Somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere - Planet Gran Canaria - Omega 49
Red … that is his name! Not a call sign! Nobody knows his real name … those who knew, his family, died 25 years ago on the First Nomad War, red was only 3 years old. A group of orphans … misfits … on the streets of one of the so call Zoner cities on Planet Erie, took care of him. They gave him this name, because he was with a red shirt, and he gets angry, his face gets a flushed face! But who his Red? Nobody … hero … depends who you ask! Nobody because he his just another Zoner in Gran Canaria, hero because he his one that every time there is a problem … a war … he is one of those that are in the front line … from the Omicrons to the War for the Liberation of Gran Canaria! The war on Gran Canaria was the one that left more marks … one thing is to shoot a ship in space, other is to kill a man face to face! To see his eyes … to hear their scream … to watch then fall on the cold ground … to look around to see pieces of broken bodies, and some … some were his friends that few minutes before were all laughing telling jokes!!! Red isn’t the only one! 23 years ago, a man … a great man … saw Red’s group while they were stealing bread from a bakery. They looked like a flock of sparrows, enterd the bakery, stole what they could and left in a blink of eyes! That man followed then and saw then eating what they got, sharing equal to all! On that moment that man found a lost reason to live. That man was Martin L. King, a former Liberty Navy officer, there isn’t a medal that he doesn’t earned! But those medals meant nothing, for the father that lost his son on the Nomad War, for the husband that fighting and could be next to his wife, and hear her last words in a hospital bed!! Martin saved those little birds and many more, and took then in an old transport ship, way to an abandoned mine on Planet Gran Canaria. The dome that covered the hole of mine would give protection as well the tunnels, in the beginning it was hard, but then all finally could live in peace … or not!! There is no peace on Sirius … never was and probably never will be!
Red is next to bed … his loving princess … the love of his life ... Sara is still sleeping. Only she can tame Red’s angry heart ... she is beautiful … she is perfect! Red kisses her face before leaving, he has a meeting and he has to go! Red arrives to what they call the control room … it is here here the decisions are taken, the life of the 892 people … birds ... that live The Nest may depend of what it is here decided, so we all must be very careful of what is decided.
The meeting
Red enters the room, already there is Matilda, Chuck and Bomb.
Matilda … she was one that took care of Red, she even has the one that gave him that name. Competent and organized, she is basically the one that puts things working here, she is actually in charge … since our leader ... our father … the Mighty Eagle is not in good health!!
Chuck … a orphan from the Taus that Eagle toke care of him. Fast, energetic, it is hard to see him completely stand still … and quiet! He flies a freighter, it is he who takes supplies to the Nest from Canaria, and is an expert on smuggling!
Bomb … his real name is Jack, but all calling bomb because … well ... he likes to eat and his body has a noisy and many times, bad smelling, reaction to that!! He flies a small transport, and his trading is the main income of the Nest!
Red greets all … they are not just friends … they are family! All basically are family there, so is very hard when he lose someone! On the the War of Liberation of Gran Canaria against the Corsairs many have fallen … we were not prepared for that!! But now is different! The Corsair lost and they learned a lesson, as also they have other things to worry about, but Gallia ... Gallia is different! They know how to fight in the ground, and if Bretonia falls … Gran Canaria could be next!! As all were sitting, Eagle enters the room.
Mighty Eagle – Martin L. King, hero of many wars that Liberty fought, he is the one that saved us all! We call him Mighty Eagle, because of the big libertonian eagle tattooed on his right arm. He … he gave all people a place to live … a place to grow … a place to be happy … he gave not only a home but also hope. He is tired … he is getting old and his health is not the best!
All are sitting in their places ... for some obvious reasons Bomb is next to the door. Matilda starts with the basics, food and water production are going well, and are fully stocked as well has fuel! Basic stuff, but Chuck was nervous … too nervous! Chuck still have a special connection with Planet Leeds, and breaks his heart knowing what is happening there and now can’t do anything! Not long ago a Liberty Rogue tried to destroy his ship while he was taking refugees to Liberty, because he hadn’t money to pay him, but luckily he his fast and got away, but worst was last week, when he was taken supplies to the resistance in Leeds and evacuating casualties to New London, he was intercepted by a patrol, a bretonian patrol, that threatened that he continues to do that we would be captured and jailed or even killed … killed just for helping those who need!! And for that we no longer allow him to do that anymore! He his fast and manage to escape, but now is more difficult, he no longer has to run from gallic forces and pirates, he also has to run from those who are responsible for the ones he is helping!!!
