ahead, and several metallic structures protruded just half a metre above the ground.
Taylor wondered for a moment what they were doing there. They had not surveyed the ground. They had little understanding of what might beneath it. Before he could say a word, the Colonel drove forward towards the nearest structure, and the rest of them followed.
“I want a breach here, now,” Chandra ordered through the radios.
Taylor was surprised to hear her voice, as their comms had always been jammed in combat. The demo team leapt forward and laid down magnetic devices that clamped themselves on as they landed.
They all took a knee and awaited the team to do their job. As they waited, they heard another explosion ring out and looked around to see a German infantry unit rush through a breach and vanish below the surface.
“Fire in the hole!”
The explosion rang out, and several metres of the metalwork of the roof were ripped apart.
“Go, go, go!” shouted Chandra.
They rushed forward into the unknown with shields held before them. Taylor’s pulse was rushing, and he knew the others with him would be no different. Several of the unit managed to get to the breach ahead of the Colonel. It was likely she wanted to be through first, but light flashed through the breach, and they knew the first through had been hit.
Dust particles created a fog of the breach that only made it more terrifying. As Chandra passed through, she could see the bodies of three of their unit on the ground. Two of them were already dead. She knew she had to keep moving forward and leave the wounded soldier to the medics, as and when they could reach him.
A few pulses smashed into the wall in front of the Colonel, but the troops of Inter-Allied had already begun to overwhelm the enemy with a barrage of fire. Through the chaos, she caught sight of the first enemy that grabbed her attention and fired several aimed shots in quick succession.
Taylor quickly surveyed the scene as all around him lay down fire. They were in what appeared to be some kind of laboratory. Scattered instruments and machinery had little meaning to the Major. The room was thirty metres long by twenty metres wide. The ceilings were only just tall enough for Jafar to stand in who was at his side. The area could be described as nothing but clinical. It seemed that before their entrance nothing was out of place. There had not been a spec of dirt or dust in sight.
“Keep pushing forward!” Chandra ordered.
She looked around to realise that as usual, their comms were now being jammed.
“God damn, this is getting old!”
A pulse smashed into the top of her shield, and the force knocked her off balance and onto her back. She cursed at having been caught unawares and her clumsy tumble. Taylor let his rifle drop onto his sling and hoisted her to her feet. She quickly lifted up her rifle and gestured for the troops at their back to push forward.
“This stone age communication has to be resolved!” she shouted.
“Amen to that,” he replied.
She tried to regain her composure as Jones rushed past to join the fight. The troops were lining the room as the bottleneck left much of the Battalion waiting on the surface. Other units were putting down all around them, and they knew they could not expand out beyond the one breach.
“We’ve got them on the run!” Jones called out.
The speaker on his suit was transmitting just loud enough for Chandra to hear a few metres away. She pushed forward and joined the shuffle of troops trying to squeeze through the doorway of the room. They reached a ramp that was leading them deep below the surface. Jafar reached their side, but he had nothing to say.
“You must have some idea what this place is?” asked Taylor.
The alien shook his head.
“No, we have never experienced this place, but it is certainly not a colony.”
“Then what is it?” Chandra asked.
“A research facility by the looks of things,” replied Taylor.
Jafar nodded in agreement, but it was obvious he had no better idea than them. There were flashes up ahead, followed by the ripple of gunfire, but the column didn’t stop as they rushed down the ramp ten wide. They descended fifty metres and finally evened out into what was apparently a docking facility. Just two ships lay on the deck and were visibly in some state of repair.
The vast underground hangar was large enough for ten ships the size of the Deveron. Crates of ammunition lay stacked at the walls, but there was no sign of life. Chandra signalled for the troops to spread out as they were at last managing to get through the bottleneck.
“An underground hangar, why? What enemy were they guarding from?” asked Chandra.
“The Meteor showers. They are common on all our worlds.”
“So you all live underground?” Taylor asked.
“The higher classes, yes. Living on the surface means the weak do not survive.”
“No wonder they want Earth. It truly is a paradise compared to this shithole,” replied Taylor.
The silence was broken by the crack of several pulses rushing towards them.
“Cover!”
They rushed to any shelter they could find as the fire increased. Chandra and Taylor managed to get behind one of the two enemy ships nearby. They looked around to see that much of their unit were already returning fire with rapid bursts. Taylor peered around the nose of the ship to see several dozen Mechs flooding into the hangar from the opposite side. They were two hundred metres apart. The creatures seemed to come at them without fear, despite the odds.
The initial wave of creatures was cut down within minutes by the volleys of the first two companies who had got inside the hangar. Chandra smiled as she saw them brought to their knees and fired a few shots at one of the wounded creatures to finish it off. Mechs continued to flood into the hangar, but now they were taking cover behind crates and storage canisters. Chandra leaned back around to Taylor.
“Crazy bastards coming at us like that. They must truly believe they are superior.”
“We may have the upper hand today, but don’t you forget what it was like to face them with fairer numbers.”
Chandra sighed. She was enjoying the moment, but it hit home just how uncertain their situation was. They had caught the enemy by surprise, and the skirmish was far removed from the epic battles they had come to know and dread.
Taylor stepped out to the blunt square nose cone of the ship, which lay on its belly, so he could get a better view. The enemy momentum had been broken, but so had theirs. More Mechs poured into the defences up ahead, and neither party wanted to close the open ground they were fighting over.
“We need to gain some ground!” Taylor shouted.
Chandra looked around for any options to make progress. To their right there was another tunnel like they had come from, but flat this time.
“Take Jones’ Company that way, and see if you can get around them!”
Taylor was quick on his feet and rushed out in between the fire to reach the Captain’s position.
“Follow me Captain!”
Taylor had barely slowed down as he passed Jones, but the Captain was quick to follow. Mitch looked back to see Jafar and Tsengal were close behind and had followed him through the enemy fire, without order or question. Pulses rushed in between the Company as they made a dash for the corridor. Two were struck, but Taylor knew they couldn’t afford to stop for anything.
“Come on!”
He burst into the corridor to where he knew they would be safe, but could only hope no threat lay around the corner ahead. He couldn’t stop or risk leaving the others out in the line of fire. His rifle was held forward at the ready, as was his shield. Having the shields back brought an immense amount of comfort to their jobs. He took the turn and was relieved to find it empty.
Taylor carried on for ten metres and finally stopping when he was happy they were all inside. Jones was at the head of his Company with the two aliens either side of him.
“Stay close,” whispered Taylor.
He went forward once again at a jogging pace. It was enough to cover ground quickly but not too fast to make a racket or rush into danger. The corridor seemed to go on and on. The lighting was red, as on the surface. It
