The Broken Peace

The armored car carrying Cazalas and Marquette wound through the street of Gelenion before entering Capital Street. The street was straight and led directly to the capitol building, where the road ended at the gates of the capitol grounds. Only authorized vehicles were allowed anywhere near the gates of the capitol compound. Armed guards provided security at the gates dressed in full battle gear.

On each side of Capital Street, small two-story buildings lined the route. The buildings were so close together that they gave Marquette the impression of one large building rather than several individual retail and residential buildings. Looking ahead through the windshield, he could see the capitol building in the distance, about a mile away by his reckoning.

Cazalas noticed that the crowd gathered along the route began to noticeably clear as the convoy reached a narrowing in the road ahead. His attention fell on a small girl suddenly pulled away by her mother into a building. She smiled as they passed, pulling her finger across her throat.

“Ambassador, get down,” he said as explosions rocked both sides of the street. The lead car of the convoy erupted in flames, blocking the path. Seconds later, a rocket slammed into the rear of the transport behind them, immobilizing it.

“Kreb, deploy your troops,” Cazalas said. Before he could speak, a rocket slammed into their vehicle, turning it sharply to the right. “Ambassador, we have to get to cover. We won’t survive a second hit.”

Shots began bouncing off the car as the men approached the first transport. Its dual machine guns spat fire back at the unknown enemies firing at them from the windows of the second floors of the buildings on both sides of the street.

Marines began to pour out of the transports taking up firing positions. A marine fell dead before she could make it down the transport ramp. Her comrades stepped over her body, trying to take cover as best they could in the confusion. All the while, the top machine guns blazed away at the windows.

Cazalas spoke into his comm, “Berenice, this is Captain Cazalas. We’re under attack by forces unknown. We need support and medical evac.”

“Roger that, Captain. Drone strike in route, ETA nine minutes.”

“We’ll all be dead in four minutes,” Marquette said.

“Berenice, we need-” A loud screech came through the comm. “They’re jamming us,” Cazalas said. “Kreb, take-” Before he could finish his sentence, a bullet tore into his right shoulder.

“Dammit Cazalas,” Marquette said. “Kreb, help me get him inside the transport.”

“Forget me. Get inside and wait for the drones.”

“Shut up, Captain,” Marquette said as he and Kreb pulled the wounded captain inside. Once in the transport, Marquette watched as two more marines fell to enemy fire. “Kreb, get two of your men and follow me.”

“Ambassador, I’m not going on some suicide mission.”

“And I’m not going to sit here and wait to die here either. I’m making a run for that building directly across from us,” he said as he pulled his sidearm.

“Well, here, take Ferguson’s weapon, then. He won’t be needing it. Parker, Wright, Shelby, get off your asses and make for that building. Short, give us some cover,” Kreb shouted at the machine gunner.

Marquette took a deep breath and sprinted across the street. Bullets landed at his feet and passed so close that he could hear them flying by his head. By some miracle, the group made it across without losing anyone. Parker crashed through the door expecting a gunman on the other side, but to his surprise, no one stood guard downstairs.

“Find the stairs,” Marquette said as the marines entered the building, weapons ready. They soon found the stairs, and again there were no guards. The marines climbed the stairs again to find no one was watching as they entered the second floor.

Two men fired down on the troops below in a room overlooking the street. The men wore simple tactical helmets and vests with black masks over their faces. Otherwise, they looked as if they walked off the street, put on simple gear, and started shooting. The marines made short work of them, dropping the men in a hail of bullets.

“Rest of the building is clean, sarge,” Shelby said as she came from the adjoining room.

“Alright, Kreb, let’s get downstairs and clear out the next building,” Marquette said.

“I’ve got a better idea, sir. Parker, hand me that shaped charge.” Kreb placed the charge against the far wall. “Fire in the hole,” he yelled right before detonation. The blast opened a hole in the wall of both buildings big enough for the marines to pass through. “Watch your step, people. Move it.”

As they passed through the hole, the marines spotted a woman lying on the floor dressed like the other men they encountered. As she tried to stand, Kreb put two rounds into her chest.

Almost on cue, another man stepped from around a corner, but Parker cut him down before he could get a shot off. “Dammit, Kreb, we need prisoners.”

“We also need to survive, sir.” he responded.

“Sarge, the rest of the building is clear,” Parker said.

“Ambassador, the drones are here,” Shelby said, pointing to the window.

The drones dropped in, using their heat sensors to lock on to the enemy. Once in position, the drones poured machine gun fire and rockets into the enemy forces with near-perfect precision. The enemy fire ceased as the drones scanned for more targets.

It was all over. The marines began to emerge from cover as sirens blared in the distance as reinforcements began to arrive. By the time Marquette returned to the transport, medics were bandaging Cazala’s wound. “I guess you got to be a hero after all,” Cazalas said

“I guess so. How’re you making it?”

“I’ve got a piece of lead in my shoulder; how do you think I am? It could be worse. Guess I’ve got some vacation time coming now.”

“Get some rest, Captain. We’ll talk when I get back to the ship.”

The medics helped Cazalas onto a stretcher before putting him into a medical transport that landed nearby. Marquette watched as their dead and wounded were loaded aboard. Minutes later, it lifted off, headed back to Queen Berenice.

Kreb approached Marquette as the ship flew out of sight. “How many did we lose, Kreb?”

“Four dead, seven wounded. It could have been much worse. Where did you get the idea to charge that building?”

“Just seemed like the thing to do at the time.”

Marquette caught sight of Parker and two other marines leading a man and a woman with their hands on their heads toward them. He noticed that they both wore the tactical vests he saw on the attackers in the buildings “On your knees,” Parker said to the man and woman. “We found these two trying to make a run for it. They were wearing helmets and masks too. You wanted prisoners, so here you go.”

“Good work, Parker. Secure these two and transport them to the ship. In the meantime, let’s get the governor to the capitol. We’ve got some unfinished business to discuss.”