Chapter 32 - Assassin
Outskirts of Eden, Assault Shuttle Marine 238 Baker
The anomalous biosign, the one that had been falling towards The Skipper and his pilot, had righted its explosion induced tumble. The Assault Shuttle's airspeed had by now been reduced to a virtual crawl, her altitude maintained by her AG drives. Her now unstowed, ominous looking chin turret tracked soundlessly, following the ship's weapons officer head movements as he tracked the anomalous biosign. The ATG and ATA munitions housed in her belly bays were ready to launch at a moments notice, as were her own heavy HVM racks nestled in her wing roots. Targeting computer registered the anomalous biosign as a Grenobulin Condactal, but that was virtually impossible to be the truth. Grenobulin Condactals were avian predators of the Imperial colony world Grenobule. They were both the most intelligent of Grenobule's denizens and occupied the highest rung on the planet's food chain, at least till Terrans settled the world. As such, their transport to other worlds was very strictly regulated, and as far as anyone knew, none were on Lilith at all.
Then, the virtual impossibility of it being an actual Grenobulin Condactal became certain impossibility, for the biosigns shifted, replaced by those of a Vedran Titan. The beast, resembling a carnivorous version of a Terran rhinoceros that had enough natural armor to give a full powered hand phaser shot pause alighted on the ground, then began to stampede directly towards the marines clustered around Ulysses.
"Valley Forge, I have contact with a Changeling infiltrator. Suspect that he was responsible for Fallen Angel. Request weapons free status and permission to engage." The pilot commed with a predatory snarl as she began to side-slip her large craft around to get a clear lane of fire.
Outskirts of Eden, Galactic Unity Operative 11J, that same time
This Terran was proving all too meddlesome. Once again, 11J had nothing to show for his efforts. But that was not how things would end. Not this time. Ulysses Vanguard was all too competent in his job to remain as a stumbling block to the Galactic Unity's advance. 11J would see to that, even if it meant his own death. He morphed into one of the most terrifying predators in the galaxy, let out a blood chilling bellow, then charged towards his target.
Outskirts of Eden, Marines at Ulysses' Position, that same time
Nearly as soon as the bellow came, every gun in the Marines trained on the now rapidly approaching monstrosity. For a split second they questioned how what their sensors were telling them could be true. Then a voice barked from their helmet speakers. "Chicks, this is Mother Hen: weapons free, repeat, weapons free. Take it out!" The Assault Shuttle's pilot said.
The Marines went into action as soon as they heard the first weapons free order. Some had to take a short spy hop on the AG harnesses to gain sight of their target as it barreled through the softly undulating terrain. It was almost totally dark now, but to the Marines composite sensor arrays, it was of no consequence. Night was like day to their mechanical eyes, and they spat their sensor returns to the HUD that was painted on the Marine's helmet. Targeting pipers fell across their target as they brought their weapons up to their shoulders. The Marines opened fire as near one, sending 103 streams of hypervelocity grav gun rounds into their target.
And nothing happened.
The kinetic punch of the bullets did nothing to the charging Titan, seeming to pass straight through it as if it wasn't even there.
Outskirts of Eden, Galactic Unity Operative 11J, that same time
11J was ready for the likely response to his attack, altering his density on the fly, allowing the finger sized solid bullets to pierce him with no affect. As expected, they all had disarmed the bullets' terminal impulse boosters to limit collateral damage. They were also using only AP bullets, not the more deadly HE ones. Their hesitance to employ heavier weapons would be their downfall.
Outskirts of Eden, Marines at Ulysses' Position, that same time
McKennon swore under his helmet. Standard Anti-Changeling Tactics 101: Use energy weapons! Kinetic weapons would just pass right through them given their liquid natural state. In his and the others rush to fire, they forgot this cardinal rule. He commanded his suits AG harness to lift him up even as his thumb flicked the selector lever on his grav gun. Hovering in mid air, he shouted over the group com net. "Fire in the hole!"
His armor's finger twitched, tugging the trigger. From his weapons under slung secondary launcher, a photon grenade spat forth at Mach 15. An unmistakable wail/scream joined the sky sundering thunder of his grenade's birth.
