Forged to Lead (Jack Forge, Fleet Marine Book 3) Read online

  The massive bolt of plasma from the eastern defense battery and the flickering light of the spitz guns around the drydock itself told the Marines all they needed to know—the main assault was stalling, and so was the eastern assault. Only Cobra had completed their objective.

  “It’s not enough that we succeed,” Jack said, stepping inside the archway. “The whole mission has to succeed, or we all fail. Don’t let them retake this position, Navidi,” Jack said.

  He stepped into the dark.

  21

  The commander of the Corvette looked out of the small forward viewing port on the command deck of his ship. He was stationed on the outer edge of the Penthus System. The Corvette was rigged for silent running and the scanners were listening on full sensitivity for the approach of any Chitin craft rushing to the battle of the Proxis Drydock. The distant flashes of light showed him where the battle was taking place, but from this distance, he couldn’t make out details. He stepped over to his holostage and accessed the latest reports.

  The Monarch and her support destroyers were taking ground fire from one of the defensive batteries, but the ships were staying out of range. The assault on the eastern battery was stalled, reportedly pinned down by heavy plasma spear fire. The main assault on the drydock was stalling, and an extra company from the Pisces was being readied to support the main assault.

  “They have to take out that eastern defensive battery so the destroyers can give orbital support,” the commander said to himself.

  “Commander,” a young officer called out, “I’m receiving a transmission, sir. It’s coming from the outer moon. It’s coming from Kratos, sir.”

  “There’s no one on Kratos,” the commander said. “The only action is on Proxis.”

  “Signal from Kratos confirmed, sir. It’s a distress call and it’s coming from the moon’s surface.”

  “We are supposed to be on communication silence out here. If we respond, we’ll give away our position.” The commander tapped the console on the edge of his holostage. He accessed the transmission.

  An image of two Marines came on the holostage. One was kneeling, while the other was laying on the ground.

  “This is Commander Finch,” the kneeling Marine was saying. “I’m stranded on Kratos. Request evac ASAP. Anyone receiving this transmission respond immediately. This Marine is injured. We are both in need of medical attention. Please, if you can hear this, send help.”

  The message flickered and repeated. The Corvette commander stepped back from the holostage. If he responded, he would give away his position. If he requested advice from the Monarch, he would give away his position. If he launched a rescue boat, he would give away his position.

  “How old is that message?” the commander asked.

  “It was re-sent a few hours ago, but the first transmission was sent days ago. They could be dead by now, sir,” the young officer replied.

  The commander looked through the view port at the distant battle.

  “Launch the rescue boat and inform the Monarch we are picking up two stranded Marines.”

  The commander watched the rescue boat speed away from the Corvette and down to the surface of the nearby moon. He watched the sensor display nervously. After what seemed like hours of waiting, the young officer reported that the boat had touched down.

  “The Marines have been picked up, sir. The rescue boat is taking off. They are on their way back to the ship now, sir.”

  Then the commander saw the smallest reflector signal on his extended range scanner system.

  “There,” he called. “Focus all scanners on that point.”

  The scanners zeroed in and the holostage displayed what had been detected.

  “It’s a Kraken, sir. Incoming at high speed. Strike that, sir. Five krakens. Five of the bastards,” the young officer babbled.

  “Stow that cursing on my deck,” the commander said. “Power to the weapons. Open the landing bay and let’s get the rescue boat on board.”

  The commander watched the holostage as the five Krakens closed the distance quickly. The rescue boat seemed to move sluggishly, even though he’d ordered the boat’s pilot to push it to its limit. The boat reached the landing bay. The doors closed.

  “Full power to the drive,” the commander said. The Krakens came closer as the Corvette powered up its drive. The Corvette was faster than any Chitin craft, but its acceleration was limited. The craft was designed for long-distance, system-wide reconnaissance. Speed was important but acceleration was not, not during usual operations.

