use them and he didn’t want to sit back as his commander went out there and fought.

Kurft looked over him, he nodded, pulling the data pad back and handing it to Poj. “Keep us safe,” Kurft said.

There wasn’t the nervousness Fal would have expected to see in Poj’s wings. She knew her abilities and if Kurft bestowed his trust in her, then she would carry out her task to the best of her ability.

Fal clamped his helmet closed, Kurft did the same, they weaved their way through the base, it was a large base but they knew it well. It wasn’t long until they were in the grimy armory racks. HAPA’s powered up and moved, their users making sure they were running properly. Racks shifted as people moved to join their units. Ammunition belts rattled as ammunition was fed into the beast’s magazines and then up to their medium rail cannons. Elevators dropped from the floor above, more HAPA’s following.

The room was hard used, grease and scars ran across the walls and ceilings.

Fal twitched his wings, his powered armor translated it into walking. Ershue didn’t walk all that much, but the heavy powered armor translated these movements.

In space with their reactive thrusters then they were free to fly.

Fal climbed up his HAPA and ambled his way in, he didn’t miss the easy way that Kurft swung himself into position and started the powering up sequence.

Fal got orientated and powered up, the machine rumbled to life underneath him.

Again the interface between his wings and powered armor began to move, which made his HAPA move. He rocked with the HAPA’s large gait, he walked, flicking switches to bring ammunition to both guns and alter the gait of the HAPA to better suit him. Another closed the harness around his powered armor and mated it to the HAPA’s.

He checked the harness and grabbed the dual joy sticks to either side of him. He flicked a toggle on the side. His missile pods came up and locked into position.

Kurft was ahead of him and moving through the HAPA commandos heading to the hallways that surrounded the armored facility, and would put them in front of the approaching Kalu.

HAPA’s were jogging, a simple enough looking practice, but one of the most complex.

Fal hit another toggle on the sides of his joysticks, they became free, whirring as he brought them up, he shifted his arms and the cannons on them from side to side, checking his range of motion.

“All good?” Kurft asked over personal communications channel.

“Five by five,” Fal said, remembering a human saying that had stuck.

Kurft let out a huff of air and picked up the pace into a jog. Fal followed, switching the second last toggle on his joysticks. The guns rotated, revealing plasmid swords. He hit the toggle again and the cannons came back.

He felt his body moving side to side with the elongated steps of the HAPA. It had felt so odd and heavy compared to flying. After months of training he was used to it.

Kurft turned and came out of the corridor.

A hatch had been opened to allow the HAPA’s to stream out. Kurft’s arms came up his rail cannons firing.

Fal followed, checking his cannons again.

Then he too was going through the hatch and saw a sight that training could never replicate. HAPA’s stood or took a knee in any depression they could find, grouping together and firing at the oncoming Kalu. Artillery rained down over the edge of the mound and on the side of it. There wasn’t enough additional support to keep them all back and the Kalu had spread out enough that the artillery didn’t kill that many of them.

Fal realized he had blanked for a moment, thankfully he hadn’t stopped moving and slid down a crater wall. He used the opposite side to stop himself, other HAPA’s came around and joined him.

While training couldn’t make up the sights he was seeing, it did train him to react. He raised his cannons, his HUD showing him the cameras mounted on them, and he found his first Kalu.

He squeezed his trigger, seeing it slump down in a hail of rounds. He paused, realizing that he had just killed another creature. Not going to help if the Kalu overrun you and kill your family and friends.

His wings tightened and he sunk into his training, he focused on finding targets and filling them with rounds.

He was no longer sub-commander Fal, he was just another Commando trying to hold the line as Kalu charged over their lines and dove into the trenches.

The Kalu scampered up the edges, jumping on the HAPA’s where they could.

Plasmid blades buried themselves into the Kalu’s shells, others fired their guns even when in close combat. Metal giants fought armored wolves.

Fal fired his last remaining missile into the oncoming Kalu, firing his cannons at the pack that were racing through entrenchments. All of the booby traps had been destroyed at this point. The remaining trenches were too short to give powered armor and HAPA’s cover, the Kalu were half the size. They raced through the trenches, using their cover to come charging at Fal.

“Commandos on me!” Fal barked over a close-communication channel, turning his bulk and bringing his cannons to bear, his cannons barked, rattling his entire frame.

It was a kind of exhilaration that he had never thought to feel. His cannons moved independently, tracking down the multiple runs of Kalu. HAPA’s announced their arrival by sliding around him or rolling to a stuttering step, pausing their mass. Their guns blazed and for a moment they held the Kalu back.

For a moment Fal hoped that they could get enough time to push back.

He hadn’t been watching as a large contingent of Kalu joined the smaller pack that had gained entrance into the trenches.

The Kalu in the rear surged over the sides of the trenches, giving the HAPA’s too many targets to handle.

Fal likened them to a nest of seldar.

“Blades!” One of the Commandos said, guns rotated and set in place as the first HAPA’s were rocked back with incoming Kalu.

Fal realized he was screaming as his arms moved wildly, bashing, cutting and attempting to stave off the massive wolves.

The Kalu had trained from birth to kill others with their teeth and claws. Fal had learned how to fly, to play, to experience joy with his connection to all living creatures and things.

Kalu blood covered his HAPA, he fought without thinking. Ignoring the past and whatever reasons he might have for being there. To stop was to die.

He felt pain in his side, he released an arm joystick and grabbed his shotgun, it bellowed, clearing the Kalu off of his HAPA. He struggled upright, his side burning now in pain. He didn’t dare to look down. Another Kalu lurched at him, he grabbed his joystick and dragged his blade through them, he weaved, each motion he used to sway as if drunk.

The Kalu writhed in dying agony, the movement made Fal stumbled and almost fall, his right arm stopped him from falling over completely.

He took a breath, looking at the ground, glancing to his sensors and hearing more Kalu on his back.

Fury rode him, he yelled pushing off of his arm and slamming on his back, he hit the ground with his left arm and rolled away, getting to his HAPA’s feet, being on the ground was death.

He switched his right to a cannon, firing it into the two recovering Kalu that had been on his back.

His HAPA locked and Hellfire made him go rigid.

He grunted and wailed through his suit, it was a big dose. He knew that wasn’t a good thing, the Wake up got him back into fighting order within moments.

“No rest in the Commandos,” Fal said, remembering the words of other Commandos as he stumbled towards the line he had been holding, he switched his left arm’s blade for a cannon and fired as he walked up the small rise. He had work to do.

The artillery had stemmed the flow of Kalu and made the oncoming Kalu manageable. It looked like they had broken the Kalu’s charge, for now.

The ground rumbled with more HAPA’s reinforcements coming in and adding their firepower to Fal’s and the three survivors of the line, there had been seventeen before.

Fal bit back his emotions, shifting to a new position with better cover, warning signs were all over his armor.

“We’ve got this now, go and get yourself sorted,” a Commando said on a private channel.

“I can...” Fal started.

“Be quick about it yes, that hellfire and wake up is going to drain off and you’re going to be in a damn sorry state,” the Commando said.

“You may have a point.” Fal turned to leave before pausing, “Vamp me first.” He moved back from the line, holding out an arm to the Commando.

They reached their arm over, connecting ports. Fal watched as his ammunition dropped to ten percent, pouring into the Commandos internal magazines.

“Good luck,” Fal said, before heading for the base at a jog, he got a few laser strikes on his back, but the HAPA barely dipped below yellow.

He got into the hatch, his vision swimming and his Wake-up was wearing off.

he weaved a little, gritting his teeth and headed towards the HAPA armory. He locked out his arms and made sure to keep out of people’s way. A medic saw him and waved for him to stop. He ground to a halt, it was hard for him to keep his eyes open. The medic jumped up, making sure the HAPA was locked into place and started staring at his side. He felt new hellfire go raging through his system. The auto-injector must be dumping its remaining reserves into his system, he desperately wanted to hit the medic who’d activated it.

Fucking hellfire!

Oblivion took him and he slumped into his harness.

Chapter Holding Ground

“Here they come,” Cheerleader said as wormholes appeared just past Quarst’s asteroid field.

“Release the jump fighters. Send a message to Salchar and the rest of the fleet. What is the status of our reinforcements from the Kalu independents and the HCD’s?” She asked. She’d memorized how long it would take the fleets to reach her. Though it would serve to steady her crew.

Jump fighters that had been ready were launched from the sides of her carriers. The rest of the fleet came to alert and shifted like one great behemoth to face the oncoming Kalu.

Jump pilots rushed through the halls, more jumpers adding to the numbers that were already heading away from the fleet. The first wings projecting wormholes to bring fire down on the Kalu.

“Four days for Bregend’s forces, a day for the independents and everything that Min Hae was able to scrape together,” Werv said.

“Well we’re going to have to see if we can’t get the Kalu to fight it out in the system for a bit,” Cheerleader said.

“Prepare the fleet for jump, we’re not going to let our jumpers have all of the fun,” Cheerleader said. She looked around the deck, she saw the fear lurking behind haunted eyes of those that knew what was coming. They would fight to give the other fleets time to assemble and hammer the Kalu into nothing.

She felt the same emotions, and like she, they pushed them away and worked their stations. None of those distractions or feelings would help them.

“Generators or Capacitors?” Halla asked from Helm.

“Generators,” Cheerleader said. She wanted to give her people a chance to escape when this all went to shit.

“Yes Commander,” Halla said, turning back to her position.

“Onur, get an assessment on our Commando compliments. Simiah I want a report on our own weapons as well as the rest of the fleets,” Cheerleader said, glancing to her screens, the last jumpers had left their carrier and were heading far enough away from the ships to wormhole behind the still emerging Kalu.

The fist Jumpers were already bringing the Kalu under fire.

***

“They’re converging on Asul,” Hod yelled up to Ursht.

Ursht nodded, securing the hydraulic line that he’d replaced on his HAPA.

“Then we shall meet them on the field of battle,” Ursht said, he didn’t have to look down to see the unhappy frown on his seconds face.

“Do no worry Hod, we will not be playing by their rules by any standard. I believe it’s time that we went over the plan for Asul,” Ursht said, dropping from his HAPA next to Hod. It was hard to hear with the noises of repairs, HAPA’s moving around, as well as ammunition and fuel being reloaded.

“Yes commander,” Hod said, interest in her eyes.

She might try to keep Ursht out of battle a lot, but they were both Avarians, there was only so much distance that they could put between themselves and battle.

***

“Mills, you have command,” Bregend said, standing in his clanking power armor.

“Yes commander, I will be down as soon as possible,” Mills said.

They looked to one another, understanding passing between them.

“Then I will see you down there,” Bregend said, his armored hand clanking on Mills own powered armor shoulder. Bregend headed for the bridge’s doors, behind him the fleet had opened up their shuttle bays and a veritable flood of shuttles, fighters and bombers were heading for Daestramus.

It was nothing like the tsunami Falhu and his forces had crashed through Daestramus’ atmosphere and into their cities.

Yet it filled all those that saw it with pride and more importantly, hope.

I wonder what the Kalu are thinking seeing as we come for them, Bregend thought as he entered the first door, it clamped behind him. The other opened a few moments after the bolts behind him had locked.

Bregend turned and headed out from his bridge, towards the shuttle bays.

He checked his weapons and gear with small touches.

His HUD laid down a path before him. The ship felt as if it was emptying into the shuttle bay. Engineers, gunners, anyone that could get away from their task, were. They were already entombed in their armor. They strapped extra ammunition and their personal weapons.

They might not be pretty, but they sure as hell looked fierce. Bregend nodded to himself as he looked over the battle scarred machines of war.

Visors closed and sealed, armor tightened, weapons were loaded and plasmid weaponry was checked.

HAPA’s thumped through the shuttle bay and onto their berths with their rolling strides. Their bulk swayed with each step emphasizing the power and strength of the walking armored tanks.

Bregend passed his hand over a HAPA rack, his armor came into view, swaying from its usual place.

He swung up it and jumped into the seat, firing it to power and locking himself in. “Weapons good, power good, harness locked, and we’re moving.” He rolled with the HAPA’s movements, stepping down from the harness that held him and into the shuttle bay.

People reverted to their training as Commandos, filing onto shuttles with their powered armor, or HAPA’s.

Bregend’s HUD updated and he found an open shuttle. He moved across the deck, powered armor only Commandos made sure to get out of his lumbering way. It really sucked to be stepped on by a HAPA.

He clambered up the ramp and onto the shuttle. Special harnesses grabbed the top of his HAPA and footholds were waiting for him. He pressed his feet into them, locking the HAPA into the shuttle’s structure.

Power was fed from the engines and he was pulled forward on a conveyor belt.

The HAPA’s were laid out in a T-formation, they ran from both side ramps down the center aisle to the rear ramp. Commandos filed in along the sides wearing their powered armor, hefting the biggest firepower they could get their hands on. Ammunition crates had been connected to the deck and locked down like Bregend was.

Commandos muttered to one another and talked, trying to get rid of the jitters. If it did or didn’t Bregend was none the wiser. Three more HAPA’s thumped into position.

With the last locking their legs in, the rear ramp rolled up.

“Good for drop!” The Cargo master said over the shuttle’s speakers.

The shuttle rose and moved forward. Bregend changed his HUD view so he was watching both the battle on Daestramus and the orbiting Free Fleet warships as they fired down onto the planet. From between the rail cannon fire, shuttles formed up and headed down into Daestramus’ atmosphere.

It was one hell of a sight. There were thousands of complex operations going on to create the display he now saw. He felt pride in his chest at his fleet and his people.

The shuttle shook as it started to enter Daestramus’ atmosphere.

“Fuck this is weird,” someone said.

“How?” Another asked.

“Every simulated drop you’re being shot at. The Kalu don’t even fucking care. Just want to fight us on the ground, fucking wolves,” the first replied, using the slang for the Kalu.

Some had tried to use dogs, but come on, dogs are pretty awesome and they don’t deserve that kind of moniker.

“Complaining that you’re not getting the full Free Fleet shuttle express? I can ask the pilot if he wants to try and get his wings?” Someone, senior by the sound of it, said.

“No Company Commander I rescind my statement! This is a lovely day, why look at those nice ice fields over there, it does look like that is where the people of Daestramus expect us to hold the Kalu back,” the first one replied. Bregend saw the alert coming in. He checked it out. It wasn’t his place to say anything, he was just along for a ride on a shuttle.

“It is a small world,” Bregend said, letting out a laugh and shaking his head as much as his helmet would allow.

“Who are you? You don’t look like fourth HAPA squad.” The mouthy one was bored again.

Bregend put it down to nerves, but it was getting annoying.

“That you friggin idjit, is Ship Commander Bregend!” The senior woman from before said.

“Uh, sorry sir,” the complainer said.

“No worries,” Bregend answered, comfortable in his harness.

“What’s a small world?’ The complainer asked.

Bregend couldn’t help but smile.

This kid is relentless, His face soured and he puckered his lips. When the hell did I start thinking of twenty-somethings as kids? I’m only twenty-one! He shook away his errant thoughts, remembering the Commando’s question.

“That’s the facility that Salchar was being held at. It was the one that the Free Fleet assaulted to get free those held hostage by Marhtu,” Bregend said.

“No shit,” the Commando’s voice wasn’t rude just a bit shocked.

The shuttle flared out, slowing their descent and turning to make the ramps face the defenses.

Ramps started opening moments later. The shuttle touched down, the first HAPA’s and Commandos dismounting in almost the same moment.

Bregend freed himself from the harness and worked his way towards the trenches. His path altered slightly, seemed someone know he was down on the planet.

Hopefully they didn’t try to get him to stay back and coddle him. He was going to put an end to that damned quickly. He plodded on, checking feeds. He barely noticed as he walked into the underground facility, past the Daestramus forces, Commandos base staff and civilians that filled and moved in the halls.

Getting to the command center was quick, it was large and with open doors, there were so many people rushing around it didn’t make sense to seal them.

He walked in, someone turned, letting him know that they had seen him, and waited for him to approach.

“Commander Bregend, I am Commander Narvu,” The HAPA wearing individual said as soon as he got close enough.

“Good to see you in the flesh, as it were,” Bregend said, getting a soft laugh from Narvu.

“Quite, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me and my platoon.” Narvu opened his visor and looked to Bregend.

“I wouldn’t want to keep you at the rear,” Bregend said cautiously.

“Well hopefully with two commanders they won’t be able to harass us back to the rear like mother Heka,” Narvu said with a human smile.

“One may hope,” Bregend smiled, seeing the Heka in his mind, looked something like a chicken, but about five times larger, so an ostrich sized chicken.

Something shuddered through the base.

Narvu’s helmet slammed close, Bregend followed suit.

“The Kalu have entered the first perimeter,” one of Narvu’s aide’s said over the channel.

“Very well, then we shall continue with our plan. It sounds like the artillery have already started warming the Kalu up for us…” Narvu said, petering off as he thought about something.

“Have the Free Fleet HAPA’s and Commandos on watch for the Kalu fighters and cover their shuttles. I want constant updates on our defenses here, and at the other four bunkers,” Narvu said.

“Yes Commander.” The person clicked off, they had a lot to attend to.

“I believe that it might benefit us to see the Kalu in action a bit closer. I would also be interested in any information you have on the Kalu that might assist us,” Narvu said, turning and heading for the doors.

Bregend followed.

“I may have some points, but my Commando Contingent Commander might be of greater assistance,” Bregend added.

“I would love to talk to him as well if at all possible. Here we must make our stand. With only Five kilometers of reinforced icy trenches. Though we do have some tricks that the Kalu are not likely to enjoy,” Narvu said.

“I’ll get him. I know we would both love to hear about plans to ruin the Kalu’s day,” Bregend said, his fingers tapping his HAPA’s awaiting joysticks.

“Well how well do you think a Kalu swims?” Narvu asked.

“I like where this is going,” Bregend said.

***

Cheerleader looked over the ship as it shook again, one of the Kalu ships must have been holding onto a missile.

Screens shorted out and a fire started from an electrical overload, fire suppression systems killed it and lights wailed on. The ship had been depressurized long ago and everyone was working in their powered armor. Cheerleader’s harness kept her in place, but others had been thrown.

Thankfully their armor had keep them functional. Someone fell out of the second floor screens onto the first floor. They took a moment and got back up, heading back to their station.

None of the Free Fleet ships had shields anymore, most of them didn’t have much armor left. Her ploy had worked a little too well. It seemed that these Kalu, far enough from the watchful eyes of Orshpa and Falhu were more than happy to chase down ships instead of attack their intended target first.

“The Dreadnought Flaz was just hit... Fuck, she’s gone,” Jorvut said, Cheerleader watched as the Dreadnought’s rear power plant ate her side, someone must have attempted an eject. It was the only reason the ship wasn’t just a growing field of debris.

Its guns had gone silent and its engines were gone.

She had seven of the thirty-five ships she’d set out with. They had no magazines, little armor, bomb-thrust was impossible and they had less than one in six small craft that they’d started out with.

But we’re holding the fucking line, and that’s what we’ll fucking do.

“I’ve got something on the sensors, looks like wormholes,” Jorvut said, practically jumping out of his seat.

“Mother of fuck,” Cheerleader said, hoping, but prepared to have her dreams smashed.

“They look to be Kalu,” Jorvut said, his voice strained as the system went through the identification process.

“Incoming message, encoded,” Onur said. Cheerleader could hear the tired hope in his voice. Min Hae never openly displayed who he was or where he was sending a message from.

“Open it,” Cheerleader said, coughing, it seemed that some of the smoke that had made them evacuate atmosphere had gotten into her helmet.

“Cheerleader, I didn’t want to disturb you until the last possible moment. Try and pull back your ships. The Independents will mix in the traditionalists. I will be there within the hour,” Min Hae’s voice said through her helmet.

“Defensive position, fastest speed away from these fuckers. Don’t fire at the incoming ships, mark them as friendly,” Cheerleader said, coughing again.

Fucking smoke! She drank on her tube, the gunnery seemed to get some more fire in them. The hope monkey had them all, and damn if they couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

War-leader of the Independent Kalu, Kalvin watched as his fleet emerged from their wormholes.

He looked to the incoming information.

Twenty-three thousand Kalu ships were fighting to jump on the remaining Free Fleet ships. They were closer to the jump limit than he had ever hoped.

“Power for the Kalu fleet, tell them we are reinforcements, praise them and ask to join their war-clan,” Kalvin said, his people knew their tasks but he wanted to make sure.

After seeing the Free Fleet in action, he had a new need to show them what he could do.

He looked over the sensor information that the systems sensor buoys gave him. He closed the channel, mixed feelings running through him.

The Free Fleet ships had used themselves to keep the Kalu close to the jump point, in order to gain time for the other forces and the people of the system. It was a bloody tactic and it looked like it had worked. Their losses were nothing like what the Kalu had sustained, yet they were still taking Kalu fighter’s Star Warriors and Destroyers out.

They were now headed out towards the dark of space, the Kalu still trailing them with the majority of their fleet.

“We will be within the Kalu formation in twenty-minutes,” Lox said from his position as second in command of the independent Kalu fleet.

With the Free Fleet’s computers, they had been able to jump in close with the Kalu. Using their bomb-acceleration, they were quickly making up time.

“How long until Min Hae arrives?” Kalvin asked, pawing the ground in thought.

“Ten minutes,” Lox replied.

“We strike as the first Wormhole opens,” Kalvin said. His lead ships started to blend into the Kalu fleet. They easily faked their communications and waited.

***

Min Hae sat behind and to the side of Drux’s command chair.

The screen cleared and space reasserted itself. Min Hae flicked information onto his view screens. Drux was already passing orders. Min Hae watched as the Kalu fleet seemed to fire on one another with full compliments of missiles and weapon emplacements hidden along their sides.

There were three thousand independent Kalu warships out there, all of them had added weapons to their sides and used multiple-warhead missiles in their magazines. With their ammunition fully stocked and their oppressor in their sights, bloodlust filled the air.

The Independents missile tubes ripple fired, then the rail cannons down their sides added to the barrage. The Traditionalists seemed to be too focused on Cheerleader to pay attention.

Until a missile split and ripped a Star-Destroyer apart.

The Kalu were used to betrayal for spoils, to gain victory through a sly attack. The United clans fell apart and pushed away from one another becoming seperate clans of Kalu.

The Independents joined their groups and followed them.

“Ashota, get Kalvin to focus on one clan at a time, if he splits his forces they will be found and destroyed,” Min Hae said.

“I will try my best,” Ashota said. He was slumped over his odd ‘chair’ using his paws on the floor, his hands under his chest continued to manipulate controls on the floor and in the chair.

The traditional Kalu fired wildly, hammering the Independents and their allies alike.

The Independents were easier to track down with their shields, but it took someone firing on them to find out.

“It does look like your plan is working Min Hae,” Drux said appreciatively.

“One should always trust but verify another’s intentions,” Min Hae said simply.

“Of course,” Drux said, ending the conversation.

“Have all ships come to bear, I want a pyramid around Cheerleader’s remaining forces. Get them the hell away from this battle,” Drux said. Min Hae winced inwardly at Drux’s words, Cheerleader now had just five ships capable of running.

He flicked to other information, with the other HCD’s not needing to fly through the system, they could be at Min Hae’s location in thirty-seven hours.

He looked to the intertwined fleets of Kalu, the Independents were starting to move away, but it looked like the traditionalists were intent on following them.

A number of the Independents had fallen already. They might have shields and more guns, but their shields were weak, and their armor was as weak as the traditionalists.

The clans separated once more and Drux picked his target.

“Move pyramids to each of these plot points,” Drux said, information was pushed out. He sent word to the pyramid he commanded.

“Forming wormhole and transitioning,” Helm called out, a wormhole indeed appearing, the ship dove through it, Min Hae saw the rest of the pyramid were also crossing their own wormholes at the exact same time.

“Fire at will,” Drux said as they emerged, the wormhole stabilizers and projectors snapping down into their armored hatches as soon as they were clear.

“Shields are online and supercharging!” Shields said, their voice punctuated by the vibrating thumps of the laser cannons ammunition going off.

“Tactical up and running.” The Sarenmenti in Tactical moved his four jaws in amusement.

Missiles fired from the Henry-Classed-Destroyers sides, lighting their drives and pushing for all they were worth at the Traditional Kalu.

“Kalvin has taken the advice,” Ashota rumbled, his voice coming from deep within his mass.

“Good,” Min Hae said, looking away from the readings of Drux’s ship and its associated pyramid.

The Kalu Independents were jumping on the biggest Kalu clan groupings. A number of their ships were taking a pounding. Many of them fell, but they didn’t go easily.

Min Hae’s view shifted, Cheerleader’s remaining ships were powering away, two of them had cut their engines.

Kalu Star warriors could be seen being driven into the Free Fleet ship’s hull. Cheerleader was now coordinating to have the HCD’s protect her, dropping off anyone that was combat capable. She had Kalu to repel from her ships.

Min Hae looked up as the ship shook.

“We’re down to thirty-five percent shields,” the operator said.

“Rotate us to the third tier,” Drux said, moving his hands over his holographic sphere to issue orders for another ship with full shields to take their position at the apex.

The pyramid shifted as ships shields fell, others with better shields taking their positions.

“God I wish we had some fighters,” Drux said, his voice barely a whisper. Min Hae wasn’t sure if Drux knew he had said anything, but he agreed with the observation. The HCD’s were good at long-range hammering, but they had to constantly move to get new targets. The Fighters could cause chaos in close to the Kalu and give the HCD’s time to shoot instead of maneuver out of the line of fire to replenish their shields.

A day and a half, Min Hae thought. The Kalu weren’t defeated but they had moved into clan formations which would make them more formidable. The pyramids were working on their targets; the Independents were doing the same. There were nine different Kalu groups, the current forces could only bring two under contact. If the Independents and Commander Drux’s forces held out for the other HCD’s with their fighters. Then it would turn from holding the Kalu in position and whittling them away, to directly attacking them.

It’s going to be a damned long thirty-five hours, Min Hae thought.

Chapter Race against time

Bok Soo stood on the bridge off to Foshunti’s left against the command dais’ railing.

Just eight hours ago Bregend’s Henry Classed Destroyers had reached Sol, they were happily adding their fire to the HCD’s already in-system and harassing both of Orshpa’s fleets

“How goes the communication with Earth?” Foshunti asked.

“Badly,” Bok Soo said, looking to the main screen still.

Foshunti couldn’t see Bok Soo’s back tighten in anger under his powered armor, but he had learnt to tell the emotion from a human’s tone.

“I heard that there were issues with having them work together.” Foshunti poked, he wanted to know just what the hell he and his squadron were getting themselves into.

“Nearly every other known planet and system has a unified government that decides on most things, such as this. Earth doesn’t. We nearly never live in a time of peace and one group making decisions for others barely ever works. Even our larger organizations which are supposed to help nations come together in times like this, are a shambling mess after everything they’ve gone through. Getting militaries to work together is…” Bok Soo floundered trying to find a word. “A pipe dream,” he looked to Foshunti.

“So what do we have?” Foshunti asked.

“We have all of the Commandos in this fleet, then we have nations looking to protect their own people and pulling on their alliances to assist one another if they survive the Kalu’s first landing.” Bok Soo waved his hand at the Kalu fleet which took up the largest portion of the main screen. Even now HCD’s were moving through the formation, their lasers and missiles lancing into the Kalu. Their war of attrition was a long one, but a necessary one if the Free Fleet was to win.

“Even with our projected kills, there will be millions of Kalu landing on Earth. Earth has millions of troops but they will be spread out and weak. They used all of their advanced weaponry to attack us. They’ll be slaughtered in open battle and they’ll be in packets across the planet. If they have time to move their troops against the Kalu, given the right hardware, then maybe they have a chance.” Bok Soo rubbed his face with his armored hand.

“So what will our role be in all of this?” Foshunti asked.

“Giving Earth’s forces the time that they need to get into position. We will be the stopgap hoping that Earth can pull their collective heads out of their asses,” Bok Soo said with a grimace.

“Earth’s terrain is too rugged and different for us to do the same thing that Salchar has done on Chaleel,” Foshunti said, seeing a knowing light in Bok Soo’s eyes.

“No, we’ll have to fight on the ground without HAPA’s and powered armor, the most the fleet can do this time is support us,” Bok Soo said.

“It looks like we have a plan,” Foshunti said remembering Heija only too well. They had both fought in that new hell. Most of their ships did. Scars still covered Talhalla’s hull, lasers and blackened areas marked with the Kalu’s anger.

He knew that a battle with the Kalu in powered armor and HAPA’s was a hellish experience. With Earth only having basic Kevlar and high-powered machine-guns that might get through the Kalu’s armor. It felt like it was an impossible battle.

“We’re going to need reinforcements to save Earth,” Foshunti said, his voice low so that no one but Bok Soo could hear him.

“More than Salchar can give us,” Bok Soo agreed, his voice also low.

“What about Mars?” Foshunti asked.

“Mars, Nancy and Hachiro aren’t going to be free anytime soon,” Bok Soo said while looking in the distance, seeing something that only he could see. “No, our hope, our survival depends on other planets being willing to support Earth.” Bok Soo sighed and looked to Foshunti.

“Until they can, we will hold the line and hope,” Bok Soo said.

“Hold the line, that makes it sound so much easier,” Foshunti said.

“Doesn’t it.” Both of them turning their gaze to the two Kalu fleets within Sol. Three timers were winding down; one was tracking when Whorst’s ships would come into contact with the Kalu fleet headed towards Mars.

The other timer kept track of when the Kalu would reach Earth and when Foshunti’s squadron would.

Two hours until the Kalu see how War-station’s upgrades work, Foshunti thought, humor was the last thing on his mind.

***

Shrift looked over the consoles that surrounded him and the three other members of the Engineering control room. War-station was so big that it needed a control room secondary from the Bridge and had four sub-stations to make sure other systems were running properly.

Shrift had repaired all of the damage War-station had suffered and got to installing the various weapon systems he’d stored in the stations massive holds.

With their small stop at Mars they’d off loaded the mass of fighters and bombers the factory built into War-station. Mars had tons of fighter pilots, but only a few of them ever went up to Hachiro to train with the real fighters at any given time. War Station solved that problem with ease.

“How are we looking on the Laser Cannon containment shells?” Shrift asked, touching the new silver gleam that replaced a portion of his carapace. In War-station’s last battle one of the laser cannons, one he had been working on, was struck with a laser when the shields fell. The heating had backfired into the cooling panels, they’d exploded under the heat and pressure meaning Shrift spent five days in the medbay getting patched up and working on his data pad to get the station back into shape.

He’d also tweaked the design on the laser cannons to make sure their heating systems didn’t explode.

Whorst’s fleet numbered forty-seven ships. Half of them were from Patrol forces, a third from Salchar’s fleet and the remainder were hastily commissioned ships from Nancy’s yards.

Well calling it a fleet in this ‘formation’ might be a stretch, Shrift thought with a glimmer of humor. All of the ships had docked to War-station along areas where the station didn’t have many or any guns. They would be the stations guns, and secondary shields. As they were on the station’s surface, the planetary shield generators had been tweaked to cover them.

That had to be one of the most annoying tweaks I’ve had to do, all within a day no less! Shrift was starting to feel like an old Kuruvian before his time.

Thankfully his father was in-system on Talhalla and had been able to give a few pointers. Silly had found out and added in his two cents with LaRe, and someone had told Uncle Eddie as well. In the end it meant that that planetary shield generators were not only covering all of the ships attached to War-Station’s hull. They were synced up and with a good ten percent boost in strength.

“We’re coming in range of the Kalu, keep eyes on those gun capacitors as well as their coolants. Make sure people keep out the damned way. If a fighter is damaged, switch it out with a new one. We don’t have time to repair them right now.” Shrift said, his people knew their tasks, but it reassured them to hear it again.

In the anxiety and fear of battle, their minds might forget for a period, hopefully they’d remember shortly.

“We’ve all done this before, now get your brains on straight,” Shrift said, wrapping up his speech.

“Shrift this is Whorst, how are we looking down there?” Whorst said over the Engineering command center’s speakers.

“Looking good on all systems commander,” Shrift said.

“Good, then I think we’re going to put those laser cannons to the test,” Whorst warned.

“Very well commander,” Shrift said.

“Let me know if you need anything to keep the ship running. I’ll let you get to it,” Whorst added.

“Will do sir,” Shrift said, cutting the channel. Nerves came from him. His manipulators started bobbing around. He took a breath quelling his jitters. He had a station to look after! Even with all the weight of responsibility on him, there was a part of him that was excited, his people were ready for this. He was ready for this and they were in the best possible situation.

This was the shit that made him get up in the morning, seeing an engineering crew working together and a machine doing what it was supposed to.

It was called War-station for shit’s sake, it wasn’t going to help you plant flowers, that’s for sure.

His manipulators calmed down as every laser cannon on War-station and every ship attached to it, fired.

Reports started cascading reading results from the cannons.

Shrift looked for breakage, weakness or anywhere the cannons weren’t matching up.

Nothing broken, seems Murphy doesn’t want to meddle around with our station just yet.

***

Whorst looked up from his conversation with Shrift.

“Frankeuw, all laser batteries are cleared to fire on the Kalu,” Whorst said.

“Yes commander.” Frankeuw started talking to his gunners and the other tactical commanders across the fleet.

Seconds later laser cannons ejected their deadly but invisible light.

“Arfo, inform Salchar that we have engaged the Kalu. Also tell the HCD’s to concentrate on the Kalu heading for Earth,” Whorst said.

“Why are we pushing the HCD’s off?” Werv asked.

“Mars, Hachiro and Nancy actually have the firepower to fend of the Kalu. They also have Commandos. Earth doesn’t and the HCD’s would be of more use there,” Whorst said.

“I know you’re human, but it’s not exactly our fault Earth doesn’t have those things,” Werv said. It was his position to play devil’s advocate and question Whorst’s play if there might be a better one.

“Yes I know and it’s not just my human side which is affecting me. The Free Fleet stands for protecting the innocent. There a number of people on Earth that are innocent of the crimes that were brought against the Free Fleet. Around Mars, the majority of people took an oath to protect those innocents. We have firepower and Commandos that know Mars, Hachiro and Nancy. Any Kalu that gets in there is going to have a bad damn time,” Whorst asserted.

“Yes, but if we finish off the Kalu faster out here, then we will be fighting around Mars less and we can head to Earth and aid in their defense,” Werv pressed.

“You raise a valid point, but Monk,” Whorst said.

“Huh?” Werv said, confused.

“We pulled off a few thousand from Parnmal, there are a hell of a lot more of them. Once these HCD’s are free here I’m going to order them to Parnmal. Monk and the rest of his Commandos are just waiting to be put to use, supporting Earth, Chaleel and then AIH,” Whorst said.

“Why does Earth get first dibs?” Werv asked, some of the anger at Earth’s attack on the Free Fleet coming to the surface. Whorst felt the anger too, but he tried to push it down to stay objective.

“Because they have no defensive force capable of fighting the Kalu effectively,” Whorst said.

“They have all those militaries and people in uniform though!” Werv said in a mocking voice.

Whorst gave him a level look.

“Sorry commander, I lost a good number of my close friends when they decided to stab us in the back,” Werv said.

“I did too,” Whorst said, his voice soft, sharing in his memories of those lost. He knew all too many people that had died here. His appointment as Commander of Free Fleet forces in Sol was all too recent for him not to remember.

“Yes sir,” Werv said understanding blooming on his face.

“On the ground they have guns that can crack the Kalu armor but they’re heavy machine guns and rifles. Their overhead will get shredded and only their highest power artillery will make a dent. They need Commandos, whether they think it or not,” Whorst said, the last part coming out heated. He tried to stay objective and some days it was hard.

He looked up from their conversation. The laser cannons first rounds had hit some time ago, successive hits were changing the Kalu landscape.

The Kalu’s weaker lasers were firing back onto War-station’s shields. they’d lost three percent overall. Under Shrift’s suggestions and Dallaho’s firm backing, they had installed secondary and tertiary shield generators, as soon as one failed, another would take up the load. It meant that War-station needed more power-plants and fuel storage. Thankfully they had plenty of room and other engineers had been more than happy to give a hand.

War Station was one hell of a nut to crack.

“So why Earth before Chaleel or AIH though, they’re both better allies and they have innocents,” Werv asked, his emotions seemed to be in check.

“Cause the Kalu fucked up when they dropped on AIH and Salchar is basking Chaleel in enough laser fire and Rail gun rounds to make the planet look like abstract art. AIH will take longer to secure, but the Avarians will clear their planet quickly enough. Salchar is almost done clearing Chaleel of Kalu. I don’t expect him to take more than half a day,” Whorst said.

“I didn’t know the Avarians had killed so many of the Kalu,” Werv said.

“They haven’t yet, but you didn’t see Ursht’s plans for Asul city. The Kalu aren’t going to know what hit them.” Whorst shook his head.

“What’s the plan?” Werv asked.

“Take a race of natural hunters, teach them how to make spaceship classed weapons systems and tell them to make a defensive position,” Whorst said, finding Ursht’s plans and passing them over to Werv.

“Fuck.” Werv almost never swore, but it made complete sense with the document in front of him.

Whorst simply smiled as his cannons bellowed.

War Station was actually braking as they fired at the Kalu.

The good part hasn’t even begun, he thought, his eyes darkening in hunger.

“Peck, how long until we match the Kalu’s speed, I’d rather like to see how they like being the ones chased down,” Whorst said.

“Three hours,” Peck replied.

They’d hit the Kalu the entire time they were decelerating, passing through them for a distance before coming up right back up behind them.

If Dallaho and Shrift’s numbers were off, then War-station was going to get a lot more than just their shields going down.

Whorst had confidence in them, but he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.

“Very well. Wing Commander Flek, whenever you are ready you may begin flushing fighters. Make sure you and Frankeuw coordinate for the mines we’re leaving behind us,” Whorst said, looking to them both to make sure his message got across.

Quick nods as they talked into their devices and passed orders was all he needed to return his glance to the main screen.

Now there was nothing to do but watch.

It was odd, here he was going up against some ten thousand Kalu and it felt almost anti-climactic. They had strong shields that were easily bleeding off the Kalu’s shots, and their weaponry slapped them down like balloons on an air-rifle range.

The Kalu were spreading out and flushing their fighters. The hits were only going to increase in intensity and they wouldn’t give War-station the time it needed to regenerate them. Thus the second and third layers of shields.

Whorst was just waiting for something to go wrong. It sounded bad, but he had learned to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

Devastahli appeared on the dais.

“Commander, I have been talking to the AI’s of the fleet, when we pass through the Kalu we ask that we might be allowed to join the fight. We will not last more than eighty seconds, but well we should be able to deal out some damage.” Devastahli’s rolling voice sounded like the deep growling of a hunting Kalu, his eyes sparking at the idea.

“Talk with Frankeuw, if he agrees then I do too,” Whorst said, making sure that Devastahli understood Whorsts’ trust in him.

“Thank you Commander,” Devastahli said, actually bending his head slightly. Another hologram of him was already next to Frankeuw and speaking to him when the one on the dais disappeared.

Whorst’s attention went back to the main screen, it was twenty minutes until they crossed the Kalu’s formation.

The fighters were moving out from their carriers and War-station’s hangars, but waiting inside War station’s shields.

His glance moved to the Kalu. Some of the laser cannon’s shots went wide, but the majority struck with angry violence.

Ships cartwheeled away, others were ripped apart, more exploded, illuminating the dark of space. It was like a gun against a knife, the gun had range and power but in close, that’s the real test, will the knife win, or the gun? Tension racked up inside Whorst as the time wound down.

“Fighters are moving out,” Flek announced.

Whorst cleared his throat and nodded, not trusting his own voice for a moment.

“Peck, how are we for wormhole generation?” Whorst asked.

“We’re good to go,” Peck reported.

“Very well, let’s see if we can’t make the Kalu have a really bad day.

***

Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time I feel alive and the world it's turning inside out Yeah! I'm floating around in ecstasy So don't stop me now don't stop me 'Cause I'm having a good time having a good time.

The music started as Wing Commander Tyler Smith applied power to his jumper’s engines.

He’d been a pilot of the United States Air Force at one time. It felt like a lifetime ago. Now he was the most senior member of the multiple jumper fighter craft that’s been harassing Kalu ships for the last year.

“Commander, is that really what I think it is?” A Wing Commander that hadn’t flown with Smith before asked.

“If your thinking Don’t stop my now by Queen then you may be correct,” Smith said, relaying the music through his headset. He did it so much he had a pre-set control for it.

Wormhole projectors were revealed from their armored hatches.

“Alright ladies and gents, it looks like the heavies will be giving us a nice umbrella for all the incoming rain. I say that we make good use of it. Jumpers, let’s spin the hell out of her, wing commanders check coordinates and let’s get this damn show on the road!” Smith said.

They had already pre-set their jumps, it took him a few moments to okay them. A massive wormhole, the kind that allowed War-station to pass from system to system appeared right in front of the Kalu. Anything that passed into the wormhole didn't reappear on the other side, neither did laser fire.

Meanwhile the fighters and bombers pressed onward to close with the Kalu. Jumpers made their wormholes, draining their capacitors and dashing through the event horizon.

He was on the other side of the event horizon, and damn close to a Star Destroyer. He fired his rail gun, dropped a missile and hammered his acceleration away from the Kalu ship.

He whooped as his missile slammed into the side of the star-destroyer, sending a silent thank-you to Felix and his minions who’d made their missiles smart enough to realize when they were too close to star-burst into their multiple warheads and instead act like a single bomb. The Kalu Star Destroyer bulged out as if something was trying to burrow through it. The hull gave up and a cloud of expanding ship parts and Kalu resided where the Star Destroyer had been.

Smith already had another target, his eyes had lingered on the star destroyer for maybe a half-second.

Jumpers weren’t meant for atmosphere, they didn’t have wings and their maneuvering jets were too weak, but in space. In space they danced on a pin.

Smith spun and turned, changing his trajectory, a Star Warrior had him. He let rip with a burst of rail gun, stitching up his target as he gained, dodging to the sides, spinning as he did so and moving in three dimensions. It was as if he was born in space not on Earth.

He spun backwards, using his engines to break and throw another trajectory in. He spun around again, his racks open and his missile ready. He fired the missile.

“What’s that, two ships in three seconds?” Someone asked.

“Eyes on the prize ladies, gents, and creatures!” Smith said.

An alert showed the wormhole had stopped, a good number of the Kalu had been able to swerve around the Wormhole, but a number hadn’t.

As the wormhole dropped, bombers started releasing their payloads, multi-warhead missiles dotted the map rushing to meet the Kalu’s ships.

Smith looked away as near-miss alerts came in, he jinked, dived and swerved, rotating the entire way.

“Fucking swarm!” Smith said, heading towards the front of the Kalu formation, coming right behind an unsuspecting Star-warrior.

He mated his capacitors with his rail gun, sending four plasma bolts into the back of the Star-warrior. Smith muttered along with the song blaring through his headset, a smile on his face, his hits landing right in the Star-warrior’s engine.

The warrior went up in a rippling blast, giving Smith some room from the Kalu, by the mere fact he’d been flying close enough that the swarm had been around the damned thing.

“Ladies and gents of the bombers and fighters to my front, it seems I’m bringing a party to you, could you give me a hand please?” Smith asked, conversational, music playing in the background.

“Glad to help Commander Smith,” someone said, sounding amused. Smith got a trajectory line, he tilted, powering his engines towards it. It was none too soon as bombers missiles went streaking past him. He turned, using bombs to break his acceleration. He’d be crushed by the gravitational forces if he wasn’t in the gel-cocoon.

But he was and had the greatest seat in the house for seven missiles crashing into his following swarm, lighting them up from the inside, turning them from a mass into piecemeal.

The bombers and fighters raced past Smith, inertia carrying them through the Kalu formation, they dove and jinked, firing their guns and unleashing their missiles on the Kalu ships and swarms that chased them.

Smith grinned and pushed his engines and bombs to maximum. He braked finally and started building momentum. He sung along as he dove down and across, putting his heading right at a Star-Destroyer.

Looks like they’re trying to get their fighters out, got to do something about that.

His rail gun shredded the fighters, two missiles streaked in for the kill.

The ship lost it’s forward and lower sections.

The ship seemed to listen to the words of one of the greatest bands and singers ever. If anyone said differently, well Smith would be having words with them!

The ship exploded, with one Commander Smith a tad too close for comfort, he got an actual push from the whole ship going up with all of it’s ammunition.

He tumbled, he fought for control, his head pounding from gravity and his own blood going where it shouldn’t and not being where it needed to be.

He pulled his ship up and around, stitching a Star-Destroyer with plasma, he’d forgotten to stop supercharging his rounds.

He didn’t have time to change, watching as the plasma ate into the Destroyers engines.

A laser caught his armored shell. Smith jinked weaved and turned.

There was four Kalu, looked like they were just leaving the Star-Destroyer. They didn’t see the missile till it split and well then there weren’t any Kalu to shoot Smith in the ass.

Smith dove down onto a moving swarm, War-Station had turned to present its front. It would go right through the Kalu formation to give every gun a target.

That said, it didn’t need the suicidal little Kalu fighter bastards ramming into it’s shield.

Smith dropped onto an angle with the Kalu fighters and fired several missiles. The Kalu had no target locking mechanism.

The waves of destruction came like an unknown tide, washing away a swathe of Kalu fighters.
Another Star-warrior was shooting at him, Smith weaved, turned and accelerated. His inertia took him past the Star-Warrior. he lined up on another Star-Warrior.

An alert came in moments later, a bomber dropping two missiles into the ship.              He accelerated away from the target in search for another as the Star-Warrior shuddered and drifted, it’s engines out and most of one side missing.

Alerts sounded, War-station was now starting it’s run, he dumped his missiles in the direction of the Kalu, used a capacitor and appeared at a pre-selected emergence point.

He used his view screens to see War-station.

“Well it lives up to it’s name,” Smith said.

Laser cannons, rail cannons, missiles and Personal Defense systems seemed to ignite.
It was like a porcupine spreading it’s needles and spearing tissue paper. The needles were weapons fire, and the tissue paper was Kalu ships being bashed to death with rounds, turned to nothing from the nuclear blasts of warheads, or the invisible rays of laser cannons.

Kalu ships were battered, sections of their ships disappearing, armor being bent in. Power plants shut down where the Kalu were lucky, others exploded. Engines stopped and ships drifted.

Kalu fighters rushed in on their suicide runs, ships that were being smashed closed with the massive station.

The fire didn’t increase but more ships exploded and the destruction increased ten-fold. The Artificial Intelligences were in command now.

The Kalu were being halted in progress. It all came from instantaneous communications and understanding of the Kalu’s weaknesses and it was a slaughter.

Kalu ships crashed into the shields. There were just too many of them to be stopped by even War-station’s fire.

Missiles, a full spread pushed out and wormholes started appearing.

“Holy shit,” Smith said, finding the words to understand what was going on.

War-station was getting hammered, but someone was using the ship’s attached to it, to make dual wormholes right next to one another, a makeshift shield that absorbed anything incoming. It staved off the worst of the Kalu fighters.

It didn’t stop them all, the first and second shields had already failed, but even those were layers Smith new next to nothing about.

War-station was past the Kalu fleet.

It turned, firing at the Kalu, the Kalu turned, striking the station or the shielded ships.

Still the station’s guns fired, the engines powered up, once again working to brake the station and then start it after the Kalu.

The War-station was still taking Kalu down, but it was nothing like their in-close action. They’d taken three and a half thousand ships out with that.

It had been four minutes since Smith had jumped away from War-station, now he was powering for it again.

His smart computer told him that there was something happening as he closed with the station. He checked the alert.

The Kalu had formed together again, their fighters returning to their star-destroyers. Now they ran into War-station’s last surprise. A nice thick minefield.

Ships disintegrated like cream cheese through piano wire, or crumpled like they’d hit a wall.

There’s nothing pretty about seeing that much death, but Smith watched. The gunners of War-station never gave up.

He headed towards War-stations hangars, looking at a diagram that showed the breakdown of the people within his command.

Too many holes showed, many had gone out and too few had returned.

They worked independently for the most part which made it all the more sudden, the questions lingering in his mind of how they had died and if they would have survived if he was with them.

He bowed his head, he knew the jumpers operating procedure, he had made the damned thing. While they worked apart they were a tight knit group and it was hard.

He looked to the minefield the Kalu had sailed into as automated systems pulled his jumper inside.

You did good, you did good. Their sacrifice meant that more people would survive the oncoming wave of Kalu. Though he’d be lying if he said he’d trade their lives again.

***

“Alright, this isn’t time for damned sightseeing, gather round, sit down and shut up,” Yasu said and the Commandos obeyed, they took their seats and waited.

“We’re going down to Chaleel. We will be in support of the forces already on the ground. We will be hopping between the Kalu’s last bastions. While the fleet is pounding on the Kalu we will be catching bleeders and protecting the Chaleel tanks. I want us to start putting Commandos on the ground in fifteen minutes” Yasu looked to everyone in the room. “Questions?” She asked, hands raising, she pointed to Connolly.

“What will our positions be?” He asked.

“We’ll adapt as we go along, a third of our forces will stay in shuttles ready to be deployed as necessary. Also I want to make this clear.” Every AMC Commander seemed to hang on her every word.

“Do not be heroes. Don’t push beyond the waypoint, otherwise you’re liable to get yourself and your people smoked by the fleet’s guns. Watch your arcs, be prepared for contact, don’t go chasing them down. Wait for them to come to you, understood?” She said, getting mutterings.

“Understood?” She said, steel entering her voice.

“Yes Commander!” They barked as one.

“Good, then let’s go put are party-armor on,” she said a grin coming to her face, the others in the room grinned and stood, most disappearing instantly, they’d been on their individual ships and only holographically projected into the room. Others talked and coordinated with other commanders.

Yasu marched out of the room, Connolly following and issuing orders on his data pad.

“How are we looking?” Yasu asked as they got to an elevator.

“Ready to go,” Connolly replied.

“That’s what I like to hear.” Most of the Commanders were rotating their Commandos through alert. With her meeting she had ordered them into their armor and HAPA’s.

She closed her visor, her HUD coming to life with a message from James waiting for her.

She opened it, Good luck babe it said simply, making her smile. A gentle warmth spread through her from the message. It was signed with his real name, not his pseudonym, Salchar.

She pushed those emotions away from her, she needed to focus on the here and now. She had commandos to command and had to make sure they stayed on task.

She and Connolly marched into the armory, grabbing ammunition for their rifles and stepping into their HAPA’s. The Kuruvians had been pumping out the massive machines as fast as possible, pushing them up to the Free Fleet. Now Eighty percent of the Commandos had a HAPA. Most that didn’t were already engaged in combat on the ground.

Yasu and Connolly stomped out into Floater’s hangars, fighters were coming in off of their shift, others launching at the same time down at the far reaches. The majority of the hangar was taken up by Commando shuttles, their engines making heat waves, ready to be freed on their task.

“See you on the ground,” Yasu said to Connolly.

“Not if I beat you!” Connolly answered with mocking delight. They’d become a good team, their trust in one another absolute. They knew one another’s tendencies and had melded together into a symbiotic relationship, much like the way Salchar and Rick did.

Yasu stomped up her ramp and onto a shuttle, locking her feet into the HAPA lockouts as a harness wrapped around her. The ramp was still whirring upwards as the pilot lifted, tilting the shuttle and headed out of the battle-carrier’s hangars.

The ramp closed and the hums of the shuttle filled the craft.

Yasu had given force coordination over to the AI’s and they had already picked out the best positions for the fleet’s commandos and provided a detailed HUD outlook on the various contested areas.

Shuttles formed into wings of five craft, arrows heading towards the Free Fleet formations to the south.

It was these moments alone, when she had time to think about something other than her plans which were the worst.

She thought of James’ safety, sure he was Salchar, but he had got into more grievous injuries than even her.

Her hands patted her now flat stomach. Medical science and physical training had gotten her into fighting trim. Though it hadn’t taken the memories, the attachment that ran like a string from her to her boy, Henry.

She and James had time for a few talks and a combined video conference with Uncle Monk and the growing Henry. He was already getting bigger, his eyes filled with wonder and he was constantly letting out bubbling laughter.

He’d crawled through Salchar and Yasu’s holograms, grabbing at them and playing with them with the curiosity that only a baby was capable of.

She held onto that conference, she thought of James’ embrace, his hugs and the pride in both of their glistening eyes as they’d looked at one another.

Warmth filled her again and she just wanted to jump off of the shuttle, find James, Henry and run away from it all. Her oath and the people around her, that relied on her, stopped her in her tracks. Making her feel guilty for even having the idea.

She was the Commander of Salchar’s Commandos; she would lead them. There was no other option.

The shuttles didn’t take long to get to their destination. They cut their speed drastically, ramps opening as Commandos piled out as fast as possible, cannons were up and ready as soon as they cleared the ramp.

No threats showed themselves, only the rolling barrages of the Free Fleet ships hovering a few kilometers up and laying waste to any sign of Kalu presence.

“Clear! Move to our step off point, form into two ranks space fifty meters apart on the front line, second line back thirty meters and between the front ranks positions,” Yasu called out. The formation gave them depth while also allowing them overlapping and clear lines of fire. It looked like a W that had been connected and repeated across a kilometer and a half. Yasu took up her position on the second rank. Tully and Moft were in the front rank to either side of her.

She checked the map on her HUD, other groups were also getting into position and facing off with where they would be advancing.

“Commander Yasu, it’s good to see you,” Commander Delahil said, Yasu had set her communications to automatically allow the commander to open a channel with her.

“Hope you don’t mind when I say, I’ll be happy to be free from Chaleel,” Yasu said.

“I wish that was the case as well, as it would mean all of the Kalu are dead here and we could start repairing our planet that your husband has been remodeling.” There was something warning in Delahil’s tone.

“Something wrong?” Yasu asked.

“Let’s just say that I’ve heard rumors that the establishment is not so happy that your husband has so much power. Seeing it across their planet has definitely made a number of people start to talk. It’s not just on Chaleel,” Delahil warned.

“I will tell James to watch out, thank you Delahil,” Yasu said.

“I don’t understand the idiots, they sit back and make decisions about those that are dying for them. Not one of them actually standing on the battlefield,” Delahil said.

“Me either,” Yasu sighed, already sending a recording of the conversation to Min Hae as well as Rick, but not to Salchar he needed to keep his head in the game for now. Rick would know when it was appropriate to pass on the message.

“The formation is now moving forward,” Resilient warned Yasu after a few minutes.

“Are the other commanders notified?” Yasu asked.

“Yes Commander,” Resilient replied, new positions appearing ahead of Yasu. On her map the tanks that had been rolling up on the Kalu positions were now joining the rear ranks of fresh HAPA’s.

They were about the size of a normal bungalow, low to the ground and predatory with their three main rail-cannons and four medium cannons on their sides.

They slotted into positions the AI’s had come up with, Yasu checked to make sure they were all where they werem actually supposed to be.

“Move out!” Yasu called, her HAPA thumping forward, the lines around the closing circle of Free Fleet ships moved, the ships advancing.

The Kalu were more concentrated here and not all of them were killed by the fleet’s fire.

HAPA’s guns buzzed and traversed, the Kalu were panicked and without anywhere to go. Their fighters stopped trying to do passes on the Free Fleet. The few of them that remained turned to kamikaze tactics. MEF’s cut them off to the best of their ability and PDS turrets tried to bring them down, but a few bled through.

A destroyer above shook from multiple impacts, it rotated a new side into battle, shields didn’t work in a planet’s atmosphere.

Yasu could see the opened armor and decks, they had great gashes in the Destroyer’s sides.

She turned to her work, pulling her cannons up.

“We’ve got bleeders!” Someone called out.

“Let them have it,” Yasu replied, cannons bellowed, the tanks advancing as it’s cannons fired, dust and dirt being thrown up around it.

HAPA’s pushed forward through the crater filled terrain that marked the passing of the fleet above.

The Commandos trekked on, moving from cover to cover.

“Got a breakthrough in the center,” Connolly reported.

“Left and right side, move forward to support the center and bring the Kalu under fire,” Yasu said, moving forward, using her HUD to manipulate the positions of the line. The formation turned from a line to a V, fire pushing the Kalu back. The tanks added their weight into the fray, missiles launched from shoulder launchers. The oncoming Kalu were broken. A number of them had got to the lines to be met with plasmid blades and cannons.

“How are we looking,” Yasu asked, picking a commander in the center.

“None of them made it past, lost fifteen HAPA’s,” the Commander said, their voice heavy.

“Tighten your lines and continue on. bringing shuttle support in,” Yasu said, sending orders to awaiting shuttles, three fanned out over her line, their turrets waiting for any oncoming Kalu.

“Straighten out and continue forward,” Yasu said. In moments they were moving again.

She didn’t feel like a Commando, she was an exterminator, hunting down and removing a pest. It was hard to think of the Kalu as an intelligent species in this kind of action.

Commandos around Chaleel were marching under the protection of the Fleet’s ships, sowing destruction like the inhabitants of Chaleel would sow crops.

The Chaleel had begged and pleaded for the Kalu to surrender, they were met with threats and silence. The Kalu knew they couldn’t die; another would always take their place. That belief system stopped them from even thinking about surrendering.

The Free Fleet had been given assent to carry out their operation. The Kalu would not listen to anyone that would suggest they could fail, surrender was dishonorable.

It wasn’t all that long ago that I would have cursed the Fleet and Salchar for their underhanded and dishonorable tactics. There’s nothing honorable about battle, there’s only the hope your people survive and don’t turn into the thing you fight.

Yasu marched onward. If the Kalu wanted a fight, she would give them one, but not by their rules.

Chapter Time to go on the offensive

Commander of the forces on Avar Interim Hermanti (AIH) Ursht looked over the city of Asul, standing in what was supposed to be his battle mistress and masters home.

It seemed like a lifetime ago that Salchar had come with the newly forged Free Fleet to AIH.

He’d saved the people of the planet by giving them the fuel they needed to power the planet’s massive shield generator that kept a massive volcano from erupting.

Salchar didn’t know it at the time, but for his services Ursht gave him his position as the clan leader of Asul.

