DornaMeiv
March 11, 39
Jack reached up to his chin and rubbed at the prickly hair of his beard, crusty orange blood of the Osaveladians flaked out with bits of dirt as he stroked at his chin. Crusted blotches of blood, dirt and debris covered his face and hair. Jack sat on the pile of concrete chunks only feet from a battered wall. He reached down into the pouch on his waist and wriggled out a small rag, he pressed the rag to his forehead wiping the perspiration from his face.
“Shit Alex it would be nice if I could see where we were going too!” Jack said, glaring at Alex’s Helmet.
“Wait a second now Jack, its not my fucking fault you broke your fucking helmet.” Alex said; his smile widening.
Jack shoved the rag back into the pouch, and then yanked the zipper shut. Jack reached over and picked up his mz-13a, and locked the safety off. Sounds of explosions grew louder and more frequent as the moments passed. Jack raised his index finger into the air and swirled it around a few times in the air. Immediately the other eleven armored soldiers around him got to their feet. He reached up to the comm. unit around his neck and pushed in on it.
“Captain Devie, you’ve got point, Johnson you and big fish bring up the rear.” Jack said into the comm.
Alex squinted, his body hugging the wall as he leaned around the corner, his eyes scanning the street for activity. Alex pointed across the street to a small building, Jack moved up to the corner, his mz-13a aimed low. Jack reached up and tapped Alex on the shoulder, Alex stepped out into the street breaking into a sprint as Jack leaned around the corner crouching his mz-13a held tightly against his shoulder, his body held perfectly still, as his eyes scanned the street.
“Clear, team two go!” Jack said, still focusing on the street.
Sgt. Kinson and Sgt. Tergo stepped out into the street and jogged across the street. Jack looked up at the sky; kneeling by the edge of the alley way staring up at the clouded red sky.
“Incoming!” Johnson said, scanning his mz-13a along the flight path of the Osaveladian drop vessel.
Alex snaked quickly under the cargo trailer he was laying next to; Big Fish swung his MR-92 up, following the transport shuttle with the barrel. Jack spun kicking up a bit of dirt as he retreated into the alley.
“That one’s not alone.” Alex said over the comm. “Command link up indicates that fifty or more of those big bastards are headed for the city.”
“Alex, switch over and monitor the command channels, we need info.” Jack said.
“Fire teams Alpha six, Bravo niner and Charlie two, move to sector eleven Vel landing craft approaching.” A commander’s voice crackled over the radio.
“We have called fleet for Evac, ETA Ninety Minutes, I want The wombats and Alpha fire teams from the 342nd to hold the Vels while we clear the LZ in sector two. Alpha fire teams secure sectors four and five” Colonel Lorenzo said.
“Wombat to command… wombat…armor taking heavy casualties, the Vels will have over run sector six…pulling back to sector five” the officer said, his voice wavering.
“Get down!” Jack said, as an explosion shook the street.
“Major, armored units from the Wombats detachment of the 471st are headed this way, all units are ordered out of sector six back to sector four. Colonel Lorenzo called for Evac ships, ETA ninety minutes in sector two. Alpha fire teams from the 342nd are going to cover the retreat, from sectors four and five.” Alex said, steadily aiming his mz-13a down the road
“Okay Specters lets move to covering positions above streets, when the
Vels come down the street we’ll hit ‘em, and fall back to join Alpha fire teams.” Jack said.
Alex’s eyes moved back and forth scanning the street, Jack pointed to Alex then the small Commercial building up the road.
“Kinson, Tergo rig demo charges up the road about forty meters from us towards sector six, Johnson, big fish setup inside the offices across from me and Devie, the rest of you grab lower level positions in the offices nearby, two by two. No body fire till after Kinson blows those charges!” Jack said. “Now let’s move!”
Jack pressed his back to the wall and peered down the street. Jack turned and pointed back down the alley towards big fish, big fish nodded, kicked down the door next to him, and then slid inside. Jack turned the corner and ran down the street, perspiration rolling down his face, his gun bobbing up and down in front of him, the click of boots on the pavement behind him. Jack turned and threw the full weight of his body at the leaning glass door, glass shards flew through the air as Jack slammed through the door.