  “The Chits are coming into weapons range,” the weapons officer reported. “Shall I give fire, sir?”

  The commander watched the holostage.

  “Chits are firing, sir.”

  The image of the plasma arc slashing out from the lead Kraken flicked over the holostage. The arc came within a whisker of the Corvette’s engine assembly.

  “We’re pulling away,” the drive officer reported. “We’re pulling away, sir.”

  The command deck erupted in jubilant shouts as the holostage showed the Corvette increase the distance between it and the pursuing craft.

  “Send a message to the Monarch. Inform them we’ve been detected and are returning to home space.” The commander watched the Krakens give up the chase. “Who is this Commander Finch,” he said to himself. “I hope I haven’t made a mistake rescuing him.”

  The commander stepped away from the holostage and walked toward the exit. “I’m going to welcome our guests aboard.”

  22

  Group Captain Li looked at the holostage on the Monarch’s command deck. The battle was failing. The main assault on the drydock was stalled, and the fresh company from the Pisces wasn’t making any impact. In fact, the extra numbers seemed to hamper the assault. The Marines were too densely packed on the battlefield and the rapid-fire spitz guns were keeping everyone pinned.

  If the eastern battery would stop firing, Li knew she could move her destroyers in and give close orbital support to the main assault. But the data on the plasma cannon showed it was capable of breaking a destroyer in two with one perfectly aimed shot. Li didn’t know how many shots the Chits would need to deliver a perfectly aimed one, but she couldn’t risk losing a destroyer. It would risk the entire Fleet if just one destroyer was lost.

  And it looked as if she was about to lose one destroyer. The Aries was covered in Krakens, with twenty attached to her hull. As many as two hundred Chitin soldiers could be boarding the Aries. Captain Lauafa had informed Li that she had deployed her reserve Marines throughout the ship and sealed off the drive room and command deck. The Aries could remain operational and stay in the battle even with so many Chits on board. Whether the Aries could survive much longer afterwards was another story.

  The fire report came in. The Monarch’s attempted bombardment of the drydock with its kinetic shot cannon was ineffective, the ordnance was being prevented from reaching the surface by Chitin craft positioning themselves in front of the Monarch’s fire, sacrificing themselves to protect the drydock.

  “At least we know it’s important to them,” she said to herself. “They really want to keep that drydock operational. Krav it,” she exploded. She brought her fists down on the holostage. “I want that eastern defensive battery out of action so I can move my destroyers in. Send another company to support the eastern assault, and message Commander Griff. Tell him I want Cobra Company to move to support the main assault.”

  23

  The tunnel stretched into the darkness. Jack sent a micro drone ahead to scout the area. The data was relayed back to his meat suit and a path was revealed by the enhanced data overlay on his helmet.

  The tunnel stretched forward in a perfectly straight line. The micro drone finally showed him that the tunnel ended at a small arch, much like the one he’d entered through.

  Jack and his handful of Marines jogged forward in silence. He brought them to a halt just before the arch. Jack risked a look, then took a step forward. The tu
nnel led into a vast, dark space. Curved composite walls stretched away on either side to form a wide circle. It was the base of the Chitin drydock. The diameter was close to three hundred meters. Above their heads, the space was filled with a network of composite gantries. Jack could make out the shape of several Chitin craft, a mixture of Kraken and Hydra. They were glowing with the telltale signs of being powered up and readied for action. Scurrying over them and the gantries between, Jack could discern the figures of Chitin soldiers, tiny at this distance but deadly enough should Jack and his Marines be discovered.

  “Why aren’t they attacking?” Bubble asked nervously.

  “Too busy serving those ships.” Jack stepped back into the tunnel with his Marines. “Probably about to launch their craft to attack the carrier group.”

  The small group all looked expectantly at Jack. They wanted their orders and expected Jack to give them. But Jack was making this up as he went along. However, their task was clear: destroy the drydock.

