Solar Warden by Jakob Waechter (best authors to read TXT) 📕

Ryan checked the equipment they had and the ammunition. Newman had now the order to proceed with the preparation. He let via fighter two combat drones land in the proximity of them. Samuel and Newman started the work at once.

Kelsey was analyzing the date she got. Then she checked one of the alien ships and prepared her next hack attempts. The others of the ship hacking team assisted her. It was a lot of data to go through and also the next configuration was tricky. Any mistake could expose their attempts or would be not registered because of not monitoring the systems good enough. But that was what Kelsey could not know. It was also possible that they already had detected her attempts and let her proceed.

The resupply went down. SW-7 split up in two shuttles and threw six bikes out of the shuttle, then crates with rocket launchers, special explosives and the needed surface scout drones. It was now a fast and proven way to resupply with the anti- gravity drop system.

Receiving the resupply, the ground troops packed the anti-gravity drop system in the last transport shuttle and also added the half of the alien rifles they had recovered. Then the shuttle lifted off and flew with an escort of fighters to the ocean route up to the Icarus.

Now Newman and Samuel had all what they needed for the plan. Still it took them some hours to finish the work.

Ryan already abandoned to find a better solution. He was no preparing the operation after the machine is gone and a trail with the rocket launcher if needed. Sadly, they had nothing to lure the machine out of the cave.

“What if the machine is back behind the big door?” Freeman asked.

“Then we got a serious problem. Still we can try to disable the cameras we detected. That does not mean we get all. Also we have to take care of the jammer,” Ryan replied.

“Then it will be tricky to plant the charges. We can’t use the combat drones to cover our back,” Yamada added.

“Yes, if we try this I don’t know yet. But we have no robot that can plant them for us. This means three man fast in and out. However, first we should disable the cameras there, retreat and wait a bit. Still the drones can give us the intel we need. It should be enough time to get back with the bike when the door opens,” Ryan said.

“We should blow a hole on the other side into the ground so it will be impossible to intercept us,” Freeman suggested.

“Good point. That we will do after the cameras are gone.” Ryan was quite pleased what they had now. But to get the door open Kelsey was the best bet.

They focused now on other details. After some time, Newman and Samuel came by.

“We are ready to go.” Newman informed.

“Then let’s go to the cave. There we will fortify again.” Ryan stood up from the circle the leader formed and called the soldiers in. After describing the plan, all went out to the cave, leaving the pilot behind at the shuttles.

They used the anti-gravity containers to transport some of the stuff like explosives and rocket launchers.

Arriving at the cave there was nothing to see from the machine.

Diaz team had now two rocket launchers with them. They were securing the cave entrance. No one was in the cave. Also one sentry was placed.

Newman and Samuel did now the drone initialization. They were after this activated with a program that was sufficient for the next what will come.

“All drones ready. Should we proceed now?” Newman asked Ryan.

“Yes, proceed,” Ryan replied.

Newman flew his lead surface scout drone to the base entrance. Other drones were following it. Samuel did the same with his lead drone. Now there was a communication chain which could not easily interrupted by jamming signals. At least Newman thought to be sure of that.

The machine was not in sight.

Newman flew in and went to the right while Samuel to the left. They saw now the other drones on the ground. Probably shot down. They went to the lift and then all around this level. Also looked down the blown up hole. Still the machine was not to see. Then both went down the hole. Samuel to the left were the lift was and around the corner to the huge door. It was closed.

Samuel went back to the hole, while Newman flew to the right where the assembly line was. He went around a corner. Then the machine was in front of him aiming and shot.

The drone signal was lost. Now he had the command of the drone behind. He flew at once back. The stepping noise of the machine was to hear.

“You better fly up, its coming,” Newman informed.

The machine went around the corner. Newman was now further away. He started a target scan while he went back. Then he flew zig zag to make it not too easy for the machine. It fired while moving. The shot missed close. Newman was on the next corner and flew around. Then he went to the hole. “I hope we can lure it up. Watch the left side of the lift. I come up for the right.” He assumed that the machine wants to secure the base entrance again. But why did it not appear earlier. They must have seen the drones with the cameras. At least the machine has to come up. The area there was much better to intercept it. Also the cameras could give a very short warning time. That would not be enough to fall back to the lift and move down. It was an option to shot at it while it is in the lift, but that would be not as effective.

