A Pale Dawn Read online

  The dropship began firing the CASPers into the atmosphere.

  * * *

  Command Center, Underdeep, Paradise

  “The invaders have found the second set of explosives,” the technician said, looking up from her display.

  “Good,” Walker replied. He looked up at the Tri-V in time to see a MinSha with a scanner reaching up toward the camera. After a couple of seconds, the Tri-V went blank.

  “Good?” asked Ferguson. “Isn’t that bad?”

  “After someone just dropped a roof on you, wouldn’t you be extra cautious before you continued on, just to make sure they didn’t do it again?” Walker smiled as he indicated the Tri-V screen where the MinSha were again moving through the tunnels. It was the same company; either they were getting paid really well, or Peepo had them running scared of failure. Walker was willing to bet it was the latter. Too bad for them.

  “So, those explosives were fake? You wanted them to find them?”

  “Oh, no, they were real enough,” Walker replied with a chuckle. “If they hadn’t found them, we would have triggered them and collapsed the roof on them, again, but you’re right—we wanted them to find them.”

  “I don’t get it,” Ferguson admitted.

  “Okay,” Walker said, “let’s look at it from their perspective. We dropped a ceiling on them. They removed the debris and are moving forward again. What do you think they’re going to be looking for?”

  “Us to do it again?”

  “Yes,” Walker agreed. “And then what?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, if that’s all we did, it would show a certain lack of imagination and sophistication, right?” Ferguson still looked confused. “We have to assume the enemy leader isn’t stupid. She’s going to be asking, ‘What next?’ Even though she knows we can mine the roof again, she’s going to know that we know she’ll be on the lookout for that now, and it’s likely she’ll find our next set of explosives, which she did. She may start to feel comfortable, but if she’s smart, she’ll be cautious and worried about what’s next. She’ll be looking out for something else.” He leaned down to the technician. “Bring up the cavern monitors, please.”

  The Tri-V screen divided into four views of a large cavern with a number of tunnels running off into the darkness. The cavern appeared empty on all the views. After a few moments, movement could be seen in the upper right quadrant as a MinSha reached the cavern and looked around.

  “She doesn’t look very comfortable, does she?” Walker asked as the trooper’s eyes searched from side to side, her laser rifle jerking around at phantom targets. After about thirty seconds, a second MinSha joined her. This one had a scanner it used to survey as much of the cavern as it could from the mouth of the tunnel.

  “Are they going to come in?” Mayor McGee asked, looking over Ferguson’s shoulder.

  “They want to, really badly,” Walker said. “The cavern has tunnels that extend in a number of directions, so they know that if they can capture and hold it, we’ll have a harder time guarding the rest of the complex because we’ll have to defend more area.”

  “So why don’t they charge in and take it?” she asked.

  “Because the one with the sensor is getting the same reading from the roof of the cavern—which she can’t see clearly—as she did when she found our earlier trap, and she’s really worried that if she steps into the cavern, she’ll set off a bunch of explosives and bury herself. I expect she’s talking to her superiors, asking for guidance.”

  “And what will that guidance be?” Ferguson asked.

  “What would you do if you were the leader?” Walker asked. “Would you tell them to move forward, based on the report of what is probably a low-grade trooper and some sort of technician?”

  “Hell, no. I’d want to send someone senior down to survey it before I made a decision on how to proceed.”

  “And if they couldn’t give you the information you needed?”

  “I’d probably go take a look myself, especially if there weren’t any actual shooting going on.”

  Walker nodded. “Me, too.” He gave Ferguson a half smile. “Although, due to the nature of my work, I’d probably still go, even if there was shooting.” He indicated the Tri-V screen, where a number of MinSha were now jostling for position to look into the cavern. Several had high-powered flashlights and were scanning the ceiling. “Looks like it’s getting crowded. The senior people have arrived.”

  “I take it you have a plan,” the mayor said. “What are you waiting for? If they disperse down those tunnels, they could get into some of the habitations in just minutes.”

