Galactic Empire Wars 2: Emergence
Read Galactic Empire Wars 2: Emergence Online
Authors: Raymond L. Weil
(The Galactic Empire Wars Book 2)
in the Galactic Empire Wars Series
Galactic Empire Wars:
Destruction (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 1)
Galactic Empire Wars:
Emergence (The Galactic Empire Wars Book 2)
Website:
http://raymondlweil.com/
Copyright © September 2014 by Raymond L.
Weil
All Rights Reserved
Cover Design by Humblenations.com
This
book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either
products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. All
rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.
Galactic
Empire Wars: Emergence
Beth
was crouched behind some heavy brush staring at their target objective. She
wondered what she must look like in the ten-foot tall Type Three battle suit
all hunched over. It was dark, nearly black, with small blue lights at the
joints, which indicated the suit was sealed tight. She was holding her RG rifle
in her right hand.
“Report,” she ordered
over her com unit as she glanced at her marines organized into a skirmish line
to her left and right. They'd left four drop ships behind them with a small
guard detail in case they needed to evacuate quickly if the situation went
south. There were sixty marines with her and another twenty back at the ships.
“They’re not
expecting us,” Lieutenant Jamie Stern replied as she moved over next to the
captain and crouched down next to her. “Sergeant Russell and Dawson’s scouts
have returned and the Kleese communication center has only a few conscripts in Type
Two suits on guard duty. This should be a piece of cake.”
Beth nodded;
it was as they'd hoped. They were nearly seven hundred light years from Earth
and the Kleese would not be expecting an attack. Why would they? The Humans had
stayed in their home system for the last two years, building up their military
strength as well as providing new living spaces for the millions of survivors
from the Kleese’s ruthless attack on the planet. Billions had died but millions
had survived, and now it was time to begin to seek their revenge.
Looking at
their target, Beth could see several large blastcrete and metal reinforced
buildings at the base of a large tree covered hill. The largest building stood
nearly ten stories high and contained the communications center as well as the
Kleese living quarters. If Marken’s intelligence was correct, the structure
extended several levels beneath the surface and that would be where the Kleese living
quarters would be. The other building was a long two-story structure, which would
contain more conscripts responsible for defending the installation as well as personnel
for servicing any ships that made port.
Next to the
buildings was a small spaceport with several of the 200-meter disk assault
ships of the Kleese parked on the blastcrete, the same ones the Humans were now
using and constructing on the large Kleese space station they'd stolen.
Beth took a
deep breath and tried to calm the rapid beating of her heart. This would be her
first actual combat since the fierce battle in the spacedock at Vesta several
years back. Checking the HUD in her helmet, she saw sixty small green icons
that indicated all the marines in the Type Three battle suits with her were unharmed.
She just hoped they stayed that way.
“Sergeants Russell
and Dawson,” she spoke calmly over her com. “Move out, standard assault line
and use what cover there is to stay undetected.”
“You go
first,” Russell spoke to Dawson over the com. “You make a bigger target and if
there are any conscripts we missed they’re bound to see you.”
“Very funny,” Dawson replied as he stood up and motioned for his platoon to begin advancing. “If I see
any enemy I’ll be sure to send them your way. You need the target practice.” He
knew that he and Sergeant Russell would look the same in the large battle
suits.
“Can the
chatter,” ordered Beth, shaking her head slightly and trying not to laugh.
Dawson and Russell were always ribbing each other. Dawson was from the Midwest
and had a slight southern accent where as Russell was from Chicago. However,
they were both extremely good marines.
“I had better
get to my platoon,” Lieutenant Stern said. She was actually in charge of all
four of the platoons on this mission, but her main job was to ensure nothing
happened to Captain Williams. Major Nelson would never forgive her if that were
to occur.
It was early morning
with the sun just peaking over the distant horizon. Beth hoped the few
conscripts they had spotted on guard duty would be ill prepared for the coming
attack. For several long minutes, the sixty marines slowly crept forward, using
the few scattered trees and tall bushes for cover. Beth knew that if anyone were
paying attention it wouldn’t be hard to spot sixty ten-foot metal giants moving
toward the installation.
