Star crusader into the f.., p.1
Star Crusader: Into the Fire, page 1
STAR CRUSADER
INTO THE FIRE
By Michael G. Thomas
Part of the STAR CRUSADES universe
Copyright © 2020 Swordworks Books
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The transformation of the Alliance remains one of the great shocks of the 25th century. With the newly reorganised and increasingly independent Human dominated Terran Union, it became an impotent relic of a bygone era. Why this happened is open to debate. A streak of xenophobia understandably grew during the Biomech War and was exacerbated by unending involvement in wars and insurgencies outside of the Alliance with the Star Empire, Byotai, and Ski’ligs. Others believe the promise of Human prosperity by General Avedis Narek were dreams too tempting to ignore. One where Humans would look eagerly to the stars for new worlds to explore and conquer.
A Brief History of the Alliance
PROLOGUE
Naval Base ‘Yorkdale’, Terra Nova
5th August 2476
Kyla was half asleep, doing her best to ignore the events of the last week, but even with her eyes closed she knew something was going on. Stories about Byotai and Helion attacks and sabotage grew day by day. Even people she’d trusted were beginning to turn against any that had worked with the alien personnel in the past. After being involved in so many military operations, she’d developed something of a sixth sense. Knowing when her life was under threat was a skill she’d been forced to develop as a matter of necessity. And the last few months on this station had taught her one thing more than any, to watch her back. The mood had shifted on the station as the loyalty of all personnel to the new regime was tested on an almost daily basis.
What was that?
Kyla opened her eyes and almost choked as she found a face and hands centimetres from her own. In her dreams she’d seen all kinds of evils, and her body was primed for violence.
“Get up,” said the shape directly above her.
Adrenalin surged through her body as she imagined all kinds of evils. Her assailant could be a soldier, marine, alien assassin, or even a machine. She’d made enemies in her young life, many enemies. Without thinking, she drew her tactical knife and lifted it up to the shape. It was not necessary for naval personnel to carry knives on them at all times, but the last week especially had left her feeling uneasy. People had vanished overnight, and there had been sporadic outbreaks of violence among the various factions that left her feeling perpetually nervous.
“Hey! It’s me.”
Kyla hesitated as she opened her eyes wider. The room was dark, save for two panel lights that almost blinded her as she woke from her slumber. They cast long shadows on Séraphine’s face as she pulled back to avoid the stabbing motion of the blade. Even so, it came perilously close to her throat.
“Sorry, but don’t do that again!”
Kyla’s eyes were now adjusted enough that she could make out the details on her friend’s face. She gasped in horror at what she’d just done, and her chest tightened in pain. Séraphine wore her PDS gear, and in her right hand was her naval issue pistol as if she expected to see soldiers rushing them at any moment. Seeing the weapon sent a chill down Kyla’s spine. Each of them knew this day was coming, but they had all hoped and prayed it would never come to pass.
“What’s happening? Is there a problem?”
“A problem, are you kidding? It has started.” Séraphine glanced back over her shoulder, “I got a coded message from the surface.”
“From whom?”
“Who do you think?”
Kyla almost said the name, but then looked around the room. There were sensors all over the station, and though they were not supposed to be listened in on, she could not be certain they were safe.
“What did it say?”
“Not much, just that a signal has been sent, and Union policing units are being mobilised.”
“Could be nothing.”
“No. It’s already started up here. They must have been waiting for the order. They’re going room to room. We knew this day would come. I got a message from Sabre Squadron before the internal network went down.”
Kyla reached for her Secpad bracelet, tapped it, only for it confirm the internal network was down, though for no reason listed other than ‘security reasons.’ She sat up and swung her feet out of the bed. She wore half of her PDS gear as was required by all standby fighter squadrons. Her legs were covered, and her underclothes covered her top save for her arms that were completely bare. In one smooth motion she dropped down into her boots and then moved away from the bed.
“What happened to them?”
“Union police came in and took the Byotai pilots away, plus anybody that objected or has links with Byotai or Helions. They brought in new pilots to replace them. Somebody said they were being sent to a prison facility.”
“What? They can’t be serious? I never thought they’d go ahead with this.”
She started to grab more of her gear, but Séraphine pulled on her bare arm.
“No time for that. We go, now! Unless you want to end up in prison, or worse!”
Kyla grabbed her jacket, but Séraphine pulled her so hard she dropped it as they stepped outside. She felt vulnerable being half dressed, but then all distraction vanished as she heard the alarms sounding and red lights from the emergency lighting flickering away in the distance.