- Chuck – I … I can not understand why they did that to me! I was helping … helping their people!!
- Eagle – Pride!! They don’t care! Bretonia is losing the war, and they don’t want to show that! He the people sees Zoners evacuating their civilians * cough * they might lose the confidence in their armed forces, and while there is a resistance * cough * they can say that they didn’t lost Leeds, but we all know that Leeds is lost!!
- Chuck – But but ..!!
- Matilda – Chuck … I know how good you are, but is too dangerous!! And if your ship is destroyed, you may escape in the life pod, but what if that happens when you are evacuating people? They will die, and don’t tell me that you promise not to evacuate casualties or refugees, because we all know that is why you want to go! We need you to continue to smuggle military equipment … I don’t believe that Rheinland would let us transport legally all we need! We need you here!!
Chuck with a broken heart, nods his heads accepting what Matilda told him! Suddenly Jack leaves the room in a hurry, he closes the door, but even with the door closed everyone heard why he is called Bomb, and he enters the room!!
- Bomb – Sorry about that. *smiles *
- Matilda – Well since you are up, here your transport routes and schedules.
Eagle looks at Red … he could see that there is something bothering Red.
- Eagle – Red? What you have to tell us? I know that is something that is bothering you!
- Red – When I was on Freeport 6, there was a rumor of another conflict in Delta, and they were calling for reinforcements !!
- Eagle – Delta!!! Always Delta!! Why they built that station on that goddam place in the first place? There were spilled so much blood ... zoner blood … that we could paint that station from one end to the other!! Who is this time? Core? Corsairs? Order? Jellies? Or all ?
- Red – Looks like that this time are the Outcast or an Outcast group!! Don’t know for sure!
- Eagle – Out * caught * Outcasts?!! That don’t surprise me at all! Many are nomad followers, despite some of those followers, despite many even respect Zoners, others are ... well ... are rats with some crazy idols!! We will not go there this time!!! Zoners should leave that system! IF that base could not be transported, so abandon her, leave then to the Corsairs or Core or Order! Even those stations in Kappa … after the Omicron 74 jump holes were gone, Livadia should have come to here Omega 49, or to Baffin. Corinth can stay there … the forces that now protect, or think that they can protect Freeport 11, could retreat to Corinth! It will be much safer, and many lives could be saved!!Gran Canaria is our priority!! We don’t know what the future brings, but of what we can see now, is not all good things!! And we must be prepared!
The meeting continues!! Red can’t stop thinking of what is coming … war! War and much war!! What he wants is to join his beloved wife, but he knows that he soon will be in
Red went to space! He was testing a new ship, so with an almost empty nav map, Red decide to “explore” Omega 49 system and some neighbors system! He encountered some traders, and even a corsair patrol! Red greets then all, and all replied! It looked like a calm, peaceful sunday morning, but … it wasn’t! Red enters Cayman system, the former house of the Reapers … they were good people … now a battleground between the Coalition and the Corsairs, and that was what Red saw today! From a safe distance Red saw a battle between Coalition ships against a group of Corsairs, he don’t know how it started and even how it all ended, but he saw most of it, and ... what a waste!! Now with the Coalition just on doorstep of Corsair territory, it is to expect more and more combats like that one, to happen! Cayman was, and hopefully continues to be a safe passage from Omega 49 to the other Omegas and Omicrons systems!! But has Red was watching the battle, even far away, Red could not feel rage about the Corsairs that were falling! Some of his friends were killed by Corsairs, but … he also killed Corsairs so … so it was war! War is made by some, but there are others that get killed!
Such a waste! Both sides fought bravely but at the end it was the Coalition that got the upper hand!! With a real enemy not far, why are these people fighting for?! A piece of space? For what?! Not far is a silent enemy that waits calmly to attack! That enemy are the infected on Omega 58! Slowly they are spreading out over Sirius … even now on the Kepler system! More and more times they are showing themselves, and what Humanity does? It fights with herself!!
The fight ended … nothing was gained, just lost! Another day in Sirius!!!
