Deterrence expedition le.., p.5
Deterrence Expedition : Legacy Earth 3, page 5
“I’ve got him pinned, Michael. MOVE!” Lance shouted as he squeezed his trigger several more times while aiming at the visible barrel.
Lance saw several sparks fly as Michael sprinted past him and into the stairwell. The first lieutenant continued to fire. He walked up the steps backward until the Galio was no longer visible. Lowering his weapon, he turned to see Michael at the landing between floors.
Using the wall for cover, he aimed his weapon toward the second story. Forming up behind his combat engineer, Lance pointed his weapon forward and slowly pied the upper flight of stairs. A hole, the size of a basketball, was hip height in the opposing metal wall.
Shards peeled away in all directions with shrapnel littering the steps. Lance hardly noticed the massive dent in the dividing wall he stood behind as he pied the corner. He saw the shoulder of a Galio soldier. Squeezing the trigger, he sent three more rounds down range.
The first two hit in a shower of sparks as the Galio staggered, causing the third to miss. Taking the opportunity, he slid past Michael and ascended the steps. His engineer was close behind him.
Reaching the top of the steps, Lance saw a smaller crate tucked against the half wall that looked over the main floor. Running toward it, he knelt and propped his gun on the top. The Galio he’d hit had steadied himself, and was kneeling, aiming directly at the first lieutenant.
Light flashed in his peripheral vision. More sparks flew off the Galio’s armor. Covered head to toe in dark armor, the alien staggered back, his gun discharging. Even over the sound of the firefight below, Lance could hear the whistle and crack of the enemy rounds as they whizzed over his head.
With the Galio falling back, Lance aimed at the shoulder he’d already hit, squeezing the trigger one more time. Three more rounds flew down range. One set of sparks jumped from the shoulder quickly followed by two spats of a silvery liquid.
In a crouch, Lance emerged from cover and pushed forward with Michael just slightly behind him and to his right. They both approached the soldier, who lay on the ground bleeding. The first lieutenant kept his weapon trained on the injured Galio and kicked his weapon away.
Michael knelt and bound his hands and feet. Lance turned to his multi-tool; with several quick swipes, he selected for the sealing foam to be deployed. It was noted he only had two doses available. He ejected one of them, and the plates of armor at the side of his shin slid away, revealing the wound sealer.
Lance grabbed it, and the armor re-asserted itself. Putting the injector against the massive hole he’d made in the soldier, the first lieutenant injected it into the wound, causing a grunt of pain accompanied with a string of swear words his visual translator refused to show.
“You’ll be okay,” Lance said in a hushed tone before getting on the radio. “High two is down.”
“Low ten and twelve is down,” Mattias replied. “High eleven and low two have us pinned.”
“We’ve got you!” Michael replied as he made it to the corner of the terrace.
Lance followed, forming up behind his squad mate. He tapped Michael’s shoulder. They both rounded the corner, staying low enough that they couldn’t be seen above the lower chest high wall.
As they rounded the corner, the Galio he’d pinned down turned his rifle at them. Lance instantly noticed the barrel’s tip was dented, pinched almost completely shut. Apparently, so did Michael, as he didn’t open fire immediately.
“DON’T SHOOT!” Lance shouted.
It was too late. The Galio squeezed the trigger. A flash of light made it past the barrel’s distortion.
KRRRR!
The weapon splintered into dozens of pieces as it backfired, causing a small explosion. The Galio fell backward, his hands bleeding, missing a finger on each hand and his forearm armor shredded. A shriek of pain rose from the soldier as he writhed on the ground.
Lance moved past Michael and approached the injured soldier. A quick look at him told the first lieutenant that he’d survive, but his fighting days, at least for the near future, were done. As Michael bound the Galio, the first lieutenant peered over the railing.
The last soldier on their level had a clear vantage point on Mattias and Dexter. Only a rapidly deteriorating crate sat between them and the incoming fire from above. Lance rested his rifle on the railing and took aim.
“CEASE FIRE!” Lance barked. “CEASE FIRE AND SURRENDER. YOU’RE BEAT!”