Alex stepped in behind him sweeping the room with his rifle, Alex stepped past Jack down a side hall way. Jack moved into covering position behind Alex, they crept down the hall. Fine dust particles floated in the air wafting about with each movement the soldiers made. Jack turned the corner into the elevator nook, and slammed his fist into the button.
“Sands, lil’ Johnson and me are in position.” Big fish said over the comm.
Dust and debris flew out of the lift shaft as the elevator speed towards the ground level, the lift car stopped at the ground floor. Alex and Jack stepped in to the elevator, dust flowing in around them. Jack pressed the button, the lights flickered, then dimmed, the elevator went up slowly, creeping past several floors then grinding to a stop at the fifth floor. Jack sprinted to the window, looked down the street.
“Alex, take position in one of the near by offices, wait ‘til I give the signal.” Jack said. Alex nodded, reached into his pack and wriggled a clip of ammo out then stepped out into the hallway, disappearing from Jacks view. Jack slid a clip from a small pouch on the front of his armor, slammed it down on the desk. Jack sat down on the floor behind the desk.
“Alex get me eyes out there” Jack said over the comm.
Alex reached behind him into the equipment pack on his back, and pulled a small tin can from his pack. He turned and swung his mz-13a into the window, glass spilled out on to the streets below. Alex pulled a small square piece of plastic from the side of the can then threw the can on to the streets below.
“Streets are set up.” Kinson said over the comm.
“Get outta sight Adrianne after the convoy enters the sector I want everyone on the ready.” Jack said, hardening his tone.
Alex pressed a few buttons on his wrist, images from the street below rolled across the HUD in his helmet, he watched Adrianne slink into a building down the street. Alex tapped at the key pad on his wrist again, an aerial image of the sector popped up on his HUD next to the video feed from the street.
“Command, wombats are entering sector five, Vels are hot on us, they are attempting to…” a burst of static cut off the soldier’s words. Alex sat monitoring the street and aerial views in his HUD.
The floor of the building rumbled, kicking up dust, items fell from desks onto the floor. Major Sands checked the safety catch on his MZ-13a, wrestled the small rag from his pouch and wiped the sweat from his forehead, dirt smeared across his face with each swipe of the rag. The tremors grew more frequent, items started to topple from the tops of shelves.
“Major! I’ve got two of ours on camera, no positive id yet but they’re ours. Sat com has picked up more trailing them, and Vel forces right on their asses!” Alex said over the comm. Alex watched the behemoth tanks roll down the street, on his HUD screen. A massive deafening explosion filled the air and the building tremored; clouds of dust and debris flew into the sky and streets, showering everything with dust.
“Knock, knock boss, company is here” Big fish said over the comm., with a snicker.
“No fuckin’ shit genius!” Johnson said, with a laugh.
“Keep it hot specters!” Jack said, (Anticipation)
The column of tanks rumbled down the street past the building where Jack and Alex laid in wait. Tremors rocked the building, as a column of fire shot over the lead tank. The tank behind ground to halt behind the inferno of the lead tank, the rest of the column followed suit. Troops on the street scattered about diving for cover where ever it could be found, intermittent gun fire and screams filled the streets below. Jack reached up and grabbed for the LAW on his pack, yanking at the connection to the pack. The strap ripped free of his pack. With his free hand Jack snapped the pistol from his chest holster, spinning it level to the window in front of him as he rose to his feet; he pulled the trigger, spraying glass outwards. The pistol rammed easily into its chest holster, Jack leveled the launcher with an Osaveladian armored vehicle; he jammed the trigger down. Dust and debris flew into the air, flames danced out of the cloud of debris. One of the wombat’s tanks turned its turret towards the smoking hulk of the Osaveladian vehicle; a second explosion ensured the destruction of the vehicle. The lead Terran tank rumbled ahead navigating around the ruins of the former lead tank. Jack knelt back down behind the wall in the office, sliding a small battery sized rocket from his pouch, he slipped the rocket into the loading chamber of the launcher.
“Fucking right! Nice shot Jack!” Alex said, laughing.
The tanks rumbled down the street, tremors shaking the building with each explosion.
“Fuck…fuck…Major! Two Vel Armored…comin’ in!” Alex said.