Outskirts of Eden, Assault Shuttle Marine 238 Baker, that same time
The shuttle's weapons operator silently cursed the fact that the target was to close to used really heavy weapons. Bringing up his weapons MFD, he selected the dual PPC's housed in his chin turret. His index finger slid their power setting down to minimal levels, prayed it still wouldn't hurt Ulysses and Lt. Theisman who were virtually unprotected. But there was no time for second guesses, in no time at all, the Changeling would be on top of The Skipper's prostrate form, and then he would die regardless. The weapons operator pulled the trigger on his control stick ever so briefly, and four bolts golden bolts were loosed with a banshee scream that pierced the night air.
They slammed into the charging Changeling in Titan guise at virtually the same instant as the tiny AM charge of a photon grenade was freed from its prison. The PPC's, even at low power, glassed a good portion of the target area's soil. They also threw up fountains of dirt and debris, digging small, smoldering craters. But all that limited destruction was wiped away as the directed AM explosion of the photon grenade loosed itself. For a brief moment, a tiny new star was birthed, loosing an eye tearing boil of light and energy that pockmarked Lilith's surface. While the directed nature of the blast wasn't perfect, for not even Imperial micro forcefields could hope to fully contain and direct the full force of an AM explosion, they did last just long enough to focus the lions share of the blast and it's accompanying radiation into a roughly meter wide radius cone at target. The crater that this release of energy caused was quite large, and debris was thrown quite high up into Lilith's atmosphere. Shockwaves blew outward, knocking the nearer Marines over in spite of their anti-kinetic shielding. The medics had extended their own suits shields around the unconscious forms of Ulysses and his pilot, weakening their overall strength to allow the two some mediocre level of protection. It proved to be sufficient however, for the pair only received slightly increased radiation exposures through the cocooning embrace of the shields. Through both the out gust and corresponding return of air and the raining down of debris that included head sized chunks of smoldering granite.
And then it was over.
"Indigo," the assault shuttle's weapons operator said, turning to his left to stare at the pilot shrouded in her flight suit, "I am detecting no more anomalous readings, biological or technological. I think we got em." There was evident relief in his voice as he continued. "Also, both Admiral Vanguard and Lt. Theisman are still alive according to my screens."
"Thank God for that Rocky." The assault shuttle's pilot replied from behind her concealing helmet, her own relief giving her voice a slight quaver. She forced it away as she continued. "Keep an eye out though. If the GU managed to get a changeling dirtside and a heavy HVM emplacement kept secret, lord knows what else they may have done." As she spoke, she pulled the assault shuttle's nose up and slipped into an oval circuit over the Marines below her. There was a crater, glowing faintly dull red, far to close to the Marine's position for comfort. Another piece of good news was that the blast wave from the photon grenade had largely put out the small fire that had near totally consumed the small grove of trees where the remains of Ulysses aircar had crashed.
"238 Baker, this is 409 Alpha coming in from your bearing 308 mark 193." The ship to ship com system crackled. "We can provide overwatch while you descend and pick up Fallen Angel."
"Acknowledged 409 Alpha. As soon as our medics give the word, well do just that."
"Mother Hen, this is Chick Mike One." The seignior of the Marine's medics reported up to the assault shuttle. "We have Fallen Angel and his pilot as stabilized as we can get them. Requesting biovac ASAP."
"Roger Chick Mike One. Mother Hen to all Chicks, well be landing 104 meters due south of Fallen Angel. Expedite loading, we need to get The Skipper and his pilot to medical attention."
Outskirts of Eden, Marines at Ulysses' Position, that same time
"Understood Mother Hen. Well be ready when you land." Lt. Avery replied. For once, he didn't notice and take exception to the flight crew's mollycoddling.
By now, the SWAT Hoppers and other emergency aircars were nearly onsite. The piercing wail of the sirens created a cacophony that was all but impossible to ignore. The Hoppers, their open sides heavy with armored SWAT troops, were approaching cautiously but with all due speed. The ambulances and fire trucks were farther back but keeping themselves occupied treating the wounded citizens and putting out the small fires caused by flaming debris.
