The Terpla'ns - Chapter 5
It was an unusually cool and windy day in the Fruit Ball region on Hamthen Prime. Rear Admiral Tulcus Jki, commander of the carrier groups of Task Force 21, found it necessary to turn on the thermal lining of her uniform. Stepping out of the cutter she then went uphill, finding Interim Executive Skuu waiting at the top. They had only met once before, when Jki gave Skuu a tour of the dreadnought Captain Avma some twenty months earlier. Having made a brief visit to Hamthen after securing the Dotz system, Jki had just left a meeting with senior commanders of TF 21 when she received an invitation from Mr. Skuu. Like everyone else Jki found Skuu had visibly aged from the rigors of a resistance battle against the Axis occupiers. His legs moved with the same energy as before, however, and offered his hand with the same enthusiasm. ?Ah, I?m glad to see that you?re none the worse for wear. I only found out recently that you were injured in a previous attempt to enter the system.?
Jki took the offered hand and shook it. ?My insides still remind me on occasion of the violence that incurred those wounds. I?m glad that I was able to still participate in the liberation effort.?
?Good, good. Now that the enemy for the most part has been expunged from Democracy territory I trust that the first assault on a pre-war Axis system will be conducted shortly.?
?We?ve gotten our supplemental assault force in-system, Mr. Skuu. Our fighter losses have been made good by shuttling the squadrons stationed in Hagelkorn to our carriers in Dotz. Once all our forces are in position we?ll attack.?
Skuu blinked his eyes. ?Yes, about that, friend Jki. I?ve also learned that it was Marines from your old command, the Avma that recovered important information from an assault corvette. Thanks to that, we now have a primary objective for this first foray into Axis space.?
?Yes. Five transits from Hamthen is an Axis colony world, population of 400,000.? Jki looked around, noting that much of the grass was brown and curled despite the rich and moist soil. ?It?s described as a pleasant world, and I wonder how Comensal civilians will react to occupation from our troops.?
Turning on his four legs, Skuu saw what Jki saw, and more. ?I have grave doubts on the success of any occupation in the short run. From analysis of Comensal literature and personal notes their xenophobia goes beyond political indoctrination. I venture to say that, after contemplating captured history texts, the civil war that led to the creation of the Asteroid Axis can be described as one side that eliminated the other for not being xenophobic enough. Perhaps it has always been a Comensal trait from the start and they see it as a natural process, much like breathing and walking.?
Jki made a hard blink. ?That remains to be seen, Mr. Skuu. Having described themselves as constantly on the offensive perhaps the first occupation of an Axis world would shatter their sense of superiority. 60,000 E?sani troops would be incentive enough to appreciate the value of peaceful co-existence.?
?That would be nice, my friend, as it would?ve been nice for them to be peaceful to begin with,? Skuu said harshly. ?Your troops will have a hard time of it, restraining themselves and not being provoked by a xenophobic people. On the flipside, Axis troops couldn?t get enough notches on their guns and belts to satisfy themselves. That?s why I?ve asked you to come here before you head back to your ship.? He pointed to an object a kilometer away. ?You see that??
Having dismissed the object as a boulder Jki looked carefully this time. Looking like an inverted bowl, the object didn?t look natural at all. ?It?s one of those tripod tanks I?ve read about. The hull appears dull, and the legs are missing.?
Skuu squinted with both sets of eyelids, adding a rock-hard layer of emphasis to his words. ?It was chasing after a group of volunteers, and was lured into a kill zone. Rocket teams took out the legs where they connected to the hull. Being immobilized, the tripod was no longer a threat, but that wasn?t enough. Four teams were killed in the process of taking out the top-mounted particle gun, leaving the back quadrant uncovered for the three underside particle guns and the microwave emitter couldn?t be brought to bear.
?Still, the tripod tank crew fired upon anyone that happened into the weapon arcs, using the last of their black smoke to keep the rocket crews at bay. As you?ve noticed,? Skuu waved his hand over the desolated scene, ?that accounts for the withered grass. Then, using the blind spot, the volunteers flung canister after canister of hyper napalm onto the tank. Over five days that went on, the fire kept fed on a regular basis.? Skuu waited a moment, rubbing his tired eyes. ?While the powerplant of the tank could?ve kept running for weeks the components of its life-support system broke down. So it came to the point where the crew elected to flee rather than die from heat and suffocation inside their tank. It didn?t work, for the heat was such that as soon as they opened hatches the air from inside the tank combusted upon contact with the outside. I?m told that the sight was? surreal. Those that weren?t immediately incinerated were shot down as they staggered away in burning clothes.
