This is just a non-erotic side story I made for the Adventure of Tash and John series. Just to give back story to the universe.
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March 28th, 2184 -- 1300 Hours
Republic of Texas Carrier USS Houston - TXNC 16255
The room was a buzz of excitement. Corporal John Henry Baird sat in the large auditorium surrounded by the rest of the Republic of Texas Army's 105th Airborne, first company. The room had probably warmed up a good five degrees since he had first entered. The USS Houston's atmospheric controls seemed to be having trouble keeping up with the combined body heat of ninety or so paratroopers that filled the room.
Most of whom joked, laughed and chatted among themselves as they waited for the briefing to begin. As is right on queue, John saw the familiar stature of the companies commanding officer, Captain Adam Garcia, take the rooms center podium. The myriad of chatter started to diminish as the Captain, an older and tanned skinned man, loudly cleared his throat into the podiums microphone.
"Gentlemen," He began, waiting for the chatter to subside before continuing. "At oh-nine-fortyfive hours yesterday the Commonwealth naval vessel HMS Indomitable detected a mass of unknown activity on this planet," the Captain tapped a small series of keys on the podiums touch pad and the image of a solar system filled the large LED screen behind him.
The image circled in red the third planet in the small five planet system, designating it 'S-42396-3'. "Ess four-two-three-nine-six dash three. Initial examination detected reactor signatures consistent with drive cores used by Breten Hvas affiliated pirate clans."
The image shifted again. This time to a colored satellite view of a region on the planets surface. The image was high altitude but John could make out what looked like buildings buried half inside a small rock outcropping.
"High altitude recon drone passes were able to locate and determine the energy signatures originating from this point" Captain Garcia continued.
The area that John had thought to be buildings was now being highlighted. The satellite view began to zoom in.
"Further analysis has confirmed that this is indeed some kind of outpost operated by a Breten Hvas affiliated gang."
The image pulled up a marking on one of the containers outside the outpost, showing clearly the scribbled hieroglyphs of the Breten Hvas insignia. The briefing screen once again pulled up an image. This time of one of the Breten Hvas guards. John thought they looked like somewhere in between a cross of a bird and a mantis. A small beak protruded from a rounded skull which housed four eyes.
Continuing down the neck met the body not unlike a praying mantis from earth. It had two long arms that ended with an almost sword like point. Each arm having about five fingers at the end for manipulation. The whole thing stood on four legs, but was however only about four feet tall altogether. It was a slim and apex hunter like frame. It was certainly alien to John. He snapped back to reality as Captain Garcia began again.
"Repeated drone passes have been able to determine their forces strength at about one hundred-fifty give or take. Ground penetrating radar has the whole complex only about two hundred meters into the rock face. Any questions so far?" Captain Garcia asked the room.
"Yeah" a voice chimed up. John really wasn't able to see who was speaking. "Why don't we just nuke 'em from orbit and be done with it?"
A smile crept along Garcia's face almost as if he had been anticipating this question.
"Because," The screen shifted to a different version of the recon photo and highlighted a new part of the image. It brought up a xeno, definitely not the Siven that made up the vast majority of the Breten Hvas slaver clans.
This one was tall and lanky. Its homeworld must likely be low G, John thought. It sported gray-brown skin, about four arms and four legs with a head that seemed to be on a swivel. John didn't recognize it in the slightest. "They have hostages."
John could hear most of his comrades stiffen. Hostages meant no nukes. No nukes meant ground operation. And that operation would be a rescue operation. Captain Garcia continued after a slight pause.
"We have no official estimate as to how many hostages they have. But at the end of the day it has been decided by the higher ups that they do not get to keep them."
Fucking slavers, John thought. Slavery was already a black mark in Earth history, wars had been fought over it. Just as Humanity as a whole thought they had overcome their past, the New Holland Incident had reopened those long thought closed wounds. The sacrifice of the HMS Battleaxe was the first, and only, tipping point that Humanity had needed to declare and intergalactic war on slavery.
"Which brings us to defenses." Garcia continued again, shifting the image to a more tactical overlay of the recon photo. "First analysis shows the main building complex to be lightly fortified. There appear to be two watch towers built into the rock face on opposite sides of the main building." The image enhanced to display them. They really were no more than a couple of domed walkways jetting out of the rock. The Hvas also appeared to have set up heavy guns of some kind in each tower. The image was shifted again.
"The enemy has also erected three medium sized bunkers facing each direction away from the rock face, encompassing the landing pad and main courtyard area of the outpost." The image enhanced for a final time. "Recon has also determined the presence of at least two assumed anti-air positions within the outpost perimeter. Comparison with similar known emplacement shows this model as being an inner atmosphere weapon with a limited range. So high altitude flights will be well out of their reach."
A hand popped up in the crowd. John recognized him as one of the newer recruits from second platoon. A Felix something-or-other. Captain Garcia motioned for him to speak.
"Do we know what the effective range is?" The man asked.
It was a solid question. They may not have been fly boys but they most certainly did their share of flying. It would be helpful as well if the Hvas decided to turn them groundwards as well.
"The gun shoots a canister that explodes at about fifteen hundred meters. They may have modified it. The canister explodes into a copper-tungsten shrapnel mix so keep an eye on your surroundings, I don't want anyone getting hit by these things. Any other questions?" Captain Garcia asked.
The room was silent. After a few moments Captain Garcia tapped the podiums touch pad again, bringing up another overlay.
"Alright then, on to operational deployment." The man said, continuing his previous formalized tone. "This is going to be a join Coalition Op." Some groans could be heard from the troopers. Captain Garcia ignored them and continued. "Right now we are heading to rendezvous with Commonwealth ship HMS Irwin and Union ship USS Jefferson where we will be taking on troops from ANZAC's Fifth Marine Expeditionary Force and US Army's Twentieth Light Mechanized Infantry. The game plan is as follows."
A region of the image became highlighted. "One hundred-fifth Airborne will insert via orbital drop at this location, five K south of the outpost. First Company will then proceed along this route to this elevated point two K from the outpost and establish a Forward Operating Base for our Forward Air Controllers. Once that is set Second and Third platoons will move southwest until they rendezvous with Fifth Marines. A detachment of Fifth Marines will have already linked up with the Twentieth Mechanized in the east. The main assault will begin once all units are set and Forward Air Control has confirmed and marked the enemy bunkers and anti-air.
"JDAMS will be dropped from orbiting A-100's who will provide close air support as needed. Operational objectives are to neutralize all threats and retrieve the hostages. ROE's are the same as normal, no firing on civilians unless they fire on you first, everything else is fair game. Questions?" The room was silent once again. "Alright, your platoon leads have all the necessary information. Get with them if you need to. Dismissed."