The machine went around the corner. Newman moved the drone further up then further back seeing the machine heading for the lift.

Now he observed the lift at the top. It took a bit, then the lift door opened. The machine headed straight to Newman and shot. Losing the next signal Newman had the machine in sight. He now flew zig zag, again.

The machine raised now the other arm. It was now enough away from the lift and there it was good enough to flank.

Samuel did his target scan from the side. The plasma Gatling gun was spinning. They must have repaired it or was it a second machine.

“Sending attack order,” Newman informed.

The combat drones accelerated away, flying over the soldiers into the cave. Then the chain of surface drones made space for them to fly a direct route. There were only seconds then the first combat drone went into the entrance followed by the second. Number one went left and the other right. The target information was already sent. Further updates followed. With a shorter route the second combat drone was the first which went around the corner into target sight.

Newman was busy leading the fire a bit away from that location. But the machine seemed to have the information now and turned.

Both targeting laser of the surface drones went additionally on. There the combat drone would fire also some of the shots. It was a more complex targeting algorithm to achieve maximum damage in short time.

The combat drone shot as well as the machine. Both were hit, but the combat drone went down at once.

Now the other combat drone fired all what it had. The machine already had some damage that seemed to do not too much, it stopped moving. Then moved back while turning. Railgun projectiles shredded through the once invincible armor. It could not complete its turn. An explosion occurred. Sparkles and electric fluctuation were to see. The machine was falling backward to the ground. Further shots went in, then Newman send a cease fire command. The combat drone stopped firing. Newman scanned the machine.

Ryan was following the stream and now walking to Newman who was some steps away.

“Is the laser drill still available?” he asked.

“I think so we just have to send a drone close to it. Why?” Newman asked.

“We could cut both arms off and retrieve them. This will first secure the situation and give us something for research,” Ryan added.

“Good idea. Samuel you monitor the area. I have to improvise,” Newman said and flew his lead drone back to his position.

It was just as simple altering of the programming. Then he started to make contact with the laser drill which was moved after finishing with the entrance further into the cave. There were only 700 meter, so the drone signal relay also worked for that without problem.

The cutting took some time and finally he ordered the laser back from where he got it.

Samuel and Newman did now check the base, again. As the door was still closed, it was secure enough to move in.

Ryan gave the order. SW-2 got the job to hold the position outside. They had now the rocket launchers. Also one of SW-6 took one into the base. Anderson had the usual alien rifle, while the rest of his team took the AXP. Ryan and Caine use the HKs with high speed ammo. The other two of the team stuck with the microwave rifle. They headed out to recover the cut of parts. Newman was controlling a container to move there. It was no big deal to do this. Then they started the search for the other jammer. Through the surface drones they had already a triangulation. On the way to it they disabled all the cameras by shooting them with the alien rifle. This was the job of Anderson and Fujita which had one. The rest of SW-3 use HKs. Finally, they found the jammer and destroyed it with the alien rifle. It was not heavy armored or shielded.

“SW-3 and SW-6 go back to the bikes. SW-3 will now plant the charges while SW-6 is covering from the other side with one rocket launcher. Hold the needed distance and position the bikes for fast retreat. I will now blast the hole on the left side of the lift for SW-3,” Ryan ordered. “SW-5 move on. SW-4 support us.”

They went to the position and Anderson shot the holes for the charges, then Caine placed them. This time they wanted a bigger hole. After they went back Caine triggered them remotely.

As SW-3 arrived, Ryan remembered them to disable the cameras first. Then they went down with the bikes. It took not much time to get rid of the cameras. But Newman and Samuel did another scan to be more sure. So SW-6 had enough time to get in place with the heavy weapons, while SW-3 was waiting for the scans to finish. Finally, the scans where done.

Yamada and his team parked the bikes close enough to jump on them fast if needed. Placing the charges worked without problem. They were now activated and waiting for the encrypted signal. Drones were in position to relay the signal if needed. SW-3 went back up and informed SW-6 to also leave.

Everyone formed up at the cave entrance to discuss the next steps.

On the Icarus the Captain was in a conference with the hacking team.

“Kelsey, what options do we have now?” the Captain asked.

“We spied on their network. So after a long analysis of this data, we have the needed command to open the door. Their security seems to be low. But when we send this command they can also send a close command afterward. The door is opening slowly. Depending on their response time the door won’t open enough to use the charges. This means we need diversions that let them not see what is happening