5 years!!! I it was 5 years ago that Red returned home! 5 years ago the Corsairs left Gran Canaria, and we won the war!!! For some it continued for some time … some personal vendettas or just some house cleaning, but for Red it was time to return home! But today red is still worried! The Corsair threat was long gone … pressed by the Core and Outcast near their home system, by Rheinland on the Sigmas, the Hessians and Coallition on the Omegas, and not forgetting the Mollys, and also the Corsairs main focus is Cambridge system, that means that Omega 49 is no longer their objective! But … a new threat is coming!! Gallia is expanding fast! They already patrol Dublin, and some already come to Omega 49! If Bretonia falls, Omega 49 could be next! They already had some disputes with Zoners long time ago, and the strategic value of Omega 49 and his planet, even a frozen ball in space, is important!
No one expected an invasion on Gran Canaria, we already had some problems with the Corsairs, mainly on Delta, but an planetary invasion was no expected! We, free people of Gran Canaria, were not prepared! We had the lack of weapons, training but we had a lot of willingness to fight for our freedom. 5 years later we are still not ready if Gallia attacks! We can’t fight then on space, we don’t have resources for that, only on the ground, but the main problem is that, 5 years ago most of the Corsair infantry was compose mainly by conscripts, most were unfit for being space pilots so they went try to save their honor by joining the infantry, but Gallic marines are different! A lot different! Well armed, trained and motivated, those marines are also battle hardened! The only thing that we can do, is what the bretonians are doing on Leeds … resist … refuse! But for that, trainings must continue, we need more people that can train the population and also fight in case of need, and also a lot and lot of materials that we lack so much 5 years ago. That is the plan … as Zoners we can do much more, but … there are others ways to help prevent that … so Bretonia must not fall!!!
Red reads the reports ... Bretonia is fallen and now there is a Battleship on Omega 49!! Why? Is bretonia preparing to attack? We send all this years preparing for a Gallic Invasion and now ... will we have a Bretonian invasion? One thing is certain .. even if Bretonnia is coming in peace ... war is coming again to Gran Canaria!!
Red sends a message to Bretonia ... he hopes he is wrong ... but he ... we ALL will be ready for what is to come! The lessons from the past have been learned !!!
* All group is gather in the room!!! Messages are sent and receive to and from several militias groups!! Five years of training .. five years of preparing for war ... five years of hopening that never happen ... but looks like it really gonna happen!
Matilda is organizing everything!! Where the supplies are hidden ... what groups do a thing while others do other things!!! Chuck is with Bomb to prepare to delivery the final suplies to all groups loyal to the Zoner that we know!! From simple hand held weapons, to medical supplies, even to armoured military vehicles, to explosives to robotics!!! Red is preparing to move ... six years ago he moved to the front with many ... not all returned when it ended!!! Oce again he will have to say "see you when i returned to Sara" hoping that is not a goodbye!! We is not the only one!! Just from the Nest, 75 are going outside ... and will be joined by thousands around the planet. This time we are ready ... but will be enough?!! Time will tell!!
Winston Churchill, a famous bretonian in Earth 20th century once said "Never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter." If Bretonia really wants war with us .... prepare themselves for hell!!! *
* It is so damn cold outisde but ... it is time!! 75 strong birds are leaving the Nest!! Red is leading then ... as also will lead nearly 500 strong Zoners! To avoid pass mistakes, this time the militias groups are deploying in some strategic locations, and i ncase of bretonian invasion, they will be ready on location. Red will take command of Eagle group and will be station on a once desert location, that due the cliamete changes flourish, thanks to the increase river flow and lower temperatures! If there is a spot on this planet that have potencial for future colonization, this it it!!!
Red kisses Sara ... no word is said!! The look of theirs eyes and the tears say it all! Red goes to Martin*
- Martin - it wasn't for this that i brought you all here!! I ...
* Red stops Martin that was crying. The Mighty Eagle was more than a father not only to Red but to all birds!! *
- Red - I know father!! Don't Worry!! We will be free *Red smiles and goes to Matilda*
- Red - You know what to do sister!! There is no better person to manage this place!!!
* Matilda smiles at the same time she cries ... once again she is watching birds leaving to war, and last time not all returned alive!!! Red leaves to the transport that will lead then to the location along the others, before entering he looks back ... " Is this the last time i will see this?" He enters the transport as also the others!! We all have something to lose, but we don't have nowhere to go!!