Yasu had originally taken over the position, she kicked Salchar’s butt into gear and they’d left Ursht in command of the city while they did their duty to the Free Fleet and the rest of inhabited space.

Ursht liked his job running the city-state Asul. It became prosperous and many Avarians joined under Salchar and Yasu’s banner, even more joined up the Free Fleet for battle and the chance to use the Commandos powered armor.

Ursht had wanted to join the Free Fleet, he was still a young man by Avarian standards, capable of fighting and good at it. He had however remained in his position as leader of the city until Salchar asked if he would like to take up the role of Commander over the Armored Marine Commandos that were training up from the Avarian population to protect their world against the oncoming Kalu.

Ursht had jumped at the opportunity, not about to let his battle master’s faith in him be misplaced and he did everything in his power to turn Asul and AIH into a death trap for the Kalu.

He had only just got assurances from the other clan leaders that they would also fight the Kalu, just over a month ago. Before they had agreed to join Asul in their fight, Ursht was prepared to fight the battle all by himself.

He had stood where he did many times before as he thought out the cities defense.

Below to his right Asul city was a sprawling mass that carried across the center of his view, closest to the cliff face that Salchar and Yasu’s home was built into and to the left edge of the city was a large space port, a rail system had been embedded into the cliff that would accelerate ships into orbit, saving them on fuel.

Ursht had watched that city grow into a metropolis, a place of trade and the ground-home of many miner families.

He cast his eyes to the left side of his view, past the spaceport and city that grew from it.

There was Lake Cook, named after Salchar. It had also grown with the dropping of heavy ice comets. It ran through the city and away from the cliff.

To the right of the lake was the AMC training area. Commandos trained there from all over the known universe. It’s main facilities however were buried deep into the cliff that ran around the lake.

It wasn’t as big as the facility on Mars but it was a secondary site for all the trainees on Parnmal. Commandos were constantly being transferred between the two areas to gain not only a knowledge of space borne tactics, but also ground experience.

The Kalu were around lake Cook now, fighting a fierce battle with the armored and hellish Katak. It was a great challenge to kill the creatures.

Ursht had ordered them to be captured, with powered armor and stun rounds it had been a shitty task, but only fifteen had died. Many more would have died if they were trying to kill them the traditional way.

He stomped up to the one-way glass that allowed him to see out of the home. Many had disagreed with using their home as an observation post and command center. Ursht knew that neither of them would have cared.

“How many Kalu?” Ursht asked, the great trails of additional Kalu had stopped. His scouts reported that there were a few other groups coming, the other clans were on the hunt.

Kolva, Jahli and Traz, the other three leaders of the Avarian people had declared a hunt against the Kalu and were making their presence felt. They’d sprout an attack out of thin air, their knowledge of the terrain and their ability to camouflage themselves made them hell to see before they attacked.

Armed with rail guns and grenades they hammered the Kalu and took off, melting into the landscape once again.

Some might think the idea of melting into a landscape of boulders and black soil was hard. It was, but the Avarians prided themselves on their ability to sneak up on one another, or spot each other. They knew the terrain and the signs, Kalu didn’t.

The hunt was going well. The Kalu were frustrated, too used to being the best hunters, they were unable to think of themselves as being hunted.

“About three quarters of their entire forces,” Hod said, her voice confident, even with the millions of Kalu swarming through their city to close with the captured Katak on the edge of Lake Cook.

The AMC bases armored doors had been sealed and covered to look like the rest of the ridge weeks ago. The roads were removed and any sign that anything happened in the area was gone.

“Good!” Ursht opened a channel up to Holloway, letting it broadcast openly with his commanders and those in the room with him.

They perked up from their work.

“Commander Holloway, how are our defenses looking?” Ursht asked.

“Set and ready, gonna be like playing golf with a sledgehammer,” Holloway said.

“Are we looking at ten seconds to get them all into position?” Ursht asked.

“Yep, hydraulics, water, pain in my ass,” Holloway sighed. Ursht smiled, he’d asked the gunnery chief to perform a miracle so he had and more. If the Chief wanted to blow off steam Ursht was fine with it. He’d had to deal with far more than just Ursht’s requests, he was the go-to man for support fire, thus why he was a commander instead of a chief.

“Commander, open fire at your own command. I think you deserve that much,” Ursht said, giving the great honor over to the commander.

“Well umm, thanks Commander. I’ll just check with my people one last time,” Holloway stumbled a bit, his voice awkward.

“Understood commander,” Ursht said, allowing a rare smile to color his words.

The channel cut and people continued to feed information down from the Cook’s living room into the ridgeline.

***

“Well then I guess we should get this show on the road,” Holloway said, checking his sights.

Holloway was a fleet gunner, not a Commando gunner, something that grated on his nerves. His normal scowl had become a permenant feature as he had got his command sorted out and made a firing line no warship could best.

For the barest of moments that scowl moved to an amused smile.

“I want every gun checked! You’ve got five minutes, any failures and I’ll personally visit the battery that fucked up!” Holloway yelled, his scowl firmly in-place, as he relayed his orders to every gunner under his command.

Time to see how the boys and girls do, he thought, silently proud of all they’d been able to accomplish.

“We look to be good Commander,” Chief Goz reported, spitting on the floor, Holloway followed suit. Chewing products came with gunner territory.

“Well then,” Holloway said, looking at the view screen between two laser cannons.

These ones unlike their artillery lobbing cousins, weren’t vertical, but horizontal.

“Open firing ports and present weapons! have the submersed batteries readied. Send word to Commander Ursht, relay when we open fire,” Holloway called out.

“Yes Commander, though I think him and everyone for a few kilometers is going to notice when we open fire,” Goz said.

“You may have a point,” Holloway said, letting out a rare chuckle.

He spat on the ground as the hall he was in was filled with the noises of armored doors opening on hydraulic arms. Other motors and hydraulics were whining as rail cannons and laser cannons were hauled into position. Lake Cook bumbled and foamed.

Missile racks rose to the surface on hydraulic systems.

The Kalu started firing.

“Cute, FIRE!” Holloways barked, his voice piped to every Commander in the AMC complex and Cook home.

***

Kolva looked up from his scouting position, he knew that Ursht was luring the Kalu to Asul, for what reason he didn’t know. If Ursht fell, then he would claim the city for his own. It would be useful once the Kalu were all dead. It would take time, but the Avar would win. The Kalu were good fighters, but on a level playing field.

The Avarians weren’t easy prey and they had the malleability to know when to break off contact and conserve their strength. The Kalu attacked everything with all they had at all times.

It was a good way to tire themselves out and make them weak when eventually they would need that power.

He pulled out the telescoping viewer from his pocket, his hand moving in swift and precise motions, but not too fast as to disturb the outcrop he rested on.

Other Avarians moved into their observation positions to watch the show.

The AMC camp looked like it had never existed, most of it had been swept away. Kolva only knew that it had existed because he had seen it before it’s recent changes.

He saw something flicker, moving. Slowly he tilted the small rectangle in his hands, guiding it to the movement, holes were appearing across the front of the ridge line.

The lake was bubbling, the Kalu were still attacking the Katak, jumping on them and herding them into killing circles, a few near the lake were paying attention to the water, they didn’t notice the ridges as barrels extended out from them.

Missile launchers raised up from the lake, AIH seemed to stand still then as the ridge line’s guns recoiled.

They weren’t the small mobile rail cannons, these were a warships heavy rail cannons and laser cannons.

The Kalu were bowled over, those closest to the opposite bank just disappeared, ripples from the supersonic speed rounds blasted away in cones of explosive torment. The pressures on their surface making them bow down to the weapons ferocity and then fight back with mother nature’s tenacity.

The rounds ripped Kalu from the ground and tossed them around like rag dolls, they shredded anything they came into contact with, the power turning the rounds and whatever they hit into bombs.

Laser cannons traversed across the Kalu, leaving smoldering ruins. The missile launchers fired, sending multi-warhead missiles up at the Kalu fighter swarms.

They didn’t pause to reload, the nuclear blasts ripping the Kalu formations apart. The ridge line wasn’t some dull feature anymore, it was fire, rail gun rounds ripped through the air for their targets, their tracers igniting the dusk crisp atmosphere. Laser cannons brought new light to the planet as they cut through Kalu.

Missiles hunted down Kalu fighters with the same ferocity that the same fighters hunted down their targets.

There were too many sights to see, too much destruction to take in. Kalvin put down his viewer and looked at the ridgeline which released lines of fire, explosions wracking the atmosphere. The cacophony of noise only added to the experience, the rounds and lasers already finding their targets by the time he heard it.

He saw more movement now over by the city, he looked to Asul, more rounds were zipping through the streets, this wasn’t from the base. HAPA’s were moving in their massive bulk between buildings. Ursht was clearly done trying to hold the line, now he was attacking. The HAPA’s moved forward, rolling through the buildings that stopped the Kalu advancing in mass.

The Commandos had trained in this very city and lived in it for the months leading up to the Kalu arrival. They knew it like the back of their manipulators, and Asul city was illuminated with the sights of fighting because of it. Explosion tracers and lasers flashed. Kalu charged the city and the ridge line, their lasers carving into HAPA, house, rock side, whatever they could find.

A number of them got in range of a path leading up onto the ridge line and out of the weapons oncoming fire.

The world exploded again as laser beams blinded Kalvin’s eyes. He shook his face, opening and closing his eyes a few times. A beam five times the size of the laser cannons clouding his vision.

As it cleared he looked over the scene.

Someone had taken a space mine and buried it in the ground around the base.

Thousands of Kalu had died in the blast.

Ursht wouldn’t open fire if he didn’t think he could win, Kalvin thought, his estimate of the Asul leader and AMC commander had only risen as he had spent more time around him. It was rare that Kalvin found himself liking a person that he had thought of his enemy.

Kalvin pushed back from the rocks away from the sights of Asul and the Free Fleet base. There was no escaping the sound.

The other hunters with him gathered around.

“I feel the need to hunt,” he said, seeing the proud nods of those around him.

“Let’s go get some of the Kalu on the Western lowlands,” Kalvin said.

His hunters agreed with his decision. He ushered them off, taking up the rear, silently they slipped into the coming night, their natural night vision helping them as they made their way to new hunting grounds.

Kalvin made a mental note, anyone that went up against Asul city was a damned idiot. He remembered an Earth saying he had heard a number of times from Avarian sub-cities leaders, they would say it when they submitted to Asul.

“If you can’t beat them, join them.” His words were barely a whisper on the wind.

***

“We’ve got incoming wormholes,” Jorvut said, coughing.

Cheerleader knew he needed medical attention, there was something going through him and pinning him to his seat. It was why he was still in his seat instead of on the line that was formed in front of the bridge’s main doors.

Cheerleader felt her rifle buck in her hands, the force physically pushing her back. Mondal had lost gravity long ago, everything was floating now. Her mag-clamped boots kept her on the deck as another Kalu went spinning backwards.

Someone tossed a grenade through the opening from above.

It went off with a muted crunch. They were leaking atmosphere from a hundred locations.

“Who is it?” Cheerleader asked.

“The HCD’s,” Jorvut said, sighing, and bringing on another bout of coughing.

Cheerleader’s heart went out to her sensor commander, but she couldn’t leave her position and she knew he’d been given all the medical attention her force was capable of.

Cheerleader felt some tension bleed from her shoulders.

They had done it; they had held on long enough for Bregend’s split force of two hundred to arrive. They had paid for the pause with hundreds of thousands of lives, three-hundred and seventy-one Independent Kalu ships and fifty-seven from the Free Fleet.

“We held out long enough for them to get here. All of you should be proud,” Cheerleader said, more Kalu appeared in the hole that was caved into the bridge’s doors as if they could hear Cheerleader’s words.

Rounds hit them from several directions, corpses spinning away.

Someone had been hit with a laser, a new red symbol changing to dead black.

Cheerleader winced.

“Now we only have to focus on taking back our ship. Soon we will have the forces necessary to make that a reality. We will hold on a bit longer and just like the HCD’s have shown up, so will the Commandos,” Cheerleader said.

She got tired noises of agreement and it made her damn proud of her people. Even after all they had given, they pushed on. Not complaining or groaning, at least out loud, but getting the job done.

“They’re wormholing around the largest Kalu clan’s groups,” Jorvut reported.

Another three Kalu tried to rush the bridge, they wounded one person, catching them in their upper arm. None made it through.

“They’re launching fighters, and missiles, they must be fully supplied,” Jorvut continued, his relief palpable, it brought silent tears to Cheerleader’s face.

“Damn, sometimes it’s hard to not be proud of the Free Fleet,” Jorvut said, sounding tired, so very tired.

The bridge crew and the three commandos on guard duty when they’d been breached fought on.

Cheerleader lost track of time, Wake-up keeping her awake. She was almost lucid when she heard the firing increase.

Realizing she was staring at a section of the melted door she twitched her gun at the door and waited.

Wait, who the hell is shooting? She thought, not seeing the sparking of rail gun rounds hitting the bulkhead or floor. A Kalu came into view, everyone seemed to open up on it and then nothing.

Yasu’s HUD blinked, showing that someone wanted to talk.

“Who is this?” Cheerleader said, blinking to get the sleep away but finding that they just wanted to glue together even more and pull her into sleep.

“This is Commander Xel, we’re outside the bridge, please have your people lower their weapons so that we might render aid. My people are quickly helping to clear the rest of your carrier.” Cheerleader was too tired to cry, she added the commander to her private channel with the bridge defending force.

“Don’t shoot, friendlies coming in,” Cheerleader said, looking around to make sure everyone acknowledged. “Come on in commander.”

A Commando walked in warily, it seemed they new a thing or too about an itchy trigger finger after a fire fight which had been constantly ongoing for nearly two days.

Once they were inside, Cheerleader seeing all the right tags and the markings of a Commando she allowed herself to relax.

“See to Jorvut, he’s badly injured,” Cheerleader said, leaning against the box she’d been using as cover.

The lack of gravity made her rise up a bit. She sighed, not caring, floating up by inches.

“Commander, Jorvut’s dead,” Onur said, sadness in their voice.

“Understood,” Cheerleader replied. She’d been wrong, she wasn’t too tired for tears.

***

Commander Wesom looked over the view screens in the mess. Some Commandos were removing their helmets all eyes watching the battle that was being waged on the edge of the Quarst.

Henry Classed Destroyers moved in their pyramids hammering the Kalu clan formations as they went. Jump fighters, Multi Environment fighters and bombers used the HCD’s cover fire to close with the Kalu, hammering them up close with missiles, rail guns and plasma.

Independent marked ships rushed towards the Kalu, their fighters didn’t form swarms like the Traditionalists but the flexible wing formations of the Free Fleet. They had also swapped out their lasers for rail guns and slapped on missile racks.

They had lost a good number of their ships, but there were still just over two-thousand up and fighting, not including their fighter power.

The Independents rushed to close with their adversaries at their best speed, though they didn’t need to face their enemy to bring them under contact, their broadsides tore into the Traditionalists sides, their only real armor on their bow.

Wesom had been following the battle. He and his were a contingency plan to support the space stations and second habitable planet in case the Free Fleet hadn’t been able to keep the Kalu at bay.

Cheerleader’s fleet had pulled the Kalu into contact, selling their ships dearly to pause them enough for Min Hae, Drux and Kalvin to arrive. Stopping the Kalu from ever threatening the second inhabitable planet or forcing Wesom and his Commandos into battle.

The combined forces served to split the Kalu fleet into clans, all thanks to the apparent betrayal of Kalvin’s fleet.

Drux had jumped on the traditionalists like a snake on a mouse, striking hard and fast, not allowing them to get stability, withering away their forces.

Cheerleader’s ships had been breached and were fighting the Kalu in close combat. Drux had sent what aid he could, but his ships were running on skeleton crews and they didn’t have enough people to spare for close combat.

The ships had held on, fighting for days inside their own hulls, floating away from battle.

Bregend’s relief HCD’s arrived wasting no time to jump into combat.

They had fighters unlike Drux’s forces, as well as full magazines, and most importantly Commandos. The HCD’s sent their commandos over and ended Cheerleader’s fight for the fleets survival.

Wesom looked over the details of those ships with dull eyes, his four jaws grating together.

His Sarenmenti eyes had seen all too similar reports from Jakram. The Free Fleet could damn well fight, but the Kalu had been born fighting. Their claws and mouths were not only a part of them, they were their weapons and more than capable of tearing and puncturing the Free Fleet’s armor.

They weren’t the best fighters in zero gravity, but if they closed with someone. Not many survived the encounter.

Ship Commander Taleel opened a channel to him.

“We will be moving to Ershue, Commander Drux assures me that none of the Kalu will set foot on ground or orbitals again,” Taleel said.

“Understood Commander,” Wesom said, seeing tracks on the system heading to the nearest jump point to Ershue. It would take thirteen hours.

“It’s about time I started knocking cobwebs out of my people’s heads,” Wesom said, standing, his powered armor responding, it’s familiar weight entombing him.

“I’ll let you get to it, let me know if you need anything,” Taleel replied, cutting the channel.

“We’re headed to Ershue, let’s start getting those cobwebs out and start some training. I want a training rota within the hour,” Wesom said, stepping on any conversations they were having and broadcasting to all of his commanders.

He got green lights of acknowledgement from them all. His people had grieved for the last six days on their transition. It wasn’t anywhere close to the time they needed and he knew it wasn’t going to get any easier. For now, he needed combat capable commanders, it was time to get them focused and not staring at the ongoing battle in-system.

Wesom looked back over the system map again.

There were nine spread out clans, all of them trying to hit the Free Fleet HCD’s or in combat with the Independents.

Their once powerful fleet of thirty-one thousand was now seven thousand strong and dwindling.

Nearly three-hundred Free Fleet ships had fought that fleet, eighty-five of those ships weren’t making it home, forty-seven had been destroyed, or their crews killed in the belly of their own ships.

It was the kind of battle that the Free Fleet never wanted to have with the Kalu. A stand-up battle with ships against ships would have gutted the Free Fleet quickly. Their tricks, tech and tactics had adapted to use their strengths, hammer the Kalu from a distance and ready themselves for another fight.

Cheerleader had destroyed well over Thirty thousand Kalu as they exited their wormholes at Inkal. She had a fraction of the Jumpers from that battle, most of them stripped to fight the Kalu along the corridor.

They had still taken out close to three thousand but it wasn’t planned it was thrown together. Cheerleader’s objectives were also different. She wasn’t trying to bleed the Kalu, she needed to stop them. The best way to stop them was to offer them battle. So she did and held on like a monkey on a tiger’s tail.

Her entire fleet was bashed and battered but they held on and they did their duty, claiming another two thousand Kalu ships.

Wesom pushed the emotions that threatened to rise to the surface. He had known people on those ships, but now was not the time to cry over their loss. He had to make sure their loss was not in vain, that their sacrifice for what they believed was upheld.

That’s why it’s called the Free Fleet, he thought his jaws tightening as he headed towards the armories. He had training to organize and a call to place with Ershue’s Commander Kurft.

***

To say seeing the Free Fleet shuttles breaking through Ershue’s atmosphere was a relief would be an understatement. Fal’s eyes flickered to various alerts, Kurft was issuing orders, his eyes also looking over the many screens scanning for information.

Fal had thought the information feeds overwhelming when he had first stepped into The Mound’s command center. Now they were familiar numbers, just data sets, maps and blinking lights.

Everyone in the command center had taken a fresh dose of wake-up, they all needed to be alert to make sure that the incoming forces were covered on their descent.

They were carrying precious supplies and food. They had fuel that would help sustain them and ammunition that would hold to Kalu back. Not to mention the commandos, the badly needed reinforcements were ready to go, just a week after their ordeal at Jakram.

Fal looked over the HAPA units deployed around the mound and the adjoining space port. They’d deployed all of the PDS turrets they had left.

The Kalu sensing something up were already stirring and charging The Mound.

Fal felt his side twitch, he had been fixed up by a medical chair but his new skin was still tight and itchy. He and Kurft took rotations going out with the HAPA’s and Commandos.

Both of them knew there was a need for more pilots and as long as one of them was in the base commanding, the other could see to helping out. The Commandos appreciated it as well.

Fal got to know them better, which made it all the harder sending them out. But they wouldn’t shirk their duty, so he wouldn’t ignore his, he’d push his feelings aside to command.

Fal looked at the remote sensors and the reports coming in from the scouts watching Kalu movements.

“We’re going to need nukes,” Fal said after a moment.

Silence seemed to cut through the command center.

“We have a mass of a hundred and fifty thousand plus Kalu warriors in this sector moving up, more are joining them by the second,” Fal said, highlighting the sector and the wave of symbols moving beneath trees.

“We’re already engaged across our lines, they will breakthrough,” Fal said, looking to Kurft. Kurft nodded tersely after a second.

“I want a spread of nukes right in the middle of the bastards,” Kurft said, people were shocked, they hadn’t opened up nukes on the ground, the destruction would be as bad as the super-fires from the Kalu ships landing zones when they’d been hammered by the Free Fleet in orbit.

“I will not ask a second fucking time,” Kurft’s voice was low and his teeth bared, making many Ershue flinch away.

The command center got to work.

Fal took a moment, closing his eyes as he pushed his feelings away. He felt like he was killing an old family member, one that had nurtured him his entire life, watching over him and always there with a kind smile.

The moment passed and he focused on the screen again. Tracks outlined the nukes with real-time satellite imagining. It showed the three missiles rise up from The Mound and arch towards the Kalu symbols. They spread out, the forward section opening and releasing the fifteen warheads in each.

Rolling explosions started at the tip of the Kalu formation rumbling backwards through the horde. Trees, plants, anything in the blast zone disappeared in blinding light. Shock waves tossed trees through air like they were nothing. Trees which had lived in their place for thousands of years, fires burned more.

Fal pulled his wet eyes from the sight.

“Sector two is getting hammered, task them artillery support,” Fal said.

Kurft reached out and tapped Fal’s shoulder in understanding.

“I want a trajectory burn and time estimate on the first shuttle to the last,” Kurft said, opening up a channel to Fal and Commander Wesom leading the forces that would be calling Ershue home for the foreseeable future.

“Wesom, are you linked in?” Kurft asked.

“Me and all my Commanders,” Wesom replied.

“Good, let your shuttle pilots know that we have little to no air cover anymore. That said there shouldn’t be Kalu fighters, but Murphy,” Kurft said.

“Understood,” Wesom went off the channel for a few seconds before coming back.

“How are you on the ground?” Wesom asked.

“We’re thin, we have all of our PDS deployed and all but two companies of HAPA’s, everyone else with a gun and armor is out there, down to the cooks and engineers,” Kurft admitted.

“We’ve got a compliment of Sixty MEF’s and the shuttle pilots aren’t too worried about coming back to the ship with full missile racks,” Wesom said.

“Get a fire plan for those warheads, I want to know what yield, type and give the shuttles cones of fire. Request that the MEF’s do strafes along our lines,” Kurft barked at the air controller.

They nodded and started breaking it down into tasks for their staff.

“I didn’t even think to ask about fighters, we haven’t risked a sortie in so long,” Kurft admitted.

“Me too,” Fal said.

“When you’re in the shit and it’s doing nothing but painting the walls you rely on what you know. Don’t worry about it. Now I’m coming down hot with one-hundred and seventy-three Commandos, only sixteen thousand don’t have HAPA’s. We don’t need to all drop at the landing pad. I’d suggest we drop off around the perimeter in the worst spots. leaving the pad open for supply drops,” Wesom said.

“That sounds like a plan, give me a second I’ll get you drop positions,” Fal said, Kurft nodding his agreement.

The command center was a haze of activity, Commandos fought in the trenches and manned the guns of the Mound. Artillery never stopped firing as shuttles swooped in, their guns and missile racks blazing.

The shuttles didn’t even set down, their ramps already open as they came into a hover, Commandos piling out and rushing to the lines. Commanders barked orders and greeted their new comrades with hasty words and got to the dirty work of holding the line. Shuttles took off as soon as the last Commando thumped down into the dirt of Ershue.

The shuttles dropping off supplies barely even stopped, opening their rear ramps as they bled off speed, tilted upwards and dumped the containers filling their holds. The containers thumped onto the ground and the shuttles raced towards the heavens.

Some never made it to the ground and others to the heavens, the Kalu fire was overwhelming, three more nukes had to be used to keep the Kalu back. It seemed like an incentive to the Kalu.

MEF’s screeched as they plunged through atmosphere shaking the trees with their passing, they staying low to keep out of the Kalu’s sights until the last minute, their cannons firing, their rounds timed to explode just above the Kalu, leaving lines through their formations as the MEF’s sped away only to come back on a new attack run.

The Mound and the flattened and burnt forest around it seethed with Kalu, the Commandos desperate efforts tightening up as much needed ammunition was rushed to the lines and reinforcements bolstered their positions.

For eighteen hours that continued, Kalu blood covered the hillsides, soaking the Ershue ground.

Medical wards were filled with the cries of the wounded and the silences of those who had lost their battle with death.

People collapsed from exhaustion in the command center, returning as soon as they could sneak away from medical staff.

Five times the lines were breached, the Kalu made it to the exterior halls of the Mounds armored walls once.

Fal had been with the walking wounded and platoon strength Commandos, holding out until a Company could make it to support them. Fal had his HAPA’s leg cut off but he still fought, a laser cutting through his right shoulder, wing and side. Wake up and Hell fire kept him in the fight with one working arm.

When he woke, the fighting had subsided and he was missing his right arm and wing. His fourth lung had been removed, his organs were stitched together. He would get replacements later.

He strapped himself in powered armor, numbing agents made him not feel the pain of his side and his nerve ports made him forget about his missing arm. His powered armor acted like it was never missing.

He made it to the command center, the medical wards were overflowing into the halls. There were so many wounded. Medics rushed from patient to patient, hauling them into medical chairs, administering Hellfire, categorizing them, slapping on new skin applying pain killers and doing their best to save lives.

Kurft looked like he hadn’t slept in weeks, his eyes sunken and his face showing lines that Fal didn’t think had been there before the battle.

He and Wesom were looking over a table of four other Commanders who were listening intently to Kurft’s explanation as he pointed to the holographic display of the mound. It showed the hillsides leading up to the defenses and armored redoubt as well as the deep tunnels that led from the redoubt down to the living quarters of the Ershue.

“We ask for you aid, not the destruction of our planet!” Someone yelled, Fal looked at the shouting Ershue, planetary governor Isaz, the regal looking planetary leader stormed through the command center, heading right for Fal who was closing with the command table.

Kurft saw the Commanders around the table look to the man and Fal, Kurft stood up from his table. The room was silent, Ershue looking away from the Planetary Governor and Fal. The Governors wings indicated he was outraged.

Fal blinked trying to understand what was going on, not much sleep and the detox the medics had put him on while they worked to save his life made his brain fuzzy.

“What?” Fal asked.

He injected wake-up into his system, his headache fading away and his mind becoming clear. He knew he would pay for it, but something was up.

“You were given your position to protect the Ershue, not to destroy our planet!” Isaz said, now in front of Fal and poking his armored breastplate with his finger, his face pulled back in a snarl.

“I have done nothing but try to defend the lives of those under my command and hidden under the mound,” Ershue said, his wings moving in agitation under his armor. Fatigue stopped it from reaching his voice, three-hour surgery in a medical chair took it out of you.

“You took the trust that we laid in you and ordered nuclear weapons to be fired on our planet. You have watched as the Free Fleet bombed the Kalu ships and our Ershue into ruin! You deserve that armor, that mark of your aggression, you forget the world that has raised you!” Isaz said, his wings moving in wild strokes of authority and anger.

“If we did not use the nuclear weapons then many would not be standing at our walls and our people may be fighting the Kalu with their own wings,” Fal said, tired of the argument and Isaz’s inability to see reality.

“The Commandos would have held them back and it would not be so that we might emerge from the dark tunnels you forced us into, to see our world burned and tortured with weapons of war!” Isaz looked to the commanders around the table.

“See what you bring war mongers, see what you reap. This is your doing! You were to protect us, instead you take our world as hostage and laugh destroying a planet that has grown together for thousands of years. Beasts like you have no place on our planet!” Isaz turned his back on the now angered Commandos, the highest insult of an Ershue, dismissing them as part of their planet and being.

Fal had enough, he opened his armor, coming out as one of them.

The Ershue recorded everything and shared it with all of their people, the blue lights of recording devices followed Fal as he stepped out of his armor, he stumbled, reaching with his arm to stabilize himself. He forgot he didn’t have an arm anymore.

Commander Wesom caught him as Fal looked to his missing arm and mangled side.

“Thanks,” Fal said, steadying himself and trying to not look at his missing limbs, both arm and wing.

Wesom simply nodded, letting him go as he was stable.

This caused a stir within the ranks of civilian Ershue. Seeing such wounds was a terrible sight to them. Some keened at his loss. His solitary wing flashed in anger.

“You want to accuse of sitting up here sitting behind our walls and burning our planet, come and see what those not born of our planet have done for you, come bear witness so that you may make a true decision,” Fal looked to them. They moved their wings in hesitant interest, the shock of his wounds putting them off edge.

“Watch,” Fal said, looking to Poj.

“Bring up a sub screen of any medical war.” Wings fluttered in agitation and despair as corridors and medical bays were filled with the wounded and dying. Medical chairs and medics were covered in the blood of many races working to save lives.

“Armory,” Fal said. People were being cut free of their HAPA’s and powered armor, rushed to medical. Others missing limbs, scarred, and walking wounded stepped into powered armor and started to see about their duties, all too many of them getting in a HAPA and heading out to the battlefield.

“External,” Fal grunted,

Commandos rushed to new positions, moving ammunition, reinforcements and the lifeblood of the lines to where it needed to be. Others hid behind cover that made up the remains of the line, new trenches were being hastily dug now they had the man power. Yet the viciousness had changed from a landscape of fighting, to isolated incidents.

Kalu closed with HAPA’s their charge faltering under the massive fire of those machines and the artillery rounds in their midst.

“Stay in the tunnels and make judgements of us all you want. You are free to do so because of the men and women that have laid down their lives for that safety. We will win this war, or we will lose it. If we lose then none of us will ever see Ershue again, if we win then we can repair the damage done and grow stronger through new roots.

“No matter the decision, remember that Commandos, people from different worlds, with friends and family many systems away, or fighting along side them, came to our aid. Are we so proud that we would put our forests before their lives? Their sacrifice?” Fal was tired, he made his way back to his armor getting back inside it.

“Yes, I ordered those nukes to be fired at the oncoming Kalu. I would do it again and I might have to do it in the future. For the safety of my people and my Commandos. Do not think I do not weep for the forests removed for later generations to never climb or perch on watching as our sun dips low in the sky. I know that the forests will regrow and that new generations might have a chance of living on this planet,” Fal said, his armor sealing and locking around him.

“Now we have planning to do. Watch and observe, or complain, but let us try and save your lives,” Fal said, looking to his people. Governor Isaz looked pissed as hell and others did as well. Yet none of them would hide the information from their people, not at a time like this. They were one and they were wounded, betrayal at this time would hurt them greatly.

“You think yourself as your saviors, but you are the killers of this world and our ways!” Isaz said, storming right back out.

Fal walked to the command table.

“You’ll always have a place on Parnmal with me and mine,” Kurft said.

“Thanks,” Fal said in a quiet voice, knowing the Kurft and a number of those in the room would have his back no matter what they faced. Whether it be pissed off planetary governors or Kalu in hand-to-hand. That kind of relationship couldn’t be explained only felt.

“I was telling the commanders here about our actions over the last couple of weeks,” Kurft said, moving so Fal could see the hologram. Kurft continued, “I was telling them about our retreat from the third line of entrenchments.” Fal nodded in understanding, pushing his thoughts of his people and his planet from his mind.

***

Yasu looked at the smoking ruin of a hundred square kilometers that had been the final stand of the Kalu. Nukes, lasers and rail cannons had remodeled the area. Other blackened holes marked the surface of Chaleel, marking the cost of removing the Kalu threat.

Five million civilians had died, being caught by Kalu before the Free Fleet or Chaleel forces were able to get to them. Kilometers of farmland had been churned up into oblivion, mangled black Kalu armor dotted the surface of the planet.

Eight Million Kalu had ended their advance on this planet, burned down with the ferocity of the Free Fleet’s warships and their Commandos making sure that nothing survived their passage.

There were pockets of Kalu still alive, but Delahil was already working to track them down.

Even with the Fleet above to support, thirteen thousand Commandos and personnel had lost their lives. A small price to pay to free the planet, but still a cost heavy on the hearts of the people who knew them.

Already people were surveying the destruction and looking to putting their lives back together. The Free Fleet ships were returning to orbit; merchant freighters were shipping in much needed supplies.

People were complaining about the destruction; with Yasu it fell on deaf ears.

Others were trying to find any loophole they could to keep the Free Fleet over Chaleel, protecting their world.

Salchar wasn’t having any of it. He had a mission, Chaleel was largely safe now, Sol needed his fleet now.

Freighters were moving more than just supplies, they were moving personnel from Parnmal up to AIH and Chaleel.

When they entered Sol they would have a full compliment of Commandos and more.

Yasu looked up from her data pad at the knock on her door. She was reviewing the latest information from AIH. Ursht had been engaged with the Kalu at Asul for the last four days, he was holding out and inflicting casualties that shocked even Yasu.

The man knew how to make a damned defensive position and was more than happy to use nukes that wouldn’t irradiate the planet.

“Come in!” She said, moving off of her bed.

The door opened and a familiar set of powered armor walked just inside the door, the occupant pulling himself free from it.

She smiled as James stepped out of his armor pushing his hair out of his face. They came together in a hug.

She held on tightly, tension she hadn’t known releasing from her shoulders, she took comfort in the embrace of his arms that wrapped around her.

They didn’t say anything as Yasu felt her eyes water, letting the sadness in, the loss and wounds. Boots death, Cheerleader’s fleet, Ershue, Jakram, AIH, Oolta Daestramus, the deaths of too many good people.

She felt Salchar shaking, his tears wetting her hair.

They fell to their knees, crying and grieving for their friends. Holding onto the other in support and release. Letting each other see a side that they would not show another soul.

Sometime later when the racking sobs had died and their sadness had been salved slightly. They hugged one another just taking time to be away from the universe, to be two lovers supporting one another in a time that ripped at their emotions.

They kissed one another, not with hasty passion but short and purposeful, issuing feelings that words couldn’t understand while taking comfort in the love of the other and their luck that they hadn’t lost everything.

Salchar comm buzzed angrily, it had been doing for some time.

“You need to grab that?” Yasu asked.

“It’s either Chaleel complaining about the damage or wanting us to stay,” he said the spell broken. “Some of their people are complaining about radiation damage. The damn things use up their material so you can plant as soon as the shock waves are done. Try to tell them that? No way!” James shook his head, the calm and decisive veneer of Salchar left at her room door.

“What’s the plan?” She asked.

He looked to the roof of her quarters.

“We resupply, salve our wounds and go to Sol. Hopefully we won’t be too late. The fleet will start moving in two hours,” Salchar said, James’ face becoming harder and resolute.

“AIH?” She asked.

“Monk’s reinforcements should be there, but Ursht reported that he had all but destroyed the largest contingent of a three hundred thousand plus Kalu. The other clans are already hunting down the other Kalu, breaking them down into smaller groups and ambushing them. Ursht hopes to have his HAPA’s ready to assist within two days. Then they can take on bigger groups,” Salchar said.

“Are you going to do anything about the Chaleel looking to curb the Free Fleet?” Cheerleader asked.

“Yes and no,” Salchar said, looking to Yasu his face serious.

“The Free Fleet is currently the single biggest entity in known space after the Kalu clans, but then they don’t have more than a few thousand craft across the line, other than the Independents…” He trailed off in thought, she poked him, getting him back on track.

“Right, so if we win and peace comes then the Free Fleet is going to have a limited serviceability. It’s one of the reasons I said that we are a secondary force to the Free Merchant Fleet. We have the hulls and the people. We can haul freight and supplies across the stars, but if there’s peace there’s nothing for the Free Fleet to do.”

“So you’re going to gut it?” She asked, sitting up.

“No, we’re going to put the ships into reserve, constantly working on upgrades and such with an all-time Free Fleet component, but for the most part we will be merchants, traders, engineers. Planets will not support a solely military organization that they have limited control over. The Free Fleet is an insurance policy; one I hope never to be activated. If the Union or the PDF, whatever they come up with, falters, then the Free Fleet will be there. Until then there will be a home for any and all of the Free Fleet in the Free Merchant Fleet. The Free Fleet will be a mercenary fleet and a protection force of traders if there is ever trouble,” Salchar said.

“That’s all what if, maybe and possibly right now. We are fighting on five different planets and one-star system. A future, even a possible one is a little far away right now,” James said, letting his anxiety show.

Yasu stroked his face, feeling the lines which had been but faint shadows just weeks ago.

He held her hand kissing it, they lay like that for a time, Salchar on his back and Yasu wrapped around him.

She traced nonsensical lines on his chest as he traced his fingers across her back, both of them luxuriating in the touch of the other.

***

“What the hell you think you’re doing taking a nap in my engine room! Get that damned wakeup into you and help out with the inspection. The Commander wants us moving in three hours, we’re damned well going to be moving in three hours!” Eddie barked, pushing his cowboy hat back as the startled human flinched awake and away from Eddie, eyes wide.

They scrambled off Eddie’s manipulators moving in annoyance.

“I see some things don’t change,” Resilient said through the nearby ships speakers.

“People are always looking for a corner to try and catch up on the sleep they spent on their own activities. This is a damned war!” He said, moving to the nearby acceleration chamber, one of seven that fed directly into the manifolds to the rear of the ship.

He hiked his belt up, climbing the ladder next to the massive cylinder, pulling a wrench out and pulling the maintenance hatch off, snaking a cord into a universal port, his data pad updating with the acceleration chambers information.

“How long until we’re ready to move?” Resilient asked.

“We blew out a number of the maneuvering jets with their constant use. I’m having most of them replaced. We have the parts and we don’t have the time to fix them up,” Eddie grimaced, after a lifetime of hoarding parts and making do, it was hard for him to junk parts that could be repaired with a few hours of elbow grease.

“Will we be good for the three-hour mark?” Resilient asked.

“We’re going to need to start with bomb-pumped acceleration, engine five.” He slapped the acceleration chamber he was sitting on, his other limbs grabbing a wrench and a screwdriver, both of them diving into the maintenance panel as another limb grabbed a new part from his vest.

“And two are showing some wonky readings. I’ve got people checking on the other engines to make sure they don’t go sideways as well.” The old chip set came back, he looked it over as other limbs pushed the new chips in, his wrench and screwdriver securing it into place as he put the old chip set down.

“Damn thing had a short, bad manufacture,” he said, knowing Resilient would log it.

“What about guns, shield generators and armor?” Resilient asked.

Eddie checked his data pad, pulling the cord from it’s port and closing the maintenance hatch.

“The gunners know their systems well enough. There are some issues with the hull being caved in and that annoying crap. I’m focusing on shield generators, after the modifications to War-stations shields I have a few ideas that might boost our overall strength with a bit of tinkering,” Eddie said, his manipulators excited.

“You and your tinkering,” Resilient said, sounding amused.

“Yes, me and my tinkering, I can think of a few times it came in handy!” He said, waving the wrench still in his hand as he made his way to the ladder and down it.

“The hull?” Resilient said, putting him back on track.

“The hull,” he sighed. They’d taken a few nasty hits and some Kalu idiot had smashed into the hull right above hangar three, taking out four guns and making the hangar non-functional.

“We’re going to have to slap on armor where we can and bash the warped armor around the guns into submission. Entering and exiting atmosphere, even one nice and thin was hell on your structure and armor. We can’t make another entry into atmosphere until we get a full check on the superstructure, otherwise we might crumple up like a soda can in a machine press,” Eddie said, shaking his head, wandering to a new panel, pressing it. The assembly came out like a pyramid, layers of ships, machinery and operational sections of the machinery.

“Will we be space-combat ready?” Resilient asked as he started running tests on the equipment in front of him.

“Yes, though I’m going to need any and everyone with engineering know-how working to get armor plates on, change those maneuvering thrusters and help the gunners install any lost guns,” Eddie said, not letting that cloud his mind. It was easy to get swamped with work, he just needed to work on one thing at a time.

“I will pass word to Salchar,” Resilient said.

Eddie made waving motions, his manipulators twitching in thought at the odd readings he was getting from the matter compression and inlet valve.

Resilient’s questions were the only kind of report he passed up. He was too damned busy doing real work to do all the flipping paperwork around it!

Chapter Line in the Sand

“No time to sit around people, we’ve got those launchers in sector four deck nine to open up,” Shrift said, feeling damned tired as people piled onto his maintenance craft.

As soon as the tired engineers were aboard he gunned the engine, heading for the transport tunnels. The vessel was so big that walking or even taking the lifts would waste hours.

Other craft moved above, carrying personnel, materials, ammunition and even fighters. Shrift sat back, Devastahli’s automated systems took over driving. An organic piloting was liable to cause a jam. These tunnels criss-crossed the entire vessel, it’s life blood.

A few minutes later and they were being spat out of the tunnels, now in sector four.

Shrift rose up to deck nine and followed the map to an airlock.

“Seal up!” He said, everyone checked their gear and pulled their helmets on. Shrift did a quick check of the engineer sitting shotgun, they checked him before he looked to the rear of the craft he gave them a thumbs up, getting the same gesture back from them all. The airlock doors had closed behind them. He started pumping air out with a few taps on the controls in his gloves.

Air pumped out, no one was freaking out showing that their powered armor was good to go. With the general lack of sleep for the crew, Shrift made sure everyone was double and triple-checking their gear.

He sent another prompt, the airlock’s doors opening to the vastness of space. Shrift rolled forward on the craft, crossing from one-point-four Earth gravities to zero.

He switched systems and thrusters pushed him away from the airlock, he turned and headed for the missile tubes.

It was hard to not look at the weapons fire of War-station, the ships on it, or the station’s shields shimmering from multiple hits.

Shrift guided the craft down to the melted face of the station, the missile tubes a rough outline. He fired a grappling hook into the rock, it pulled the craft down to the surface, he fired two more to make sure the craft didn't drift off.

“Grab the torches and carvers, this is going to be a pain in the ass,” Shrift said, hearing grumbles from the others. It sucked, but someone needed to do it.

He took a few moments to look at the silent destruction happening around him. It made him shudder thinking of the kind of destructive forces that those shields kept at bay and that the Free Fleet were unleashing on the Kalu.

They were six hours out from Hachiro, the Kalu seemed to dismiss Nancy, hopefully it would stay that way. The yard was armed and had shield generators, but it was no military grade combatant.

Takahashi, Yasu’s unofficial Uncle and only surviving teammate of Samurai’s Revenge her Mecha Assault Two team, was on Hachiro pulling a defense together for the various installations around and on Mars. Shrift already knew that it would be a bloody affair.

He sighed, grabbing the top of the craft, pulling himself out of his seat, and floating back to the equipment.

“Those two are good to go,” Someone said, pointing to two of the cutters, working on another to make sure that it would work.

“Cheers,” Shrift said, grabbing one of the machines and firing a grappling line, the system was zero-g rated so he didn’t go cruising in the other direction.

He wheeled in the line, sending out another, the practice was called non-linear or non-magnetic material movement in zero-gravity environment, everyone called it spider manning.

After seeing a few of the namesake’s movies and comic books Shrift understood the similarities.

He got over the missile exit point, a laser or a group had melted the rock around the hole and covered it.

Sometimes you just have to embrace the suck. He dialed in radius, the cutter opening its diamond grinders out as arms expanded, thumping into the rocks surface and securing the cutter in-place.

He started it up and pushed it into the ground, hearing the vibrations through the cutter and his armor.

A message pinged on his HUD, he couldn’t help but grin at the sender’s identification. He rather liked the quick short messages from Empress. They were one of the few ways he relaxed.

So in the tradition of many soldiers before him, as weapons fire criss-crossed around him he hunkered down and read the message that transported him to another place if only briefly.

It took nearly an hour to remove the melted materials and clear the sides of debris that might impede any exiting missiles.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Shrift said, dumping his cutter on the back of the maintenance craft, he sent a report to the engineering command center to log the job as done and the area clear of people.

He fired up the thrusters, released the clamps and headed back to the airlock.

“Fuck they don’t wait long,” One said as light illuminated the area behind them. Missiles the size of the craft they were travelling in accelerated out of the newly cleared tubes, their rocket engines blazing blue tilting toward their targets.

Shrift looked back to his to-do list, a laser cannon was having focusing issues. The gunners were good at their job of keeping their guns going, but sometimes they needed an engineer for some finess.

The airlock opened and Shrift cast another glance at the tracers, shield impacts and destruction that War-station and its attached ships projected.

***

He wasn’t the only one watching that weapons fire and the pounding the massive vessel was taking on it’s shields.

Whorst’s view was a bit different, his dealt with numbers instead of the raw visual effects.

He had another six hours to hurt the Kalu as badly as possible.

“Is that thrust plan complete Peck?” Whorst asked.

“We’re good to go, cables were checked and we shouldn’t have any lift off,” Peck answered, sounding nervous.

I guess that’s sensible seeing as my plan is on the wrong side of insane, Whorst shook his head, he would have never thought of this kind of idea before, but when needs must a commander had to find a way.

“Increase our thrust to bring us into the rear of those bastards, warn our people about the high gravity maneuvers. Make sure all weapon systems are ready to go and get the fighters back in our hangars. Might as well give them a ride onto their target,” Whorst said. People ran with the information pulling what they needed from his quick bullet points.

Alerts rang through the vessel with Arfo’s voice warning them about upcoming high gravity maneuvers.

Peck looked back to Whorst for confirmation.

“Let’s go get us some Kalu,” Whorst said.

***

Orshpa was just a day from Earth when Daskil and the other controllers started twitching with agitation, shock and then anger.

“What is it?” Orshpa said, expecting another bout of the transformed ships. They hadn’t been jumping forward of his formation for a number of hours now, but rather harrying his rear and weakened ships.

Thankfully as they were slowing down to enter Earth’s atmosphere they were facing the converted star-destroyers with their bows and catching them with their own beams.

They were killing a good number of the Free Fleet ships, but they still followed. Obviously they didn’t want Orshpa settling on the planet.

Orshpa’s forward screen showed a blurry image that was resolving with every second.

“It appears that the large maneuvering station is closing on the forces headed to the other planet,” Daskil said.

Orshpa’s claws casually cut through a railing, dragging them through the deck. If he ever got his hands on the clan leader that ordered the other fleet to slow in order to engage the Free Fleet’s massive station he would not live for long. The Free Fleet had bled them, good and hard, worse than Orshpa had thought.

“Play it,” Orshpa growled. Kalu turned into rocks, not moving or making a sound lest they drew their war-leader’s attention. Daskil pressed a button. The station was closing with the braking Kalu fleet. Orshpa took off another section of the railing.

Blue flashes across the station flared to life and the station slowly accelerated harder, harder than something it’s size had any warrant to do.

“How?” Orshpa asked, he had given up on outright outrage, the Free Fleet’s trickery knew no bounds.

“The ships attached to the station fired their main engines, adding their propulsion to the Stations. It wasn’t much at the start but now they are closing with the Kalu fleet, they have already brought their projectile weapons online,” Daskil reported faithfully.

“They have wasted their forces trying to fight the Free Fleet in the space between war grounds,” Orshpa shook his bulk.

“We will close with the home of their leader and we will remove his clans home from the stars. When the Free Fleet comes to the ground, then we will have our battle. Soon the other victors from other battlegrounds will claim their land and come to us with great stories of victory. We are Kalu, we are mighty, we are many and we will write our stories in our enemy’s blood!” Orshpa said with a crazed glint to his eyes, bloodlust rolled off of him. The controllers and his primes with him shook their bulks, Orshpa heard a fight break out, Kalu warriors stuck within their ships had broiled with bloodlust, the close quarters and lack of freedom boiled over.

Growls from below told of a victor, Orshpa bared his fangs and sharpened his claws, staring at the green, blue and brown sphere.

The bloodlust boiled over and fights broke out over the Kalu ships, morale raised as blood was spilt to give tribute to the coming battle.

Sixty thousand of them remained, and they would have blood. Earth was where they would make their stand and dare anyone to fight them. They were Kalu, they needn’t fear any enemy!

***

Falhu was not as confident with his landing, the Free Fleet and the planet had shocked him with their ferocity.

They’re supposed to be feeble non warriors, nothing more than brood mothers without care for bloodshed! He thought angrily, looking at the arcing fire of the base he and his Kalu charged and attacked with abandon.

There were fourteen of the bases strewn across the planet, usually close to the cities. All of them were hidden in hills, or the ground. The enemy Commandos manned holes in the ground, hiding in them and waiting for the Kalu to charge. They would rise and cut into the Kalu, the Kalu’s lasers finding it hard to target them.

He had found out the name of the Commandos quickly after arriving. He had come across a poster on a wall, his computer translating it.

It was a name he now associated with death.

They moved in armor similar to the Kalu’s but fired projectiles like their ships. There were much larger versions, HAPA’s, even thinking of the machines made Falhu bare his teeth in anger.

They fired missiles that ripped through Kalu formations, making a pyre to their deaths. They had two large projectile guns which took but a few rounds to punch through a Kalu’s armor, then exploded inside, the first Kalu had charged them with their helmets open, in defiance of their enemy.

They had been slaughtered within minutes and the Kalu rejoiced to take on a true enemy. Falhu felt the bloodlust in his veins, begging him to rush with his battle brothers and come down on their enemy. He had fought the Free Fleet too long, he knew that pure will would carry them. He had to do as his war-leader taught him, he had planned.

Kalu fighters moved in a massive swarm towards the Commandos positions. Pyres erupted in the skies, thundering noises pushing Kalu nearby to the ground, fighters were thrown across the skies.

“Close with them, take their refuge and write the stories!” Falhu said, he had pulled Kalu from afar, now they rushed towards the defenses, they were strong they were proud and they were invincible.

Raining death shattered Kalu but others rushed over their fallen to close with the enemy.

Falhu was battered to one side, catching the edge of a pyre, he skidded across the ground but kept going. The Commandos fire increased in intensity.

“They panic with our might, take them, scour their troughs in the cold!” Falhu raced on, letting the bloodlust take him.

They made it to the lines in the ground. Kalu leapt on their prey, blue-green long claws met them, cutting armor and Kalu apart where they touched.

Claws, both Kalu and the odd Commandos came together in a clash. Projectiles still fired and pyres still erupted but Falhu was at the lines.

He jumped over them, rushing past the engaged Kalu, looking for a prey. He jumped on one that was messing with their weapon.

He dug his claws into their side.

“Oh you mother fucking,” The creature hammered on Falhu’s side, falling and trapping Falhu’s limbs under their armored body.

Falhu tried to get free his claws digging and scraping, the Commando cried out but kept punching. Falhu could feel his armor caving in.

The pounding stopped for a second, a green-blue flash materialized, Falhu scrambled more, remembering what those claws had done to others. The claw sunk into his side, making him howl in pain.

There was a gurgling noise and the pain diminished.

Another Kalu had driven their claws into the Commando’s chest, killing it. Falhu’s movements had unseated the claw in his side and it now fizzled and spat on the ground.

The Kalu continued on. Falhu felt such anger, he had almost died to these weak creatures.

He freed himself, much easier when not in a panicked frenzy, scratching his claws through the Commando’s chest plate. He bashed the dead Commando to the side, he ran on, he would make these Commandos pay for their wounds on him.

***

“We just lost outpost nine,” Narvu said, confirming what everyone knew was going to happen.

There was anger, hatred and sadness in his voice. Narvu leaned over the table, sighing.

Bregend choose to grind his jaw instead, there was fourteen million civilians in outpost nine. They didn’t have many guns, all the Commandos were dead or dying and there wasn’t a fucking thing that he could do.

The Kalu would get in and Bregend’s mind could only concoct images of horror.

Thankfully it was one of the smaller outposts, not that was going to do much for the nightmares that waited for him in his sleep. It was his job to stand in the way of the Kalu, to protect the people, the innocent, that was the purpose of the Free Fleet and he had failed them and his mission.

Nothing to do but suck it the fuck up and keep on going, he closed his eyes, locking his shit down, he needed to be in there here and now.

“Someone is organizing them, and doing it well, they coordinated fire support from the fighters, getting them to create a screen while they drove forces they’d gathered around the area to strike all sides. They’re going to do it again,” Bregend said, his eyes turning to the map on the table in front of Narvu and a number of higher commanders.

“What makes you think they would?” Narvu asked, his voice hot.

“If it worked once, then they’ll try it again. If they do it will also confirm that someone’s fucking thinking over there. If someone with power is thinking and starting to create tactics a little more rounded than ‘charge it till it breaks’. I don’t need to tell you how bad that is,” Bregend said.

“You’re right and even if they don’t have a leader then we at least have a plan ready,” Narvu said the wind going out of his sails. “Sorry, just can’t...” Narvu made a motion close to his head.

“I know, I want to grieve for them too, but there isn’t any time. The Kalu will ride this victory like a drug to their next battle. We need a plan and we need it yesterday,” Bregend said.

“Bombers?” One of the Commanders asked.

“Not going to work in atmosphere,” Bregend said, dismissing the idea.

“What if they just dipped through it, cut through the uppers, dropped their payloads and fucked off?” The Commander asked.

Bregend frowned in thought, he opened a channel to Dal.

“Kyle can you get me Zoka?” Bregend asked as soon as the channel was picked up.

“Nice to talk to you too boss, transferring,” Kyle said. Even with everything Kyle’s words made a flicker of a smile appear at the corner of his lips.

“Boss?” Zoka asked opening the channel.

“Would a bomber be able to skirt through the planet’s atmosphere, drop a payload and fuck off without too much issue?” Bregend asked.

“Sometimes I wonder if you ever heard of an idea inside a box,” Zoka said under her breath.

“What was that Wing Commander?” Bregend asked.

“I think sub commander Gerouz was passing wind,” Zoka said, without pause.

Who the hell did I leave in charge of my carrier? Bregend complained internally.

“It’s going to be a near thing, but yeah we can do it. They’ll have fifteen seconds to shoot but they’ll have a drop window. I’ve got two wings moving to the launch platform,” Zoka said. “Mills wants to talk to you.”

“Rotate the wings, we may need them sooner rather than later. Pass me over.” Bregend heard the line pause.

“I saw what happened with outpost nine. I know there’s not much we can do up here, but we can still send a KEW down there, it’ll end their suffering and get some payback,” Mills said.

Bregend looked to Narvu, the conversation being broadcast through the table.

“Do it,” he said, locking eyes with Bregend for a second and then turning away.

“Put the impact zones around the outpost entrance not on it. low yield, clear the Kalu off and harass them,” Bregend said.

“Will do,” Mills said, not taking any pleasure out of his duty.

There weren’t many gunners left on Dal but five minutes later they were hammering the ground around the outpost carving great smoking craters into the ground, throwing dust into the sky and evaporating any trace of Kalu on their impact areas. Kalu nearby were tossed by the impact.

A good number of them didn’t get up.

Bregend looked at the table’s image for a few more moments before pressing a key, the map changing to the one around the outpost they stood in and the small raised hill the outpost was cut into. Trenches encircled the position, weapons of every variety fired, heavier fire in some areas, less in others. The Kalu were probing their lines again, looking for an approach.

The Free Fleet and Daestramus forces were holding, but for how long Bregend didn’t know. They needed reinforcements yesterday.

Chapter Endgame

The destroyer converts had run dry of missiles a long time ago, and their fighters were only using their rail guns and plasma rounds.

The converts still had their laser cannons and rail cannons. They were closing with the Kalu as they decelerated violently. Easing their way into Earth’s drive way from astronomical distances.

Kalu ships were holed, destroyed and torn apart, but there were three hundred ships and while they could do a lot of damage, the Kalu were closing together using those lagging behind as cover.

They also had a hell of a lot of ships. They could take a few losses, there were forty-nine thousand ships still mobile.

Orshpa’s ship flipped, aiming into Earth’s atmosphere, other ships doing the same so that they weren’t ripped apart by atmosphere pulling at their engines.

His ship shook and shuddered, they were heading to the world’s largest land mass, indicators showed billions of people on the planet.

Orshpa held onto his seat as his craft was buffeted by the quick descent, then it was gone.

“A few were destroyed in re-entry, five minutes until we’re on the ground,” Daskil said, pawing the ground in earnest, sharpening his claws, others were also doing the same.

Five minutes couldn’t move slower, then the ship came to a stop and the bow whined, opening. The world was cold but it was finally a world, not the prison of a ship.

Orshpa bashed his way through his people, swiping any that dared get in his way, he stepped out into the atmosphere his helmet and armor at it’s lowest coverage.

He shook his body, feeling alive. This was where he was supposed to be, not on a craft.

“Let the hunt begin! Find me the largest grouping of these creatures Daskil!” Orshpa demanded. Daskil gestured into the distance. There was a large grouping of tall square shapes, they looked like the Independents homes.

“Look at this weakness, they live like our independents yet don’t even wear armor. Maybe they sound good with a claw in them,” Orshpa said, his paws moving riding the bloodlust, the feeling of freedom and invincibility, star-warriors disgorged Kalu that flowed behind their war-leader, the ground filling with thunder at their footfalls.

Overhead Star-Destroyers headed towards the tall building area, Kalu fighters moved out of their berths their lasers smashing into the tall buildings, cutting through them. The buildings crashed down and fires started.

Orshpa’s armor closed around him as he heard the first screams and yells of his prey. He clawed through a tallish one and a small one about their knee height tall. Their screams died as dark red colored his claws and armor.

Thunder cracked from above, fireballs racing down towards the planet. They struck Kalu ships which sagged and fell uncontrollably and continued into the landing areas of the Kalu.

Orshpa shook his mane in victory. He had spread his landing areas out, learning from the Free Fleet’s bombardments.

Not all of his people would make it to battle, but a good number would.

He cut down another man wearing blue and firing something at his armor, it bounced off, the weapon useless against his mighty armor. His jaws clamped around their neck, shaking them and tossing.