They were
nearly to their target and Beth had begun to believe they might actually take
the installation by surprise when alarms began to sound. A loud wailing split
the air and red lights began flashing on the two buildings.
“Damn!” Sergeant
Russell oathed over the com system. “I think they saw you, Dawson.”
“At a run,” Lieutenant
Stern ordered as she stood up from her crouched position and began jogging toward
the buildings, her RG rifle held in her metal hands ready to fire.
All sixty
marines were now charging the two buildings as a number of conscripts in Type
Two battle suits made an appearance. Beth knew it would take several minutes
for the conscripts in the building that served as a barracks to armor up and
get outside. “Sergeant Dawson, I want two squads with energy weapons focused on
the doors to the barracks building. If any conscripts come out in battle suits,
I want them taken out. Remember, I want both of these buildings captured
intact. No explosive rounds are to be used without explicit orders from me!”
“You heard the
captain,” Lieutenant Stern spoke over the com. “Move it, people!”
-
In orbit,
Major Nelson was anxiously watching the ship’s scanners, which showed sixty
small green icons moving rapidly toward the Kleese communications installation.
“They’ve been
detected,” Colonel Adamson reported from where he was standing next to the
sensor console.
Wade nodded;
he had been expecting this. He was currently aboard the Earth battlecruiser
Constellation, one of the newer ships that had been built inside Vesta. The
Constellation was 500 meters long and covered in stealth coating, which was
supposed to make the ship invisible to Kleese scanning technology. So far,
there'd been no indication the ship had been detected by the Kleese
installation.
“Keep our
railguns focused on those two assault ships,” Wade ordered. “If they make a
move to intervene or take off, they’re to be destroyed.”
Colonel
Adamson nodded. Major Nelson was in overall command of this mission, and Fleet Admiral
Kirby had made it plain that Nelson’s orders were to be followed to the letter
unless it endangered the ship. Only then could Adamson override Nelson’s commands.
Wade let out a
deep breath. His eyes were focused intently on the sensor screen displaying the
green icons of Beth’s marines. He wished he could be down there with her, but
she was an accomplished officer and he had no doubts she could handle this operation.
It was just hard to be in command and not in the middle of the action.
“Assault ships
are targeted with our railguns,” Adamson reported as he finished talking to his
tactical officer. “If they send out battle suits or attempt to take off, we'll
destroy them.”
Wade nodded,
now it was up to Beth to finish her part of the mission.
-
Beth threw
herself to the ground as a series of powerful explosions went off around her.
Instantly, two of the green icons on her HUD turned amber, indicating damage to
the respective battle suits. The enemy were using the explosives in their RG
rifles against the advancing marines. Each round had the explosive force of a
grenade.
“Take those
Type Twos out!” she bellowed as another explosive round went off just a few
meters to her right, showering her with dirt.
There were six
conscripts in Type Two suits firing explosive rounds at the advancing marines.
Beth could imagine their alarm at seeing sixty Type Three suits charging toward
them.
Marines leveled
their RG rifles and began firing short bursts on the auto setting. The large
rifles fired small projectiles at a high velocity, which were quite deadly to
anything they hit. Two of the opposing Type Two suits went down while the other
four sought cover around the corners of the main building. At the same moment,
bright blue energy beams began flashing, striking the entrance to the barracks building
as several more Type Two suits made an appearance and then hastily retreated back
inside.
“Keep them
pinned down,” Lieutenant Stern ordered as she tried to keep abreast of the
situation. “Corporal Foster, take your squad and circle the main building; take
out any battle suits you encounter.”
Nicole nodded
and gestured for her squad to follow. It was essential for them to secure the
buildings before the Kleese could call in any reinforcements. She also knew
that by now the Constellation would be jamming all outbound signals.
-
Inside the building,
seven of the Kleese had made it to the main communications center and were watching
with growing concern a number of large wall viewscreens. The Kleese looked like
giant arachnids but had a large hair covered upper body that rose up into the
air with a triangular shaped head and strange looking, multifaceted eyes. Two nearly
black arms extended from the upper chest, ending in what looked to be hands
with seven long, thin digits. They had large bodies reaching nearly eight feet
in width and six feet in height with six spider-like legs.
