Con-Red: Recourse (15 page)

He watched the two occupied building ripple under plasma fire as the entire platoon unleashed its own barrage.  The alien soldier that had fallen from the roof was not spared either.  Its large body shook with multiple impacts even before it could crawl back to its feet.  Dextor was amazed at the amount of punishment the thing could take before finally falling back with all its fur on fire from the plasma bolts.
  It was the first time he had seen the aliens at such a close range and they truly frightened him as military opponents.

Dex pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he had his hands full at the moment.  He ordered two of his Centaur IFV to assist in the fight, while at the same time following the progression of his two sniper teams.  These teams were slowly making their way into both of the builds and were starting their ascent to the rooftops.  To help them overcome the enemy there, the IFVs, still under fire from the approaching troop transports, gained altitude and unleashed a hail of heavy fire against the enemy.  Watching from a Jayhawk feed, Dextor could see the alien soldiers wither under the particle cannon fire.  There was no way their bodies could protect them from the anti-vehicle
weapons system.

While the attack seemed to quickly wind down in intensity, it had succeeded in distracting everyone from the oncoming primary assault by the three large enemy transports.  They had finally arrived under the constant harassment of the Centaur particle beams and slowed to a hover
high in the air less than a hundred meters down the street.  Dextor watched as their entire ventral underside opened, casing the surrounding area in a soft gray light.  A second later the light started to fluctuate slightly in a sort of haze.  At the same moment, small debris particles began to float off the ground, only to be suspended in the air within the light.

Every member of the platoon knew what was going to happen next, so it came as no surprise when groups of alien soldiers began dropping from beneath each transport.  Their large bodies floated towards the ground within the emitted beam of light until their limbs touched the ground.
  Upon their landing the creatures quickly bent forward onto all fours and trotted forward.  This first group came to a stop meters from their own landing zone and formed into a loose battle line while the next wave of soldiers descended down after them.

This was exactly the moment that Dextor had waited for in order to implement the next phase of his plan.  As his troops continued to dispatch the last of the rooftop enemy forces, Dex opened up a communications feed through one of the orbiting Jayhawks and gave the fire order.  The command traveled to an assembly area over twenty kilometers away and was quickly acknowledged by two MA-64 Jasmine artillery batteries. 
The battery commander confirmed the coordinates of the strike through the same Jayhawk drone and within seconds the first of three artillery barrages arced towards the horizon.

Back at Hamilton Army Base Dextor’s people had finally taken the rooftop high ground and were watching the ranks of the enemy grow as more and more of them dropped from the large hovering transports.  These alien soldiers had no inkling of the carnage about to rain down on them.  Their first and only warning was the extreme flash of blue-white light as two large plasma shells detonated against each of their transports
.  The released plasma washed over the entire enemy landing zone, consuming everything within the blast radius.  Whatever shielding the enemy ships employed for defense had not been designed for such sever saturation and failed almost instantly.

Even from a safe distance Dextor’s NVS automatically dimmed from the intensity of the explosive light.  When his vision returned to normal he was able to appreciate the destruction unleashed by the artillery barrage.  The enemy transports were nothing more than blackened debris littering the devastated area around them.  Flesh as well as building
s caught in the attack had almost completely disintegrated in the extreme heat released by the plasma ordinance used. 

Through the smoke and dust of the blasts Dextor began to see signs of movement.  At first lone soldiers emerged slowly, but they were followed by other surviving members of their original force.  These survivors came together into a group of eighteen warriors and let out a horrid roar into the night sky
before starting a mad dash towards 1
st
platoon’s defensive line.

Dextor lifted his battle rifle to his shoulder and watched a set of crosshairs appear on his visor display.  “Iron F
ist one, time to show these animals who they’re messing with! Use of accelerin authorized!”

On those simple orders the entire line of men and women surged forward to meet the new threat head on.  Dextor Iorns accelerated with them, eager to finally get into the fight with his soldiers.  The world around him quickly decelerated into slow motion as the Acceleri
n took effect within his system.  Designed to quicken the response time of soldiers and pilots, the drug took effect almost instantly and had a superior influence over one’s body than did adrenaline.  The only drawback was extreme fatigue, physical and mental, increasing recovery time after each use.  Of course there were also other drugs his powered suit could administer to counter those side effects if needed, but such thoughts were far from his mind as he set the crosshairs within his vision on one of the large enemy soldiers and pulled the trigger.

The large shuttle took a gentle bank to port as it accelerated away from the massive Transit Gate that it had only seconds ago immerged out of.  While this section of space was usually congested with convoy traffic and military ships on maneuvers, it had been cleared hours before for the arrival of this certain visitor.  This visitor was so important that an escort of six state-of-the-art
Cyclone
class Interceptors immediately surrounded the shuttle to ensure its safe passage.  These were more like ceremonial honor guards, though, since no one would be so stupid as to mount an attack against one of the most heavily defended systems in the entire United Planets Federation.