  “We have people in all the tunnels, just out of sight,” Walker replied. “As to what I’m looking for…there she is!” Walker exclaimed as a larger MinSha pushed its way to the front. The others backed off, except for two. The leader conversed with one of them while the other held a light on the ceiling.

  “All Horde forces, stand by,” Walker said. He tapped the technician on the shoulder. “Blow it!”

  The technician pressed a button and the ground vibrated underneath them.

  “All Horde forces,” Walker transmitted again. “Move out!” He turned and started for the exit.

  “What was that?” the mayor asked. “Where are you going?”

  “We had another set of explosives hidden prior to the one they found. The transmitter and everything attached to it was dormant until they cut the power to the one they found, which activated the one they had already passed. They never went back and checked; they continued on from where they found the other trap. The explosives just dropped the roof of the passageway behind them, and now the leadership of that company—and probably most of its personnel—is either buried or trapped with no way out, and it’s going to take a long time for their Lumar friends to dig them out.” Walker chuckled. “And where am I going? I’m going to go take that MinSha colonel’s surrender.”

  * * *

  CIC, Maki Cruiser Spreading Shade, Paradise System

  “There has been another setback,” the communications officer said.

  “Now what?” Admiral Jarkyl asked. “Those are our best troops down there! Do not tell me there has been another problem! I’ll have your ears!”

  He was nearly screaming by the time he finished, and the comms officer looked back down at his console. Being somewhat attached to his ears, he was unwilling to say any more.

  “What?” the admiral asked after a few moments, once he’d calmed down a little. “Speak! I’m not going to cut off your ears.”

  “The MinSha made it into the first main cavern, and they were about to move out toward the main dwelling areas, but then the tunnel collapsed behind them. Most of the battalion was buried.”

  “How many are left?”

  “We’re not entirely sure. Those that were left were forced to surrender, so the unit is a complete loss.”

  The admiral turned to his SitCon. “What ground units do we have left?”

  “On the transports?” the SitCon asked, not having to look at his slate. “None. That battalion was our reserve. Aside from the remains of a few Lumar units, who I wouldn’t trust to do much more than clear debris, there is nothing left. We have failed.”

  “Failed?” the admiral screamed. “We have not failed. We hold the orbitals, and if they won’t come out on their own, I will turn their holes into their graves. Bury them! Commence orbital bombardment now!”

  “Before we resort to that,” the SitCon said. “There is still one other thing we could try…”

  * * *

  EMS Pegasus, Approaching Frost Orbit, Asyola Star System

  Pegasus shuddered under six Gs of thrust as her anti-missile lasers blazed. Glamdring and Cherry struggled to control the huge number of missiles flying at the fleet. Both escorts were fully defensive, laying down an intense screen of anti-missile fire. The two fleets had done one pass at each other, trading weapons fire and raining missiles.

  The Hussars
got the better out of the exchange. While the cruisers Omaha and Macaque were disabled, and the frigate Crocus destroyed, the enemy fleet lost a battlecruiser, two frigates, and one of their light cruisers. Now both fleets struggled for position as they traded missile fire.

  “That’s a lot of nukes,” Xander Opal, the TacCom said, gritting her teeth against the acceleration. The battlecruiser was swinging back around to help screen for the Byczyna.

  I’m beginning to regret that fucking beast, Alexis thought. Despite the heavy screen, missiles peppered across the battleship’s shields. The huge ship’s 50 massive shield generators soaked up the damage without much difficulty, even though it couldn’t change facing as it thrust to avoid making an accidental atmospheric entry. It wouldn’t have been an entry, more like a fiery suicide.

  “Losing fix on enemy positions,” Flipper said. “It’s almost a radiation storm.”

  Alexis made a face as she watched the tactical display updating ship positions. The enemy fleet was a series of flashing symbols with ghostly traces, indicating the ship’s positions were uncertain and their movement plots were estimates. Her eyes narrowed as the seconds clicked on.