Orshpa shook and howled, calling his people to war, the cry was taken up and carried by the clans, both his own and from others that followed.

This was the teaching war they were looking for. Here they would teach the Free Fleet their strength.

Kalu surged through the city that the human’s called Beijing.

***

Ursht walked out onto the smoking beach, HAPA’s and Commandos were moving through the craters and Kalu bodies.

Lake Cook had settled down, it’s mirror-like surface in contrast to the white capped pressure waves that had rocked it for days.

His glance shifted to Asul building had been reduced to rubble where the fighting had been the worst. HAPA’s had served to box the Kalu in with heavy artillery support, the main batteries laying waste to anything that tried to close with the AMC camp.

He wandered through the landscape, looking at a deep furrow in the ground, marking where a round or laser blast had cut through.

His mind saw the constant fire, the space-grade mines exploding with the forces of miniature suns. His hand shook as he took a breath.

It had been a gamble, one hell of a gamble, forty-five thousand had paid with their lives to pull it off.

His combat strength was now less than half of what he had started with.

It didn’t feel real that he was alive, that he had survived, there had been so many near-breaches, the Kalu scraping at the camps gate, their lasers cutting through gun ports to get gunnery crews on the other side.

Ursht had jumped on one of those guns, a tech getting stuck in the face, they went down screaming in pain. The medics had come and taken them away. Ursht didn’t know what had happened with them. He’d been focused on unjamming the guns free floating pivot.

He took off his helmet. The Kalu smelt bad, but Ursht had fought before and it wasn’t as bad as it would be in a few days under AIH’s baking sun.

He felt that sun on his features, basking in it’s glory and he bent down and cried. Hod who had been following slumped down into a crouch, pulling her helmet off, two friends crying in misery. For the tech who had been hit, the HAPA’s who’d held the line. For every brother and sister Commando.

They had made it through the hardest training in the universe, gained the honor of serving in the Free Fleet. They were the best of the best, but not even they were invincible.

Inside that armor behind those guns, they might be three hundred pound Avarian or Kuruvian, warriors one and all; but also fathers and sisters, aunts and godfathers.

All too soon Ursht wiped the tears away, streaks in the grime on his face replaced with the dust of AIH, the soil soaking up his tears.

He pulled on his helmet, a light beeped telling him he had a message. He opened it, his computer opening reports that it believed to be of importance.

The Kalu that had landed on Drvntrni had never made it to the underwater cities. They couldn’t swim worth shit and their lasers were pretty much ineffective. Those that called the planet home killed them in droves.

The Kalu also fought the natural predators on the planet. They were ill suited for the environment and it showed. For the first time in known history, the Kalu had broken. The cities safe, the forests now with a new predator, if the local fauna and other predators didn’t kill them off.

The people of Drvntrni were used to predators and knew how to deal with them.

Oolta’s heavy gravity and atmosphere world wore down on the Kalu. Their infamous speed removed and their lasers cut down by atmospheric interference. The Orvunut and heavy gravity trained Commandos stood at a distance and fired onto the Kalu’s slow progress through shifting sands.

Merchant freighters were moving to the system to aid in shifting Commandos away from the planet and to Ershue that was still heavily engaged but holding on.

The Kalu in Quarst had finally been withered away into nothing. The cost had been high on the Free Fleet and the Independents, but it was finally done.

Merchant ships were in AIH with Commandos ready to aid in combat operations.

“What’s the status of the space port?” He asked Hod.

“It’s got some damage, Kalu all over it,” Hod reported.

“We’re going to need to clear it. Seems the cavalry is coming,” Ursht fired the message about the incoming support to Hod.

“Mind if I pass this onto the others?” Hod asked.

“Go for it, they deserve some good news,” Ursht said taking in the scene once again and heading for the Asul spaceport.

No rest for the wicked, Ursht thought jumping into his HAPA his harness wrapping around him as he started rolling off with the HAPA’s powerful movements.

***

Empress burst through the office doors, her manipulators made it look like she wanted to kill someone. Her expression told of her lack of sleep.

A group of her chief engineers followed her their expressions grim.

People got out of her way as she marched through the offices and into the conference room where a mixed group of people were having a meeting.

“Empress, we didn’t...” Buck who was sitting at the head of the table said, her manipulators moving in confusion.

“What the hell is this I hear about us charging the Free Merchant fleet for freighters?” Empress said, daring them to answer her. Those that could paled, others moved nervously, the Kuruvians limbs showed how uncomfortable they were.

“We saw an opportunity to aid the Empire, we didn’t know your now obvious feelings on the matter,” Buck said, her manipulators opened in apology.

Empress sighed, letting her frustration, a practice well known to her after dealing with many infuriating ship rebuilds, or just a damned bolt that didn’t want to come out.

“May I get a chair?” Empress asked, feeling tired, she could see that the people in the room were unhappy with the situation. Little was done by just threatening people and coming in like some tyrant.

A chief came in with a chair. She indicated her thanks and took a seat.

“Well now we’re going to make things right, we are a signatory member of the Union, we have the second most freighter hulls and our merchants are famed through all systems. We will not be labelled as people that made a profit off others suffering,” Empress said, her anger gone and her tone conversational.

“Yes Empress,” Buck said tension bleeding away from the room.

“We will start by repaying any fees we have collected; we will then pay the captains out of our own profits. What lifts are the Free Fleet doing that they might need help with?” Empress asked.

“Ershue, Daestramus, AIH and Earth are still fighting the Kalu. There are Commandos on Oolta, Drvntrni and in our own Empire that are preparing to be transported to these warzones,” Buck said, looking up from her data pad.

“Good, then we will assist in their lift and transportation. What about the supplies we have been manufacturing?” Empress asked.

“We have been asking for material costs only,” Buck’s manipulators moved in agitation.

“Acceptable, I will have a frank conversation with Monk on the state of affairs of the Free Fleet. We will run them a line of credit if needed,” Empress said.

There were shocked looks through the room, lines of credit were rare things indeed. Giving one that might number in the millions of plat was a very high honor.

“We thankfully have not been attacked directly by the Kalu, but we are part of a Union, if we are not willing to help those that sent their people to defend our planets and systems, then what will happen when we are attacked?” Empress let the question hang in the air.

“I heard that Quarst is now cleared of Kalu threats and that their small merchant fleet is turning to help them. I want letters sent to every system extending our offer of aid at flat non-interest rates. As Salchar has shown us, we become stronger together being divided will only make us weaker,” Empress said.

“Yes Empress,” Buck said, no longer anxious or scared, she knew where she stood and what her Empress demanded of her.

“I’ve cleared my schedule for today, so let’s see what we can do to help the Union get back on their fleet. I also want to start a talk with these Kalu Independents, they seem interested in assisting us in our defense and joining the Union. Let us see if we can’t make that bond stronger,” Empress said, getting more shocked expressions.

A chief huffed a laugh, Empress found Frox’s manipulators moving in pride.

“Something amusing?” She asked her manipulators severe, it rolled off of his carapace like sparks.

“I was wondering when they would stop being so shocked by your ideas, we certainly learned long ago the practice of rolling with what Empress says,” he said, his manipulators pleased. Frox had been one of her first teachers, he’d probably given her, her very first power wrench.

She tried to think of something severe, her manipulators moving in frustration.

“Go and fix something!” She said, her manipulators moving in amusement, getting laughs from her chiefs and draining tension from the room.

“Yes our dear Empress,” Frox said giving an elaborate bow.

Empress tried to look severe but couldn’t stop the rolling laughter that burst forth.

“I can’t take you lot anywhere! Be gone with you, see to your projects. I’ll deal with the dreary paperwork by myself,” she said.

They shuffled out of the offices.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kuruvians move faster,” Buck commented, amused.

“Those bunch of hatchlings, give them a wrench a problem and they’re happy, paperwork, bah!” Empress said.

“Now where were we!” She said looking to the people in the room.

***

Takahashi had been Yasu’s mentor at one time, until she surpassed him and he became her student. They had been part of the Syndicate’s first ‘recruitment’ from Earth.

Takahashi didn’t think that Salchar had what it took to command the Free Fleet, thinking that he would get them all killed. He’d used Yasu and attacked him.

With time he’d come to understand that Salchar wasn’t a great leader, but he was the man the Free Fleet needed. He was driven to keep his people safe and protect others. He might look weak but it took a strong man to look over the weak.

Takahashi had been given a second chance and he happily taken it, he wasn’t a great admirer of Salchar’s but he felt a duty to those that placed their faith in him. He had trained thousands of Commandos and Free Fleet personnel on the very station he now stood in. He considered Hachiro his home, Japan was gone as was anyone from his old life.

He was a Commando and he lived to protect others, to see that what happened to him, never happened again.

“Ms. Li,” Takahashi said, bowing his head to the armored and armed tea shop owner.

“Ah, Commander Takahashi,” she said with an easy smile and kind eyes, totally at odds with the way she moved in her HAPA.

“I didn’t realize that you volunteered to come back into the service,” Takahashi said.

“Well I’m not about to let my home and business be taken by these bastards,” she said, none of the malice in her words passing to her face.

“Quite,” Takahashi said, giving her a smile that had become rare in the last months.

A message beeped for his attention, his smile evaporating as his visor snapped shut.

“Kalu are decelerating, the majority are headed to the planet, two splinter groups are heading for Nancy and Hachiro,” Peck reported in Takahashi’s ear. “They are entering the engagement envelope.”

Takahashi opened up a map of the station, containing the shipyard, their weapon ranges and the oncoming Kalu.

A flick and tap of the sensitive pads under his fingers connected him to Jorsht.

“Commander?” The previous owner of Parnmal asked. He had since been taking into custody, he had been one of the Syndicate’s most powerful members, now he served out his sentence as a Commando, currently he was coordinating between Hachiro and Nancy, he was a lot better at coordinating fixed emplacements. Takahashi was better at coordinating Commandos.

“Kalu should be coming in our engagement envelope. I’ll leave the tactical decisions up to you, I just ask that you only use the missiles as the Kalu turn to enter Mars,” Takahashi said.

“Oh they’ll know that they’ve been slapped Commander,” Jorsht said.

“Good, I’ll let you get to it,” Takahashi said.

“I want all rail guns on flechette on both stations, let’s see if we can’t fuck their lasers up. On my mark we’ll switch to penetrators. As soon as the laser cannons have range they’re to engage, same with the mines. The fuckers have nowhere to maneuver, let’s show them what that means! Coelda I want a missile solution shoved right up their asses when they try to make it through Mar’s atmosphere. Have five Planetary Rail Cannon platforms stay silent until the Kalu land. Their only going to come online to pound the ever-living shit out of the little bastards as they try to land. Domesk I’m looking at you, see that it’s done,” Jorsht continued, not noticing his channel was open. Takahashi closed it, a dark smile on his face, assured that he had picked the right person for the job.

Jorsht for all his faults knew how to make someone have a really bad fucking day.

Laser cannons started thundering as the plot became more confusing with the additional weapons fire. The Kalu, slowing down to match Hachiro and Nancy were showing their nice unarmored backsides to the weapon systems and various remote platforms.

After Earth’s rebellion the stations had rebuilt themselves, armed and armoring themselves against further attack from any would be attacker.

These people built the warships of the Free Fleet and many of them had connections to Parnmal. They were nowhere close to being the bastion of fire that Parnmal was, or even War-station. Yet they weren’t slacks when they had clear lines of fire, none of the Kalu could fire with their bow weapons facing away from the station and shipyard.

The gunners took advantage of all this, cutting down Kalu, engaging the Kalu on two sides instead of one. War-Station was no longer gaining on the Kalu, the ships had turned and were now using their engines to break the station’s inertia. War-Station’s engines were silent but his guns and the guns of the ships attached to it weren’t.

The Kalu lost ships, it was a sight that had been seen too many times before. Kalu ships gutted and destroyed, yet even with so many ships being destroyed, the writing on the wall was clear. The Kalu would land, how many depended on how many the guns destroyed.

Takahashi watched the display with cold calculation, looking at possible tracks that would carry the Kalu to Hachiro, Nancy or Mars below.

Alright you fuckers, let’s dance.

***

Min Hae looked at the closing wormholes at the edge of Quarst, Cheerleader and her fleet had been issued orders to take their hulks to Inkal’s yard. There were five ships that were in working order, the others had been ripped apart for materials and pulled to the Quarst stations where they would stay until someone could come and haul them back to a shipyard.

Thirty HCD’s had gone with Cheerleader to lend aid.

The remaining HCD’s that had raced from Daestramus were being broken down into smaller squadrons and sent to various resupply points, gathering supplies and heading to the warring planets hauling precious cargo that no other vessel except Jump fighters could match.

Verslva had arrived a day ago, Min Hae had transferred over to his command freighter. He was headed to Jakram, the start of a long journey to Parnmal.

Monk wanted to be out fighting the Kalu, but his duty to the station as well as his baby nephew Henry, kept him there.

Min Hae could free him and look into these rumors coming from across the Union. It seemed that people weren’t happy with the power that the Free Fleet held. Even if it was being used to protect them, with one military power ruling over them with an iron fist, Min Hae could see where they were coming from.

He just needed to confirm the rumors and make sure that the leaders of the Union didn’t let those rumors go from concerns to genuine fear. Fear even if it wasn’t warranted would galvanize people to act.

It’s the same old game, politicans playing on fears to strike out against their targets. Saying that we’re war mongers and that we might turn our guns onto their planets. Like we would even be able to do that with all of the races that make up the Free Fleet!

He let his frustration subside. He’d been away from Parnmal for too long, it was time that he made sure that his house was in order and prepare it for what was to come. The Free Fleet’s duty was to fight; the Intelligence Departments job was to make sure that meddling hands didn’t mess that up while watching for possible obstacles.

“God I hate laser communications,” Ashota grumbled from his station.

“Hmm?” Min Hae asked, being pulled from his thoughts.

“Just got a response back from Kalvin now, Elisati is talking to him as an ambassador of the Independents. He’s been asking me questions non-stop but with the laser communications it only goes as fast as light, damned pain,” Ashota said, shaking his mane in annoyance.

“Laser communications are pretty damned fast, we can’t even travel faster than that in-system,” Gogs said.

“Though FTL relays are where it’s at. I thought that the Independents would have access to it already?” Gogs asked, his and Ashota’s attention on Min Hae.

“They will if they join the Union. No offense Ashota but your people have killed millions of people and are fighting the fleet,” Min Hae said.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect them to get it for some time, one more incentive to join I suppose,” Ashota said signalling his understanding.

“Also the FTL’s are a large expense, just connecting them will be expensive. We need to overhaul the old communications network and we don’t know what the Independent Kalu have to trade yet,” Min Hae said, looking to Ashota who looked rather displeased with the subject.

Traditionalists had no monetary system, only an honor one, the weak and women gathered food, the leaders and strong hunted. People were given food based on their merit not their monetary resources.

The Independents functioned much like a communist system, everyone shared food, did work that they were the best at and worked to free themselves. The capitalist system that the Free Fleet and Union would introduce to the Kalu would throw that system into chaos for a time.

Thankfully they weren’t ingrained to the system and there had already been friction about Kalu not wanting to do the jobs that they were given. While it wasn’t a perfect system it was a tried system with set rules that allowed anyone to make a profit.

“Yes, that is rather an interesting debate going on within the independents,” Ashota granted, sounding tired.

“I might suggest that you look into possible ways for the Kalu to make a living. I would suggest having a look into raw materials. When we survive the Traditionalists the Union will go through a phase of rapid growth. They’re going to need materials. AIH and Chaleel supply the largest amounts of rare ores and food, but they’re just two systems and there is still a large demand for low grade ores and people will always need to eat. Also you have a number of gas planets and ice planets heavy in Helium three, perfect for mining and shipping out as power-plant fuel,” Min Hae said, seeing the cogs working in Ashota’s mind, his eyes glazing over in thought.

“Those are some interesting ideas, I think I’ll have to look into that further,” Ashota said.

“As long as you don’t try to take over the medical market then I’ll give you a hand!” Gogs said, Ershue produced both hellfire and wake-up as well as anti-aging medicines and anything from pain medication to skin formula.

“Deal,” Ashota said.

Min Hae smiled catching Baldabuh’s smirk out of the corner of his eye.

Just got to plant seeds and see what happens. Min Hae thought, this was what he enjoyed, seeing things grow. His skills were put to use looking at their enemies for now. Though soon he could use those talents to strengthen alliances, create trade agreements and build the foundation that would see the Free Fleet last throughout the ages.

Chapter A War of Attrition

Bok Soo looked at the floating hologram and it made his guts clench watching his home world and the various symbols that scoured across it, showing the Kalu landing areas.

Fuckers, he thought looking at the spread out landing areas and their locations. Many of the Kalu had parked their asses right next to major cities, making orbital bombardment impossible.

Also with their numbers spread across the globe it meant they were on every damned continent and wrecking havoc.

Looks like Australia got lucky, he thought as the maps updated with the latest reports. Asia was getting mauled, the Kalu had picked up the signals of so many people and had jumped on it. For once Bok Soo was happy that tensions were so high in the area. Militaries that had been built up over generations were now out and fighting. Every nation had been working on weapon systems that either combined their technology and that of the Free Fleets, or just upgraded their own.

It was the only way that they were killing the Kalu. A fifty calibre round of old would have given a Kalu pause, but other than pissing them off it would have just left a smear on their armor.

New casings, rounds, guns and gunpowder actually dented and in rare cases, pierced the Kalu armor.

It hadn’t done much for the four hundred million believed casualties, that number only growing as the time moved forward.

“We have missile launch from North Korea!” Someone said in alarm.

“Shoot it down,” Bok Soo said, not looking away from the map. Nukes would do more damage than they would help. He was going to need humans reinforcing his Commandos, irradiating the planet wouldn’t help.

“Draco,” Foshunti said.

“Anz has optimum firing solution, routing to them,” Darshoo replied

“Good, they are free to fire,” Foshunti said, “Delphine, transmit to all the nations that nuking their own planet is not going to happen if they can’t even fight in it.”

“Yes Commander,” Delphine said.

Our nukes are a different situation all together, Bok Soo thought a dark smile touching his face as he continued to look at reports and studied the rotating globe.

Europe was getting thrashed as well, but they had endured a number of wars on their own soil, they had plans to dig in and defend and they were pulling them out today.

The European Union was for once working well together and drawing new lines across the map, they weren’t stopping the Kalu but it was giving them pause.

America was a mass of fighting; Canada was getting mauled because they were so spread out they were only putting blockades in the Kalu’s way. They were massing their strength, sacrificing their lead units to dig in and make lines that might give the Kalu pause.

America itself was pretty similar. Orders had been passed to defend the major cities, the military was digging in for Florida and Oklahoma, the two regions with the most Kalu landings.

Brazil was the epicenter of the Southern American landings just because of it’s large land mass. Most of the Kalu were moving out of Brazil, attacking the neighboring nations. The borders were helping out to a large degree, with at least slowing the Kalu.

That’s all that the forces of Earth were doing right now, slowing the Kalu. It took heavy weaponry to even punch through the Kalu’s armor while the Kalu’s lasers, teeth and claws cut through anything their opposition were wearing. They were practically naked in comparision.

Hopefully we can change that, Bok Soo thought, pressing his finger to different locations on the slowly rotating globe.

His jaw tightened with those simple touches, he was possibly deciding the fate of millions, perhaps billions of people.

“Landing areas for the Commandos,” Bregend said, pushing the holographic sphere at Foshunti.

“Thank you Commander,” Foshunti replied, they shared a look. The weight of command and a planet was fully looming over them.

“If you don’t need me, I’ll be jumping on a shuttle,” Bok Soo said.

“Good hunting Bok Soo,” Foshunti said, tapping two armored fingers against his forehead.

Bok Soo felt a well of emotion inside of him, but he clamped it down, touching his own fingers to his face before heading towards the bridge’s blast doors. He pulled his helmet on, locking it to his armor and closing its visor.

He felt like there was a rock in his stomach and that he was going to throw up at any minute. Instead of giving into the fear and anxiety he checked his weapons, gear and status of Commandos across the fleet. They were just an hour away from dropping onto Earth.

Another day in the Free Fleet, he thought, getting a laugh out of himself as he marched into the shuttle bay and onto his shuttle. Commandos were quiet, an odd thing. Usually he would have been greeted with a cacophony of noise and have to yell at them to shut up.

“I know I’m not that much to look at but I didn’t think I was that bad looking,” Min Hae said, getting a few laughs from people.

“McGuiness you still got that god-awful ‘ride of the Valkyries?’” Bok Soo asked, slapping himself into a harness.

“You bet commander!” The man said, sounding proud.

“Good, get that godawful clichéd to hell song up to the pilots. Might as well piss the Kalu off with it as well!” Bok Soo said, getting more than one forced groan and quite a number of chuckles.

People got to talking, breaking the tension and silence. The pilot confirmed his song choice and Bok Soo started sending messages off to Earth commanders telling them where they would be landing. Politicians quickly got a hold of his channel and started ordering him to land in their designated positions.

He pre-set a recording to get fucked and get off of his channel. After everything they had done to the Free Fleet, bullying them through force and words, they still hadn’t learned their lesson.

A part of Bok Soo just wanted to leave them to get fucked, but he knew that judging nations or humanity by the actions of a few was idiotic. Instead he started recording whoever tried to order him different places. Getting to the real work of planning a defense.

Not gonna be very pretty, he thought, bringing his other Commanders into his changes. They’d figured out a basic strategy while they followed the Kalu fleet, yet as with all combat plans it had to be altered and changed to the current situation instead of the one they’d gamed out.

It didn’t take long, and by the time he was done the shuttle was pushing off of Talhalla’s deck, heading for Earth. Using his HUD, he could see the MEF’s that sprouted from their respective carriers. The HCD’s that had chased Orshpa were still in orbit, relaying real-time data about the ongoing conflicts. Their fighters were already deployed in Earth’s atmosphere and raising as much havoc as possible.

Now it was time for the Commandos to put their feet into it as well.

It wasn’t long until they were being shaken and buffeted by Earth’s atmosphere, fighting their progress. The shuttle broke through and tilted, it’s inner-atmospheric engines pushing them towards their landing point in Poland. The Kalu were cutting through Finland, Sweden and Finland’s northern regions. The military like any in the area was powerful, but they had been focused on sea-borne threats, not one’s by land. If the Russians had been coming that way they could move troops from other locations.

That said, Sweden, Finland and Norway by proximity had learned to live with one another. Now they were threatened as a whole so they worked together, calling in all of their large reserves from mandatory service programs. War waged across their countries, the Kalu didn’t care for borders.

Russia's massive military was no longer seen as the threat it posed before the arrival of the Syndicate. Now they showed a mobile armored and heavily armed force racing right towards the Kalu at their best speed.

No one built armed transports like the Russians and they knew the region almost as well as the native residents, they’d trained to take it for generations.

Now they were seen as allied and hope. Some officials ordered the Russians to be fired upon, most commanders upon hearing those words slammed the phone right back down. No one was going to deny aid against the Kalu.

Even the commanders that did acknowledge their orders and tried to carry them out, were essentially told to ‘fuck off’ if the people actually in combat were feeling kind.

Other nations still stuck in their ways of borders were refusing to support their neighbors, not only were their neighbors getting mauled, but they were as well.

Stand together or fall apart, Bok Soo thought, remembering Salchar’s words. If people weren’t able to get past their prejudices then there might not be an Earth left, at least not one that had any humans on it.

The starting bars of ride of the Valkyrie’s started across the shuttle, speakers actually getting through the HAPA and powered armor’s noise cancelling abilities.

Bok Soo could imagine McGuiness stupid smile as it started to get good.

They were down low, just a few kilometers above the ground, racing over the Atlantic, shuttles in arrow formations, fighters flanking them.

It made a Commander of the Armored Marine Commandos proud, even with the bloody stupid song!

“Touchdown in five, four, some arsehole is fuckin’ shooting, bob, get that fuck!” The pilot said, the shuttle flaring out with the brit’s thick accent coloring his outrage.

The ramps opened, Commandos thumped out into the mud of Mother Earth.

“Fuck, mud,” Bok Soo said, looking up at the rain.

He continued walking, his computer finding where all the communications were coming from, passing the idiot that had been shooting his shuttle. His gun was broken in half over Commando’s knee and a HAPA standing over him started barking at him in polish.

People looked at him and his moving entourage with confusion, fear, a few of them had hope in their eyes, but many more had the shadows of terror.

Bok Soo wandered into the bunker that was the regional command center. Someone struggled for their gun as he appeared.

“Fuck off son, we’re the reinforcements,” Bok Soo said, translated into polish as he pushed through an armored door, taking it right out of the concrete.

“Fucking cold war garbage,” he muttered placing it next to the wall, looking up at stunned faces.

“Show me to the commander and be quick about it. I don’t want to be standing here when the Kalu show up!” He said, someone turned and started walking deeper, Bok Soo followed.

He got more than a few glances. Three other Commandos caught up with him. Seems his minders noticed he’d slipped their tether once again.

They stepped into what looked like a large conference room with tube televisions, wires, people and crap everywhere.

Bok Soo forgot how much of that crap was handled by his powered armor and the various people on the warships above.

The person tapped on the shoulder of a burly looking man. They spoke quickly, the burly man turning with a hard look.

“What are you doing here, go wait until I can find something useful for your shiny suits.” The man half turned, dismissing them.

Bok Soo was done with the itsy bitsy bullshit, he stepped past his guards grabbing the man with one armored hand and pulling him off the floor.

“Listen to me you little fuck.” The man was trying to hit him now, “I am not here for you, I’m not even here for your fucking government. I’m here because Earth requested our help. So you stow this baby back fucking bullshit or I will find someone that is capable of running this fucking campaign. My people have fought the Kalu, we have beaten them, hell we fucking wiped your asses all the way back here from Nancy’s fucking orbit.” Bok Soo threw the man, not hard but enough to make him slide.

“So unless you want me to give you a display of making you leave Earth’s atmosphere with my fucking boot planted so far up your fucking ass you can taste Heija’s dirt on the other fucking end of it, get your fucking shit together and tell me your situation. I am here to help you, not be your fucking punching bag. You don’t want it, I’ll go to Germany, maybe they’ll want my help,” Bok Soo finished.

“You are nothing but simple child with big armor,” The large man on the ground said.

Bok Soo opened his visor, grabbed one of his two shotguns by his side and shot the roof. It travelled through the concrete metal and dirt that covered the bunker. Rain started pouring in.

The big man looked at the hole with wide eyes, only heavy artillery would be able to pierce the bunkers roof.

Bok Soo’s eyes traced through the crowd seeing someone bent over a screen and issuing orders still. Not caring about the theatrics but trying to help people.

Bok Soo leveled his gun with the woman.

“You are now in charge of this base and border,” Bok Soo said.

“Mind pointing that shit somewhere else?” She said casting him a glance before turning to maps.

“Oops, sorry my bad,” Bok Soo said, wincing at his mistake that would have got him a good slap upside the head if he wasn’t CAMC.

“Seriously boss, that’s some trainee shit,” Doz said over a private channel, the verbal equivalent of said smack.

Bok Soo turned to him shaking and pressing his lips together.

“You have no authority here,” The big man said on his feet.

“Well seeing as you fuckers like backstabbing us so much and hate having anyone fuck with your shit, we got some stipulations made. The Free Fleet is effectively Earth’s military, if any Commando gives an order it’s to be taken like an order from your highest military commander until hostilities have concluded,” Bok Soo said, using a holographic projector on his arm and broadcasting the mandate onto a wall.

“So basically, I’m your Chief of Staff, hell any of these three are. So now that’s out of the way, let’s see if we can’t save some lives. What’s your name Ma’am?” Bok Soo asked the lady who was still working.

“Major Adrianna Gajos,” she replied.

“You now command this border and all of Poland’s military forces on it. First…” Bok Soo clamped his helmet shut, looking on the HUD. Behind him a big black rectangle was being pushed into the room by two Commandos.

“Perfect, this will help out a lot,” Bok Soo said, the table was pushed into an open space to the rear of the computers cords and stations.

Legs were unfolded from under the table and it stood, the surface folded out and a map of the ground appeared, with the military designations that the Polish military of the area were accustomed to.

“Welcome to Free Fleet warfare, with this you can coordinate with any unit in the field. The Free Fleet is already listening in to communications and will update the table, bring up alerts and all that. Let’s see if we can’t start pulling this thing out of the shitter?” Bok Soo asked.

Major Gajos moved to the table and started moving the map around and clicked on various units, noises came from the table.

“Headset on your personal work surface by your knee,” Bok Soo said. Gajos grabbed the headset and started speaking into it in quick tones.

She punched the table, it didn’t even move, it was made to take a powered armor whaling on it.

“I need you to deploy across the border with your forces, the Kalu are racing ahead of military forces and getting into the civilians,” Gajos said, the spell seemed to breaking across the room. People started getting back into the flow of things, there was a war to be fought still.

Bok Soo moved to the table, using a section off the main table, bringing up the units outside and holding, he gave them a new way point and started looking at the map.

Gajos barked at those still milling around, getting them into motion.

“These orders can’t be real!” The big man complained.

“Doz, could you escort him to a unit where he might be useful?” Bok Soo said.

“Alright, those of you with the rank to give orders, get over here, we’re going to have a quick and dirty lesson on how the tac-table works!” Bok Soo said, Doz moving to the big man who was yelling.

The big man curled over as Doz helped him find the exit.

***

As cold and as brutal as it was, the war with the Kalu had now come down to numbers.

How much firepower either side had, how many forces they could bring to bear on their targets and time to get them into position.

I had never liked math, these numbers tempted me to banish it from the Fleet.

I remembered Rick’s comments on my outburst one planning session. I ranted and raved, anger in my gut, he’d sat there, cool as freeze-dried cucumber, waiting for me to pause.

‘Well I’d personally rather not end up in a planet,’ Rick deadpanned, shutting down my argument and getting me to focus on the subject at hand, defending fucking Earth.

“Exiting wormhole,” Milra reported.

“Still looking clear on sensors,” Walf reported.

Clear being a relative word, I thought my eyes being drawn to the two screens that showed me Earth and Mars respectively.

Orshpa’s splinter force had made it past Nancy and Hachiro, they’d taken a beating from the two facilities and war-station.

Though too many of them had still made it to the stations.

Even with the missile barrages hammering them as they entered Mars’ atmosphere and exploding just outside the facilities own shields, thousands had got their beachheads.

There were two training areas that trained Armored Marine Commandos and gave the people of the Free Fleet their basic qualification with powered armor and the various weaponry they would use in close combat. Parnmal for the space portion of powered armor training and familiarization, with AIH taking up the ground combat side of things. Mars, with Hachiro and Nancy doing the space portion and Mars actual doing the ground portion.

So those beachheads, worked both ways, as Kalu, predictable, proud and straight-forward Kalu couldn’t have outlined their moves anymore than making a neon fucking sign and saying ‘We’re going to land here okay?’

After the images I saw from Nancy and Hachiro, I don’t think I could ever eat re-fried beans again. That’s what the Kalu looked like running straight into the waiting cannons of the HAPA’s and Commandos.

The Kalu didn’t see the orbital facilities as threats, they hated being in enclosed areas so they probably assumed that we hated being in enclosed areas.

Assumed wrong mother fuckers, I thought looking at the more detailed maps of Nancy and Hachiro. There were regions where the Kalu had been able to penetrate the stations, it only made sense with their numbers.

Takahashi took the lessons of Parnmal’s defense and put them to work. The Free Fleet knew when to give up ground to wear down the Kalu, and the continuous corridors, choke points and automated turrets were taking a bloody toll on the enraged Kalu.

While the Kalu charged ever deeper into the facilities, Commandos used the old adage of ‘if there isn’t a door, cut one’ with liberal affect.

They had the Kalu pinned on two side and were hammering them with everything they had.

The Kalu got all too many licks in, blood covered the decks in the hectic close quarter fight that the two orbitals had become.

We had got lucky, that there was only one major city on Mars, called Hasta. It roughly translated to mean Spear, the weapon of the war god Mars. Some historian had proposed it and the motion carried. It was a pretty cool name after all.

The Kalu leader didn’t seem to have the most smarts putting all of his ships into the same valley.

Jorsht who had been keeping a few PRC’s back might have been the leader of Parnmal in a previous life, but now he was one hell of a fire control commander. He’d opened with the three PRC’s as soon as the Kalu entered their terminal landing deceleration and tasked another fourteen PRC’s to help out.

He walked kinetic fire across that valley from both sides.

Kalu, the hardy mother fuckers climbed out of that mess, all five hundred and a half thousand of them and charged Hasta.

Jorsht continued to drop ordinance on them. Hasta added in their own compliments and nuclear warheads, three hundred thousand were now within a few kilometers of Hasta’s walls.

Weapons fire could be seen from orbit. Thankfully we had decided to build the city into the planet rather than on top of it. Every building was a light bunker, with the extra months that the training personnel had, they’d slapped armor, PDS, artillery and every other system they could think of, onto the facility. After the mess with Earth they’d been given and blank cheque and trainers were only too happy to teach their people how things worked by getting them to install it.

Most of the trainees were manning those facilities now, their fellow students spread across all of Union space.

“Plot to Earth is good, fleet has accepted,” Ben said.

“Powering engines and activating bomb-pumped acceleration,” Milra said. The ship seemed to nudge forward as our acceleration numbers started creeping up.

Everyone was pressed into their chairs as the acceleration built.

“Good work,” I said, looking at the new numbers showing on my personal screen, Resilient was already giving me the time it would take to reach Earth.

As with most things in space it was too damned long, but I knew that it would feel like it had been too short when we started dropping shuttles into Earth’s gravity well.

“Now all we can do it sit back and wait,” I said, low enough for Rick to hear.

“I’ve just got a report from Min Hae, he’s on a fast-track to Parnmal. The reinforcements are reaching AIH, Ursht really beat the hell out of them,” Rick said, shaking his head in memory of the event.

“What about Cheerleader’s progress and the ground fight on Daestramus and Ershue?” I asked.

“Cheerleader is limping back to Inkal; she should be there soon. Daestramus is getting hammered they need reinforcements sooner rather than later. Bregend thinks that one of the Kalu is not just going with the flow. One of the outposts was taken with a combined assault from air and ground,” Rick said, his face grim.

“Shit,” I said wincing.

“It’s not all bad... kind of,” he said. I tilted my head getting him to spill the rest.

“The outpost lost the first couple of areas around the entrance, but with the barrage they were actually sealed in, there’s still about five million survivors in there. Not the best state but they have food water and some sanitary systems. If the Kalu find out it won’t be pretty, but it looks like they’ve left the area for better prey,” Rick answered.

“So until we get someone over there, they’re stuck in the dark, not knowing if the Kalu are going to smarten up and go back or keep going,” I said, shaking my head. “Fuck, this is a mess,” I continued, rubbing my forehead with my armored hand.

“Yeah,” Rick said, the same tired frustration in his own voice.

A message pinged on his station.

He leaned to it, his brow furrowing in concentration.

“Well it looks like someone is listening to our pleas,” he said more to himself than me as he continued to read. I noticed he no longer sound tired anymore.

“Care to share?” I asked.

“Seems Empress and the Kuruvian Empire seemed to have changed their tune slightly,” Rick said, focused on the message in front of him.

“Hmm?” I asked, looking to him.

“They’re going to refund their operational fees and they’re freeing up their fleet for transport. Empress has also freed the Commandos from their duties,” Rick said.

I sat up leaning towards him.

“How many is that?” I asked, my frustration and fatigue forgotten.

“Nine hundred thousand,” Rick said, his eyes dancing as a smile appeared on his face.

“Well shit,” I said, slumping back into my seat. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I just got the confirmed report now. Before this it was just been Min Hae’s agents, who do you think brought this to her attention. She lives in those shipyards you know,” Rick said.

“Sometimes I wonder if I’m running this fleet or he’s just nudging me along. That man is sneaky,” I said, smiling at the same time.

Nine hundred thousand Commandos, that could change quite a few things, if we can move them, I stood.

“Let’s go and see if we can’t find somewhere for those Commandos,” I looked to Rick.

“In Sook, Ben, come with me and Rick, Marleen you’ve got the bridge,” I said turning and heading to the conference room at the back.

Krom, Shreesht and Wruck were looking bored as ever.

“Want to plan an invasion boys?” I asked.

“Thought you’d never ask commander,” Krom said, rising from his seat the others following suit. I walked into the room, everyone else crowding in.

“Rick, tell them the good news, also can we pull any more Commandos from other places not under contact? I’ve been so focused on the battles we have ongoing I haven’t thought about that,” I admitted. I was only human after all. My fame for coming up with some damned insane ideas came from the fact I believed my people were the damned best in the universe and with them there were no bounds.

Rick went through the information, getting hard smiles around the room.

“As for other planets, we’ve got Oolta and Drvntrni Commandos looking for reassignment, the Henry-classed Destroyers are our fastest ships they’re moving to Oolta right now,” Rick said.

“Yeah, but going through the system is the longer than the jump transit times,” Ben said, he looked to cut time and increase speed, slow probably gave the eccentric Kuruvian headaches.

“Then we need to speed it up. Give me an overlay of all Free Merchant fleet vessels, patrol craft, kuruvian and AIH traders,” I said.

The star map was littered with the craft, most waiting out in the dark of space.

The people around the room looked at me.

“If it takes the HCD’s so long to cross the system, why don’t we have the Commandos come to them?” I said looking to In Sook and Ben.

“What if we ordered the traders to grab the Commandos, push as hard as they can to get out of the gravity fields that would de-stabilize the HCD’s wormholes. Then the HCD’s drop out, grab the Commandos and head off. Then we have more traders waiting to take them in-system. There aren’t any more Kalu floating around inhabited space, and even if there was we could give our people enough advanced warning to get the hell out of there,” I said looking to the others in the room.

“I don’t see an issue with it, how about time?” In Sook asked, looking to Ben.

“It would speed it up, how much I don’t know. I’m going to need to talk to the helms people of the traders and HCD’s but I don’t see an issue with it at all.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do, now what other Commandos do we have out there?” I asked.

“Ouquishar, Parnmal of course, Urshval, Rashdahl, comes to about, seven hundred thousand,” In Sook said sounding shocked with the numbers.

We had planned for the possibility of being engaged on every planet that had joined the Union to give them a chance if the shit hit the fan. At first we had planned to just use the forces on our ships, accepting that most planets would be under contact.

The winds of war had blown in our direction for once. The HCD’s were damned fast and the Kalu hadn’t landed on every planet.

“Alright, I want to know how many personnel we can move on the HCD’s,” I said.

“About a hundred,” Rick said making me wince. That lift capacity wasn’t anything to sniff at, but the remaining five hundred HCD’s would only be able to move fifty thousand Commandos.

“If you want to keep those fighters on them, if you pull the fighters and bombers you could probably fit,” Krom tilted his head in thought, “Maybe hundred and fifty, depending on distance, less distance more troop lift, slap supplies to the exterior, two-hundred,” Krom said.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about, okay let’s plan this out. I want to keep forces together, they’ve trained and lived with one another it just makes sense. Let’s move Ouquishar’s forces to Daestramus, get the Oolta people to Ershue. Earth can take Urshval’s forces. We’re going to need to make sure we have enough ships in and out system to meet the HCD’s and ferry the Commandos,” I looked around the room seeing the same fire that blazed in my own soul, a new fire, one of hope. We weren’t going to let this opportunity die.

***

“New orders from the Commander,” Delphine said.

“What about?” Foshunti asked, there was little he could do but what he was doing already.

“We’re to take on any of the Henry-classed Destroyers fighter craft and munitions they have. The HCD’s are being re-tasked,” Delphine said.

“What for?” Foshunti asked, looking to the data packet on his terminal.

“They’re going to move the Commandos around from the uncontested worlds,” Delphine said, her eyes glued to her screen so she didn’t realize the question hadn’t been aimed at her.

Foshunti didn’t even try to dim the excited talk around the bridge. He was tired of seeing lines dissolving down on Earth. Fifteen percent of Earth’s population had been cut down already and that number was only growing as the Kalu got into tighter packets of Humans.

“Do as the Commander orders, Rav,” Foshunti said, reading the information. Feeling excitement building in his body.

It wasn’t just hope, it was a realization that Earth, Ershue and Daestramus had a chance now.

They just need to hold out a little bit longer, he thought, knowing how damned ludicrous that sounded to him, his glance shifting to the ever-present hologram of Earth, covered in reds, yellows and slivers of green.

Chapter Bad Days

Sometimes you didn’t wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Instead the floor came rushing up, slapping you like you were a punching bag.

“You fucking sounva,” Bregend balanced on one foot, driving the other foot into an charging Kalu.

He swore the thing looked stunned as it went back the way it came Bregend’s cannon putting a blast into the little fucker.

“Bitch!” Bregend finished, priority targets filtered into his HUD, he didn’t even pause accepting the orders as warheads spewed from his launchers.

He smacked another Kalu trying to jump onto him from the trench line in front.

His left canon, inoperable from Kalu fighter’s raking his ass, slammed into the jumper.

“Fuck yes!” Bregend said to himself, the hit breaking off the remaining parts of his cannon, his plasmid blade rotated into position, his right cannon never stopped firing, he had half capacity magazines, but with his left down he had a full twenty minutes of continuous fire.

He wasn’t going to baby his rounds.

Bregend wasn’t one for blades, but he was a brawler. He used his plasmid blade like his own fist, wincing when he forgot his right cannon was used in a similar manner.

Every Commando and combat able person was out around the outpost in the trenches cut into Daestramus’ perma-frost.

The fighters had started half-hour ago, it seemed the smart little Kalu bastard was going to try the same tactic he’d used on outpost nine.

People had boiled out of outpost one, they weren’t going to be trapped below like the people in the other outpost

They’d staved off the attack for a handful of minutes and the main body of Kalu hadn’t even showed up yet.

Spoke too fucking soon, he thought as sensors started going off, two hundred thousand Kalu were now charging out of the cover around outpost one. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what their target was.

“Mills, how are those bombers looking? Getting a bit shitty down here,” Bregend said, his feelings at odds with his calm and measured tone as he fired a missile into a particularly nasty looking cloud of Kalu fighters.

That will show you to try and come into our skies. Fuckers. Bregend had been taking a much needed medic ordered detox when the Kalu started their attack.

His powered armor had faithfully overruled the medics and slapped wake-up into his system as soon as the alert went out.

Coming out of a detox only five hours after going into it, was like a hangover of tequila and pure sugar, it wasn’t doing much for Bregend’s current state of civility.

At least the Kalu gave him something to let his anger out on.

“Bregend?” Narvu asked, his tone becoming higher, expediting things.

“We’ll wait till their on the ice sheet, have the bombers target the other sectors,” Bregend said.

“Today would be nice!” Narvu said.

“That I think I can do,” Bregend smiled, it wasn’t a kind thing.

Narvu cut the channel, running not only the defense of outpost one but the other outposts was taxing.

Bregend had been given pretty much command of outpost one after him and Narvu had spent a few weeks together.

It spoke to Narvu’s trust in Bregend ability to put not only his life, but that of his two boys who were sheltered in outpost one.

Bregend consulted a map on his HUD, letting loose on Kalu above the entrenchments in front of him. The forces of the outpost were holding the line, firing into the Kalu, but for every Kalu that fell, another was only too eager to take up the position.

“Come on, just a little bit, more, the ice isn’t bad, oh no, it’s nice and firm and with no explosives in it at all. All together now,” Bregend said under his breath, his eyes flicking to his map even as he continued to chuck rounds down range.

“Should have watched where you stepped,” Bregend said, his voice hard instead of coaxing.

“Fire in the hole boy’s girls and creatures!” Bregend said over the outpost-wide channel.

“Hey Mills, ‘bout those fighters?’” He asked his second in command.

“Ah yes, seems I already launched them, thought you might be needing them soon,” Mills said.

“Good shit,” Bregend said, he would have slapped his second on the back, the man was a damned wizard at reading his mind.

“Sometimes you wake up having a shitty day, sometimes someone else goes to bed having a shitty day,” Bregend said to himself, triggering a series of explosives and watching as bombers looking like meteors streaked through atmosphere.

The bombers symbols changed, their bays open and their ship-killers on the hunt.

Bregend dismissed his headache, watching the counters wind down.

“Reserves, pull yourselves together, you’ll take lead as we push back,” Bregend said, getting affirmations from the various Commandos.

***

The plan was working again, all of the fighters were out in the open, the lead units were actually in the odd holes and pressing forward. Kalu fighters ruled the skies and raked the defending Commandos as they passed.

Falhu watched as his forces came in from all sides.

He heard loud cracks above, he looked to see streaking meteors glancing off of the planet’s atmosphere.

He tossed his mane, surely that was his ancestors blessing their battle.

The ground seemed to shake he looked to find the source of the noise, it was around where the south and Eastern forces were coming through the valleys. It afforded the best cover.

More sounded to the west and south.

He watched as the hills of the valley exploded outwards, raining down on the Kalu to the south-east.

The West area exploded in glistening shards, the ice packet exploding with the charges underneath. The engineers who made those explosives believed in more is better, especially when the commander wasn’t looking.

The ice didn’t just break, but boiled away into steam as directed charges converted water into plasma.

The northern expanse was perma-frost ground and rocks, no ice to work against the Kalu. It was also the largest open front unobscured by hills, valleys or icebergs.

“Close with them, kill them!” Falhu barked, his words were answered with the odd blinding clouds that made his computers go haywire, erupting in the Kalu fighter swarms.

These weren’t the low-yield blasts of the Free Fleet fighter ships; these were much more powerful. They didn’t toss Kalu fighters, there wasn’t anything left with their rippling-clouds of destruction.

He looked up to the sky, realizing that it hadn’t been his ancestors blessing this battle, it had been the Commandos.

He opened to give an order no Kalu had given before, to retreat. He looked at an alert on his computer, his mind on another plane from his body.

He saw a cone explode open, points of light covering a massive area.

What kind of beast are these Commandos?

Nuclear light bathed the skies and northern pass. A few extra warheads had been dropped into the southwestern valley and the west ice-field.

Overkill didn’t relate to Kalu, they had no quit.

Had being the operative word.

Thousands of Kalu were left dazed, thrown, injured and confused, others ground to a halt lest they might be claimed by the same explosions.

They watched as Commandos, rose from their holes, yelling and charging, walking through their own destruction and laying waste to anything Kalu.

A Kalu started running away from the outpost, heading for another war-clan, some tried to join the fight against the Commandos. Yet the majority had watched as they chewed away at their ships, they’d seen the destruction around outpost nine and now around one. Falhu was dead, as were most of the primes and leaders that had taken honor in being the first to close with the Commandos.

For the first time in recorded histories, both of the Union and the Kalu, the Kalu ran.

It wasn’t a full rout, but for an enemy that had never broken before, it only doubled the volume of yells coming from outpost one.

There were still many more Kalu to Commandos, but in that moment, outpost one was safe.

***

The Kalu had finally started hunting down the various units deployed around the Ershue jungle.

The Kalu had been slowed with various poisons, killing a good number of them, or making them useless for battle. Kurft would have hunted down the various groups that had been poisoning the water and food that the Kalu used, long ago.

They had done one hell of a job, even blowing up supply dumps holding armor, fuel and supplies. Now their time had run out. Kurft had ordered them all to ground. While they knew the jungle as well as they knew themselves, the Kalu had numbers and speed.

All too many had died in the Kalu’s extermination. The parties held on for as long as possible, usually calling artillery down on themselves, killing as many Kalu as possible.

Kurft didn’t know if he could have even done that.

While the Kalu were hunting the scouting parties, the mound was working to shore up their defenses, the Kalu had left them alone for a couple of days and they weren’t sitting on their hands. Old trenches were leveled and new ones made.

The veterans used their know-how to improve the positions, if he got eight more days then he would have a line as strong as the initial trench system that had stood when the Kalu had landed.

His eyes dropped to the boards which listed people as walking wounded, those having treatment and those resting.

It was a damning list, nearly all were walking wounded in some way, lasers were powerful in close range, the claws and fangs of the Kalu sharp as plasmid edged blades.

Kurft’s hand moved to his shoulder and head, he sported new scars there, running from his scalp into his trapezius muscle and down his shoulder.

The Kalu hadn’t survived the experience but Kurft would never forget the panic and fury of that moment.

The chair had patched him back together and his people were doing their best to keep him penned in the command center.

Fal walked up to Kurft’s side, one wouldn’t know that he was still missing his arm and wing unless they studied the shift power applied through his arm or the way he looked at it, moving his hand with a thoughtful look.

“Word has come from higher,” Fal said.

Kurft looked to his second in command, inviting him to continue.

“Reinforcements are being shipped from Oolta and Drvntrni to Ershue, we’ll also be getting supplies from traders moving in,” Fal said, a weary look in his eyes, but the glimmer of a smile on those same features.

Kurft wanted to jump, hugging and yelling his excitement.

Instead he restrained himself to a small smile

“How long until they reach us?” He asked, the levity evaporating.

“Four days,” Fal said, getting a frown from Kurft.

That can’t be right.

“How?” He asked instead of telling Fal he was wrong, he doubted the Ershue would report anything wrong.

“They’re heading out of Oolta’s gravity well, the HCD’s pick them up in shuttles, head back towards Ershue, toss the shuttles out into the gravity well, the ships here grab them and bring them the rest of the way. As that’s going on the HCD’s go back and do it all again,” Ershue said.

“Seems the fleet got bored of just flying around, now they’re playing high speed ballistics with shuttles,” Kurft said, trying to sound annoyed even as new energy filled him and he grabbed his data pad.

He pulled numbers from the report Fal had waiting in his message queue.

If I get those reinforcements, then every attack the Kalu pull won’t mean using my reserves. I could get some tactical depth.

“Do you have the lists for supplies?” Kurft asked, not looking up.

A new message appeared on Kurft screen.

“You should have it now, looks like basic replacements for lost weapons, including PDS. Also a shed load of HAPA’s, parts and ammunition for all systems,” Fal said.

“Looks like Christmas came early,” Kurft replied, scrolling through the supplies list.

HAPA’s were big machines and they could take a lot of punishment. Though they were also big friggin targets and the Kalu recognized them for the threats they were. They attracted Kalu’s attention like vultures to carrion.

The mound had a large supply of the armored hulks, but that was when they had started defending Ershue. Now they were pulling hulks out of the battlefield to strip them for useful parts and the small machine shops were turning their mangled alloys into refurbished condition, cutting into ammunition production.

Ammunition was used more than water; they were the currency of war. Kurft had been safeguarding those supplies, front lines and quick reaction forces got full loads, those in secondary positions were cut down to half or less.

***

Hunting Kalu was, shitty. To put it mildly.

Though even as the Avar found themselves opposite to the Kalu, they had one very similar trait.

They loved to hunt.

Ursht and his Commandos had broken up into groups, shadowing the Avarian clans as they scouted out the Kalu, baited them and led them into a Commando ambush.

It was a risky gamble but the Kalu didn’t give up prizes easily.

“It looks like Traz kicked things off,” Ursht said, keeping the sigh out of his voice. While Traz was backed by a number of Avarian warriors, they thought themselves somewhat invincible, skirting the line between dangerous and suicidal just a little too much to put Ursht’s mind at ease. It felt like he was watching over Krom again.

He shook his head, amused at the thought.

“Holloway how we looking?”

“Close to my target zone,” Holloway said. The artillery commander had started coming out of his shell after the massive action at Asul.

“Good,” Ursht said, looking over his HUD to check over the Commando positions. It had taken them four hours and a shuttle ride to get to this hunting ground.

It was a nice valley with a small stream running through it. No vegetation was to be seen, dirt that was more like sand than anything life-sustaining. It still hadn’t had enough time to recover from it’s drought.

If Ursht had found one thing from AIH’s new water supply, it was that life found a way. Plants recorded in clan histories were sprouting once again.

His eyes moved from his daydreaming to the quickly moving Avarians, they were hard to pick out in their paint, but Ursht had trained not only to blend into the environment, but detect others trying to hide in it as well.

They jumped from boulder to boulder quickly, not pausing in the slightest.

The Kalu made their presence known as they charged into the valley, making a wide turn due to their mass.

Oh fuck, that’s a lot more than a thousand, Ursht thought, reminding himself to have a few severe words with Traz after this particular hunt.

“Coming in hot, watch for friendlies, ready PDS.” While the numbers surprised Ursht he had long started living by the mantra, ‘hope for the best but for the love of all things holy prepare for the worst’.

He got green lights from the commanders along the sides of the valley.

One of the Avar was clipped by the Kalu laser’s, shrieking in pain and they went down in a tumble. Ursht winced, but thankfully the Avarians kept moving and the Commandos held their fire. Ursht needed to make sure that they were all in the valley before he well and truly closed the door on them.

Three more of the hunting party were clipped, the Kalu firing wildly, their hits more luck than actual accuracy.

“Kalu are in,” the scouting force watching the mouth of the valley said.

Ursht waited, the lead Avarian crossing his position, the others not far behind.

“Fire,” Ursht said. His words acted as the command for the artillery four thousand kilometers away, the PDS acting like rocks and Commandos movement orders. All the parts had been waiting for some two hours since setting their trap. They uncoiled like a spring, getting into action. Guns rose over the boulders they were using for cover, the Avarian hunting group jumping into cover and adding their fire to the Commandos.

The Kalu reeled, their momentum and numbers pushing them forward into the bloodbath.

Ursht saw the kinetic rounds hit before he heard the screams of the atmosphere they’d punched through.

The ground shook as round after round walked fire from the valley mouth to just outside of danger close for Commandos.

It went on for a few minutes, Commandos pausing the Kalu advance as artillery ripped the main body apart.

Then it was all over.

“Check them and start policing up the gear. Scouts report anything in the area that looks remotely Kalu. Those impacts are sure to gain some attention,” Ursht said, holstering his cannon arms, asking his HUD to find Traz.

He was panting behind cover, Ursht could see the excitement in his eyes.

“Did you see them all, that was one of the greatest hunts I have ever partook in!” Traz said. He was usually calm, but being an Avarian himself, he loved battle.

“You should have let me know that you were trailing five thousand Kalu instead of just a thousand. If I didn’t already consider the idiotic tendencies of the Avarian we would all be dead,” Ursht said severely cutting into the Avarians fun.

“We led them, you killed them, I see no problem,” Traz said, his tone becoming curt.

“Either we talk, communicate what’s going on, or one of these times neither of our forces are going to make it out alive,” Ursht said, hoping to get the point across to Traz.

“We had a good hunt, we killed many, I do not see the problem,” Traz said, his muscles twitching, Ursht could see his hunters agreed with him.

“Fine, then we will be taking our gear back. If we can’t work together then it will be best if we let you free,” Ursht said.

“Fine,” Traz said, turning and waving at Ursht.

“You’re forgetting something,” Ursht said.

“What now?” Traz asked, getting incensed.

“That, is ours,” Ursht pointed to the rail gun in Traz’s hands and the plasmid weaponry on his belt.

“These are now mine,” Traz said, his anger reaching new heights.

“No, they’re the fleets, we gave you them on the stipulation that you fight with us. As we are parting ways, we will take our supplies back, I will send orders to remove them from Dasva as well.” Ursht really didn’t want to get into things with Traz right now, but it had been coming with all the risks Traz had been pulling. He’d got fourteen Commandos killed two hunts ago.

If he wasn’t on the team, then Ursht sure as hell didn’t want to give him weapons that could be used against him as well as the Kalu.

“Hod?” Ursht asked on a private channel, his visor kept Traz from seeing his facial features.

“Take you outside and you piss off friggin Traz!” She grumbled even as a few Commandos around Ursht looked at the obvious tension. She worked through the complaints, then turned back to her work of moving through the Kalu bodies. They were known for playing dead a time or two and attacking the scavengers.

A few rail guns went off, Ursht didn’t even flinch he trusted those at his back, Traz and his hunters ratcheted up on the tension scale. Their eyes darting to the Commandos around. They’d heard the tales about the fortress that their camp had been turned into, not many believed it but they’d seen these Commandos in action not twenty minutes earlier, they were competent, armored and a worthy opponent.

Traz shook his head rubbing his head and spitting on the ground. Obviously not liking what was about to happen. Ursht didn’t move but he checked where his handholds were and the nearest cover.

“I am sorry,” Traz said, the words surprising Ursht and the other hunters.

Avarians and those that knew enough about Avarians looked to the chief. The Avarians in the fleet would accept their fuck-ups, Awakened were stiff-necked as all hell, the people that acted as the hunters on AIH wouldn’t back down no matter what.

Ursht waited for the other shoe to drop but Traz continued lowering his gun.

“We were testing your people. We put your group in a bad situation to see how you would react. I thought it might be more violent. I expected you to roll over like weaklings, but I tricked you and gained great dishonor for my clan from our tricks,” Traz said, the Avarian hunters had enough honor to look shamefaced.

“We will give you our weapons if you require them, yet we hope to work with you again,” Traz’s playful grin was back on his massive face. “Cause let’s face it, this is the kind of hunt that will be talked about for generations!” Traz said, getting laughs from the Avarians.

Ursht rolled his eyes. Avarians feeling one another and subjecting them to shitty conditions to make sure they were worthy allies wasn’t a new trick, it had probably been around for as long as Avarians started punching one another.

With Traz’s admission he was leaving himself open to lose substantial honor not only within his clan but throughout AIH. He stood to be challenged by people within his own clan for supremacy.

Either Ursht accepted his apology, knowing that if Traz went back on his word then he would bring such dishonor on his clan that they were seen as non-entities.

“I have a feeling you’re going to give me a lot more headaches on our hunting trips,” Ursht sighed, opening his helmet and rolling his eyes as he extended a hand to Traz.

He thought he saw a flash of relief in Traz’s face, if it had been there it passed quickly. Traz braced his arm and relaxed, looking to the whole world like he was just watching the world go by, rather than seeing Commandos combing through a valley of Kalu, readying their equipment for the next ambush grounds.

“I think we should try and get a bunch from that large mass moving to the northwest,” Traz said.

Ursht snapped his helmet shut and consulted his HUD.