?I?ve shown you this, Jki, just as I?m going to show your army commanders, so that you?ll know what you?ll be facing on Axis worlds. They came here as exterminators, and I fear that is what we?re going to have to do in the end, if they?re unredeemable.?
With her eyesight, Jki easily saw the blackened husks on the tripod tank?s hull and on the ground nearby. It was enough to make her shutter to think of the same thing happening to army troops on a daily basis on an Axis colony world, let alone one with billions. ?Perhaps you right, friend. However, it must be said that even as your race fought for its life you made sure your children were safe before engaging the enemy. Deep down, I doubt the Axis is as fanatical as their own texts make them out to be. Having whole families attack as a unit, with no regard to the future, is the highest form of selfishness. What is the point of fighting if you take down the very ones you love in the process??
?I don?t have an answer,? Skuu admitted. ?I pray that your E?sani friends pay as little a price as possible to find out.?
********
The 3rd Company of the 141st Regiment, Commonwealth Space Army, was relieved by reinforcement and was sent to a rear area to rest and reconstitute. Of the initial 100,000 troops involved in the liberation of Hamthen 6,000 were killed and 5,000 more injured. Having been located in a region recently cleared of Axis troops the 3rd Company made their camp next to the ruins of a Hamthen town. To their surprise they found the town?s inhabitants had returned and were in the process of making it habitable again.
For the 2nd Platoon of the 3rd Company there were only two deaths and four wounded. For an E?sani being wounded was a mere inconvenience for they healed rather quickly if the wounds weren?t too severe. Because of that one Corporal Pepen-su was promoted to the position of platoon sergeant even though his left arm was in a cast. After working the men to make the site something that approached habitability Pepen-su reported to the platoon leader, Lt. Casfe-de.
Also having spent the day organizing the camp Casfe-de was as dirty and sweaty as everyone else. He responded to Pepen-su?s off-hand salute by offering him a seat and a cup of cool water. ?You and the others will be happy to know that the field sanitation company will be finished with the showers and latrines by nightfall. The high-gravity tent will be active once the dedicated power generator arrives tomorrow.?
?The guys will like that, Sir,? said Pepen-su, brushing his trimmed whiskers with his free hand. ?Moving and fighting in less than normal gravity is great, but after a while the muscles lose their tone. A half-hour workout at high gravity will keep us in fighting trim.?
?Doc tells me you?ll be able to take that cast off in three days,? Casfe-de said in cautious tone. ?No such injury had to occur if you followed orders. Had you done so, then Cpl. Shun-yi would still be alive, not having to come after you on your? excursion.?
Pepen-su downed the cup of water in one gulp. ?Sir, had I waited for reinforcement it would?ve been too late. I acted in the best interest of the platoon by taking out that enemy position when I saw it.?
Casfe-de narrowed his black eyes. ?By doing so, Sergeant,? he emphasized Pepen-su?s new rank, ?you acted in equal measure of bravery and foolhardiness. Killing twelve of the enemy single-handedly, in close-quarters combat, is commendable. However, your squad mate Shun-yi, obviously thinking very highly your friendship, threw himself on a grenade tossed by a dying Axis trooper so as to spare your life.? Instead of a cup of water Casfe-de downed a whole pitcher, ice and all, in a prolonged swig. He had to do it so as to cool this throat and prevent it from uttering the heated words he wanted to say. ?The enemy position was already tagged by a recon drone. The platoon was ordered to pull out so that a kinetic strike could be conducted. However, you must?ve ignored the messages, even when Shun-yi told you directly. Oh yes, Sergeant, his helmet recorder was still intact despite all those grenade fragments. So, instead of a single kinetic projectile we had to pay the infinitely higher price of a unique, irreplaceable life.?
Seeing only a stone face looking back at him Casfe-de continued. ?You?ll be getting a distinguished action award tonight at dinner from the company C.O. I had wanted to reprimand you, Pepen-su, but I figure that being a platoon sergeant, laden with the responsibilities that go with the job, will make you acknowledge that battles aren?t won by lone-wolf efforts.?
