“Yea, and I got the shiner to show for it.” Jack replied with a grin, his eye engulfed with black tint from the recent encounter.
“So Jack,” Julia said with smile. “From the perspective of a soldier, where do we stand?”
“Well, my boys are coming,” Jack replied. “I don’t know when, but you can bet your sweet ass the core is coming.”
“My sweet ass?” Julia asked with a smile.
“Oh, um,” the marine stumbled. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. It’s just a saying we all have. I apologize.”
“No need,” Julia replied. “It’s just a shame you’re married,” she added, stopping to cautiously backtrack in her wording. “I mean for me. Not you, of course, I wish you and your wife all the best.” Julia carefully added.
As the young lady walked away, passing Renaldo in doing so, they exchanged nods.
“Julia,” Jack said, causing the woman to turn once more. “Thank you.”
“Of course lieutenant.” she replied with a grin.
“Um, anything I should know about LT?” Renaldo asked.
“No, but we do need to talk strategy.” Jack replied.
“Yes sir.” the sniper acknowledged.
“We know we’re at war, and we know our boys will be coming for us.” Jack said.
“Yes sir, and chances are they’ll be showing up thick as thieves, guns blazing.” Renaldo replied.
“Yep, and it would be a big help to ’em if we could give them a SITREP of some kind when they get here.” the lieutenant said.
“How are we gonna do that?” Renaldo questioned.
“I’m going out there. Gonna try and scout out what they have and figure out what in the hell we’re dealing with.” Jack replied.
“Sir, with all due respect,” Renaldo said, speaking to his friend as a loyal soldier. “I should be the one to go.”
“Renaldo, I can handle it.” Jack confirmed.
“Sir, again, with all due respect, I don’t believe you can,” the sniper admitted. “Or should.”
“What did you just say to me?” the lieutenant asked, clearly upset over the remark.
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” the sniper asked.
“Cut the shit Renaldo. Say what’s on your mind.” Jack demanded.
“Jack, you got family back home. I don’t. We both know whoever goes,” the sniper said. “If they get caught, they ain’t coming back. Now I have recon skill and the ability to move silent. Hell, I’m a sniper for God’s sake. I just got some rest and you’re clearly exhausted. Just let me chow up and head out. I’ll be back when the sun is back, and I’ll have a good picture on what we’re dealing with.”
“I appreciate it Renaldo, I do – but I can handle it.” the lieutenant stated.
“I know you can,” Renaldo replied pleadingly. “Just let me go. I have nothing to lose but my life, and I ain’t scared of dying. You got everything to lose and nothing to prove.”
The two soldiers exchanged a stare which lasted nearly a complete minute. Each man searching the other one out with a need for words.
“Alright. You find your way down to wherever these fucks are calling a command center. You assess the situation, then you get your ass back in once piece. Understood?” Jack asked.
“You got it.” the sniper replied.
“Recon only, I’m series,” Jack warned. “We’ve lost too many already. Now chow up and get moving.” the lieutenant added with a nod of thanks.
“Yes sir.” Renaldo replied, his bolt-action rifle across his shoulder.
“What is it?” Wesley asked, having rushed to the bridge of the small marine vessel.
Chandra offered no reply, simply a look of defeat.
“Holy shit.” Wesley said, glancing through the shatterproof glass and locking eyes onto Chandra’s worry.
Two ships, very large and anything but human-built. Carriers – at least that was Wesley’s initial assessment.
“What do we do?” Chandra asked.
“God,” Wesley added. “I…I dunno.”
“Wesley, we need to do something. Either hail them in surrender or try and run. They are closing fast.” Chandra said, punching coordinates into the computer systems in front of her.
“No, we can’t run. Ships that size are bound to have smaller craft inside. They’d just run us down.” Wesley finally admitted.
“What then, try to hail them in surrender?” Chandra asked.
“Normally I’d say hell no. I’d tell you to drop this damn rig to the surface. But with the kids aboard,” he said with despair. “We have no other choice.”
Chandra looked to him for several moments, both of the soldiers thinking of what may be to come. Wesley finally resting his hand onto her shoulder in comforting fashion.
“Attention derelict vessels. This is Officer Chandra Bailey of the Earth Defense Force. I am hereby surrendering our vessel, the High Freedom, and advising that you do not fire. We have several children aboard and will remain unarmed.”
With that, Chandra pressed several buttons that solidified the fact that they were dead in the water. Shutting off thrusters and what little weaponry was aboard. Leaving only their lighting, life-support systems and com online.
As the two large ships pulled closer, both soldiers became nervous. For the children above all else.
“War ships, they gotta be. Looks like a lot of guns hanging off, and the exterior looks well shielded.” Wesley commented.
“Do you think they plan to fire on us?” Chandra asked.
“No, they would have done it by now. They’ve had the bead on us for several minutes.”
“What then?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Wesley admitted. “May just be trying to figure out what in the hell to do with us.”
The ships looked eerie by every definition. Several points on each end, which appeared almost diamond-like. The material which comprised the shell of exterior was a shiny brown. It resembled stone, though both soldiers knew it had to be a type of metal. Nearly twenty large cannons seemed to bloom from each ship, though they were all mounted to one side of the large crafts. Wesley suspected the side without mounted weaponry was the spot where smaller ships may be stored. A hangar bay, or something similar to it.
“They’re powering weapons!” Chandra shouted.
“What?” Wesley asked, rushing himself to their console. “Did you power everything down?” he asked, though he checked through the systems board with his own eyes.
“Yes!” Chandra replied.
“Well check again!” Wesley frantically replied. “Why would they be powering up weapons? We’re no threat to them!”
“I don’t know.” Chandra replied in defeat.
“Get our damn systems back up, NOW,” Wesley ordered. “We’re going to have to make a run for it!”
It was too late. One of the large ships fired a burst into their direction – three glowing spheres of red traveling fast.
As Chandra fired systems back up, even she knew it was too late for them.
“Brace!” Wesley shouted, bracing himself for the impact of such weaponry.
The shot glanced over them, however, clipping a ship which now approached the theater of combat.
“High Freedom, this is E.D.F. Silver Charity. You’re instructed to fall back to grid position four-seven-fourteen-one-nine and await further instructions.” a man’s voice announced through the speakers to the surprise of both Wesley and Chandra.
Just a few dozen of feet in front of their own small ship, the two soldiers witnessed zipping white shots with a glow of yellow. Pure and unadulterated man-made ass-kicking lead firing from deck guns.
“Do it!” Wesley shouted, his adrenaline in full supply. “Get us the hell out of here.”
The massive carrier had followed the distress call and responded much quicker than expected – and they had shown up with guns blazing. Still, it was a matter of numbers. The large ship of steel was tough, no doubt, but faced two enemy carriers. Each of them now pounding return shots.