Captain Dugachard grinned widely, seeing Begum and several others emerge from the corridor behind the landing bay, the small emissary raising a hand in greeting as their eyes briefly met before turning back to the small party behind, a scarlet cloak sweeping over his shoulder.
Turning, the Trevakian captain slapped Tregan’s shoulder plate, ‘This should surprise our cargo…let’s see the smiles…’ She grasped the door leading back into the hold behind, pushing it open, her voice rising as boots slammed together, ‘We are aboard the Fahimian ship…check your uniforms, I want to create a good impression…there are senior commanders out there!’
Mechanics whirred as the seals clunked apart, the rear door shunting, then slowly lowering, captain Dugachard hissing to the thirty soldiers, ‘Face front…stand easy…’ Boots squealed as the soldiers turned, stiffening as light swept into the hold, the door lowering further as they stared straight ahead in unison.
The door widened, light filling the rear compartment as the visors dimmed, the marines of Freedom battalion staring in surprise at the two small lines of Fahimian commandoes, their shining black and silver armour complimented by reflective helmets, the front visors fully concealing their faces.
Begum grinned in rising excitement as he glimpsed the surprise on the visitors’ faces, the dignitaries behind concealing smiles as the small commander shouted across the bay, ‘Yaraktoff!’
Steel plated boots cracked together, the Fahimian commandoes raising their new glossed black laser rifles vertically before them, Captain Dugachard grinning widely as she barked, ‘Company to Attention!’
Trevakian boots slammed together inside the drop ship, Begum giggling as the Trevakian and human soldiers stiffened in unison, the modified laser rifles rising to their shoulders. The Fahimian stepped forward, clapping with excitement and nodding his approval, beckoning the visitors forward, captain Dugachard chuckling, ‘Stand easy and make your way outside…they are our friends.’
The Freedom battalion marines of Zulu company moved forward, their visors gradually retracting upwards into the helmet rims as they stepped into the overhead lights, many glancing to the sides cautiously, their faces reflecting in the shining face plates of the Fahimian commandoes, Begum opening his small arms in welcome, a wide grin on his tanned face, ‘Come forward…we have some thingies to show you!’ His eyes strained, a hand rising to tap the earpiece and remote throat microphone, head turning to the dignitaries behind to frown, an aide stepping forward with head bowed, a small crystal edged box extended with the lid open as Begum pursed his lips in dissatisfaction, ‘Batteries rubblied!’
Captain Dugachard concealed a grin as she stepped from the back of the transport, Begum meticulously inserting another translator into his right ear, the embarrassed aide stepping back as the small Fahimian turned back to face the assembled soldiers, smiling widely as he glimpsed captain Dugachard moving between her marines, ‘Come forward my friend…we show you Fahimian weapons.’
He indicated towards the glimmering green atmospheric shield, ‘You all stand back…we bring stuff…’ His eyes strained again, ‘Dalika! Translator bogalash!’ He chuckled as the Trevakian captain giggled, tapping the small device once more, ‘We make many…best are with commandeos…I await newy devicey!’
The small figure spun round, sweeping the cloak back over his shoulder in obvious irritation as the aide selected another earpiece, shaking it vigorously. Captain Dugachard indicated for the soldiers to progress towards the shield, then gestured to the assembled groups outside the other transports on either side to do the same.
As the three hundred marines moved towards the shimmering green shield, grey dressed Fahimian loaders ran forward from doors on either side and into the drop ships, jumping onto seats to reach up and remove the silver boxes from overhead racks.
Riaz glanced across at the captain, catching her eye, his head nodding towards the open rear doors as she smiled, indicating for him to proceed, the asian soldier’s voice rising, ‘My section advance…assist with the off-loading!’
Shino’s eyes widened with Debra’s as Riaz lunged forward, six other Trevakians joining him as he marched back into the rear compartment, reaching up for the first silver energy canister and heaving it down, handing it to the soldier behind, the marines rapidly forming a line as the supplies were passed between each individual. Debra nudged Shino, the two stepping forward to join the efficient operation as the boxes were passed along, additional grinning Fahimian loaders indicating for them to stack the supplies at the back of the bay.
Begum clapped his hands again, giggling as the other dignitaries looked on in surprise, the transports rapidly emptied as the pilots and co-pilots clambered from their cockpits to assist. Finally withdrawing, the Freedom battalion stood in groups, Begum indicating for the flyers to join their marines for the arranged spectacle.
Finally satisfied, the Fahimian emissary tapped the side of his helmet, passing a message to the crews in the corridor behind the bay, the doors opening once more as he raised his voice, ‘We now fight together…’ His eyes widened in happiness as the translation device seemed to work effectively, an obvious confidence rising, ‘As we go to war we want to show you what our soldiers will have with them.’ He glanced across the expectant faces, smiling reassuringly as two black uniformed commandoes stepped nervously through the widening doors, ‘We call these our flyers…they support locally on battlefield…’
The marines stared at the two figures, the commando helmets turning to each other, the silver and black armour sparkling in the light as they reached to their waists. Slim control panels extended mechanically from side leg armour before rising to waist height, their small gloved hands seeming to remain above the pads as they clenched their fists. A surge of power as downward jets of air from behind the figures swept across the shining floor, the two armoured figures