  “Okay, Marines, we have a chance to knock out this entire facility with one blow. We lay our antimatter charges quietly around the perimeter and scamper back to Navidi and the others. We can destroy this facility, and maybe save a few Marines engaged in the main assault.”

  They each grabbed a charge and got ready to carry out Jack’s plan.

  “Jack,” Navidi’s voice came over the helmet communicator. “I’ve got orders from Commander Griff. Cobra is to relocate and support the main assault. I can’t hold this position anymore.”

  Jack understood what Navidi was saying. He would have to detonate his explosives and destroy the western defensive battery.

  “Copy that,” Jack said. “Get clear and get it done. Blow that damn gun and get out of there. Good luck.”

  “We’re already moving. Good luck to you too, Jack.”

  Jack looked at his team. Behind every faceplate was a stern countenance. They knew that with the destruction of the defense battery, their escape route would be destroyed too. They were stuck, unless they could battle their way past hundreds of Chitin soldiers and the spacecraft being prepared for battle.

  “Marines,” Jack said. “We have to lay these charges. We can accomplish the main goal of this assault and destroy this drydock. If we destroy this dock, we deliver a huge blow to the Chits. It could be the turning point in this war.”

  The Marines nodded in agreement. The drydock had to be destroyed. They were here and in a position to end the battle.

  “Maybe we can climb out,” Bubble said, his voice calm and steady. “We might make it.”

  “I have a hunch,” Jack said. “On the other side of this dock, we’ll find another tunnel just like this one that will lead us to the eastern cannon.”

  The Marines nodded and Jack sensed the rising confidence.

  “Now, the eastern cannon is still defended. Boa Company must be pinned down by some of those spitz guns. We’ll have to come out fighting on the other side.”

  The Marines all nodded again. They each pulled out an antimatter charge and prepared for action.

  “Sam.” Jack put his hand on Torent’s shoulder. “Maybe you should have stayed in the med bay.”

  “What, and miss all this?”

  “Take three Marines along the left. Lay the charges evenly around the left perimeter. I’ll do the same on the right. Osho, Bubs, you’re with me.”

  “Yes, boss,” Torent said.

  “We’ll meet at the arch on the other side. Quickly and quietly now, Marines. Those Chits up there look busy. Let’s not alert them to our presence.” Jack pulled out an antimatter charge. “Go.” His order was simple and direct. The group of Marines moved out of the tunnel and into the massive drydock, moving low, quiet, and fast.

  Osho laid the first charge after a few dozen meters. Bubble laid the next with a nervous glance upwards. Jack moved quickly and laid the next, tucking it up against the curved composite and the smooth, flat ground surface. They went on in the same manner until they reached the far side. Torent and his team came moving out of the darkness toward his position. Jack searched across the wall for the arch. He found the opening to the dark tunnel beyond.

  Jack waved the Marines into the tunnel. When the last was running into the darkness, Jack stepped inside. He took one last look up through the crossed gantries and checked out the Chitin soldiers still crawling over the Chitin craft. He could only hope they hadn’t been detected.

  Then Jack felt a massive explosion. The destruction of the western battery was complete. Cobra Company had achieved their objective, and now Jack had to make sure the battle was won. He had to destroy the drydock.

  As he stepped through the arch, he noticed the Chits in the gantry moving rapidly downwards. They swung down, their tentacles allowing them to move in huge swinging bounds. Time was going to be short. He would detonate those charges at the base of the dock rather than fail. He’d come this far. Now he would do nothing else but win, even if it cost him his life.

  Jack headed into the tunnel and ran. He trusted his instinct and ran into the darkness.

  The tunnel began to climb upward after a long run. The Marines were feeling the burn. Jack ran on and overtook his group of Marines. He reached the wall at the end of the tunnel and searched for the arch. Jack had a worrying thought that maybe the groove that formed the arch was only on the outside. He felt around, growing more and more frantic. And then his fingers found it. He pressed and pulled, and hoped the arch would open.