  “Status on the drones?” she asked Ghost.

 

  “Drone control,” she spoke, “dispatch drones on wide swing for sensor data.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  In space, the surviving drones from Pegasus instantly split and raced laterally to the fleet, forming a spider web with an expanding radius. Their acceleration was many times that of the fastest ship in the squadron. In less than a minute, the Tri-V lit up with fresh data, and it was nothing like the prediction.

  “The enemy fleet has disengaged,” Paka said, examining the data. Alexis examined the information and had to admit her XO was right. The fucking Zuul were making a run for it.

  “Predict and intercept,” Alexis ordered.

  “Stand by,” Pleek said. The screen began to update with each Hussars ship’s projected course, in relation to the fleeing enemy. The only ships that could close before the enemy reached the stargate were Pegasus and the two escort frigates.

  “Captain Kaskata on Secretariat is requesting instructions,” Hoot said.

  The tactical display showed Secretariat and Excalibur holding highguard on the stargate. One Crown-class cruiser and a Legend-class escort frigate against the remnants of the Zuul fleet—two battlecruisers, six cruisers, one light cruiser, seven escort frigates, and three frigates. She was certain Captain Kaskata would do her best to hold the stargate. There weren’t many Maki in the Hussars, and she’d always worked twice as hard against that deficit. In the end, it would only mean they lost two more ships and 260 more lives. They didn’t want any of the ships getting out of the system to spread the word. Maybe there was another way around that.

  “Send my regards and order Captain Kaskata to yield highguard.” Hoot nodded and sent the transmission. “Tell her to take Excalibur and swing wide but be in a position to match a possible assault by my force. Pleek, plot a combined fleet force minus Byczyna for the stargate, best speed.” Thrust fell off and Pegasus began to change course. “Hoot, order Captain Chigasoolu to assume a safe orbit around Frost out of range of any ground batteries but still able to intercept anyone who takes off.” Alexis looked at the tactical display of the stargate again. Already her two ships were maneuvering away as the enemy ships raced toward escape. She didn’t intend to grant them that. “Hoot, raise the gate master.”

  “Standby,” the Buma comms officer said. He worked for a minute, his beak moving as he spoke into the radio. After several attempts, he looked at her and shook his huge feathery head. “No response, Captain.”

  “What?” she said. “Try again.” He did, with the same results. “Can they hear us?”

  “I’m using laser comms,” he said, “I have a proper handshake between our transceivers. They just aren’t responding.”

  Alexis narrowed her eyes. She wouldn’t put it past whoever was in charge of the gate to deny any request she might make. The problem was that they would have to at least talk with her first before turning her down. Plus, there were always credits to do the talking. The gate masters were usually Sumatozou. The big pachyderms were nothing, if not greedy. She’d yet to meet one who didn’t have his or her price, even if that price might be astronomically large. She’d pay this time, too.

  “Ghost.”

 

  “Can you break into the stargate’s computer?”

  Seconds ticked by as the AI worked its magic over the distance between Pegasus and the stargate’s control station. Ghost said finally.

  “That is strange, isn’t it?”

  Ghost agreed.

  Alexis looked at the course plot again. All their ships except the battleship and the damaged and disabled were now racing toward the stargate. So were the enemy. The computer plot showed them gaining, but the intercept was predicted well past the stargate. Her eyes flicked to the emergence point where the six merc cruisers and a dozen gunboats waited.

  “What about the merc cruisers?” Paka asked.

  Alexis smiled slightly. Paka was her best strategist, no doubt about it. The Veetanho could almost read Alexis’ mind. She needed to find time to talk to her XO again. It was high time she had her own command. She’d been offered Nuckelavee before they’d left New Warsaw, but Paka had refused.

  “I was just thinking about that,” Alexis said.

  “They’d be safer with Byczyna,” Paka suggested.