Right then and there Pepen-su had wanted to say the real reason he disobeyed orders. Had he done so, it would likely mean his removal from the platoon and quite possibly from the war for good. Such an outcome was unthinkable, for he wanted to stay until the end, especially after having seen what the Axis done to the Hamthen and what they would do to everyone else if they had the chance. So, calming his tongue, he looked at his commanding officer evenly. ?I?ll proclaim it for all to hear tonight that without Shin-yi?s sacrifice I wouldn?t be getting the award in the first place, Sir. There?ll be no more lone-wolf efforts from me and from anyone else in the platoon for that matter.?
?Good that we?re on the same page,? Casfe-de replied. ?You and the men have the rest of the afternoon off. The dinner will be held at the exercise square at 1900. Dismissed.?
Pepen-su, after informing the platoon, went to see the Company supply sergeant. Never one to do things in half-measures, he spent a month?s pay to buy a case of genuine E?sani beer that managed to survive a whole year in storage on Hagelkorn and had, somehow, arrived with the Company on Hamthen. Pepen-su did this so as to give proper acknowledge of Shun-yi?s sacrifice. For the next few hours he thought of what the Lt said and how best to master his feelings before they mastered him.
********
The Metalstorm system, previously owned by the Nu?Chut AIs and now part of the Asteroid Axis, was dull and dim. It was a close binary of two red dwarf suns, each component containing two rockball worlds and a gas giant with attendant moons. Upon the defeat of the AIs a few years earlier the sole unexplored warp point in the system was fortified with mines and buoys, watched over by a pair of automated weapon control bases.
With resumption of warp point exploration it was found that Metalstorm connected to the Hamthen system of Dotz. Stocks of prefabricated base components were immediately brought forward and assembled in a flurry of activity to guard the Axis side of the warp point. Thinking of the long term, the AFC requested supporting populations to be settled on Metalstorm?s planets and moons. Eight outposts were established normally while two colonies, one in each component, were crash-emplaced. Followed with an investment in industrial capability the system was able to maintain the 12 type-5 and 2 type-2 bases without outside support. Indeed, there was enough capability leftover to build minimal spaceports on both colonies, support a small space station over the third moon of Metalstorm A-3 and send processed ore back to the Axis sector capitol. The previous mine and buoy defenses were upgraded over the last year, now totaling 900 patterns and 600 laser buoys, evenly placed one-quarter of a light-second from the Dotz warp point.
Had the war progressed more in the favor of the AFC the bases would?ve eventually been dismantled and moved where needed. There had been talk of doing that work in the near future, but until Hagelkorn and Pileus were secured the defense plan would stay in effect. For the colonists, upon hearing the defeat of the fleet in Hamthen, they wished their defenses were doubled. It was to their credit that they managed to build 60 primary-armed buoys, placed in a shell one-half of a light second from the warp point, in the three weeks after the Allies reclaimed Hamthen space. In hindsight it would?ve been better had their resources been sent to the next system in line rather than attempting to shore up a dam that was already collapsing.
The first Allied assault wave was composed of four battleships, a dreadnought, and 92 (out of 108 transiting) armed pinnaces. Acting on captured information, the ships faced southwest while the Apins used their speed to enter and then exit the northern portion of the minefield, losing only ten of their number. Facing this first wave were 6 beam-armed type-5 bases, located one light-second from the warp point in two groups of three, one north and one south. The three missile bases, two fighter and one defense base were together as a group four light-seconds out, north of the first group of beam bases. Seven light-seconds south were two small automated weapon control bases. Of the 34 fighter squadrons 8 were on the CAP, orbiting the warp point half a light second out. Moving to point-blank range and desperately arming their weapons those Axis pilots had to watch as the Allied ships opened fire.
First to fire was the dreadnought, belching close assault missiles at its base target followed by two standard force beams. Thanks to antimatter warheads those CAMs that did hit took down 76% of the base?s shields. Quick action by the weapon crews allowed the base to fire back, taking out the dreadnought's light shielding and two-thirds of its thick armor. Whatever Faustian deal the Axis made paid off in the form of four of their beam bases, two missile and one fighter base (crash-launching 11 squadrons) becoming active as well as five of the eight CAP squadrons. Followed by 98 laser buoys only one Allied BB and 76 Apins were left to greet the second wave, five Hazen DNs and a BC.
