Star Crusades by Michael Thomas (best ereader for pc txt) 📕

with their wings retracted, and firingrifles from behind a series of barricades. Alliance weaponrythudded into their position, but every few seconds some of theSki’lig heavies fired back with massive laser weapons. Theseweapons were so big that not even one of them could use it, and thelarge platform was run by three of them, with cables running off tothe side of the passage. A blast shield at the front protected theoccupants from falling debris, as well as the constant fire comingdown at them from the marines and Novas pushing in from above. Thebeams of light lit up the passage, and she knew right away they’dstumbled into the perfect tactical position. Without checking ifAlexis was around, she called out to the marines and pointedahead.

“Bayonets.” At the same time the visor and armoured plate on her helmetlocked down into position.

“You’re insane,” said the unit’ssergeant, “We have them wherewe…”

“Sergeant, fix yourdamned bayonet.”

Valentine was technically outranked,but in combat it was always accepted that Nova personnel were to begiven a degree of authority beyond their official position in thechain of command.

“General,” she said over thecombat channel, “We’re inposition.”

“About time,” grumbled GeneralGun, “Pin them down. We’ll meet you inthe middle.”

“Yes,General. Good luck.”

She then looked to the marines.

“We goin close, and fire only as we stick in the bayonets.Understood?”

One by one the marinesactivated the attached bayonet, and itswung out in front to create a short spear. It was a minor change,but seeing a squad of bloodied and filthy marines, all with theirbayonets at the ready sent a chill through Valentine. She’d seenwhat they could do in battle, and there was something particularlybrutal about using them over the gunfire.

“Nobody fires until me. Let’s go!”

The squad of nearly fifteenmarines rushed forward, with Valentine in the middle and moving alittle ahead of them. It was a small force, but surprise was on their side. They could have openedfire at range, but incredibly, every one of them held their fireuntil they reached just five metres from the enemy. Valentine firedfirst and sent a stream of energy from her cannon at them. Hercarbine blazed away, hitting many of the enemy. Some turned to findthe wall of marines upon them. That was when they opened fire.Rather than aim carefully, they all fired a long, fully automaticburst of fire and then physically crashed into the Ski’lig line. Adozen Ski’ligs went down instantly, and then the marines went towork.

Armourbreach, patchingnow, said Tex.

Valentine grunted andslammed her mace arm into the face of a Ski’ligheavy. The warrior staggered back, and then found a bayonetembedded in its skull. Valentine lifted her shield and thrust it atthe enemy. It was then she spotted a diamond tipped lance stuck inher chest. She howled with anger and spun about on the spot,hacking away and using her mace and shield to batter the enemy intosubmission.

“The laser!” shouted a familiarvoice.

Valentine struck out again, and Hawkins leapt into the fray,while Kallias moved next to him with all of his guns blazing away.Valentine tried to coordinate her actions, but the Ski’ligs wereall around her now. Something struck her face, and she felt a painin her lungs. And that was the moment her rage took over. She couldsee the laser installations and rushed towards them. A beam oflight hit her leg and then she was among them. There werehigh-pitched wails and screams, but that couldn’t stop her. Sheignored the gunfire and blows landing on her body, swinging herarms like a whirling dervish. Limbs snapped and heads flew.Something flashed in front of her, and then her visor blackedout.

“Tex!” she screamed, “I can’t see.”

She swung her mace in a series ofunending strikes, and on the third movement something hit her visorand partially cleared it. That was when sherealised it was blood. With her righthand she wiped away the worst of it and gasped as a scattered lineof Alliance soldiers came charging down towards her.

“Out of the way!” said a booming voice.

Valentine lifted her shield, butthe giant warrior crashed past her, scattering marines and Ski’ligslike bowling pins. Helping hands pulled her up, and she turned around as the marines swamped over thebroken defensive line.

“The fight ain’t over yet,” said Valentine, “Their flanks are broken,let’s finish them!”

A cheer rang out as the marinespoured fire into the enemy. Otherscontinued to grapple with those that could not retreat. With thebarricades broken, the enemy had fallen back into small groups,clustering around their heavies. A handful managed to jump from theground and soared away as they were chased off withgunfire.

We’re doingthis. We can win.

Valentine cried out as sheclambered over the wall of dead. She wasn’t feeling elation overthe death and mutilation of the fallen enemies, but the relief that the battle had swung theirway. Defeat would mean the same for them, and she could only watchso many of her friends fall in battle before it was toomuch.

“Hell,yeah!” Kallias tracked from left to the middle of the passage. Hisfour guns rattled away as the ammunition feeds pumped shot aftershot into the modified L48 rifles. The 12.7mm slugs wreakeddestruction as they slammed into the Ski’ligs.

“Keep fighting!” Valentinesaid, “We’re almost there!”

The General was there surroundedby the enemy, and in his hands the brokenshape of the laser mining system. He pointed it off into thetunnel, and a thick beam of red activated. Ski’ligs were slashedapart by the power of the weapon, instantly breaking their will andsending the last few fleeing like rats.

“Victory!” Kalliasscreamed, “This rock is ours!

“Finally,” said Valentine.

She noticed more shapes on her tactical map and sighed in relief atspotting dozens of landing ships bringing tens of thousands moretroops into battle. They had pushed the enemy back so far theywould be able to mass entire battalions to move to the next phaseof the campaign. As she imagined their final victory, she noticedKallias looking towards her. Then he called out in surprise. “Val,how are you still standing?”

She was confused, but then twomarines at her right looked down. She couldn’t see their eyes, but one deactivated the outerdarkened screen of his helmet visor. Valentine could make out theshock on his face, and that sent a tremble through her own body.She