Cosmic Genten Page 9

  As they watched the next phase of the battle unfold, Devan and his fellow defenders cheered as the racers and gunships gradually overwhelmed the Shogunate army.

  “That’s it! Keep up the punishment! Don’t give the bastards a chance to breathe!” Devan hollered, raising his minigun above his head.

  ______

  Meanwhile, on the command bridge of the Emden, Manus and Vao oversaw their battle with the Spica Defense Fleet. Within the first few moments of the skirmish, three of the Shogunate’s cruisers were destroyed by bombers, and one of their frigates was disabled by the enemy flagship. On the other hand, the Shogunate armada wiped out five freighters, three cruisers, and one corvette. As for the fighter squadrons, both sides seemed evenly matched even though the Shogunate had more squadrons.

  “I must say that despite being surprised by the presence of this fleet, we are doing quite well. They are taking more casualties than we are. It is only a matter of time before we overwhelm them. I am just frustrated that we can’t use the Pumhart Cannon. Not only would we potentially miss and destroy the city, but this armada got in close before we had a chance to charge up the cannon. At this range, the Pumhart Cannon is useless. What a shame,” Vao mused.

  Watching with a cold gaze, Manus said, “They know they can’t beat us in a direct contest of raw power. They must have some kind of strategy that we’re not seeing. What are they up to?”

  One technician stood up and announced, “Sir! We received word that twenty thousand of our robots survived the explosions on the surface. However, they are taking heavy fire from enemy aircraft.”

  Rolling his eyes, Vao said, “These natives are proving to be increasingly resourceful. Just when we think they’ve run out of tricks, they have another one up their sleeves. I would be impressed if I weren’t so frustrated.”

  Scowling, Manus commanded, “Send three fighter squadrons to assist our ground forces!”

  “Yes, sir!” the technician said before returning to his station.

  “Are you sure that’s wise, Vice Shogun? If we dispatch too many fighters, our fleet could be vulnerable,” Vao pointed out.

  “What choice do we have? Since we first arrived, these natives have been surprising us at every turn. We can no longer afford to take them lightly,” Manus countered.

  “I sense something is bothering you, Vice Shogun. What is it?”

  “Like I said, I have a feeling there is something we are not seeing. My clairvoyance is telling me that this entire battle is a distraction. If that is the case, what is their real target?”

  ______

  The Benfold Star flew through the interstellar chaos like an autumn leaf gliding through a warm breeze. Its turrets rotated in every direction to pick off every fighter that crossed its path. Immediately, the legendary ship was living up to its reputation.

  Inside the freighter, passengers braced themselves as they flew through the gauntlet of laser fire that surrounded them. Some of them were worried a stray plasma blast would blow them out of space, while the rest were concerned about Jarek’s piloting. Then the ship shook as an enemy cruiser exploded next to them.

  “Hey, Jarek! Be careful with my grandma’s ship! If you scratch it, I’m going to kill you!” Bralu warned.

  From the loudspeakers, Jarek assured, “Hey! I thought you had more faith in my skills than that, Bralu! Relax! We’re almost there! Hang on to something!”

  The entire freighter lurched from side to side as Jarek maneuvered through debris fields, explosions, and laser blasts.

  “Based on our current situation, I calculate a thirteen percent chance of failure,” GB-89 predicted.

  Amber jabbed at the robot’s metal elbow. “Stop making stupid calculations! You’re scaring everyone!”

  “Yeah. I almost died the last time I fought. I don’t want his predictions to make me relive that moment,” Mooku agreed.

  Looking out his side window, Bralu said, “I can see the Benfold Star has not lost its touch. We must have wiped out a dozen enemy fighters since we joined the battle.”

  “Yes. We have a talented pilot and equally skilled gunners. With them at the helm, we will reach our objective in no time,” Owen assured.

  As if on cue, Jarek’s voice shouted, “Here we go! The dreadnaught is dead ahead! Prepare for final approach!”