His words drew the Galio’s attention toward him. Turning, he opened fire on the first lieutenant. Bullets bounced off his cover and peppered the wall behind him. Time slowed for the soldier. It was only a matter of seconds before his face plate was hit. He only had one clean shot, one he desperately didn’t want to take.
TINK!
A round hit the side of his helmet. The armor deflected the round but took considerable damage in the process. Lance squeezed the trigger. His heart sank as two sparks flashed off the Galio’s helmet before a spatter of silver liquid shot out of the hole the first two made. The alien’s body dropped limply to the floor.
With the overwatch taken care of, Dexter and Mattias made quick work of the Galio on their level. Lance stood up. His brow knitted together as he looked down at his other two squad mates. They gave him a thumbs-up as they confirmed their kills and retrieved any enemy weapons.
“I thought you said there were eight more,” Lance whispered while counting the dead and injured. “I’ve only got six.”
“Give me a second,” Michael said as he consulted his multi-tool before shaking his head. “I don’t know. I’m seeing the readings, but it’s all over the place like they’re jamming us.”
Lance turned to the injured Galio and knelt down next to him. He pointed his rifle away from the injured soldier but grabbed his breastplate and forced the alien to look at him.
“Where are the others?” he asked, looking into the two-way helmet, only seeing his own reflection, to no response. “I know you can understand me. Where are the other two?”
“Why would I tell you?” the Galio asked with a groan in his voice.
“Because I don’t want your people to die,” Lance replied from behind gritted teeth. “And if those two down there find them first, I can guarantee they won’t be walking out of here. If you tell me, so long as they don’t do anything stupid, I swear to you they will be unharmed.”
The Galio paused. His eyes darted to the wall at his right. Lance followed the glance. Portions of the wall appeared slightly shinier than others. The smooth metallic nature held a slight bump mid-chest height in a six-inch by eight-inch square.
Lance turned his attention back toward the Galio. He gently set the soldier back down, released his breastplate, and offered the alien a grateful nod.
“Thank you,” Lance whispered before standing up and approaching the slightly bowed-out piece of the wall.
When he clenched his fist three times, his blade shot out of his multi-tool. Using its edge, Lance carved away at the edges of the plate. It didn’t take long to pry it off, revealing a bio-scanner.
“Dexter, Mattias, to my position. I found where the last two are hiding,” Lance ordered as he held his multi-tool to the scanner.
Seven
Mission Complete
Lance’s S4 clearance overrode the scanner’s bio code. A green tag that read “open” appeared on the screen. Dexter and Mattias made their way up the stairs. They lined up behind their first lieutenant.
“Take this,” Dexter said as he passed a stun grenade.
Lance took the non-lethal weapon as Michael moved into line as well. Adrenaline wore off as nervousness settled within the first lieutenant. He took several deep breaths before pulling the pin on the grenade. A tap hit his shoulder, letting him know his men were ready.
He tapped the “open” button, causing the shinier part of the wall to retract. Several rounds immediately sparked as they bounced off the metal wall. Screams of those stationed at the facility rose.
Surrendering to his training, Lance threw the explosive into the room. He bounced it off the inner wall. Several metal clanks rang out before a flash of light shot out of the room accompanied with an ear-ringing explosion.
Before the grenade clattering stopped, Lance drew his pistol and surged around the corner. Two dozen men and women writhed on the ground, holding their heads as they cried out in pain. Standing behind them were two Galio soldiers. Their elbows covered their faces as they staggered backward.
Time slowed for Lance as he dashed toward the hostage takers. Dexter was right behind him; he could tell from the unique battle cry the giant let out. Moving like a freight train and as delicately as a field mouse, the first lieutenant flowed through the hostages without touching a single one.
Lance lowered his shoulder as he closed the distance between himself and the furthest back Galio. Planting his feet, he threw all his momentum forward, raising his shoulder as he did. The impact of armor on armor sent sparks flying in all directions.