Tesa System was the military heart of the Fringe Sector, being both the home port for the sector’s naval a
ssets and its main Army Station, but also a major military industrial complex in the area.  The Industrial complex stretched across four of the six planets orbiting the K class star.  For this reason, at any one time there were usually at least two naval fleets in system with multiple reinforcements ready to jump in from other systems should the need ever arise.  Not only was the system capable of supporting all these forces, it was also able to produce new military hardware and repairing damaged assets.  It was the only system in the all of Fringe Sector with all these capabilities and that fact alone made it the most important strategic UPF interest in the region.

The system’s history was a colorful affair
, however.  Just over a century before, when the system was first explored and settled, its only achievement was being the furthest human settlement from Earth and the first planet settled after the Expansion Ban was lifted.  Being the first colonized system inside what was termed the Fringe Sector, it became a sector hub for anyone wanting to explore planets further out.  What made business even better was the fact that most habitable planets in the sector were very spread out and travelers often needed a place where they could rest and replenish away from the confines of their ships.

This service industry became the system’s sole source of income since no major resources were discovered
, which caused investments from major corporations to shift to other systems.  Even so the system prospered for a short period of time as the Fringe Migration reached its peak and numerous resource worlds were discovered throughout the sector.  As those colonies took hold they established trade routes back to the Inner as well as the Outer Worlds and these trade convoys all went through Tesa on their way back to the heart of the UPF.  Being the Fringe planet now closest to Federation space, it allowed convoys to make almost direct routes instead of making numerous correction jumps, one of the drawbacks of using the Wahl-Siato Generator or WSG, also known as Tunnel Drives, for extensive distances.  These faster-than-light drives were named after their two creators and nicknamed because their ability to burrow through transdimensional space in order to allow a vessel to cross vast distances in shorter time periods.  A limiting factor, however, was accuracy.  Since space was always in motion and the distances covered so great, a ship could emerge many lightyears off course.  The further the distance traveled the more inaccurate the jump became.  It was this side effect of the WSG that helped the Tesa system sustain profitability.

The increased traffic also brought new opportunities for criminal organizations.  Most
notable and successful of these were the Capsin Marauders.  These Marauders intercepted shipping in and around the Tesa system for years until the UPF military finally gave in and sent a small contingent of ships to patrol the system and provide convoy escort.  It was not until a bold raid on one of the larger production worlds, which resulted in the theft of capital grade weapon systems, that the military finally sent considerable assets into the Fringe and established a functional military facility within the Tesa system.  With this constant naval presence Tesa’s prosperity increased once more.  That was before the Gate Network expended into the region, of course. 

The Transition Gate was the invention of Dr. Kelar Hizelgard after forty years of work with his science team at the Technical University of Rolhag and healthy grants from the Federation Research Initiative.  Transition Gates allowed ships to pass from one point in space to another instantaneously
, provided that another gate was present on the other end.  No more would ships have to take weeks or even months to reach their destinations through conventional faster-than-light Tunnel Drives, news of which drew attention and license bids from all over the UPF.  One company in particular, TransGalactic Corporation, came out on top to become the only manufacturer of the Transit Gates.

The enormous price of the first gates assured that only the Federation government and certain MegaCorps could afford them.
  At first the Gate Network only connected large military installation and a handful of privileged worlds. But as pirate activity increased within the Fringe Sector and profits began to suffer, the MegaCorps with local interests petitioned the Federation government, and won support, for a number of Transit Gates at their most important systems.  Once these gates were completed the corporations could send their convoys directly to any system within UPF space, bypassing the need for the Tesa System altogether.

Almost overnight the fragile economy of Tesa collapsed with only government funding for the minor military facilities and a trickle of traffic from other systems to
hold it afloat.  When communications were lost with science teams beyond the Fringe boarders and the threat of possible alien invasion loomed it was like a godsend to the people still residing in the system.  With there already being functioning military base, High Command saw only one choice before them.  They funded a complete expansion of ground based and off world facilities and even a Transit Gate of its own as an increased number of military units moved into the system in preparation for a war that never was.

Admiral Lin
Xwai, Chief of UPF Armed Services, quietly recalled the entire history of the Tesa System as he sat on the observation deck of the shuttle.  He had been personally responsible in pushing through the bill that had turned this system into a military industrial complex.  Not only that, but to combat the rise in criminal activities within the Fringe Sector, Admiral Linn had made sure that the senate turned over all exploration and colonization efforts to the Federation Naval Forces.  Finally, with the threat of war looming, all of Fringe Sector operations were turned over to the Admiral’s office and allowed him to conduct operations within the sector at his discretion.  There was of course civilian oversight from the Sector Governor, but that was of no real concern to such an important figure as Admiral Linn.

The admiral took a sip of the hot unsweetened tea as he cradled the delicate handmade cup in his aging hands, letting the warmth flow through his system and bring him comfort.  The cup had been in his family for generations and very much expressed how Xwai felt at the moment, ancient and fragile, but still with purpose.  In his one hundred and sixty two years Lin Xwai had accomplished much, even again
st considerable odds, but today was perhaps his most important day.  Today would change his life completely, the day he had waited over half a century for, and nothing was going to get in the way of achieving that goal this time around.