“Looks good to me, you good for ammunition and supplies?” Ursht asked.

“Take a bit of water and some more grenades.” The hunters moved anxiously, Avarians by the majority damned well loved making shit blow up. It probably said something bad about their psychology, but Ursht knew the pull of seeing something just disappear in fire and shrapnel was better than any damned magic trick.

“I think we can scramble up a few things,” Ursht said sending a query to the supply shuttle set some thirty kilometers away.

It was time to move and see if they couldn’t reel some more Kalu into Avarian territory.

***

Ipox marched down to his awaiting shuttle, he could feel the tension, fear, anxiety and recruit excitement because no veteran would be excited in the slightest to drop onto AIH and go hunting Kalu.

A good number of the veterans had come off of Heija, staying at Parnmal for limb regrowth, or advanced surgeries that couldn’t be completed on-ship.

They’d been at the wrong end of the Kalu once and by the stories Ipox was not looking forward to crossing the bastards.

That said the Free Fleet had just been defending, holding to give the fleet time. From the reports it looked like Asul had already held up against the largest concentrations of the Kalu.

Now the Avarians and Commandos were working in tandem to wither down the Kalu and generally fuck with them.

Ipox was only too happy to get some payback on the fuckers who had killed people he had trained with, and known better than any of his brothers that he’d spilt blood with.

He might be a Kuruvian, but he was looking forward to putting the fear of the fleet in the fuckers.

“Board shuttles in an orderly fashion, watch for departing shuttles.” The automated sirens blared as he stepped onto his shuttle a harness clamping him in place as he looked to the Commandos around him. They gave grim nods, a few that were capable of it gave indications of weak smiles.

They might be Commandos, but under it they were just a group of sentients standing by one another against whatever some fucker might throw at them. They weren’t related by anything other than their drive to complete their duty and keep the creature to either side alive.

It was one hell of a family, and they were being attacked.

We’ll have to put that right, Ipox assured himself as the ramps started closing.

Next stop, Avar Interim Hermanti.

Chapter Move it

Despite all the arguments and all of the bickering, hell they’d even got Bok Soo on the line, while he was in a damned trench system. I was standing up from my position on the bridge, taking in the sight, preparing myself for the walk to the armories.

I remembered Yasu’s expression when Rick had told her about my desire to go to Earth.

“Rick, you and I know that trying to control him is like telling the sun to piss off. It isn’t gonna happen,” she said, to him, her mild manner turned severe as she looked to me however. “That said if you start putting yourself in the middle of danger and pissing around the front lines again I will firmly plant a boot in your ass,” she said, pointing at me.

“Promises,” I said giving her a smirk and a wink. She closed her eyes but I could see the tension at the corner of her lips.

“Don’t get yourself killed,” she said in a softer tone.

“I’ll do my best, you best keep yourself alive,” I said, some of my Commander Salchar coming in as I held back emotions.

“I’ll try,” she replied, we shared a look. We had both been doing this long enough that we knew promising to make it back was beyond our control. All we could do was hope that we did.

“See you down there babe,” I said, James coming out with a smile.

“Same back at you hot stuff,” she said, smiling at me. The transmission ended.

“Dayum I have one hot baby momma!” I exclaimed, trying to cut Rick’s frustration down a few notches with a bit of humor.

“Well shit, if you’re going down, then I’m coming too. Marleen can run the damned ship, it’s nothing but an orbital platform and fueling station for the fighters once we get there,” Rick said.

Dealing with Yasu, possibly the best hand-to-hand fighter in the Free Fleet was one thing, talking to Rick’s wife Marleen, my tactical commander, close friend and survivor of my squad. Shit.

I’d got through the altercation mostly intact and given them their room.

Now that was moot. Rick was strapped in with his gear a few shuttles over as I was stuck in mine. My protection detail had checked me over so thoroughly that I now understand why little Henry wasn’t very pleased whenever we changed his diapers.

That kid could damn well poop! Plus, had a few nasty surprises if he didn’t like your frisking him.

The thought made me laugh as we closed with Earth.

“Ramps are closed and sealed, powering up engines and readying to depart Hic Stamus,” the pilot said, all of them had a different start-up.

Here we stand, I thought, translating the name of the ship. It was pretty apt if I said so myself. The nervous energy that kept me hyper was fading away, James got cornered and closed down. Commander Salchar was in the reins. I checked my HAPA weapons and gear again before feeling the shuttle push off of the Super-carrier’s deck.

There were a few moments of realization of just what the hell I was doing and then the cold fact that I was dedicated now. I like the brave men and women around me were on our way to Earth one way or another.

All of us were scared, from the newest recruit to the most grizzled veteran. The longer someone spent doing this kind of thing the more they could hide their feelings and settle into something like a routine.

If such a thing as dropping through atmosphere right onto an inhabited planet to fight massive fucking wolves could be routine.

Those thoughts rested in the back of my head as we rocked and rolled, the shuttles applied thrust, heading out of their homes.

My HUD showed the shuttles and their fighter escort spreading out, being close in atmospheric entry would be damned annoying.

We hit atmosphere, it wasn’t that bad, until we got a bit deeper. Earth’s atmosphere threw a damned tantrum and started shaking us about.

Instead of gritting my teeth against the motion I rocked with it.

Someone threw up on the shuttle, probably a mix of nerves and the turbulence.

Luckily they’d been able to get their visor open before decorating the floor.

Some other idiot probably started by the first emptied their stomach as well.

It was understandable and god was I happy that my visor was closed. The Cargo master was not as relieved as me, staring daggers at the two who’d soiled his cargo hold.

The two held their heads low.

“Looks like we’ve got two more vomit comets, welcome to the club Commandos!” The Company Commander said, making the two perk up. They still didn’t look quite a hundred percent but the friendly jostling made them relax.

“Just don’t puke on someone else’s armor okay?” The Commander said.

“Yes Commander!” The two responded, no longer looking mopey and dejected.

The shuttle leveled off, through the worst of the friction, the shuttle angled and we headed towards our defense point. We would be trying to protect Asia. The region was covered with varying terrain, groups that didn’t much like one another and the Kalu had pretty much mauled through a hell of a lot of the civilian population.

That said they had the biggest population density of any other region on Earth.

The plan was to deploy from Shanghai to Xi’an across the East side of the country, cutting off the northeast and the advance of Kalu from Beijing towards Shanghai and south into the heavily populated areas. More lines would be drawn until we cut a third of China off from the south, another group of Commandos moved from North Korea up to Mongolia, stopping any Kalu and pressing towards Beijing.

Mongolia’s borders would be reinforced as well.

It was all heavily populated, or had been. People had been moving as fast as damned possible.

It was personnel intensive, but this was a large portion of humanity, we couldn’t just let them fight by themselves.

China’s military is nothing to look down at, I thought their reaction time to the oncoming threat was, scary came to mind after living in South Korea for so long.

Their military was one of the most disciplined, the most powerful and with a command and control that was undisputed.

Right now it mattered less about their methods and more about their results. They had pretty good weaponry that could hurt the Kalu but they needed something more.

They’d accepted our help, after some rather long discussions.

Mongolia’s forces were roused and happy for the help. North Korea was, well they were being royal fucking pains in my ass. I was going to have to have a talk with their leader at sometime. The prick kept wanting to fire nukes. Which in turn meant we had to keep a ship covering the country at all times. Any that they shot up, we waited to get high enough and blasted it with clean nukes, minimizing fallout.

Even China was starting to get annoyed with the North Koreans. Especially when some of the nuclear tracks were headed into their region.

I kept the hell out of that mess, politics were messy at the best of times. Suicidal and deadly at the worst. I just had one job, try to keep as many people alive as possible.

“Coming in on approach, twenty seconds,” the pilot said into my helmet. My hands started checking my gear, something that the majority of the shuttle did as well.

“Load,” the commander said, charging handles were cocked and safeties applied, once out of the shuttle they’d be flicked off, we’d rather not have a stray round going off. I flicked a switch on a panel, my ammunition belts clicking a few times as rounds fed from the belt into the cannons, waiting.

Ramps opened and night streamed in. I looked at what should have been a familiar sun, but it was different from the light of the ships, it felt oddly foreign now.

People started pouring off of the shuttle, HAPA’s and Commandos getting the hell out as fast as possible. I clunked out of the shuttle, Krom and Shreesht waiting for me, their HAPA’s already covering possible areas that a threat that might come from.

Gravity feels weird too, I thought, interested by the fact I had now grown away from my home planet. I might have been born and raised here, but it was more foreign than some planets I had visited. The odd lights of the Free Fleet, the higher gravity and tangy air, that was home.

I pushed these thoughts down and read my HUD, finding my area commander.

“This could be interesting,” I said, sighing and leading the way to the command center. Rick on another shuttle disembarked, he and Wruck joining my growing party.

We made it to the command center, two people were clearly in charge. They were talking to the General in quick mandarin, at least I assumed it was mandarin, my HUD converted it for me but I tuned it out, instead looking at the updating positions on my HUD. Strategy was my thing, if I could help the region commander I’d do my best.

The two looked up from the maps, a tac-table had been assembled and a myriad of commanders were standing around it.

“Alright, we’ve got a frontage of almost thirteen hundred kilometers to cover, we’re going to deploy north of Shanghai at Dongying and then up to Mongolia. We’re going to concentrate forces to the southern areas, that’s where the people are and the Kalu seem to be following the coast. The Chinese forces are going to be digging in south of us. We need to keep the Kalu entertained long enough for them to get some positions in the ground,” Yasu said, looking to her people.

“We’re going to have a third of our forces in shuttles, with an area so big we’re going to have to slap a sensor network up and then send the shuttles charging off at any Kalu we sense. Connolly will have your assignments and positions to you momentarily.” That was when she caught sight of my tell-tale armor.

“It also seems that Commander Salchar and Rick are in for the ride,” Yasu said, tapping her fingers on her HAPA’s front, probably trying to decide how she felt about the whole situation.

“Rick who organized our drop?” I asked on a private channel.

“The AI’s based on skillset and such,” Rick said.

“Remind me to have a talk with them,” I said slowly, not sure how this situation was going to turn out.

The Commanders turned, nodding, no one tried to give a two-finger salute here, that was one way to get you marked for a sniper.

While the Kalu didn’t have snipers, it was a bad habit to get into anyway.

“They’ll be riding with me on the point,” I said, Krom, Shreesht and Wruck seemed displeased. Even in armor I could tell what they were thinking.

“Let’s get to work, we don’t have time to waste. People are dying every second we sit around,” Yasu said, the Commanders turned into movement dispersing to their people and shuttles.

“I know you three don‘t like having Rick and James at the front, but their Commandos, and not bad ones,” Yasu said.

“Thanks,” I drawled.

“No problem,” she said, her voice tense.

“Don’t worry I’m only here as a Commando, if you need me, let me know,” I said.

“Same, just a dude with cannons and missiles,” Rick said.

She tapped her fingers, a trait she got from me.

“Rick you coordinate with the Chinese forces and our own. James, use that strategic brain of yours and check out my plan. See if you’ve got anything to add,” Yasu said.

Rick got to work on one of the tac-tables consoles as I came around the other side, Connolly was still there, working a console and tilting to Yasu occasionally, obviously consulting her and passing orders.

She took up a station next to me but I honestly zoned her out and focused on her rough plan, seeing if I could work in some tricks.

With so many civilians and unprotected people, even the Chinese military in their basic armor made things like nukes a bad idea, batteries of warship rail cannons, nope, laser mines, nope.

We were down to the basics, Commandos versus Kalu.

***

Takahashi looked over his people, they were tired, bloodied and determined.

Hachiro had turned into a bloodbath, a cornered Kalu was a vicious creature. Too many had died but the station was secured.

Nancy, wasn’t.

The shipyard was massive with open areas, but it also had seven slips, all filled with different manner of craft from corvettes to super-carriers.

The Kalu had charged into the shells of ships being built, the various living, control and manufactories of the shipyard.

Making holding and taking the whole place a mess. Reserve forces had become front-line, front-line units were hundreds of meters and a ship away from the front.

He looked at the Commandos, the Kalu were terrible in zero-gravity, having to orientate themselves to their targets. Getting shot from various directions crossed some wires as they contorted and tried to bring normalcy to their situation.

Takahashi was using this to full effect, turning off all the gravity generators of the ships and the station. Commandos had trained in this very facility; Takahashi had been the instructor for many of them.

They were in slip three, a half-completed destroyer waited in the middle of the slip, five star-warriors had bored their way into the hull.

“Spread it out over there,” Takahashi said to the converging forces below and to his right.

The Commandos listened, blue flares pushing them apart.

They continued on their advance, jumping from the slips girders letting them quickly make it to the hell of the Destroyer.

Alerts went off as laser fire started coming from an open section of the Destroyer’s hull.

The lasers were invisible in space, but their affects weren’t.

Two suits red-lined, one going yellow, the other staying red.

Takahashi acknowledged them even as his rail gun thumped. The zero-recoil mode fired slower than normal, but the rounds still had a devastating affect when nearly a hundred Commandos were firing at the same point. The Kalu were inundated with fire and the alerts stopped, the Kalu were either dead or hunkering down.

“Keep you eyes about you, one person from each section watch first contact area, everyone else look for possible Kalu,” Takahashi called out, his scanners and eyes roving over the Destroyers hull for any other Kalu.

“Echo squad, take the position that fire came from and Delta-three assist,” Takahashi said, their advance continuing.

“Topside, hull breach, third level,” Someone called out a haloed Kalu appearing, and disappearing under overwhelming firepower.

“Rome-five, Kilo-two, see to that,” Takahashi said, getting back two affirmatives from the squad commanders.

He tilted angling his feet towards the hull, powering his magnetic soles. They grabbed onto the ship as he bent his knees, absorbing the momentum that had carried him across the girders.

Five hadn’t made it that distance.

Takahashi angled for an opening in the hull, other squads were already making entry.

Takahashi linked up with a squad.

They pushed into a hull opening which was going to be a gun-deck. They spread out in all directions, using the ceiling, walls, machinery and floor to move around with a tap here, push there.

Kalu charged in, engaging the two on the floor, they immediately pushed for cover.

With a kick against the ceiling a bit of thrust to his left, Takahashi grabbed a grenade in one hand, letting his rifle dangle from his chest as his other hand caught the lip of the bulkhead over the doorway the Kalu were coming through. He thumbed the grenade, tossing it and applied thrust on his shoulders that pushed him back towards the ceiling.

The grenade went off a flash of destruction, but without any noise. Other Commandos had moved to the sides of the doorway, upside, sideways and the right way up.

As one they peeked over the edge and fired as soon as they saw targets. The Kalu reaction speed and inability to re-orientate themselves meant they didn’t even get a shot off at the nearest attackers before their holed armor was floating away.

The group around the doorway threw themselves into the corridor, using the walls ceiling and floor to drag themselves.

Takahashi watched their movements, you would have thought that they were born in zero-gravity.

He reached the roof turned and pushed off, upside down to the deck as he followed the other Commandos, using the ceiling to keep himself moving.

They had four more slips to clear still, the biggest damned slips in the Union.

Best be about it then, Takahashi thought, a Kalu appearing in a corridor he was moving past, he hooked his foot into the rungs, stopping his forward momentum and pointing him down the hall from the ceiling, his gun fired, another Commando swinging around the side of the corridor from knee height.

The Kalu stumbled, tripped and floated, no motion coming from it.

“We’ll move down here... three, two, one,” Takahashi said, pushing into the corridor with his foot. The person below and to his right doing the same.

Others followed them as they advanced, moving the Kalu body out of the way, liquids floating out of the wounds.

I don’t want to be here when the engineers turn the gravity back on.

***

The Kalu had adapted again. They were more spread out so that machine gun fire, or nukes couldn’t kill off their entire force in one go.

I wish they were just dumb stupid, happy stubborn idiots, Bregend sighed looking up from his map, he wasn’t on duty so his HAPA was being used by someone else. They didn’t enough HAPA’s for everyone when they landed and the problem had only increased as HAPA’s had been broken or worn down.

More were coming with more parts but it was slow progress.

“Commander?” Mills said, breaking into Bregend’s private channel, something he only did if there was something vitally important.

“Go,” Bregend said, his voice serious as he geared himself for the worst.

“The HCD’s have returned with a full compliment of reinforcements from Ouquishar,” Mills said.

“How long until they get to us?” Bregend asked, his attention turning to the tac-table in front of him.

“Two-days,” Mills said.

The HCD’s had gone from Sol, creating wormholes through the dark between systems to Ouquishar and then onto Daestramus, that said Bregend wasn’t expecting them for another four days.

“Well we’d better find them a place to settle into,” Bregend said, firing a request for Narvu to join the ongoing conversation.

“You got a list of supplies and materials they’re coming with?’ Bregend asked.

“Of course boss,” Mills said.

Chapter Hard Decisions

Elisati looked around her office, it was buried deep within Olfix station in Quarst.

She watched as shuttles and in-system freighters moved through the Kalu debris field.

It marked the last battle fought in her system. Many people had lost their lives in order for her to be sitting in her chair.

The Independents had come to their aid, as well as the Free Fleet. She remembered her conversation with Kalvin, the Independents military commander.

He was a brash man, not much for beating around his true goals. The Independents wanted to join the Union. They needed allies against the traditionalists.

The traditionalists were stuck on their planets and stations, but they had many times the Union’s population. Given enough time then they would try to attack the Union again.

They needed to figure out some sort of plan that would get them to turn away from war.

Might be an idea to talk to Planner. He did get the Avarians to turn away from killing one another in hordes. He might have some insight, she thought, still watching the moving ships.

She rubbed her head, knowing she was trying to avoid her main issues.

The Free Fleet. They had done so much for the Union, come from slavery into the most powerful entity in known space.

Even if they lost a planet or two, it would just take time for them to reclaim it at this point. They had an estimated five million people under arms, from Commandos, to Parnmal, to the ship yards and ship personnel. That wasn’t even including the Free Merchant Fleet to which they were seconded, another two million personnel. Which while it didn’t sound like much, you didn’t need many people for shipping freight. The Kuruvian Empire had seven hundred thousand merchants by comparison.

Throw in the fact that the Free Fleet was a private entity and not one funded by the Union or sworn to it, a number of system and planetary governors were letting their unhappiness show.

She had got a communication from Jakram’s governor as well as Ershue’s.

Jakram had been saved from the Kalu but the destruction and lives lost was harrowing. Elisati knew that the governor was basically using the Free Fleet as a scapegoat there. Blaming them for the lives lost and not thanking them for the lives that they had saved.

Not the planetary governor but other political entities in Chaleel were voicing their anger at the Free Fleet leaving them, saying that the Kalu threat was not confirmed as destroyed. They were also raising havoc over the destruction caused by the Free Fleet’s actions to kill the Kalu.

While they were cursing the Free Fleet for the destruction they were praising their own militaries, making it look like it was them, not the Free Fleet which had protected their livelihoods.

She could see the change coming and she just hoped to all hell that they didn’t piss off the Free Fleet, she knew she would be angry in their position.

Yet she was a politician in a new Union, she needed to forge strong bonds with the other members of the Union for them to last. She just hoped that it didn’t mean making Salchar and the Free Fleet her enemies.

She remembered the look in Foshunti’s eyes when she had been asking about Heija. The Free Fleet was no simple military; they were a damned Empire.

Thinking about Empires, nothing has come out of the Kuruvian Empire. They seem rather happy with the Free Fleet. Hell their shipping stuff and making it for them at cost.

If the member systems of the Union were going to come down on the Free Fleet they needed to have a new Planetary Defense Force in position.

A message appeared on her system, it’s sender and other particulars hidden, marking it as one from her operatives.

Min Hae is back in Parnmal.

It was a simple message but it made her heart flutter, having him out in the backwaters of the Kalu side of the line had been bad enough, his operatives were everywhere and damned good at their job.

Now he was home, linking back into the web of his people. Many people thought that the Union had formed because systems wanted to work together.

Min Hae had been in the background whispering into all of the governor’s ears whether they knew it or not. He was a smart man, meticulous in his ways and sneaky as all hell. No operatives she knew of had ever gotten close to him, or his inner sanctum of intelligence Commanders. Those that got close received a personal message from him, applauding their efforts and offering them a position to work with him. A few had taken him up on the position with the aim of feeding him false information.

Another hand written note would appear showing his displeasure and terminating their status.

Elisati had seen the notes only a few times, she wondered if there were more of her operatives that had kept the notes to themselves and were actually working for Min Hae. She only had to look to Earth, one of the more powerful nations was reported to be Min Hae’s agent. If he could switch a spymaster’s mind, then he could almost certainly turn an operative.

While she wanted to build her relationship with the other politicians from the Union, she didn’t owe them anything. The Free Fleet had destroyed the Kalu that landed on her planet. Sure that was mostly her plan. Yet they had thrown their ships at the Kalu fleet.

Cheerleader’s fleet had sacrificed themselves to protect Quarst and Elisati’s people. Free Fleet reinforcements had similarly rushed to the defense of Quarst, even calling on their allies the Independents.

It was clear to her that right now the Independents were the allies of the Free Fleet and no one else. She would try to change that but the Free Fleet’s power had been the thing to turn them according to the rumor mill.

Politics weren’t straight forward; it was a minefield all looking to mess you over while calling you a friend. Most planetary governments thought that they had power and that was what really scared them. The Free Fleet had so much power that it scared the ever living shit out of them.

Not just the power of their fleets, but their crews and the people of the planets the governors ruled over. The Free Fleet had died for their people and even as the governments were trying to change their minds about that, there was no denying their sacrifice.

The independent reporters were making it clear to anyone watching that the Free Fleet was their only defense.

Worse than that, most of the independents didn’t like the Free Fleet, Evelyn Sparks had criticized the Free Fleet time and time again. She still was criticizing them in certain areas.

No one was perfect. Yet it was also clear from her stories that the Free Fleet wasn’t some soulless war machine.

No matter what she did, Elisati was going to have to tread whatever path she chose with care.

***

Evelyn looked around the freighter, shuttles were racked, stacked and waiting, they were packed with materials and Commandos.

They were going to Earth. Her home planet was the home of the most brutal fighting yet. The Free Fleet couldn’t use any of their heavy handed methods.

She had seen the reports coming from Chaleel. People weren’t happy about all the farmland that had been blasted into glass.

Even as it made her wince at the livelihoods lost, the Free Merchant Fleet was dropping off supplies to help them out and she knew that if the Free Fleet hadn’t been there it could be a lot worse.

They were the ones that built friggin tanks! What did they think was going to happen if they fired those guns? It wasn’t exactly going to sow a field, she sighed, politics were heating up on the planets that had escaped the Kalu’s grip and she didn’t know where it was going. Her people were reporting on the feelings of different groups. A team was enroute to Chaleel to report on the situation there. It had taken a hell of a lot of arm-twisting for her to grab this ride.

It wasn’t even supposed to be heading for Earth actual, but Mars. The hope was that they could break the siege on Nancy and Mars, then move forces from there to assist Earth.

Then Mars could be a staging point for people to be sent from the fast moving HCD’s to warships and on to Earth.

“Commence boarding, HCD’s have arrived in system,” The freighter’s captain said over the main communications line. Commandos moved into their shuttles, conversations dying. It was an ominous feeling. She knew most of them were getting orders and talking in their helmets, but as they closed their visors they became something other than creatures.

They were warriors with a duty, it made her feel safe as well as anxious. They had the most powerful armor and weaponry and they were marching off to war.

“Ma’am,” a Commando said, sounding as if he didn’t know how to continue.

“Yes Commando?” She asked, galvanizing him into action.

“The Commander would feel a lot happier if both you and your camera man were in powered armor,” the Commando said, his eyes flicking to her basic suit.

“I’d very much like that,” she said, knowing she’d feel safer in the bulky armor.

“This way please,” he replied, waving for them to follow him. Evelyn looked to Tuvio who was already standing, she didn’t miss the excited grin on his face.

Men and their toys, she thought, rolling her eyes. Sometimes things cross over species.

The man gave them two battle suits which were as good if not better than their regular space suits.

“Umm, if you don’t mind,” Evelyn said, looking up at the Commando.

“Hmm?” He asked, confused.

“A bit of privacy,” she said.

“Oh, sorry ma’am, seen so much naked in my life it doesn’t matter much to me. I’ll be outside,” he said shrugging and leaving. Most would have been left in a stuttering mess. With traditional militaries lower ranks lived in fear of higher ranks moods. Troops were a lot more confident in the Free Fleet, they didn’t have such a power complex.

It didn’t take her long to get into the battle suit, Tuvio did the same but looked away.

She opened the door to the room, the Commando waiting outside.

“Follow me,” the Commando said, taking her to two suits of powered armor that was open and ready. She saw the spikes that connected right into a person’s nervous system.

“Umm, I hope we won’t be needing nerve ports,” she said.

“No, those are only for Commandos,” the man said, smiling kindly, clearly proud.

“Do you have yours?” She asked, making light conversation as they got close to the machine.

“Yes ma’am, first day of Commando school. Anyone can get them but for the Commandos their mandatory. You get better control and it’s more of an extension of yourself rather than a covering,” he said all three of them reaching the armor. “Step in backwards, point your feet to get them into the boots while putting your arms in like donning a big jacket.” It sounded like he’d said it a hundred times and expected to say it many more.

Evelyn squirmed into the armor, she flinched as his armored hand came on her shoulder. She’d seen these machines bend armor plates.

“Don’t worry Ma’am I have plenty of time in this beauty, I won’t crush your arm,” he said with a light smile, his armored hand gently helping her into place.

“How can you change the output so much?” She asked, now properly seated in the armor.

“Practice ma’am,” he said simply.

“Please stop with the Ma’am it’s enough to make me feel old, just call me Evelyn,” she surmised.

“Very well Evelyn,” he said with a laugh and a smile.

I wonder if he’ll have some free time after this, is pretty good looking when he’s smiling, she thought.

“My name is Dean,” he said.

“Good to meet you Dean,” she said.

“You too,” he said giving her another smile. “Now I’ll activate the armor, it’s a universal model so it’ll adjust to your body.” His voice all business as he moved to Tuvio.

The arms and legs closed, locking mechanisms tightening to her legs, arms and hands. Her chest plate swung into position and also began locking up.

Tuvio’s armor started doing the same as Dean watched Evelyn with an analytical eye.

“I’ve put you on lower power so it'll be like your using your own strength,” he said, grabbing two helmets and throwing one to Tuvio, he caught it, grinning.

“Oh I could get used to this,” Tuvio said, checking his range of motion.

“Tilt your head forward,” Dean said, Evelyn listened, her hair falling over her head. Dean used the helmet to scoop it up onto her head and push it into position, it wasn’t the most comfortable but she wasn’t ripping hair out.

“I get why most people keep their hair short in these things,” she said.

“Let’s get back to the shuttles we don’t want to miss our ride,” Dean said, guiding them back to the shuttle. Tuvio checked his equipment and brought it aboard. Dean jumped using the grab handles of the shuttles roof to clamber into his HAPA.

Evelyn and Tuvio took their places among crates, the other seats had been removed to make more room for supplies and the two squads of HAPA’s that rested in the center of the shuttle.

“Closing ramps, one express ride to Sol coming right up!” The cargo master said.

This got a few noises from the Commandos, all of them talking in their armor.

Evelyn felt like she wanted to puke as her mind started laying out where she was going.

One day I’m going to stop going into warzones, she said, knowing that she’d made herself that promise to herself many times before. Much like a person puking after a bad night of drinking.

***

Kurft and Fal had hoped for at least three more days, knowing that the eight days it would take to firm their position was a longshot.

They got two.

As the Kalu had been pressing on the scouting parties, most of which had been killed. A few hundred stayed undetected, they had been getting stronger, eating food that wasn’t going to weaken them.

Their digestive and immune systems were tanks, they weren’t the emancipated things of a few weeks ago but Kalu in their prime, pissed off and ready to fight.

They had come in a massive rush, crossing to the mound faster than Fal had ever seen them move.

Engineers became Commandos as they opened fired from their positions. HAPA’s scrambled to cover their counterparts as artillery boomed.

Fal wished they had grouped together, but they had learned that big packs got big nukes.

Kurft had rushed out rallying the Commandos and getting them to the front. Everyone was on those lines. The Kalu didn’t cross the dead ground on the edge of the mound. They took a new tactic and ran the perimeter, just on the incline and fired their lasers.

Fal cursed them in every language he knew, keeping his frustration from clouding his appearance. People were looking to him for strength.

Kurft had told him early on to stuff his feelings away, they weren’t useful to him, or anyone else. He was a commander, he needed to do his duty, the cost to his mind and soul could come later.

That advice kept Fal issuing orders instead of rushing out like Kurft had.

Kurft passed his orders to Fal, who checked them before issuing them out. Kurft was fighting, he only had a limited picture.

Commanders requests flowed through the command center like streams, connected to aid, to other commanders. They were damned good at their job, knowing lives depended on them gave little room for fuck ups.

The fighting had started a day and a half ago and it hadn’t let up, the Kalu were cycling people around the Mound. Hunger kept forcing them back to the forests for food. They were husbanding their strength, getting stronger for a battle.

Fal just needed eighteen hours, the HCD’s had powered in-system, their shuttles carrying them towards the warships in-system, the shuttles wouldn’t even brake as the warship’s caught them accelerating for all they were worth.

Ershue needed people and they would get them.

Hopefully it’ll be in time, Fal wished, staring at the screens which showed the approaching reinforcements.

The hours didn’t go by quickly. Fal took Kurft’s position out on the defenses as people rotated around, building new habits to deal with the Kalu’s new attacks.

He came back in decent shape. Kurft and him watching as the ships finally reached orbit and the shuttles started dropping. They weren’t trying to be pretty with this drop, supplies were thrown out in their special cargo crates.

The skies of Ershue were filled with the third massive meteor shower since the Kalu had arrived.

“Oh fuck,” Kurft said, turning and running for the door.

“Secondary’s on me, Fal, you’re in command, keep this base standing!” Kurft said rushing away.

Fal saw what he saw. The Kalu knew what those meteors probably meant.

They must have taken it as some signal any forces not on the front-lines started racing through the forests.

They were going to win, or die trying. This was their chance.

“Poj I want a full artillery spread, all weapons are cleared hot, use nukes if they need to. I want everyone up and supporting, walking wounded and anyone that can fire a rifle to the front lines now!” Fal said, wishing to run out after Kurft and the other personnel leaving their stations to join the fight.

Kurft’s orders kept him rooted in his position. He tucked his data pad away, grabbing his rifle and checking it was loaded. He had detested war and violence, he still did. But now he understood that sometimes you couldn’t do anything but use it to defend those you cared for.

“Get a request to those ships to add their fire support to our own and tell those shuttles to hurry the fuck up,” Fal said, his eyes flickering independently as he looked at three screens of information at once.

“The fleet is linking in, they are unable to bring down fire as they release shuttles, will be able to move in seven minutes, should take two minutes to have clear eyes on for lead ships, another five minutes for the rest of the fleet,” Poj said as the Kalu met the front-lines of the Commandos.

The battle turned from streams of lights and drops of light being thrown at one another to the flash of plasma blades, grenades and Kalu claws.

He needed to draw attention away from the camp, he needed to give the shuttles time to land and the Commandos to deploy.

The Kalu threw themselves into battle with abandon.

“Get me a line to our people,” Fal said.

“Commander?” Isaz asked in clipped tones, his anger clear.

“Isaz, you need the people to be ready to run, the Kalu are attacking us and all our forces are deployed. We have more coming in but I do not know if we can hold,” Fal said.

“Poj get fire on sector three, move reinforcements into the area, prepare pullback to the second line.” Fal didn’t even close the channel to Isaz.

“Very well I will see to it,” Isaz said, his voice hard with responsibility.

“Good luck,” he said after a pause.

“Thank you Isaz,” Fal answered, cutting the channel, unfortunately he’d need more than training, he’d need Commandos. “Poj clear the shuttles to unload their racks, update the Commanders with our sensor feed.”

“Elkrit, get the Commandos their feeds, I’ll work with fire support.”

“Good!” Elkrit said, bent over his console, muttering into his microphone. His thick Avarian arms moving quickly through the holographic sphere that surrounded him.

It took coordination to use the sphere, Fal’s eyes flicked away, gripping the tac-table as he watched the holographic representations and main screen inputs.

“Call them back to secondary positions they can’t hold. Get ammunition handlers out there, I want full loads for everyone Elkrit!”

“On it!” Elkrit barked back, the screen changing to show movement orders.

“Poj what’s the status of the cargo crates I want drop zones!”

“We’ve got a few in the forest most should be around the base,” she snapped, the Ershue’s ability to multi-task coming to the fore.

A plan formed in Fal’s mind, it wasn’t a pleasant one, but a glance at the map showing Kalu engaging Commandos in hand-to-hand combat was all he needed.

“Poj, contact the scouts, see if you can get those crates closer to their positions. I want volunteers only, but they’re to harass the rears of the Kalu. We need to divert attention away from us and give those shuttles time to drop Commandos,” Fal turned to Poj, eyes connecting. “Volunteers only,” he said waiting for her stony nod.

“Yes Commander,” she said, he knew only too many would volunteer, they had volunteered for their given positions.

He was sending them to poke a wolf, a Kalu wolf. Without defenses and only the supplies they could pull from the crates. Not many would be making it back.

He watched the main map as it showed the crates landing areas and scouting parties moving out of their hides towards the crates.

“Kalu are firing on the shuttles, we’ve lost a few,” Elkrit said, his voice harsh his hands and eyes flicking through information.

“They’re through the worst atmosphere and firing their weapons,” Poj added.

The Artillery strikes were hitting every second per gun, never stopping as they moved to cover more ground. There were just three cannons left and they weren’t enough. The rail guns on the shuttles ripped lines into the ground, occasionally hitting the spread out Kalu. Missiles, of the nuclear multi-warhead variety, added their destruction to the mounds scarred surface.

These surviving Kalu had made it through more than one nuclear blast, those that weren’t killed, picked themselves up and kept charging. Spreading out helped them immensely, less died in a given blast or line of fire and others weren’t being stopped by the dead in the front, they had time and space to maneuver.

There were only four hundred thousand left on the planet. There were less than half of that in Commandos and they were all injured and low on ammunition. A Kalu in close-combat was honestly probably better than most Commandos, everything they did tried to kill a person.

“Push plasma shotguns to the units,” Fal said.

The guns didn’t have many rounds but in close combat they were hell, pulling them out pretty much admitted that they were in a close-combat fight.

“Sir,” Elkrit said, rushing new orders to the front lines.

“Close combat,” Fal ordered seeing the Kalu were almost on top of the lines, plasmid blades came free of their scabbards. These were not the crude devices that the Free Fleet had begun with, these were a modified version of the kukri.

When Salchar had gone to gather units from across Earth to turn Commandos from not just a fighting force but into an elite fighting force, he had gathered many special forces groups from the planet. Included with them were the Ghurkhas, famous for being damned deadly with a blade as they were with a rifle or no weapon at all.

The Kukri had been adopted by the majority of Commandos and now these historical blades met Kalu armor and flesh underneath.

Fal winced but didn’t dare to look away as the ragged yellow dots showing the injured along the front lines turned red or black as the Kalu dove in for close combat.

Commandos lived up to their deadly heritage, they were still a young unit, but they had taken the lessons from special forces operatives that had been around for hundreds of years. Thousands of years stood at the back of the Commandos backs.

They only pulled back if ordered to, taking down Kalu with moves that had been driven into them since training, moves that were more instinctual than actually thought.

It was a bloody fight and the Commandos were exacting a toll from the Kalu, but the Kalu had numbers on their side.

“Sent,” Elkrit said.

“Lock down all areas leading into the underground and open the armories down there,” Fal said, not noticing his hands were bending the material of the tac table.

“Come on shuttles, come on,” Fal said, the Kalu were actively trying to take them out, the crates thankfully helped to give them more targets.

“Ships are on station,” Poj reported.

“Get them firing, give them areas, have them run firing solutions,” Fal said, his eyes roving over information, the first scouting parties were getting to the crates, he brought up the information on the crate, nodding in satisfaction.

The crates fell apart and HAPA’s were revealed from one crate, the other held ammunition and bare else, another, medical supplies and ammo.

Other scouting parties had been too far away from the crates for it to be of use.

They moved as fast as they could towards the mound.

“Moving back to third line,” Elkrit said. Fal winced, there were just two more lines to fall back to before they reached the corridors of the mound.

“Civvies are moving down the exit tunnels,” Poj reported as hell was unleashed from the heavens above, the mound shaking after the fleet’s guns hit the ground below.

The shuttles started to land, one was hit in the engine, diving into the ground nose first. Commandos rushed out in HAPA’s a few clawing through the sides of the craft, someone got on a side gun and fired into the Kalu heading at the shuttle a few hundred meters from the front lines. Commandos stood their ground and fired at their enemy, launching missiles into them.

More shuttles were landing, their ramps opening and their guns blazing as HAPA’s and Commandos jumped out, as much as thirty feet up in the air.

They dropped right into the front lines, their cannons, firing and plasmid blades driving into the all too close Kalu.

“Scouts are engaging Kalu rear,” Poj said, her voice tight.

Fal nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

He watched, hearing the sounds of guns, the yells of defiance through the halls, hearing the rumble of close artillery fire. There was nothing he could do, his commander had given him an order and he would follow it.

It had to be the hardest thing he had ever done.

“Scouting parties are having an effect, the Kalu are again focusing on them,” Elkrit said. “The Kalu must realize them for the great enemy they are,” Elkrit said, his voice low. Giving the high praise by Avarian standards.

“Yes,” Fal said, watching the Kalu advance slow. He had gained the base some relief, but the cost, that would follow him to the deathbed.

The Kalu and scouting parties fought hard, the scouting parties used every trick they had to lure the Kalu back, planting tricks and traps in their wake, making the Kalu work for every scout they killed.

They called in artillery strikes from the Fleet and rushed from contact to contact to confuse their quarry, but in the end they ran out of places to run to, and people to do it with.

Like those that had been hunted down by the Kalu before, they called artillery down on their positions, showing their defiance to the Kalu, their mere hundred taking out thousands of Kalu with their actions, and giving the Commandos time to deploy around the mound.

“Line four,” Elkrit said, even as more Commandos joined the fight.

These Commandos were coming out from their shuttles right into battle, they were good at their job but it was always a hellish change.

They were doing better than Fal had hoped, but only a third of them had dropped.

He was all out of tricks, artillery was pounding, the scouts were spent and every person capable of fighting was on the line.

The last Kalu made it up the mounds’ sides and onto the plain the base was located on.

A shuttle turned into a flaming fireball from Kalu fire, shaking the base and rattling the large command tree behind Fal.

He didn’t shift from his position, too many shuttles were dying and not enough Commandos were able to get into the fight.

“Wesom suggests that forces pull back inside the walls, create kill tunnels and have the shuttles land outside. The Kalu inside won’t be able to shoot the shuttles,” Poj said.

“Elkrit, you hear?” Fal yelled.

“Yes Commander, working on the orders,” Elkrit said, his hands moving.

“Good, pass the plan to Wesom, on his say our forces will pull back,” Fal said.

The artillery was dying down, the Kalu and Commandos were locked in close fighting, hammering one another with everything they could, fighting for life.

“They’re pulling back,” Elkrit said a handful of minutes later, Commandos rushed through the trenches to the walls, covering the lead units that rushed away from their enemy, using the trenches to break line of sight, getting away from the Kalu lasers.

Fal’s hands turned to fists, watching active lights go to red and black.

It took twenty minutes and it wasn’t clean but the Commandos were now fighting the Kalu in the halls and were keeping them back with firepower.

Shuttles dropped off their people relatively unmolested.

“Get those new Commandos formed up, I don’t want them going in half-cocked, pass word to the Commandos in the halls. When our reinforcements engage the Kalu to the rear then it’s going to be down to plasmid blades and fists,” Fal said.

“Yes sir!” Poj said.

He could see Commandos forming up outside the base changing their HAPA’s cannons to blades, those without armor checked their plasmid blades.

The hallways were hell, lasers and weapons fire crossed, wounded were strewn across the floor. The Commandos couldn’t do anything but pull back or grab those closest never stopping their fire unless to reload. Even then they would dive out of the way, another fresh Commando coming into place as they changed magazines.

Killing the Kalu before their lasers could punch through armor was their best defense.

Fal’s eyes noted the Commandos outside had built up decent numbers, about a quarter of the remaining reinforcements were still making their way to the planet.

“Order the forces outside the base to engage the Kalu, have our forces inside pull back into the corridors, it’ll be tighter quarters, less room for the Kalu to build up momentum and bring their lasers to bear,” Fal said.

His orders became motion. Sixty thousand HAPA’s and Commandos took off at a run, staying in their squads, the HAPA’S building up some terrifying speed with their ground-loping run.

The Commandos inside threw grenades into the Kalu, using the explosions as distractions, pulling back into the base through the armories and into the corridors.

“Close bulkheads in the Kalu regions,” Fal said.

Massive doors slammed shut, sealing the Kalu into small sections of the base, usually killing a few in the process. Fal didn’t give them any notice as the reinforcements slammed through the Kalu ranks. Only a few had turned to see them, now they were met with HAPA’s barreling through them, plasmid blades wild and free.

Powered armor wearing Commandos followed their brethren.

Killing anything that had survived the HAPA’S passage.

These Commandos had fought on Oolta the gravity a whole Earth standard more. Powered armor didn’t just increase the power of the user, it magnified it.

Commandos threw the three hundred Kilo Kalu, their blades biting deep and fast. They were used to choreographing their motions, thinking about every move before acting, one fuck up and they could seriously injure themselves on Oolta, here it meant a Kalu in their face.

Their new found power and speed turned their movements into devastating blows and attacks.

Fal’s face contorted in a way that no peaceful Ershue would.

“It’s not us stuck down here with you, it’s you locked down here with us,” Fal said, his brothers and sisters had come to his and his other siblings aid. The battle had changed and the Kalu were met by an enemy that had not only trained for this for nearly a year, but for once had equaled the disparity of forces at least in most areas.

“The Kalu are cutting through the doors,” Poj said.

“Have the exterior forces pull back and make a firing line. We’ll open the doors behind the Kalu,” Fal said.

“Yes sir,” Elkrit said. Fal could hear the bloody agreement in his voice.

Fal was no pacifist anymore. No he was a Commando more than Ershue anymore and right then and there, it didn’t matter. It’s what his people needed from him, both Ershue and the Free Fleet.

“The forces have disengaged. Moving to position,” Poj said.

Yeah, they smashed the ever living shit out of the Kalu forces outside, Fal thought, looking at a sight that would have made most release their meals.

“In position,” Elkrit said.

“Give them a few seconds to settle,” Fal said, his hand flicking through feeds, he knew them by feel now.

“Alert the exterior units, open the doors,” Fal said.

“Opening,” Elkrit confirmed.

“Poj, warn our interior forces about the Kalu cutting through the doors. I do remember something in our training about making new doorways, see if our people couldn’t stuff a few grenades through some new holes,” Fal said.

“Yes Commander,” Poj said.

***

Wesom had Poj close the channel with Fal’s advice.

“Grab some grenades, follow me!” Wesom said, pulling his plasmid blade free as he checked blueprints.

“We’re going to cut holes into the areas the Kalu occupy and give them a good old fashioned surprise,” he said, holding up a grenade for emphasis.

“If there isn’t a door cut your own!” Someone said, getting yells of agreement, blades slammed into the wall, cutting through the armor.

Wesom pushed the block he’d cut into the wall into the Kalu filled room, not that he gave the room more than a glance as he primed a grenade and palmed it through the hole. A Commando on the other side threw their own grenade as Wesom got another grenade ready. So it went on.

“Room looks clear, updating with new targets,” Poj’s voice came over Wesom’s channel, his HUD highlighting red rooms.

“Split up and grenade the rooms!” Wesom ordered, acting like any other Commando, a short jog taking him to a new wall, he buried his blade in it, dragging it around.

A hole appeared in the metal, a laser blast cutting through. Another came through, another caught him in the back, one to this leg made him stagger, but he kept cutting, he dropped his blade as he finished his cut, a laser cut his shoulder and burned across his chest, making him scream. He dropped his grenade, thankfully he hadn’t activated it, he grabbed it with his good arm, a blast getting his foot, but he got his grenade through the hole.

It went off with a muted thump, debris coming back through the hole.

Wesom didn’t wait, he’d made a large hole in the wall, so he tossed three grenades in at once.

The room on the other side went from red to green.

“Hell fire ready,” his armor informed him.

“Shit, cover me, need hellfire,” he said to a passing Commando.

The Commandos stopped, calling three more over, they watched as he laid on the ground.

“Activate hell fire,” Wesom said.

Pain lanced through his body, centering on the wounds across his body, pulling the skin back together and scabbing it immediately.

It felt like hot metal was burning into his skin. He’d used hell fire enough times to know that he should just try to hold his screams in, knowing it would be over soon.

As soon as the pain started it was gone, any pain left was barely noticeable after that ordeal, though the wounds did feel damned itchy now.

“Thanks,” Wesom said, feeling tired.

“We’ve got another room to move to, get some wake-up in you, stay third in our stack,” One said, slapping his arm.

“Yeah,” Wesom answered, he might be the third highest ranking commander here, but that didn’t matter much when in the thick of it, the Commando was just looking out for him.

Wesom took the wake-up it worked after a few seconds, however it did notify him how badly he needed a detox.

Right now he didn’t have time, he could hear weapons fire approaching the reinforcements working their way through the halls towards him.

“Kalu, front!” The lead Commando said, diving clean over to the other side of the corridor they reached, lasers followed them.

The second whipped grenades in the Kalu’s direction, just as Wesom was about to suggest it.

Wesom tapped their shoulder, telling him he was there and ready to back their play, they wouldn’t feel it in their armor but their sensors would relay it.

“High-low, three, two, one,” the front Commando said, turning the corner and taking a knee, Wesom took the corner, standing, above the first man, their guns fired as Kalu were haloed red. The fourth and first man prepped grenades. The fourth moving behind Wesom.

“Pull back!” The first yelled, throwing their grenade, the fourth did the same as Wesom grabbed the strap on the kneeling Commandos back, jumping back into cover and pulling them with him.

“Sorry, quickest way I could think of,” Wesom said, picking himself up as the grenades went off.

“No problem, thanks,” the Commando said, getting up, none the worse for wear.

Lasers kept coming down the hall.

“Fuck, we need a HAPA,” one of the Commandos said.

“One sec,” Wesom said, pulling up the HUD and looking for a likely candidate.

“Hey, need some support down here,” he said linking the HAPA pilot to the room that the Kalu were firing out of.

“On my way, I’ll be coming down the corridor to your rear. I’ll warn before I fire.” Wesom cut the channel.

“Incoming support from up the corridor, HAPA, will warn when in position,” Wesom rattled off.

Wesom got green thumbs, the fourth Commando took a hit to the helmet, Wesom checked them over, their red signs turning to black.

“Fuck,” Wesom whispered in a pissed off grunt as he took their place.

His rail gun bucked as he mainly tried to suppress the Kalu, unfortunately the fuckers were drawn to it like cats to catnip.

“Rolling thunder ready,” the HAPA reported.

“Pull back, incoming support,” Wesom said, getting back into cover and moving from the corridor. The first Commando did the same, holding their gun awkwardly.

Wesom’s HUD told him of the Commandos missing arm.

“Clear,” Wesom said to the HAPA. All friendlies out of the corridor.

Rounds ripped through the corridor, cracking through the speed of sound and whipping the dust around.

Wesom’s powered armor clamped down on the noise as two HAPA’s came into view, their Cannons up and firing as they moved through.

“Follow as support,” Wesom ordered, the other Commandos did so, following the HAPA’s into the armory.

Broken HAPA’s, cut open powered armor, parts and ammunition littered the place.

Wesom didn’t have time to take it all in as Kalu lasers lit up the air.

Wesom took a knee behind a fallen HAPA returning fire. Their supporting HAPA’ adding in their firepower as Kalu charged them.

“We’ll make our stand here!” Wesom said, killing a Kalu and switching to a new target.

The door started opening to the armory, Wesom felt his stomach drop.

Fear is the edge you need; it tempers caution into courage. Do not let it rule you, you must rule it. You may die but you will die a fucking Commandos god damnit Devon Malory Wesom! He fired, his magazine clicking empty, he jumped for cover and threw a grenade, his magazine coming out of his rail gun. He thudded to the ground, slapping a new magazine with machine-like precision, rising over a pile of parts and firing at any Kalu that moved.

Fire came from the opening doorway, but it wasn’t laser fire, rounds ripped into Kalu, making them turn. Flanked by Wesom and his people from the corridor and the incoming Commandos from the exterior corridors.

Wesom didn’t relax, he kept firing, a Kalu got him in the shoulder where he had no armor, he dropped, yelling at the pain, his armor numbed it and he pushed the alert from his shoulder out of the way, even with the numbing it felt like the side of his neck was on fire.

Nerve ports didn’t care about wounded limbs, as long as part of his spine was working he was operational. He swung around the other side of parts and continued firing. His gun jammed after the second target, he dropped down ripping on the charging handle until it cleared and went back to firing.

His finger rested on the trigger but he didn’t pull it, he scanned, looking for threats but he couldn’t find any. Reinforcements were spreading out into the corridors.

One bounded over to him as he looked to the party that had come in with him. One of the HAPA pilots was dead, the other badly wounded. Medics were scrambling over them and the lead Commando in his stack that had watched over him was hell firing himself.

They’re arm was screwed and they’d taken a nasty hit to the chest.

“Commander, the central command has been breached, Commander Esal requests you lead, you know this place better,” the Commando said.

“Give me two squads, HAPA and non, now,” Wesom barked, replacing his magazine, the lead Commandos helmet was off, revealing a female Chaleelian, clearly going into shock.

“Hey! Commando!” Wesom said, using his trainer voice, her eyes snapping to his helmet as his visor opened.

“You’re going to be fine. If I see that yellow to your skin tone, I’ll damned well come back here and kick your ass!” He barked.

“Yes Commander!” She said through gritted teeth.

He nodded to her and gave her a wink, shock killed ninety percent of people, if he could get her mind off of how her body was fucked up, then it would start fighting for her.

The mind was a powerful tool.

His two squads showed up.

“Follow me, HAPA’s up front, follow the path, shoot outside the command center, once we’re inside, use blades,” Wesom said, path plotted and his legs already carrying him down it as people moved to turn his commands into actions.

I’m coming Fal, hold on, he thought. The Commandos rushed along as fast as they could, using walls to slow down, their legs wind milling to push them on quickly.

The HAPA’s guns announced when they’d reached the Kalu. Four HAPA’s fit across the hall, their massive firepower quickly cleared out the Kalu in the hall.

They got into the command center.

Ershue were jumping from the command tree, firing shotguns and cutting any Kalu that got close, non-Ershue hid in the upper reaches of the room and fired rail guns.

Kalu turned to face Wesom and his reinforcements.

“Commandos!” Wesom yelled his battle cry, pulling his blade free and rushing to meet the Kalu, his call was taken up as Ershue dropped to the lower limbs, plasmid blades appearing in their hands, burying them into the Kalu below.

The shooters that weren’t so inclined to swing from the command tree, simply dropped to the floor, their blades ready as their powered armor took the drop, before they added their voices to the battle cry and closed with the Kalu.

Wesom hacked, yelled, stabbed and did everything he could against the Kalu.

Only training driven into his muscles from hours of repetition kept him moving. He turned without thought, slashing as he’d done so for hundreds of hours.

It was vicious, bloody and over in seconds that seemed long enough to fit terrified lifetimes into.

Remind me to thank my trainers, Wesom thought, no longer thinking the plasmid weapon training had been the waste of time it appeared to be on Mars.

He let out a shuddering breath, he could feel a gash down the side of his armor, he coughed, liquid going on his HUD.

Shit.

He opened his visor, Fal slumped onto the floor, some nasty wounds on his armor, his own green blood coloring his dust-stained armor.

He gave Wesom a smile.

“What took you so long?” Fal said, Wesom slumped down onto the ground.

“Traffic,” Wesom replied, getting a weak laugh from Fal.

“Ow, you shit, don’t make me laugh, think they got my other friggin arm,” Wesom laughed, coming out in wet bursts.

“Medic!” Fal said, moving to Wesom. “Fuck, you did a number here.”

“I think I’m going to pass out,” Wesom said, realizing the signs.

“Medic! I’ve got a punctured lung at least! Going unconscious!” Fal said.

“Hell fire ready,” his helmet said.

Nooo, no no-no-no no! He thought with increasing anger, feeling himself dragged straight, his lead lined eyes opened, irritation filling him.

Can’t a man get some peace and quiet! He stared at Fal who was now bleeding on his armor after having pulled him vertical.

“Sorry mate,” Fal said, Wesom didn’t see Fal click the remote accept on his fingers.

By fuck did he feel it.

Pain lanced through him for the second time that day.

When this hell fire wears off, I swear to god Fal!

Thankfully for Fal and Wesom, Wesom passed out as soon as the pain drifted away, his body pushed past a point that most people didn’t even think possible of attaining.

Chapter Far from done

Monk was up and moving to his powered armor before he opened the alert message on his data pad.

So Ershue held, he thought, sending a silent pray out to the universe as his heart rate slowed.

He took a few moments to reflect, sending his thoughts out to those that had been lost and those that remained. He knew that the damage both physical and mental to those left would be immense.

He checked over the information on the supply ships that would be moving into the area, he changed a handful of missions, sending them to the supply stations in deep space, changing their cargoes of weapons and ammunition to supplies that would help Ershue, both the planet and the people get back on their feet.

He slotted the data pad into it’s place on his armor’s back before stepping into the machine. It closed around him and he brought his helmet onto his head.

Henry made noises in his crib, the little guy didn’t make sleep easy, but it was times like these when Henry’s vitality and utter disregard for the goings on of the universe melted Monk’s heart.

He was growing fast, already able to walk and run around in short steps. While he was just a few months old, he now had the body of a four-year-old.

Monk’s smile faltered for a few seconds, in just a few hours he would be parted from Henry. Cheerleader would be on the station, coming via a freighter instead of the Mondal. The Super Carrier was looking on the wrong side of broken. The yard Commander hadn’t given it the yes or no yet but he would in a few days.

In the meantime, everyone from Cheerleader’s fleet had grabbed a ride with freighters back to Parnmal.

Cheerleader would look over the management of Parnmal, her people preparing to take command of the ships coming out of Parnmal yards.

There were a few reasons to this, first, Cheerleader and her fleet needed time to decompress and clear their heads before anything, they would be with friends and comrades on Parnmal. They would also have psych’s to talk to, there was no stigma with talking to the head doctor in the Free Fleet, it was rather encouraged, like having a beer.

They didn’t work miracles but they served as another vent for the people that had been at the pointy end and seen some damned scary stuff.

Also, Monk was going to Earth, primarily because he was the commander of Parnmal, the majority of his Commandos were going to Earth.

It was easier to move them as one entire unit with him at their head and throw them into an operation than cutting and pasting them into new units.

The Avarians were keeping their Parnmal units for the foreseeable future but they didn’t need any more reinforcements until the other heavily contested areas were taken care of.

Hopefully by the time Monk and the rest of his people made it into Sol, the hostilities on Mars would be over.

The Kalu had fucked up by the numbers landing right on the Commando training ground.

The more discreet reason, was because Henry needed a minder and while Min Hae did quite a few rounds with the little guy, there were some meetings that the son of Salchar and Yasu couldn’t be in.

So with Cheerleader on-station, Henry would have an aunt to bug.

Henry must have heard Monk as he stretched and moved. Monk’s eyes moved over, seeing a cheeky smile and glistening eyes.

“You are definitely your father’s son,” Monk sighed, moving to the boys bed, he automatically reached up for Monk.

Monk smiled and grabbed his little nephew even in his full powered armor he had better control over his strength than most people had over their natural strength at times.

Henry squirmed on his shoulder in his miniature battle suit and settled in with his arms around Min Hae’s neck. He was still a bit tired.

Monk moved to his door, no less than Four Armored Commandos who were all Avarian, waited for him.

The majority of the Avarians in the Free Fleet were sworn to Salchar and Yasu. Not a damned thing was going to happen to their leader’s heir.

There would be no escaping Yasu’s fist or Salchar’s rail guns, though it wasn’t fear that drove them to their duty. They liked their leaders. The Avarians weren’t the only ones who wanted to look out over the toddler. Monk had been swarmed by requests to watch over the growing boy.

So a new duty roster was made up and there were always four Commandos on watch wherever Henry was, another squad of ten ready to roll if anything happened at all times.

They had one goal, keep Henry safe at all costs.

“Morning,” Monk said, greeting the four man’s leader who gave him a two-finger salute. Monk’s hands were currently occupied with Henry squirming for a more comfortable position on his shoulder.

“Where to sir?” The Commando asked.

“Command deck, with Ershue holding their position we can route some of their reinforcements to Daestramus and Sol. I have a feeling it’s going to be a rather busy day,” Monk said.

“Ershue held?” The Commando sputtered.

“Yes, seems that their reinforcements from Oolta were coming down. The Kalu took that as the signal to attack,” Monk said, setting off on a walk, the Commandos moved around him, he could feel all the eyes on him.

“Damn, how bad?” The Commando asked, their voice tight.

“Not good,” Monk said, sad that so many people had died, thankful that their sacrifice would keep so many innocents alive.

The rest of the walk was in silence. Monk couldn’t hear the Commandos talking in their suits unless they broadcasted it, but he knew it was happening. Before he got to the command center the entire station and most of the Union was getting word that Ershue had held.

Nothing passed faster than rumors, especially with a FTL relay network.

***

Evelyn read the latest message from Parnmal.

The message had been expensive to send, but well worth it.

“Something interesting?” Dean asked, they were walking through Hachiro, Dean in his powered armor acting as guide.

He and his squad had been fighting on Mars until the latest Chaleel tank reinforcements had been dropped in. Those tanks had double the firepower of a HAPA and a warship classed cannon.

Evelyn thought he was smitten with the damned machine.

