All for one

Continued from here

Troopers ran past me hurrying to their posts. I saw a few straggling civilians being herded by Militia into the shelters before they too rushed to their stations.

“Commander!”

I stopped and turned toward the sound. A young man carrying a sniper rifle caught up and saluted. “Corporal?”

“Sir, all snipers are in position.”

“Excellent, fire on my command.”

“Yes sir!” He turned and vanished into the front door of the last tall building before the city walls. I stared for a second after him before breaking into a run again. The gates began to close and I slipped through along with several other latecomers. With a resounding boom, the gates closed and sealed. Through the hazy distortion of the energy shield I could see the tree line off in the distance, soon the quiet plains in between would be covered in smoke, debris and blood.

I ran down the main road until I arrived at the final ring of trenches. There, I lowered myself down and set off again, I tapped a nearby Lieutenant’s shoulder and asked for Major Daramis’s location. He pointed and I thanked him. As I approached, I could overhear her giving final orders to the troops nearby and in the other rings.

“Major, could you use another soldier?” She turned around and looked at me with a grin like I hadn’t seen in years.

“Always Commander, even if you’re Navy now.”

I saluted, “Once infantry, always infantry Major. Where do you need me?”

She didn’t hesitate, “I’m going to command from the center. Captain Noe is taking the left flank and I’ve got Sergeant Redding on the right but he’s still pretty green. He only made squad leader a month ago. Our defense would be a more unified if you would take command over Redding’s men.”

“I’ll break it to him easy.” She nodded and moved to the side, clearing the way for a squad of troopers double timing it through the trench.

I started toward my new assignment, paused beside her. “After this is all over, I want you to seriously consider transferring to the Navy, we could really use you.”

“We’ll see sir.”

A voice sounded in my ear, “Commander? OP Three, I have movement five kilometers due west.”

I keyed my comm, “Acknowledged. Yofin, what have we got?”

She responded instantly, “Their whole force is moving sir, this looks like it. They’ll be in maximum firing range in two minutes.”

“Right, Rogue out.” I met Dara’s eye, “Party’s on.” She nodded grimly, checked her rifle and saluted.

“Good luck Commander.”

I returned her salute, “And to you.” I made it through the trenches faster than I’d thought I would and found Sergeant Redding’s squad with ease. He acknowledged the abrupt change in command without expression. I glanced over his deployment and nodded my approval. He may have been lacking in combat experience, but he knew his stuff.

I keyed my comm again. “Where are they OP Three?”

“Four kilometers and closing fast, I see infantry mixed with artillery, no air units yet.”

“Acknowledged, attention all sniper units, hold fire until my order. Artillery, begin bombardment at three kilometers”

I stepped up to the trench wall, squeezing in between two other troopers. “Rogue to Daramis.”

“Go ahead Commander.”

“Major, after the artillery and snipers open up, you may fire at your discretion.”

“Thank you sir.”

“OP Three, three kilometers and closing.”

“Artillery, open fire!”

With the thunderous roar of nearly sixty artillery pieces, the Battle of New Downtime began. I watched the approaching forces to see the results. I wasn’t disappointed. Shells burst all through the formation, flinging troopers into the air and causing the ranks to disintegrate into chaos.

The trooper beside me snickered, “They weren’t expecting that.” The approaching troopers increased their speed. They seem intent to overwhelm us with sheer numbers.

“Snipers, fire at will.” Acknowledgements sounded in my ear, followed immediately by Dara’s.

“All forward units hold fire until my order. Remember you’re the only thing standing between the Dominion and all those civilians. Aim high.” The enemy artillery began to return fire. Above our heads shells exploded against the shield. They were close enough now to be seen as individuals, any time now Dara would order... “Ready weapons!” Simultaneously every trooper on the line flipped off the safeties and sighted along their rifles.

“FIRE!”

With another roar, five hundred rifles opened up. The approaching line collapsed under the withering hail. Return fire began to fill the air around us. An energy bolt struck the ground not more than 6 inches from my nose. Blinking dirt from my eyes, I cursed and reached up, slapped my visor down. Maybe Navy had made me a bit rusty. The harsh tones of blaster cannons filled the air as the jury rigged emplacements began sweeping the lead ranks.

More troopers fell. A shriek to my right, cut off almost before it began. A soft grunt beside me. I glanced over, the trooper to my right slid to the trench floor, his head missing. I forced my attention back to my line of fire. No time to call a medic, one wasn’t necessary. A beep from my rifle as it clicked empty. Eject the cartridge, slap a new one into place, resume fire.

Endless seconds passed. More bursts from above. Another man near me dropped. An energy bolt passed me so close I could feel the heat. Another reload, maintain fire. Yofin’s voice sounded in my ear. “Their first wave is falling back Commander, second wave forming out of rifle range.”

