Note this story is set back near Earth on our Solar System. The setting is carefully described in Chapter 1.
Black Ice Outpost
Pluto
February 22, 2500
0552 Hours
“Fall back!” Sergeant Parker shouted at the top of his lungs to his men. A trio of enemy Goliaths with infantry advanced on Parker’s men. He counted at least eighteen marines. His men began to drop like flies. “Damnit Corporal! Get the Antarctica on the line! We need reinforcements now!”
Seconds seemed like hours as the FAC troops fired upon Parker’s men. He had a tank, a goliath, and twenty marines that were dying faster than he could count. A reply finally came from the soldier inside the only remaining tank. “The Admiral says the Tigershark will be approaching our position, and—” The Corporal was cut off by the last goliath exploding in a shower of steel. His tank’s twin cannons fired at the closest FAC marine, bisecting him and spurting up blood like a fountain.
“Eat this you bastards!” Parker put his gauss rifle in full auto and emptied a magazine in six seconds, cutting down two marines. One of the enemy soldiers fired and a bullet nicked the faceplate of the private next to Parker. The plexiglass shattered exposing the marine’s face to the ice-cold temperatures of Pluto. His face froze immediately and he dropped dead.
“God all mighty!” Jonathan Parker leaped up upon the Siege Tank as it rolled as fast as it could away. Its turret facing towards the rear firing its shells into the mass of advancing troops. Parker emptied his last magazine without killing a single soldier. He threw down his rifle and upholstered his pistol. The ten round magazine was quickly emptied into the nearest FAC marine. Throwing down the pistol, he jumped inside the tank and prayed for salvation.
From beyond the icy peaks, salvation awaited. A behemoth battlecruiser appeared out of nowhere. Bolts of hot energy spewed from its laser batteries. Several of them cut the goliath into pieces of boiling metal. Marines were melted where they stood. A few torpedoes shot down, disintegrating infantry and creating three-meter wide craters.
Parker smiled as five dropships touched down upon Pluto’s soil. Infantry and artillery poured down the ramps like a victorious army. They quickly entered the outpost and secured everything. SCV’s began to gather all the stockpiled weapons.
As Parker began to tally his losses a stocky man exited a dropship in an environmental suit and approached him. “Sergeant Parker. I’m Major Talbot, now even though you about lost, I’d like to congratulate you on a victory. Well done.”
“What do you want Major?”
Talbot frowned. “Admiral McPhereson has informed us that our next target is Draconis IX. He wouldn’t tell Colonel Henrikson or me why. I’d like to know why this fleet is attacking a friendly colony. A heavily populated one at that.”
Parker shrugged. “I don’t know. Records at this outpost indicate a large shipment, including a hundred tactical nukes, were shipped from there.”
“Makes sense. Aiding the enemy is, after all, treason. Traitors deserve to die.”
Parker grabbed the throat of the suit and pulled the Major close to him. “Don’t forget, I hate officers, and I’m from Draconis IX.” Parker released his grip, then Talbot sniffed conceitedly and walked away towards the dropship.
The Sergeant sat in an empty dropship waiting for orders to take off. Normally the wounded would be loaded first, but on a planet such as Pluto, if you’re wounded you’re dead. He was about to leave when Private Waters walked in. The marine sat down beside him. “Hey Sarge, is it true the Tigershark is our new command ship?”
“Yeah…”
“That means I get to pick on the replacements.”
“Yeah… I guess…”
“War got you down?”
Parker nodded slowly.
“Well once we whip Draconis IX we’re one step closer to going home.”
“If there’s a home to return to.”
***
The enemy Wraith drifted into the center of the crosshairs. The pilot pressed and held the trigger as laser bursts blasted from the cannon. The Wraith’s engines exploded then the rest of the craft erupted, dispersing debris in a kilometer radius.
“Tigershark, this is Knight 1. Rogue fighters have been destroyed. The FAC is no longer present in Pluto’s orbit.”
A German voice came over the comm. “Knight Squadron return to base.”
“Affirmative.” Knight Squadron, now with ten pilots returned to a V formation and headed back to their command ship. Michael switched his comm to a private channel.
“Hey Sarah, do you know why we’re fighting this war?”
“Something about unity of the human race. But of course what the past tells us, there will always be war.”
“But if it’s war we want, shouldn’t we be fighting in the Koprulu War, instead of killing ourselves over pointless matters.” Michael sighed and brought his fighter into the hanger bay.
The door to Henrikson’s private quarters chimed. “Come in,” Henrikson said as he spun around in his chair to face the door. Captain Smith walked in, still clad in his flight gear.
“You wanted to see me sir?”
Henrikson stared coldly at the Captain. “I’ve been reviewing your battle tactics.”
Smith sucked it in and changed his voice into ass-kissing mode. “Well sir, I’ve been feeling sick lately, and have been unable—”
The Colonel’s frown faded away as he began to chuckle. “It’s okay Captain.” He managed to stop his laughing for a moment. “I am impressed by your strategies and squad leading abilities. I will send in a request for your promotion as soon as possible. Plus, your squadron will be seeing more action.”
Smith stared blankly. “Well sir… thank you…” He took a seat in front of Henrikson’s desk. “Anything else I can do for you Colonel?”
“Why yes, yes there is.” He caressed his goatee and looked at him like a disappointed father. “Don’t get yourself killed. We’re going to need good pilots in this war.”