“Oh, umm, I guess you’ll know soon. Ershue held,” Evelyn said, looking to Dean, neither of them were wearing their helmets which hung off of tethers on their backs.

She saw something pass over his features, hardening briefly as he looked away, he turned back with a neutral expression, something in his eyes.

“Something wrong?” She asked.

“No, umm, I’m sorry,” he said, clearing his throat and gritting his teeth, trying to beat his feelings into submission.

“Dean,” she said touching his arm, he didn’t feel it but he stopped, facing her.

“Had a good number of brothers and sisters on that rock,” he said, his eyes unfocusing as his lips worked.

She could see what was happening, she’d seen people try to hold their emotions in check. In a military unit where emotions were seen as a weakness people tried to hide that pain. Now she could see those barriers falling apart, he took a seat against the observation dome that had been re-opened, he tried to recollect his thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” she said, she didn’t know how bad it had been on Ershue but from the tone of the message it didn’t sound good.

“Most of them are dead, they were the first defenders, shipped right out from training on Parnmal. I was the lucky one to get stuck on Parnmal,” he said, turning the word into a curse. “Fuck, just fuck,” Dean leaned back and started crying freely.

Her soul tore at the sight, he was twenty-three he had become a famed Commando, trained with the hardest of best men and women of the universe and they had done their duty and done it well, but none of that mattered as death claimed them.

“Oh Dean,” she said holding the Commando.

He had been joking and messing around just minutes ago, hell even flirting with her. Yet all of this was just hiding under the surface, just a scratch away from being revealed.

Ershue had held and many people had survived, but the Free Fleet had paid one hell of a butcher’s bill. Dean wasn’t the first to cry in frustration, he wouldn’t be the last. Sadness and relief would come later, but for now it would just hurt.

Evelyn wasn’t a reporter right then and Dean wasn’t her protector, she was just someone consoling another that had lost all too very much.

She held onto Dean tighter, knowing that even with all of this pain and sadness he would go when asked. Earth, Daestramus, and AIH weren’t free of Kalu, the Commandos duty wasn’t over and she realized how she might never see Dean again.

The bright young man had delighted her with conversation, wit and a bright smile.

And he might be gone in a flash, a laser bolt in the wrong place, a Kalu claw or fang. Oh god. She was now seeing a different side of war, one from Dean’s perspective, it scared her.

If a Commando died they would not be forgotten, sure their name might not be called out, but Commandos were not just people, it was an entity. As long as there were Commandos, not one that had passed would be forgotten. They lived through one another, their training molded them into those before them, making them stand among brethren on high.

They would weep for the loss of those they knew, but their cries would be for all missing Commandos.

Blood salted their legacy and while great veterans like Henry would be waiting for them with open arms, Commandos grew stronger from that bond.

It was power, almost visceral, and it was painful. It was why losing even a single Commando hurt the entire group. Losing so many of them, well they were only sentients and those losses left scars.

Evelyn felt her neutrality falling away. She could understand it, but she knew unless she stepped into powered armor as a Commando, she would never truly feel it.

She couldn’t possibly be neutral now understanding the massive weight on the shoulders of these men and women. Combined with their sense of duty that wouldn’t let them stop until they had done right in the eyes of those that had died.

Some time later Dean stopped his crying and pulled himself up.

“Thanks,” he said.

“No problem,” she answered giving him her brightest smile.

“I was going to ask you on a date but I think that I’d be a bit of a downer right now,” he said with a sad smile.

“I’d love to go on a date with you Dean,” she said, smiling.

“I don’t really...” He said awkwardly his face showing all of his thoughts.

“I have a hotel, we can sit and talk about your friends, just talk and have something to eat,” she said putting no pressure on him.

He hesitated before nodding and looking to her.

“I’d like that.” He gave her a small smile, he looked almost feeble, scared that he had showed his feelings, showing that he wasn’t just a Commando, he was a person with friends and real emotions that lingered behind the façade.

“Good,” Evelyn smiled, hoping to lift his spirits. She settled for the slightly brighter smile he gave her.

***

The reinforcements from Ouquishar had deployed across the planet. Narvu and Bregend had been able to mount an operation to dig out outpost nine and get to the survivors hiding in the rubble.

They’d been lifted to the waiting merchant fleet on the reinforcements shuttles.

The Kalu had headed for the cities, groups of them rushed out to attack outposts but they spent most of their time in the cities.

The Engineers guessed it was because their armor had run out of battery power. Daestramus was a damned cold planet, which wasn’t good for electronics, or creatures that liked moderate or even warm temperatures.

Whatever the reason Bregend and Narvu were happy for it, their second batch of reinforcements from Ouquishar were coming in, the ships moving into orbit as they looked over city maps.

“If we want to clear the Kalu off, we’ll need to clear the cities,” Narvu summarized.

“Yeah,” Bregend sighed, he had already reached the same realization a few days ago.

“We’re not going to be able to do that with more Commandos. When taking a position, you always want at least three times the troops of those you’re attacking,” Bregend said his quote coming right from Commando trainers.

“That’ll take some time but we’ll get there,” Narvu said.

“I’m almost hesitant to ask, but it needs to be asked. If we can hold our positions, then do we really need those reinforcements right now?” Bregend asked, looking to Narvu.

Narvu’s features screwed up in thought before he sighed.

“No, as much as people are going to balk at it, after these reinforcements we’ll have enough to hold our position,” Narvu said, looking to Bregend.

“Then I suggest we send them to Earth, they’re getting hammered and they have little defense in most regions,” Bregend said.

“I agree, Daestramus’ people are secure for now. Earth is far from it,” Narvu said.

“I’ll send the orders,” Bregend replied, opening a channel to Kyle.

***

“Hey Carsickle, how’s it going?” Bok Soo said, sliding into the new trenches, his HAPA leaving deep grooves in the ground as he turned and got his guns into position, HAPA’s and Commandos jumped into the trenches moving to their positions.

“Sitting in a hole, waiting, pretty good,” Carsickle said.

“That’s the spirit, you got any ammo runners around?” Bok Soo asked.

“One second, jack into the net,” Carsickle said extending him a connection.

“That Gajos is good at her shit, she’s in the command center getting people moving,” Carsickle said.

“Lucked out with that one,” Bok Soo admitted, sending a reload request.

“Well she knows how to use Commandos and HAPA’s to ‘properly motivate’ some people,” Carsickle said.

“Oh I do love it when a lady knows her way around with a club,” Bok Soo said as the last Commando and Earth military personnel slid into cover. Bok Soo looked at the tell-tale mushroom clouds that marked their fallback plan. Drop nukes and run like fuck, Bok Soo thought.

The main difference between the ones the Free Fleet had and the ones that Earth was using was the fact that Earth’s denied the ground to humans and did nothing of the sort for the Kalu, while the Fleets were clean enough to roll in the dirt buck nekkid and be fine.

That said the nukes were only a stop-gap measure, the Kalu that survived just got back on their feet and started charging forward.

While many of the Earth forces looked on with horror as Kalu started appearing through what had been a town.

“Fire as they bear!” Gajos barked through communications channels, the military forces in position opened up with every weapon they had, from the Free Fleet’s rail guns to their emplaced anti-tank guns and heavy machine guns.

“Let’s show Earth how we do things Commandos!” Bok Soo barked, “For the Fleet!” Bok Soo’s voice boomed across the entire length of trenches, speakers actually talking over the weapons fire.

Bok Soo sent a request up high, his missile racks firing alternatively.

“For the Fleet! The roaring agreement came back, enough to chill the most veteran bones, and warm anyone that called the Free Fleet home with deadly intent.

***

“The fuck is wrong with these people?” One of the Lieutenant Colonels said, the Commandos yells reaching even the command center.

“Stow it Gruben,” Gajos barked, he technically outranked her, but she’d been given command of any and all Earth’s military forces, sealed with the Commandos approval and not without a few implied threats.

“Jezus,” One of the Dutch officer’s, Scharringa swore.

Every Commando that could found a firing line and fired, the firepower dwarfed what the combined militaries had been able to lay down. Buildings were hit by those rounds, exploding from the kinetic forces, the penetrator rounds turned anything left standing into wreckage.

Kalu exploded if enough rounds hit to compromise their armor, but they kept coming and Kalu fighters could be seen moving in.

“Call the MEF’s now! Get nukes in those Kalu fighters!” Gajos said, panic coloring her voice.

“Time to intercept three-minutes,” Scharringa said.

She winced, knowing how those three minutes wouldn’t be pretty.

The Earth shook violently, screens going out and people yelling in confusion.

“Kurwa!” She swore looking at the tact table which hadn’t even flickered, the battlefield was a mass of markers showing impact craters.

“Orbital bombardment,” Scharringa said.

“They’re fucking insane, bringing that right down on our heads and expecting us to fight through it!” Gruben barked.

“They have more experience fighting them than we do, so stow it or get the fuck out of my command center, I need results not bitching,” Gajos said, getting units into cover as hell rained down on the Kalu. Earth’s tanks wouldn’t have survived that barrage but the Kalu continued on, greeted by the Commandos guns on the other side.

Nuclear explosions rocked the Kalu fighters.

“Where did that come from?” Gajos asked, not liking all of these surprises.

“Those are the shoulder mounted missiles,” Scharringa said, looking to Gajos and then Gruben, their faces pale.

They have fucking nukes on their shoulders? She thought, seeing the same one going through the other two’s heads.

“Remind me to never piss them off,” Gajos said.

“We already did,” Scharringa growled, making Gajos and Gruben wince.

MEF’s came in low, raking up ground behind them, their rail gun rounds cracking through sound barriers with ease, hitting the Kalu swarms. The Commando’s shoulder-nukes had kept them off the lines long enough for the MEF’s.

Missiles streaked from their sleek fighters, screaming through the battlefield as Kalu on the ground and in the air targeted them.

They were quick and their pilots damned near suicidal. Gajos couldn’t lie that she got a rush just watching their ships rushing past.

“Get everyone to cover their eyes and ears, nukes coming in close!” Someone, almost American said through the tac table just barely over his music.

Gimme fuel Gimme fire Gimme that which I desire Ooh!

“Show off,” Gruben said, being from Germany he spent his fair share of time with American military.

He however didn’t make any comment when the MEF’s multi-warhead missiles buried themselves into the Kalu swarm.

The fighters didn’t pull away, no they charged in to meet their enemy, grouping into a pyramid, their rail guns firing on full to cut their way through any pocket of the swarm that started to come together in their path.

They cleared the swarm, powering hard and arcing upwards.

“Get me Bok Soo,” she told the table, her earpiece chirping.

“Sup? Bit busy,” Bok Soo said, sounding as if he was on the front lines. She knew him enough now to know that he probably was on the front lines.

These goddamn Commandos!

“I need you back here,” she said, she needed to know what else the Free Fleet had that could help her.

“What do you need from me?”

“I need to know more about your capabilities,” she said, knowing most commanders would lock up at those words.

“Here, talk to In Sook, she’s used to running a bunch of Commandos, fighters. and Free Fleet assets. I’m the CAMC, I’m staying with my people,” he said, she wanted to argue but she knew he had already made a decision.

“Major Gajos?” A female voice asked in her ear.

“Yes?”

“This is Commander In Sook, I would advise you pull back all personnel without rail guns or calibres in excess of seventy-five. I will dispatch shuttles to pick them up,” In Sook said.

“Wait, have you even done this before?” Gajos asked, she didn’t know who the hell this In Sook was, she only knew who Bregend was as everyone was briefed on the major military players of the Free Fleet, especially those that played similar roles within the Free Fleet’s command structure.

“I am the combined arms Commander for Hic Stamus, third to Salchar. I fought the Syndicate when we only had Parnmal, I coordinated the destruction of your backstabbing and I have coordinated Heija, Chaleel, Parnmal, and any contact this fleet has come into contest. So let’s stop with the measuring contest and work together,” In Sook said in the manner of a woman that would either have her cooperation or she’d find someone else.

“Alright,” Gajos replied, recognizing the tone. It wasn’t too dissimilar to the one she’d been using ever since Bok Soo walked into her command center.

“Good, now get those people moving, the shuttles will have weapons, armor and ammunition on them. Give me your best, they’re going to have to learn on the fly,” In Sook said.

Armor?” Gajos asked, getting a look from Gruben and Scharringa, it was more of a glance, they were coordinating their own battles.

“Powered armor, basic, universal version. Not important right now. I have artillery pieces I can bring down, not many, we’re thin on the ground with those. China has first dibs on that. That’s why you’ve got orbitals, your lines are clear,” In Sook said.

“Okay, Scharringa, get me a list of all units that don’t have rail guns or weapons less than seventy-five cal. Sort it by competency after that. We have supplies coming in, they’re going to have to learn on the fly. I don’t want idiots,” Gajos said.

“On it,” Scharringa said.

“What’s the range on artillery?” Gajos asked.

“Five kilo kilos,” In Sook said.

“Five kilometers?” Gajos asked, not that impressed.

“Five hundred kilometers,” In Sook said, sounding distracted by her own tasks.

“Gruben, find me an artillery position for pieces with five hundred kilometers of range,” she said. Gruben looked up to her, as if to argue before shaking his head.

“Ja,” Gruben said accepting that some times it was just better to roll with it.

“Got a basic list,” Scharringa said, sending it to Gajos’ terminal.

“That will do.” She scanned it briefly.

She opened a channel to the various unit leaders issuing them new orders, the Free Fleet tech automatically translated it into whatever language they were used to.

She got agreement and troops started moving to the rear as shuttles started entering Earth’s atmosphere on approach to her position.

“We’re moving back to second line,” Bok Soo said, his Commandos covering one another as they activated booby traps in the first line of defenses. The orbital bombardment had dropped in frequency.

There were Kalu fighters still in the air, but their swarms were not nearly sufficient enough to warrant calling in MEF’s.

Give them enough time and their reinforcements will change that, Gajos thought with disdain.

She fucking hated Kalu.

***

“Fucking prick,” I growled at the Kalu that had dove into one of the once perfectly maintained and almost obsessively spaced housing complexes on the outside of Dongying. The city was a mess of old British lakeside residences and bridges with Chinese buildings, mostly steel and glass modern skyscrapers with communist building projects slapped wherever there seemed to be room.

Building projects like the one in front of me.

We’d held the ground in front of the building complexes for a few hours, we couldn’t use nukes, artillery or orbital strikes as there had just been so damned many civilians leaking through.

Either the Kalu were damned smart, or they were bored of killing civilians that couldn’t put up a fight. They’d run right behind them, herding them like prey. We couldn’t fire until they were practically on top of us. Since then we’d paid in blood to give the civilians time to move out.

Military trucks were helping to increase the distance between the front and the rear of the civvies. The Chinese were nothing if not economical in their actions.

I marked the building the Kalu were using as cover to get close to the new lines past the complexes.

Penetrators, used to punching holes into armored hulls, sunk deep into the concrete and brick constructs before turning the entire building into shrapnel.

One communist building project undone, I thought my cannons going silent as I shifted to bring the Kalu going around the buildings and rubble under fire. Debris and dust rained down everywhere.

Lasers burnt through the materials as my HUD added wire-frames to my view so I could see through the destruction.

It was only a matter of time until we were fighting with blades but we needed to get time and distance.

Defensive positions were already being built in our rear, kilometers back. While we soaked up damage the Chinese military erected trenches with a precision that made me happy to have them onboard.

Hell I was still surprised they were actually listening to us.

As long as the government agreed with us we were good, if they had picked to go against us, then this whole situation would have been a different story.

I heard the roar of an aircraft, an actual aircraft, not MEF’s ripping through atmosphere.

“Vort, find out who the hell is piloting the aircraft in my area and tell them to fuck off, they’re just going to get shot down!” I said, even on the ground I was linked to Hic Stamus.

“On it!” Vort said

“They’re not turning away,” Vort said, coming back a few seconds later.

“Shit,” I said, knowing it was out of my hands.

The aircraft’s volume increased as they got closer. Kalu looked to the noise, their lasers tracking burned into the skies. It took some pressure off of us, but the explosions and tumbling wreckage that had been fighters and bombers let out rippling booms like the worlds biggest fireworks.

“Watch for falling debris, we hold for five minutes. Commanders check your evacuation routes, no one left behind,” Yasu said.

Agreement went back to her. I might be Commander of the Fleet but on the ground right here and now she was the Commander of the area and one of the best I had.

I had no time to focus on that line of thought as the Kalu’s attention once again focused solely on our positions. We dug between buildings, through pavements, flowerbeds, and anything we could punch through.

Buildings continued to explode with incoming artillery, now nothing more than a side attraction, the human mind was very good at adapting.

A laser blast came at where I was harnessed into my HAPA.

I jumped sideways, snagging my ammunition belt on my left gun and pulling it free. the laser passed overhead.

Krom and Shreesht had a few rounds to say about the Kalu’s attempt.

I stayed down my first belt receding into the ammunition magazine on my back as I released my cannon it slid back next to the pack, a second belt locking into the feeding mechanism.

I got my feet back under me, using the thrusters instead of my cannons.

“Back in!” I said grabbing the cannon’s command toggle, bringing both cannons to bear and firing.

“We are clear for nukes, follow fire plan,” Yasu said.

I slaved my HAPA’s firing controls to the incoming plan. My launchers slapped into position, I didn’t pay them any heed as I walked and fired across my targets, resorting to bursts as Kalu fell under the weight of my fire.

I felt the HAPA buck with the missiles, but it mattered little to me, I was in the zone.

My hands moved as if by themselves drawing bursts of fire across haloed Kalu.

“Move positions, they’re zeroing,” Rick said.

“You move first, we’ll cover!” I said, over the channel that connected Wruck, Krom, Shreesht, Rick and myself.

“Wruck, moving!” Rick barked.

Some people thought that Rick was my calmer alter-ego.

My answer to that was, when he chose to be.

He was a good fighter, damned smart and by god he loved to blow shit up.

Whereas I got wrapped up in emotions, he was a cool cucumber, sure he raised his voice and barked orders but he could plot a firing solution with the kind of brutal efficiency that I had only seen an AI come close to imitating.

Nukes that had launched just seconds ago dropped, an atomic wave of destruction spreading in every direction.

The flash made everyone’s visors darken.

“Down!” Yasu barked, everyone following her orders, the shock-waves came next, throwing more than one Commando that hadn’t had their ass deep enough in cover was tossed backwards.

Building’s looked like they were sand sculptures being hit with a fireman’s hose, they tilted ever so slightly, then physics reminded them who was boss and shit went everywhere.

“Building!” I said, seeing the apartment building coming for me. Standing up would get me caught in the shockwaves so I just watched it happen, turning my armored back on the sight.

This is what I get for calling fire on their cousins across the road, I thought switching my cannons to plasmid blades just as the building slapped my and my HAPA into the ground.

Okay it didn’t slap me into it, but it definitely pushed me in some. The trenches we’d been in weren’t deep enough to hide all of a HAPA but most of it.

“Salchar?” Krom asked.

“Yeah I’m fine, looks like you lot are too,” I said, checking the channel which didn’t just connect our communications but relayed all of their information

Lying face down I had some wiggle room. I got myself sideways, enough to get my left blade into play and start cutting the concrete up.

I got to the limit of my mobility and powered up my thrusters, my HAPA’s shoulder pushed into concrete, nothing giving for long enough for me to start panicking, then it cracked and I was moving sideways out of the trench and building. I cut the thrusters and turned to look at where the shoulder-nukes had gone.

Dust, debris and crap was still falling from the sky, but the land in front of me looked like someone took a sledgehammer across every building and then started punching the ground for good measure.

There wasn’t anything taller than a few feet left standing.

Red halos started appearing in the distance.

“Fucking Kalu,” I growled. “Whose stuck?” I asked louder.

“Me,” Shreesht said.

“Same,” Rick said.

“Almost free,” Krom said.

“It will take me a few moments,” Wruck said.

“Alright, Krom get Shreesht, Rick, Imma comin’ for you,” I said, moving to where his transponder was actually showing him underneath me.

“Don’t move,” I said and stabbed my plasmid blades down, cutting through the collection of concrete and crap on top of him.

“Fuck!” Rick squeaked, probably seeing the plasmid blades jab right in front of his head and start drawing lines.

“Next time a bit more warning!” He said.

“I said don’t move,” I said.

“Don’t move Shreesht,” Krom said.

“That somehow doesn't instill confidence in me,” Shreesht growled. “Hey watch where you’re putting that blade pervert!”

A new fire plan came out, the Kalu were close but we needed time to get our people out of the new facelift we’d given a portion of the town.

My launchers twisted as I cut, plumes rushing over my head as I focused on my cutting.

“Looks good,” I said, stepping back.

“Watch out,” Rick said, seconds later the rubble started moving and he pushed himself out into daylight. Rubble and crap rolled off of his armored arse.

New suns flared to life in the distance, my HUD reported the incoming shock wave.

“Another wave coming in!” I barked over the local channel. People that had freed themselves from the rubble or were helping others, quickly ducked.

The shock wave came, it wasn’t bad this time, mostly cleaned the place up a bit.

“Move it double time, I want everyone out of the line and moving beck to the secondary!” Yasu barked.

Effort redoubled and the remaining people under buildings were pulled and hauled free.

“You owe me a new pair of underwear,” Rick growled, his cannons gesturing to my blades.

“Whoops,” I said, getting a snort from him. We split and started helping people, we knew Kalu and we knew that the peace wouldn’t last.

We were moving in ten minutes, twenty thousand Commandos made one hell of a sight, especially after those nuclear blasts.

Some of the faces on the Chinese military. Well I didn’t doubt that they needed new underwear.

We got into our new positions, ammunition moved out from the dumps across the three hundred kilometer line we’d set up. It looked like the Kalu for all their aggression were keeping to their pack mentality, while they had the people to go around us on the far edge, instead they were coming in as one body and hammering us.

That wasn’t to say that Yasu hadn’t planned for them trying to flank us.

There was a reason most of our reinforcements were locked into their shuttles, ready to deployed anywhere.

My mind went to the information that I’d been given yesterday when we had been digging the positions we had just left.

Daestramus’ reinforcements were now coming direct to Earth, Mars had secured the ground and were readying forces to assist us. Also Monk would be leaving Parnmal tomorrow, leaving Henry in the care of Cheerleader and Min Hae. He’d be bringing with him another two hundred thousand Commandos.

Over the next two weeks the forces on Earth would grow by a factor of five.

Then it would be the Free Fleet going on the offensive.

Now’s not the time to think about that. Hope for the best prep for the worst, I thought an ammunition cart rolled in, feeders getting slapped into my ports as a tech pulled off my launchers and slapped on new ones.

It didn’t take long before the two-person team was moving down the line.

I checked to make sure everything was good to go, limbering my arms and facing the direction I had run across.

“Kalu!” Someone yelled as the first halos started marking the lead forces.

A week is a long fucking time, I thought, Kalu Fighters rushed through mushroom clouds.

Being a commander I could see as Yasu put in a call for MEF help, it looked like someone had been keeping the majority of them back.

Fuck, I hate it when the enemy’s smart.

***

The great clouds of destruction grew in front of Orshpa, he was having shrapnel pulled from his hide.

It was the only reason that he hadn’t been where those clouds were.

“We need to push faster, harder, close with them, bring them under claw and tooth!” Orshpa barked, moving, the Kalu pulling the shards from his body was not pleased by the movement. Orshpa’s body likewise didn’t like the movement, but he had bloodlust and hormones of battle working to push past such a minor inconvenience as pain.

“If we get closer they will not bring their weapons down on their own heads. We must close with them,” Orshpa said, looking to his primes and leaders.

“Rip their armor from them, and color yourselves in their life essence, we will yet claim this planet! No battle like this has ever been recorded by the stories, rejoice, we have found foes that our ancestor clans would greet on the battlefield in full honor!” Orshpa yelled, his voice carrying across the plains where his Kalu rested, all of them had been bloodied but wounds, need for sustenance held them back. Orshpa’s clan was not like others that would rush on until they either died or starved.

He would wait, bring his people to full strength, hitting with the strongest each time. It was a trend that had spread through the clans for it’s use.

Atmosphere breaking cracks came from above, ships from the Free Fleet descended onto the planet.

They didn’t use their cloud weapons of destruction until we were just Ticks from their positions. Before they fought us back with heavy fire and the screaming weapons of above. The only thing that changed was their unarmored weaklings were not close. If they are close, maybe they cannot use the cloud weapon? He turned to his primes.

“Take the strong and our Kalu of above, write your histories,” Orshpa said, getting bellowing agreement from his primes. He looked to Daskil, shifting his mane, ordering him closer as the Primes tussled in excitement and headed to rally their followers.

“You said that the armored one’s lines stop?” Orshpa asked.

“Yes, we’ve found that the ones called Commandos, line stretches far, but it does not block us in,” Daskil said.

“Commandos,” Orshpa said, turning the odd word around. “Odd name, take two primes of your choosing, under my orders and go around the line. Harass their supplies as they have done with us. If we keep these cloud weapons from them we can close with them as we should have,” Orshpa said, shaking his mane in anger.

They should be fighting the Commandos with claw and teeth right now, but their clouds had put a stop to that.

“It will be done clan leader Orshpa,” Daskil said, showing his thanks and respect for the honor of carrying out his won attack.

“See you do not fail, or you do not come back to me,” Orshpa said.

“As you say clan leader,” Daskil said, staying down for a few more moments before heading off to do his masters bidding.

***

Daskil looked over those that Orshpa had given to his command, three hundred Kalu rested and waited.

“Today we will search out our quarry’s sides so that we might wash them from the holes they bury in the ground. We will go by the ways of old, searching for new hunting ground in teams of two. Range to the colder reaches of this ground to find open hunting areas that might allow us to come down like rain on the hidden Commandos.” Daskil’s words interested them, the scouts of a hunting party were given a great honor, they no longer rested, their gathered their battle-mates and waited for the order.

“Search and find me their open hunting lands,” Daskil said, shaking his body and mane in aggression. The others returned the salute, their voices rising to begin their hunt.

The first started rushing towards the colder regions, they would range up and down the line and look for a weakness, it might take them days or weeks, but Daskli knew they would find it. He would not fail Orshpa and they would not fail him.

His claws cut into the ground, sharpening them. Either they would be fed with Commando’s blood, or the carcasses of those that failed him.

***

Isaz looked at the destruction that had been brought down on Ershue. Entire swathes of forest had been destroyed, homes were gone, trees that had stood longer than recorded history nothing but burned ground.

It ripped at his very soul.

These Commandos, aliens, had come to his planet and they had waged war across it, only living for destruction. It was their fault this had happened.

The destruction he saw around the mound only proved it. Kalu bodies littered the forests and the exterior defenses.

Commandos moved around the battlefield some grabbing their fallen, others just wandering, or staring over the scenery.

Disgusting creatures should go back to their planet, he thought and continued on, knowing that he would find the stain that had created this mess, that should have died from his own actions to make up for the loss of the forests.

Righteous anger filled him, Fal was no Ershue, he was one of these war Commandos.

Isaz snarled at all of them, walking over the bodies of Commandos that were being picked up.

“Hey fuck head!” One barked moving to him with violent intent, Isaz looked at him with disdain, tilting his chin up in challenge.

“What do you want Commando? Defiler of my world?” Isaz said.

“Have some fucking respect,” the Commando growled, pointing a finger at Isaz.

“I will not respect a creature that destroyed my planet!” Isaz said.

“You little...” Isaz didn’t move fast enough, the Commando grabbed his wings and pushed him just inches away from a dead Kalu.

“See that you pretentious prick, that is what we stopped, that’s what my fucking friends died for. To save you and your fucking people. Trees will regrow, people will not.” The Commando dropped Isaz and walked away.

“You know nothing but how to commit violence,” Isaz cursed, a high Ershue cuss.

“And you know nothing of sacrifice,” the Commando spat and walked on.

Isaz’s anger now further incensed moved further into the Commando base.

He found Fal asleep in the command tree.

“Wouldn’t expect anything less, lazy on the duty given to him by the people,” Isaz said, loud enough to startle Fal awake.

That got glares from around the room, Isaz relished in being the point of their anger, hoping for more opportunities to record their savage behavior.

“What do you want Isaz?” Fal asked, sounding tired.

Probably from sleeping so much as we huddled in the tunnels scared and fearing, Isaz’s anger was making him shake.

“You are no creature of Ershue, you have burned our planet. My warnings went unheeded and you have got many killed. Your stain must be wiped from Ershue. I so banish you!” Isaz said, looking at Fal blink.

Fal looked as if he was going to rally against the deceleration and then sighed, the fight going out of him.

“I served Ershue with every fiber of my being, I have no regrets. I love this world more than I can express, or you that would believe in your anger,” Fal said.

“I am not angry!’ Isaz snapped.

“Yes you are, don’t worry I will leave. Leave a planet that does not know how to treat those that gave their lives to it’s defense. Poj, please submit my application to the Free Fleet, I would rather be a citizen of a group that cares for one another, than one that just blames the other,” Fal said, slipping from the limbs.

“You did this, this destruction, the horror you have reaped on your own homeland. You deserve the Fleet and their thirst for blood. I will not have our world be part of a group built on being the aggressors,” Isaz said.

“Isaz,” Fal said, looking at Isaz with the same regard as one might look at a list of chores.

“Fuck off,” Fal said looking to two Commandos that moved to Isaz.

“You are a stain on this planet, you do not deserve to own the name of Ershue! May you be haunted by your actions on this planet till you die!” Isaz yelled, the Commandos grabbing his shoulders and pulling him back.

Fal looked at him, the darkness and sorrow written on his features making him pause.

“I will never forget my actions here. Kurft told me of the nightmares,” Fal looked to the main screen, “now he too will join them,” Fal said, bowing and raising his hands in a sign of mourning.

The Commandos pushed Isaz out of the room another Commando in heavily damaged armor waiting.

“Best remember the Fleet has a long memory, Isaz,” the waiting Commando said, his human eyes made Isaz shudder.

He saw the stained covered ‘Wesom’ carved into his armor before the Commando walked into the command room.

“How long until the supplies are here for the Ershue,” the one with Wesom on his armor said.

“Not long, I am looking forward to getting away from this planet and people that put trees before lives brother,” Fal said.

Isaz’s anger returned and he made to move back into the room.

The two Commandos that had escorted him out moved as one, blocking his path, he was clearly not welcome.

“Savages,” Isaz said, turning and walking out of the mound.

Chapter Help is Coming

Empress looked at the lines arching through the known systems plot. It would have made little to her at most times, but right now she knew what most of those ships were carrying and what their purpose was.

Commandos were being thrown around, semi-literally in shuttles, from their starting points to HCD’s which then started their transits to Daestramus and Sol.

Well they had been going to Daestramus, now that the planet had somewhat stalemated, the majority of the forces were going to Sol to support Earth.

She didn’t understand how Salchar was out there and defending the very people that stabbed him in the back.

Either he’s a much better man than I am, or he has the shortest memory ever, she thought.

Sure she understood on some level how not going to Earth’s aid would have saved hundreds of lives. Yet she also knew that the Free Fleet was made on the promise of helping those that were weaker than them. Denying their request for aid would have spat on their very founding promise.

A large percentage of them were from the planet plus there was their whole reason to exist, they lived to free the oppressed. If they didn’t help Earth, then it would go against some of their deep-set beliefs.

To her it was a mess and she was thankful that her people were now working on better solutions to aid the Free Fleet anyway they could.

“Time I was back working on those new super-freighters,” she said moving her manipulators in anticipation.

What was the use of being an Empress if she didn’t get to do what she wanted?

***

Cheerleader and Min Hae watched as Monk and the Commandos with him disappeared from Parnmal.

Henry made his displeasure known by leaning back from Cheerleaders grip and looking around, he wanted to be free dammit!

Cheerleader looked at the little terror and she couldn’t help herself from the small smile on her lips.

For a moment she forgot the nightmares that kept her from sleep and her fear that she could have done something, anything else to have saved more of her fleet.

The head doctors had her and all of the survivors having talks with them nearly constantly, it was annoying at first but as she’d got more comfortable it helped her out. Just like talking to her people who’d been there helped.

They were allowed all the exercise they wanted and to work on training up for their new assignments, but drinking was tightly controlled.

They could have a few beers or drinks to take the edge off but nothing that would get them drunk.

Her people weren’t the happiest about that, but it made sense. Alcohol was a depressant, it wasn’t going to help them out in their current state.

“Well this is becoming a right mess,” Min Hae said, sounding thoughtful, and just ever so slightly annoyed.

She was one of the short-list of people he would even let that modicum of emotion out around.

“What?” She asked, interested in doing something that wasn’t understanding how the Free Merchant Fleet operated and their current orders.

“You are not going to like it,” Min Hae said, looking to her.

“Give it to me straight,” she said standing straighter as Henry started playing with her hair.

“Ershue isn’t too happy about the state of their planet now that the Kalu are gone,” Min Hae said dryly.

“What will our actions be?” Cheerleader said, he was right she didn’t like that all, a good number of people had died to keep that planet controlled by the Ershue and not simply fodder for the Kalu.

“We fight fire, with nukes,” Min Hae said, his smile becoming hungry.

Most would flinch from his predatory look, instead Cheerleader felt it spread across her own face.

Commandos and Free Fleet personnel no matter where they hailed from, were their people.

Anyone that spat on their sacrifice, they might not know it for a long time, might think themselves out of reach. Though there was a reason Min Hae’s nickname was Merchertevak. The bird was painfully patient, hitting its target without it usually knowing it, unless the Merchertevak wanted them to know, then it would watch and wait from a distance till their prey thought they were comfortable and their poison took effect.

Then they would strike, killing most targets in a single blow.

“Let me know if you ever need help,” Cheerleader said.

“I most definitely will. When we win this war, things are going to change very quickly. Though most of the plotters won’t understand the repercussions for generations. No matter what, the Free Fleet is here to stay and try as they might, that will not change,” Min Hae said.

“I almost feel bad for the idiots,” she looked to Min Hae, sharing a very cold smile that she’d gained from her battle in Quarst, one that seemed to chill the room than exude warmth. “Almost.”

Chapter It comes to this

Bok Soo heard the booms that came with craft making entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

Poland had fallen, reinforcements from Mars were bolstering their current line but it was still just a holding measure, there were so damned many Kalu and while it took them time to reach the forces battering the European lines, it meant there was a near constant rate of fresh Kalu reinforcements.

The Combined military might of the European union was putting up one hell of a fight, now sparsely armed with rail guns and some even having powered armor.

They didn't know their equipment and it showed.

That said, they were learning, if the hard way.

War was a hellish teacher, but it worked.

Bok Soo tilted, a glancing hit from a laser smacking into his HAPA.

“Ahh shit,” he said, as warnings signals flashed and his harness released.

Got the power core, he thought, wincing. The power core was built for this kind of abuse, so it wasn’t going to explode or do anything ridiculous like that.

The HAPA thumped to the ground, jarring him on impact.

He grabbed his rail gun from it’s position and pushed free of his HAPA.

“Commander?” Jameson asked, one of his protectors.

“Core’s fucked,” Bok Soo said by response, getting to an elevated trench made for powered armor and human military types.

He brought his rail gun to bear, taking time to line up his shots now he didn’t have the massive firepower of the HAPA.

“Jameson, vamp the magazines. I was at sixty percent, you need them more,” Bok Soo said, glancing over his statuses.

“Sir,” Jameson said, his HAPA coming off the line to twist Bok Soo’s HAPA around and slap his spare feeder into the machine.

As he vamped he fired with the other HAPA’s.

“Prepare to move HAPA’s, Kalu are zeroing!” The Platoon commander said.

Bok Soo, just sighted targets, using the trenches lip to pivot his gun across the Kalu lines.

There was no lack of targets even if the Kalu had learned to space their shit out.

Because of their spacing out the line now went from Northern Germany through the Czech Republic and Austria.

Red flashed on Bok Soo’s HUD, his jaw working as medics were called, he prayed they were in time.

He wasn’t a religious man, but fuck he hoped that someone or something could help them out.

There’s no atheists in foxhole. It wasn’t strictly true, but hell he would barter with a Kalu itself to save even one of his people’s lives.

“Ouquishar reinforcements coming in!” Someone barked.

“Ouquishar?” Gajos asked.

“Holy fuck you people need to read a star-map,” Bok Soo said, tired and currently focused on other things.

“Bok Soo?” Gajos didn’t sound like she was in a mood for games.

“Inhabited system connected to Daestramus, has a nice population of Commandos. Two hundred thousand expected reinforcements. We get forty,” Bok Soo said, not even needing to consult his HUD as he rattled off the information.

“Kalu overrunning!” Someone screamed in the background of Gajos’ channel. Bok Soo could already see the flurry of alerts growing on his HUD.

They couldn’t use their nukes now, the Kalu were too close, plus there were civilians still moving through the area.

“I suggest we get them into the next positions and ready for us coming in hot. We need try and push the Kalu back so we can free up our positions to pull back. Get your people ready to move,” Bok Soo said.

“Agreed,” Gajos said, she sounded as tired as Bok Soo felt, but damn if that lady wasn’t determined.

Artillery shifted and started hammering the hell out of the Kalu. It wasn’t just the rail guns, human tanks and artillery pieces added in their own angry volleys.

Humans had been practicing dropping death on one another for centuries, and tanks while being basically tracked artillery weren’t the only ones hiding out back and dropping support.

Entire brigades of artillery from several nations started pouring a hellish amount of fire down on the Kalu.

Sure they might not be Free Fleet tech, but enough of anything made a difference, and there were thousands of weapons throwing all manner of death down on the Kalu.

Unprotected humans ducked into cover, a few in the powered armor did the same. If Bok Soo was closer to the explosions he might have, but they were nothing more than dirt and small debris coming down on him.

So he continued firing, hoping like hell that the artillery was enough to give them the pause they needed. The artillery didn’t fire a few shells to see the effect change target and fire again. They fired till their tubes ran hot, poured water on them and kept going.

Incoming shuttles fired their rail guns, MEF’s supporting them peeled off and added their fire to the Kalu fighters that were heading over the lines, their fire raking troops, Commandos, fleeing civilians, anything and everything they could find.

Anti-air rumbled and tried to stave off the renewed assault.

Bok Soo could see that it worked somewhat but it wasn’t enough. There were too many Kalu fighters.

Ammunition dumps went up in explosions and the rate of fire dropped.

“Get reinforcements in there, we need to push them back!” Bok Soo barked.

“Do it!” Gajos said to her people.

Every armed person under Gajos’ control that wasn’t already setup at the next line of defenses surged forward into the madness that was the front lines.

Bok Soo ducked into cover as a shuttle’s cannons ripped into the Kalu not fifty meters from his position. Cursing, he was up as soon as the pass over was done. His eyes flicked from his targets to his HUD, a practice that had taken many hours but made him able to fight and know what the hell was going on around him.

The shuttles landed, dropping off their reinforcements.

It looks like the Kalu take the shuttles to mean attack, have to take that into consideration later, he thought, grimacing. Smart enemies were fucking pricks.

Missiles streaked into the Kalu rear, using the artillery as cover. Not many made it past the lasers that tried to bring them down.

Bok Soo’s visor darkened against the nukes, more went off in the sky, all of them far away from the front lines and the civilians still running past.

Bok Soo understood the plan as he tracked a Kalu pack coming in, HAPA fire took them out and he changed targets.

If the nukes opened a hole in the Kalu’s advance, then it would give them room to pull back.

That was if they could clear out their current neighbors. The Kalu were just meters away, using every damned depression, wall and groove to get closer.

A red halo appeared beside a wall, Bok Soo barely turned as the halo was on top of him.

He fired, yelling as the Kalu’s claws grabbed his shoulders.

The Kalu’s maw came down at his head.

He kept pulling his trigger in the belly of the Kalu as he fell.

They crashed to the ground, Bok Soo still yelling and firing, his low magazine clicked empty and he realized the Kalu wasn’t moving.

His helmet was filled with oxygen and his body was fighting pure panic.

“Get yourself together Bok Soo, it’s not the first time one of those fuckers has tried to kill you,” he growled, chastising himself, his hands working to reload his gun, not even a shiver in them.

He moved back to the wall of the trench grabbed a grenade and put it over the wall the Kalu had come from. Two Kalu ran out, Bok Soo caught them both before they made it to the trench, the grenade went off, the wall falling and three more Kalu dead behind it.

Bok Soo grabbed the lead Kalu he’d killed, pulling it into the trench so it wasn’t blocking his view. He had a damned job to do.

“Bok Soo you okay?” Gajos asked.

“Fine,” Bok Soo said, his anger and the new pain in his shoulders serving to focus his mind.

“Suit shows it’s got some tears in it...”

“I’m fine, ain’t the first time I’ve fought these fuckers, you just keep pushing out the commands, need that fire support in position and hammering these bastards,” Bok Soo said.

“Go it,” Gajos said, her voice hardening. Bok Soo was just one man, she had thousands of people to try and protect.

Good girl, she’s learning battlefield mathematics.

***

“Alright, that looks like it’ll work,” Xer said, looking at the targeting data.

“Will or won’t no looks,” Carsickle demanded, there was no second chances on this one.

“Will,” Xer said.

“Good,” Carsickle said, opening a channel to all of his HAPA’s and Commandos.

“You’re going to see the new targeting system, aim for the targets, we’ll be shooting over our people’s heads so unless you have a cleared region, watch your damned shots,” Carsickle said. Commandos got any elevation they could find to bring their new targeting systems online.

Carsickle opened a channel to Scharringa.

“Go,” Scharringa said, no longer the excitable bundle of energy from before.

“We’ll be providing fire support to the front line, as more reinforcements come in we’ll add more fire, we can’t keep it up for long, our barrels will overheat and we will need ammunition. We can keep up our fire for, eight minutes, ten tops,” Carsickle said, shunting information to the man.

“Shit, alright, wait,” Scharringa said.

***

“They plan to what?” Gajos asked.

“Shoot over the front line and right into the Kalu,” Scharringa said for the second time.

“Shit, that’s fucking crazy,” Gruben said.

“What do they do that isn’t?” Gajos said, making her decision.

“Send the alert to the front lines and artillery, five minutes, then we open up with everything we have and they pull back. Make sure they stop when they get to the second line I don’t need another Slovakia,” she said.

When their lines had gone through Slovakia, troops had kept running past the lines. The reserves were called up, the line held, but barely.

The troops that fled, had taken days to recover. Most had gone so far that it would take too much time and resources to get them.

She didn’t blame them, this kind of battle had never been seen in history. Sure in World War two Germany had quickly moved over ground, the Kalu put that to shame, borders and lines changed by the day, every day or other day people had to be shifted back. The Kalu were constantly figuring out the terrain and cover necessary to get into the lines and wreak havoc.

“Yes Major,” Gruben said, not trying to drive her lower rank to his own. He’d got past that a while ago.

She started moving icons across the tac table, hoping that the insane plan would work.

“One-minute left,” Scharringa said.

The artillery fired with everything they had left and the second-line Commandos opened fire, their elevation giving them a line of sight over the front-lines.

Their rounds speed meant their drop was almost negligible as they peppered the Kalu.

“Move it damn it, move!” Gajos said, gripping the tac table and watching the plot of thousands of her personnel, no matter their military, country or planet.

“That’s the signal people, first group move it! Double time!” Bok Soo’s voice boomed through even the command center’s computers.

People started moving, rushing to their transports and getting the fuck out of dodge.

“Commandos!” Bok Soo yelled a few minutes later.

One minute, Gajos said, her eyes flicking to the counter, she could swear they had longer. It didn’t matter, her eyes flicked to the Commandos, they ran, boy could they ever fucking run.

Their bounds made it look like they were almost skipping across Earth’s surface.

The rate of fire died down but shuttles that had dropped off their reinforcements now raised above the second line, their rail cannons adding their fire.

Three hundred ships rained fire down on the Kalu, they were massive targets, the Kalu raking them with lasers, a number of them going down in the fire, but they covered their people until the last Commando was in a trench.

The shuttles powered away from the front lines and headed back up to the warships above.

“Hic Stamus is on station,” In Sook’s now familiar voice came down, while MEF’s and shuttles were in the air the Free Fleet were not going to drop anything through the air around them.

Now they were gone however.

“Request orbital drop,” Gajos said.

“Rocks away,” In Sook said, Gajos saw the lines of rounds that spat out of Hic Stamus’ batteries, their gunners working their machines.

It was peaceful, mostly, her people were safe behind new trenches and not decisively engaged, she loved this time the most and the least.

The most because they were safe for now, not because it wouldn’t last long and it felt like she lost the edge she had when everything was going to hell.

Rounds cracked through atmosphere, making many cover their ears and people hunker down. Gajos bent her knees as the first rounds hit.

It was like being on a surfboard and going on a wave, except the water was the ground, and the waves were closer together and much more violent.

Maybe Gruben was right about us having a mini-ice age. War might give us a new opportunity to stop some of the damage we’re doing, she shook her head as the last rounds made contact with Earth.

Maybe I do need to get some sleep, she thought, sighing.

***

Carsickle looked up from his trench as soon as the front line was in their trenches his people had left their open perches to join them.

Bok Soo found him soon enough and they slumped against the wall of the trench and a box of ammunition.

Carsickle saw the cuts on Bok Soo’s armor as they took their helmets off, smelling the wet and earthy trench mixed with armor and the odd ozone. It was from the heat and dryness of an orbital strike. There was nothing quite like it.

“You should get that patched,” Carsickle said, tilting his large snout at Bok Soo’s shoulders.

“Yeah,” Bok Soo said, leaning against the trench wall. The first shots could be heard along the line, some of the Kalu were pressing forward to see if it was safe to resume their attack.

The Kalu swarm were probably taking a large loop, sowing destruction on anything they found. Another swarm would cross the line again, but for now they were clear.

“Do you want some soup?” Someone asked with a wheelbarrow, bread, cups and a steaming tankard of soup.

“You might be my new favorite person,” Bok Soo said tiredly.

“I don’t know if you will be able to...” The man asked, looking to Carsickle.

“I have enzymes in my system that will convert it. I will be fine,” Carsickle assured the man.

“Okay,” he said, grabbing some bread, two cups and giving them to Carsickle and Bok Soo.

They gave their greetings and off the man went with his warm food, passing it out along the line.

“To making the bastards pay for every inch,” Bok Soo said, holding out his cup.

Carsickle tapped his cup to his in agreement.

Bok Soo took a large mouthful, immediately trying to blow out of his mouth to cool his mouth but not trying to loose the tasty soup.

“Fuck that’s hot!” Bok Soo said, Commandos and military personnel around laughing at the display.

“He did say so,” Carsickle said, taking a much more measured drink from his cup.

Bok Soo turned his gaze on the laughing people, but couldn’t hide his own smile.

“I guess he did,” Bok Soo grumbled, just loud enough for those around him to hear.

People laughed, and smiled.

It was little moments like this that grounded people. Allowed them to unwind, no matter the situation, clear their mind, remove the stress and focus.

Carsickle wondered if Bok Soo had burnt his mouth on purpose, or because he just wanted to take people’s minds off of what was going on.

Carsickle sat back and nursed his warm soup for the sweet ambrosia it was.

All too soon thoughts of soup and laughter would be the last thing on his mind.

Chapter And They Held

“Nice and smooth Peck, we don’t want to scare the residents,” Whorst said looking over his screens.

“Arfo, have the Commanders been advised of our arrival?” He asked glancing to the man.

‘They have, connecting into the battle net right now. In Sook is running it from our side, requests for fighters are in high demand both flying and the replacements,” Arfo said.

“Flek, see if you can’t free up some boys and girls for some hunting. Richter see about shifting our excess fighters to the other ships. Get numbers from Shrift on production. Start putting the small craft factory on engineering's highest priority. Frankeuw, are we good to take orbital bombardment request?” Whorst rattled off, not waiting for answers, trusting his people to be working on them already.

“Devastahli is ready for support missions. Gunners will be ready once we are in geo-sync orbit before having firing solutions,” Frankeuw reported.

“Firing on bombardment requests, up to eighty percent of computing capacity,” Devastahli reported as batteries started firing, their massive rounds entering Earth’s atmosphere.

“First MEF wings are launched, taking primary control of all MEF coordination from In Sook,” Flek reported. It was a big task and responsibility but his people didn’t complain or argue, they got down to work. Their friends and in some cases, family’s lives might be saved by their actions.

“Very good,” Whorst said, wishing he had something else to do, his people were on it. He had started the ball rolling, now he just had to sit back and see what the results were.

He sent a message to In Sook, providing his services at her disposal. He was a higher rank than her, but she was on site and he was just coming in.

He got a list of information, growing by the section.

His holographic sphere appeared around him. He had work to do.

***

Egypt’s President was not happy with the reports he was getting, no world leader was.

The Kalu had dropped all across the globe centering on China, Iran, Belarus. In the middle of Russia, the Congo, Brazil, America and Canada’s East coast and in the Center of the United States.

Commandos and militaries around the world were trying to do everything they could to slow the rate with which the Kalu traveled. His own forces were opening up the Suez Canal, mining it for when the Kalu reached it.

People were fighting the Kalu across the length of Israel.

It was hard going but they were giving them pause.

“The hell is that?” The President asked as a massive object moved over the scanners, it made the Free Fleet ships look like tadpoles next to the behemoth.

“War-Station came on station a few hours ago Mr. President,” one of the aides said.

“We have incoming ships on the long range sensors,” one of the military types in the room called out.

“How many?” the Minister Defence asked.

“I’ve got Four hundred ships on the scopes at least. There’s Kuruvian Empire, Chaleel, Avarian, and Free Fleet ships. All of them are headed for Earth,” the one who’d yelled out the warning continued.

The number of ships climbed as the President sat down heavily.

And we tried to go to war with them.

“Get me a link to the other nations, I want to confirm the readings,” the president felt himself saying.

***

Emile Star Gazer Cook was nervous, hell everyone around her was, it was the new thing.

She had been born on Hachiro, she’d lived there for two years before the Free Fleet got their act together, told people to screw off and allowed them to start taking testing for schools and joining the Free Fleet.

She’d joined the Free Fleet, primary as Commando, secondary as helm.

She looked around at the hard faces of veterans, the scared faces of newbies. They all had the same training but only a fraction of them had seen action. Most of them had come from Hada, training to defend their planet, now they were travelling through Sol to Earth.

She looked at her brothers and sisters from Hachiro, and the Commandos she saw as close cousins.

There was nothing to do but sit back in her HAPA and wait for the announcement.

“This is Commander Monk, run final checks and prepare for drop,” Monk said, his voice calming rather than nerve-wracking.

Emilie checked over her gear again by touch and diagnostic check.

This is that shit I live for, she thought her nerves not disappearing but pulling back as she focused on what she knew.

***

Monk looked down on Earth, Free Fleet ships held the orbitals and were raining hell on the Kalu below.

Yet it wasn’t any constant fire.

Six million Kalu had made it to the surface of Earth, fighting had been waging for weeks, the Kalu/Chinese border had been pushed back from Dongying to Yancheng.

It was estimated that some one point seven billion people had died so far. Monk closed his eyes thinking on them for a moment before continuing on. Afterwards he could mourn. He needed to focus on making sure his people didn’t add to that number.

The Kalu in China seemed to be getting smarter, ranging down the line a network of snipers had been put in place where the troops and Commandos couldn’t be spared.

More forces had moved to India and the border of China and Kazakhstan. That was a political mess, not even including the battles going on.

Kalu were pressing through Israel and onto Egypt. Israel had denied help from Commandos so they had moved past the country to add help to Egypt that had requested it.

The rest of the middle East except Saudi Arabia had been thrown into chaos. The Kalu didn’t care about borders and they could track down anything living, no matter where it hid. Some of the countries had heavy weaponry, but it was few and far between.

The European lines were doing better, but not much. The line ranged through Germany, Austria, and Italy. There at least people had pulled together.

Brazil and south America was a mess, old feuds had opened up and the Commandos had pulled all their forces. Everyone was angling to get their bit and Salchar had come down on it himself.

Africa was also a mess, a mix of South America and the middle East, again the Commandos had pulled their forces and moved to the southern areas of Africa that were willing to work together to survive.

America was a mess. People had guns yes, but they had egos. A lot of backyard militias were running across the country.

They didn’t understand that their guns were useless against Kalu armor. Still many that hadn’t seen combat were excited to put what they’d seen in video games or talked about with their friends into action.

They weren’t organized and a lot of them were bullying the people trying to retreat instead of giving them protection.

Thankfully America had built massive bunker complexes much like Daestramus did and most people were hiding in them, getting away from the militia bands and the Kalu.

Commandos were acting to slow the Kalu with support from Mexico, America, and Canada’s forces.

Artillery and machinery were brought in to arm the people there, much like the Free Fleet were doing in the rear areas of the European lines.

It was an almighty mess, but Monk’s orders were to go to the United States as regional Commander and kick the Kalu off the planet.

Ahh, sometimes the easier said things are much more complicated, he thought looking over the maps.

His eyes turned to the system map which showed all of the Free Fleet ships coming in from three separate directions.

Every system with traders had freighters out there. HCD’s were transiting in-system coming from as far as Drvntrni and the Kalu Empire.

Merchant freighters which had been moving for three weeks, just days after the first Earth force landed on Earth, were now on the last leg of their journey.

There were over a thousand ships heading for the green and blue marble in the sky.

Inside their hulls, nearly two and a half million Commandos waited to be released.

Monk could feel their tension and fear as if it was a physical thing. He could also feel the pride and strength of those ships.

The battle was not yet decided, but no matter what, they were in good company.

“Fifteen minutes until shuttle launch,” Commander Drux said right into Monk’s ear.

“Thank you Commander,” Monk replied, opening another channel with the forward elements of the fleet that would be landing with him.

“This is Commander Monk, run final checks and prepare for drop.”

It seemed to take forever, but time didn’t like to stand still for long.

“Looking green across the board, powering engines and moving to insertion point,” Monk’s pilot said, the shuttle powering through the electrostatic field of the hangar bay. The atmosphere was already drained from the bay in case they came under fire.

Even if the Kalu were on the ground, no one was going to start forgetting to take every precaution. These people were spacers, death covered them like a fuzzy blanket.

The shuttle’s acceleration pushed Monk back into his harness, they were coming in as fast as possible, the shuttle fighting to bleed off the excess speed.

The AI’s and navigators had figured out the operation, with so many damned ships it looked hellish.

Monk’s HUD flashed a plot of space around him, the freighter he had just left was already moving away from Earth, containers were following the shuttles their massive heat shields turning to face the oncoming atmosphere.

Orbital bombardment stopped as freighter and warships passed, releasing a new flood of supplies and shuttles. MEF’s spat out of carriers, they looked like shiny dust rising from War-station, cones of fire marking their entry into Earth’s volatile sky.

They passed through the network of ships that covered Earth. Monk spared another glance back at the sea of shuttles following, the black of space now filled with the blue halos of in-system engines.

Sometimes it’s hard to not stare, he thought, the atmosphere buffeting the shuttle as Monk changed his view. Earth’s atmosphere was getting quite a few new entrants today, cargo containers without such issues as passengers streaked past shuttles, hammering into atmosphere, their heat shields blackening.

They needed supplies if they were to hold. Each of those containers would have to be collected but they would be vital to holding the lines that had been drawn across all of the American continent.

The pilots talked to one another in calm tones, adjusting their flight plan, scanning for incoming supplies behind them and changing over to inter-atmosphere engines. Another cargo container coming in, off flight plan. A touch of thrusters, clear line to the ground.

It was a careful dance done by hundreds of shuttles with thousands of supplys converging on the same areas.

Monk took a deep breath, calming himself, letting himself be jostled by the shuttles movements and the atmosphere fighting them.

The hammering stopped as they bled speed and made it through the upper layers of atmosphere.

“Guns are unlocked!” Cargo master barked, the Commandos manning the turrets powered their cupolas and started searching for targets. Without the ships above able to fire for fear of hitting their own, the shuttles were now receiving calls for fire support.

The Commandos just aimed at the painted target area on their HUD’s and let loose with their quad-barrel rail cannons.

“Seven minutes till pay dirt,” one of the pilots called, getting a green light from Monk and the direct commander of the Commandos in the shuttle.

Monk looked to the region he was getting, America. They were making noises about not having a higher Commander in their area of operations. While Monk would be basing himself out of the United States he was more interested in the southern areas of the Americas.

“We have fighters on approach, American,” the shuttle pilot said, Monk didn’t need to see the Sarenmenti to know they weren’t happy.

“MEF’s moving into defensive posture,” they said moments later, sounding rather happy.

There were over a hundred shuttles and fifty MEF’s moving in formation. It made for one hell of a display.

“The Americans are requesting that we settle down in chosen areas and that they pass flight plans to air control,” the pilot said, relaying right to Monk.

He tapped his harness in thought.

“I do remember that the MEF’s love to play tag. I don’t think we should keep them from their games,” Monk said, thoughtfully.

“Yes Commander!” The Pilot sounded rather pleased with that.

Hmm, who would be better, Bok Soo, or Yasu? He would confront the Americans if he needed to but he needed their cooperation not their anger. If he started treating them like idiots, then they weren’t going to be the best sort of allies.

Best not get James in on this, he’s liable to come over here and start planting boots in a few choice officers rear ends. Monk smiled at that thought but made his decision.

“Yasu, I was wondering if you had a moment?” He asked, opening a channel to her.

“Always got a few for you Monk, what do you need?” She said.

“I’ve got some American fighters coming at me for my ‘escort’ and they want me to file flight plans. I was wondering if you would be able to talk to them. I don’t want to start butting heads with them right away,” Monk said.

“Very well I’ll see what I can do,” Yasu said.

“Thank you dear, and you’ll be happy to know that Henry is looking healthy. He looks to also have his father’s mischievous side,” he smiled as he remembered the little bundle of energy.

“Joy, just what I needed, two terrors!” She said but Monk could hear the smile in her tired voice. “We’ll talk soon,” she cut the channel.

MEF’s moved out to meet the American fighters and proceeded to do circles around them. Literal circles. They could handle massive gravitational forces and so could their craft. They snapped into straight lines, rolls and spins with ease.

The American pilots were good, but their craft weren’t anything like the MEF’s and their training had all been on Earth instead of the higher gravity facilities the MEF’s lived in.