  Everyone looked out their windows and saw the Emden getting closer and closer to them. Fortunately, the enemy fleet was so focused on the majority of the Spica Defense Fleet that they barely noticed the Benfold Star as it breached their defenses.

  “Scanners are detecting an empty hangar on the left side of the dreadnaught! Here we go!” Jarek declared.

  Through their windows, the passengers of the Benfold Star watched as they slowly passed through the hangar’s atmospheric barrier before docking in it. Apart from a couple shuttles and technicians, the hangar was mostly empty.

  Once the ship landed, Jarek announced, “Touchdown!”

  Everyone rose to their feet as the landing ramp of the freighter opened. As they exited, the strike team was greeted by light resistance from technicians with pistols. They were ready to shoot the officers on the spot, but Owen motioned the team to lower their weapons. When the technicians raised their guns, Owen utilized his telepathy and hooked into the men’s minds. The soldiers trembled for a moment before holstering their pistols and walking away.

  As the technicians left and closed the hangar doors behind them, Mooku asked, “What did you do?”

  “I used my telepathy to force them to create a distraction for us. They will dismantle and destroy vital systems to the dreadnaught. While the crew is dealing with these renegades and the damage they have caused, we will have fewer obstacles between us and our objective,” Owen explained.

  Bralu nodded in approval. “Good thinking, Sensei.”

  Shivering, Amber commented, “Sensei, sometimes your methods terrify me.”

  Owen shrugged. “This is war, Cadet. There is bound to be collateral damage.”

  “Either way, if these brainwashed technicians do their job, there will be a twenty percent increase to our mission’s success,” GB-89 predicted.

  With the technicians out of the way, the strike team formed a circle outside of the Benfold Star. Owen produced a holographic image of the dreadnaught’s interior. “We don’t have much time before they find out we have infiltrated their flagship. As team leader, I am obligated to each of your roles in this operation. Jarek and Kelba will wait here with five commandos. This dreadnaught’s two shield generators are located along the center of the craft. Bralu and I will take five soldiers to take out the front generator, while Amber, GB-89, and Mooku will take five commandos to destroy the secondary generator. Once those generators are down, we will rendezvous here and escape before our fleet destroys this vessel. Any questions?”

  “No, sir!” everyone said in unison.

  “Then let our mission begin. Good luck,” Owen said.

  The strike team went their separate ways as the battle continued to rage outside the hangar.

  CHAPTER 16

  Devan and his fellow defenders watched as the jet racers and gunships continued to overwhelm the Shogunate army. Compared to the robot army, the Spica aircrafts were taking light casualties. Despite their superior numbers and firepower, the disoriented machines were not able to cause real damage to the fast and light racers and gunships.

  “Looks like we won’t have to worry about them getting through the force field. At this rate, the Shogunate won’t have an army left. When that happens, we just have to worry about their fleet and whether they’ll use that fleet-killing cannon,” Devan observed.

  “What should we do in the meantime, sir?” Cage asked.

  “Stay alert for any unexpected surprises.”

  Then a small fleet of nine cruisers emerged from a cluster of trees east of Londinium before flying toward the space battle.

  Noticing the newcomers, Cage asked, “Whose ships are those?”

  Growli
ng, Devan answered, “Those are the Crabbes and Bartons. They finally decided to join the fray. It’s about bloody time.”

  “We recruited pirates and smugglers?”

  “In a situation as dire as ours, we take what we can. Let’s just hope they are up to the challenge.”

  Suddenly, after the Crabbes and Bartons disappeared into the atmosphere, three dozen new ships came down. As the new crafts drew closer, Devan’s stomach sunk.

  “Those are Shogunate fighters! I thought our fleet would have been enough to hold them back, but they clearly had enough to reinforce their ground forces. Our racers and gunships may be fast and agile, but they are no match for those fighters. Call them to fall back now!” Devan ordered.