The trip is long ... the transport is flying low to not be detected from above. When arriving some already were there! A huge cave complex to a large mountain range, surrounded by plains and valleys The view is magnificent !!!
Small houses were built as they were old, and few people will be there! The purpose is not only to serve as eyes, but all to cover any transmition signal that may escape and help hide the electricmagnitic signiture from the equipment on the cave complex, that is huge! Taking advantage of natural caves, more tunnels were built alowing living space has also storage, and ways to move aroud without any detection!! But now is time to rest!! As also Red waits for the remain Eagle groups to arrive!! Tomorrow there is much to do! Thousans of mines and armed robotics need to be place .. with the hope that bretonia have good sense and don't start a war!!! *
* They arrived! Five years preparing for this hoping that never happen ... now it is time to fight! Big problem .. they are too many! Some groups already withdraw ... Red can't blame then! Few dozens against thousands!! Some landed not far from here Eagle group is located ... no time to waste! While the squadrons are gearing up Red sends a message to the Nest, mainly to his beloved Sara! He avoid the word "goobye" but ... he fear that it will be a goodbye ... the last goodbye!
The squadrons are ready to leave ... not for death or glory ... but for freedom!!*
It was been two days since the bretonians landed. They are about 2.500 to 3000 royal marines So far no contact was made. Eagle group is one of the biggest and well trained groups on Gran Canaria, and so far it has stand united, not all can say the same, some were even disbanded, others already lost members not because they left, but because they already made contact with the bretonians. Blood on both sides have already been spilled.
Red is with a small group watching the brets move. So far they only care of building their base … quiet impressive for the short time!!
(base)
But they are doing it on the place where Red was expecting … long flat plain with a underground river, right in the middle of a mine field! For over two years this place was being prepared for something like this. So far there wasn’t any move outside the base ... just few air recons and some drops of SAS members on some spots … we also expected that, and the two teams of two members that are deployed are been watch … their moves is so far been very predicted. Bretonia thinks that the Zoners of Gran Canaria are all rats or some simple farmers or miners … not all, and they soon will know it.
There is some movement in the base … is it … yes! They are moving!! A small convoy of five vehicles is preparing to leave the gates!
- Red – Is it going to take much longer? (Red ask to a team member)
- Soldier – Hold on!!! One more minute and yes!!! I know I already said that, but they got new stuff and is not easy to jamm their comms!!
- Red – I want that ready!! When that patrol reach the point I …
- Soldier – Ok ok!! I know!!
The point is where an ied of 100kg of high explosive is located! When Red’s team prepared this location they imagined a simple plan, to make a place where invaders could land, right in the middle of a mine field, and make a small road … a path … clean up to the middle! This will make they trapped, nowhere to go except the correct path that they took. All this in a plain with about 5km2 surrounded by mountains, that are full of tunnels and gum points! They don’t know it but they are under siege since the first moment they landed there.
Red gives the order for all teams to prepare, and follow the attack plan, that consists in a very simple action. Convoy gets trapped, comms are jammed and a false transmission is sent that they are been attacked by dozens of “farmers” armed with small rifles. The plan is to draw as many soldiers outside the base, and then to get pin pointed in the crossfire of long distance snipers, anti tank missiles and one special gadget. Slowly the patrol moves … slowly … and then …
- The first vehicle is out of action. On the others vehicles, all take defensive positions, and some soldiers try to rescue their colleagues. As predicted they try to send a message of and ied attack, but what the base receives is a message that dozens of farmers are attacking with small fire weapons, and call for reinforcements. In but what was really happen has that they were under fire by long range sniper shots. The brets fall for it, and send several more vehicles full of soldiers. Red receives the message that the SAS recon teams are down. But the reinforcements are having some problems … some vehicles in the hurry didn’t follow the path went right by the mine field. With the comms jammed the brets marines start to panic. Red orders to send a fake message to the troops rally at certain point. He lets the first patrol to leave the place and waited for then to gather on that spot, and then … he gives the order to fire a salvo thermobaric rockets and the results were … they were what they expected.