The medics had already applied neck and back supports to both parties, for they had endured considerable trauma to their neck and spines and the medics first aid kits couldn't effectively treat them. The chief medic was concerned with the considerable damage done to Ulysses head. Judging from the wood splinters imbedded in the lower wound, it had been done by a tree limb. But the upper wound was the one that concerned him. It had fractured the Admiral's skull, caused when he had become a projectile after the hydrogen explosion and happened to have the bad luck to land head first on pretty much the only exposed rock around. Another crack of thunder was heard as the power armor's sensors detected the approach of another assault shuttle.
The medics extracted fist sized cubic bundles from their combat webbing. Shoving their mechanical fingers into similar sized recesses along one side of the cube, it promptly sprang apart, expanding into two parallel poles with pliable thatch pattern webbing between them.
"Gotta love adaptive alloy." One of the Marines quipped. The metallic alloy was very tough and durable, virtually indestructible in fact, but possessed nearly the same flexibility as cloth unless a proper current was applied to make it stiffer than steel.
"Ready? One.Two.Three!" Under the medic's direction, a cluster of marines shifted the two wounded Imperials as gently as possible onto the gurneys. Then one picked up either end of the gurney, scarcely noticing the weight thanks to their exoskeletons. Whisper quiet, a black dagger against the night sky, the assault shuttle swooped low overhead to settle down on landing skids a short distance away. The Marines hustled their charges aboard, clanging quickly up the lowered rear hatch. The last one had barely cleared it when it began to close and the assault shuttle began to rise. Thanks to its internal grav plateing and dampers, it was able to climb vertically without waiting for the passengers to secure themselves. It did exactly that, screaming upward and leaving the atmosphere behind in seconds. 409 Alpha took up station on their port wingtip and matched their full power climb to orbit. Halfway to the Forge, a full three wings of fighters dropped about them. As 238 Baker slowed her advance, coming close to the Valley Forge's primary landing bay, the fighter's peeled back out of her way, but didn't stray far. It wasn't until after the bay's tractors had pulled her inside and the armor blast doors had resealed that the fighters again returned to their patrol routes.
Valley Forge, Lilith Orbit
The usually bustling docking bay was unnaturally quiet as the assault shuttle settled into its birth. Drifting tail first into its honeycomb like cell, with the now sealed blast doors almost directly in front of her predatory beak, anchor arms settled around her, binding her fast to the deck. The rear ramp was lowered and the Forge's medical personnel were already in place waiting with an pair of AG carts. Anna Petersmith was at their head, blue eyes worried and face pinched with concern. P'tel and Commissar Stevens were also on hand, both with masks of neutrality. P'tel because she had to maintain her emotional detachment, Stevens because she wasn't sure weather to be happy or sad that Ulysses had nearly died. True, he was a gifted commander, but that sword cut both ways, making him a potential threat to the Emperor and the Empire.
As soon as the Marines had settled Ulysses gurney down on the AG cart, she slipped her medical goggles down and activated them. Having all the functions of a medical tricorder but in goggle form to allow both hands to be free and a much more user friendly display, it quickly showed her just how extensive Ulysses injuries were. Flicking between sensor return overlays, she saw every broken bone, every abused muscle, every ruptured blood vessel. It wasn't pretty.
"Get the Admiral prepped for surgery immediately." She said as she and the medical staff trotted down the hall towards Sickbay Four with the two AG carts in tow. It was only a short distance down the hallway, placed there specifically to expedite the speed which wounded Marines could be patched back together. The skull fracture had caused internal hemorrhage on the brain, and the pressure was slowly building to dangerous levels. Although it should be easy to repair, it could be more complicated than it first looked.
"It could be a while." She said to the Valley Forge's mistress and political watchdog. "I'll com you when he's ready to receive visitors." She then spun on her heel, ending the conversation and striding through the sickbay doors that shut behind her with a squeak/swoosh.
Ulysses had just been set down on the operating table when he began to thrash. "He's having a seizure!" A nurse shouted as Anna sprinted to the table. Then Ulysses life sign readings began to plummet.
"Damn it, don't you die on me Ulysses Vanguard!" Anna cursed. "Neural and cardiovascular stimulators, NOW!" Sickbay burst into a flurry of motion as her medical staff raced against time to save Ulysses life.