  Within moments, the remaining racers and gunships withdrew from the battle and fled back to Londinium’s walls. However, the enemy fighters took multiple dives that demolished several of the defender’s forces. By the time the racers and gunships made it to the safety of the force field, only three racers and two gunships survived. Morale began to plummet for the city’s defenders as they observed the extent of their losses.

  “What happens now, sir?” Cage asked.

  “We hold out and wait for the fleet to take out the dreadnaught. As long as the force field is up, they can’t reach us,” Devan answered.

  The defenders watched as the Shogunate fighters and robots proceeded to bombard the force field with a relentless barrage of laser blasts. In response, the wall’s turrets fired back, taking out as many enemies as they could.

  ______

  Kyle watched as the space battle continued to rage on. His crew was busy maintaining their respective stations as the Hulbert directed the attack patterns of the Spica Defense Fleet. Even though Kyle’s armada was holding its own, he was discouraged to see that his allies were taking more casualties than the Shogunate. He did not know how long they could keep up the offensive.

  “Sir, our shields are at eighty-eight percent! They are holding for now, but we are taking heavy fire!” shouted one officer.

  “We just lost the Hale and two more freighters!” reported another officer.

  Frustrated, Kyle turned to Commander Greast. “Any word from the Benfold Star?”

  “They reported in a few minutes ago, sir. They successfully boarded the dreadnaught and are undertaking their mission as we speak,” Greast answered.

  “What of the Crabbes and Bartons? Have they taken off yet?”

  “They just left the atmosphere, sir. They will protect our rear.”

  Suddenly, a series of explosions filled the Hulbert’s window, and the frigate shook violently.

  “What the hell was that?” Kyle demanded.

  “It’s the Crabbes and Bartons! They’re attacking our fleet from behind! They’ve sided with the Shogunate! We’re trapped in a pincer movement!” cried one technician.

  Outraged, Kyle slammed his cybernetic arm into his chair, smashing an armrest. “Damn it! How could this happen?”

  “What do we do now, Captain?” Greast asked.

  Kyle had no answer to that question.

  ______

  Inside his office, Governor Spatha watched the battle unfold outside Londinium’s force field. Beside him were half a dozen of his closest aides and two dozen of his personal security guards. Among the governor’s security detail were five members of Devan’s militia, who stood as still and unbreakable as marble statues.

  Nodding his head in approval, Spatha said, “I must say that your army had many surprises up its sleeve. I’m surprised the Shogunate didn’t retreat at this point.”

  Sergeant Burke of Devan’s militia said, “We have been preparing for this moment for years. There is no scenario we haven’t planned for, Governor.”

  Spatha raised an eyebrow. “Really? Then I have underestimated the lot of you. Perhaps I should be thankful that Spica Prime will be safely in your hands when I leave office.”

  “How do you plan on spending your retirement? Will you be playing golf?” Burke asked.

  Shrugging, Spatha said, “I haven’t planned that far ahead yet. I’m just concerned about surviving this conflict before thinking of anything else.”

  Burke nodded in approval. “I like how you are focused on the here and now, sir.”

  Smirking, Spatha murmured, “Thank you.”

  Suddenly, Burke’s communicator chimed, and he answered. What he heard filled him with dread and outrage. After he finished listening to the message, he turned his attention to Spatha.

  “I just received some troubling news, sir.”

  “What is that? Did the Shogunate do something unexpected?”

  “Oh. Something unexpected did happen, but it was not the Shogunate. The Crabbes and Bartons joined to battle as planned, but they have sided with the Shogunate. I wonder why that is?”

  “Perhaps the Shogunate offered them a higher price than we did.”

  “Perhaps, or maybe someone made a deal behind our backs. Do you know who that is, sir?”

  Turning to his security guards, Spatha said, “Boys!”

  Then Spatha’s guards turned on Burke and his comrades, gunning them down before they could react. While his brothers-in-arms died instantly, Burke was shot in the gut and did not die immediately. At this moment, Spatha rose from his chair and pulled out a pistol from his coat.

