"Heem, Commander! Urgent! Fifth anthill is launching spacecraft!"
"Acknowledged."
Now we knew what the fifth anthill was using their energy for.
"Rahm to space-shuttle pilots! Launch your craft immediately! Take position over fifth anthill."
I waited impatiently through their ripple of acknowledgments.
"Heem!"
"Yes, Commander!"
"Report."
"We investigated the tunnel through which the Ants had been evacuating eggs. This is a new tunnel, apparently constructed since we began our attack. The tunnel led to a chamber housing spacecraft. It was heavily defended, and we were unable to prevent launching. "
"How many spacecraft were launched?"
"Only one, Commander."
"Proceed with your withdrawal."
"Acknowledged, Commander."
"Rahm to space-shuttle Leader. Your target is one, repeat one spacecraft. Stop it at all costs!"
"Acknowledged, Commander."
If that ship escaped with a cargo of eggs, we would have failed and the Empire would be in grave jeopardy.
"Ar-Tac, Commander. Assuming command of second anthill."
I forced my mind away from the escaping spacecraft. Raht was dead.
"Can you confirm completion of Raht's mission?"
"Affirmative, Commander. Flyers report water level in lake dropping rapidly, indicating egg chamber successfully destroyed. Are commencing our withdrawal."
"Casualty report."
"Seventy-two percent so far, Commander."
"Acknowledged. "
"Kah-Tu, Commander. All targets in third anthill have been destroyed. Eighty-seven percent casualties so far. We are encountering strong resistance on our withdrawal attempts. Remaining force is insufficient to regain the surface. Request reinforcements."
I was afraid of this. The weather conditions were having their expected effect on the retreat.
"Reserve force has been totally committed. No reinforcements are available."
There was a pause before the reply came.
"I understand, Commander. Request permission to release our flyers to rendezvous with transport."
"Permission granted."
"Acknowledged, Commander."
Kah-Tu was dead. She acknowledged this and was attempting to salvage part of her strike force.
"Space-shuttle Leader, Commander. We have encountered the Ant spacecraft and destroyed it."
"Report."
"Spacecraft was apparently unprepared for combat. By going into low orbit, we were able to intercept it before it had an opportunity to change course from launch pattern. Cold-beams were effective in completely destroying the craft."
"Return to transports."
"Acknowledged, Commander."
It was reassuring to know some phase of this assault had been executed without difficulty.
"Mir-Zat, Commander. All targets in the first anthill have been destroyed. We are commencing our withdrawal. Sixty-eight percent casualties so far."
"Acknowledged."
"Flyer Leader from third anthill to Commander. Request permission to land flyers and assist in strike team's withdrawal."
That gave me pause. Apparently the flyers from Kah-Tu's force were refusing her order to rendezvous with the transports, asking instead to try to rescue the stranded ground force.
"Permission granted. Land your flyers out of range of the auto-weapon scanners."
"Acknowledged. Our gratitude, Commander."
If there was a chance to save the stranded force, it should be pursued. While I would not have ordered Warriors into such a precarious position, I would not deny them their request for such action.
"Second transport pilot to Commander. Urgent! We are going down."
"Report!"
"Apparent maneuvering malfunction of space shuttle when attempting to dock with our transport. Damage severe and irreparable. We are losing orbital pattern and anticipate burn entry to planet's atmosphere."
"Acknowledged!"
One transport! Gone! This possibility had never entered into my plans.
"Rahm to space shuttle. Do not, repeat, do not attempt to dock with transports. Undetermined malfunction of your vehicles has caused destruction of Transport Two. Attempt to land in vicinity of anthills and regroup with strike teams for pickup."
I ignored their acknowledgments. The shuttle pilots knew as well as I that their vehicles were not designed to survive a planet landing. My order was only an acceptable alternative to waiting in space until their air supply ran out.
"Zur, Commander. All targets in the fourth anthill have been destroyed, commencing withdrawal. Fifty-nine percent casualties so far."
"Acknowledged."
All anthills were accounted for now, except one.
"Rahm to Kah-Tu. What is your status?"
There was no reply.
"Rahm to third anthill flyer Leader. Report your status."
There was no reply.
"Rahm to any Warrior in the third anthill strike force. What is your status?"
There was no reply.
The attempt to rescue the stranded force in the third anthill had failed.
CHAPTER TEN
The loss of a transport severely changed our pickup calculations. Instead of thirty percent of our original force, we could now only transport twenty percent back to the colony ship. Even with the loss of two full strike teams, we would doubtless have to leave some Warriors behind.
I gave my last order of the attack.
"Rahm to all strike team Leaders and acting Leaders. Our attack has been successfully completed. Coordinate your pickup requirements directly with the transport pilots. Transports One and Three only are available."
As soon as I received their acknowledgments, I left the control compartments and headed for my sleeping quarters.
I understand now both why Planetary Commanders were required to eat prior to an assault, and why they were not required to report to High Command prior to their return to the colony ship.
Although I had not physically lifted a weapon against the Enemy in this last campaign, I felt more fatigued than I had after any previous assignment. I began to believe the claims of the Technicians and Scientists that they could be just as fatigued as the Warriors even though they never were involved in direct combat.
Still, I did not go to sleep immediately. Instead, I found myself idly pondering several questions.
Under what circumstances would I be awakened again? Would the High Command require a detailed report from me? Would I be involved in the colonization of new planets, assuming the War against the Coalition was truly over? Or would it be as Zur postulated, that I would only be awakened again if a major species challenged the Empire?
Zur! It suddenly occurred to me that his force was the last to complete their mission. Logically, this meant they would be the last survivors to be picked up, and therefore it was highly probable that all or some of them would be left behind. Would Zur be one of the survivors? Or would he be stranded, included among the casualties?
I realized suddenly that these questions bore no more importance to me than...than whether or not a species of intelligent warm-bloods evolved. I was a Tzen and a Warrior, and I had been efficient in the performance of my duty to the Empire.
I went to sleep.