This is my first submission in Sci-fi and Fantasy Sex. I am a big fan of David Webber, a science fiction author in the real world. I usually list in Loving wives. I am a big fan of happy (or at least BTB) endings, and I also believe in revenge, or if you will, vengeance. It doesn't matter if it is BT bitch, OR BT bastard. Just make sure the bad guys pay. (So sue me, they're my stories.) I hope you enjoy.
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Chapter 1
Major Caleb Lomer strode down the port side access tube on the Imperial Marine Battle Cruiser IMS Palladin. Thirty-two, six feet three inches tall, two hundred fifteen pounds, all muscle, with a goodly amount of brains, Caleb's mind was not on the possibility of upcoming action on the planet, having just turned his divorce lawsuit over to the JAG rep. on the Faldavian Class Imperial Dreadnought IMS Larocyn.
Caleb's wife of 6 years, Lorna Golan, was suing for divorce, citing adultery and irreconcilable differences.
Yeah, right.
He was stuck on a Battle Cruiser for the past 18 months, escorting the Imperial Family around to diplomatic functions on the Cusp, out in the Corsion sector of the Crab Nebula. As if he would have any chance to chase any tail? It had all the markings of her father's influence!
Still, she was some fine ass.
(Sigh!)
He still didn't know what made him marry her.
Screw her, hell yeah! But marriage??
His current wife, rich beyond most planetary systems, had insisted on hooking up with an Imperial Space Marine combat veteran. In spite of the existence of the prenuptial agreement he had signed before their wedding, Major Lomer was not good enough for the only daughter of the 3rd richest man in the solar system. Fuck him, fuck her, fuck them all. The Navy will deal with them.
Caleb, or Cal as he was known to most people, reached the airlock to the CTC and accessed the combat bridge. "Attention on the bridge!"
"As you were. Bring up the visual of the surface and the Imperial Destroyer."
"Captain," he commed the flight bridge. "Do we have communication with the Harilyn?"
"Negative, Major. Harilyn is maintaining communications silence."
'Damm,' he thought, 'Why should they bother talking to the hired help?'
He thought a minute, and then commed the shuttle bay, "Sergeant Taolid, prep the attack craft and have the men stand by to deploy." He knew that Command Sergeant Major Cwasir Taolid would crack the whip for him.
Something in his gut told him this going to get bad fast.
The Bassin warrior was fiercely loyal, having saved Cal's life by donating several liters of his orange colored blood and a couple of pieces of his scaly hide to the Major after Caleb had hauled him out of the ambush at the Holden Embassy.
Bassins were fiercely loyal when they accepted you as a friend, especially after saving their life. Cas was his good right hand, and Cal trusted him with his life. And he could drink the rest of the company under the table at a bar.......With the possible exception of Gunnery Sergeant O'Hara.
Caleb chuckled. Nice to have a few tangible things in his life, like good friends.
He just wished women were that reliable.
(BITCH!!)
He wasn't concerned with any enemy action on the planet Folsom. It was a small backwater without much of a military, just planetary defense. Still, something didn't feel right...........
Suddenly, the attack alarm sounded.
"BATTLE STATIONS-BATTLE STATIONS-THIS NOT A DRILL" The CTC crew donned battle armor, and the lighting changed to red in color. Sensors indicated that six missile batteries had gone active on the ground, and then twelve sting ships rose from the surface to move to orbit.
Missile batteries? STING SHIPS??
"Shields up, Major. Point defense weapons are being armed, and we are loading the air to surface missile tubes."
"Very well, Captain. Bring us about to support the Harilyn."
"Aye, Sir."
Well, at least it will give him something else to think about.
The Harilyn deployed force screens and started taking fire from the sting ships. Then, missile blooms erupted from the six batteries, and double fiery tails rose from each battery towards the Imperial Destroyer, which tried to take evasive action.
"Captain, take out the surface batteries immediately."
"Major, that is in direct violation of the ROE."
"On my orders, Captain. Castle Red." As the ranking officer in charge of security, it was at his discretion to take out the attacking bases. And Castle Red-an attack against the Imperil family-definitely hit the mark.
"Yes, Sir."
Double volleys leapt from the tubes, and the missiles streaked to the surface, almost instantaneously transforming the area of the missile bases into a place of nuclear destruction. Of the six, five batteries disappeared while the sixth pumped two more missiles out at the target.
Then it too succumbed to the Palladin's attack.