  “Did you really think I would surrender my hard-earned power to you rabble? Did you really think I would go along with your strategy? Don’t make me laugh!”

  Coughing on his own blood, Burke asked, “Why?”

  “To keep my family’s power and prestige. I made too many deals and broke too many laws to get to where I am. I want it to stay that way. To guarantee the continuation of my power, I made one last deal with the Shogunate. If I paid the Crabbes and Bartons to turn on the Defense Fleet and shut down the city’s shield, they would let me keep my wealth and power as a representative of the Shogunate!”

  “You … damn … traitor!” Burke growled.

  Spatha pointed his pistol at Burke’s head. “If committing treason is what it takes to win and stay in power, then I am all for it.”

  Burke was shot dead, and Spatha handed his smoking pistol to one of his aides.

  “What shall we do now, Governor?” asked the secretary of state.

  “Shut down the shield and the defense cannons. I will contact the Shogunate on our progress.”

  “Yes, sir,” Spatha’s co-conspirators said in unison.

  When Spatha was left alone in his office, he pressed a button on his control panel, and a holographic image of Admiral Vao appeared.

  “Is it done, Governor?” Vao asked.

  “The shield and all other defenses are about to shut down. You may begin your offensive in a moment. Also, I should inform you of another plot these cretins came up with. They sent a strike team on board your dreadnaught. They plan to shut down your shield and let their fleet destroy your flagship. They are likely there right now,” Spatha warned.

  Vao paused for a moment and said, “Thank you for your cooperation, Governor. As the first of many rewards for your service, the Shogunate will increase your bank accounts by thirty-nine percent. Continue to serve us this well, and the rewards will keep coming.”

  Licking his lips greedily, Spatha promised, “Oh. You can be sure I will serve you well.”

  ______

  The force field protecting Londinium crackled loudly as it fended off the continuous barrage of laser blasts. Devan and his fellow defenders watched as the force field continued to hold despite taking heavy hits. In addition, the wall’s cannons retaliated with their own series of volleys, taking out hundreds of Shogunate troops with each wave.

  “I must say these machines are a persistent bunch. I’m not surprised considering they have no sense of fear, just programming,” Devan said as he observed the relentless nature of the marching robot army.

  “You think that shield will hold, sir? It is taking a lot of damage,” said Private Cage.

&
nbsp; “Normally, this shield is meant to withstand both pirate raids and orbital bombardment. I don’t know if it can withstand an assault this consistent, but it seems to be holding together just fine.”

  Suddenly, Londinium’s force field began to break apart like so much glass. The sight created an all-consuming sense of despair amongst the defenders.

  “No! No! No! It’s too soon!” Devan cursed.

  “Sir?” Cage cried, desperate for orders.

  Devan and Cage turned to face the Shogunate army just as the last remnants of the force field came down. All of a sudden, a stray laser blast struck Cage in the throat and threw him a foot backward. Shocked, Devan leaned toward Cage, who was choking on his own blood with smoke slithering out of the hole in his neck. Devan watched as his newfound friend slowly died and the once-vibrant life faded from his eyes.

  Closing Cage’s eyes, Devan whispered, “Sleep well, brother.”

  Fueled by rage and determination, Devan picked up his minigun, swung it over the wall, and started firing on the advancing robot army. Within moments, the other defenders followed Devan’s example and fired their own weapons over the wall.

  As he fired his minigun, Devan shouted, “Why the hell aren’t the wall cannons firing?”

  One soldier reported, “They are also disabled, sir!”

  Cursing under his breath, Devan ordered, “Damn it! Keep firing! Light the bastards up!”

  Resuming his attack, Devan thought, There’s no way they could have taken down the shield on their own. The cannons shutting down as well is too perfectly timed. We’ve been sabotaged!

  Devan hid behind the wall, took out his communicator, and shouted, “Burke, come in!”

  Instead of Burke’s voice, Spatha’s voice answered. “Hello, Sergeant Devan.”