Looking out from the protective transparent bubble that covered the observation deck,
Admiral Lin witnessed some of the instruments that would help him achieve his vision for this galaxy.  There in the distance, barely visible because of its dark hull and the black background of space, floated an over eight hundred meter long brute of a ship, a
Torrent
class Assault Carrier.  The Assault Carrier was one of the largest ships in the UPF navy and was a new class of ships built by RedSky ShipWorks, her one of a kind design made the class instantly distinguishable.  She had what seemed like three separate hulls projecting back and out, to the top and sides, from a narrow forward section.  This gave her a distinct triangle shape when viewed from the top and bottom.  Unlike other carriers, her massive hangers were located at the rear and connected to a series of Rapid Launch Tubes at the bow of the ship. Xwai had pushed the ship’s proposal and funding through the UPF Senate just before the drastic cut in military funding took effect, which limited the production to only four such vessels in the first batch.

As he continued to watch, the vista before him slowly changed as it slid aside while the shuttle changed direction once more.  This time the shimmering blackness of space gave way to a beautiful green glow as the jungle world Tesagia resolved below him.
  She had been the only habitable planet in the system and therefore the first one settled all those years ago.  Tesagia was a Super-Earth planet almost twice as large as the Earth and with a higher gravity.  It was also closer to its sun, making the world warmer and facilitating a climate that allowed most of the planet to be covered in a jungle environment.  The world was also unique in that its landmass stretched around the entire planet without any oceans to separate it.  Instead Tesagia was dotted with many seas, both large and small, and scans of the planet revealed that these seas were connected with large underground rivers that had yet to be fully explored or explained.

Once the military takeover of the Tesa System was complete, Tesagia grew into the regional Command and Control Center.  Not only that, but the planet’s high gravity and large expansive uninhabited areas caused
it to become this sectors Premier Training Center.  Units from all over the Fringe Sector rotated to Tesagia for at least a six month long training program to give all soldiers a chance to practice fighting in a high gravity environment as well as preparation for jungle warfare.  Tesagia’s important new designation caused a massive jump in the planet’s residency, increasing from only a few thousand to millions in a matter of years as an increased number of military personnel brought over their families.  This population increase also caused many corporations to open businesses on the planet in order to serve and support this growing number of inhabitants.

The military had rescued this system and would do the same to whole of the United Planets Federation, thought
Admiral Lin as his shuttle flew closer to the large planet in front of him.  As the sphere grew through his observation bubble a large shadow passed over him and the entire deck, causing Xwai to turn to the starboard side.  Lost in his thoughts, he had failed to notice the massive bulk of the Guardian class Orbital Defense Station spinning lazily towards them.  It was one of three currently in geostationary orbit around Tesagia, providing a defense umbrella against any possible assault, along with the dozens of other automated defense platforms scattered in orbit between them.  Each one of the Guardian’s was armed and shielded enough to withstand a sustained assault from multiple enemy taskforces and its large hangers provided room for over one hundred fighter and bomber craft, giving them a full spectrum of defensive capabilities.

Admiral Lin
couldn’t help but express a small smile at the large defense station as the shuttle slipped into planet’s atmosphere and left the massive structure behind.   The station’s overlapping hexagonal design was a recognizable trademark of Zhinghau Dynamics, a Chinese defense company started up on his planet of birth almost two centuries ago.  The traditional Chinese heritage deep within him caused Xwai to beam with pride every time to saw a station or ship produced by the company.  They were by far not the largest of the defense contractors, but did important work for the military nonetheless, as well as providing work for tens of thousands of citizens.

A slight shudder ran through the ship as it slipped into Tesagia’s atmosphere and the Admiral turned back to watch the planet race towards them, filling up the entire view now.  He took a slow deep breath as he considered the work he had ahead of him.  Everything had to proceed just as he had planned
and Xwai knew what that meant for a number of military personnel, but what was such a small number when compared with the future of the entire human race.  Those sacrifices would not be in vain, he told himself, they would all be heroes of the Federation when all this was concluded.  Every one of those military service members had signed up to make a difference and protect humanity as a whole and now they would fulfill their duty and obligation for the greater good and would be remembered for it.

He looked down at the cup still in his hands, noticing that the tea in it had disappeared already.  With a soft sigh he set the cup back down on its matching coaster and held out both at his side.  No more than
a second elapsed before a gentle hand grasped the delicate cup and plate and took it from him.  Xwai noticed the servbot, a humanoid robot, moving away slowly with the cup in hand out of the corner of his vision.  He paid the bot little attention, instead watching the thick jungle canopy that covered most of the planet continue to expand before him.  As he admired the view, two blurs raced past his observation deck, a pair of Cyclone interceptors, before turning vertically and racing towards the heavens with their mission having been completed.

When his vision refocused on the jungle they were much closer to the ground than before and
Admiral Lin noted motion among a small number of the trees directly ahead of him.  As he watched, those trees rotated slowly counterclockwise and slid away while the ground beneath them split into three equal sections, exposing a large access tunnel.  At almost the very same moment his wrist vibrated, causing Xwai to look down at the curved display on his PCD.  This personal communication device had received the update from the shuttle’s flight crew and informed him that in around two minutes they would be landing.  It also relayed data about his greeting party and if there were any new developments on the situation.