Planet Fall by Toby Neighbors

Author:Toby Neighbors [Neighbors, Toby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781952260056
Publisher: Mythic Adventure Publishing
Published: 2020-04-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

“They’ve been preparing,” Corporal Dial said, his finger on the activator of his throat mic.

Do you want us to pick you up?

Corporal Dial appreciated the Echo’s crew. He hadn’t known what to expect from the motley band. Many people within the Royal Imperium considered them outlaws, or worse yet, traitors. But Dial had discovered that Ben and his companions were bright, adventurous people. And most importantly, they had proven their loyalty. In truth, he never expected to be rescued once the Echo left with General Pershing and his team returned to the alien settlement to gather intel. He had been around long enough to know that unless a decisive victory followed such an assignment, the soldiers left behind were often written off.

When the Echo left his team in the forest, he once again expected the worst, yet they had returned right at sundown, just as they said they would. He wanted nothing more than to slink away through the dark woods and board the Kestrel class ship, but his sense of duty held him in his current position. He was sitting in the crook of a tree, hugging a thick limb where his assault rifle was propped. Their intel job was complete, but the tactical advantage they held was significant.

“Amadi, you read me? Over,” Dial said using the team channel of his com-link.

“Five by five, Johnny. You thinking what I’m thinking? Over.”

“We can hit this group hard once they’re clear of the tree line,” Dial replied.

“I’m in,” Corporal Miller said, “and itching for some payback for Wriggles and Felix. Over.”

“They’ll never see us coming in the dark,” Private Rhoades said. “I say we send them all to hell. Over.”

“Alright, we wait until they move out,” Corporal Dial ordered. “Descend and advance, but stay inside the trees and wait for my signal. I’ll have the Echo mark an LZ for evac. Over.”

The other three commandos all double-clicked their com-links to acknowledge the order. Corporal Dial wasn’t used to taking charge of the entire platoon, but with their team down to just four commandos, he was relatively comfortable giving orders. He switched his com-link over to the broadcast channel and activated the mic again.

“Modulus Echo, this is Commando team. Do you read? Over.”

We’re still here, Corporal, Ben said.

“We’re going to sting these aliens when they come out of the trees, then retreat for evac. We need you to find a place to set down. You mark it and send us the coordinates. We’ll find you once we’re done. Over.”

Alright, Ben replied. How long?

“The aliens are mobilizing now; it won’t be long. Half an hour at the most. Over.”

Okay, we’ll notify Captain Lawrence, then find a landing spot. Stand by for coordinates.

“Roger that, Modulus Echo. Commando team is standing by.”

The aliens started marching again. They were more of a mob than an army. They started slowly, with no clear formations, just a milling group moving roughly in the same direction. Fortunately for the commando team, that direction was out of the forest.

“Let’s move,” Corporal Dial said over his com-link.

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