“It could be a drill, like yesterday. This whole thing could be a loyalty test to the Union.”
Séraphine shook her head as a single gunshot crackled in the distance.
“No. The day has come. We have to get off this station, and fast.”
Kyla looked to her friend, but only for a moment. She nodded, and they moved out into the passage and around the next corner. Three more pilots joined them as they left their bunks and worked their way through the station. All of them knew the place like the back of their hands and could have made it to the hangars with their eyes still closed. Alojz Daniela, the oldest member of the squadron, and also one of the newest recruits, looked utterly confused by what was happening. She’d joined them shortly after the transition to the Union fleet. She might be the highest scoring pilot on the simulators, but she’d seen no actual combat until today. Kyla could see the fear and panic in her face. She grabbed her shoulder and pulled her aside.
“You’re with us, right?”
She nodded but struggled to speak. She might be a fantastic pilot, but unlike the others, she’d never experience real peril or fear before. And right now, the look on her face was one of somebody that could scarcely believe they were awake.
“You can go back. Nobody will ever know.”
“No. I can’t do that. Not now.”
She hesitated, as though struggling to recall something she’d memorised. Kyla almost moved away when she finally spoke.
“My brothers, you see. They’re contractors on Helios Prime. Half our friends are on that world. They’ll know this. They will be coming for me, for all of us. I have to get word to them of this betrayal.”
Kyla looked into her eyes and tried to gauge the woman’s intentions. She would trust Alojz beside her in combat, the same as any other pilot. But this was no a robotic enemy or biological monster. This was an enemy that they called their friends, the same people that loaded missiles onto their fighters or played basketball in the sports hall in the week. It was one thing to say the words, but quite another to actively take part.
“My uncle died fighting alongside the Helions in the Biomech War,” said Alojz, “I joined up to do my part to keep the Alliance safe, all of the Alliance. These are our friends and our allies. We can’t let this happen.”
Kyla nodded and was about to speak, when she was interrupted by the worried voice of Séraphine. Something about the tone and the slight echo in her words told her that something truly awful was about to happen. Her body visibly shuddered as she listened.
“Look,” Séraphine pointed out into the passage, “Grunts. They’re sending bloody Grunts against us. That’s inhumane!”
Kyla remained still and watched as a pa ir of the robotic soldiers marched past and into the next corridor. They were smaller and lighter built than the average marine, yet their skeletal shape, armour plates, and carbines showed they were all business. These machines were not autonomous fighting systems but controlled remotely from command and control facilities inside the station.
“It’s not just inhumane,” she said angrily, “It’s against the conventions of the Navy to use them against unarmed people. Human, Helion, Byotai, or anybody else.”
She shook her head.
“This is a military coup, and they’re using it as a chance to cleanse the military of anybody or anything they deem disloyal. This isn’t good.”
What made them even more sinister were their small heads fitted with single cameras that glowed red. The one eye made them look evil, especially when it moved back and forth, often in a completely different direction to the rest of the machine’s body.
“Why Grunts and not soldiers?” Kyla asked, “Do they think we’re that dangerous they need to use expendable fighting machines to take us?”
Séraphine shrugged and leaned forward towards the open space. She checked on their movement but was careful not to lean out too far.
“Machines aren’t Human, are they? Easier to commit acts of violence when your hands are clean.”
“You’re kidding, right, acts of violence? We’ve done nothing wrong, other than disagree with Union policy. It’s Nate and the others that arrived here with guns blazing, and they’re the ones on the run now.”
Séraphine was already back at the door and whispering to somebody outside. Kyla’s heart pounded away, and she knew she needed to hurry. Séraphine looked at her and shook her head.
“You don’t believe that, do you? Nate and the others were here to protect the station against the surrendered Separatists. The whole thing was a setup. Right?”
“Of course. I just wish it would all go away.”
“Don’t we all.”
She checked again, and then her tone changed, and her body tensed.
“Follow me. We don’t have much time. They’re coming this way!”
Kyla staggered after her friend and joined the others waiting outside. They were all dressed in their sealed PDS Naval suits, with only their helmets missing. The rest of their gear would be waiting for them next to their fighters on the hangar deck. Just seeing those machines vanish off into the distance filled her with dread. Distant lights flickered as the internal sensors activated lighting whenever personnel were detected. Séraphine and Kyla led the group away from the pilots’ lounge and deep inside the massive station towards the operations level where ramps headed down to the secured inner hangar bays. As they reached the operations level, they came across a trail of blood that worked its way ahead of them and to one of the ramps.