Dara had apparently also noticed the retreat. “Cease fire! Squad leaders, call out losses.”

“Acknowledged,” I grunted back. I released the trigger, turned and slid down the trench wall. Around me, troopers did the same. Medics raced past tending to the wounded and carrying fatalities out.

I looked around and motioned over to Redding. He gave me a quick tally and I called it in to Dara, “Major? Right flank has thirteen down, seven killed.”

Dara grimly absorbed the casualty reports then ordered replacements from the forces on the eastern side of the city. Throughout the entire time, the artillery fire on both sides continued non-stop.

“OP Three, they’re moving again sir!”

“Ready weapons!”

I stood up, looked outward. I slapped a new cartridge into my rifle; made sure my visor was locked and sighted. Again the forward lines came into focus. This time, missiles from above and behind me began screaming outward toward the vehicles mixed in.

“FIRE!”

Once again the fusillade of weapons fire cut through the lines like a scythe. This time however, their onward movement continued. I could begin to distinguish facial features when Dara’s calm voice sounded. “Flanks begin pulling back to second line. Center, we hold to cover their retreat.”

I spun around and shouted at the troopers nearby. “You heard the Major, fall back! Move! Move! Move!” As the last man in the area passed me heading for a cross trench, I fell in behind them double timing it through the trenches.

“Center units, fall back! Flanks, give us some cover!”

I shouted, “Rifles up! Fire!”

Dara passed me and shouted over the tumult of battle, “That’s it, we’re clear!”

I slapped a switch. Anyone who entered the first line of trenches or any of the crossovers to it would be in for a nasty surprise now.

“Commander, we won’t be able to hold them much longer. I recommend falling back into the city.”

I grimaced. “I was afraid of that. Yofin, where’s the fleet?”

“They have engaged the Dominion’s forces outside the sixth planet sir. Estimating another two hours before they can begin evacuation.”

“Blast! Ok, Dara, pull back to within the walls. Yofin, I need all Militia units on the walls. Also, inform the shield techs they’ll need to pull the shield back in to the wall’s perimeter.”

“Aye sir.”

Dara waited until I had completed my order before issuing her own. “You need to order the retreat sir.”

I smirked, “I prefer to call it ‘redeployment’, Major.” She grinned back at me.

“All forces, this is Commander Rogue, fall back to the city. Colonel Michaels, initiate Foul Nest. Missile teams, give us as much cover as you can.”

I nodded once toward Dara, “Fall back Major.”

“Aye sir. FALL BACK!”

I turned back to cover the retreat but Dara yanked me back down. “Sir, as senior officer you have to evacuate to the city.”
I stood silently, grappling with my need to stay with the men and the fact that she was right. “All right Major, but you and your people better be right behind me.”

“Naturally Commander.” She smacked my shoulder, then stood up and began firing back toward the enemy lines, barely a stone’s throw away. I joined the flow of men back to the city.

Passing the third and final line of trenches, I glanced back. Dara and her troops were still holding firm. Dominion forces reached the first trench and dropped in. She tossed a grenade, watched the result, then began retreating.

I passed through the hatch into the city. Militia forces were already taking up positions behind and along the top of the wall giving our retreat cover. I found a ramp and headed up to the top of the wall.

Looking out over the parapet, I saw the first and second lines of trenches had been completely overrun. The artillery pieces placed around the city had also been taken but my order to Michaels had had the crews render them useless. To my left, I saw Dara and her final few troops in a running light fight with the Dominion forces. A grenade from the Dominion flew over her head and detonated. The trench wall ahead of her and her squad collapsed. They were cut off from the city.

I shouted to the men nearby. “Cover fire, 7 o’clock!” We opened up on the Dominion but to no avail, as I watched Dara and her squad were overrun. I shouted again and then raced back down the ramp. I saw a familiar figure, “Redding! With me.” He didn’t hesitate, motioned toward his men and they immediately followed me back toward the now closed hatch. Captain Noe saw me and ran to intercepted.

“Commander no! You can’t go out there sir. She’s already dead!”

“You don’t believe that anymore than I do Captain! Now are you with me or not?”

“I can’t allow you to endanger the city sir; and that’s exactly what you’ll do if you open that hatch!” From the hatch a loud crash. In a way, I was calmed by it. He was right but I couldn’t -- wouldn’t -- accept what it entailed.”

“Blast it Jay’em! We’re not leaving her out there!”

“If she’s alive sir, we’ll bring her home. All for one.” I looked at him, and my mind’s eye flashed back to Arneb IV, when the four survivors of our squad, Captain Daramis, Lieutenant Noe, Private Redding and myself, gathered around a dirty table in a run down bar to toast fallen comrades, and vowed to watch over each other. All for one, one for all.