Outskirts of Eden, Assault Shuttle Marine 238 Baker
The anomalous biosign, the one that had been falling towards The Skipper and his pilot, had righted its explosion induced tumble. The Assault Shuttle's airspeed had by now been reduced to a virtual crawl, her altitude maintained by her AG drives. Her now unstowed, ominous looking chin turret tracked soundlessly, following the ship's weapons officer head movements as he tracked the anomalous biosign. The ATG and ATA munitions housed in her belly bays were ready to launch at a moments notice, as were her own heavy HVM racks nestled in her wing roots. Targeting computer registered the anomalous biosign as a Grenobulin Condactal, but that was virtually impossible to be the truth. Grenobulin Condactals were avian predators of the Imperial colony world Grenobule. They were both the most intelligent of Grenobule's denizens and occupied the highest rung on the planet's food chain, at least till Terrans settled the world. As such, their transport to other worlds was very strictly regulated, and as far as anyone knew, none were on Lilith at all.
Then, the virtual impossibility of it being an actual Grenobulin Condactal became certain impossibility, for the biosigns shifted, replaced by those of a Vedran Titan. The beast, resembling a carnivorous version of a Terran rhinoceros that had enough natural armor to give a full powered hand phaser shot pause alighted on the ground, then began to stampede directly towards the marines clustered around Ulysses.
"Valley Forge, I have contact with a Changeling infiltrator. Suspect that he was responsible for Fallen Angel. Request weapons free status and permission to engage." The pilot commed with a predatory snarl as she began to side-slip her large craft around to get a clear lane of fire.
Outskirts of Eden, Galactic Unity Operative 11J, that same time
This Terran was proving all too meddlesome. Once again, 11J had nothing to show for his efforts. But that was not how things would end. Not this time. Ulysses Vanguard was all too competent in his job to remain as a stumbling block to the Galactic Unity's advance. 11J would see to that, even if it meant his own death. He morphed into one of the most terrifying predators in the galaxy, let out a blood chilling bellow, then charged towards his target.
Outskirts of Eden, Marines at Ulysses' Position, that same time
Nearly as soon as the bellow came, every gun in the Marines trained on the now rapidly approaching monstrosity. For a split second they questioned how what their sensors were telling them could be true. Then a voice barked from their helmet speakers. "Chicks, this is Mother Hen: weapons free, repeat, weapons free. Take it out!" The Assault Shuttle's pilot said.
The Marines went into action as soon as they heard the first weapons free order. Some had to take a short spy hop on the AG harnesses to gain sight of their target as it barreled through the softly undulating terrain. It was almost totally dark now, but to the Marines composite sensor arrays, it was of no consequence. Night was like day to their mechanical eyes, and they spat their sensor returns to the HUD that was painted on the Marine's helmet. Targeting pipers fell across their target as they brought their weapons up to their shoulders. The Marines opened fire as near one, sending 103 streams of hypervelocity grav gun rounds into their target.
And nothing happened.
The kinetic punch of the bullets did nothing to the charging Titan, seeming to pass straight through it as if it wasn't even there.
Outskirts of Eden, Galactic Unity Operative 11J, that same time
11J was ready for the likely response to his attack, altering his density on the fly, allowing the finger sized solid bullets to pierce him with no affect. As expected, they all had disarmed the bullets' terminal impulse boosters to limit collateral damage. They were also using only AP bullets, not the more deadly HE ones. Their hesitance to employ heavier weapons would be their downfall.
Outskirts of Eden, Marines at Ulysses' Position, that same time
McKennon swore under his helmet. Standard Anti-Changeling Tactics 101: Use energy weapons! Kinetic weapons would just pass right through them given their liquid natural state. In his and the others rush to fire, they forgot this cardinal rule. He commanded his suits AG harness to lift him up even as his thumb flicked the selector lever on his grav gun. Hovering in mid air, he shouted over the group com net. "Fire in the hole!"
His armor's finger twitched, tugging the trigger. From his weapons under slung secondary launcher, a photon grenade spat forth at Mach 15. An unmistakable wail/scream joined the sky sundering thunder of his grenade's birth.