  “Agreed. Hoot, order the mercs to begin falling toward Frost. There is one orbital defense station which appears active. Contact EMS Blarney Stone, give Colonel Stephen Desmond my regards and ask him if Micky Finn would be so kind as to give me that station intact.”

  A man’s voice came over a moment later. “This is Micky Finn Actual, Colonel Cromwell. It would be me and my fine lads’ honor to wrap that station up in a bow and hand it to you.”

  “My thanks, Colonel,” Alexis said with a grin. Desmond was a chronic alcoholic and a bit of a bore. He’d put the moves on her a few years ago in the most sleazy way possible. However, he’d accepted the no before she’d been forced to break his neck, so all was fair in love and mercenary combat. You couldn’t blame an alpha male for trying. She had complete confidence his three companies would deliver the station, no matter what.

  “Continue intercept,” Alexis ordered the fleet. “They’ll either have to swing wide when the gate doesn’t open or start braking soon.” Only, they didn’t. As the minutes ticked by she got more and more suspicious. The enemy did stop accelerating, though they made no effort to slow or change course.

  “One minute from gate intercept,” Pleek said.

  “Something’s wrong,” Paka said.

  “Yeah,” Alexis agreed. Only what? A window in the central Tri-V showed the cluster of ships and the asteroid ring which made up the stargate. Suddenly there was a distortion in the stargate and the stars swirled. “Son of a bitch,” she said. A few seconds later, the fleet was gone.

  “How did they do that?” Xander asked.

  “That is something I intend to find out,” Alexis said. “Order the fleet to brake and make course back to Frost, medium consumption maneuver. Pleek, I want to bring Pegasus alongside the station. Paka, contact marine country. Inform Lieutenant Williams I intend to have them board the stargate control station.”

  As the fastest ship with a sizeable marine contingent, it only made sense for Pegasus to be the one to investigate the stargate. They were still two light seconds out from the stargate when the fleet flipped over and boosted back toward the planet. Pegasus flipped but did not slow until the others were already almost stopped and headed back.

  “Bring us in quickly,” Alexis said.

  “Prepare for
high-G acceleration!” Pleek said over the ship-wide PA. Two seconds later Pegasus’ three fusion torches roared to life, and power poured from her engines. Had her captain wished it, they could have pushed the ancient ship over 20 Gs—far beyond the capabilities of even the best frigates in the galaxy. Pegasus was designed to fight a different kind of war, against a different kind of enemy, and with a different kind of crew. Pleek limited her acceleration to eight Gs.

  I hate this part, Alexis thought as she was crushed deep into the gel pad of her command chair. She wasn’t getting any younger, and as she struggled for breath under the Oogar sitting on her chest, she wondered how much longer she could keep up with the kids.

  She knew many in her crew were just as miserable. Some of the aliens, not so much. Quite a few Bakulu were crew on Pegasus, as well as Jeha and any number of other G-tolerant races. She glanced at the navigation data in her pinplants and counted the seconds.

  Thrust cut and everyone in the CIC gasped in relief. Alexis did her best to look calm and composed. Remember, you’re Colonel Cromwell, she told herself and she worked to slow her breathing. Over five minutes at eight gravities was brutal. A fraction of a G returned as Pleek used the ship’s less powerful ion engines to scrub the last meters per second on approach.

  “Lieutenant Williams,” Alexis called on the intraship comms, “are you ready?”

  “Yes, Captain,” the marine commander replied, “I have Dragon Squad standing by with Raptor geared for backup.”

  “Are you aware of the situation, Lieutenant?”

  “I’ve been following along at home,” Williams said.

  Alexis smirked, glad she’d stolen Lieutenant Matt Williams from Major Kratlik. The MinSha commander of the Hussars’ marines had been using Lieutenant Williams as her executive assistant. Poor use of talent, she thought. “Very good, Lieutenant. Please take your squad and find out what the fuck is going on over there.”

  “Will do, Captain. ROE?”