“I swear I’d go cross-eyed if I watched those fighter boys for too long,” Commander Moriel complained over the shuttle’s channel.

Yasu pinged Monk for a chat, he opened it, setting his suit to accept all communications with her without needing confirmation.

“You’re cleared for flying over America, don’t think I made any friends, but I don’t think they realized that we record all conversations through the armor. Got another thing for the American people to listen to. I swear I don’t understand how some of these people ever made it into power,” she said.

“A silver tongue and a good smile,” Monk sighed.

“Well even if you are half a planet away, it’s good to have you here. Now I have to deal with the Kalu trying to get around my damned lines,” she said.

“Good luck my dear,” Monk said.

“You too Monk, should let Salchar, Rick and Bok Soo know you’re here,” she said.

“I will,” Monk promised.

“Talk later,” she said again cutting the channel.

“Four minutes,” the pilot said. They were through the clouds as Monk went to the shuttles optics, looking out over the war torn land below. Even at this height he could see the tracers and lasers hammering back and forth on the ground, punctuated by rolling explosions on top of where the lasers were coming from. Monk sent a request out to Rick, Bok Soo and James.

“Ahh I was wondering if it was you up there burning our atmosphere,” Bok Soo said, Monk could hear close combat in the background.

“Thought I’d drop in and lend a hand,” Monk said.

“Good to see you Monk,” Rick said.

“Don’t take any shit from the governments or military types, they’re learning but their more liable to get you killed than help,” James said, sounding annoyed.

“I will take that into mind, and it is good to be down here in the middle of it,” Monk said.

“Two minutes!” The pilot called out.

“Happy to have you, talk later,” Bok Soo said, cutting the channel,”

“Same here, look after yourself,” Rick said.

“Thank you Rick, you too. I know how trying to keep James out of trouble is a full time job,” Monk admonished.

“I heard that,” James growled. “But if anyone starts fucking with you, send them to me. I’ll set the bastards straight.” James mood went from playful to restrained anger in the space of a heartbeat.

“Best keep that temper in check James,” Monk said, knowing just how fiery his brother in every sense of the world was likely to act.

“I’ll try Monk,” James promised. “Now as your Commander, I order you to make the Kalu regret ever thinking about leaving their dens.”

“I will do my best Commander Salchar,” Monk said, tapping the heavy staff to his side.

“Good man, look after yourself,” James said, he and Rick cutting out of the channel.

“Thirty seconds!” The pilot yelled as ramps started opening, the turrets still blaring rounds out at anything that faintly looked Kalu. The fire stopped as harnesses released, Commandos grabbed their gear, checking it.

“Go!” The cargo master said, the shuttle pulling into a hover, handles that were above their heads for just this reason stopped Commandos from falling over as they took the sudden stop and started jumping off of the ramps, landing ten feet down and started moving for the positions the commander within the shuttle had tagged up on approach.

The shuttle came down, touching the ground speeding up the disembarking out of the three ramps.

Monk flowed out with the Commandos into what had been Yellowstone national Park. Interstate fifteen ran along the rear of the military forces, supplying hard points and moving troops across the country.

The Rocky Mountain ranges acted as the Canadians lines. The center of the United States was sporadic fighting and not much else. The other firm lines ran from Detroit to Nashville and down to Houston.

The Kalu had run through Northern Mexico except for the area around Hermosillo. The government had pulled back their forces, consolidating them around Torreon but they were now closer to Fresnilio.

Monk’s first phase was to clear the immediate area of the Kalu threat, then he would head south through Mexico, hitting the Kalu in the rear and moving more Commandos to support their lines. Once that was dealt with, South America waited.

One part at a time, Monk thought, looking over the information coming back from the landing shuttles, he’d looked over the landing areas they’d looked good and he’d left it to them.

Cargo containers dotted the landscape, parachutes draped over their entry-burned heat shields.

“Commander, will you be taking an escort?” Commander Olisk asked, his tone suggesting he damned well was no matter what.

“That would be a fine idea. I will be going to the command center; could you coordinate getting the tac table there?” Monk opened up a channel to Joel and Pix, both of them brigade level commanders and the three that he would be working with for the immediate future.

“Can do Commander. Protection detail will be with you momentarily,” Olisk said.

“Very well,” Monk said, he never stopped walking. Now he was looking over what had been Salt Lake City and was now the headquarters for the Western defense line.

“Commander Joel, do you have time for a face to face, I have some questions,” Monk asked.

Joel had been the Commander of the American contingent since landing on the planet and Monk intended to pick her brains clean.

“Yes Commander, I can be there in…” She paused consulting something. “Ten minutes.”

“Very well, do not rush I will be talking with our other counterparts,” Monk said.

“Yes Commander, if you have nothing else?” She asked.

“Dismissed. Now Pix, you will be commanding our lines on the East Coast, let me know if you need anything.”

“Yes Commander, if I may?” Pix asked, new to the role he needed to get on top of his new duties and fast.

“Dismissed,” Monk said, striding through streets that had cars pushed to the side to allow the massive military resupply trucks a route. Ten Commandos moved around him, his protection detail had arrived.

“Olisk, start pulling our supplies. I want to set up supply points along the coast. Artillery and ammunition pushed out to the lines first. I want sensors up and down the line, only relying on what the powered armor is telling us,” Monk trailed off, getting a grunt from Olisk

“Also start looking at units that are it for the powered armor and rail guns. One kit one person. Before it’s been piecemeal, you get armor you get a gun. Get all of those that were Commandos before the cock up a few months ago through first. Then anyone whose ran the simulators, use your own discretion,” Monk said, reminding himself that Olisk was a smart man, he would figure it out.

“Yes Commander,” Olisk said cutting the channel.

It would be weird in other militaries but Monk hoped that his people got comfortable with cutting their channels off when they needed it instead of asking permission.

He walked into what had been an elementary school. It was marked as the headquarters.

The words read Rosecrest Elementary school and the windows had fractured and given into the pressure waves coming over the mountains long ago.

Defenses were all over the place with more than one soldier twitching their rifle in the direction of the approaching Commandos.

Situated between interstate two-fifteen and Eighty. He didn’t need to look at his map to know that the front lines were just past the mountains just forty kilometers away. Salt Lake City was shaped like a basin, not a good place to fight, so instead of hugging the interstate fifty, the lines ran along the eighty-four, eighty and down route one-eighty-nine till it met fifteen again.

He came to the door meeting a burly Sergeant and a group of National Guard who didn’t seem to enjoy Monk’s path.

“What can I help you with?” The Sergeant First class asked, his tag named him as Banks.

“I’m here to see whoever is commanding the Western lines. I am Commander Monk, detached from Parnmal,” Monk said, opening his visor so that Banks wasn’t just talking to an opaque visor.

The First sergeant grabbed his radio on his shoulder, relaying the information, his right hand never left his rifle treating it as if it was but an extension of himself.

He listened to something in his earpiece.

He looked to Monk and his group, turning so his conversation was a little more private. Again he waited, probably listening to the message, he grimaced and spat on the ground.

“Yes sir, understood out,” he finished looking to Monk and his entourage. “Fuck it, could die tomorrow.” Obviously making a decision he didn’t like.

“Jones!” He barked, a corporal came from inside.

“Sergeant?” A shorter looking man asked.

“Go tell the Major that Commander Monk is here, don’t let Lieutenant Masters see you,” Banks said, looks passing between the two.

“You got it,” Jones said, turning and going back in the building.

“Sergeant I was wondering if you could help clear up some things for me. I’ve only just come in so I want to get a feel for how things are on the ground,” Monk said, Banks looked him over as if trying to make a decision.

“I’ll help you as much as I can sir,” Banks said.

“Please call me Monk,” Monk said holding out a hand, Banks took it, wincing in anticipation of having his hand crushed.

Monk smiled while Banks looked relieved to have his hand intact.

Not weak of heart this one, Monk thought.

“Very well Monk, how can I help you?” Banks asked.

“Where do the enemy attack from most, what are the rotation periods between troops on the lines off, what is the supply situation and please tell me you aren’t using those on the line?” Monk said, indicating the standard M16’s he and his people sported.

Banks pulled off his helmet and scratched his head.

“We’ve got heavier guns up there, but this is still our primary, better to have something rather than nothing,” Banks said.

Monk didn’t like it but he nodded, understanding the logic, he too pulled off his helmet, feeling the sunshine on his bald head.

“The enemy have no real target, wherever the fighting is the hardest they hit with everything they’ve got. Looks like they’ve learned to spread out or get nailed by machine guns and artillery. Rotation is, well basically your reserve until your needed, then you get pulled back if your wounded or you need to replace your losses,” Banks’ voice was hard but death was an occupational hazard, if you couldn’t deal with it you got out of the Army well before you became a Sergeant first class.

“Supplies, we get ammunition but food and water is a mess, we have supplies but we’re not only feeding a third of the population, we’re feeding troops as well. The civvies get first dibs so supplies aren’t the best.

“People were cooking up their food in big barbecues, electricity is gone and freezers don’t work so better to eat it than let it rot. Those stopped a few days ago so now everyone’s on rations or what they can pull from stores.” The troops around Banks didn’t look all that happy with the situation.

“What about medical aid?” Monk asked.

Bank grimaced and shook his head.

“We tanked out the hospitals and clinics, those fucking things do a number on people. Most don’t make it that far,” Banks said.

“Has anyone requested hell fire?” Monk asked.

“Hell fire? That the drug that hurts like hell and dopes you up more than kid soldiers?” Delarouse, a Private who had been listening said, grimacing.

“Nope, its basically an advanced tourniquet, seals up your wounds, boosts immune system and stops bleeding. Starts putting bones and internals back together. Though it does hurt like hell.” It was Monk’s turn to grimace.

“Sounds too good to be true,” Banks said.

Monk pulled an injector from a row of them on his chest and tossed it to the man.

He caught it, looking it over.

“If anyone gets shot stab that in the injured person’s body, closer to the wound, in an artery is the best. It’ll keep them alive to get to medical aid. Or it can get people back into shooting,” Monk said.

“I’ve seen a lot of you people get up after some really bad injuries. I thought you were drugged up, or just alien enough for it to not matter,” Banks admitted.

“Oh, it hurts like a sounvabitch, but that plus a dose of wake-up and you’re more alert than the biggest adrenaline junkie,” Monk said as movement caught his eye in the school

Banks nodded, interested.

The whine of shuttle engines cut through the sky, shit flying everywhere. Troops moved to firing positions as the shuttle hovered, it’s ramps opening and five figures falling out of the rear ramp as soon as they could.

Someone fired off a shot, Monk’s helmet was on, locking as he was pulled back into the protective circle of Commandos, their guns raised as more shots went off.

“Cease fire! Cease fucking fire!” A man with hard eyes with permanent bags under them barked, his commands made it over the noise.

“Fucking...” He trailed off, his face grim as he looked at the Commandos and now five more on the ground.

“Zek, find who shot, bring them,” Monk said, he sounded like nothing had happened at all.

“Forly, Ekar stay, the rest of you with me,” Monk said, highlighting the five Commandos.

Three showed green, one red the other yellow.

Four stood, their weapons up and covering the Americans, allowing Monk into their perimeter while the others were fanning out.

The shuttle was still on station, it’s wash pushing the grass down as it’s turrets looked at the elementary school. Two MEF’s came screaming out of the air and stopped next to the Shuttle, the threat clear.

Shoot on us, we’ll wipe you out.

Monk checked the readings of the person in red, it was Joel.

“Fuck sir, remind me to not walk in front of a Seven-five,” she said, grunting.

“You ready?” Monk asked.

“Fuck no, do it,” she said tensing.

Monk waited.

“What are you?” Monk asked, distracting her.

“Comma…” Joel said, as Monk activated her auto-inject and she went stiff in grunting pain.

“Works faster if you’re not tense first, sorry, Joel,” Monk said.

A few moments later she was reading yellow, stable but not life threatening, her armor was dented, a round had pinged her side, shattering a rib and sending it into her main cavity, not a pretty mess.

“I’ll remember that,” Joel said, not sounding happy.

Monk helped her to her feet.

“Let’s try that again,” he said, indicating he wanted to go back to the steps.

Joel grabbed her rifle and followed, it was hard to not wince at her careful steps, they must have hurt like hell.

“Commander,” the Major, Wakovich said.

“Major, it seems that your people do not know who the enemy is. See that it doesn’t happen again,” Monk said, his visor opening to show cold eyes.

“Yes, Commander,” Wakovich said, grimacing.

Zek appeared, hauling a young looking Corporal.

Banks and Wakovich’s eyes looked like they wanted to burn holes through the man.

“If you could get this man off of the line I would greatly appreciate it, seems that he doesn’t understand the term friendlies,” Monk said, looking to Wakovich.

“Perry, go find some use with the supply trucks. Do not let me see you around the front lines unless the Kalu are trying to eat our food,” Wakovich said.

“Yes Major!” Corporal Perry said, shaking and pale enough to make it look like he might pass out with a strong breeze.

Zek released the man with a push.

“Good, now shall we start planning our counterattack? I would breath a little easier without the Kalu just forty kilometers away,” Monk said.

The universe did what it did, all Monk did was live through it and deal with what he could. Shit’s going to happen, if you focus on what’s wrong then you will never appreciate what’s great, his mantra ran through his head and he smiled. No one had died and the Major looked to be taking him seriously. It could be a lot worse.

“We’ve set up operations in the gym if you’d care to join us. I am the General’s aide but I think he would be interested in your idea. We’re done being pushed back,” Wakovich said, turning and walking, indicating for Monk and his people to follow.

***

Daskil looked up at the battle-brothers as they trotted into the camp he had lived in for the past weeks.

None had returned with both battle brothers, and fewer had survived Daskil’s wrath at their useless information.

Daskil waited for them to approach, they submitted their heads to the ground in supplication.

“Speak,” Daskil said, impatient to hear their words. He longed to report to Orshpa his success.

“We found a large clan grouping with dens that stretch into the sky. We went past the buildings and found no Commando lines. We ranged past for many lengths of light and dark before returning,” the larger one said.

“Where was this place?” Daskil said, excitement making his mane quiver.

“Three days in the cold,” the larger continued, obviously the prime of the two.

“Rise, you have written your names well, eat, rest and wait. We will return to this place and we will lead our hunting pack down the Commando lines,” Daskil said, bumping their sides with his own, a show of respect to them.

“Thank you aide of Orshpa,” the larger one said.

Daskil’s body shook with glee.

“I will leave for our great war leaders den and tell him of your finds, he may well come to hear your stories himself,” Daskil said. Again they lay down on the dirt.

“It is our honor to have our names written below his,” they both said, their voices filled with deep respect.

“Rise and rest, I will return shortly,” Daskil said, turning and getting his feet under him. He stretched his body, accelerating with his armor open, letting the air run over his body. No fatigue or anger filled him, now he was filled with pride and joy that he might bring his war leader what he desired.

He raced through the dens that stretched outwards, unnaturally tall and above ground.

Their odd shapes did not touch his mind.

He rushed through Kalu making their way to the great front, a great seething mass of Kalu might.

Their calls and paths did not reach him. They recognized him for Orshpa’s aide and parted for him, their manes moving in interest. All wanted to know if a new hunting ground had been found.

They closed with their enemy but before they could claim a hold the clouds of white and invisible waves pushed them back.

Daskil made it into Orshpa’s camp a day later, something that should have taken twice as long.

His body near his endurance he pattered his way to Orshpa’s feet falling into supplication.

“What do you have for me Daskil?” Orshpa asked.

“New open hunting grounds above the lines in the ground, three days in the cold, I have two battle-brothers that confirm,” Daskil said, his body heaving foam around his mouth and over his body from his run.

Orshpa got to his feet turning around his den, his eyes filled with fire.

“Daskil, eat and water, you will take me to these new hunting grounds. Stand by my side and we will clear these open dens the Commandos live in from the ground,” Orshpa said.

“Yes war leader,” Daskil said, his energy returning to him at the great honor his battle master gave him.

“Go, prepare yourself we leave in one cycle of the dark. Eishkar, assemble the primes and my war party, we make for the cold with the new cycle of light.”

Daskil moved to the water and food holes, primes moving to give him best spot. The finding of new hunting grounds meant a great battle was to begin.

***

Monk was pulling the lines together in America, the influx of people and equipment had mostly canceled out the issues that Commander Joel was dealing with.

People were getting basic classes on the powered armor and rail guns, the results were showing, the Commandos had stopped the lines and stopped falling back, finally holding firm. Scouts went out and mapped out the old lines they had left and plans to reoccupy them were made.

Europe had taken sometime to grind the Kalu to a stand still. The line from the North East across Germany, along Switzerland’s border and curved into Italy.

They had lost land and they had lost people, but now they were actually holding, they were preparing for the push everyone knew was coming.

Russia’s military was one of the few superpowers to not get slapped by the Kalu. It seemed the Kalu’s tendency was to go south, which was fine for the northern nation.

Though they weren’t about to let this battle go past. They were a proud and strong nation. This was one of the first times in recent history where Russia could show off their military might.

They also didn’t screw around, they wanted to try our tech and we needed help.

So Russia, out of the Kalu’s sight trained with powered armor, upgraded their armor and learned how to board shuttles.

I heard a rifle crack in the distance, at first I had jumped looking for a target. Now I was used to the snipers that were located across the half-complete line through China. Orshpa was still prodding us for weaknesses, so we made sure that none of his scouts got back to report our weaknesses.

One sniper was a hell of a lot better than stretching our man power over one and a half thousand kilometers with three million Kalu at our door.

We’d got less reinforcements than America and Europe, but we had some of the biggest militaries in the world backing us.

China and a smattering of Commandos as well as other neighboring forces had halted the Kalu advance on their Western border.

The Kalu swept through the middle East with relatively little opposition, the military forces were too scattered and without the weaponry to stop them, smashing them right into India who had adopted all the Free Fleet had to offer and asked for more. They listened and worked well with Commandos and while they gave ground until the reinforcements, they were already taking back portions of it.

“It looks like some of them finally got back to Orshpa and reported a weakness up here, we’re picking up Kalu moving to the north behind their lines,” Rick said the holographic map illuminating the officer’s eyes around the table, looking at the real-time images of Kalu warriors rushing across the ground with speed that would make Earth’s super cars look like they were out for a stroll.

There was a reason that the Kalu clans claimed planets, they could damned well run across them with terrifying speed.

“Do we know where they are going to try and cross the line?” Lee asked, one of the Chinese officers that looked like he could stare at a rock and make it piss itself. He turned that gaze to Rick who sighed and shook his head, taking a seat on the kitchen top behind him.

“Our plan is to move more of our sniper teams into the area and increase the sensor grid. I was thinking we try something a bit more proactive than digging another set of trenches and holding our positions,” I said, all eyes looked to me as I sat in the dining area.

“I have heard of a few of your, ‘tactics’,” Lee said, and I thought I might have almost saw a twitch at the corners of his mouth.

“We will hear you out, though if we choose them or not,” he left that hanging in the air as I shifted from my position, the couch we’d broken days ago, still complaining.

I moved to the holographic and threw on a new plan.

“I know that Russian Division wasn’t supposed to be down here for another week, but my people tell me that they’re pretty damned ready. We have the transport to move them to say, Xi’an. We harry the Kalu, get them all pissed off and angry, then we start leading them where we want them. We pick the terrain and we see how effective your newly trained units and the Russians work,” I said looking to the officers. They looked to Lee.

“What do we do once we have the Kalu following us?” Lee asked, leaning on the dining room table.

“We take a lesson out of Commander Ursht’s book and we pull them into an ambush. We’ll have to get them coming through one of the mountainous regions around Xi’an and use one of them as an ambush site. The combined artillery clears the region, we lock them in, and we walk death up and down their lines,” I said looking into Lee’s eyes as I spoke.

There was tense silence as people in the room looked between Lee and myself.

Then he started nodding slowly until it became firmer.

“Yes, it is a risky plan, but a good one. Less ‘creative’ than some of your plans,” Lee said.

“Oh, you haven’t even seen the artillery pieces yet,” I said, feeling the dark satisfaction of my plan coming together.

Now I just needed to make sure my forces were in position for when the Kalu came charging up the mountain valley.

Chapter Time to change tactics

Tension hung in the air, even on War Station, it seemed to hang over Earth and the flotilla that surrounded it. There had never been so many ships in one location at one time. Occasionally rail gun rounds rained hell on the Kalu controlled areas of Earth.

“How are we looking Wasta?” Foshunti asked his second in command looking at those ships, waiting.

“All ships are green. Whorst has confirmed receipt of latest updates, In Sook is coordinating with the ground. Operation Reclaimer looks to be a go,” Wasta said.

“Very well,” Foshunti said, flexing his fingers in anticipation.

***

“Come on, another day in the Commandos,” Carsickle said, pushing Bok Soo’s shoulder so as to wake him. It had taken direct orders from James, Yasu’s threats and Gajos agreement to also get some downtime before Bok Soo submitted to a detox and a sleep.

He’d been out for fourteen hours but it felt like he’d barely laid down.

“One time I’m going to be woken up by some pretty little thing, not your alligator snout,” Bok Soo complained, cracking what he could, but the powered armor keeping him from getting all the kinks out.

“How are we looking?” Bok Soo asked seriously.

“We’re ready, from America to here in Europe. China’s lines are holding. Salchar is expecting enemy action in the next day or two,” Carsickle reported.

Bok Soo grunted his understanding and walked out into the main command center. It had been part of a library but it had been hastily opened up, desks shoved out of the way to make room for the tac table and the various displays the command center relied on.

People moved while quiet conversations determined lives as people bent to their task.

Gajos and Gruben looked to Bok Soo as he clanked into the room with his powered armor.

“Let’s start taking back your homes,” Bok Soo said, looking at the two officers from different countries and militaries, yet connected by their duty and purpose to keep their people alive, their soldiers, their civilians, their humans.

Gajos gave a terse nod, she had aged decades in weeks, Bok Soo felt that same age on his soul. He grabbed his rail gun and marched behind Carsickle, out of the command center and to the large courtyard beyond.

Ranks of Commandos rose from their positions, HAPA’s moved and powered up.

“Wakey wakey boys and girls, it’s time to go on a walk,” Bok Soo said, his voice carrying through the courtyard and the streets beyond where Commandos had waited, had lived for the past weeks.

Along their ranks stood Militaries from across Europe, East west north and south, their eyes had seen things no one should have. Many now hid those same eyes behind the opaque face shields of powered armor.

Bok Soo swung up into his waiting HAPA and looked over the ranks on ranks of HAPA’s powering up, their engines blowing heat out of their armored vents, Cannons shifted and tracked.

“Do not go gentle into that good night. Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light” Bok Soo said, remembering an old poem, it seemed fitting in the face of all this rage, this war, this inability to give up. Maybe it was the way of the universe, a struggle, forever and always. To give up, to give into melancholy, to give up the rage of life, that was death.

Bok Soo powered his HAPA rising up as his harness locked around him.

They waited, listening and waiting for the order, his people, his Commandos.

“Here, today, this very moment we fight the oldest battle since creation. The battle of survival, the battle of Freedom. The freedom to choose to do as we desire, the freedom to celebrate life, to mourn death and see the universe for it’s beauty as well as it’s power.

“We, here are the guardians of that freedom, the ones who stand against the abyss and grin. We are from all known races, we are from all religions and beliefs, but we are one, we are Sentients, we are survivors, we are the Free Fleet and its Armored Marine Commandos!”

A roar rose from the Commandos, Bok Soo was swept up in the noise, in the voices of his brothers and sisters, their defiance in the face of anything.

“Together we are United, together we can beat anything! Division is what destroys us and Division makes us weak. Through your training you have removed that weakness, hammered into oblivion, into weapons and shields that you would hold in protection of the creature to either side. Today we will fight, today some will die, but today as always, know you are of the Free Fleet, know that we stand side by side and I could not be a prouder man for it!” He yelled his eyes misting as he gritted his jaw against the emotions that rose up.

He could feel the energy that ran through them all, he looked around, seeing them, seeing the creatures that were his own.

It tore at his heart and put fire in his belly.

“Now let’s get this show on the road. Roll out Commandos!” Bok Soo said, his visor slamming shut. The courtyard and the roads beyond turned into chaos as Commandos headed for their positions. Battle had come and they were ready for it.

Across the European lines troops and Commandos moved to their starting positions.

They had trained together for a short time, but they had spilt blood together, both their own and the Kalu’s. They respected one another as only soldiers could.

Today they would fight at one another’s shoulders with no regrets.

Bok Soo made it to the line looking over the scene of destruction, taking in the machine guns’ tracers firing across the city of flattened houses and buildings catching Kalu in the distance. Artillery whistled through the air, punctuated by the cracks of rail gun fire.

It was time to test their preparations.

“All forces this is General Gajos.” Someone had finally promoted her to a rank due her position.

“Commence operation Reclaimer, heads down!” She said, across the line missiles rose from launchers, these ones much to large to fit on a HAPA’s back.

Streaks arched into the sky, heading over the line and over the ground the Kalu continued to race across.

Lasers lashed out and a few of the missiles were hit, but that had already been taken into consideration as part of the plan.

All eyes watched those missiles.

Suddenly they split, one missile became thirty, spreading out across the over two hundred thousand kilometer frontage of defenses.

“Impact in ten!” Someone yelled, helmets darkened and people ducked.

The seconds ticked away, Bok Soo looked at the bottom of the trench, his HAPA bent forward under the lip.

The Earth rebelled as suns flashed into destructive glory.

Air rushed towards the explosions, pulling at everything in it’s path. Then it was gone and it returned tenfold. Heat was on that exhale.

“Good impact,” Gajos reported.

Bok Soo rose, dirt falling from his HAPA’s the rest along his line doing the same.

“MOVE!” Bok Soo barked, putting his words into action as he rushed up the ramp leading to the top of the trenches.

“Incoming Kalu fighters, MEF’s moving to intercept,” In Sook said.

Bok Soo saw the intervening symbols on his map as he jumped in his HAPA going from the secondary trenches over the front lines. Commandos flowed over the lines with him.

“Contact!” Bok Soo said, his cannons blaring as his sensors targeted Kalu that had been far enough ahead of the blast to not die.

Their luck was short lived as HAPA’s and powered armor moved forward. Powered armor moved from building to building, using cover as HAPA’s trundled through the muck, their cannons tracking targets and hunting them down.

Only Commandos manned the HAPA’s the massive machines moving with a grace that belied their huge size and purpose.

“Once we get to line Alpha I want everyone to check people and positioning. We are the line; we cannot let there be any holes. Commanders check your units to either side as you move,” Bok Soo said, moving from one large crater to another.

Across the line weapons illuminated the growing dust that the nukes had thrown up into the air.

Bok Soo’s HUD adjusted automatically, removing the dust from his view. He could see for only about fifty feet or so before things fuzzed out.

“Kalu movement coming, four hundred meters and closing,” In Sook reported.

“Get those lines connected now! Hold your positions and prepare for Kalu counterattack,” Bok Soo yelled.

HAPA’s found suitable holes or cover to crouch behind. Commandos jumped into the muck, going prone or finding cover of any kind.

They waited, nothing happening for a few moments as reports came in that the line was solid.

Then there was movement in the fuzz.

“Contact, Kalu moving in!” Someone reported as Cannons opened up to the South.

Then there were Kalu coming out of the fuzz in front of Bok Soo. He fired, his HUD unable to get a firm lock. He fired his cannons at anything that moved through the fuzz.

Rail guns’ cracks filled the air as Kalu stumbled.

“Advance by Sections!” Bregend said, prompting the Platoon Commander her was embedded with to move up. They did so, advancing onto the Kalu, flopping into any cover they could find and firing again. The other platoons to either side rushed forward forming a solid line again.

Bok Soo’s platoon ambled forward and ducked into new cover.

“In Sook, I’m in the want for some artillery,” Bok Soo said, glancing to his HUD, above the dust and crap left by the nuke, MEF’s were encircling the Kalu swarms, pounding them with missiles. They were jinking, diving and shifting to screw the Kalu’s aim up while firing their own cannons.

It wasn’t one-sided, all too often the Kalu lasers combed the sky leaving the fighters nowhere to escape. Though the MEF’s had been training to fight the Kalu, they had the experience and flexibility to make their hits hurt.

While the ground forces had changed their tactics, there seemed to be none of that thought process affecting the Kalu fighters.

“Incoming,” In Sook said. Artillery batteries fired over the advancing line. Bok Soo grabbed new cover and fired into the spread out Kalu.

It was harder to kill many of them in one go now, but it also meant there were less targets for the mobile line.

They could take their time, pick their targets and move forward whereas the Kalu didn’t really have a concept of aiming. Their lasers also didn’t aim below their head, lest they shoot themselves.

Making lying in the dirt or in a crater a pretty safe position.

The Kalu weren’t the only ones that had been studying tactics.

***

“By God they’re doing it,” Gajos said, watching as the HAPA wearing Commandos and the powered armor wearing draftees moved forward, the line breaking apart, rushing forward a few meters and dropping down as the second half rushed forward, forming a new line only for it to once again go leaping forward.

It was a constant maelstrom of fire.

Artillery that had been storing their ammunition and checking their guns ranges for the last week opened up, giving the platoons cover.

People were getting caught with lasers as they ran, or having Kalu jump from behind cover onto them, but the attackers were quickly dispatched and the line continued.

Communications kept the lines together and moving like some slow avalanche.

Bok Soo hoped to reach what had been the front line seventeen days ago. That would effectively kick the Kalu out of Italy and shorten the line by a few hundred kilometers.

It was slow going but they were pushing back.

They had the numbers and fire power now.

“How many Kalu were estimated to be in the area last?” She asked.

“About seven hundred thousand, we killed two hundred and thirty it’s believed,” Gruben said anticipating her second question.

She looked to the map which showed the Kalu no further than the third line they had made when they were still on Poland’s border.

The Kalu trickled forward, trying their luck and pressing on with series of furious attacks. They needed to have camps for them to sleep and live in before they attacked. If Bok Soo could get people out there and find the camps which were hidden from the Free Fleet sensors because of the sensor dampening armor they wore. That’s when they would start cutting into the Kalu’s strength.

Gajos rubbed her face, she had her doubts about Bok Soo’s plan, there were so many moving parts, surely people would get messed up. Yet it was continuing without a hitch thus far.

The war against Kalu was far from over, but they could be beaten and they were being pushed back.

Some of the gloom from the two months lifted.

It might not be the end, but it’s a damn good start.

***

Artillery rained down on the Kalu below, not even getting into sight of the heavily fortified defenses. The artillery pieces had been hell to sight on the mountain ridges along the Western line.

Though it hadn’t put anyone off as mountains were blown up, plasmid cutters went to work and the pieces were put in their new homes. Sensors gave the artillery pieces’ crew a real-time view of their effect on target, controllers were there to dial them into the general area instead of making suggested changes on targeting.

The Fleet’s ships spun in orbit, taking up the different fire missions called in by the scouts that ranged out into the center of America and around the underground bunkers that had remained.

People were already starting to complain about the oncoming mini-ice age that all the bombardments were heralding in.

No one much cared for the comments. Earth had been going through global warming so it might even come out to having temperatures close to what it was supposed to.

Though flying in this is going to be a new pain. Monk thought sitting on a mountain range, next to an artillery battery that was happily raining hell down on advancing Kalu kilometers away.

A problem for tomorrow, today we focus on finishing this war.

His strategy was simple. If the Kalu were going to come to him, he was more than happy to wait them out. He now had the supply system worked out, shuttles were acting as the new life line, moving all of the needs from one edge of the continent down the other or across to the other side.

The artillery weakened the incoming Kalu, then mounted rail cannons, HAPA’s and people trained with powered armor and rail guns took down the rest.

There were just over five hundred thousand Kalu on the continent, not including south America which had over a million.

Monk needed to get down there, but from orbital telemetry, it showed it was a lost cause, the Kalu were ranging south and taking their time rooting people out.

“One problem at a time,” he nodded.

***

“Got movement,” Rolka said, her rifle moving to scan the oncoming Kalu.

“Xu, send up to higher, confirmed. Kalu headed towards Zhengzhou,” she said to her spotter and guide, a Chinese man from the area.

He didn’t say anything back but his hand went to his head.

“Passed on,” he said, his hand coming down. “We’re to observe and find the various commanders.”

“Alrighty,” she responded her scope moving across the Kalu body which was leaving a dust trail in their wake. She increased her zoom and started looking over the various units.

“You are clear to fire on any targets you deem to be commanders, from Salchar,” Xu said.

“Very well,” Rolka said, sighting up a Kalu bouncing around and nudging people out of their way.

She followed the motion, taking into account distance, wind, gravity breathing slowly and caressing her trigger.

The rail gun barked and a Kalu went tumbling. She found a new target, repeating the process and stroking the trigger once again.

Another rail gun in the distance fired, lasers returned fire, hitting apartment buildings, skyscrapers and anything the Kalu could see. The laser pulses cut through the buildings like they didn’t exist, setting fires and burning holes through them.

Rolka disregarded it and kept firing. Two more, feel and she started moving for her second hide.

“Xu go to your hides, might as well get some fire into them. The more shooters the more erratic their fire’s going to be,” Rolka said grabbing the elevator cable, sliding down a dozen floors before swinging out.

“I bid you a good hunt,” Xu said, continuing down the elevator shaft.

She moved into a living room, the window already open and a self-made gun rest on the table next to it. It didn’t take her long to find her next target, another Kalu went for a tumble.

***

“This is the den gathering,” the battle brothers reported as the rising dens appeared.

Orshpa grunted, and ran faster, he would bring his Kalu fighters into the den city and then move through the valleys behind the city and behind the holes in the ground.

With him a half million Kalu followed, they would end this battle.

He shook his mane in excitement, finally they would throw the Commandos to the ground and truly fight, no more of this simply pushing them back.

A number of those gathered were dying, but they were in ones and twos, nothing like the concentrated barrage of fire from above, or the large machines with guns for manipulators.

“This is but a rain against a flood, we will persevere. Rush past them and into the mountains. They wish to slow us; we will not be swayed from our path to victory!’ He yelled into every Kalu’s ear, their speed increased even as a Kalu would disappeared consistently under the feet of those behind them. In these dens were fighters, hidden from view and cowardly they killed his Kalu, focusing on his leaders.

A minor inconvenience.

***

“We have guests,” Rick said, pushing me awake.

I got on my feet taking a small dose of wake up to clear the drowsiness, following him into the kitchen-dining area that had become our command post.

A holographic map showed a moving mass of red coming from Zhengzhou, right at Xi’an. Right where I wanted them, but it was too fast, they weren’t slowing, just moving past Zhengzhou.

“Get snipers with guides and sensors up into the hills, wake up the artillery and everyone wearing armor,” I said to Rick.

“Sent out the alerts, I’ll get the snipers detailed,” Rick said.

“I’ll talk to Whorst,” I said, getting a nod back as he started talking into his helmets pickup.

“Commander?” Whorst greeted my call.

“Looks like we have company incoming, how long until you’re in position?” I asked.

“Take us thirty minutes but we can only stay on station for fifteen,” Whorst reminded me.

“We’ll follow the plan, we box them in, you drop the universe on them,” I said watching the Kalu as they slowed their pace and entered Zhengzhou no longer rushing across the massive plains which supplied China’s billion plus residents with food.

“Very well Commander,” Whorst said “Just tell me when you need me.”

“Will do,” I said, cutting the channel and heading out of the ad-hoc command center. Rick followed talking as we walked. Our protection details fell around us. The apartment we had been living in for the last couple of days was filled with movement. People rushed out into the streets where HAPA’s waited and the open areas where shuttles were doing pre-flight.

Trucks rumbled to life, their diesel engines chugging in their fuel. People moved to their positions, battle had come.

We walked out of the apartment, climbing into our HAPA’s and powering up.

“Morning Commander,” Lee said on a private channel to me.

“Morning General, seems a good day for a walk,” I said reviewing the icons that littered the mountainous region between Zhengzhou and Xi’an.

I’d hoped to use the mountains, hopefully concentrating the Kalu in one valley, but Murphy’s foot messed that up. Instead I was going to have to spread my forces, the Kalu were already splitting in Zhengzhou to head up the valleys.

“What do you think, plan Charlie?” Lee said.

“Looks like it, don’t like it, but we simply don’t know what valleys they’re coming up and don’t have the luxury of time,” I said.

Plan Charlie pushed units out to all of the mountain passes that ran from Zhengzhou to Xi’an. Being so spread out meant that we would have to inhabit the trenches that had been dug over the past couple of days. The forces couldn’t hold the Kalu back with so many Kalu bearing down on them.

They would slow, not hold. The snipers would report if the Kalu weren’t coming down certain passes and we could collapse positions into those that would have Kalu coming at them. Being a mountainous region meant they would have to go all the way back to Xi’an and then down the valleys the fighting was probably happening. Shuttles could pull them back, but they couldn’t take them forward for fear of getting shot up by the Kalu.

I started moving in my HAPA, following the already moving forces that were taking off for the valleys.

***

The accurate fire of the dens in the sky fell away as the Kalu ran along the rivers and the flat ribbons that twisted through the mountains.

Daskil felt an itch between his shoulder blades, a feeling he couldn’t shift as they continued on through the valleys.

Something is odd, he thought as they continued, he led his own pack, not wanting to look the fool he pushed the feeling away from his mind.

It didn’t disappear, instead it pulled at him, begging for him to pay attention.

He slowed his pace and looked around, searching for the issue.

It’s quiet, there are few natural creatures here, why would the prey move away? He pondered as he continued on.

Something startled them? But we haven’t been here for long enough. Someone else must have startled them. He opened his armor and smelled the air.

It was clear, he took another inhale and smelt a tang he knew the smell. It had been weeks since he smelt it.

On the front lines.

“Comman...” His words were drowned out as the black ribbon heaved, explosions tipping it and any Kalu on it, apart.

The sides of the road exploded, killing those too close.

Daskil shook his head to clear it, finding a piece of rock had cut into his snout, he closed his armor and roared into battle.

The explosions hadn’t stopped when cannon fire ripped into the forward Kalu.

“Ambush!” Daskil roared as the whistling from above started.

***

Yasu looked at the new contact that listed on her screen, she scanned the battlespace but she didn’t find it along her line. She looked up and saw it was moving from Zhengzhou to Xi’an.

Looks like James got in front of them. She thought, tension rising in her chest.

She wanted to call him and make sure he was fine, but she had a duty to do as he had his own to perform. She pushed it down and started looking at her own reports.

Soon, soon she would be the anvil for the Kalu to be smashed into.

Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, any forces Japan was able to scramble together, Russia, Mongolia and the Chinese Military had formed into a rough line. The groups were separated as hard feelings were still held be different groups.

No matter their feelings, they were marching behind the Kalu’s advance, clearing out any Kalu clans they found advancing into central and south China.

The Commandos were acting as a buffer between the forces, controlling that number of troops from all those different countries was one hell of an undertaking, without the underlying tensions.

Earth had taken their licks and beatings, they had recovered, rearmed, prepared and it led to this.

“Connolly, how is the new line looking?” Yasu asked, looking to her second.

“Construction is complete, the engineers are working to add better defenses and bunkers, but it’s ready for us,” he said, looking to her.

“This will be the last time we fall back, the last five kilometers the Kalu press forward,” Yasu said, putting down her data pad and leaning on her tac table.

“Yes Ma’am, and the Kalu are going to pay for every damned kilometer they crossed from their home planets to here,” Connolly said, his voice reassuring and cold.

She nodded, not saying anything or seeing anything. Already she knew the cost was going to be high, but with it they might end their war.

Trade my people’s lives in hope to take theirs, she thought angrily and tired.

“Let’s go and have a look over the new line,” she said gathering her strength and pushing her emotions aside, she needed to do something to keep her mind off of the fact James was probably right in the middle of the fighting to the north.

“I’ll call ahead,” Connolly said, she could see in his face that he understood, they’d worked together for so long that they seemed to think in parallel, much like Rick and James.

“Thanks,” she answered.

***

“Krom, Right!” I yelled, my throat hoarse from calling out fire on the Kalu. Thankfully they didn’t have any air support.

You idiot, don’t think of it! Never know when Murphy’s listening, I chastised myself. Rounds pinged around the boulder I was using for cover; multiple avalanches had given us something to hide behind.

Smoke was filling the valley, a river ran through it, a road up a few feet with the occasional group of houses along it. The trees and natural greenery of the land was getting mangled and not just because of the fire the weapons fire had started.

There was a group of buildings to my rear, too far for a single run.

I pushed off my boulder, heading for one closer to the buildings, lasers catching my armored ass as I slid into cover and started firing.

Sliding in a HAPA was an art form and something to never ever be done unless you needed it. By fuck did I need it. The Kalu were pushing hard, as if they could taste victory.

“Artillery danger close!” The Russian controller attached with the valley defense yelled.

“Fucking danger close that’s on my ass!” I grabbed grenades around my harness, threw the handful over the boulder and ran towards my people.

HAPA’s across the valley started running to get clear of the blast, trying to keep out of the covering fire.

Rail guns flashed in the hills which were crawling with powered armor wearing forces.

Rolling fire walked from the forward area of the Kalu in the valley, backwards.

Plants were torn and ripped, water in the river we were splashing through turned to geysers.

Then the rumbling fire cut off, the support elements firing their rounds further down the length of the valley in an attempt to slow the Kalu reaching us.

I found a building along the side of the river for cover, checking my gear. A glance told me Rick was coordinating the fire from a newly formed line of HAPA’s, Wruck got hit in the chest but was already in transit to be fixed up. Krom and Shreesht slid into the side of the house. Krom actually going through part of it.

“Fuck!” He said, coming back out of the hole he’d made.

“You trying to be the damn Kool aid man?” I said looking over the maps, the Kalu had only been paused and were pushing forward again, they were fast and good.

Facing five hundred thousand of his best, shit.

“Kool aid?” Krom asked, confused. Shreesht’s guns buzzed as he fired around the other side of the house.

“Nineties thing,” I said, concentrating on the information in front of me.

“Move, I’ll shoot.” I did so, Krom taking my place.

I looked over the valleys, we were getting pushed back everywhere, the reserves had needed to be deployed right away to bolster the forces on every pass.

While the passes made it so that less of the Kalu could attack at one time. By hitting all of the passes at the same time, we were stretched across miles, unable to bring our fire support to bear on one target and bring them to a standstill.

We were losing ground rather than getting stuck into an all out fight.

“Resilient how long can we keep them in the valleys at this rate?” I asked Krom ducking back as lasers cut past him, hitting HAPA’s on the line.

“Fuck,” Krom said, I agreed but my eyes were focused on my HUD

“Twenty-two minutes and you’re too close for them to engage the Kalu safely,” she said.

“Fuck, can you get Whorst to start burning for my position. What assets do I have in orbit?” I asked.

“Nothing in orbit can reasonably hit the Kalu without hitting you,” Resilient said, not sounding pleased with my idea.

“I need something to work with. We need to hold this line, we fall and they’ll run through the southern line,” I said, understanding that if needed we were all expendable as long as we killed the Kalu.

“James I never want to hear that kind of talk from you ever again,” Resilient said, I had never heard her that angry before.

It was like a cold bucket on my thoughts but I saw no other option.

“We need to hold this area,” I said trying to soothe Resilient’s feelings.

“Oh we can,” she said, and for the first time I heard something predatory in her voice.

“Resilient?” I asked, now confused.

“Hic Stamus James Hic Stamus, today I will not let you fight alone,” she said her words as hard and final as the armored bulkheads she resided in.

There was a thundering crack from above. I looked to see a new meteor.

“Oh you beautiful being you!” I said, her plan snapping into my mind.

***

“I think you’ve spent too much time around Salchar,” Marleen said. In Sook was busy at her station so she had taken over command of Hic Stamus.

“Well Milra, how about it?” Marleen asked.

“It’s going to be rough and I can only get us a few minutes, we’ll have to make it count,” she said.

“I’m not the only one,” Resilient said, appearing in the seat Rick usually sat at.

Marleen tapped her stomach.

“Not going to leave my boys out there,” Marleen said, opening a channel to both Chief Zor and Brusk.

“Gentlemen. We’re about to be going in for a fly-by. Seems our Commander and his Chief of Staff have got themselves in a rather shitty situation. War Station won’t be in position for another twenty-five minutes. We are going to get in close and provide accurate support fire. Resilient will be assisting but she will only last thirty seconds as she is also helping Milra in keeping the ship from letting gravity win,” Marleen said.

“Yes Ma’am,” Zor said, Brusk giving her a serious nod.

“You’ll have a minute and a half, two tops to show up those War Station gunners. I do not expect to be disappointed,” her voice folded steel. Neither of them flinched but rather nodded, serious expressions on the both of them.

“Hic Stamus’ gunner stands by ready to provide support,” Brusk said.

“Commander still owes us a couple of rounds,” Zor said.

Marleen felt her mouth twitch, the nerves in her stomach causing her to worry about Rick made it a short lasted thing.

“Run the guns till their barrel’s warp and their coolant explodes,” Marleen said.

“Aye Ma’am,” Brusk said, both he and Zor touching two fingers to their foreheads.

“I’ll leave it to you,” she replied.

“Vort, send the alerts, let Commander Whorst know that we’re going on an excursion, tie him into our sensors so his gunners have the best read possible when we move off station,” Marleen said, looking over an armrest screen that showed the left gunnery.

“Yes Commander,” Vort said bending to his work.

Marleen saw Zor’s people gather around their chief, he looked to them and talked, she could see their bodies straighten and their eyes sharpen. They were the best of the best and they had lived with Rick and Salchar for months. Seeing them in the cafeteria, talking to them in the halls, or mess.

They knew them not for the legends they had become, but for the men that lay under that thin veneer. They knew that those Commandos and countries that had rallied against the Kalu needed them now. They had stood with the Commandos and now Hic Stamus would stand with them.

Here we stand, no more, no less. Unyielding in our duty and merciless in it’s performance.

“Preparations are complete,” Ben said, his hands moving across his stations controls.

Milra would not be flying Hic Stamus by herself. They would tandem pilot the ship, her calling out orders, he correcting as he could, with Resilient helping where needed.

“All preparations across the ship have been completed,” Resilient said from her position, anticipating Marleen’s question. Marleen nodded and looked over the command staff, the levels moved with an energy they hadn’t had over the last few weeks. They had a purpose and a mission, not just the order to watch in orbit and fire orbital bombardment.

Hic Stamus was alive with purpose.

“Take us in,” Marleen said, feeling the power that radiated through the decks of the super carrier.

“Taking us in,” Milra said, hers and Ben’s hands moving as the ship tilted to cut through Earth’s atmosphere.

“I have a Kalu swarm heading for Xi’an,” Walf reported as the ship’s engines forced them from geo-synchronous orbit.

“My people can look after that,” Heston reported from his place as Wing commander. They had a full compliment of MEF’s aboard as Henry Classed Destroyers were running to Drvntrni and the Kuruvian Empire to gather more Commandos for Bregend.

“Very well Commander,” Marleen said.

Sensor information started populating the forward screen, showing the valleys that ran from Zhengzhou to Xi’an.

Hic Stamus started to shake as it entered atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere and gravity was much higher than Chaleel’s. This entry would take considerable skill.

I’m not carrying this mission based on emotion? Marleen thought, questioning her reasoning.

No, I have the best damned crew and they know their jobs. Yes, it might be Rick down there, but this is a mission they can do. Without risk there is no reward. Salchar can do the crazy on the daily, this is pretty damned sane compared to some of the things he’s pulled off! She smiled at her own inner thoughts, knowing she was trying to push the nerves and tensions that played inside her head.

Hold on, we’re coming.

***

“Oh yes! Oh fucking yes!” I said, turning my head to my HUD. I needed to get people moving and fast.

“All scouts, pull back to our lines as fast as you can. Move it! Fast as you can!” I barked, switching channels.

“Rick, you look after the artillery, I’ll talk to Lee. Seems your wife doesn’t like being left out,” I said, adrenaline fueling me. I clicked off, knowing he would see to it as I called up Lee.

“I need you to pull everyone that doesn’t have powered armor back to Xi’an as fast as damned possible,” I said.

“That will leave us weak on the lines though,” Lee said, confused and digging in his heels.

“We have support showing up, the kind that nothing is going to like unless it’s armored and a few kilometers away,” I said, pulling up a firing plan, we needed to make room between the forward lines and the Kalu.

I was pushed to the side a lasers cut across the wall. Shreesht got hit in his leg but his armor started looking after him and he stood up.

“We need to move!” Krom said, breaking into my channel with Lee.

“Yeah,” I said, sending my half-completed plan off to Rick, getting back to my feet.

“Shreesht, you move first!” I said, moving to his side of the building.

“Got it. Moving,” he said. Now was not the time to argue, I had been too wrapped up in planming that Id failed to how close the Kalu actually were.

I fired a burst around the side of the house, tracking a Kalu running up a small incline and diving back down. My rounds caught him before he jumped on the road. Others were moving side to side as they advanced.

I hate it when they start learning!

“In position, pull back to me!” Shreesht yelled. Krom and I used the building for cover, shifting side to side to screw up the Kalu’s aim.

We slid down the embankment we were in, dropping onto the sides of the river behind a boulder.

The Kalu seemed to have figured out where our position had been. Too bad for them that and artillery barrage started coming down.

“Move it!” Rick barked, my HUD pinged, he’d finished completing my fire plan.

We’d only have one chance at it. Krom, Shreesht and I didn’t need anymore encouragement, we rushed through the river, water splashing over our armor, yellows turned to reds as Kalu got some hits on our backsides. If we’d been using human rounds with gunpowder charges we would have gone up in fireballs.

Thankfully our rounds were inert and the HAPA’s we ran towards fired over us.

We rushed up an embankment and into new cover behind some more avalanche debris.

“We need to fire now,” Rick said.

“All HAPA’s get a clean sight-line for your missiles. As soon as they hit, start running to the rear,” I said.

I got greens and my HUD started registering that my people’s missiles packs were up and ready. I automated the firing plan, pushing back from cover, putting it between me and the boulder.

The valleys filled with a new kind of smoke, thousands of missiles arching into the air and plunging back down.

***

“Take cover their clouds are coming!” Orshpa said, listening to his own words and diving into an outcrop of rocks.

The clouds erupted into creation, rolling down the valley with their destruction.

“They have no more clouds, charge, take them!” Orshpa said, rushing out of his cover and seeing the large machines actually running from him and his primes.

“They run, they are broken, fall on them now, bring them to battle!” Orshpa ran faster and faster, gaining on the HAPA’s his lasers bored through one’s back, it turned firing and then continued on. Not waiting to present battle.

A shadow passed overhead.

Orshpa looked to it. He knew that shape, he had seen it on his scanners many times.

It was their leader Salchar’s ship, Hic Stamus, he fired at the ship.

As if it had sensed him, the ship responded. PDS left lines across the valleys, hitting multiple from it’s vantage point. The rail cannons bellowed, the valley coming apart in fire that the whistling rounds had not been able to match.

Lasers lashed out at the ship, Kalu fighters Orshpa had called on, coming to the fight.

Missiles ripple fired along the length of the ship, piercing the Kalu fighter swarm, the explosions rocked the very air around Orshpa.

“Press on, we will close with the Commandos!” Orshpa said, only to see his people disappear as rounds turned the valley into a pockmarked mess.

Rocks exploded and dirt was thrown into the air. Orshpa had never seen anything like this kind of destruction up close.

I wonder if this is what it looked like on Chaleel?

***

“I have expended my processing speed. I need time,” Resilient said, sounding damned tired to Brusk’s ear.

“You’ve done a fine job my girl,” he said, meaning it, she made a chief gunner proud. “We’ll take it from here.” He looked at the teams that were running around, replacing the guns that had been mangled in entry and keeping other guns active.

“Alright, Resilient’s shown us how it’s done, now it’s our turn to get these damned guns back online and on target! I want walking fire across those valleys, make a wall of rounds that no Kalu can cross!” He yelled jumping into an empty gunner’s seat, using the controls to bring him on target.

“We good Vop?” Brusk asked the tech looking over the gun’s readouts.

“Good!” The tech said, slapping his back.

“Firing!” Brusk said, seeing the look of terror on the tech’s face as he realized who he’d slapped.

Might have a chance being a gunner sometime in the future, Brusk thought, walking fire up the valley, then started roving from side to side, stopping the Kalu’s advance. Other cannons looked to clear up to where he was holding them.

His gun clanked, the noise all too familiar to his senses.

“Jam!” Vop said, grabbing the belt that fed the gun, pulling it out completely and replacing it. Ammunition fed into the new belt, Vop turning to a crew needing help swapping barrels out.

“In!” Brusk said, firing.

“That’s it baby, time to rock and roll,” Brusk said to himself, a gunner reaching down with Zeus’ own bolt.

***

“Keep moving!” I yelled.

“We are well out of the range of your ship’s guns,” Lee said, sounding confused.

“We’re out of Hic Stamus, but not War Station! Move it Lee!” I barked, no room for discussion.

HAPA’s continued our ambling, I could see the timer running down, faster than I thought possible.

My eyes flicked to War-station.

Come on, come on. I kept moving as MEF’s and Kalu fighters fought in the skies above, streaks of PDS, missiles and lasers clashed into chaos.

***

“How long until we’re on target?” Whorst said, tension running through every fiber of his body.

“Five minutes,” Peck said.

“Hic Stamus is starting to move off of position,” Dallaho said.

Whorst and Richter shared a look.

“Frankeuw, what can we hit the Kalu with now?” Whorst asked.

Frankeuw paused, Whorst sensed something behind those eyes.

“What?” Whorst snapped.

“Missiles,” he said, looking as if the very word was distasteful. “If we use them then anything in those valleys is going to be killed, anything. Not even our armor can stop the shock waves that will be going down there, they’ll be funneled through the valley, every explosion adding to the destruction,” Frankeuw explained.

“I could get a few shots on-target, it’s going to take a lot of computing as we’re going through some atmosphere and we have various engines working to compensate. Being part of the system I can change the lines of fire on the fly as new movement comes into effect,” Devastahli said.

Whorst looked at him, knowing the shot would be like shooting for a pinhole while on a glider in a hurricane. War Station didn’t look to be moving much, but there were fifteen people just concentrating on keeping the station out of Earth’s lower atmosphere. They were firing what were the equivalent of Destroyer classed engines to correct the vessel’s position every few seconds, adding to the vibrations of the ship which was already pushing around Earth as fast as possible. Then there was gravity, atmosphere, the curvature of the Earth, speed the round left the gun at.

“Do it,” Whorst said. “Take any computing power you need from systems we don’t have,” Whorst said.

“Yes Commander,” Devastahli said, bowing his head to Whorst.

His cloak disappeared and a Slevaran wearing powered armor stood there larger than a Dovark or Avarian with red eyes that turned to the main screens.

Nothing happened for a few seconds and then PRC’s started firing, not one or two, but whole batteries.

Each of those vibrations moved the other guns, a few millimeters off of target here, could be kilometers down on Earth.

Whorst trusted Devastahli, his eyes watching as those red markers disappeared into Earth’s atmosphere and headed on their paths towards

***

“Run! Shit, fuck, goddamit!” Salchar yelled, somehow staying standing even as he stumbled. They were rushing through the city that ran along the road through the valley. The residents had left long ago. Leaving fields of dead crops and an eerie feeling that clung to the city.

“We’re already running,” Rick said.

“Yeah, but Devastahli wasn’t trying to thread the damned needle with his batteries!” Salchar said.

“Fuck, run you bastards!” Rick said, HAPA’s pushed as fast as they could, following the trucks and transports out of the valley.

The first rounds landed, Rick used his HUD to see behind him.

They came in like darts, barely realizing that they were there before dirt exploded into the air, the ground rumbled against the treatment and pressure waves of air slapped the fleeing forces. A few stumbled and fell. A few trucks rising up. HAPA’s pushed them back onto the road as those that had fallen down got their feet under them and kept up their retreat.

***

Whorst’s faith was rewarded as round after round obliterated farm land, cities, lakes, mountains. Not one of them hitting the Free Fleet personnel running their asses off to get the hell out of the valleys the Kalu had followed them through.

“Be in position in minutes,” Peck reported.

“As soon as we’re in position and the guns have clear sights they’re free to fire,” Whorst said, sharing a look with Frankeuw.

“Yes Commander,” the man said talking into his microphone.

War-station was now swinging around to slow it’s advance, Dev just changed guns he was firing from, keeping up his unholy and devilishly accurate barrage.

Whorst let out a dry laugh, looking at the forces that must be running as fast as damned possible to get the hell out of the way.

More batteries started firing as Whorst watched Hic Stamus powering out of Earth’s atmosphere and gravity well.

Battery after battery fired rounds screaming through atmosphere and racing through Earth’s skies and into it’s ground. The impacts were visible even from orbit.

The force at Xi’an had held the line and pulled the Kalu in close, bleeding for Whorst’s chance to bring his weapons to bear.

***

Orshpa looked at the valley’s they had been pummeled, the farmyards now craters.

He looked at his once mighty host, they raced in any direction they thought afforded the greatest cover, he had been drawn in by the Commandos. He had thought to fight them with tooth and claw.

Once again they had tricked him.

Debris from a rock pierced his side, dropping him to the ground in pain.

Realization and peace came over him. He would die and his fleets would die. Yet he had written his names in history. He would be in defeat, but he dared any that might question it to fight the Free Fleet.

“Come on then, end this battle, end my story. I am ready for rest,” Orshpa said, pain making his voice weak.

He thought he saw something arcing through the sky.

Kinetic energy turned into destructive energy and Orshpa, clan leader of Oltali, war leader of the Second teaching war passed into the annals of history.

***

I looked over what had been the valleys from Xi’an to Zhengzhou.

“Everyone is accounted for; shuttles are already moving people back to the lines tot he south. Yasu is almost ready to begin her attacks,” Rick said, his helmet off as he sat down with me.

“Hard to think that this morning we went into a fight with half a million Kalu, and now all that’s left of them is that,” I said gesturing at the smoking craters that filled the valley. From our vantage point on the side of a mountain it was a testament of the destruction sentients could bring down on one another.

