Chapter Sixteen
Contrary to Arenthia, Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen were working with the Imperial Army to attack Silvenar. An intercepted supply convoy was their ticket in, this time – Silvenar had anti-aircraft defenses running, and command didn't want to risk any aircraft in an air-drop. An Imperial armored assault group wasn't far behind the convoy – a group of APCs protected by Battle Tanks. A plan B, in case the supply convoy didn't make it past the checkpoint.
But Faasnu hoped it would; the Dominion didn't know this convoy had been intercepted. As far as they knew, the convoy made a pit-stop to fix a flat tire – which would explain the delay... to them, at least. Instead of supplies, however, the trucks were loaded with two platoons of Imperial soldiers. Their goal was to overwhelm the guards at the gate, then lock the gate open for the rest of the assault force. After that, it would fall on Faasnu to lead the assault force to the enemy's Command and Control Center in Silvenar; likely a bunker in the center of the city.
Bright searchlights passed over the transport – it was time. Faasnu shushed the troops in his transport, then put out the light. Surely enough, a Luranni Marine passed by to confront the driver, requesting identification papers in his native tongue. Behind the truck Faasnu and his platoon were in, a Fasheen officer approached and asked the same thing. The driver passed him his papers, and the officer just stared at it, confused.
"He's not taking them, Captain," a soldier whispered to Faasnu.
"He's buying it, hold on," Faasnu assured the trooper. The officer demanded something in his native tongue, and – unexpectedly – the passenger pulled a pistol and shot the officer in the head. "GO!" Faasnu shouted, "They're onto us! Get moving, go, go!" Faasnu, his team, and the platoon in the truck flooded out, overwhelming the guards at the gate. The platoon in the second truck moved out, but half of them were still in the truck when a Dominion soldier with a rocket launcher fired, blowing the truck to smithereens.
It was as Faasnu and his men made their way to the gate controls when another snag developed; the instant the gate was locked open, a city-wide shield went up.
"Damn!" Kabier cursed. "We've gotta take down that shield!"
"No shit," Faasnu growled, "Elenwen, is it possible that the generator generating the shield is in that central bunker?"
"More than likely," Elenwen answered, "It'd be easier to take out it's power source; it's closer."
"Alright, platoon – let's move out!" Faasnu shouted. Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen moved at the head of the platoon-and-a-half of Imperial troops, headed into the city of Silvenar. They'd not gone more then thirty paces into the city when one of the troopers shouted,
"Enemy armor, moving in!"
"Who's got the rockets?" Faasnu asked.
"The rockets we had were on the other half of that platoon that got blown up with the one truck!" the trooper answered.
"We need to improvise – fast!" Kabier exclaimed. "We're sitting ducks against enemy armor!"
"Right," Faasnu said, "Platoon, take cover and hold position! Kabier, Elenwen – let's go!"
Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen moved through the back-alleys and streets, going around the tank. All three of them kept an eye out for explosives of any sort. It wasn't until they came across a secondary armory under guard that they found some; they quickly neutralized the guards and took a number of anti-armor grenades. They then doubled back, but took a different route to get near the tank without it seeing them. Kabier opened the hatch, while Elenwen fired her weapon at the crew inside, and Faasnu primed a grenade. Elenwen moved, and Faasnu threw the primed grenade inside, and all three of them leapt off the tank and took cover with the platoon. The resulting explosion torched the tank, and the platoon cheered.
"Platoon, move out!" Faasnu shouted. Before the platoon could carry out the order, they came under fire from Dominion forces that had apparently responded to a radio transmission of the "interlopers". The Imperial troops scattered and took cover. One of them was caught in the open, and hosed with plasma fire.
"Shit," Faasnu cursed. "Just when we were about to head out! Kabier, how long before the assault force gets here?"
"Not a clue," Kabier answered. "More than likely, they're waiting for us to drop the shields."
"I'd recommend ordering the platoon to hold position here," Elenwen suggested, "While we find the power source for the shield and take it down; that should also cut their anti-aircraft defenses out of the picture."
"We're thinking the same thought," Faasnu responded. He turned to the Imperial NCO and told him, "Sergeant, hold positions here! Keep the enemy busy while my team and I take down the power source!"
"Yes, sir!" the NCO shouted. While the NCO began passing on orders, Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen headed deeper into the city. They twisted and turned their way through the streets, finally coming across the power generator.
"Any ideas how to take it down?" Elenwen asked.
"Cut off the coolant, and the reactor will overheat, either causing it to shut itself off, or causing the whole thing to blow," Faasnu explained. "Come on."
Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen moved inside the building controlling the generator, silencing the guards before they could react. Faasnu then tapped into the computer systems and shut off the reactor coolant, then disabled the system, ensuring the enemy couldn't re-engage the coolant when they left. Consistent with Faasnu's prediction, as he and his team headed back to the Imperial soldiers' position, the reactor overheated and shut itself down. The shield surrounding the city of Silvenar dissipated, leaving the Imperial Army free to land more troops inside, and the Anti-Aircraft guns ceased to operate.
When Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen reached the Imperials' position, there were a half dozen casualties on the Imperial side, with twice that number in enemy casualties across the way. Faasnu approached the NCO he'd spoken to before he left. "Sit-rep, sergeant!" he demanded.
"The Dominion have been trying to advance on our position, but we've kept them pinned down," the sergeant reported. "But we're starting to run low on ammo!"
"Well, the shield is down," Kabier shouted over the gunfire, "The rest of the assault force should be here soon."
Faasnu then had an idea. "Command, this is Captain Faasnu – I need an immediate ammunition re-supply and air support on my location! Track this transmission and launch when ready!"
"Affirmative, Captain, supplies are on the way – sit tight," responded one of the officers.
"Okay, boys – ammo and air support on the way!" Faasnu shouted to his troops. "Take cover, conserve your-"
A plasma bolt whizzed past his faceplate, and Faasnu brought his gun to bear on a Fasheen officer. He immediately opened fire, drilling the officer before he could fire again. The Imperial troops fired at what Dominion troops they could, killing a few as they tried to advance. No more than a minute later, a transport drop ship appeared and dropped supplies, while a pair of gunships fired on the Dominion and Necromyan positions. The enemy troops scattered and fell back, allowing Faasnu and his troops to get re-supplied. Faasnu, Kabier and Elenwen stocked up on ammo with the troops, and headed out.
The Imperial Army fought the Dominion and Necromyan forces in the streets, damn near door-to-door. The civilians were secured shortly before the assault on the Dominion Command Bunker. While the DMC aircraft kept the enemy pinned down, the Imperial Army advanced on them, bit by bit, until the Dominion and Necromyan forces fell back to the command bunker itself. From there, the Imperial Army swarmed the bunker and decimated the enemy's defense, and what was left of the Dominion presence in Silvenar surrendered. Victory once more.