Of the BBs in the first wave two were minesweepers while the other two were assault carriers. That lone BB was the latter, and while launching five squadrons at the southern bases it activated a datalink jammer, forcing the Axis to destroy it first so as to restore their links. No other bases became active, and thanks to the Apins, fighters, and energy beams the three northern beam bases were destroyed with the three southern ones only retaining a fraction of their armament. Expending 200 laser buoys the Axis destroyed the second wave ships in their entirety.
Wave three was six UWL DN-hulled minesweepers. Greeting them were the 11 squadrons crashed launched one minute earlier. The 26 Allied fighters, having expended FRAMs, went to engage the Axis fighters utilizing their external laser packs. As for the Apins, 53 of 71 which still had ordnance, they went after the northern bases but took care to remain outside capital point defense range while lining up for their attack run. Six Axis fighters were shot down, but that left 66 and with 200 more buoys fired two of the six sweepers were destroyed with the other four sustaining heavy internal damage.
The fourth wave consisted of Crajen-crewed Tamaya CAs modified as anti-fighter escorts. Just as the Apins reached point-blank range of the northern bases the second fighter base, finally getting its act together, crash-launched its squadrons. Having considered this possibility, the Apin commanders simply used their point defense and internal guns to swat down as many fighters as possible while taking out the bases, starting with the fighter platforms. But after seeing what happened to the beam bases six of the squadrons fired half of their close attack missiles in proximity mode against the Apins. Combined with point defense fire none of the 53 Apins involved survived, but one fighter base lost 40% of its internal systems. The remaining 18 knocked out 11 laser buoys, thus when the last 89 fired they were spread across ten ships. For the cruisers they lost at most 70% of their armor while one DN was felled with the other three badly damaged. In pursuit of the retreating squadrons the 26 Allied fighters brought down six more.
Wave five had four of the massive Engineer minesweepers with two Jajer variants to keep them company. The three DN sweepers transited back to Dotz before they became cheap kills for the missile bases. Finally dying at the hands of the cruisers, the last beam base fired its remaining hetlaser, scouring armor off the most damaged Tamaya in the process. The missile bases fired on an Engineer as well as the defense and the undamaged fighter base. With its thick point defense barrier and EDMs the massive ship only lost its shields and 4% o its armor. After being ravaged by the Tamayas? point defense and the 18 Apins, the thin belt of 60 primary beam buoys was reduced to 27, the remainder being fired so at least some damaged was scored. A handful of engine room components were shut down and some point defense instillations rendered useless, but it didn?t matter much in the end. Breaking off from the retreating strike the 26 Allied fighters then went for the fresh one heading for the warp point, taking care to keep out of point blank range. Five more Axis planes were lazed into oblivion.
Six Hazen First Colonel BCs made up the sixth wave. Of the 66 Axis fighters crashed-launched one minute earlier 52 reach point-blank range only to find the jammers on the Engineers had spun up to full power. Using whatever point defense could be spared the Allies blunted the Axis strike, though the targeted Engineer lost all of its armor and everything forward of its first engine room. Just 19 fighters pulled away, running to the one fighter base that still had intact defenses, followed by the laser fighters and the Apins. One Axis missile base became the focus of the shipboard weapons of the Engineers and Jajers, ultimate losing the shields and 21% of its armor. The Tamayas continued to pick at the damaged fighter base, making it clear that any attempt to land and rearm fighters would be futile.
The seventh wave was the same as the sixth, comprising of capital primary beam armed BCs. Fully recovered, the sixth wave BCs opened up on a missile base, lancing ten launchers for their efforts. Still suffering, the Engineer lost three engines. It would be 90 more seconds before it could transit out to safety. As for the pursuit it was over, the 19 Axis fighters having been shot down halfway to their base, though that left 102 of which 84 had landed on the intact base to rearm.
Just two DNs and a BC arrived in the eighth and final wave. The Axis? Faustian deal was still in effect as the missile bases fired on the wounded Engineer a fraction of second before one base was hit by the primaries of the seventh wave. It took the defense base to finish it off the Allied ship, but now instead of 58 capital launchers the Axis was down to 27.
The Allied fighters fell back to the warp point while the Apins stayed outside of the minefield. A Tamaya became the new target, losing the rest of its passive defenses to missiles and incurring light internal damage from force beams. Firing again the sixth wave BCs took out more launchers. To prevent further damage the Tamaya transited back to Dotz, leaving the ever-weaker missiles bases to switch to another cruiser.