“Yeah,” Rick said, sighing, I could hear the nerves and tension behind his voice. He didn't need to tell me that he had been scared, I could recognize it. I heard that tone all too often in my own voice.

“Sometimes I’m not sure about the decision we’ve made,” I said, leaving myself unguarded, I considered Rick one of my best friends, a brother even. Yet there always people around, people that I had to prop up, to push on.

“We didn’t take the easy path, but we took the right one,” Rick said with confidence.

I looked to him, seeing the truth in his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah we did,” I said, looking over the valley, seeing Holt who had been joking just yesterday to try and remove some of the doom and gloom before the battle.

Jello, a Kuruvian that had had been having a friendly argument about rail cannons and plasma cannons while playing a game of chess. Donkur, a Sarenmenti from Hachiro that had started a game of soccer.

I closed my eyes, seeing faces, remembering moments, or even passing glances, a nod, a smile, a laugh.

I took a breath and stood, my body weary and my soul tearing.

“Let’s get to the south lines, they’re going to need us,” I said, putting my hand on Rick’s shoulder, resting it there for a moment before I moved to my HAPA. New armor plate had been welded on and burn holes could be seen on it’s armored back, but like me it was functional.

I waited for Rick to get into his machine. We met Krom and Shreesht down the hill, Wruck was waiting for us back on the south lines.

Together we headed for the farmland turned shuttle pick up.

Chapter Slow and Steady

It had been a week since they had begun their advance, they had moved the line forward some two hundred kilometers, moving back into to Poland’s border, through the Czech Republic and Austria until it hit the Italian-Slovenia border.

“How are our rebuilding efforts coming along?” Gajos asked. Bok Soo sat in an odd looking bunker, too tall for humans and wide enough to park a few cars in. Perfect for a HAPA to prop its guns in the window and fire at any Kalu they saw.

“Slowly but surely,” Bok Soo said, sounding only half-focused on the conversation. “Shit got a racer. Chenko, coming your way!” Bok Soo barked as his cannons fired. They were outside the bunker so all their volume was expended outside instead of into Gajos’ ear drums.

There was a scratching noise above.

“Got a Kalu on the roof!” Bok Soo yelled, there was a wet noise, behind Gajos.

Bok Soo turned, seeing Gajos and a Kalu behind her.

“Move Gajos!” Bok Soo yelled, moving.

He pushed her away with one cannon, but the Kalu was on him before he could fire the other.

“Sounvabitch!” Bok Soo yelled twisting to try and get the Kalu off of him, the bastards were stuck in, and his mouth was scratching his helmet.

His right hand found his shotgun, he pulled it up but couldn’t’ bring it against the Kalu, he fired along the Kalu’s body the plasma cutting into the armor and making the Kalu buck frantically in pain. It pushed back readying itself for another lunge.

It gave Bok Soo the room he needed, putting his shotgun against the Kalu’s chest, where it’s manipulators were. He fired, yelling his anger at the creature, cranking on the lever action and firing. The Kalu fell off the HAPA, leaving scratches in it. Bok Soo grabbed his left control arm, his cannon dropping to the Kalu’s level as he pulled the trigger.

The Kalu bucked backwards, it’s helmet and forward section of it’s body a mess.

“Fucker,” Bok Soo said, looking to Gajos who lay on the floor.

“So what did you want to know?” Bok Soo asked.

“Waah?” She asked, her eyes confused.

“What did you want to know?” Bok Soo asked again.

“I can’t hear you, must’ve blown my ears out you asshole!” She said, getting to her feet. Bok Soo could see the blood around her ears.

Ouch.

“I need a medic, might have some blown out eardrums,” Bok Soo said on the medical channel.

“Medic on their way, two minutes,” someone responded, the channel cutting.

Gajos was trying to pop her ears but wasn’t having much luck. Her eyes looking to burn through Bok Soo’s fair face.

The medic entered the room, looking around.

“Blew the Generals ears out I think,” Bok Soo said.

“Hmm.” The medic pushed her hands out of the way.

“Alright, I’m going to need you to lie down,” the medic said. Bok Soo saw the needle they grabbed from their pack.

“I’m going to make sure the area is clear,” Bok Soo said, returning to the bunker’s firing slit where three other Commandos were also lying in wait.

“Something the matter boss?” Gurek asked.

“Seems the general might be in for a bit of hellfire treatment,” Bok Soo said.

“Oh shit,” Thompson laughed. “She is going to be pissed.”

“Thanks genius,” Bok Soo said, glancing back on his HUD.

The medic had a confused looking Gajos lying on the floor, then quick as a cobra they struck, and emptied the needle into the general.

“She’ll be fine, tell me if you need anything else,” the medic said. Obviously not wanting to deal with an irate general they’d just dumped hell fire into.

“Sure thing doc,” Bok Soo said, his HUD recognized his eyes tracking back to Gajos.

Ohh, she does not look happy.

He went back to the all important work of killing Kalu. Their plan was elegant in their simplicity, now that they had pushed back the Kalu they were setting up along their old lines, reinforcing them and letting the Kalu smash their way to oblivion.

Just as Monk was doing with the Kalu along the East and Western coasts, minus the bands of resistance where bunker cities fought.

Everything past Bok Soo’s line to India was wiped out. As long as they stayed still the Kalu seemed intent on running at their lines again and again.

“Bok Soo!” Gajos said, bringing him back to the moment in a rather violent way.

“Ma’am it’s good to see you’re okay,” Bok Soo said, glancing to her.

He saw her pushing off of the floor, looking every bit as tired as he felt.

“Cover my sector,” Bok Soo said, he got a green from Gurek as he moved to Gajos, he let his control arms fall as he grabbed a needle from a leg pouch and held it out.

“The hells that?”

“Just simple wake-up, takes the fatigue off of the hell fire,” he said.

She sighed and took it, stabbing it into her leg, it went off like an epi-pen and she seemed to straighten with energy.

She checked the needle point was away and put it in her pocket. Leaving needles around was a sure way to spread some nastiness.

“Next time, a bit of warning before you blow out my eardrums,” she said.

“Yes ma’am,” Bok Soo said.

“And stop with the ma’am shit, I’m not that old,” she growled.

“Very well Gajos,” Bok Soo said, seeing that they were back on level ground.

“Nice work regardless,” she said, looking to the dead Kalu. “Now I wanted to know what our progress was looking like and to talk to you about these ‘hunter teams’ you want to field,” she said.

Bok Soo moved his HAPA to one side, powered it down and grabbed his rifle, re-holstering his shotgun and jumping down.

“Let’s walk and talk shall we?” Bok Soo said, guiding her back outside into the trench system, overhead cover was being put in, great slabs of concrete and armor plating cut off the light from overhead.

Machine guns were being put on the second and third lines that would not only fire over the front trenches, but hit anything that was trying to get passed the armored overhead slabs.

“The bunkers are mostly up, we’re working on getting lines set up and having more permanent positions for the ammunition and necessary supplies up here. Over head cover should be done in two days’ time to the second trench lines. Should have lighting in here about the same time,” Bok Soo said, moving along the trench that was made big enough to fit two HAPA’s running in opposite directions.

“So everything should be done in two days?” Gajos asked, the line ran for fifteen hundred kilometers, bunkers had appeared in hours, the trenches had already been dug and the Kalu hadn’t done anything to remove them.

The first bunkers had been crude creations, but enough space sealant had turned them from dugouts into black pillboxes with firing slots.

“Yeah it looks like, fingers crossed,” Bok Soo said.

“So what about these hunter teams?” She said, turning to him, they moved out of the main trench were people were moving supplies, there was lots of warm food and drink being passed around. Some people were just taking a stroll.

“Comes from an Avarian idea. Right now they have people who know the land, pissing off the Kalu. The Commandos wait in defensive positions, the Avarians hunting party brings the Kalu down their ambush and the Commandos pile fire into the Kalu, artillery support, rail guns, the works. I know its effective and I know it will be effective here.” He held up a hand stalling the argument he already saw forming on her lips.

“I don’t think humans are going to be running around there and luring Kalu, but if we can get people out there with communications, a long range sight and a guide. They can scout Kalu positions and call in fire. We start hitting them where they’re living,” Bok Soo said.

Gajos tapped her foot in thought, looking up at the grey clouds above, the rain had paused for a few minutes.

“We’ll do a starter run. If it works out then I’ll see about getting you more guides,” she said, looking to Bok Soo.

“Very well. I’ll have the spotters ready when you need them,” he replied.

“Good, now I’m going to take a walk of the bunkers, care to join me?” She asked.

“Always happy to have a little wander,” Bok Soo said with a smile.

***

“The caommander needs help an’ you think to drive our asses thru atmosphere and hang in the darned sky like some damned shuttle an’ you don’t even think to let me kno yer doing it!” Eddie said, in his bad western country drawl, his hands on his toolbelt and his cowboy hat firmly affixed to his head.

His manipulators showing his annoyance.

“We didn’t really have time to...” Marleen said, wishing she could sink into the Commander’s chair.

“Pick up a line, an say, we’re gonna do summin real stupid! All it woulda taken lassie! Might have been able to keep some of the sensor nodes you scraped off the hull!” He said shaking a hand at her.

“Umm, sorry?” Marleen said.

“Better! Now I’m going to be pulling the Gunners and anyone you can spare to do a complete check of the entire hull, all thrusters, engines, sensor arrays, gun mounts, hangar doors. There ain’t no telling what kind of warpin’ an’ damage we got goin on out there,” Eddie said, thoughtful

A sensor controller groaned.

Eddie pulled his boot off and threw it at the controller. Everyone was wearing powered armor and it thunked off of the controller’s helmet, getting a surprised shriek.

“I won’t be havin’ none of that slacker talk!” Eddie said, the boot coming back to his hand.

Sometimes I wonder where the hell Eddie came from. Kuruvians are surprised by him as much as we are!

“You’ll have the techs. I want at least some of the guns checked and cleared as operational by both your people and the gunners. Might need them for orbital strikes,” Marleen said.

“Very well, but imma need those volunteers snappish. Not one to sit around on my thumbs when there’s work to be done!” Eddie said, turning and leaving the bridge.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen him on the bridge,” Vort said as the armored doors closed behind Eddie.

“Unless we want to see him climb out of an air duct, we’d best get him those volunteers,” Marleen said sighing. There’s nothing quite like having your chief engineer coming in and berating you about throwing his ship through Earth’s atmosphere to wake you up.

She looked to her screens.

The lines had been formed and were holding. Kalu continued to throw themselves at the defenses but even they seemed to be losing steam. It was believed that Orshpa and most of his command element had been killed through the actions between Xi’an and Zhengzhou.

Hunter groups were moving out into the field, finding underground dens to call penetrator rounds on from the rail gun artillery.

Sensor controllers and commanders combed reams of information looking to find the dens from the skies.

They were systematically eradicating any indication of the Kalu being on Earth.

The people of Earth had adapted and adjusted to their new situation.

Already the Free Fleet were starting to take back some of their powered armor and rail guns. The Kalu’s back had been broken and there was little chance of them getting to the civilians behind the lines now.

Forced rest was given to those that had been going for weeks with naps, an unhealthy amount of wakeup and nearly constant combat.

Shuttles brought wounded up to the fleet’s medical bays to have the medical chairs work on them, or get lost limbs replaced.

It seemed that people were starting to understand that they were human. They had to look to one another for strength, borders made them weaker. There was still ingrained hatred in many places. But fighting against a common enemy had brought nations and people closer together more so than ever before. Countries that hated one another had no options but to fight alongside one another, or they had been swept aside by Kalu.

Nations had fallen, governments and people wiped out as the Kalu roamed across the world. Prejudices meant that people died in massive numbers, without working together they fell apart. Only the largest of nations had survived enforcing their borders.

New lines were forming across Costa Rica; the southern countries had fought amongst one another as much as with the Kalu. No one had been willing to put their people into that kind of fight. Lines stretches across the north and south of Africa kept the Kalu contained in the central plains. They enjoyed the temperatures and weren’t interested in going too much south or north.

Because they were not fighting against the hardened lines they grouped together, into nice dens that the Free Fleet were systematically bombing from orbit.

Mars was already rebuilding, Hachiro had been repaired, three of Nancy’s slips were operational as the remainder were being brought online.

Sol was rebounding, it was estimated there were less than two million Kalu across Earth, that number decreasing by tens of thousands or more per day.

As soon as all the lines were completed then the Free Fleet would be leaving five ships to hold the orbitals, they would spread over the planet in orbit while the remainder of the Free Fleet assets pulled out.

They weren’t needed, Earth could hold their own borders.

If they wanted the Free Fleet to clear their planet, then they were going to have to offer something to the Free Fleet.

It had been a long campaign, but it was coming to an end.

Many would be shipped off to Daestramus where Bregend was preparing to clear the cities.

HCD’s were just days away from dropping off the reinforcements from the Kuruvian Empire and surrounding systems that had a Commando presence.

Marleen wondered if Bregend would wait, or start clearing the cities before the reinforcements from Sol reached him.

He would nearly double his Commando numbers with the incoming reinforcements.

She sighed, standing and stretching.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be on the hull with a scanner looking at damage,” she said.

“Understood,” Vort answered from his place.

Marleen felt some of the tension leave her shoulders, checking the hull would do good to clear her mind.

***

Cheerleader watched Henry terrorizing the sensor techs, he was now up and running about. Something that had gotten him into trouble more than a few times.

It was hard to scold the boy; his energy was infectious.

Someone in the sensor pit caught him, he giggled and tried to free himself.

Cheerleader didn’t know how much she needed that smiling face of innocence until she’d been around it for a few days. The depression that had been setting in was pushed away.

As she looked at him and the people of the station she consoled the loss of so many amazing people. They had died, and it pained her deeply, she had cried herself to sleep more than once thinking of the faces she would never see again, or the conversations she could imagine never happening.

Yet here, amongst all that destruction, that brutality, there was life. From their lives children would be able to grow up, people could live their lives in peace.

Cheerleader had stood and weathered the storm that was the Kalu invasion. It had changed her more than she had thought possible. She was no longer the girl Kang In Sook that had joined Mecha Tail to play video games against the best. She was Fleet Commander Cheerleader, the woman that had thrown herself and her fleet into the teeth of the Kalu time and time again, finally coming to the battle of Quarst where all too many of those ships had died, gaining time for reinforcements to attack the Kalu.

Too many people had died across star systems, and on planets that were not their own. They were called by duty, called by the need to protect lives, no matter the shape they came in.

The last freighters were being filled with Commandos and equipment at Ershue, they would be coming home to Parnmal. They had done their duty and more.

All too many had appointments with the stations medical facilities.

Inkal’s trader fleet had returned to their home planet and reverted to the business of shipping goods across Union space. Henry Classed Destroyers with their incredible speed and short rest times between multiple wormhole transitions were moving troops, the rest of the freighters were quickly getting back to shifting the supplies recovering planets needed.

Cheerleader was now spending more time accepting trading contracts than working out where ammunition and supplies vital to the war effort were going.

The war was coming to an end. Earth was getting new lines that would hold the Kalu in position until Earth cleared them out, or got someone else to do it.

Daestramus was gearing up for their final offensives and the Universe around them was rushing to get back to normal.

These people had gone through the first war against the Kalu, then the oppression of some hopped up criminals, and then the Kalu had returned again. They were only now getting back to being free.

The universe wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t kind, but they had survived and they were looking to building a future.

Even if three planets were still battling Kalu on their surfaces, it seemed that they had trust in the Free Fleet to finish the job.

She looked over Parnmal’s massive hologram which showed the ships moving around the station. The yards were more active than ever and ships were plying their ways along the trade routes of Parnmal.

She flicked to the markets. People had returned and those that had stayed throughout the hostilities were welcoming them back. Business was booming and the Union was getting back on their feet.

It reminded her of the second world war when Germany had surrendered. Japan was still being a royal pain in the ass and troops were being re-trained and shifted from Europe to Japan’s area of operations.

The Japanese were still a large threat, but America knew that they could win. They had plans, and finally the manpower to strike back.

The same went for the Free Fleet, they had the people, the plans and they were closing in on the Kalu’s throat.

“Incoming contacts reading as Independent Kalu,” Wast said from his position at sensors, while Monk had left, his command staff had remained.

She could hear the tension in his voice.

“Open a channel with Kalvin,” Cheerleader said.

“Yes Commander,” Hulio said.

A few moments later the main screen showed the inside of a star-warrior and Kalvin over the odd chairs that rested under his body.

“Commander Cheerleader,” Kalvin said, his voice tense.

“No need of that Commander between friends Kalvin,” she said with a smile.

“Very well, Cheerleader,” he said, bowing his head slightly.

“I see that you’ve come to take me up on that offer of a drink. I was hoping that you’d forgot,” she said, smiling to make it clear she was joking.

“Well you did say that Parnmal had some of the finest spirits in the known universe. One such as myself could not possibly give up on such a fine invitation,” Kalvin said, relaxing.

“It will be good to meet. We will transmit landing procedures, let me know once you’re situated and we can go grab that drink. I am sure that my master of trade will be interested in talking to your traders,” Cheerleader said.

‘I hope that we can find some materials of value. The people of the Union have many items my people are intrigued by. The ‘art’ Min Hae shared with us was of great interest. It has started something of a movement,” Kalvin said, sounding amused. Cheerleader laughed.

Of course Min Hae got them interested in art, a race that has been fighting for millennia, now a bunch of artists! Not to dissimilar to many of the races in the Union.

“We must talk of this more, it sounds like there might be an interesting story to it,” Cheerleader said.

“Quite, my own daughter has taken up this ‘art’ I think mostly to annoy me,” Kalvin groaned.

Henry made some noises looking at the screen, Kalvin’s eyes shifted as he saw the boy.

“Who is this fine child?” He asked, any hardness to his features softening, the Independents looked after their children with a community sense, gone were the fights for survival, every child was precious to them.

“This is Henry, our resident rabble rouser, my nephew,” she said as the boy tried to scale the view screen.

“Seems like quite the lively fellow,” Kalvin said, his body rumbling with laughter.

“You have no idea,” Cheerleader sighed.

“With seventeen grandchildren I may have a little more experience in that arena than you’d guess,” Kalvin said with a smile.

“Seventeen? Your family has been a busy one!” Cheerleader said, it was hard to see the Kalu as not only a father but grandfather.

“Why thank you, it is a rather lively den back home. Might be the reason I find myself so far from it so often. Though my mate always calls me back, and for some reason enjoys my company even after my long voyages,” Kalvin said.

“I would love to meet them some time,” Cheerleader said.

“We would be happy to have you,” Kalvin bowed his head. Cheerleader returned the gesture. “Now I also have a need to talk to Min Hae, will he be available?” Kalvin asked.

“Yes, he should be around, if not I’ll go pull him from his various computer screens,” she assured Kalvin.

“Will Ashota be available, Deltai also wishes to speak with him,” Kalvin said.

“Father!” An outraged voice said from the side.

“It is the truth is it not?” He said, looking to where the voice had come from.

There was growling from the side, but no words.

“I’ll make sure they are available to meet,” Cheerleader said.

“Thank you Cheerleader, my people are following the guides and locks given to us, we will be within your safety perimeter in a few hours,” Kalvin said.

“See you shortly then,” she said nodding to him slightly. He returned the gesture and closed the channel.

“We haven’t even beaten the Kalu and then the Independents are already showing up,” Hulio complained.

“I will not have that talk coming from you or anyone else,” Cheerleader said, her cold voice making Hulio snap to attention in his seat.

“They were oppressed by the traditionalists much like creatures of the Union were oppressed by the Syndicate. They have fought along side us and lost a good number of people in aiding us. They took a major risk in helping us and have worked to give us the tactics necessary so that we could bleed the Kalu as they moved from system to system and even the ground combat. They are the Free Fleet’s allies and we are lucky to have them,” Cheerleader said, her speech for everyone, not just Hulio.

“Yes Commander!” Hulio said.

“If it was not for Kalvin and the Independents then we would have not got so many Henry Classed Destroyers active, we would not have kept the Kalu from attacking the people that call Quarst home. We would be fighting another war to destroy the Kalu traditionalists ships.

While we were fighting the Kalu in our space, the independents were making sure that the traditionalists didn’t start building another war-fleet.

They might share the same features as the traditionalists, but they are our friends and allies, the people that protected our backs so that we could fight without fear of the Kalu coming in behind our defenses. If anyone has anything to say against the Independents, then they can bring their issues up with me.

As no one knows what the Free Fleet went through unless they stood beside them in the trenches, the batteries and engine rooms of our fleet, we cannot know what happened with the Independents,” Cheerleader said, looking around the command center, all eyes were looking and listening to her.

“Hulio, connect me with Min Hae and Ashota. Akatski, could you make a reservation for dinner between the Kalu independents and ourselves?” Cheerleader asked, dialing down the tension on the command center, people continued moving for their tasks. Cheerleader knew there would be those that blamed the independents, it was ineveitable.

She also knew how Min Hae and herself had been working to stop that prejudice from forming. It would be a hard battle, but one that could bring the Kalu Independents and Free Fleet together.

With Min Hae’s plans for the future that alliance would need to be strong, anger and prejudice would only make the Free Fleet weak.

Her speech would be making it’s rounds across the station and beyond, she hoped the Free Fleet was strong enough to look past their anger at the Kalu traditionalists and see the paw the Independents were stretching out in peace.

The Independents were all too aware of the anger that might come back on them. They were new to this open universe. They were scared of being pushed back. They learned so much from the people they’d already met.

Their extended offer was like a child offering their half-completed art to someone they looked up to. They were full of hope and innocence, if that paw was slapped away then it might break them as a people, making them turn away from the other sentient races.

Cheerleader wanted to see them grow up like Henry Cook, to watch with wonder and a smile as they matured.

She had enough of war, now she wanted to build something instead of destroy it.

Chapter Time to End This

“So what do you think?” Narvu asked Bregend after his little presentation on what would hopefully be their biggest and last action on Daestramus.

“I think we’re rested, fed, armed, reinforced, and ready,” Bregend said, looking to Narvu and the other commanders around the conference room, both in person and on their own view screens from their outposts.

“Our reinforcements will be dropping on us in a matter of hours. I say we form up and use those shuttles against the Kalu. We go with your plan, use the shuttles and go right in through the cities landing pads. It’s going to be a close and dirty fight, powered armor for close quarters, HAPA’s in support and clearing out the larger areas, go with high explosive missiles instead of nukes, a few of those and we’ll bring the damned place down on ourselves.

“There aren’t many of the Kalu fighters left, only a few hundred, maybe even less. MEF’s should take them out with prejudice as we focus on taking the cities one at a time. If we push the Kalu outside, then that’s fine. They can’t survive in these temperatures or environment as we’ve seen.

“We’re ready for this,” Bregend said, seeing the agreement in the other commanders, not one of them would have agreed if they didn’t feel the same way, there was no ‘going with the flow’. You did the best by your people no matter what. Even if it made you cross horns with Salchar yourself, that criticism could save lives.

Bregend looked back to Narvu, the man had gone from being the figurehead of the Daestramus Commandos, to their leader over the past few weeks, aging in years in only months.

Those hard eyes looked to the holographic image of the curved base of the city-tower Ekal, it led up to the sky and the massive missshapen heat vent from the city, which was being turned into a laser-cano. Landing pads sprouted from the tower’s sides.

Gashes and holes released heat vapor from where the Kalu had hit Ekal’s covering, or where they had crashed through it to breach the city.

“Alright, let’s go clear these Kalu out of Ekal,” he said, the view screens and command center got into motion, orders were being passed and people were being organized.

They had planned for this operation for weeks, holing up in their outposts and waiting for enough reinforcements to leave protection details behind as they started clearing out the cities.

The Kalu’s attacks were all but nonexistent now. Daestramus had drained their batteries and their armor couldn’t keep them warm for more than a couple of hours before they needed to retreat back to the cities.

“Zoka, change the reinforcement’s flight plans. They’ll be going direct to Ekal. I’m going to need shuttles moved to staging positions for the loading of personnel. How long till birds are in place to transport and how long until the reinforcements hit Ekal?” Bregend asked, standing up from his seat.

“Shuttles will be there within ten minutes, ready to go as soon as they’re loaded. I’ll get a time estimate on the reinforcements. I’m thinking around two and a half hours roughly,” Zoka said.

“Good, get it done,” Bregend replied.

“Yes sir.” Zoka cut the channel.

“We’re ready right?” Narvu asked Bregend as he got close, his voice low enough so only Bregend could hear.

“We’re ready,” Bregend assured Narvu, looking into his eyes.

“Good,” Narvu nodded.

Narvu led the way out of the conference room, following after the other Commanders that called the base home. They were already talking to their various sections.

“Shuttles are leaving the fleet and heading to pick up positions,” Vela said.

“Good, while I’m gone Lofa will be in command,” Narvu said. No one raised any eyebrows or countered the command. “Let’s see if we can’t take back our cities from these bastards.”

Hard faces and eyes showed their agreement as Narvu marched out of the command center.

Bregend followed, sealing his helmet.

A message appeared from Zoka. The reinforcements would be on the ground in two hours and ten minutes.

Bregend passed the message onto Narvu who closed his helmet as well.

“See you on the other side,” Bregend said as they came to a corridor, he needed to go and grab his HAPA, he would be leading them while Narvu was leading the powered armor wearing Commandos.

“Good luck brother,” Narvu said, holding out his hand.

Bregend wrapped the smaller man up in a hug.

“You too brother, look after yourself,” Bregend said, releasing him and heading for his armored beast.

He linked to it, running start-ups and checking the status of his people, they were moving from yellow to green. Getting into their HAPA’s and powering them up. He saw a number of them moving out of the armories and towards the massive armored doors that rolled open to allow their passage. Powered armor wearing Commandos were formed up into blocks their commanders talking to them as others passed them. The outposts exterior passages were a sea of motion.

The Free Fleet war machine ambling into position.

“How are we looking Tul?” Bregend asked the Commander of the HAPA unit that would be shadowing him for the operation.

“Everything's in the green, all ready and accounted for,” Tul reported in his deep Avarian timbre.

“That’s what I like to hear,” Bregend said, jumping into his HAPA, and flicking switches that brought the machine to life. He brought his harness down around him.

He checked his running lights, everything was in the green.

He moved forward, grabbing his control arms, moving his cannons and changing to plasmid blades, checking his reach and speed. Changing his movements to fit the HAPA’s outputs instead of his powered armor.

“Hopefully we won’t be needing those commander,” Tul said dryly.

“Best to know they work and not need them,” Bregend said.

Tul sighed, but his heart didn’t seem to be in it.

“Alright, let’s go grab our ride,” Bregend said, looking to Tul.

“Xal Company, move out!” Tul barked. The Xal was a vicious cave dwelling creature that produced acid for spit and could hunt in complete darkness. If you found yourself in a Xal lair, you had signed your own death warrant.

Xal company marched forward, their HAPA’s feet moving in time so they didn’t run over one another. Tripping in a HAPA was a shitty time. Staying in line was hard in a HAPA, but perfect line after perfect line marched out of the armories.

Bregend looked around as they marched out of the armories, past other units still mustering to come together.

The doors to the outside world were open wide enough for twelve HAPA’s to walk through.

Snow as fine as dust drifted in the wind, which seemed to whip across Daestramus.

Shuttles flared their engines as they came in to land, adding to the gales ferocity.

Commandos jogged past the Xal company, more HAPA companies before and after them. It was a sea of motion, people getting ready as fast as possible and then getting to their ride as soon as they could.

Revenge warmed their hearts as the company split into platoons and squads going right and left to board shuttles that had blown the fine snow of the planet off of the pitted and damaged landing pad.

Bregend marched up to a shuttle, HAPA’s stepping into harnesses, the cargo master shifting and turning them so they were in two lines, facing outwards. A squad of HAPA entombed Commandos looked at the platoon of powered armor Commandos.

“Dopro, looks like you’ve put on a bit of weight,” One of the powered armor Commandos called out.

“Thanks Ollkir, been working out. Seems you’ve been on the Daestramus diet, all ice and no calories,” Dopro said.

“Thanks! Better than the Kalu diet,” Ollkir said.

“Oh, what’s that?” Dopro asked.

“Daestramus ice with an iron supplement for dinner,” Ollkir said, tapping her rifle, getting grim laughter from the shuttle.

“I did hear it was to die for,” Dopro said, adding to the grim laughter.

All of them had lost someone and today they were starting what had been called the ‘last campaign of the war’ by many.

“Sealing it up,” the cargo master said, the wind died down as the ramps closed, the white light of the reflective ice turning to the warmer strip lighting of the shuttle.

Bregend looked to his HUD. People were talking, others playing games, or sending messages. Most just sat back in their harnesses and waited patiently.

The timer wound down on Bregend’s view as the first shuttles that had been loaded pushed more power to their engines, pushing themselves off of the landing pad and towards Ekal. They formed up into arrows, MEF’s descended through the blizzard that was washing over outpost one.

The shuttles shuddered but kept going, disappearing into the white cover.

“Powering up engines and going for a ride,” the pilot said, Bregend heard the engines power up. It took a few moments and then the shuttle shifted upwards and forwards slightly, both motions increasing as landing gear could be heard pulling into the shuttle. The noise of the wind rushing past the supports reduced as the shuttle shook with nature’s turmoil.

“Welcome to Daestramus air. Today we will be invading Ekal city-chimney. It’s currently cold as fuck with a side of icicles. Expect some turbulence because this planets air flow is about as predictable as a Orvunut’s feelings,” as the pilot was talking the shuttle dropped slightly. “As I was saying, we’re going to have some turbulence. Don’t puke on my ride or Cargo Master Telly is liable to give you one hell of a dirty stare. That shit is hard to get out of the carpets. The other shuttles are now in formation and we are on our way. Please enjoy the in house entertainment of whatever the hell you can think of and prepare to be thrown right into the teeth of the Kalu. On behalf of the crew, I hope you fuck their day up and stay safe!” The pilot said, cutting the channel.

People laughed others shook their heads sighing.

The Free Fleet was truly filled with a colorful bunch of people.

Bregend hid his smile inside his helmet, watching as the shuttle powered into the nasty storm, shaking from the turbulence but heading for their target.

It wasn’t long until they got past the storm and Ekal could be seen in the distance, the city was the tallest object for miles around. Bregend looked at a map overlay, seeing several other shuttles flights all heading for the city from different directions.

He looked to the timer he had running on the reinforcements, there was just an hour and a half left.

Bregend reduced his screens, he had one job, make sure the HAPA’s cleared out the main areas and supported the powered armor Commandos efforts to clear the tower.

Easy, yeah right, he thought to himself snorting in amusement.

“Fifteen minute from touch down, secure all belongings and thank you for not throwing up on my craft,” the pilot said, their voice light but now tighter as battle and their target was so much closer.

They continued on and alerts started showing on Bregend’s HUD. He opened the reports.

“Looks like they’re actively shooting at us, going to be a bit more interesting. Commandos in the turrets, we have been given weapons free,” the Pilot said. Bregend heard the whirring of heavy machinery the turrets rail cannons thumping away moments later.

The shuttle picked up speed and started darting across the skies erratically. All of the shuttles were now working to get to their landing positions and not get hit by the Kalu hiding in the warmth of Ekal.

Bregend sat back, rolling with the shuttle, knowing there was nothing that he could do but hope that he wasn’t hit by enough lasers to send the shuttle and himself plummeting to the ground, or turn them into a very short-lived fireball.

“Three minutes, landing struts down, ramps ready, prepare for drop,” the pilot said, concentrating on something else. the Cargo master was up and checking various items.

The ramps lowered and harnesses snapped open. The Commandos grabbed their weapons and piled out of the craft, knowing just what an open target they were.

HAPA’s were pushed out of the ramps both forward and rear.

Bregend jogged out of the hold, dropping a dozen feet, his HAPA taking the impact, he moved out of the way of the next HAPA.

“I want a perimeter. Tul, start moving people into the building, we need to secure this area!” Bregend yelled. HAPA’s were taking a knee and firing at the Kalu across the surface of the building they keeping their heads in.

Other shuttles were coming in, their ramps opening as more Commandos jumped to the landing pad below.

“We’re inside,” Tul said. “Multiple offices and living quarters, we’re fighting into the main area of the tower, Kalu seemed to be below us more than above. Got regulars moving through the offices and living areas to secure them.”

“Good, you coordinate the HAPA’s in there. I’ll coordinate out here,” Bregend said, contacting another HAPA company commander.

“Escokafra, I’m going to call you Kaf. I need you to move your people out to the edges of the landing pad. I want your people linked to one another and keeping the Kalu’s heads down to make it easier on the shuttles,” Bregend said.

“On it Commander,” Kaf replied, cutting the channel. HAPA’s that had just landed started spreading out over the landing pad, their cannons up and roving over the higher reaches. Rounds turned the sides into falling debris as they chewed through to get at the Kalu shooters.

Shuttles were coming in faster and faster from all across the skies, their turrets flashed and hit the cities walls as Kalu’s poked their heads out.

Red dots showed the Kalu moving up the tower, there was ongoing fighting to take the level and secure the Commandos hold.

Bregend saw a laser shoot from the building, his HUD highlighting the point of origin, his rounds ripped into the side, exploding within, there wasn’t another shot from that position.

“Bregend I’m routing more people to your position, your pads getting the least fire. I want you to get your people moving upwards and clearing the floors above,” Narvu said.

“Got it!” Bregend opened a channel to Frix, the regular commando commander.

“I need yo u to start looking at clearing the floors above us. We need to get these damned shooters off of us so those coming behind us aren’t getting smoked by the same bastards,” Bregend said.

“Understood, going to need rolling support,” Frix said. Bregend looked through his screens another laser flash coming from his area was rewarded with a few dozen rounds.

“I’ll detail you a platoon of HAPA,” Bregend said, accessing the said platoon and giving them orders to support Frix’s company.

“Seen commander,” Frix said, bouncing off of the signal.

“Tul, how is that main area coming?” Bregend asked.

“Minimal resistance, waiting for the regular powered armor Commandos to clear the sides, don’t want to move past Kalu and get shot in the ass,” Tul said.

“Good work, more Commandos are coming to help them. I’m moving people through you to take the upper floors, cover them as much as possible. As soon as this floor is cleared I want you to start moving downwards. I’m going to sort out a casualty collection point and ammunition dump on this floor. I’ll have it going in a few moments,” Bregend said.

“Yes commander,” Tul said.

Another flash, another burst of rounds. A Kalu body fell with the debris from the tower.

“Hope you enjoy the landing fucker,” Bregend said under his breath.

He looked over the incoming commanders.

“Lopez, I need a Casualty area and you’re my man, round up the medics already on the ground. Find me somewhere defensible and with easy access to the landing pad,” Bregend said, glancing to his side where shuttles were coming into a hover and continuing to dump Commandos as fast as possible, then they were moving the hell out of the way as more shuttles came in.

Four shuttles were dropping people at all times.

“Yes Commander, you’ll have it,” Lope said.

“Good work,” Bregend replied, cutting the channel and looking over his area.

Tul requested a channel with Bregend, he accepted it.

“We’re on the other side of the main area, the floor is ours, moving to the lower floors, Commander Frix is moving to the upper floors,” Tul reported.

“Good work, run the advance to the lower levels, stay back from the front lines and route any requests to me. Once we have everyone down I’m going to move to the upper floors, make sure they are secured and then link up with you,” Bregend said.

“Yes Commander,” Tul said.

Bregend had been on the ground for twenty minutes, his people had adapted and reacted with a fluidity few people of any race were capable of.

“Zoka, how long do I have until the last shuttle touches down on this pad. I need to get my people inside,” Bregend said. The Kalu seemed to have gotten smarter and a few people on the landing pad had died as Bregend had been organizing.

“Twenty more minutes. I’m holding the rest in reserve, they can be there in twenty. As per the plan, once the landing pads are secured by the first force then the second will come in,” Zoka said.

“Gotcha, we should have this one sorted out soon,” Bregend said, looking at the alert from Lopez. The casualty point was up, running and unfortunately taking customers. Medics were on site treating injured and medical chairs were being brought online.

Ammunition was being dropped out of the rear of shuttle’s ramps, people policing it together and dragging it inside with them.

“Understood, getting a lot of fire from the opposite side of the tower fifteen floors down,” Zoka said, sending a link. Bregend opened it, seeing the red overlay of the area the fire was coming from, he sent it to Tul.

“Thanks for the update, we’ll see if we can do something about that, Bregend out.” Bregend was looking to the other landing areas as he cut the channel.

The first shuttle loads had gained entry but the further down a landing pad was the more fire they were attracting from on high and below. One landing pad had broken away from the tower, people falling down the side. Most of the shuttles were getting routed to higher landing pads like Bregend’s to drop their people off.

“Last flight!” Commander Kaf said, people just touched the landing pads rubberized surface before the shuttle powered upwards and away from the landing.

“Pull your forces inside. I want you moving in support of the units above us. We need to secure this landing pad for reinforcements and casualties,” Bregend said.

“Yes commander!” Kaf said, cutting the channel, a plan came back to Bregend who saw another laser flash, he fired on it as his HUD beeped. He followed the plan, the HAPA’s collapsing to the doors that led into the tower like a deflating balloon.

They rushed inside, the HAPA’s moved on as Bregend moved to the casualty area, an ammunition dump was now completed and people were running ammunition to the upper and lower floors to make secondary positions behind the lines of advance.

The doors sealed behind Bregend as he looked out onto the main area of the tower; offices and buildings lined the walls of the city. There was a great large open area in the center tower that disappeared down to the bottom floor and reached up to the top of the tower. Around this ran a large walkway and every few floors there was netting stretching across. The city was an array of hues all reddish orange, probably from all the rusted metals that made up the buildings. It looked like a shanty town had been folded into a triangle, squished at the bottom with a great big open chimney running through the center.

“Well that is pretty cool,” he said looking over it for a few seconds and then hugging a wall as Commandos rushed past. They were heading for one of the accesses that would take them up or down. The people of Ekal and Daestramus led the way because there was so many different routes that would take you up or down differenet levels, some of the houses actually had stairs in them so they spanned a number of floors.

They moved quickly, hitting the Kalu from multiple directions, across the main areas, yellow lines of rail guns were met with the red lights of the Kalu lasers.

It was destructive light show occurring across the main areas and in close quarters no less. The regular commandos cleared every office, home, and building they could reach.

It took control to make sure lines didn’t race ahead and guts to go up against Kalu that lived to fight in close combat.

Not many got the chance as multiple rail gun rounds broke through their armor. The Commandos knew how to clear buildings of all kinds in their basic training, that training took over as they flowed through the tower.

People went down and people were killed, but the Commandos didn’t pause or stumble, they continued with their missions.

Bregend was proud of every damned one of them.

“Commander, Lopez here. I have commander Hui, she’s in charge of the medics, shall I link you across?” Lopez asked, eager to get into the fight.

“Do so, good work commander. Help clear out the tower,” Bregend said.

“Thank you sir,” Lopez said.

“Commander Hui here, what is the situation with evac. With this close-in fighting we’re going to have quite a number of casualties, most will be minor injuries, but quite a few will have a whole lot worse,” she said.

“Once we clear the upper floors I’ll give the go ahead on evacs and supply drops,” Bregend said.

“Understood,” she said, cutting the channel.

***

“The Commandos have a foothold in Ekal. The first wave is linking together, moving to clear the floors above and below them. Once they have the higher levels clear the second wave will move in and start shipping us their wounded,” Kyle said, looking to Mills who was commanding the ship as well as the fleet around Daestramus.

“Do we have a time estimate?” Mills asked, looking at the incoming HCD’s that had their engines pointed at Daestramus to slow their acceleration, so they wouldn’t just simply fly past the planet.

“Within an hour, they’re concentrating on clearing the higher levels. Though Bregend wants to check every room to make sure the Kalu aren’t hiding. It takes time and people to clear out an area that big,” Kyle said.

“Understood, relay that information to the incoming forces,” Mills said.

“Will do sir,” Kyle said.

“I am reading Kalu fighter swarms heading for Ekal,” Qurv said from sensors.

“Zoka, have our MEF’s move to intercept. I don’t want one fighter getting to Ekal,” Mills said.

“Yes sir,” Zoka started issuing orders, MEF’s were launched within minutes, the pilots and craft were on standby for just such an event.

They dove into Daestramus’ atmosphere, searching out Kalu swarms.

More MEF’s followed them a few minutes later.

The first fighters announced their arrival to Daestramus’ atmosphere with a barrage of missiles, nuclear fire ignited in Kalu fighters, turning their swarm into a chaotic cloud of falling debris and broken fighters.

The surviving Kalu fighters fought nature and the nuclear explosive blasts to bring the MEF’s under fire.

The MEF’s weren’t making it an easy event, ripping through the tumbling Kalu, paying no attention to the broken and falling, their rail cannons connecting them to the survivors with red tracer light.

Kalu fighter exploded and the MEF’s passed through, arcing through atmosphere to line up another run.

The MEF pilots had fought against the Kalu for nearly a year, their tactics and discipline showed with the brutal efficiency they used to cut down the Kalu numbers.

Mills watched his eyes grim as one of the MEF’s on the second run was hit by laser fire, the fighter smoking and turning to get free of the Kalu fire. Laser bolts ignited the air around them.

The MEF’s engine was hit, making the fighter swerve and tilt, black smoke following it.

An icon showed the pilot had ejected, the fighter continued on it’s path exploding a few minutes later.

Come on, come on, Mills thought silently, hoping to see a chute open. Sensor readout in the area after the fighter’s explosion couldn’t track the pilot.

A white parachute flared into existence.

“I want a shuttle picking them up as soon as they’re on the ground,” Mills heard Zoka say.

A number of other MEF pilots weren’t as lucky as their friends, there was no parachute from them, only a fireball that marked the end of their existence.

Mills watched as the last of the MEF’s entered Daestramus’ atmosphere, hunting down the last Kalu fighter swarms.

Soon only Free Fleet forces would fly in Daestramus’ skies.

***

Bregend saw the alerts on his HUD. He gave them a glance as he kept moving, looking for any Kalu that might try to shoot him or the other Commandos as they crossed through the contested level’s main area.

A HAPA’s guns blared off to his right, more weapons fire could be heard from the lower levels. Fighting was fierce, quick and brutal.

“Contact!” Frix said as Kalu appeared across, the open circle that rested in the center of the floor. Every level had them extending from the first floor and up into Daestramus’ sky.

HAPA’s fired at the Kalu now pouring out of the buildings opposite and to the sides of the HAPA’s extended line.

Commandos were working their way through the buildings. Their efforts sped up to hit the Kalu in the sides.

Angry red laser bolts flew across the open area, red tracers flew back as HAPA’s ambled for better cover, their cannons up and firing. Bregend brought a halo into view, firing in it’s direction as he crouched behind what looked to be an air car.

Laser bolts flew around him, punching through his cover.

“Shit,” Bregend said, getting up and running from the car, one of the Kalu’s laser bolts seemed to have got the engine, quickly turning the air car from a decent covering position into a bomb. Bregend was thrown, thumping into the floor, his face just feet from the passing floor. He came to a stop. His HAPA giving him reds and yellows.

“Take to armorer, take to armorer,” it reported.

“Oh shut up,” Bregend said, using thrusters to get himself the right way up and on his feet.

He ducked behind a stall, firing his cannons at the Kalu that had taken the explosion as a sign and were now running around the open area to close with the HAPA’s.

Four hundred rail cannons fired, stopping the Kalu push dead.

“Move forward!” Bregend called out.

Teams of two worked to cover one another, HAPA’s bounding forward, tracers and lasers ripping through the air.

With the Kalu’s charge broken the Commandos pressed their advantage home.

“Watch to make sure you don’t bound beyond the cleared buildings to your sides,” Bregend said.

The powered armor wearing Commandos were doing their best to speed up clearing the rooms as HAPA’s slowed their forward progress, moving only when the teams hidden in the buildings declared the area clear and ready to move.

Rounds shredded buildings, exploding outwards as penetrators rippled through the building.

Lasers cut through most obstacles, leaving molten holes in the metal they passed through, bubbling metal that they just missed.

Kalu that moved out from cover danced as tens of rounds slammed through their armor, exploding and turning them to hamburger.

HAPA’s were struck here and there, medics were called up, pulling people out of their HAPA’s and dragging them out of fire.

Colors from green to black colored Bregend’s HUD.

“Cut your rate of fire, bounce shots, one partner always shooting. Watch your ammo levels,” Bregend said.

Slowly they moved up, the HAPA’s cutting their rate of fire in half, one shooting as they crept forward, switching to the other HAPA as their guns went silent.

Any Kalu poking their head out or firing their lasers automatically gathered the attention of the HAPA’s waiting to shoot.

“Cut fire to the left, friendlies crossing behind Kalu,” Bregend said, watching his map as Commandos cut, jumped, slid and rushed into new rooms. Moving as fast as they could and putting down anything that looked faintly Kalu with enough rounds to stop a shuttle.

Few actually used a door, resorting to their ship-clearing tactics of slicing or blowing holes in walls.

The fix up on this is going to make quite a few contractors happy, Bregend thought. His mind going off on one of the odd tangents it did when you were fighting for your life.

“Watch fire right,” Bregend said, the regular Commandos now in the HAPA’s line of fire.

Fire slowed because the HAPA’s were having less area to cover and the Kalu keeping their heads behind cover.

There was the odd burst here and there as something shifted or a laser bolt came flying at the HAPA’s.

“Hold fire, clearing last areas,” Commander Frix said.

“You heard the man, hold fire,” Bregend said. Fire came from above, Kalu shooting down from the railing above.

“Get those fuckers!’ Bregend said, a hundred and fifty HAPA’s raised their cannons, three hundred cannons laying waste to the floor above, ripping it apart and sending debris raining down on their floor and other floors below.

“Watch out! Falling debris!” Bregend said, tagging the larger falling panels. More than one Kalu went rushing past, their arms whirling in an attempt to stop their fate.

“Commander Geroux go up one floor, Jefel go up two. I want those bastards suppressed. Jefel make sure Geroux doesn’t have shit raining down on him.” Bregend said.

“Sir,” Geroux said, his HAPA’s started moving.

“On it,” Jefel said, his HAPA’s ambling after Geroux’s.

“Push more HAPA’s past you, I want them on every floor as a base of fire so we don’t have that again,” Bregend said, looking at the medics as they ran to wounded and confirmed the black marks were dead and not a powered armor malfunction.

Bregend had the feeling that all too many of those black marks wouldn’t change.

“Floor cleared,” Commander Frix said.

“Move onto the next, we need to have these floors cleared for the reinforcements,” Bregend said, HAPA’s kept aiming upwards as they walked towards the accesses that would take them up a level.

Commandos were already jogging through the area, trusting the HAPA’s to keep them covered.

Five more levels to go, Bregend thought, heading to a freight elevator that fit HAPA’s more people were pushing past, their levels also clear, they were eager to get the rest.

The faster they did so the faster the wounded could get the medical aid that the warships in orbit offered and the reinforcements that would make this a hell of a lot faster.

***

“Top floors are clear, bring in the reinforcements, we have multiple wounded needing evacuation,” Bregend said on the Commander’s channel that linked Mills, Drux, Narvu and Commander Lofa with the second wave of shuttles. He sounded like he’s been fighting for days instead of hours.

Close quarters fighting was always incredibly taxing on not only the body but the mind. You had to be alert at all times, seconds and reaction times could be the difference between life and death.

“Understood, my forces will launch within five minutes’ flight time of thirty minutes,” Commander Drux said.

“Shuttle force two is getting airborne as we speak, we will be there in five minutes,” Lofa said.

Narvu saw as the blue symbols for shuttles started moving from where they had rested just out of sight of Ekal and started pouring out of the HCD’s in orbit.

“Look forward to seeing you shortly,” Bregend said. “Narvu I’m moving my forces down to assist yours. I’m keeping half to move wounded personnel and dead to the secured landing pads.”

“Understood, I’m going to send our wounded up to you. Do you want to coordinate landing, resupply, and wounded extraction?” Narvu said.

“Got it,” Bregend said, the two of them breaking down their new responsibilities as if they had worked together for years. “I’ll funnel the commanders and support to you, we should switch lead personnel off, it’s taxing clearing these levels. We drive them much longer and people are going to start making mistakes,” Bregend suggested.

“Agreed, once the reinforcements are here I will start pushing them ahead of the beachhead units. Could you get some food sorted out?” Narvu had learned that a warm meal and five minutes of shut-eye could do wonders between battles.

“Will do,” Bregend said.

“Lead shuttles are coming in,” Lofa reported.

“Very well, follow flight plan cooked up by the AI’s and follow your heads up display for orders,” Bregend said.

Narvu clicked off the channel watching as HAPA’s supported Commandos from not only the level they were on, but the floor above, sent plunging fire behind whatever the Kalu was hiding behind.

Companies of Commandos kicked in doors, cut through walls and systematically pushed back and killed any Kalu on the level. They were coming in from multiple directions so the Kalu couldn’t orientate their efforts in one direction.

Speed and aggression was king here and the Commandos primary training was to clear ships. Clearing Ekal was just adapting their tactics to a bigger version of most ships they’d clear.

Commandos started down the stairs and elevators, fresh green icons descending to support their brothers and sisters.

They had cleared a third of the city. The lower levels had many more rooms and main areas. It would get harder before it would get easier, but Narvu trusted his people. They had fought side by side for months. The Commandos coming from systems away were cut from the same cloth. They might not have fought the Kalu yet, but they would do their duty. Narvu had no doubt of their abilities.

The first elevator arrived and Commandos started pouring out, heading for the various routs that would take them to the current contested level.

Narvu felt some tension bleed off of his shoulders, it might take days to clear Ekal, but it was an eventuality now.

Clearing Ekal would be the first city of many. It might look a hell of a lot worse afterwards, but they would repair and they would survive. Daestramus was home to hardy people. They would pick up the pieces and move on.

Just need to make sure their homes and cities are safe, Narvu thought.

“Lopez watch your right side, looks like those offices go down a level. Post a squad there to make sure no Kalu come up,” Narvu said, getting a green icon on his HUD as Commandos moved on his map to clear the office building. Purple icons showed Kalu hiding in the building. Green icons flowed through, the purples turning black.

Narvu changed his view, trusting the Commandos to deal with it. He couldn’t get wrapped up in individual fights, he needed to watch the overall battle.

***

“God that felt good,” I said my hair still wet from the first shower I’d had in weeks.

My old battle suit was a discarded item of nasty in the trash. The buildup of salty sweat, grease and dirt had turned the water black with my short shower.

“You are looking a bit better. I can even dare to breathe the air around you,” Yasu smiled sitting on the couch in her powered armor, her helmet beside her as she worked the holographic screens which surrounded her.

I came behind her, my arms wrapping around her. I kissed her head. She leaned backwards so I could kiss her lips.

She gave me a small smile. With so many deaths so recent it was still hard to laugh and openly smile. We took the light moments as we could.

“I was thinking we could start working on giving Henry a brother or sister,” I said, breaking into a smile.

She slapped my arm lightly, a hard move in powered armor.

“You just want me to be a whale again so you can keep me in one place,” she said, her eyes thinning in accusation.

“Oh that’s a good idea,” I said, looking thoughtful, getting another slap on my arm.

I looked down at her, our eyes meeting as we smiled at one another, sealing the moment with another kiss.

I broke it off, sighing as I headed for my powered armor that was open and waiting for me. I stepped into it, the armor locking around me, reminding me of my raw knees from rubbing against my battle suit, the various chafing and tender spots that had been repairing themselves, luxuriating in being free of the straps, padding, and systems of the armor.

I moved, checking everything was working.

“So, when are we blowing this pop-sickle stand?” Yasu asked, glancing to me as she worked her screens.

“As soon as the lines are finished. Monk has been working out a deal with all of the nations for weapons and armor. We will be supplying them with a few older generations of armor and weaponry. They’ll look to their own defense,” I said, sitting on a chair, looking at the apartment. Dust covered most surfaces, pictures lay on the ground and the windows had been blown in by nearby nuclear blasts.

I looked out the window, seeing the ‘line’ in the distance. A series of bunkers and harden points with heavy weaponry covering every kilometer.

It was an impassable border, one of ten lines that had been buried into Earth’s ground. It was closing in the Kalu. Hunter groups and scouts walked out into that territory calling in fire on Kalu dens and reducing their population. It would be slow work, but it wasn’t impossible.

“How are the nations taking it?” Yasu asked, looking to me.

I let out a breath, thinking about it.

“They want us to go out there and kill all the Kalu for them. Their used to telling their militaries to do what they want and they just pay the bill. They’re not paying our bills but still want us to clean up the Kalu. I’ve had to bring my foot down a few times but their getting the idea we’re more private military than their clean up crew. Sure we’ll go out there and kill the Kalu, but then they are damned well going to pay us for our time. We stopped the Kalu from wiping out humanity but we’re not their bully boy,” I said, still staring at the line in the distance I could see plumes of dust rolling away on the breeze, the rumbles of artillery fire reached my ears.

“So when do we leave?” Yasu asked.

“A week, get them taking over all the responsibilities of the line and then we start breaking down for our ports. People go to Mars. People go to Parnmal. Those HCD’s are going to earn their pay shipping all the people and supplies we’ve got,” I said looking to her.

“Good, I want to see Henry, the videos aren’t enough,” she said as we shared a knowing smile.

With the Syndicate’s ‘upgrades’ Henry had grown equivalent years while we had been fighting the Kalu up the corridor from Parnmal to Earth.

Cheerleader and Henry had called us a few times, and Cheerleader had sent us more than one video of our boy growing up. It was great to see him, but it tore at Yasu and my own heart to see him growing up so fast without us.

“I know babe, not long until we see him again. I can’t believe how much he’s grown. Last we saw he was a wee toddler, now he’s up, running around and causing all kinds of mayhem,” I said, smiling.

“Reminds me of another Cook I know,” Yasu said dryly.

I laughed, the kind of laugh that pushed the darkness of the past horrors away and showed that there was light at the end of it.

Yasu smiled, her eyes shining.

“What about Daestramus?” Yasu asked. the smile fading.

“I had a message from Bregend. They took Ekal, they’re resting up and then turning their attention to the other cities. He’s got fresh Commandos, ammunition supplies and the people at his back. He thinks he’ll be fine. Might even start clearing two cities at a time, he’s going to see how the situation dictates. It will take some time, but Daestramus is in the final stretch. It’s time we looked to our future,” I said, not trying to hide the shake in my voice.

Yasu tilted her head, picking it up, her eyes looking over my face.

“What?” She asked, seeing the doubts plaguing me.

I ran a hand through my hair, pulling it out of my face.

“I’m thinking about retiring,” I said simply, looking to her.

She didn’t say anything just waited for me to continue.

It took me a few minutes to figure out my feelings and the words to express them.

“I love the Free Fleet, I care for the people that are a part of it, but I’m tired. God I’m tired,” I said, sighing and rubbing my face. The age of war that added decades to my youthful appearance was coming through. I looked at the wall, remembering images that I wished no one ever had to see.

“I’ve seen so many things, done so many things, not all of them good and I’m afraid I’ll break. The Free Fleet needs a steady hand and I’m spent. We have brought up good Commanders. I have faith that the Free Fleet will be fine without me. I want to spend time with you, with Henry, watch him grow up rather than get involved with the politics that are emerging through the Union.” I looked to her, seeing understanding in her eyes, without judgement.

“I know my dear, you’ve given everything to the Fleet, to it’s people. I see the pain, and the fatigue you hide with wakeup. You need time to recuperate,” she said, softly.

“I...” She looked away as if trying to gather strength.

“I’ve been thinking about it too,” she said in a rush, looking to me and wincing. Those words elicited guilt in both of our hearts. It was like we were turning our backs on the Free Fleet. We knew that wasn’t the case, but it damned well felt like it.

“I love being a Commander. I love training people. Yet I want to see Henry grow up. I want to sit back and just relax, build a life with you and actually live. Not just try to survive. Min Hae told me about the political situation as well. If either of us stay, we’ll get wrapped up in it. Politics taking over our lives more than any battle.” She sighed her breath deep and tired.

“They’re going to badger us no matter what, but I want it to be on our terms,” she said, looking to me.

“I understand,” I replied with a smile.

My heart ached, as I felt understanding pass through me.

“First we need to make sure that we deal with those politics, cut them off at the head and set the Free Fleet up to survive for generations,” I said, looking to her, my face hardening.

“Why do I have the feeling your planning something?” She said a smile coming to her lips.

“Because Min Hae’s people have been whispering to him and me. I think we have a plan to deal with the oncoming political storm.” My mouth becoming a hard line.

“Go easy on the politicians,” Yasu joked.

“I will if they’re not fixated on being idiots,” I said, our eyes met, Yasu slowly nodded, not understanding what my plan was, but trusting me to see it through.

Chapter Redeployment

Evelyn looked at the Henry Classed Destroyers as they swung past Mars and headed for Earth. The war hadn’t finished on Earth, but with the new lines it was just a matter of time until the Kalu were removed from the planet. So many people had died but for Earth it was nearly over. Daestramus was also in the final phases of war.

The newly created Union was emerging from the second war against the Kalu and they weren’t holding back. Traders were already up and running. AIH miners were already shipping ore even as they hunted Kalu down.

Asul city was now filling with residents.

Ershue was recovering, the people were saddened by the ruin of so much forest, but they were planting new trees and filling the skies with their sing-song calls and flap of wings.

The Kuruvian Empire was selling hulls and repairs to whoever was interested and Inkal was being inhabited once again.

People were being given a chance at freedom and life once again. They weren’t waiting for anything.

Evelyn zoomed in on the HCD’s seeing their armor marred by laser impacts, patches showing where they’d been hastily fixed as they went about their duties. A number of them were coming to a halt at Nancy. Shuttles and work crews swarmed the hull and halls to fix the wear and tear of war.

The HCD’s would take the Free Fleet forces on Earth, distributing them to Mars and Parnmal.

She had already been on some of the talks with the wounded that had been shipped to Hachiro. Their stories made her recoil in horror, these people had gone through a terrible ordeal, driven by duty and their personal beliefs.