Jack rose to his feet and shouldered the rocket launcher again, the lead vehicle of the small convoy’s turret spun sideways towards the smoking hulk of the former lead tank; the barrels at the end of the turret charged up and released a glowing purple burst at the smoking tank; the armor of the tank began to ooze. Jack lined up the reticule with the hover plating of the tank at the back of the column; and eased the trigger in. The hover mechanism exploded beneath the Osaveladian armored vehicle, tons of metal collapsed to the concrete sending a cloud of dust in all directions. The concrete crumpled up like paper under the weight of the armored unit.
“Hit it! Hit it NOW!” Jack said, as he released his grip on the launcher.
Fire and chunks of concrete launched into the air, tearing through the armor plating, and hover mechanisms of the lead tank. The nose of the tank rammed into the road, pushing chunks of asphalt into the air. Big fish swung his MR-92 level, and yanked back on the trigger, spraying rounds at the vehicles. Jack dove for cover as energy blasts sent chunks of concrete into the air around him.
“Alex, get me air support!” Jack shouted as he slid into the hallway.
“Foxtrot Niner we request air support in sector five, grid eleven.” Alex said, reading information off his HUD.
“Foxtrot Niner, air support unavailable at this time.” an officer said.
“Shit, jack no good on the air, command won’t send!” Alex said, watching the image of the street on his HUD
Energy blasts rained concrete and dust on Jack. He crawled around the corner, dust falling all around him, as he crawled up to Alex.
“Alex! Lets ride, we need to get the hell out of here!” Jack said fumbling for an equipment pouch; he shoved his hand into the pouch, yanking his sunglasses free water purification pills spilled out on to the floor. Jack slid the glasses on to his face. Jack sprung to his feet, swinging his rifle to aim down the hall in front of him. Chunks of the building fell from the ceiling with each explosion.
Jack jammed the button down on his comm. unit, “Specters, lets move! Regroup in sector four.”
Jack rounded the corner and looked carefully around, pausing at the elevator doors as the down arrow lit up. Alex punched a few keys on his wrist pad; the image of the front doors in Alex’s HUD zoomed in on the front of the building. Alex shook his head and pointed down the hall. The men broke into a sprint down the hall, Alex surged a head of Jack and rounded the corner stopping at a window above the alley behind the building. Jack fired a quick burst from his mz-13a at the window, spraying glass into the alley. Alex turned facing back down the hall and lied down, spreading a tripod for his mz-13a. Alex fired intermittently at the end of the hall intersection he and Jack had just come from. Jack peered out the window into the alley.
“Al! Yo, Alex!” Jack said motioning towards the window. Jack aimed out the window and fired a burst; shoving off with a grunt Jack flew out the window and crashed on to the floor of the patio across the alley. Alex ran at the window and launched himself like a missile out of the window, slamming into the floor of the patio. Jack got to his feet, turned to look at the door. Jack rammed himself through the door; splinters flew through the air.
“Marlin! Yo, Big Fish!” Johnson said, grabbing a fistful of Marlin’s pack, yanking at it. Marlin fired a few more rounds out of the massive gun, then turned, breaking into a sprint as the edge of the building exploded behind them, debris flying into the air. Marlin grabbed onto the door handle and yanked the door open. Johnson ran through the door, his feet pounded against the steel grating of the stairs. Metal spears ripped through the stair case flying past Marlin. Marlin slammed through the door to his right and sprinted down the hallway. Marlin side stepped into a room and dropped his MR-92 to the floor. He reached up to the strap for his pack on his chest; took a deep breath and unlocked the clasp holding the two sides of the strap together. The pack dropped to the floor spilling MREs and other equipment onto the floor. Big Fish reached into the pack and ripped out an ammunition box, and removed the feed cover. He knelt down and grabbed his MR-92, flipping the ammo drum release. The drum fell to the floor kicking up dust; Big Fish rammed the new ammo drum into position and locked it on to the rifle. Johnson grabbed his knife and cut his pack loose as he dropped to his knees, next to Marlin.
“Fuck…I’m …I’m hit…” Johnson said, gasping for air. Marlin set his MR-92 on the floor, and crawled to Johnson, examining the oozing wound on his back. Johnson’s body trembled.
“It went right through the armor didn’t it…?” Johnson said. Marlin nodded, then grabbed Johnson’s arm.
“Look we need to get moving they are on their way here!” Marlin said
“Okay Big Fish” Johnson said, as he grabbed his mz-13a and got to his feet.
