Star Crusades by Michael Thomas (whitelam books txt) 📗

moved in from the right. The Novas hurled fire at themonster, but it grew brighter and angrier with each hit. Colstonleapt back as the blade slashed across, and the last Nova slammedhis spiked weapon into its upper leg as the blade caught him. Therewas a flash of light like an arc welder, and then a white linealong the Nova’s body as he was cut clean in half. The separatedparts fell to the ground, and as he lay there struggling, theSki’lig beast lift its great foot and brought it down on his head,breaking the dying Nova like a boiled egg.

“No way!” Private Colston said.

He andPrivate Peterson moved from cover and continued blasting the thing,even as aerial Ski’ligs fired down from above. Valentine did herbest to hit the aerial hunters, even as more marines surged pastthem. All she could see in every direction were the men and womenof the IAB, as well as scores of robotic Grunts engaged infirefights with the enemy. The hairy beasts were faster andstronger than even the Novas, and hurled marines over ledges,breaking their limbs with their hands. The red-lit Ski’lig monsterhowled and roared, and as the noise increased, so did the rage ofthose around them. Nothing could stop their bloodlust as warriorson both sides fell.

“It’s that thing!” sheshouted, pointing her shoulder-mountedcannon at its chest, “It’s riling them up!”

“Then kill it,”said Alexis.

The Novas kept onfiring, but as before the gunfire made itstronger and angrier, and perhaps worse, it created the light andheat emanating from its body.

“Everybody get back!” Valentinesaid, “I’ve got an idea!”

They did as sheasked, and Valentine ignored all that washappening. She moved out onto one of the narrow bridges and towardsthe series of platforms the thing was standing on. She opened firewith her right arm and lifted her shield to protectherself.

“Hey…you! Back off!”

The XHEC-1 cannon fired once,hitting its arm and spraying around itsbody. It then yelled and came for her.

“Val…what you are doing?” Colston screamed as she stepped closer towardsit, “Val!”

The creature was justmetres away, and with its blade liftedhigh, Valentine changed her aim. The cannon swung down and pointedjust in front of her. She fired a single overcharged shot that toreopen the ground and brought down part of the platform. She leaptbackwards as the beast plummeted down and vanished fromsight.

“I’ve got ya!” Colston grabbedher arm. But her great weight, made worse by the heavy gravity,began to pull them to the breach. As they moved closer to theirdoom, a great flash lit the ground far below, followed by ashockwave that raced up and hit them. It was enough to causeColston to lose his footing, and he stumbled forward. Other armsemerged, grabbing them both, and Valentine was stunned to seeTsarkov there as he helped drag the two to safety. They fell to thefloor, and one hand reached out to pull her upright. It wasTsarkov.

“Holy crap, Valentine. That was some soldiering. You nearly gaveme a heart attack.”

“You?” Alexis laughed,“More like all of us. Where did you come up withthat idea?”

Valentine started to answer as amixed horde of enemy warriors came towards them. The openground atop the platforms offered limitedcover, but driven by rage, bloodlust, or terror, they simplystreamed forward. The two lances concentrated their fire, and thistime none of the enemy came to within even a few metres of theirposition. As the smoke and flame moved away, a scene of utterdevastation greeted them. Dozens of broken bodies littered theplace, with a handful still groaning as they tried tomove.

“This is too much,” saidAlexis, “We came here without warning. Weneed to give them a chance to…”

“To what?” Lieutenant Fletcher demanded as he moved to a fallencreature. He placed a boot on its chest and took aim with his rightarm, “They invaded our territory and turned our own people intoslaves to fight us. No…they deserve nothing.”

The gun fired, and the creature slumped back. Valentine gasped insurprise.

“Sir!” Alexis said,“We cannot do this, not to thewounded.”

She removed her hand from the massive metal structure next to them, butlike the others before it, the thing hissed open to reveal thepassage inside. A fog burst out from the open blast door, andthrough it a fur-covered hand grabbed her and dragged herinside.

“Alexis!” Valentine screamedand stepped into the fog afterher.

It was almost impossible to see,but Tex quickly activated a thermalimaging mode that gave her a better idea of what was happening.There were a dozen or more of the creatures, plus two Ski’ligs withrifles. They dragged Alexis to the ground, but Valentine wasalready there. She stepped to her comrade’s back and leapt over,crashing into them. The sudden attack stunned them, and as theyfell back, Valentine opened fire. The muzzle flashes inside weremassive, and though she hit many of them, they soon came for her.Guns fired, and chunks blasted off her armour. Now she could seethat it was primarily Ski’ligs, including a singleheavy.

“Dammit!”

She lifted her left arm toprotect herself, but the incoming fire was simply too much. She wasforced down onto one knee, and then more shots thundered away andtore the weapon built into her right armapart. More shots hit her face, and she was forced to shieldherself with her limbs.

“Help her!” said a voicefrom behind.

More Novas pushed past, some holding up heavy assault shields. Thencame a massive warrior, his armour thick and in his hands theoversized Thumper.

“Captain!”

He stopped just in front of her, evenas shots crashed into his armour.

“We’ve got them now,” he saidhappily, “Keep pushing and drive themunderground. Advance!”

The Novas cheered, and as they moved past, they were followed bydozens of IAB marines. Valentine struggled back to her feet, andthen shook her head. There was nobody quite like Captain Olik, andeven as shots hit him, he seemed to just laugh at them.

“Thank you.”

Captain Olik grunted and then moved forward. As she watched themgo, she remembered Alexis. She looked back, and there was herfriend, wiping the dust and blood from her body. It left long darkpatterns on the plates and smeared before becomingsolid.

“No,” said Alexis,“Thank you.”

Valentine smiled, but that quickly faded as a furious lookingLieutenant Fletcher approached.

“Disobey me again, actingCorporal, and I’ll bust your ass back toprivate. Understood?”

“Yes,Sir!”

The