Five rearmed squadrons launched from the intact fighter base, allowing the remaining three to land. Switching gears, two datagroup of First Colonels fired their primaries at it, hoping to disable launch bays. Finally showing their hand, the third wave ships opened up on the defense base, reducing the shielding by 29%. The selected missile base belched debris and finally exploded from force beam hits.
With nine more squadrons armed and launched the Axis attack wave moved on the warp point. Shifting targets, the other six First Colonels fired on the missile and defense base. The second Tamaya, damaged like the first, transited out. Despite the datalink jamming and knowing the inevitable outcome the Axis pilots were going for the cheap kills before performing suicide runs. They kept coming even as the two eighth wave DNs launched 14 squadrons, each F1 fighter loaded with three gun packs. A third Tamaya was singled out and destroyed, followed by a fourth that lost 90% of it armor, but no Axis fighter was left at the warp point. One Apin crew earned the distinction of shooting down six Axis fighters this day.
Primaries kept to the task of lancing out weapons from the actively attacking bases. It stayed that way for two minutes, during which fifteen Oknibs and nine Second Colonels entered and another Tamaya transited when its armor was breached by capital force beam fire, when the last 18 Axis fighters roared from their launch bays and made a beeline for the ships. Their demise marked the end of active Axis resistance for there was no base that could reach the Allied force.
Firing BAM-Rc rounds for three minutes the Oknibs cleared a path through the minefield. Now the Second Colonels advanced on the northern bases and fired their capital energy beams, rendering the four remaining type-5s as shorted-out hulks. The least damaged fighter base self-destructed as it detonated a missile warhead in a magazine. Hazen marines boarded the rest for the outside chance of capturing a database. The two automated weapon control bases were boarded as well, but nothing was found.
With the rest of Task Force 21 making transit Admiral Ayrth, the commanding officer, took stock of the losses. Sixteen ships and 7,200 personnel didn?t even measure up to the casualties of the Hamthen assault, but he still thought the losses could?ve been lower. It was in the midst of this self-examination and brooding that a message came through from General Mevtos, commander of the Hazen contingent. Seeing the starkly uniformed, four-armed centaur smiling was something Ayrth wasn?t expecting.
Mevtos, having worked with Terpla?ns for years in combined fleet exercises, could read their body expressions. ?As these assaults go, commander,? said the Hazen with authority, ?I wouldn?t have been surprised if all six beam bases achieved action stations at the same time. We knew what they had in the way of bases, and it was good fortune there were no mobile forces. Had we waited for the arrival of three more Buccaneer pinnace tenders it would?ve given the Axis that much more time to reinforce.?
?That is true, General,? Ayrth admitted. ?Fate dealt us a harsh hand, and gave the Axis a portion of luck as well. We had the opportunity to reduce pinnace losses, had they stayed by the warp point and took out buoys before they fired.? This was the first battle in which Hazen-crewed armed pinnaces took part, and a loss rate of 83% was particularly harsh.
?It was a calculated risk, friend,? Mevtos offered. ?Had all the Axis fighters launched earlier then the pinnaces would?ve stayed by the warp point to lend their support. It was the roll of the die that the second fighter base launched its foul brood just as the pinnaces reached it. By shooting at them the Axis reduced their overall damage potential against our ships. So in the cruel math of war their loss meant that one less ship was destroyed.?
Ayrth blinked his inner set of eyelids. ?If we must work cruel math, Mevtos, then we?ll make it work against the enemy. It?s clear that armed pinnaces in large numbers are particularly useful in warp point assaults. Eventually the scientists will come up with a way to make warp-capable automated weapons.?
?I hope so as well.? Mevtos? lower pair of hands rested on the handles of his service gauss pistols. ?My marines will be garrisoning the spaceports of the two lunar colonies in this system. The outposts are too small to warrant occupation troops. We?ll keep them in line until relieved by the Valhallans.?
?Those colonists will be shocked by your troops? mere presence, or attempt to kill them at every opportunity,? Ayrth said in dark humor. ?There is no grey area as far as the Axis is concerned.?