His protective coating shuddered upon impact, causing his under suit to stiffen. The enemy warrior flew backward. He slammed into the back wall and dropped his weapon before slumping to the ground. Lance closed the distance and placed a knee on the Galio’s chest.
Turning on the magnets in his boots, the first lieutenant locked himself in place while pressing the pistol against the Galio’s helmet. Glancing over his shoulder, Lance saw Dexter and Mattias subdue the other soldier with little effort.
“Who authorized this mission?” Lance asked as he turned his attention back to the Galio he held at gunpoint.
“Bak-tul la-tha!” the Galio hissed. “A curse upon you and your house!”
“Not a big believer in curses,” Lance said as Michael escorted the hostages out of the room.
Turning off the magnets in his boots, he pulled the Galio to his feet, turned him around, and pressed his pistol into the spine arch of his prisoner’s armor. Lance placed his free hand on the Galio’s shoulder. Holding him tightly, he walked the alien out of the room as well.
“Sylph, we’re ready for pickup. Mission accomplished,” Lance said into his radio as Mattias and Dexter walked the other soldier out, his hands bound in front of him.
Lance stopped next to the soldier who was missing fingers. Hooking his arm with the Galio’s, he pulled the soldier to his feet. Giving him a gentle nudge, he made them walk toward the stairwell, where they gathered the other injured.
“You mutilated my brothers,” the Galio hissed.
“You invaded human space, overran a human installation, and took humans hostage,” Lance countered. “I didn’t want to hurt you or your brothers. But I do want to know why you broke our boundary without attempting communication.”
“We’ll tell you nothing,” the Galio grunted.
“It’ll be easier if you talk to me first,” Lance said softly. “I genuinely don’t want anything worse to come to you.”
“I don’t believe you,” the Galio snarled.
“You should,” Dexter called out from behind. “Unlike us, he only took a lethal shot after he’d been hit in the helmet.”
The Galio huffed. Lance paused at the top of the steps. He looked down to see the workers getting into sealed suits to exit the station. Michael led them into the hallway where the airlock hissed as it opened and closed. After several minutes, their radio crackled to life.
“We’re out,” Michael said. “The survivors are loaded up in a transport. It looks like Cortez sent some backup.”
“Copy that, bringing the Galio outside,” Lance said as he gave the men before him a nudge. “Notify the medics that their services will be needed.”
Lance moved the alien soldiers down the steps, Dexter and Mattias followed with their own. Reaching the airlock, all but the Galio with the damaged hands entered the chamber. Mattias stayed behind to guard him. The S4 stayed on one side with the aliens on the other.
The first lieutenant’s eyes scanned each of the armored soldiers. The foam was rated for zero atmosphere for two hours. A quick jaunt to a spacecraft wouldn’t affect the seal much. Lance kept expecting one of them to make a play for his weapon. He kept his finger off the trigger, but it was ready to slip onto that curved piece of metal in the blink of an eye if need be.
With a hiss, the outer door opened. Several relief vessels were landed outside. Investigators and cleanup crews were already hard at work. A half dozen medical officers bounced toward them with an armed escort. They looked over the Galio before starting to escort them back to the P.O.W. transport vessel. Lance grabbed one of the medical officer’s arms.
“Do you have sealing gel in your kit?” he asked, glancing up to see the tank backing away with an engineer at the helm. The minor damage all over the craft gave its void-like appearance a little more depth.
“Always,” the medical officer replied.
“Good, there’s a Galio inside with one of my men. His suit was compromised at the hands and forearms,” Lance explained. “He’s going to need that sealing gel.”
With a nod, the medical officer entered the airlock. It closed behind them. Having passed off the Galio, Lance put his pistol back on the thigh magnetic holster. With a sigh, he looked up to see Justin’s cargo ship with its back open.
Michael sat inside, his weapons stored. Lance led Dexter over. Climbing the ramp, they both entered the ship as well. The first lieutenant approached the gun rack. He unslung his rifle and placed it inside. Removing his pistol and shotgun, he did the same before sitting in one of the uncomfortably small seats that were added to make the cover craft functional for military use.