Smith smiled broadly. “I only die if I’m careless or bored. Give me challenging missions and I can easily avoid it.” He started to stand, but stopped and rested again. “Can I ask you a question?”
Henrikson adjusted himself in his chair and shrugged. “Fire away.”
Michael Smith sucked in a good breath. “What exactly will we do when we reach Draconis IX?”
A frown returned to the superior officer’s face. “Well as far as I know, we’re going because they are either aiding the FAC, or they have joined them. If it’s as simple as sending supplies, then standard procedure asks for a tribute and a blockade for the rest of the war.”
“Worst case scenario?”
“First we’d destroy any obvious forces in the area. Then proceed to destroy the capital city. If they continue to resist, we would lay waste to city after city until they surrender.”
“And if they don’t surrender?”
Sighing, the Colonel replied. “One less colony to worry about.”
Captain Smith stood. “I can’t say I’m looking forward to slaughtering innocents. But orders are orders, and we all have to abide by them.” The pilot walked out and the room fell silent.
Henrikson tapped the desk with his index finger. “Maybe we do, maybe we don’t.”
The doors to the crew quarters deck opened with a swish. Michael Smith walked lazily out of the elevator and stumbled down the hall. He came to his room but before he could find his keycard he heard footsteps. His head snapped up but no one was there. He fumbled around in his flight gear pocket until he found the card. Michael was fixing to slide it when he heard the footsteps again. He looked around the hall, no one. Since ghosts could cloak, he unholstered the Desert Eagle he kept on his gun belt during flight. It was mostly in case of a crash landing in a hot zone.
Michael walked back towards the elevator cautiously pointing his magnum in every direction. Something approached quickly behind him but before he had a chance to react there was a bang. He felt a shock of electricity flow through him as he dropped to the floor. Michael’s vision was blurry and he could barely keep himself conscious. Before him a ghost uncloaked, wearing a mask and a small taser rifle. He stuffed something in Michael’s pocket then vanished soon enough.
Regaining his composure, Michael stood and entered his room. He collapsed onto his small bunk. He felt around his pocket and produced a data disc. “I guess it couldn’t hurt.” He stuffed the disc into the vidcom slot and a screen filled with words and pictures popped up.
“Oh… my… god…”
***
SS Tigershark
Destination: Draconis IX
February 23, 2500
1325 Hours
“Come on you lazy dogs! You think two hundred push-ups are a lot? If somebody hits the floor before everyone is done… that’s another two hundred!” Sergeant Parker watched as his new infantry moaned as they worked out. “Come on, my original platoon could have done five hundred with out a single complaint.” His platoon, as decimated as it was, had been merged with another on the Tigershark
“Aargh…” moaned a private desperately trying to push himself upwards.
“Any military unit I command will be the best of the best. We have two days before we arrive at Draconis IX. By then… you will be the best of the best.”
Somebody tapped Parker on the back. He turned around to see a messenger. “Sergeant, the Colonel wants to see you right away.”
“This better be important.” Parker watched the messenger run away. He called out to a soldier sitting on a bench on the opposite side of the training room. “McCoy! Get over here.”
The Corporal jumped off his seat and ran over to his superior. “Yeah Parker?”
Parker caressed his stubble. “Watch these men while I see what the Colonel wants.” He turned to the tired men. “If you give Corporal McCoy here any trouble, I’ll have you do five hundred more push-ups in full battle armor.” There were several moans.
***
“You wanted to see me Colonel?”
“Yes, sit down Sergeant.” Henrikson watched as the jittery platoon commander sat down on the opposite side of the desk. “Now, you are originally from Draconis IX, correct?”
Parker shifted in his chair. “Yes sir.”
“Can you have your new platoon ready for deployment by the time we reach the colony?”
“Well… yes… of course…” He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Why my platoon?”
Henrikson nodded. “Your records show that you were born in the capital city of Corinth. You served there in the militia for two years before transferring to the UPL Armed Forces. Having intimate knowledge of the city could greatly aid in the ground assault.” Parker sat still. His eyes were glued to the floor. It took him a few moments to respond.
“Colonel, I don’t find it easy to accept the task of killing my former comrades, but none the less, I am loyal to the UPL and will carry out my orders flawlessly.” Parker scratched his head and sighed very deeply. “If I may ask Colonel… how are you so sure that Draconis IX has joined a rogue power? You sound positive that is the case.”
Henrikson’s face twisted and formed a very sad frown. “McPhereson has ordered the destruction of Corinth whether or not they have aided the FAC or the ACP. He explained it as a show of power, and that any colony with the slightest suspicion of treason will pay the consequences.”
Parker snorted and raised his tone of voice. “If they are loyal to the UPL, then that will only succeed in alienating them. Don’t forget that an attack is a clear statement of war, and they will jump at the chance to join the closest power for protection. And if the ACP is the case, it will bring them into war between the FAC and us. We’ll get crushed. I’m talking serious repercussions.”
Henrikson stood and got something from a desk drawer. “I don’t agree with it myself. But like you said, we’re loyal to the UPL.”
“I’m beginning to reconsider my choice.”
“Nonetheless, there is something else I meant to tell you.” He handed a small data disc to Parker. “An unknown Ghost was apprehended earlier. Captain Smith states that it was the same assassin who had attacked him earlier. In his things, we found this disc. It’s encrypted, and requires your retinal scan to access. So I thought you might want to take a look.” Parker took the disc and stuffed it in his pocket. He quietly exited Henrikson’s quarters.
Parker stared at the data scrolling by the screen. “It all makes sense…”
