Crimson Worlds: Prequel - The Gates of Hell by Jay Allan

Author:Jay Allan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: System 7 Publishing
Published: 2014-03-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Anvil Force HQ

Yellow Sand Valley

Northern Continent

Planet Persis – Iota Persi II

Day Nine

Holm was nervous. It didn’t make sense. None of it. He wanted to give himself up to joy, to rejoice and celebrate the peace like everyone else seemed to be doing. But something was wrong. He didn’t know what it was, but he was convinced, and he just couldn’t put the nagging feeling aside. He was tense, unsettled. He’d come down hard on anyone who started celebrating, reminding them they were still on active duty in a combat zone. There would be time enough for that nonsense aboard ship. He wasn’t going to tolerate it on the surface of an enemy planet. Let them think he was a first class, titanium hardass if they wanted to…he was only concerned with getting them off this rock alive. If he was wrong, he’d be the first one to admit it…and the drinks would be on him. But he wasn’t wrong. He was sure of it.

“The first wave of landers should be launching shortly, sir.” Masur stood just behind Holm, looking out over the valley filled with Marines. There was activity everywhere, the men and women of Force Hammer rushing around across the hillsides like a swarm of ants, preparing to ship out. Masur knew they wanted to celebrate the coming of peace, but they were following Holm’s orders to the letter. Every work party was accompanied by a squad fully prepped for battle. Masur knew Holm well enough to be sure that would continue…until the last squad to board was covering the second to last. “That would put them on the ground in about 35 minutes, captain.”

“I want all defenses manned until the last wave embarks.” The orders were redundant…Holm had given several versions of the same command already. He turned to look back at his aide. “And God himself won’t be able to help the first sentry I find who lets his guard down.”

“Yes sir.” Masur was beginning to feel unsettled himself. He couldn’t understand at first why Holm was so edgy, but now it was starting to get to him, and he began to have his own doubts. He was beginning to question the suddenness of the peace…and to wonder why their isolated force was the last to embark. “I will make sure all defensive protocols are rigidly observed.”

Holm walked slowly across the flat, sandy area just outside the HQ tent, staring out across the open plain. It was an ugly piece of ground, he thought, flat and covered with bilious yellow sand. The water table was high and, with the constant moisture, the sand felt more like a viscous clay that clung to boots, armor, equipment. It’d be a bitch, he imagined, fighting in this shit without armor.

His people had fought hard for it, taking out the hidden strongpoints Rancik’s patrol had found…and a whole series of additional ones they hadn’t discovered. It was a sharp, nasty fight, one that cost Holm 33 dead and 40 wounded.

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