Marlin grabbed his MR-92 and got to his feet. Marlin stepped out into the hall, peered left and right then motioned for Johnson to move down the hall. Johnson flipped the lever on his helmet and the lock released. He grabbed the top of the helmet yanking it from his head. He released his grip on the helmet, dropping it on to the floor. Johnson turned and ran down the hall away from the room, towards a stair well. Marlin ran behind Johnson keeping stride right next to him.
Jack sprinted down the alley, but a few meters behind Alex. A vortex of dust blew up around them as an Osaveladian ship, locked down its engines, and hovered above the alley. Alex reached back and grabbed the barrel of the micro rocket launcher strapped to his pack. He flipped the clip loose and slung the rocket launcher to his shoulder, aiming at the visible thruster of the Osaveladian ship. Alex pounded down on the firing mechanism, the rocket flared away from the launch tube. Alex dropped the rocket launcher to the ground and started running. The rocket slammed into the thruster, flames and shrapnel spewed away from the thrust engine, tilting the ship sideways. Jack dove around the corner as the thruster crashed into the roof of the building, raining chunks of debris down towards the street. Alex and jack raced down the street towards sector four. Dirt and debris swirled into the air, the Osaveladian ship spun sideways and slammed into the offices below. Alex and Jack turned the corner, running down the ramp into the underground vehicle bay. Jack’s eyes swept over the room, a (buggy) sat in the center of the facility. Jack strolled up to the (buggy), steadying his maz-13a on the tall man hunched over in the drivers seat. Alex circled the buggy his mz-13a leveled with the man in the buggy.
Jack released his grip on the mz-13a, the shoulder strap swinging it down to his side. Jack slipped the pistol from the webbing of his armor and pointed it at the man as he stepped up to the side of the (buggy). Jack reached in, and grabbed the armored wrist of the soldier. His fingers tapped at the key pad on the man’s wrist, the lines on the small screen next to the keys, showed a steady flat line across it. He slipped the pistol into the holster on his chest. Jack shook his head; grabbed the man’s other arm and pulled him between the roll bars. As the man hit the floor blood spilled from the side of the helmet onto the ground, oozing away from him. Alex flipped open the cargo box on the (buggy) walked over grabbed the soldiers legs and the two men hoisted him into the cargo box; Alex locked the box shut. Jack crawled between the bars into the driver’s seat. Alex hopped into the rear mounted gunners seat. He dug around between himself and the seat, pulling a harness loose. The accelerator slammed to the floor, smoke and rubber debris filled the air, the (buggy) launched, slamming Jack against the seat. Jack yanked the stick back into second gear, the tires screamed. Dust kicked up and swirled around the (buggy), Alex swung the rear mounted rail gun upwards towards an Osaveladian ship.
Hold the Line
Adrianne stepped slowly out onto the main street from the alley. She looked towards a wall of metal sheets. Sergeant Jorgenson swung the barrel of the X272 level to Adrianne and Noah, centering them in the reticule
“We’re with the 342nd, fire team foxtrot!” Adrianne said, raising her mz-13a above her head. She stepped forward lowering her rifle. “We’ve been cut off from the rest of our team!”
The Sergeant turned the weapon to aim down the street; a lieutenant rose from behind the wall of metal. Adrianne lowered her mz-13a; she walked to the metal wall and hopped over it. Noah crouched behind the barricade and released the clip from the mz-13a; he pulled a clip from the webbing on his chest. The clip snapped into the mz-13a, Noah reached up and pulled back on the slide. The Lieutenant sat next to Noah, her hand quivering on the barrel of the gun; she pulled the helmet from her head, her hazel eyes shifted to Noah then back to her gun. Noah tapped a series of buttons on the wrist mounted pad. The suns vanished behind the buildings; the concrete grew larger. Trails of fire burned through the closing darkness. The sound of Sporadic fire fights echoed through the side streets. Noah reached up and grabbed the latch on his helmet flipping it open. His hand paused at the neckline of his armor, then slipped the helmet over his head. The twin suns of DornaMeiv passed behind the mountains west of the city, casting an orange glow over the skyline. Noah tugged at the collar of his BDUs beneath his armor, sweat poured down his forehead.
“Shit, nobody told me we’d get scorched all night too.” Noah said, wiping his face with his gloved hand.