Outskirts of Eden, Assault Shuttle Marine 238 Baker, that same time
The shuttle's weapons operator silently cursed the fact that the target was to close to used really heavy weapons. Bringing up his weapons MFD, he selected the dual PPC's housed in his chin turret. His index finger slid their power setting down to minimal levels, prayed it still wouldn't hurt Ulysses and Lt. Theisman who were virtually unprotected. But there was no time for second guesses, in no time at all, the Changeling would be on top of The Skipper's prostrate form, and then he would die regardless. The weapons operator pulled the trigger on his control stick ever so briefly, and four bolts golden bolts were loosed with a banshee scream that pierced the night air.
They slammed into the charging Changeling in Titan guise at virtually the same instant as the tiny AM charge of a photon grenade was freed from its prison. The PPC's, even at low power, glassed a good portion of the target area's soil. They also threw up fountains of dirt and debris, digging small, smoldering craters. But all that limited destruction was wiped away as the directed AM explosion of the photon grenade loosed itself. For a brief moment, a tiny new star was birthed, loosing an eye tearing boil of light and energy that pockmarked Lilith's surface. While the directed nature of the blast wasn't perfect, for not even Imperial micro forcefields could hope to fully contain and direct the full force of an AM explosion, they did last just long enough to focus the lions share of the blast and it's accompanying radiation into a roughly meter wide radius cone at target. The crater that this release of energy caused was quite large, and debris was thrown quite high up into Lilith's atmosphere. Shockwaves blew outward, knocking the nearer Marines over in spite of their anti-kinetic shielding. The medics had extended their own suits shields around the unconscious forms of Ulysses and his pilot, weakening their overall strength to allow the two some mediocre level of protection. It proved to be sufficient however, for the pair only received slightly increased radiation exposures through the cocooning embrace of the shields. Through both the out gust and corresponding return of air and the raining down of debris that included head sized chunks of smoldering granite.
And then it was over.
"Indigo," the assault shuttle's weapons operator said, turning to his left to stare at the pilot shrouded in her flight suit, "I am detecting no more anomalous readings, biological or technological. I think we got em." There was evident relief in his voice as he continued. "Also, both Admiral Vanguard and Lt. Theisman are still alive according to my screens."
"Thank God for that Rocky." The assault shuttle's pilot replied from behind her concealing helmet, her own relief giving her voice a slight quaver. She forced it away as she continued. "Keep an eye out though. If the GU managed to get a changeling dirtside and a heavy HVM emplacement kept secret, lord knows what else they may have done." As she spoke, she pulled the assault shuttle's nose up and slipped into an oval circuit over the Marines below her. There was a crater, glowing faintly dull red, far to close to the Marine's position for comfort. Another piece of good news was that the blast wave from the photon grenade had largely put out the small fire that had near totally consumed the small grove of trees where the remains of Ulysses aircar had crashed.
"238 Baker, this is 409 Alpha coming in from your bearing 308 mark 193." The ship to ship com system crackled. "We can provide overwatch while you descend and pick up Fallen Angel."
"Acknowledged 409 Alpha. As soon as our medics give the word, well do just that."
"Mother Hen, this is Chick Mike One." The seignior of the Marine's medics reported up to the assault shuttle. "We have Fallen Angel and his pilot as stabilized as we can get them. Requesting biovac ASAP."
"Roger Chick Mike One. Mother Hen to all Chicks, well be landing 104 meters due south of Fallen Angel. Expedite loading, we need to get The Skipper and his pilot to medical attention."
Outskirts of Eden, Marines at Ulysses' Position, that same time
"Understood Mother Hen. Well be ready when you land." Lt. Avery replied. For once, he didn't notice and take exception to the flight crew's mollycoddling.
By now, the SWAT Hoppers and other emergency aircars were nearly onsite. The piercing wail of the sirens created a cacophony that was all but impossible to ignore. The Hoppers, their open sides heavy with armored SWAT troops, were approaching cautiously but with all due speed. The ambulances and fire trucks were farther back but keeping themselves occupied treating the wounded citizens and putting out the small fires caused by flaming debris.
