Galaxy of Heroes

Spade led the squad across the plain using terrain features to mask their movement. He knew the terrain well and understood which rises and depressions and rock formations hid them from observers on the opposite side of the valley.

The Craaldans were experts when it came to concealment and speed of movement. Spade attempted to imitate their skill at disappearing into seemingly open ground.

Spade raised a fist and signaled for the squad to halt. They had reached the Naos Rift. He signaled for them to take cover and waved over the sergeant major.

“Do you see the drones?” Spade asked him.

“Roger.”

Drones were flying above the Diocon side of the plain, moving in a grid pattern scanning for infiltrators. Spade pointed out the bunkers that were systematically placed to sweep the rift with fire in the case anyone tried to cross.

“They are relying on the drones to be their eyes,” Spade said.

Professor Mahlis walked up to Spade and the sergeant major.

“Get down!” Rupa barked. “The enemy is on high alert after the loss of a battalion.”

The professor crouched down. “Yes, their standard operating procedure after an offensive attack is to prepare a defense against counterattack,” the professor said.

“Hmm,” the sergeant major said. He was busily scanning the ruins of distant Zander City.

“What is it?” the professor asked.

“According to our intelligence estimate, the enemy should have two battalions remaining. But by my count, there are five battalion command vehicles to the north and south of the city.”

The command vehicles were distinguishable by the many antennae that protruded from their turrets.

“I count seven,” Spade said. “Those are infantry battalion commanders.”

“Seven?” the professor said. “That’s enough for three combat brigades.”

“They have been reinforced,” Rupa said. “This is not good.”

“Yes,” the professor said. “The Diocons have constructed an automated weapons factory inside one of the mountains. There.” He pointed to a gray domed structure that extended into a mountainside behind Zander City. “They are producing tanks and infantry. They have the capability to build an infantry platoon and three battle tanks every hour. We must make haste, Captain Spade, before they overwhelm us with superior numbers.”

“We wait for the drones to pass,” Spade said. “Then we jump to the other side of the rift and sprint for the ravine behind the rock spine. We will be safe from observation once we’re in the ravine.”

“Risky,” the sergeant major said. “We’re in range of their crew-served weapons.”

“All Naos is in range of their crew-served weapons,” Spade said.

“Good point,” Rupa said.

“I’ll go first,” Spade said. “Then send your troops over one by one after each pass of the drones.”

“Roger that,” Rupa said.

On the other side of the lava flow, a drone flew above the bank. Spade waited for it to pass. Then he stood and sprinted for the Naos Rift. When he reached the bank, he jumped at full sprint.

He would never have attempted to jump the rift in his old lunar suit, although he had cleared it before on a tricked out lunar rover.

In the Craaldan mech armor, he soared high over the bubbling red lava and crashed onto the bank on the Diocon side. He recovered his footing and sprinted across the open ground nervously watching the nearest Diocon bunker about 500 meters to the south. He ducked behind a large boulder and then slid down into the ravine.

A drone passed overhead, scanning the surface below. Spade ducked behind a blackened boulder of ice and lay motionless until the drone disappeared over the rock spine.

Sgt. Shard slid down the rocky slope into the ravine. Spade waved for Shard to take cover as another drone approached.

One by one the Craaldans slid down into the ravine and took cover. Professor Mahlis ineptly tumbled head over tail down the slope. The soldiers ran up to him and dragged him into a crevice as the next drone flew near.

Sergeant Major Rupa was the last of the squad to slide down into the ravine. Rupa took cover as a drone made a pass, then signaled for Spade to move out.

Spade took his position on point and led the squad forward through the ravine below the rock spine. They moved slowly, stopping to take cover for each overpass of a drone.

Spade reached the end of the ravine and signaled for the squad to get down. The ravine opened onto a flat stretch of ground, beyond which were the foothills of the Craggy Mountains. The open ground stretched for about 500 meters to a narrow pass through the hills that led to a deeper ravine that cut into the steep cliffs of the Craggies.

Spade was hoping to lead the squad to the pass and then up the ravine to a mine shaft, but this plan now seemed unlikely.

Rupa low-crawled to Spade’s position.

“What’s the hold-up, human?” Rupa asked.

Spade pointed to a bunker that blocked the entrance to the pass. Spade counted five Diocons and one crew-served weapon. “We have to turn back,” Spade said. “This way is covered.”

“No turning back now,” Rupa said.

Professor Mahlis crawled up to their position.

“We have to go around,” Spade said. “We’ll take another route on the backside of the ridge.”

“How long will that take?” Mahlis asked.

“It will be a long slow slog, about a day’s time, but at least we won’t be cut down by the gun in that bunker,” Spade said.

“We have no time for that,” Mahlis said. “We must attack the bunker and proceed up the ravine.”

“That’s not going to work,” Spade said. “They’ll shoot us to shreds as soon as we hit the open ground.”

“We must attack the bunker and make haste up the mountains,” Mahlis said.

“Attack a well-fortified bunker with a squad over open ground?” Spade said. “We will reveal our position and open ourselves up to counterattack. They’ll sic those drones on us and this mission will be over.”

“We have no choice,” Professor Mahlis said. “There is no time.”

“Talk some sense into the professor, Sergeant Major,” Spade said. “Attacking that bunker is suicide.”

“Nonsense,” Rupa said. “I will lead this attack from the front.”

Spade shook his head. “My money says you won’t survive it.”

“You may be right,” Sergeant Major Rupa said. “But for an old soldier like me, an assault on a bunker makes life worth living.”