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A task element was sent to escort the Hazen troopship towards the third moon of the gas giant Metalstorm A-3. It was during this voyage that an anomaly was discovered in the composition of the Axis warp point defenses. There should?ve been 204 fighters assigned to the defenses, yet only 186 were shot down. As the reasoning went, for being the entry into Hamthen space the defenses would?ve been kept at full strength at all times. It all became clear as a Sloop scout investigated the small space station over the targeted colony. Slightly larger than the station that was over Pyrocumulus, the added bulk was shown to be hanger space for three squadrons of fighters. This caught the task element by surprise for all eight squadrons were loaded with stand-off missiles. Only the impatience of the station commander allowed the task element to turn about and move away at speed while the fighters were rearmed with laser packs. It was near thing for the troopship was slightly slower than the destroyers that composed the task element. Just out of capital point defense range the rearmed Allied fighters engaged their Axis counterparts at 0.5 LS. Like large clay pigeons the Axis fighters were felled by a shower of laser fire. The squadrons turned to get their loads of stand-off missiles.
Given the current distance between the warp point and A-3 it was most likely the 18 Axis fighters came from the bases. An unloaded prototype fighter moving at full speed could reach A-3, a mere 4 light-minutes away. If constructed upon hearing the news of the fall of Hamthen, the added hangers would?ve became available perhaps as short as a day before the assault, and the fighters missed the battle by mere hours. This was just an exercise for the intelligence types as the Allied pilots were set on destroying the station. Staying outside of point defense range, the squadrons salvoed their missiles, succeeding in taking down the shields, 30% of the armor and forcing the launch of the station?s EDMs.
By the time the squadrons were reloaded and returned the shields were restored, but only to prolong the inevitable. Leaving the station half-destroyed the squadrons were passed by three assault shuttles, loaded with Hazen army troops in armored vac-suits. Before they could force an entry the station self-destructed. The troops instead landed on the moon to secure the minimal spaceport, taking only a handful of casualties.
The only Axis mobile units in the system was a DN-sized mobile shipyard (very likely the one that constructed the space station additions) and a frigate-sized freighter, both fleeing at best speed towards the warp point that lead to the Silvershoe system. Both were dispatched by a destroyer squadron. What couldn?t be destroyed readily were the comm buoys and drones that spread the word of the Allied incursion into Axis space. Follow-on task groups went about to invest Metalstorm and Silvershoe, leaving TF 21 to carry on to the Citadel system.
Citadel Prime, the prime target for Task Force 21, was bracing itself for an attack as best it could. Truth be told, the bases that composed Metalstorm?s defenses were drawn from the stock of prefabricated parts kept in orbit of Citadel Prime. At this moment only automated weapons and a trio of small bases guarded the Citadel/Silvershoe warp point, and in orbit of Citadel Prime there were just two fighter bases and a space station. The two shipyards modules had been busy for the last two months, assembling a defense base from the last of the prefabricated parts and building a new section to the station. Depending on the AFC to keep to the offensive, those responsible for the defense of Citadel thought they had time. Even if the Allies had waited three more weeks there was no way Citadel could?ve been defended with adequate force.
Governor Genpan, responsible for 400,508 Comensal civilians on Citadel Prime, wasn?t one to curse her superiors as well as her enemies upon receiving bad news. She served in the army, commanding a division in the Lauset conquest and then a corps for the fighting on Elotoshani Prime. Having attained the third highest position in the Axis Army she retired at the end of the war against the Nu?Chut AIs so as to become the governor of Citadel. The news of the fleet?s defeat in Hamthen and the terse reply she got from the AFC headquarters in the sector made clear that Genpan was on her own for the time being.
Whatever criticisms she had about the higher leadership, especially First Leader Grandous, she kept to herself. Like the now-deceased Terson she thought it was the height of foolishness to be engaged in another war while the current one was still far from completion. The new enemy was invading the outer marches on the other side of the Nu?Chut sector. Fleet reinforcement, originally slated for Crimson Expanse, was being re-routed and sent towards Hamthen space to counter the much larger Allied threat. Yet this reinforcement was diverted in such a way that it would avoid Citadel altogether and take too much time in Genpan?s opinion.
The Governor smirked internally. She had the suspicion that First Leader Grandous was depending on her ground warfare experience to counter any enemy attempt at occupation. Of course, that was only possible if the Allies didn?t bombard the planet into oblivion. Having read captured records, including historical texts that for a Comensal would?ve considered rancid, Genpan was prepared to bet her salary that the Allies will land troops in an effort to ?pacify? the population. Not through genocide, forced labor or imprisonment but by the virtue of living in peaceful co-existence, by being friendly and patient.