The sting ships massed to strike the Harilyn. Point defense weapons started firing, destroying twelve of the original incoming missiles. Three of the attacking sting ships disintegrated in the Paladin's return fire. The remaining four missiles from the surface batteries impacted Harilyn's force fields, and the subsequent explosion destroyed five more sting ships that had strayed too close to the attacking sphere.
The remaining four sting ships pressed their attack on the Imperial Destroyer. Unfortunately, a portion of the force field chose that moment to collapse. The defensive gap opened up the Harilyn to sting ship attack, and the fighter-like spacecraft opened fire with renewed ferocity.
The Palladin closed with the enemy spacecraft, and the ferocious defensive fire destroyed the remaining ships. Energy blooms started to erupt from the Imperial Destroyer, and immediately escape pods started jettisoning from the ship. The bridge crew started plotting the trajectories, monitoring for life signs.
Caleb issued orders, "Prepare the assault shuttles for launch. Patch me into the com net for the planet. NOW." Comms showed the connection to the planetary web initiated, and Caleb prepared to speak.
"Major, sensors indicate two of the pods have Imperial designators on their beacons. We're plotting them and their projected landing coordinates now."
"Keep me advised, Captain. Update the attack shuttle's computers." He activated the comms and spoke: "Attention to Orders: Castle Red, I repeat Castle Red- condition Gamma." This was the designation for attack on the Royal Family. With intent to kill or kidnap.
"Aye, sir."
"This is Major Caleb Lomer, Imperial Space Marines. Cease all offensive actions on Imperial space forces, or we will commence planetary attacks on a large scale. Comply immediately." He turned his attention to the command bridge.
"Captain, maintain suppression fire on any and all ground forces, and keep the......."
Further orders were rendered mute. The main power plant for Harilyn erupted in an orgasm of nuclear fire. The ship disappeared from the sensor screens.
Twenty more escape pods streaked from the destruction of Harilyn's reactor. However, the nuclear cataclysm enveloped them, all but three of them. The pods spiraled down to the planet's surface, joining the twelve other pods already there.
Palladin reversed course and prepared to deploy her assault craft.
"Captain, contact Larocyn and inform them of the situation. Tell them to dispatch four more Battle Cruisers and four more Destroyers to the area and set up security for the sector."
The escape pods settled on the planet's surface, spread out on the jungle-covered isthmus separating the two large seas on the planet's southern half.
"We have the positions plotted, sir," navigation reported.
"Very well." He turned and sprinted to the airlock, activating his body commlink to Cwasir Taoldin.
"Sergeant, load the troops up and get ready to launch. I'm on my way."
"Affirmative, Skipper."
A man of few words, the Sergeant-Major.
Caleb raced down to the launch bay and clambered aboard Assault Shuttle number #7, his lucky number. The ships sealed up, and the launch bay opened as the shuttles deployed to the planet's surface.
There were twelve Assault Shuttles available on the Palladin. Caleb directed #7 to the two pods with Imperial locator beacons, which were very close to a large river bisecting the jungle isthmus. They closed in on the pod's location while Caleb ordered the radio operator/navigator to turn off the beacons.
'No sense telling the enemy where they are,' he thought to himself. He then directed the remaining Assault Shuttles to converge on the remaining escape pods.
They streaked to them, and three more pod beacons shut down, changing from green to red on the visual display, The life forms contained inside had ceased to exist. That left twelve containing viable life forms, not counting the two imperial pods.
Then one of the Imperial Pods shut down life indicators.
He commed Cas and told him to divert one of the Assault Shuttles providing cover for the rescue operation to the river. Then he commed Palladin.
"Captain, bring the ship down to the surface and establish a secure L/Z. Deploy force fields, set up trauma tents, and prepare to receive survivors. Land in proximity to the two Imperial Pods. Copy?"
"Aye, Aye Sir, coming down now."
We touched down approx fifty yards from the two pods. The shuttles were about 40 feet apart. The ramps came down, and my men deployed to the pods. Twelve were female, including squad leader 2nd Lt. Esmarelda Sanchez. My 'girls' were just as fearless and fierce as my 'boys.' Sometimes, more so, especially in hostage situations. They deployed and took up defensive positions around the escape pods.
"Sanchez, open the hatch. On your toes, people," I commed.
Sanchez accessed the control panel, and the hatch cycled open.
Cwasir Taolid directed the #2 and #4 assault shuttles to converge on the river in the middle of the isthmus.