“Welcome to DornaMeiv” The Lieutenant said, smiling at Noah. Her perspiration soaked hair stuck to her face and neck. Noah reached into his equipment pack; he rustled in the pack for a moment before yanking his canteen free. Noah spun the lid loose and raised the canteen to his lips. Chilled water touched his lips, rolling easily down his throat. Noah held the canteen towards the Lieutenant next to him, she smiled and wrapped her hand around the plastic canteen and raised it to her lips, sucking in the cool water. Flames danced across the tops of buildings down the street.
“How long ‘til the Evac ships land?” Noah said, glancing at the Lieutenant.
The Lieutenant shrugged, “somewhere around forty-five to sixty minutes.”
Adrianne looked to her right at Noah, then to her left at Sgt. Jorgenson. A spear tore through the metal barricade; fire erupted from the tip of the spear launching a private into the air.
“Alpha squad to the line, the Vels are closing in!” The Lieutenant shouted into her comm. Sergeant Jorgenson leapt to his feet, grabbing hold of the X272; he pivoted the barrels to line up with the Osaveladians down the street. Red bursts of energy belched from the barrels of the X272. Noah fumbled for his helmet; grabbing the top of it. He flipped the helmet up and shoved it down onto his head, his hand sliding down the visor to the lock mechanism, shoving the lever down. An Osaveladian spear shredded through the chest of the corporal standing next to Adrianne, splattering blood over her armor. The corporal slammed against the concrete wall slumping to the ground. Adrianne raised her mz-13a towards the line of Vels marching at the barricade and squeezed down the trigger. Bullets tore metal pieces from the bodies of the Vels. Pieces of concrete rained off the buildings behind the barricade. A spear tore into the metal barricade; an explosion shredded the remains of the spear. Shrapnel flew in all directions. Pieces of the metal wall tore through the flexible bullet proof material around Noah’s neck, burning beneath his flesh. He dropped to his knees behind the bunker and grabbed for his right shoulder. Blood pumped from the holes in his armor. The Lieutenant helped ease Tergo to the ground.
“Lay down Sergeant!” She said, between bursts of gun fire from the line. Noah shook his head, and steadied his mz-13a and pushed himself to his knees. Noah fell back against the barricade. The lieutenant flipped the lever on Tergo’s helmet. She slid her hand to the top and pulled the helmet from his head.
“Medic!” Hilden said her voice cracking. “My name is Cori Hilden, Noah listen to me, focus. I’m going to get you out of your armor. Energy bursts spewed from the X272’s mounted along the barricade. Terran tanks rumbled out of an alley way behind the Osaveladian line. The lead tanks turret pivoted lining up with a large group of Vel warriors. Fire and shrapnel engulfed the group of Vel warriors. The Lieutenant glanced to Noah then towards her mz-13a. Noah crawled to his feet and shouldered the mz-13a squaring it towards the approaching column of Osaveladian warriors. Rounds spewed from the barrel of Tergo’s weapon. A burst of energy pounded into the head of a private next to Tergo. The private dropped to the ground, the helmet charred black and melted to the private. Explosions drowned out the bursts of fire coming from the line of marines.
“Alpha leader this is alpha six, do you copy?” The Lieutenants radio crackled. She knelt down behind the barricade.
“Alpha six this is Alpha leader, report status” Lieutenant Hilden replied.
“Alpha six under heavy fire, need air support sector five zone two.” the fire team leader said.
Hilden pressed a few keys on her wrist. “Alpha Leader to field command, Alpha six requests air support in sector five zone two, over”
“Alpha leader, bomber wing epsilon is en route.” The field commander said.
“Field command, Alpha Leader requesting air support in sector four as well” Hilden said.
“Alpha we will direct fire support to your location.” The field commander said.
Hilden grabbed the handle of her knife and yanked it from its sheath on her waist.
“Sergeant Tergo don’t move I’m gonna cut your neck guard off so we can get to your wound.” Hilden said, as she raised her knife to the neck guard.
Evacuation
“Get this shit torn down people we’ve, I want all non essential command equipment ready for dust off in thirty, and the rest packed within eighty!” Lorenzo said, kicking his chair. Soldiers bustled around the command center, disassembling computer consoles, tactical plotting monitors and other equipment.