Genpan planned to test Allied patience up to and beyond the breaking point. Resistance will be offered first by the sole Army brigade and then by civilian volunteer battalions. Then, after a period of false peace, the enemy will be subjected to an unrelenting rain of attacks for every quarter. If they stick to their pathetic principles, the Allies will suffer extreme casualties. To stay even, let alone survive, they would have to fight back with great violence. They would learn that each Comensal was considered a bullet, fired from the gun that is the will of the people to defeat the enemy completely. So long as one family remained after the last enemy solider watered the ground with his blood it would be considered a victory for the Axis.
With her wealth of experience in the field Genpan had devised plans of action to be taken in case of invasion since becoming governor. She spent the rest of the day selecting one, modifying it in accordance to available time, materials, and weapons. Before retiring to bed, she looked at her old army uniform like a newly minted officer would at graduation, with complete satisfaction. Soon enough, from a position of command, she?ll be wearing that uniform again.
********
Upon receiving news of Task Force 21 entering the Citadel system three CSA divisions on Hamthen, designated the 1st Expeditionary Corps, began the process of loading up on their transports. Like everyone else involved, the men of the 2nd Platoon, 3rd Company of the 141st Regiment wished they had another week. While the defenses of Metalstorm extracted their toll of blood from the Fleet the losses in Citadel were minimal. Some believed that this was some sort of deliberate trap to entice the Allies to advance into unknown territory just to be cut off and destroyed. They couldn?t fathom a foe, after performing atrocities on a grand scale, would leave one of its own worlds open to possible retaliation.
Such thoughts didn?t occur to the 2nd Platoon until later. They remembered the dinner thrown for the company by the townsfolk the day before leaving. Despite their imposing physical presence E?sani were mild tempered and could even be described as ?teddy bears? when among those they liked. They played innocuous games like ring toss, finding the Hamthen adults to be particularly adept at it, and then learning that their talent arose from throwing grenades and rocks at Axis troops. As for the children they wanted to see how much a E?sani could lift over his head or the number of push ups they could do with increasing amounts of weight on their backs.
Sgt. Pepen-su was enjoying the last spoonful of mackerel casserole when a Hamthen child came up to him, her four legs moving impulsively, orange eyes wide as she handed a flower to him. He took it, naturally, smelling it before putting it in an open shirt pocket. ?Thank you, little girl. Why did you give me such a lovely gift?? His Hamthena was unaccented, for E?sani have very flexible vocal cords in addition to their immense strength.
?To thank you for fighting those nasty boneheads, Sergeant,? she said with enthusiasm that seemed universal for all children. ?That was the first flower I picked since the Boneheads arrived.?
Pepen-su patted the pocketed flower. ?I will treasure it and keep it to remind me of your generosity.?
?Did you kill many boneheads,? said the girl with an innocence usually associated with far less macabre questions.
?What?s your name??
?Svaa Keltro,? she replied.
?Well, Keltro,? Pepen-su said while having to look down at the girl even while sitting in a chair, ?I have killed my share of Axis troops, that?s true. I even got a medal when I killed twelve single-handed, literally. It wasn?t fun, in fact it was scary.?
Keltro blinked in astonishment. It was a stretch to consider a being that was over twice her height and almost nine times her weight to be scared of anything. ?Why was that??
Pepen-su mulled over the words he wanted to say, trying to answer Keltro?s question as well as to justify his own feelings. ?Charging in alone, with no-one to help, against a bunch of Boneheads hiding in a building that was dark and claustrophobic for someone my size? it was scary.?
?But aren?t E?sani also brave??
?Yes, Keltro, but someone told me that bravery doesn?t have to be the same as foolhardiness. If you do something foolish to prove your bravery then you are foolish.? Pepen-su smiled. ?So I guess that makes me a lucky fool for coming out alive.?
?Fighting Boneheads doesn?t make anyone foolish.? Keltro tugged on the E?sani?s sleeve. ?Can you write to me when you fight the Boneheads on another planet? I want to have something to share with my friends when our school is rebuilt.?
Producing an electronic card from another pocket, Pepen-su handed it to the girl. ?My mailing information is on this card. You write to me first, and I will write you back as often as I can. My word.?
?Thank you, Sergeant.? Keltro skipped away happily that only a four-legged walking pole could do. Pepen-su wondered if Comensal children would be similarly innocent. If not, then it was going to be a matter of bravery to police and patrol an Axis world on a daily basis, knowing that everyone, including children, would try their best to kill the occupiers.