The head doctors were in full swing, talking to everyone and anyone. The Free Fleet wasn’t about to let anyone slip through the cracks, they leaned on one another and let out their feelings.

Hiding their feelings wasn’t seen as a sign of strength.

They’d changed the way that post traumatic stress disorder was seen for the better.

A few times she had needed to excuse herself as tears came to her eyes. These hard people, these defenders broke down crying. In many cases they related their experiences with hard faces, unable to accept the loss of friends and loved ones.

Talking about it was a strength, being vulnerable made them able to do their job. Knowing when to take a minute and talk was necessary.

“Got it?” She asked Tuvio who was angling his camera to catch the HCD’s as they headed for Earth.

“Yeah,” he answered, looking up from his camera so that he could start pulling it and it’s gear apart, storing it in the case for later should he need to take it somewhere else. He sounded tired. The emotional burden of the interviews hadn’t fallen squarely on just her shoulders.

Her broadcasts on the war had gotten her the most viewers ever. Yet it felt like a hollow victory, as if she was trading on people’s pain and lives.

She knew it wasn’t true, people needed to know what was going on and she was letting them know. But damn if it didn’t feel that way sometimes.

“Let’s go home,” she said as Tuvio pulled the case’s carry handle over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” he sighed.

She laughed, it didn’t have much actual humor to it.

“What?” Tuvio asked as they walked through Hachiro, heading for the docks where a Chaleel trader was waiting, set to head down the corridor ending up at Parnmal.

“Wondering when I started thinking of Parnmal as home instead of Earth,” she said.

“Yeah, I dunno, just feels right,” Tuvio said, sounding as if he too was realizing that Parnmal had become his home now.

“That it does,” Evelyn said, the two of them walking in companionable silence, their eyes drifting to the laser burn marks and debris still being cleared up. Fresh patches and unpainted halls showed where Hachiro’s fighting had been the fiercest.

Just like the people of the Free Fleet, a number of the scars were visible, but even more were hidden away from prying eyes.

It was going to be a long recovery, but Evelyn had come to know the people of the Union and the Free Fleet, they could weather it.

***

Elisati looked at the latest messages from Chaleel, Ershue, Ouquishar, Hada and Urshval.

She could already see the outcome of the given messages.

Politics demanded that she play the game, either she stood with her new allies or she fell without them. Though her heart and soul, they begged for her to fight it.

They don’t deserve this, not after all they’ve done, Elisati thought, standing and heading to the bar in her quarters, making herself something strong as she looked at her desk.

The writing was on the wall and it wasn’t pretty. She drank the concoction she’d made, it burned on the way down.

She returned to the desk and glanced at the messages, she didn’t need to read them again she knew what they each said.

With a wave she cleared them from her view.

They damned well recreated and protected the Union and this is their reward? She thought taking another large gulp, the burning sensation did nothing to sway her feelings.

Her fingers moved across her table a blank message now hovering over her desk with a simple address.

She let out a snort.

Just like him to have such an inconspicuous address, with that she started to type a message, it was short, only two sentences long. She paused for a few seconds and sent the message. It disappeared from her view. She grabbed her drink from where she’d put it down and drained it.

She looked to the window that displayed the shuttles that worked to bring Quarst’s stations back to life and moved between the trading ships that had returned to their trading routes with the war coming to a close.

It was an invigorating sight, seeing all of that action, that vitality that she could feel filling her people and the people of the Union. They had a chance at living, they weren’t going to let it slip by. Innovations were coming out every day, goods were being traded at an alarming rate and people were excited for the future, not fearful of it.

Her inbox alerted her to a new message, it’s noise brought her out of her thoughts. She opened it. The message was shorter than her own.

We know, do what you must, we aren’t going anywhere.

-M

That sent a cascade of emotions through her. It looked like the Free Fleet weren’t without their teeth. She honestly didn’t know how to feel about that.

She read the message again and again memorizing it before deleting it.

Her mind swarmed with more questions than she had before.

Though your conscience is at ease and you can’t lie your heart is calmer.

She smiled, she couldn’t deny how those few words had calmed her.

I doubt much politicking is going to be able to stop them when they put their mind to something. Look at what happened to the Syndicate and Kalu.

***

Monk sat back in his chair, looking at the hologram which showed the shuttles gathering up the people of the Free Fleet and carrying them up to the HCD’s that had arrived in orbit, and at the other warships that were preparing to leave Earth’s orbitals.

He was sitting in what was Major Wakovich’s office. It was located in the mountains around Salt Lake City, and was what had become the command center for the American Western Line.

Closing his eyes, he could feel the shudder of the artillery that rained down on Kalu attempting another run at the line.

Bunkers, barracks and firing points ran up and down the Western coast of the United States though Canada and down through a few hundred kilometers of Mexico before looping around and coming up along the Eastern American line.

Monk had not been here commanding troops for the last few weeks, as the points had grown his responsibilities had gone from working with the various militaries interested in keeping the Kalu away from their people. To helping Cheerleader deal with the influx of contracts for the Free Merchant fleet and the various contracts that the Free Fleet was tied to.

He had sold the very first generation universal powered armor to planets across the Union, including Earth. Rail guns, cannons and rounds had similarly been agreed on and sold. Many of the shuttles that were coming down to Earth were dropping off that weaponry and taking back up the Free Fleet’s stores they’d ‘loaned’ to the forces on Earth.

“This is an odd universe, wanted to become a Monk, ended up a gamer. Started as a slave for a criminal organization, turned into a commander and now a trader,” he said, an amused smile appearing on his face.

He had manned the line, standing with his people as they had built up the strong positions. Too many people had died, but their sacrifice had gone into creating the line.

In a few hours he would be taking a shuttle up to the HCD’s which would whisk him off to Parnmal. There he and Cheerleader would start organizing the goings on of the Free Merchant fleet, and look over the various contracts offered to the Free Fleet itself. They needed to figure out what the whole operation was going to look like in a time of peace.

They had lived in various degrees of war and intimidation. With those now gone the Free Fleet would be entering into a time of hopeful peace. They would always be ready, but to survive they also needed to be ready for peace.

He looked over various accounts and wondered if many of the Commandos understood just how much money they had earned. The Free Fleet’s people were paid well for their services, many had taken ships, the destroyer yards had been accredited to the entire Free Fleet and they were not cheap.

His interest dulled as sorrow filled him when he looked over the death benefit category. As someone in the Free Fleet died while in service, their family would be looked after, given opportunities to train at Free Fleet schools, or have first picks at jobs and have all assets of the deceased transferred to them.

It was a grim business, but the Free Fleet looked after their own, no matter the conditions.

He closed it down with a swipe of his hand. An alert pinged on his HUD.

“Time to go,” he said, standing.

It was a short walk out of the office and to the walkway that was cut into the side of the mountain. He looked out over the pockmarked landscape. Dirt exploded as rounds found their target, machine guns rattled adding their light to the scene, firing on any Kalu caught in the open.

Then he was inside another set of bunkers and working his way through the maze which he had come to understand as well as Parnmal’s own halls.

Stairs took him up onto a landing pad where Commandos were piling into an awaiting shuttle.

Monk saw Major Wakovich near the shuttle, Sergeant Banks was there with him.

Both wore fatigue instead of their armor and weapons.

Monk went to them.

Wakovich held out his hand, and Monk took it.

“Thank you Monk, you and your boys helped me and mine when we needed it. I know that we did some damned bastard things in the past, but you were there for us. That’s something I’m not going to forget any time soon. I hope we can grab a beer some time in the future,” Wakovich said, their hands coming apart.

“I would enjoy that greatly,” Monk said smiling. He and Wakovich had worked a lot together over the past months. They’d gone from coworkers to close knit friends.

“Been a good time Commander, hope to see you at Parnmal one day,” Banks said, holding out his hand, Monk took it.

“Thinking of joining the Free Fleet Machine First Sergeant?” Monk said with a smile, they too had become close friends while Monk was attached to them.

“Ahh, those HAPA’s do look mighty fun,” Banks grinned.

“Well if you ever want to pilot one, let me know. The Free Fleet is always looking for good people,” Monk said, holding his eyes to show both his respect for Banks and the very real offer he was extending to him.

“Got another year in this man’s army at least. I’ll keep that contact info, it’s a mighty big universe and I wouldn’t mind checking it out sometime,” Banks said.

“I’m just a message away,” Monk answered.

“Thank you Monk,” Banks said, respect and thanks coloring his voice. They’d had some close calls together. Nothing quite bonds people together like putting their lives in the hands of one another.

“See you two trouble makers later,” Monk said, grabbing his helmet, putting it on and heading for the shuttle.

He walked aboard, the cargo master closing the ramp behind him as he grabbed a seat, a harness locking around him as the shuttle pilot arched up and away, powering the engines to break free from Earth’s atmosphere.

***

Felix and Silly sat in the mess that had been added to the destroyer yard a number of months ago.

“Did you get the new orders?” Felix asked as they sipped drinks. Everyone had been given cut days and days off as the war was drawing to a close.

“Yeah,” Silly said, his manipulators moving in a variety of emotions.

“What’s up?” Felix asked, seeing Silly’s distress.

“It’s just, we’ve been fighting this war for a year now and now it’s done. It feels like my mind has to catch up with reality. I can’t help but think that somethings going to attack us. Even when we had the Syndicate on the ropes and the future started to look clear, the Kalu showed up,” Silly said trying to put his feelings into words.

“It feels like the other shoe has to drop and changing from making war-going hulls to civilian ones is a bit soon?” Felix asked, sitting back in his makeshift chair.

“Yeah,” Silly replied, Felix summarizing his feelings nicely.

“Well we’re not going to stop making military hulls completely,” Felix said smiling into his drink.

Silly’s manipulators twitch to indicate interest and that his friend should continue on.

“The Union is creating their new Planetary Defense Force as quickly as possible and while the Free Fleet will be dissolving into the Free Merchant fleet for the most part. We aren’t just going to be sitting back and going completely civilian. We’ve seen what a combination of technologies can do, while the war was ongoing we looked to put tried and tested tech together. Now we can start messing around with different systems for the sake of experiment,” Felix said.

“So you’re going to keep testing and trying out new tech for military applications?” Silly asked, he wasn’t that surprised, keeping Felix away from things that went boom. He couldn’t imagine in what universe that might happen.

“Military, civilian, medical, wormhole drives, all of it. We’re going to take our lessons and keep going. The PDF might be becoming a thing and the Free Fleet a protection force of merchants. Though we’re not going to be without our teeth,” Felix promised, his eyes dark.

Silly nodded, understanding his friend’s feelings. They did their job to give their friends the best tech possible to complete their missions.

“So what’s the plan?” Silly asked.

“We’re going to change the HCD’s into freighters, hopefully our people will be interested in being merchants. The Free Fleet will seem to shrink but we’ll be retaining our people, keeping them trained and ready for anything. With our new Kalu allies we will be setting up a research and development area in one of the uninhabited systems, just like Rocko. We’ll develop tech of all kinds and make sure the Free Fleet is prepared for anything,” Felix said.

“What about the actual Free Fleet?” Silly asked.

“The Free Merchant Fleet is our primary corporation. That’s what Salchar has been telling anyone that’s willing to listen,” Felix said.

Silly waved his hands in frustration.

“Yeah it makes sense,” he said. “The Free Fleet was created to fight war. We’re going into peace, having such a large military presence that the people don’t have full control over. It’s easy to see why they’re not happy with the idea,” Silly laughed.

“Yeah, though leaving it all to them, well we know how the PDF went,” Felix said.

“Yeah.” Silly took another large drink.

“So how about it, want to come work for me?” Felix asked.

“Wait, what?” Silly looked to Felix.

“Do you want to come over to the Research development and testing side of things instead of the ship yard side of things. I know you love building ships, but I thought I might as well give you the offer. I’d love to have you working on making new classes of ships. You know them in and out, your input’s would be useful,” Felix said.

Silly thought about it, he thought about it hard.

“Don’t break a manipulator over it!” Felix said, laughing at his friend’s expression.

“Well it’s a hard question! Takes some thought!” Silly fired back.

“I would hope so,” Felix said, smiling.

“LaRe?” Silly asked.

“Silly?” LaRe said, appearing in his mix of Dovarkian Kuruvian and human physiologies. He had a drink in hand which he was using to take sips.

“Felix been asking you the same questions?” Silly asked.

“Yes, I said that I would wait until you decided before making my decision. Felix was nervous to ask you,” LaRe said, smiling.

“Thanks for not telling him,” Felix said finishing off the drink.

“So what will it be?” Felix asked.

“I want to finish the conversions, then I’ll join your team, have you asked Eddie yet?” Silly asked, looking to Felix.

“I was hoping that you could,” Felix said with a grin.

“Coward,” Silly laughed.

“I swear that if he even heard I was slacking off half a galaxy away one of his boots would find me,” Felix said, shaking his head as if traumatized.

“I’ll ask him, I’m not sure which way he’ll jump,” Silly confessed.

“Well that is a problem for another time, for now let’s celebrate you coming over to the dark side of research and development,” Felix and LaRe held their glasses up, tapping them against one another.

“Make that two,” LaRe said with a smile.

“Bartender, I’m going to need another round!” Felix said.

***

I was the last to leave Earth, I walked into the shuttle and looked over the battlefield that had claimed all too many lives.

The shuttle took off. I held onto the hand-holds making my way to my seat, dropping into it and slapping my harness closed.

The shuttles dipped and skewed with turbulence but power and physics had learned to respect the shuttles engines.

Turbulence gave way to nothing, leaving Earth behind. I looked over the screens, seeing the massive fleet which dominated Earth’s orbitals.

Over six hundred and fifty craft waited there, the might of the Free Fleet. Within those armored hulks, the heart and people of the Free Fleet lived and breathed.

The shuttle approached Hic Stamus, it’s guns were pulled back, it’s weapons waiting for targets but not needed for now.

Shuttles moved for the open hangars which lit up the dark night with the promise of safety.

The shuttle headed into the hangar, tilting as it did.

Electrostatic shielding split around the shuttle. It came down onto a landing pad, turned so that it was no facing out of the hangar. Harnesses released and the shuttle’s ramps opened.

I walked off, people were working on shuttles, moving them to storage bays or pulling the apart on the deck. People were disembarking, heading for armories or wherever they were needed.

I headed into the ship, looking behind me. The armored doors of the shuttle bay were closing as I passed through the first blast doors.

It wasn’t a long trip into the ship, finding and elevator and riding it up to the bridge.

I felt a tension I hadn’t known fade away as I talked to the people that made the Hic Stamus live.

It’s good to be home, I thought.

“Was wondering when you’d show up,” Rick said from his position as my second on the bridge.

“Had to do some sightseeing,” I said, smiling as I saw the familiar faces of the bridge crew. Despite the losses that were all too raw I smiled at them. They were my friends, people that I would die for and knew that they would do the same for me.

“Ben, does the fleet have a navigation plan?” I asked, walking up onto my command dais and dropping into my seat. Familiar screens came to life around me.

“We’re good and ready, all ships, shuttles, people and gear is taken care of,” Ben said.

“Very well, send the message. Let’s move out in five minutes. Ship commanders are to form up as we move. I want to keep to normal speeds so we don’t tax the systems more than they need. Our yards are going to have enough repairs to take care of without our adding to their troubles,” I said.

There were a few solemn nods as people got to work, passing word that would get the creatures of the Free Fleet moving and the fleet by extension.

I flicked to my screens, Rick had already fed me the latest information on Daestramus.

A number of people from Mars that hadn’t been dedicated to Earth had been shifted to support the planet. Bregend said he had more than enough people. It had been a week since he landed on Ekal. It had taken him four days to clear the city.

Now they were preparing for their next city, taking their time so they didn’t wear out their people.

If he said, he didn’t need people then I would trust him to make that decision.

Two weeks lay between Earth and Parnmal.

Already governors from across the Union were gathering, Min Hae had told me to prepare to be dropped into the deep end as soon as I got back.

As much as I was not looking forward to that. I couldn’t keep the small smile that broke through my Salchar mask as I thought about seeing Henry.

***

Ashota walked through the halls of Parnmal, he was used to the angry looks people gave him.

It made sense, it was his race that had attacked their families.

Stereotypes and prejudices made it easy to group all of the Kalu to be the same as the traditionalists.

What he wasn’t used to was the confused looks.

He felt his back rise as he walked, striding with pride. Min Hae and Gogs stood to either side of him, talking about nothing. For once they had left work at the office.

“So what do you think about the Kuruvians new super freighter? Things big, like as big as the one we recovered from Inkal,” Gogs said.

“All the power to them, the Union is trading more than ever before. Planets stockpiled resources, whether they be natural, technology, and so on. People have goods they need to trade. Competition is good, keeps us on our toes and someone to stack ourselves against,” Min Hae said.

“Yeah, I guess that’s true, were you able to talk to the Independent council about the various items they could sell?” Gogs asked Ashota.

“I did, the whole idea is foreign to them. I am now moving their minds to think as the rest of the Union does. It might take longer than I hope. If I can get Kalvin on my side then maybe we can start pushing them more aggressively,” Ashota said.

“Here I was, thinking that we weren just going to have a nice meal. Nothing about swinging the Kalu Independents to trading with the rest of the Union,” Min Hae said.

“Yeah right, we all know you’re trying to kill about a flock of birds with a stone,” Gogs laughed Ashota joining in.

Min Hae couldn’t stop a smile from breaking through his façade. He could keep it up in front of his enemies, or opponents indefinitely, but among his friends he didn’t even try.

“I might remember a certain commander that was trying to highlight the need for Kalu to find their place within the Union,” Ashota said, looking to Min Hae after the laughing had died down.

“Hmm, seems that I can’t quite remember anything of the sort,” Min Hae smiled.

Ashota made the Kalu equivalent of a snort as they turned the corner to see a grouping of Kalu waiting in the middle of the food court.

People were staring at them, a few spitting, others yelling their curses.

A number of them looked to Min Hae as he approached.

“See, now you will be leaving to go back to your holes, Kalu fucks,” one of the onlookers said.

Ashota saw anger for the first time on Min Hae’s face, it made his blood go cold.

Min Hae stopped in front of the man and looked around at the people that had been haggling the Kalu.

“These people fought alongside the Free Fleet to secure our rear, so that more Kalu Traditionalists wouldn’t continue to swarm us. They assisted in the destruction of the resupply fleet that if it reached the Kalu moving through Union space would have claimed a good number more of my friends. They stood at Quarst with Cheerleader and they defended the lives of all those that called that system home.” Min Hae let that sink in as he looked around, his eyes resting on the one that had talked.

“So if any one of you think to yell idiocy at them, then I will be happy to educate you in proper etiquette. They bled, and many of their people died alongside our own. Dishonoring them is dishonoring the Free Fleet,” Min Hae said. His voice cutting through the dining area, silence spreading through the place.

Min Hae looked to Kalvin, bowing his head in respect.

“I am sorry war leader of the Independents,” Min Hae said, his head staying lower for a few more moments than necessary.

“No worried Min Hae, it is always hard to see those that even faintly remind you of an old enemy,” Kalvin said.

Ashota could see anger still lingering in Kalvin’s shoulders and those that followed him. Yet he knew none of it was directed at Min Hae.

“Shall we go in and eat?” Min Hae asked, indicating for them to head inside.

Ashota saw the increased anger in the Kalu’s shoulders.

“We tried to tell them that we had a reservation. We were told they did not,” Kalvin said, his voice tight with anger.

Min Hae looked to the server waiting at the door to the restaurant.

She raised her Slevaran head a few degrees and looked to Min Hae.

“We do not serve Kalu,” she said, anger in her voice.

“Then you best tell your owner to find another job,” Min Hae said.

“Who are you to give out...” She began.

“He is Commander Min Hae, a man that fought to take this station, that has been a part of the Free Fleet since it was just Salchar and a number of people working in Resilient’s armories. When we were fighting against the Syndicate, and he’s right,” Cheerleader said as she walked up to them.

She seemed to exude confidence, a leader that could praise and break someone apart with a look. Even walking with Henry at her side that presence never left.

She picked up a tired Henry and held him in the crook of her arm. The boy leaned against her to take a nap.

“We shall dine in the Free Fleet mess, the foods not as good, but the company is a hell of a lot better,” Cheerleader said, walking to Kalvin, inclining her head in greeting.

“Sounds like a much better option,” Kalvin rumbled in amusement.

“Plus we can get stinking drunk without worry about others seeing us,” Cheerleader’s voice was low and only Ashota’s Kalu hearing allowed him to hear it.

Kalvin and the other Kalu rumbled with laughter.

“That sounds like a fine plan commander, lead on,” Kalvin said.

She nodded and started walking, her and Kalvin talking.

Ashota waited for them to pass, intending to tag onto the end of the group as he caught sight of Deltai. He had not known she was coming on this trip and the sight of her caught him by surprise.

She walked to him slowly, letting him take in the view.

“See something you like?” She purred, making Ashota ruffle in annoyance, she was teasing him yet again.

“Deltai,” he started, his voice hot with annoyance.

“Ashota, for once listen,” she said, stopping him from talking. She held his eyes and he bowed his head, agreeing to hear what she had to say.

“You are one of the smartest Kalu I know, you are a warrior, no matter if you were stuck to a chair, or whole as you are now. I have wished for a long time that you take me as a mate. Though your thick and stubborn hide stopped you from listening,” she said, shaking in frustration.

“But Deltai…” He began.

“Ashota…” She said dangerously, showing she was not finished talking.

He growled but bowed his head once again waiting to hear her words.

“The only reason I am not your mate is because your fool head thought that you in a chair was not good enough for me. I care for you not because of your body, though it does look rather nice,” she teased, getting a soft rumble from Ashota.

“I enjoyed you for your mind, you think more than any Kalu I know, you are never satisfied with your own view. You didn’t just shoot down my ideas, you helped me improve them. You cared not for my sex, but weighed me on my abilities.” She moved closer, her scent filling his nose.

He cared for her in a way that he had never cared for another, the scent of her made him dizzy and weak.

“I cannot wait for you and your fool mind to try and figure out matters of mating when you’re so focused on matters of the mind,” she said, looking into his eyes.

They looked at one another and Ashota felt the blood pumping through his body.

“Will you come to my den and make a brood with me?” She asked.

Emotions Ashota had held in check for years rushed past a barrier that seemed all but ridiculous now.

He moved forward so that their heads were resting on one another’s necks, leaning slightly to the side to support one another.

“Me and my fool head would be proud to have a brood, or a few dozen with you,” he said next to her ear, only loud enough for her to hear.

She let out an excited squeal and wrestled him to the ground. He could see the excitement and relief in her movements.

He picked himself up, the two of them biting and pushing each other with their heads in play.

“You two finally figure it out,” Kalvin said as they caught up with the group.

“Seems your daughter had to remind me about my fool head getting in the way a few too many times,” Ashota admitted.

“Good, I will be proud to add your brood to my growing passel of grand children,” Kalvin said, a very high compliment indeed.

Ashota ducked his head in acknowledgement, getting butted from the side by Deltai.

“She is a pawful and more, watch out,” Kalvin laughed.

***

Bregend looked up at Ekal. Medics were moving through the building with their helpers, shuttles could be heard landing and taking off, taking the casualties to the waiting warships.

Commandos were slumped anywhere they found comfortable. In groups they simply relaxed in place, they had fought hard for a week. Now it was all over, the adrenaline had worn off and the Medics were handing detox out like it was candy.

Bregend sighed and kept moving in his HAPA, heading to the defenses that had been dug in at the base of the tower.

He took a knee next to Narvu who was working screens.

“How we looking?” Bregend said as Narvu’s motions wound down.

“The Kalu aren’t risking it coming over here. I still want to keep a watch up while we rest and resupply. Our people have earned it,” Narvu said.

“Damn straight,” Bregend said, his voice soft with fatigue.

“We’ll get a few weeks’ rest, then train them up for Jokuesh so they know the place like the back of their hand,” Narvu said.

Bregend nodded as much as his helmet would allow him.

“It’s going to be a long campaign, but we’ve got it in the bag,” Bregend said, fighting his eyes to stay awake.

“Well it might have got a bit shorter,” Narvu said, concentrating on something.

“What?” Bregend asked, his eyes focusing on Narvu.

“I think I’ve got the controllers for the heat exchange system in the other cities. I knew the Marhtu must have had a system to control the people if they went against them. It seems he does,” Narvu said.

“Will it work against the Kalu?” Bregend asked.

“It might, it basically stops the heat exchangers from working and cools the cities to Daestramus normal,” Narvu said.

“So cold as a mother fucker,” Bregend supplied.

“Quite,” Narvu said.

“Well let’s see how they like the deep cold,” Bregend said.

“Now that is something I can agree to,” Narvu said a new screen appearing in front of him with a nice big red button. “Want to do the honors?”

“Nah, this is your planet and your fight, you press big red,” Bregend said.

“It would be my pleasure,” Narvu said pressing the big red button.

“So why couldn’t you do that before?” Bregend asked.

“Needed to get access to a cities servers and the internet that connects all of the cities. Marhtu had an office in every building. I got access to it yesterday and started rummaging through his files. I wasn’t sure if there was going to be anything so I thought it best to check and test it out instead of getting everyone’s hopes up,” Narvu said.

“Pragmatic but the right choice,” Bregend replied.

“Commander I have a detox for you,” A medic said coming closer.

“I’m good son,” Bregend said, waving them off.

“Bregend, take it, I’ll do first watch. I’ll have a Company Commander take over for me in four hours,” Narvu promised.

“You hear that?” Bregend said, looking to the medic.

“What commander?” The medic asked, Bregend’s sleep deprived mind hadn’t made the connection that he was talking on a private channel to Narvu.

No wonder the medic is still there; bugger didn’t even hear what I said! Maybe I do need a few hours.

“I’ll take the detox, but then Commander Narvu will take it after, if he refuses you’re to wake me up and I’ll inject him my own damned self,” Bregend said over his armor’s speakers.

“Understood commander, I’ll hold you both to it. Do you want to come with me Commander Bregend? There are a few rooms that the Commandos are using to rest. The armorers are there and can check your HAPA as you get some z’s,” the medic said.

“Well I know when I’ve been sweet talked,” Bregend said, raising his HAPA mass to it’s feet.

“Four hours Narvu!” Bregend said, not even turning around.

“I know I know, you’re worse than my mother!” Narvu yelled back.

Bregend just smiled and waved the comment away. He heard a few chuckles from Commandos on patrol.

It didn’t take him long to get to what had been a hotel. People were carrying food inside and racks of HAPA’s had engineers and armorers swarming all over them.

Bregend stomped his way into a cradle. Locks engaged over his HAPA and he started to shutdown his system.

The harness opened and he climbed out of the HAPA, grabbing his rail gun.

Good habits die hard, he laughed to himself, the medic followed him, obviously not trusting him to inject his own detox.

He walked into a room that a squad seemed to have made home. Bunk beds had the sprawled out forms of Commandos enjoying the relief of sleep.

Bregend walked out of his powered armor, connecting it to a charger.

“Showers are that way, clean battle suits are waiting outside,” the medic said.

Bregend moved like a zombie, the warm water nearly knocked him out.

He stumbled back into the bunk room. The medic guided him to a bed. He laid down, in absolute heaven.

The detox went through his intravenous system and Bregend let Daestramus slip from his mind.

Chapter Time to Face the Music

Fal walked off of the freighter and into Parnmal’s shipping area. People moved forwards, heading into the station, heading for the Free Fleet quarters, the food courts, bars or wherever they desired.

Fal felt tired, more tired than he had ever felt in his life. He was without a home, abandoned for defending his home. He wore powered armor to make up for his missing limbs but nothing could make up for the questions that roamed through his mind. He was questioning his every decision and wishing that more of his people had made it off of Ershue.

He paused, emotions filling him as he thought of Kurft, of the people who were just memories in his past.

“Fal!” A familiar voice called out, Fal looked around to see the source of it. He saw Wesom approaching a smile on his face.

“It’s good to see you,” Wesom said.

“You as well, how are the injuries?” Fal asked, feeling some of the tiredness slip away.

“Ah, medics will have me fixed up in no time, you off?” Wesom asked closing the distance between them.

“Yeah, got a week till anything like duties, just have to go and see a head doc in between,” Fal said.

“Yeah, they’re good at their job,” Wesom said.

“Mhmm,” Fal said, not sure as to how useful they would be.

“Well let’s get your kit stored and go find some food, the others from Ershue want to meet up later,” Wesom said.

“They do? I got a fair few of them kicked off Ershue,” Fal said.

“Like wee care what some armchair general has to say. This is the Free Fleet, this is family. No matter what happens out there we have one another’s backs. Sure some might be a little ticked off. But if they were going to kick us off for saving their asses, well screw ‘em,” Wesom said, his anger rising to the top.

“Yeah but...” Fal started.

“None of that shit Fal, we all did our best, we wrecked a little forest and too many good people died. But I know they and the people left behind are happy that the Ershue people are still alive. Sitting back and moping isn’t going to help any,” Wesom said.

Fal took a few moments, letting Wesom’s words sink in.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said, realizing that while he had lost Ershue, he had gained a family, one of the biggest, quirkiest and down right weird families out there. Yet they would and had bled for one another and they would do it again every damned time.

He felt a small smile on his lips, remembering those that they had lost, but also those that still remained, standing as a reminder of their brothers and sisters sacrifice.

“Let’s go get some food, knowing our boys and girls it won’t be long until we’re thrown out of every joint in this place,” Fal smiled.

“That’s the spirit. I also heard it’s the duty of the highest commander to buy everyone food,” Wesom said.

“You just made that up,” Fal said as they started walking.

The dread hadn’t disappeared, but it looked more manageable now.

“You don’t know about the CAMC led runs?” Wesom asked, actually sounding shocked.

“The what?” Fal asked.

“Well it started with Commander Henry,” Wesom said, Fal rolling his eyes at what he was sure to be one of Wesom’s extravagant tales.

***

Elisati walked though the halls of Parnmal. The Free Fleet were there in numbers that she had never seen before. The HCD’s had arrived days ago and been put on light duties. Many of them were still wearing powered armor that hid their missing limbs and serious injuries.

Many were reserved and dark, others were in groups and while laughter seemed to be a faraway dream for them, she could feel them pulling themselves together.

Scarred black armor from the ships that had fought since the Free Fleet was created was placed on the walls, the names of those that had fallen, etched into them.

Henry’s powered armor rested there, the blood cleaned from it, it’s armor still rent and holed as he stood guard over his Commandos. He had died in this very corridor, on the very spot his armor now rested.

The Commander of the Armored Marine Commandos, giving his life for his people.

This was the heart of the Free Fleet, hallowed ground. She looked at it all, remembering the plans that had been talked about behind closed doors. Doubts filling her mind.

Everyone that came into Parnmal would see the names of those that had died in the defense of the Union.

Everyday the wall grew with more names. It was an almost holy place to the people of the Free Fleet. Elisati had found herself staring at those walls more than once seeing names that seemed similar and all so strange.

She tried to think of the men and women behind those names and she just simply couldn’t.

Veterans walked through talking in hushed voices about how someone had died to other veterans, or the fallen’s family members or talking about the moments they had laughed, lived and shown the universe how alive they truly were.

It was a powerful place and it left her tired every time she went to it.

Salchar was due back in a few days, the Kalu delegation wandered through Parnmal with a Commando guard.

A few of the Commandos weren’t happy with having Kalu roaming around their home, but many others especially the navy personnel were there to slap them upside the head and tell them how the Independents had watched their asses even when they didn’t know about it.

The Free Fleet was made up of people from all different creeds, colors, races and backgrounds. While some might be angry with the Kalu, the majority knew aiming their anger at the Independents was just idiotic. Time would tell how the relationship between the Free Fleet and the Independents would go.

Elisati knew there were already politicians that had okayed certain operations that were aimed at distancing the Free Fleet and the Independents from one another.

These days they’re okaying any kind of operation that looked to make the Free Fleet weaker, which meant reducing their allies. She sighed and sat back in her offices chair.

A message came up on her screen.

Salchar is in Parnmal system, moving to Parnmal yards and then to Parnmal.

“Well, let the games begin,” she said, knowing that as soon as Salchar was on Parnmal then the political strategies that had been cooked up would come into effect

She pulled up a live broadcast on the incoming forces.

All traffic was dead in Parnmal except for the maneuvering warships and shuttles that sped from them to Parnmal station.

She muted the running commentary watching as those shuttles came to rest in Parnmal’s bays.

Ramps lowered and Commandos marched out. It was a powerful display.

Each and every person was a hardened veteran.

Their armor sported the blackening of Kalu weapons fire, peppering from being too close to incoming rounds.

They marched from their shuttles and the ship’s own holds right past spectators into what was the Free Fleet side of the station.

Not one of them paused, not one broke ranks.

It went on for a time, shuttles being moved to storage as new shuttles landed and dropped off more Commandos. She felt a trickle of fear run through her. These people were not going to take shit.

Reporters were pushing to get closer, a few turned their shots, getting a view of the crowds. People were yelling at the Commandos as they went past. Some cheering, others calling them warmongers and baby killers.

The Commandos did nothing and continued marching.

Then someone threw something at the Commandos. She held her breath but they did nothing. Commandos that had been on the station longer and were acting as security, moved forward.

More things were thrown on them as fights broke out between supporters and attackers of the Free Fleet.

The Commandos marched forward into their home as the security forces moved the crowds back.

“Enough!” A voice barked, out from the ranks a Commando walked others flanked him. He took his helmet off, yells and cat calls coming at him.

“I SAID ENOUGH!” His voice bowed them into silence.

“If you have a problem then talk about it.” Something hit Salchar in his face, the halls went silent as it dripped from his face.

“Well that wasn’t very nice,” he sighed shaking his head. “If they don’t want to respect our home, then we don’t want them here.”

Voices started yelling in protest as more food and items were thrown at the Commandos.

“Daddy!” Somehow the young voice of a child cut through the noises of the room.

“Formation!” One of the Commandos called. Ten Commandos moved around Salchar as a little boy came running from the doorway to the man.

The camera saw tears in Salchar’s eyes as he ran to the little boy, hugging him and turning his back on the crowd as fruits hit his back.

The Commandos tightened around Salchar and Henry, taking fruits and food. The Commandos in a line marched forwards, pushing people out of the hangars and wherever the Commandos walked.

Elisati looked to the commentary a rolling blast coming across the bottom of the screen.

Protestor’s attack three-month old child as Commandos come home.

Heated Welcome at Parnmal.

Protestor’s being banned for voicing opinion.

Salchar uses his own child for public opinion.

“This is going to be messy.” A new message declared a meeting was already being called in order to deal with the latest issues from the varying members of the Union in an hour.

Not waiting around I see, she thought, standing and preparing herself. She sent a message to her aides and assistants.

***

“Look at how big you’ve gotten!” I said, talking to Henry, holding him as I walked into the Free Fleet sections of Parnmal. Commandos were talking in dark tones, but none of it phased me. No matter what had happened I was with my boy.

“Henry!” Yasu said running over to us. People looked in shock, Yasu had been known for her light moments, but nothing like running across an open room, smiling to see her boy.

“Mommy!” He said smiling and holding his arms out to her. She grabbed him, hugging him tight without using the powered armor’s strength.

“I tried to stop him from running out, but he does have a few of his father’s tendencies,” Cheerleader said, Min Hae, Ashota, Gogs, Kalvin and Monk with her.

I hugged them all, smiling at our reunion, bowing to Ashota and Kalvin.

“I have heard much of you War-leader Kalvin. I thank you for coming to Cheerleader and Quarst’s aide,” I said bowing even more deeply.

“You give me too much credit. Cheerleader and her Fleet fought with ability and should be given the credit for the battle,” Kalvin said, dipping his head to me and then Cheerleader.

“I agree, Cheerleader and her fleet rose to a hard task, serving as an example to all,” I said, smiling at Cheerleader, she looked wooden, her face tight with emotion.

I brought her into a hug.

“I should have saved more of them,” she said into my shoulder.

“You did your best I have no doubt. I watched every minute of it. You and your people fought with every fiber of your being. Be proud of them and yourself,” I said, bracing her again before letting go.

I could see a wetness to her eyes as I moved away.

She gave me a sad smile as Min Hae cleared his throat.

“It seems that the Planetary Governor’s are calling a meeting of the Union heads, including us,” Min Hae said.

“Well that was quick,” Yasu said, not sounding pleased in the slightest.

“When?” I asked.

“In an hour,” Min Hae said.

“Well they can wait a little longer. I just got home. I’m going to spend some time with my wife and boy before they get a shot in at me. Are we prepared Min Hae?” I asked.

“Yes we are,” Min Hae said, his eyes moving to Kalvin and back to me.

“Good, good,” I said thinking.

“Well I hope that we can all meet up a bit later in somewhat less formal conditions, out of our powered armor. For now, I am going to steal my two men before one of them has to go rushing off to some political crap shoot,” Yasu said.

“So I have been instructed, see you later,” I said, we parted I felt a hand grab mine, our armored hands holding one another.

“So what have you been up to?” Yasu asked Henry who broke into a smile telling us about his school, sleep training, how he had made friends. He left out a few of his latest excursions that Cheerleader had written to us about.

We got to our room, Krom checking it before we walked in.

Henry was feeling tired by then. Growing so fast meant he needed more sleep and food than human boys his age would need before the Syndicates changes.

Yasu put him to sleep, me watching as he curled under his covers, holding a powered armor styled teddy bear.

“Night Henry,” Yasu said, standing against my arm that rested on her shoulder. She touched my hand, the two of us watching our boy fall asleep.

After a few minutes we walked out of the room, turning the lights off.

“We’ve missed so much,” I said.

“Well we’ll just have to make up for that,” Yasu said, looking to me with those almond colored eyes.

“How did I get so lucky?” I said, hugging her through our armor and kissing her.

“By being not what I expected but what I needed,” she said, smiling up at me.

Her smile turned to a pout.

“Now out of that damn armor and come take a shower with me,” she ordered.

I opened my powered armor as fast as possible, getting more than a few laughs at my exaggerated speed.

“You are silly,” she said, getting out of her armor.

“And you’re slow,” I said, picking her up.

She squealed and giggled, hitting me at the surprise lift.

“Oh if your trainees could see you now,” I said.

“Then my suitors would easily double,” she said.

“Oi, your mine, all mine!” I said, walking into the bathroom.

“Yes I guess so,” she sighed kissing me.

I let her down and we looked at the shower.

“Well rank does have its privileges,” I said, looking to the massive shower,”

“Hmm that it does,” Yasu said pressing her battle suit’s collar, the fabric expanded and she let it fall from her body. Her olive skin and firm muscles kept hold of my eyes.

“Seems someone’s at attention,” she teased, walking in the shower and turning the water on, making a show of it all.

“And whose damn fault is that!” I said, pulling my battle suit off.

Water cascaded over us as I pulled her close, kissing her.

“I thought you had a meeting?” She said, pushing me back slightly.

“Yeah, they can wait,” I said kissing her neck.

“Tease,” she accused.

“Payback,” I countered.

Chapter Don’t Catch a Tiger by The Tail

I took a detour on my way to the auditorium.

Krom and Shreesht already knew my plans so the two squads covering me didn’t even miss a beat as we turned away from the auditorium.

We arrived in what was now being called memorial hall.

The Commandos spread out as if to give me my space.

I saw a few of them touch names as they passed, someone they knew and someone they had lost.

I walked to Henry’s statue. I patted his shoulder, looking at the silver lines etched into the scarred and pitted black armor of a Free Fleet warship.

“I’m about to do something that’s going to change things forever,” I said in my helmet, talking to Henry.

“You gave your life so that others might live. I’m going to sacrifice my position to secure our people’s future,” I sighed, emotions making me heavy. “My fight is coming to an end. I will do all I can to secure the future of the Free Fleet, but no one knows the future. Hell if you told me I’d be standing here leading the Free Fleet out of a war with the Kalu and into forming an empire of it’s own. I would be a little dumbfounded,” I said, getting out a weak laugh.

I took a breath, looking around. So many names, so many people. I had to make sure their sacrifice meant something. I would not let the politics of the Union drag the Free Fleet down and make it a shell of what it was.

I tapped Henry’s shoulder he would have understood the familiar gesture.

I walked through the hall, my hand passing over the names I knew.

George Everez, the kid who had done little but cry the first day I met him as we were recruited into the Syndicate’s scam. He had become a brilliant young man. He had trained Commandos on Mars even with prosthetic limbs.

He had grown up in those short years more than some people did in their entire lives.

Hoi, the large man that had been a police officer and one of my leaders during the Recruitment.

My hands passed over Janice and Dave’s names, my eyes were wet and I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks.

Squad mates, people that I had fought beside to hold off our enemies or take their fortifications. Other’s I’d talked to, reamed out or seen.

Kurft who I’d done simulations against, armorers that had checked my equipment was working. Gunners that had protected the lives of me and my personal ship crew. Or that I had protected with my own ship’s broad side.

My hand stopped on Boot’s name, around him were the names of his command staff and that of his ship.

I remembered the conference’s we’d had, the times I’d talked to him on his bridge, his ship filled with life and purpose. Now it was gone.

I took a shaky breath, looking back. I didn’t see those silver names in my blurry eyes. I saw the faces of those that I had the pleasure of serving with.

I drew myself up straight, not caring about the tears or who was watching.

My hand came up as I held two fingers to my forehead. I held it for a few seconds before bringing my hand down. It was the cleanest salute I had ever done, my people deserved only the best.

I turned and walked away, resolve filling me.

Being Commander of the Free Fleet was only a position, one that I was happy to fill. Yet it was not just a tittle that drove me to do what needed to be done. It was my duty that had given me the tittle. Even if I wasn’t the Commander of the Free Fleet, I would care for it and look after it as I would look after my boy Henry.

The best way I knew to do that right now, was to pass on that title and those duties to one that had been by my side ever since he pulled a katana out of my shoulder.

***

Rick looked up from the table seeing Salchar enter and walk towards the Free Fleet’s section, with Rick was Min Hae and Monk. Around the auditorium each system that had joined the Union had their own booth with a placard showing what system they represented.

The Independent Kalu were also making an appearance, given their own positions for the systems they represented. Many were captains with Kalvin speaking for them and the council.

Planetary governor Elisati was acting as chairwoman of the Union. It was her job to keep the peace but also fight for her own system. A rather tricky position to be in.

She pressed a buzzer which sent a musical note through the room, discussions ended and people headed for their seats.

Rick looked at the number of reporters that filled the room. The Union representatives wanted to show the whole known universe something.

“Thank you for convening for this session on such short notice, a number of complaints have been filed by the representatives of Chaleel, Ershue, Urshval, and Ouquishar. I believe we shall begin with the Chaleel,” Elisati said, looking to the representative of Chaleel.

“Thank you chairwoman,” the representative said, looking around the room, staring at the Free Fleet’s position.

“Well she seems happy,” Salchar said, relaxing in his seat.

“Right back at you,” Rick said, he didn’t miss Salchar’s grin.

“Union representatives, in recent times we have been beset by the Syndicate, and then the Kalu. We paid the Free Fleet to protect our people and our planet. To give them a future. The Free Fleet came and they burned my planet to glass, they bombed it, tore fields apart, growing towers. Work of the last years was decimated and left in ruin.” She let that sink in.

“Entire families will be without workable property for months, this is with the Free Fleets demand of payment for bringing destruction down on our planet in an unprecedented scale. Millions died under the Kalu, billions if you start tallying it all up and the Free Fleet watched it happen. They did not protect their people,” she looked again over the committee.

“They held a contract to defend Chaleel, instead they burned it down. They demonstrated their own true worth, their ability to destroy. I move to pass a motion to have them stripped of their military power and have them placed under the charge of the Planetary Defense Force,” she said, her eyes moving to the Free Fleet area.

“Shit,” Rick said.

“Think she’s laying it on a bit thick?” Salchar said, as if commenting on a movie.

“A bit,” Min Hae said.

Rick looked between them, obviously missing something.

The Chaleel representative looked confused by Salchar’s inaction.

“Very well, may we hold your motion until the end of the session to allow people to go over the collective evidence?” Elisati asked the Chaleel representative.

“Yes chairwoman,” the Chaleel planetary governor said nodding her head.

“Very well, we will go to the Ershue representative,” Elisati said.

“So I was thinking that we should have a dinner with all of the Free Fleet. Something to allow people to decompress. Think you could organize it?” Salchar asked Rick.

“Commander Salchar, is there something so important that you feel unable to hold your conversation until recess?” Elisati asked, her voice like that of a teacher talking to a slow child.

“Oh sorry, I was just talking about planning to have a meal with my Free Fleet brothers and sisters, please continue,” Salchar said waving for them to proceed.

Rick knew that Salchar had his rash moments but they were few and far in between, as he had aged with his service in the Free Fleet they had rarely appeared. He rarely if ever showed his hand unless he knew he had a rail gun right behind it. He aimed to win no matter what.

“Please hold personal conversations until after the meeting,” Elisati said, clearly not pleased with the answer. Rick had learnt enough Dovark body language to be considered an expert on it. It was one of the skills Salchar really pushed for him to understand.

Knowing what people were thinking without them having to say a thing was an important thing for any leader.

“Please go on Governor Isaz,” Elisati said.

“Thank you Chairwoman, I would expect nothing less than from these Free Fleet brutes,” he said keeping his back to them, Rick knew that was a pretty big insult in Ershue interactions.

“Ershue is dear to me and all Ershue. We asked the Free Fleet for their protection and they forced us to hide in the ground, a place that no Ershue looks forward to being in. We lived in conditions that would make many shudder in disgust. While we waited, terrified and afraid of the Kalu threat that the Free Fleet had exaggerated to almost impossible heights, they were busy destroying the planet Ershue love,” he said, pausing and looking to people’s faces, his wings sad but also angered.

“They used nuclear weapons to burn holes in our forests, to turn regions into wastelands. They used our scouts, Ershue inhabitants who volunteered to assist them as bait, getting them killed as they sat back, happily destroying our world. They used tricks and imagery trickery to hide the truth.” Rick saw Salchar stiffen slightly, his hand opening and closing into a fist.

“These brutes have no understanding of anything but using their power to bully others, they are nothing more than a new Syndicate. I second the Chaleel’s application to have the Free Fleet put under the control of the Planetary Defense Force,” Isaz said, looking around again.

“Very well, you may take a seat I will add your request to the roster,” Elisati said.

Isaz took a seat, still not facing the Free Fleet delegation.

Rick felt the tension in the booth, even Monk seemed to be angry. Something that bode ill for the others in the room.

He didn’t know if he would even stop them, because he was feeling pretty inclined to jump in as well.

Urshval complained about having to pay for troops that they never needed, Ouquishar fielded the same problem, both requested for the Free Fleet be put under the oversight of the Planetary Defense Force. Rick read what that entailed. It looked to have the Free Fleet pulled apart with their tech being turned over to the Planetary Defense Force.

New anger went through him with the cold bully tactics they were using. Maybe they thought the Free Fleet weak after the Kalu war, maybe they thought they could bully them somehow.

Rick knew the Free Fleet was weak and hell if the other systems got their people behind them then it would be messy indeed.

“We have another complaint to be made after the break, from the Free Fleet,” Elisati said.

“But how did they...” Ouquishar’s governor didn’t realize their microphone was on and immediately turned it off.

“They submitted it a period of time ago, as this is the first time that the plantiff and accused have been in the same facility,” Elisati asked.

The lights came up and people flowed into the secondary meeting room.

Aides of the Free Fleet were there, aides talked, doing the real work as people positioned themselves according to alliances and images they wanted to hold in the public eye.

Salchar and the Free Fleet delegation didn’t move.

“So I was meaning to ask you Rick,” Salchar asked.

“What?” Rick said, confused at Salchar’s calm tone.

“Do you want to be commander of the Free Fleet?” Salchar asked, his eyes searching Rick’s.

“That’s one hell of a question to drop on me,” Rick said sitting back.

“Well I don’t know if I can do it much longer. Yasu and Henry and all the enemies I’ve made. I’m a war commander, you know the game but because of my rushing in I’ve kept you covered. You know how this fleet works and you’ll be the better one to work us through a transition into the Free Fleet corporation,” Salchar said.

“What are you planning?” Rick asked.

“I’m going to clear you a path, I’ll secure the Free Fleet’s future. Not as a group of mercenaries, but as a family that looks after one another and that creates its own future,” Salchar said.

“Speak plainly,” Rick said, people were already coming back in.

“I’ll get us out of this mess, I can no longer be the Free Fleet’s commander. I need you to look after what we’ve built. I will help the Free Merchant Fleet and its sister corporation but I’m spent as Commander Salchar,” Salchar looked to him and Rick saw the lines on his face, lines that hadn’t been there before. Salchar dropped his mask, something he did around few people. Rick saw the pain of command, the weight of those deaths. He could see the pain that had been hammered into him until it seemed normal.

Salchar was tired, and on the brink, he couldn’t take much more and return to being James, the man behind the mask.

“Will you become the Commander?” James asked.

Rick wanted to say no, he wanted to run away from it all.

“Yes,” he said, softly, knowing that his world was changing and not quite sure how to feel about it. “By god I don’t want to be the Commander of the Free Fleet, but Bok Soo said it best. Sometimes there is no choice, you can only accept the decision and continue on,” Rick admitted, giving him a nervous smile.

James smiled and patted Rick on the back.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be here if you ever need a word, or a good shove to get going,” James said.

“Thanks brother.”

“Anytime,” James said, Salchar replacing him as he took back his hand.

“We set?” Salchar asked, looking to Min Hae and Monk.

“Yes, I am getting messages now,” Min Hae said now, passing a data pad to Salchar.

Rick looked at the various messages, most were from the other representatives that had talked out against the Free Fleet, there was another from Empress, one from the clan leaders of AIH and the Independent Kalu nation.

The musical note that told everyone the auditorium was in session sounded.

“Will the Free Fleet representative please voice their complaint,” Elisati said.

Salchar rose, all eyes on him as he headed down to the center of the auditorium. Rick saw a few smirks and others making comments to their peers.

Salchar stood in the middle of the auditorium, a mouse in the center of a snake pit.

“The Free Fleet wishes to raise the complaint of missed payments,” Salchar said.

Outraged noises came from around the room. It took Elisati a few presses of her buzzer before the room calmed down.

“The Free Fleet carried out duties as proscribed by their contracts to the member nations of the Union. We are working to defeat the last of the Kalu on Daestramus and we have started the shipment of warships, weapons and equipment to the Planetary Defense Force. On both of these contracts there are outstanding credits. On my command we have ceased to provide these materials,” Salchar said.

“See they wish to intimidate us!” One of the Ershue said.

“They won’t let us defend ourselves!” A Dovark called out.

“They wrecked our planet!” Isaz complained.

Elisati brought the room to a silence.

Only to hear Salchar’s laughing. It was not a pleasant sound and Rick could see a dark light to his eyes.

“Oh we wrecked your planet, fuck me that is rich!”

“Commander Salchar!” Elisati said, appalled.

“Oh fuck this, alright here you go you self righteous pricks, fucking listen up and listen well. I will not be saying this again.”

“COMMANDER!” Elisati said.

“CHAIRWOMAN, IT IS MY TIME TO TALK AND MY HONOR FOR MY DEAD FAMILY ORDERS ME TO TALK! YOU WILL HEAR THEIR WORDS, AND LISTEN WELL!” Salchar said, Elisati recoiled in her chair as he looked around the room. Stunned silence filled the room as cameras continued.

“You came here complaining of the damage we have wrought to save your people’s lives. Men and women died on your planets for your people and you’re going to lecture me about burnt trees and farmland that the Free Fleet is already looking to repair? Then in recess you come to my people and ask them to reduce the payments on your debts.” The main screen filled with messages and data pads pinged across the room.

“I am done with this monkey court, I am done with the lying, the politics of this sham. The Free Fleet was made to help people and that is what we have done. People have put their lives on the line and too many of them died for that duty. You can come in here and bring this idiocy up because you stand on those days. No you piss on them. You piss on their sacrifice.” Salchar looked like he wanted to spit as the main screen changed.

“Isaz, you talked about your people being used as bait? They weren’t bait, they were some of the best fighters that the Free Fleet has had the honor of fighting beside. They fought for weeks to harry the Kalu, to pull the pressure off of the mound. Then as reinforcements were coming in from Oolta Fal asked them for volunteers to once again pull attention away from the mound, to give the mound time to be reinforced and push the Kalu back.”

“This is Commander Fal on Ershue,” Salchar said, voices coming over the rooms speakers as a video from the command center showed Fal talking.

“Poj, contact the scouts, see if you can get those crates closer to their positions. I want volunteers only, but they’re to harass the rears of the Kalu. We need to divert attention away from us and give those shuttles time to drop Commandos,” Fal turned to Poj, eyes connecting. “Volunteers only,” he said waiting for her stony nod.

“Yes Commander,” Poj said.

The screen changed to show a scouting group come under contact.

“We’ve got their attention!” The Scout groups commander said as they moved back.

“Fuck they’re everywhere, Poj, prep artillery, we’re not going to last long and I don’t want any of us getting in the Kalu’s claws,” the Commander said.

“Poj, tell my family I love, them, god I love them so much,” the commanders voice cut out the sounds of combat continuing as the screen showed red markers surrounding the green. The Red dropped in large numbers but it wasn’t enough.

“Poj! DO IT, fucking bastard got me,” the Commander said, pain in his voice. “Tell my family!”

“I will Damel, I will. This is Poj, I need artillery fire on these contacts, don’t let a single Kalu live,” Poj said.

“Sending,” the artillery commander replied.

“Poj we’re under heavy fire, we need fire support,” another scout commander asked.

“Alright,” Poj said, her voice catching. The video and audio cut. The auditorium was silent.

“Do not try to trade on the dead, they might not be here, but they aren’t forgotten. Those contracts are not just plat and resources, they are symbols of what the people of the Free Fleet died for. Hell the costs were more than any of those contracts, and too little compared to what those people’s lives were worth.” Salchar shook his head and sat on the steps leading to the dais Elisati stood on.

“Thankfully the Free Merchant Fleet and Free Fleet protective force have been shown your true colors. We must stand together in this universe or we fall apart. It’s something that I have said time and time again. It’s what the Free Fleet lives off of,” Salchar said, looking around, everyone was shocked, a mix of emotions, waiting for him to continue.

“There is a saying, with allies like these, who needs enemies. The Free Fleet withdraws from the Union,” Salchar said, noises of shock and confusion went through the room.

“We will not stand in front of those that try to stab us in the back as soon as the threat is gone. The Free Fleet corporations stand separate. We declare Parnmal as our main home system, all personnel part of the Free Fleet will get an FF citizenship. Avar Interim Hermanti has entered into an alliance with the Free Fleet, so has the newest representatives in this room, the Independent Kalu,” Salchar nodded to them. “And the Kuruvian Empire,” Salchar opened his arms and tilted his head in Kuruvian greeting. “As well as Jakram.”

The representative from Jakram gave a slight nod.

Rick looked around the room. James had walked around the whole Union, they had been so fixated on accruing power that when he pulled the carpet from right underneath their asses they were left open mouthed and stunned.

“My people are tired, they have bled and died for you. They deserve their coming time off. I have a meeting to attend with the new alliance and a meal to prepare with my brothers and sisters,” James said, standing.

He looked like he had aged decades in months, letting his fatigue show, and the cold darkness in his eyes. Not one of the complainants moved.

“The Union was supposed to bring people together; I hope you do eventually reach that. Stabbing people in the back is what the Syndicate did and I will not tolerate another power hungry bully. The Free Fleet will be there in aid, but do not think that like a beaten dog we will come every time if you keep this kind of behavior up.” His eyes swept around again. Commander Salchar held court here.

He turned and left through the door he had come through, Krom, Shreesht and expanded security detail surrounded him as soon as he walked out.

The room started to move into motion, the new people of the alliance were given Free Fleet escorts from the room as the others were left to fend for themselves.

Rick and the others sat back.

“So that was what he was planning?” Rick asked.

“Yes it is, Commander,” Monk said, his voice sad.

“Forge a new alliance, teach the other systems a lesson and clearly define the Free Fleet. I have a lot of live up to,” Rick said.

“You have already lived up to it, otherwise he wouldn’t have made you his second in command,” Min Hae said.

“Well, that’s a bit different,” Rick said.

“Would you have fought for the people of the Free Fleet with ever fiber of your being even if you knew it meant the end for you?” Min Hae asked, turning to Rick.

“Yeah, but…” Rick started.

“There is no but, saying but only tries to degrade the first act. As you look after the Free Fleet, it will follow you. Lead, don’t push,” Min Hae said.

Rick sat back in his seat, looking around at the reporters which were demanding answers to questions and the Union people leaving the room. He looked at the rough rock that Parnmal had been cut from.

The Free Fleet had been a bunch of slaves trying to survive. They’d made allies, rules and defeated their masters. Kalu had come for them and they’d stood together again. They were now a warrior nation looking to protect its ships and those that stood beside it.

The Planetary Defense Force was becoming a reality and Earth was working towards a united government and getting the to stars to explore and build, instead of attack and steal.

They had all faced real fear, stared at it and walked on. Fear let people know that they were alive, it told them when to protect those they love. Optimism powered change, fear only powered hate.

Miracles aren’t real, it takes a hell of a lot of work and more than a few sacrifices. Rick thought, feeling the weight of his new office settle on his shoulders.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure. I hope you have enjoyed the Free Fleet series. Unfortunately, with all good things it must draw to an end. It’s been awesome to write this series and I hope that I can bring you many more!

As with all self published authors I rely on your reviews to get these books to more people and dedicate more time to writing series. Any reviews or comments are greatly appreciated!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to give a special thank you out to the Beta readers: Alex, Shan and Paul that have helped shaped this book and my others.

Also I’d like to thank Paul Kebler who took my rough outline of the Free Fleet Universe and turned it into a real map.

To Hokunin that turned my words into pictures and Neil Turville that took my words and made them make sense!

Thank you all, and thank you reader for following the adventures of the Free Fleet

POSTSCRIPT

You can check out what I’m working on and upcoming releases through the following means:

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