  The rest of the group came running up, breathing heavily, and they stood behind Jack as he tried to get the arch to open.

  Osho came alongside Jack. “Bubble fell behind, boss,” she said.

  “He never could run,” Jack said as he pressed at the groove. “We can’t wait for him.”

  The data from the micro drone showed Jack that Bubble was a few hundred meters away. Even an exhausted Bubble could make that distance in a short time.

  Jack felt the grove give way under his fingers. The arch began to open. His heart beat hard in his chest. On the other side of this door was the orbital defense battery crew. The Chits would attack as soon as the arch slid open.

  “Ready, Marines,” Jack called as the arch slowly slid open.

  A Chitin plasma spear flashed into the dark from outside as the arch slid open. It slammed into the helmet of a Marine standing behind Jack. Jack and the surviving Marines poured fire from their pulse rifles into the Chit and it fell away, tentacles thrashing. The next Chitin came and fell to the pulse rifles before it could launch a plasma spear.

  “Move as one. Go. Go. Go.” Jack ran out into the wide, deep trench around the defensive battery. Bubble came panting to the archway, his pulse rife rattling a rapid fire into a Chit coming to the top edge.

  “Sweep the trench,” Jack shouted. He ran forward, firing at each new Chit he came upon. He fired up his electron bayonet. The element of surprise was gone. All he could trust in now was speed and commitment. He rushed the next Chitin soldier and sliced through its smooth back shell with his EB, pouring fire at the next.

  Osho came alongside Jack and gave fire, putting another Chitin soldier down.

  “Boss, boss,” Bubble shouted. “They are coming along the corridor. They are coming up behind us.”

  Jack checked the data from the micro drone still in the tunnel. Dozens and dozens of Chits were scurrying along the corridor floor and walls, pressing past and over each other in a frantic dash through the corridor.

  “Set the charges to destroy this battery,” Jack called. He pulled his last antimatter charge from a pocket.

  “I’m all out, boss,” Oho said. She fired at a Chitin soldier who came scurrying around the curved edge of the battery.

  The Marines all reported that they were out of antimatter charges. “Did no one think to save some for this gun?” Jack called out, but he knew as long as they drydock was destroyed then the mission would be complete.

  The Chits in the corridor were coming ever closer. Jack knew he only h
ad a moment before they came pouring out and into the trench around the eastern battery. Jack looked over the edge to the battlefield beyond. As he suspected, there was a defensive trench system with spitz guns all along it. The spitz guns were firing into the distance. Jack grabbed his field scanner and looked at the guns’ targets. It was Boa Company. They were pinned down, and some Marines were falling back.

  “Boss,” Osho called out. “They are nearly here. What’s the plan?”

  “We’re going to attack that defensive trench and take the pressure off Boa.” Jack checked that his rifle was ready for the next charge across open ground.

  “We’re only six Marines,” Osho said.

  “So make every shot count. We can’t stay here. I’m going to blow the drydock. Go, go, go!”

  Jack scrambled out of the trench. He lobbed the last antimatter charge through the archway and started running toward the eastern defensive trench. The Chits in the trench were so focused on giving fire to Boa Company that they were not aware of the small squad rushing at them.

  Jack accessed the detonator codes. He needed to get his Marines to a safe distance before he could detonate the charges. He set a dead man’s trigger on the detonators just in case he was killed. He wasn’t going to let a little thing like his own death prevent him from setting off the charges and destroying that drydock.

  He ran as fast as he could. He loved running. Even now, fatigued and anxious, he still loved running. If he had to die here, at least he would be enjoying his last run. He knew the drydock would be destroyed and the battle won, even if he was killed, so he put his head down and ran.

  24

  Group Captain Li watched the holostage and the bitter realization that the battle was lost crept over her. The main assault had stalled. The reinforcements had taken massive casualties before the TAC boats had even landed on the moon. The Marines still pressing forward toward the drydock were encountering heavy resistance.