“Humans,” one
spoke in a cold and derisive voice as it studied a data screen.
“They are
attacking this installation,” spoke another as it stepped forward and adjusted
several of the screens so they zoomed in on the attackers.
“Type Three
battle suits,” said another calmly as it reached forward and pressed several
buttons on a console. “I have activated the building’s security measures. Even
with the weapons of the Type Three suits, the Humans will not be able to gain
entry. They were foolish to attack this installation.”
“They must
have a ship in orbit, but it is not showing up on our sensors,” spoke another of
the Kleese as he adjusted one of the screens that monitored inbound spacecraft.
“We must
inform the Council of Overlords of this development,” the first to speak
commented. “A battle fleet must be sent to the Humans' home world to eliminate this
threat. We cannot allow them to attack our installations, not after taking the
space station.”
“Our communications
are being jammed,” one of the other Kleese reported from where he was standing
over several conscripts operating the numerous communications consoles. “The
jamming must be coming from their ship. We cannot get a message out.”
“Launch the
two assault ships and have them find this mysterious ship and destroy it,”
ordered the Kleese in charge of the installation, pointing toward a screen that
showed the two assault ships setting on the spaceport tarmac. “We will teach
these Humans to interfere with the Kleese. We will give them their deaths!”
-
The fighting
outside ended as the conscripts in Type Two suits that had been on guard duty were
eliminated. There was no way of telling just how many were inside the barracks
and port facility, but an occasional energy beam fired at the entrance was keeping
them at bay. There was no doubt that whatever race was inside the suits had no
desire to go up against the Human marines in the more versatile and dangerous
Type Threes.
“We have the perimeter
secured,” Lieutenant Stern reported as she jogged up to Captain Williams. The
lithe young blonde made the suit look as if it was a natural extension of her
body.
“Excellent,”
Beth responded as she scanned the area with the sensors in her command suit. She
could spot no other impending threats.
There were
four marines whose suits were showing amber; they'd suffered minor injuries to
their extremities. Three had RG rounds to their legs and the other had been shot
in the arm. Thanks to the medical abilities of the suits, none of the four were
suffering and all were still considered to be combat capable. The suits were
designed to ensure that their occupants could keep fighting even if they were
severely injured.
A noise from
the spaceport drew her attention, and she watched with concern as the two
Kleese assault ships rose up into the air and accelerated toward space.
“They must
know we have a ship in orbit,” Lieutenant Stern spoke as she watched the ships
quickly disappear from view. “They’re going after the Constellation.”
Moments later,
two massive fireballs appeared high above them.
“The
Constellation took them out,” responded Beth, knowing that Wade had to be
suffering from being stuck on board the ship. He was a hands on type of
commander and would much rather be down on the planet engaged in combat. “Let’s
find the main entrance to the communications center. The sooner we can get
inside, the quicker we can leave. We don’t want one of their big ships showing
up.”
-
A few moments
earlier, Wade had watched from the Command Center of the Constellation as a
warning alarm sounded, indicating that the two assault ships at the spaceport
had taken off.
“Ships are
being targeted by our railguns,” Major Kelly, the executive officer, reported
as he hovered over Tactical and gave instructions to the two officers seated in
front of the instrument-laden consol.
The ship had
four large railguns on the bow of the ship and each could be independently
targeted. With Kleese and Kivean technology added to the dangerous weapons,
they were now capable of firing a tungsten round at nearly ten percent the
speed of light.
“Firing,” Lieutenant
Carson Reyes said from Tactical as the ship vibrated slightly.
On the main viewscreen,
the two Kleese assault ships could be seen rising rapidly from the planet.
Suddenly four fiery plumes intersected the two ships, tearing through their light
energy shields and impacting the hulls. Two massive fireballs engulfed each of the
vessels, ripping through the ships and vaporizing the interior. Moments later,
all that was left was a cloud of burning and glowing debris falling back toward
the planet.