The medics had already applied neck and back supports to both parties, for they had endured considerable trauma to their neck and spines and the medics first aid kits couldn't effectively treat them. The chief medic was concerned with the considerable damage done to Ulysses head. Judging from the wood splinters imbedded in the lower wound, it had been done by a tree limb. But the upper wound was the one that concerned him. It had fractured the Admiral's skull, caused when he had become a projectile after the hydrogen explosion and happened to have the bad luck to land head first on pretty much the only exposed rock around. Another crack of thunder was heard as the power armor's sensors detected the approach of another assault shuttle.
The medics extracted fist sized cubic bundles from their combat webbing. Shoving their mechanical fingers into similar sized recesses along one side of the cube, it promptly sprang apart, expanding into two parallel poles with pliable thatch pattern webbing between them.
"Gotta love adaptive alloy." One of the Marines quipped. The metallic alloy was very tough and durable, virtually indestructible in fact, but possessed nearly the same flexibility as cloth unless a proper current was applied to make it stiffer than steel.
"Ready? One.Two.Three!" Under the medic's direction, a cluster of marines shifted the two wounded Imperials as gently as possible onto the gurneys. Then one picked up either end of the gurney, scarcely noticing the weight thanks to their exoskeletons. Whisper quiet, a black dagger against the night sky, the assault shuttle swooped low overhead to settle down on landing skids a short distance away. The Marines hustled their charges aboard, clanging quickly up the lowered rear hatch. The last one had barely cleared it when it began to close and the assault shuttle began to rise. Thanks to its internal grav plateing and dampers, it was able to climb vertically without waiting for the passengers to secure themselves. It did exactly that, screaming upward and leaving the atmosphere behind in seconds. 409 Alpha took up station on their port wingtip and matched their full power climb to orbit. Halfway to the Forge, a full three wings of fighters dropped about them. As 238 Baker slowed her advance, coming close to the Valley Forge's primary landing bay, the fighter's peeled back out of her way, but didn't stray far. It wasn't until after the bay's tractors had pulled her inside and the armor blast doors had resealed that the fighters again returned to their patrol routes.
Valley Forge, Lilith Orbit
The usually bustling docking bay was unnaturally quiet as the assault shuttle settled into its birth. Drifting tail first into its honeycomb like cell, with the now sealed blast doors almost directly in front of her predatory beak, anchor arms settled around her, binding her fast to the deck. The rear ramp was lowered and the Forge's medical personnel were already in place waiting with an pair of AG carts. Anna Petersmith was at their head, blue eyes worried and face pinched with concern. P'tel and Commissar Stevens were also on hand, both with masks of neutrality. P'tel because she had to maintain her emotional detachment, Stevens because she wasn't sure weather to be happy or sad that Ulysses had nearly died. True, he was a gifted commander, but that sword cut both ways, making him a potential threat to the Emperor and the Empire.
As soon as the Marines had settled Ulysses gurney down on the AG cart, she slipped her medical goggles down and activated them. Having all the functions of a medical tricorder but in goggle form to allow both hands to be free and a much more user friendly display, it quickly showed her just how extensive Ulysses injuries were. Flicking between sensor return overlays, she saw every broken bone, every abused muscle, every ruptured blood vessel. It wasn't pretty.
"Get the Admiral prepped for surgery immediately." She said as she and the medical staff trotted down the hall towards Sickbay Four with the two AG carts in tow. It was only a short distance down the hallway, placed there specifically to expedite the speed which wounded Marines could be patched back together. The skull fracture had caused internal hemorrhage on the brain, and the pressure was slowly building to dangerous levels. Although it should be easy to repair, it could be more complicated than it first looked.
"It could be a while." She said to the Valley Forge's mistress and political watchdog. "I'll com you when he's ready to receive visitors." She then spun on her heel, ending the conversation and striding through the sickbay doors that shut behind her with a squeak/swoosh.
Ulysses had just been set down on the operating table when he began to thrash. "He's having a seizure!" A nurse shouted as Anna sprinted to the table. Then Ulysses life sign readings began to plummet.
"Damn it, don't you die on me Ulysses Vanguard!" Anna cursed. "Neural and cardiovascular stimulators, NOW!" Sickbay burst into a flurry of motion as her medical staff raced against time to save Ulysses life.