For the last years, huge amounts of weapons were brought to Gran Canaria, from simple Rheinland blasters to heavy tanks and artillery pieces. The brets got heavy casualties, about 300 marines were killed in just action. So far so good except a fighter show up, a Hussar light fighter! Red was expecting the atmospheric troop deployment vehicle, but not a fighter, but that don’t change much! On atmosphere near the ground the ships have to drop their shields because of heating, so we can take it. But he found the rocket launcher before the crew left it … and Eagle group had his first casualties, two free zoners are dead! Red order that fighter to be shot down. Several manpads are fired, and the Hussar try to escape by going low by the canyons, but a space fighter is stronger than an atmospheric fighter but now so maneuverable, and he crashes.
Enough for today. Red gives the order to pull back. We won this battle … but more battle will surely happen. When red arrives to the base, an large crowd not cheering and insulting … the pilot of that Hussar survived and has captured, and they want kill in!
- Red – Enough!! I know !!! I also want it but be calm!! Bretonians lost today … they are now licking their wounds ...and they will return!! I want they watch!! I want to know their next moves, and want to you all be ready for when they come! We lost to brave men today … lets not make their sacrifice !!
Red goes to where the prisoner is to question him , and had an idea …!!!
// note: i will not use images .. at least i will try not to use ...where soldiers died or got seriouly wounded
25th December 1914 Solar year … the world is facing the darkest time so far, and in the location of all horrors a brief moment of peace. Enemies become friends … family … at least for 1 day only … the world becomes a better place!!
25th December 825 A.S. the brutal invasion of Bretonia on Gran Canaria continues. Two days after the first contact with Eagle Group, Bretonia send reinforcements!! Patrols only by air drops, and slowly they are trying to clean the mine field … that was also expected … so some surprises are waiting! Other surprises is what the patrols are finding every time they enter the valley … air transport drops troops and few moments later … robotic arms with weapons are activated. One thing is to lose men in combat with the enemy, other is to lose then against cheap machines!!
On the base, a scout goes to Red:
- scout – Sir you have to listen to this!! (it was a message sent from a bretonian patrol to the base, it sound quiet normal for the situation except one thing)
- soldier next to Red – So … what is wrong with it? They are calling for help!!
- scout – You don’t hear something wrong?!
- soldier – What?
- Red – This is not bretonian accent!!! This soldier is a libertonian!!
All around are shocked!! Is this a soldier from Liberty, or a libertonian that joined the bretonian armed forces, or … a mercenary!! Did Bretonia recruit mercenaries to their ranks … to invade Gran Canaria?! But this is not the worst news of the day! Jaguar group just launched an last stand warning!! That means that they are surrounded with no way to run!! Jaguar group is the biggest group on the southern hemisphere, with nearly 400 members ... a huge blow on the resistance!!
To avoid detection, Red can’t send long and video messages to the Nest … Red remembers all Christmas there … the decorations … the joy of being together as a family … memories …
25th of December of 825 AS … Gran Canaria … not a Merry Christmas !!
Bretonia continues to reinforce their troops here … they already suffer heavy losses, but Eagle group also … 3 more deaths and 17 injuries!! The tactics that Eagle Groups uses are pure guerrilla warfare … to lure the enemy to ambushes … surround them ... hit then hard and leave the location fast!! Not always work perfectly but … there is no other way! The counting of Bretonia presence there changes … is always rising … they are now 10 to 1 ! They didn’t like at all the public video of the downed pilot!! Red just hope that it was worth the risk!! Not only that, but the moral is getting low! The news of some groups that had disbanded and others that were overrun is very hard to accept!! Is this worthy? Also news from the Nest are not good! Not only bretonian ships are patrolling near, but also … the Mighty Eagle health is getting worst and worst! It was just a question of time but … this invasion speed up the illness! The messages to the Nest are very short and can’t have details but … maybe it is time for the Nest to be evacuated … nearly 20 years of dreams of peace … of a home shattered !!! But to where?! Red looks around, he is inside the main hall on the cave that is their HQ! Bretonian forces were lure to other location … but until when they will take the baits?! What if they get it right one day?! Maybe it is time to change strategies … smaller groups … always on the move … choose the ones with more training … those with less to lose, in other words , those with no family, that are willing to sacrifice themselves! Red has Sara … his love … his reason to live … she is young and beautiful ... she has a whole life ahead … so many and even more … some have children to take care.
Will valour be superior to numbers? Red receives the report of aerial bombardments on the fake base location, they called one Crecy class destroyer to give then fire support at high altitude, and more troops are arriving!!
A message was sent to some freeports, the ones that are closer … will they help? Or will they close their eyes?