Star Crusades by Michael Thomas (whitelam books txt) 📗

strangers, with no two of them looking the same.The Novas used a mixture of different hardware, some carrying heavyassault equipment, and others nothing but firearms.

“Novas! We’ve been mobilised for one reason only.” The Lieutenantlooked to each of the lances from his position at the front,“Epsilon Eridani calls for aid, and we’re answering the call. Thatis right, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going into action oncemore.”

“Yes!” said a voice behind her.

Valentine looked back, but all ofthe Novas acted as though it hadn’t been one of them. As shewatched, she thought Hawkins winked withone eye, but she could not be sure.

“Fleet is already about tobreach the system, and we’ve being heldin reserve at the border with the Interstellar AssaultBrigade.”

Some of those present muttered infrustration at what they were hearing.

“We are the response team. If our people run into trouble, we will bethere to save them. And to do that, we have been seconded to theIAB assault squadron. They’re bringing six ships to the fight, plusour six heavy frigates.”

He placed his hands on his hips andsmiled.

“God help the Skils if theychoose to pick another fight. Now, I haveseveral meetings with the IAB commanders. We will be workingclosely with IAB units, that means the best marines they haveavailable, plus Maverick combat platforms and assaultGrunts.”

Alexis looked back towardsValentine, who still seemed relatively unimpressed by the news. The Mavericks in particular weresomething many of them had aspired to in their previous lives, evenif they now carried similar equipment and weaponry attached totheir armour.

“You’ll be briefed closer to thetime. In the meantime, I suggest you work on your fireteam andlance drills. Any questions?”

Valentinewaited, but other than a few grumbles andsome at the back muttering, none had any actual questions for theLieutenant. In the past, Valentine might have tried to think ofsomething to make sure she got the attention of the CO, but notanymore. She was no rookie and had seen enough combat to haveimpeccable credentials. This time she had several concerns, but shedecided to focus down on just one, being as nobody else wasspeaking. She cleared her throat and then spoke out.

“Sir. You’re saying we will not be going into action as acomplete company?”

“Correct, Lance Corporal. IAB commander, General Gun has requestedNova platoons to be divided up amongst his units to augment IABcompanies.”

The mention of the legendary warhero seemed to garner significant interest in the men and women onthe deck, though some had less thanpositive things to say about the old warhorse. Love him or hatehim, the General was a figure known to every Marine and Nova, muchlike General Rivers, Admiral Jarvis, and the infamous Spartan.Names now closer to characters than anything a normal Human couldlive up to. Perhaps more important, he was known as a soldier thatwould not hold back from action. If they were going in alongsideGeneral Gun’s forces, they could expect to be in the thick of theaction.

“Anything else?”

One of the men in the rebuilt1st Lance spoke up. His accent was so thick Valentine couldbarely understand him.

“Yes,Sir. What is the state of the system now, Sir?”

“A good question. The plain andsimple truth is that Epsilon Eridani is aruin. While we were struggling to hold Mars and her moons, theSki’ligs ran rampant through the system. They destroyed whatfacilities we had left and then moved back to their ships. Butcontrary to the media, the enemy remains there. Perhaps they arepreparing to leave, or perhaps they are there to lay atrap.”

He then shrugged.

“All I can say is that wehave two objectives. One…we find theSki’ligs, wherever they may be. And two, we go in and kick theirasses so hard they’ll never think of returning.”

That drew a chorus of laughter andpleasure from the Novas.

“Novas, more than anybody else,are looking for some payback. And you’ve earned it. The first timewe met they kicked us down hard, and we lost a lot of good people.Worse than that, they turned our citizens against us, and that hasspread fear back home.”

Valentine hadn’t heard thisbefore and angled her head a little to listen more clearly.She could have asked Tex to amplify thesound, or simply to record it, but sometimes it was difficult toshake off the old habits.

“I’ve seen the stories on Prime,Kerberos, and Terra Nova. There’s a real fear that other lifeformsmay be able to exhibit similar controlover us, and that we’re vulnerable.”

He nodded along as his eyes locked ontoValentine’s.

“So once the system is clear, wewill follow their trail back to whereverthey live. Our ships have long legs now, and we will bring thefight to them. When this is over, the very thought of us willinfect their minds and grip their bodies with terror.”

“Hell,yeah!” Hawkins said.

Others joined in, and Valentinecould feel her body struggling to succumb to the pressure of thecrowd. But just thinking about his wordsunnerved her. She’d heard similar opinions before about the Jötnar,and their massive size and strength. Some even now objected to themfighting alongside regular Humans, and there had even beenoccasions where they had been refused combat support or air coverby those wishing to denigrate them.

“Lieutenant,” she said before realising she’d even spoken.

“Last question, Lance Corporal.”

“I…uh, the stories you’ve heard aboutthe Ski’ligs.”

“Yes?”

“What do people know about them?”

“Nothingspecifically, other than a nomadicspecies that has caused damage and loss of life in two systems. Themedia is being kept away, but that hasn’t stopped some members ofthe military from leaking information.”

He ran his fingers through his hair andnodded along.

“Theyknow there’s an enemy that can control minds, and it’s spreadinglike a disease. I don’t know how, but a terror is taking hold. Andthat’s why once we’ve swept through Epsilon Eridani, we will pursuethem as far as we have to. None of us are coming home until the jobis done. Is that understood?”

“Yes,Sir!” replied the Novas as a single unit.

“Excellent. Then grab your gearand get loaded up in your Jackals. We’re going through the Rift soon. Dismissed.”

He turned and walkedaway, and soon the platoon NCOs movedabout in front of their troops. Sergeant Jablonsky appeared rightin front of Tsarkov and Alexis.

“Your soldiers are ready for this?”

“Yes,Sergeant,” they replied in unison.

“Good. Grab anything else you need, and get