“Not good,” said one of the younger pilots, “Maybe we should go back.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Kyla said, “You’ve heard the stories. Anybody with contacts, friends, or allies with the Byotai or Helions is being removed from duty. It’s only gonna get worse from here on in.”
She pointed at the blood and then bent down to touch it. She lifted a hand with blood now covering her fingertips.
“And look. Somebody tried to leave, and what did they do to them? It’s a military coup. Either you’re loyal to this new Union, or they get rid of you. I told you it was all going to hell the day the Separatists arrived, and the station came under attack.”
Séraphine nodded.
“You saw the stories from the surface. They’ve been arresting people left and right. It was going to spread to here eventually.”
Séraphine took a step out into the passage, only for arms to grab her and pull her back into the shadows. She looked at her assailant who placed a hand over his mouth.
“They’re coming!” Kharga said in a low-pitched voice, “Stay back.”
There was something about his tone that demanded respect. Like all of his reptilian kin, he was gruff, forthright, and serious. But he was also a capable pilot, and a veteran with as many battles under his wing as Kyla and the others. He’d transferred from the Imperial fleet to the station months ago. Like the other Byotai in the squadrons, he’d been subjected to harassment for weeks now, so much so that he’d put in a transfer request far from Terran Nova. He was tough, and yet today there was a look of abject fear on his face.
“I won’t let them take me,” he said solemnly, “My people have experienced the shadows in the night before. They came for us once, not again.”
Kyla placed a hand on his arm and struggled to shake off thoughts of what had happened to the Byotai during their short but brutal civil war.
“Don’t worry,” she said calmly, “We’re in this together.”
They waited until the machines had gone, and then gave it another few seconds to be sure. Kharga stepped out first, checked left and then right before pointing to the ramp.
“It’s clear.”
“Go!” Séraphine yelled.
The group of pilots darted out as the rattle of gunfire clattered away far in the distance. It might have been a level above or further, but it was motivation enough for them to run as fast as they dared. Soon they were at the ramp and racing down to the secure blast doors leading to the hangar. Séraphine was there first and placed her Secpad bracelet against the security panel. It was almost close enough to be scanned when Kharga pulled it away.
“No. We will all be blocked by now. Let me use this.”
He reached to his side and pulled out a small electronic device. Kyla watched in fascination as he moved it carefully over the scanner unit. The device was fitted with small lights rather than a display panel. It flashed away for almost ten seconds before the door finally split apart, revealing the dark and cavernous hangar within. Kyla could feel the relief wash over her as she looked upon the fighters. They were more than just fighters, but her ticket to safety. Once in the cockpit there was little she couldn’t stand up to. She would have speed, armour, and weapons. But more important, she would be in control of her destiny. That meant more than anything else to her.
“Outstanding. Truly outstanding.”
There were wide shapes waiting in lines, each gently lit by the small number of emergency lights that continued to flash red. They were F26 Fighters, and each was painted in the new colour scheme of the Terran Union Navy. They were still in their plain grey as a base colour as with ships and spacecraft of the Alliance, but now they were fitted with blue panels and detailing throughout to give them a garish look compared to the original understated pattern.
“Okay,” said Séraphine, “We take three birds and make for the rendezvous point. Once we’re clear, we’ll call for assistance. Ready?”
Each of them nodded in agreement. They knew that once they stepped into those fighters, they would be committing an act of treason, and from then on there would be no turning back.
“Then let’s go to it.”
They broke into a jog, and in seconds Kyla reached her own craft. Kharga was right next to her and moved to the ladder hanging down from the nose to the floor. The F26 was a large fighter by any standard, and this close the thing was positively gigantic. Kharga had one foot on the ladder when Kyla activated its computer systems via her Secpad bracelet. At once the internal computer powered up, followed by an array of systems as the craft prepared to launch. The exterior lighting flickered to life as dozens of external accents and leading edges glowed bright blue. It was far from subtle, yet it gave the already advanced fighters an almost alien, high-tech look.
“We’ve done it,” she said under her breath, only to be answered by a cackle of laughter. Kyla thought it was one of the pilots and turned to tell them to be quiet when she spotted the shapes at the far end of the hangar.
“Who’s that?”
One by one the hangar lights activated, and the young pilots were greeted by a mass of two-dozen or more soldiers and robotic Grunts. And standing in between them, all was a man, but no normal man. His body had been patched and upgraded with a myriad of components, leaving him half man and half combat robot.
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