Mattias walked up just as Lance sat down and started strapping himself in. Within minutes, all the guns were stowed and each member of the S4 were in their seats and fastened tight. The back closed up before the cabin pressurized.
A weight sat on Lance like a wet blanket. Something didn’t sit right with the first lieutenant. If this was truly the beginning of an invasion, then why was the outpost so easy to take down? How could four men and a single tank stop an attack?
The ship rattled as it took off. What little gravity Eris had rapidly vanished as they rose away and returned to the WASP class ship. Lance and Mattias sat in silence while Dexter recounted the battle with gusto. Michael messed with a hologram on his multi-tool that looked like a re-design of Marty.
Full Earth-level gravity kicked back in as Justin came in for a landing. The sudden shift from being weightless, or near it, for so long sent Lance’s inner ear spinning. He unbuckled himself and stood up. The world around him tilted from one side to the other as he readjusted.
Taking several deep breaths, he steadied himself. The rear of the craft opened to reveal Foltur standing with his hands behind his back waiting for them. Lance removed his helmet. He inspected the deep gouge that ran down its left side. Clipping it to his hip, he led his team to their old drill instructor.
“Report!” Foltur ordered.
Lance shook his head as he looked around the massive hangar while the other crafts passed through the barriers and landed as well.
“No loss of human life,” Lance said. “We brought four Galio into custody. Two need medical attention.”
He paused. His lips pursed and brow knitted together.
“But?” Foltur asked, almost as if he could read the first lieutenant’s mind.
“If that was actually an invasion, it was a sorry excuse for one,” Lance added before glancing back at his team. “We hardly broke a sweat.”
“It was likely an expeditionary force,” Foltur countered. “Sent to set up an FOB, but we’ll get to the bottom of it. Get your gear repaired, get cleaned up; we’re heading back to Mars.”
“Yes, sir!” Lance said before turning to his men and waving them to follow.
Foltur approached the Galio prisoners, who were being escorted by a dozen armed officers. They made their way to an elevator specifically designated for the detention level. Survivors were all inspected by a mobile medical bay that was already set up prior to arrival. Stands and beds were temporarily fastened to the ground while men and women in lab coats processed cheek swabs, checked temperatures, and did inspections for any potentially unseen injuries.
Lance led his team to the nearest elevator. He summoned it, climbed in, and selected the level that was responsible for equipment repair and upkeep. When the doors slid open, a SEAL team stood in their path. They didn’t move, only stared down the first lieutenant and his squad.
Their squad leader glared at Lance, her jaw tight as her cold eyes locked with his. There was disdain in them. A ding rang out as the elevator doors started to shut. Two of her teammates stepped forward and held them open.
“This is a Navy vessel,” the squad leader hissed. “It should’ve been us on that mission, not you.”
“Actually, we’re the expeditionary force,” Michael corrected. “According to military guidelines, we are the ones who scout ahead while you come in to sweep up. Besides, this is in fact a Space Force vessel inspired by its seafaring Naval counterpart. Space Force is part of the Air Force, so it’s actually their craft, not yours.”
“Now if you’ll move so we can get our gear repaired, the S4 would appreciate it,” Dexter said as he stepped forward. He outclassed the SEALs in size. “Or we can settle this the old-fashioned way.”
CHUNK!
Dexter’s mechanical knuckles flipped over his fist. With a reluctant sigh, the SEALs stepped back, making room for them to pass.
Lance entered the repair depot, his men behind him. The SEALs got on the elevator and disappeared as the doors shut. Much like the hangar, the repair depot was wide open. Each branch of the military held their own section cordoned off with temporary steel barriers. The Naval repair teams worked tirelessly on weapons and ship parts. Sparks flew in all directions as men and women covered in grease worked tirelessly.
Without much of a presence on the vessel, the army portion was nearly empty. Only cleaners and repair men worked in the area to ensure everything was still functioning properly and remained tidy. The Air Force sat around tables playing multi-tool games, laughing, and enjoying life while the Marines worked endlessly on body armor repairs, weapons upgrades, and in controlled environments, the building of explosives.
