"Personal Journal of Major Johnny Chee, SFMC: Day 553. Late last night it started raining. It's been raining continuously ever since. Ugly weather in which to fight a war.
"Not long after King Zdeev's accession speech, a bright blue-white beam impacted in the general direction of the crater. This was, of course, seen as an auspicious sign from the Unknown to finish driving away the demons.
So we began mobilizing almost immediately afterward.
"The trenches are manned, and I feel sorry for the poor bastards who are getting flooded out as we speak. Our forward units are reporting contact with the enemy; shots have been exchanged and apparently we're carrying the day. A main force of 10,000 T'rais awaits us, however. These first units may be forward observers. Once the weather clears I'll order our planes up to see where the enemy encampment is so we can commence shelling it. Without clear weather, however, the artillery is going to have a damned tough time.
"Based on reports from runners (I wish we'd gotten that radio set to work!) the enemy lies to our north about ten kilometers from the city limits. They are armed with copies of our bolt-action rifles they somehow managed to obtain. Fortunately our heavier weapons, like the mortars and rockets and Gatling guns, have remained out of their hands, but the T'rais are smart. There's no reason why they don't have these things on their own already.
"Waratz and I decided to hold the enemy as far away from the city as possible. Since Portanus V lacks proper riding mounts (their main domesticated animal is a large, dumb six-legged brute that looks like a purple yak) we have no way to mount cavalry to harass the enemy. What I wouldn't give for a few horses or camels or even the glap'ta from Xenon III right now. Or better yet, a tank or two! But riding beasts saw fit not to evolve here, and our one try at building a tank proved extremely unreliable and likely to get whoever drove it killed faster than the enemy could manage. The Portanans, I've learned, evolved from sentient toads millions of years ago and as such don't mind the wet weather terribly. I, on the other hand, am a child of the desert. They can keep this rain, thank you!
"But it is what we have, so we march ever on."
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The front has advanced another four leagues," Waratz told Johnny. "The forward enemy line is disintegrating; if we keep pushing we can have contact with the main force by nightfall!"
"Excellent! If this weather lets up we can soften them up with the artillery!"
"And those new pieces of yours will make them really soft!" Waratz exclaimed, laughing. "Suppose the weather doesn't let up? We'll have to go in with rifles and bayonets, just like the old days!" That the old days were less than a year ago had no impact on Waratz. Everything pre-Johnny was "the old days" these days.
Outside, amid the pouring rain, the snap of rifle fire could be heard, occasionally punctuated by bursts from Gatling guns. This was an infantry fight, for sure. With such poor visibility mortars and field pieces were worse than useless: the probability of a round landing behind one's own lines was extremely high. Lately, though, the sounds had abated. "We'll need to move our command post forward. Otherwise the runners won't get here in time. Besides, I like to be able to see more of what's going on," Johnny told Waratz.
"Agreed. Orderlies!"
Within moments the tent containing the command post for the Armies of Flor was disassembled and packed on the backs of an eight-man squad. Johnny and Waratz donned helmets, drew their pistols, and moved forward.
Around him the sounds of the dead and dying on both sides could be heard, the purple blood of Portanans mingling with the deep red blood of the T'rais. Johnny looked upon the works of the mighty, and despaired. Keep moving, or you'll be adding some bright red Human blood to that mess as well!
The skies started to break two leagues closer to the main line; the storm was beginning to disperse. Johnny called up a runner. "Pass the word to all artillery commanders: as soon as visibility improves to one league, commence firing on the main enemy formation at these coordinates," he ordered, giving the map grid coordinates of the location of the main T'rais body.
The runner scampered off, wisely keeping his head low as he moved along the ground at an amazing speed. Suddenly the world came crashing down!
Everything went silent for a moment, then Johnny looked up. Waratz had been torn to shreds by something; Johnny figured it was a hand grenade as he didn't hear it coming. Two of the porters were wounded. Johnny reached for the first aid kit on his belt and began treating the wounded porters. "Everyone, disperse! Drop the tent gear and disperse! That's an order!" he yelled, forgetting that he was now a general and not a major anymore. We must be closer to the front than I thought!
In fact, Johnny and company had wandered into No Man's Land during the rainstorm. The sun was breaking through the clouds, casting an eerie blue glow across the landscape. Artillery fire began sounding off up and down the Portanan lines. Loud explosions, followed by the screams of the T'rais troops, displayed the horrible efficacy of these weapons. Unlike Johnny's troops, the T'rais had not been drilled to respond to "modern" armament. Johnny almost pitied them. Almost.
Picking up his map case, Johnny moved back toward the Portanan lines as quickly as he could.
It didn't take long, as the Portanan lines advanced. The artillery was bogged down in the mud and could not advance forward with the lines. However, the weather had dried enough for the flamethrowers to prove reliable.
Platoon leaders ordered their troops out of the trenches to begin a massed bayonet charge into the T'rais formation, led by the flamethrowers. As much as he wished he could be with them, Johnny knew his place now to be behind the lines. He watched with horror as the flamethrowers did their work, and wished he'd never introduced those unholy weapons. One Portanan flamethrower carrier had been hit in the fuel tank by a T'rais bullet. The entire unit exploded, taking its operator with it. Other T'rais picked up the idea and soon the flamethrowers had to fall back. The rest of the infantry, backed by the more portable mortars, waded in.
Within moments the battle was all but finished. The main T'rais formation broke and scattered. Johnny sent runners to send orders to the flanking units to close in and mop up. Korath pathfinders he'd secretly dispatched to the T'rais rear would pick off the stragglers. Victory was in sight!
Then the landing craft appeared. Twenty of them! The T'rais reinforcements, awaited for a millennium, had finally arrived!
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Location: USS Dawn
"Sir, the assault craft is discharging landing craft!" Bortu exclaimed.
Lataro pushed the engine as hard as he could to get the Dawn in range of the T'rais assault. "Dawn to Virgo. We need backup and we need it now!" he called.
[Acknowledged, Commander. We're on our way!] Captain Maruu responded.
"Are we in range of the planet at all?" Jenara asked.
"Just barely! We're out of weapons range, and just barely within transporter range. We can't risk a drop right now, ma'am!" Bortu responded.
"I'm not talking about a full drop; just send me! I can at least get word to Johnny, if he's alive, and get him out of there!"
"That's fine, but do we even know where he'd be?" Barek asked from the back of the runabout.
"Long range scans indicated that there's only one continent on the planet, and only one city of any size on that continent. Put me near that city and I'll bet you fifty bars of gold-pressed latinum Johnny's going to be there!"
"Are we close enough to at least ensure she doesn't beam down into the ocean?" Lataro asked.
"Aye, sir. Targeting resolution for the transporter is at 50 meters and closing!"
"Okay, Lieutenant, prepare to beam down!"
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Location: Portanus V
Johnny saw them high up in the atmosphere descending rapidly. They were well out of rocket range, which was just as well because the guided rockets were tasked to defend Flor anyway. On their current trajectory the T'rais landing craft would set down between the main body of the Portanan army and the walls of Flor. Not a good tactical situation for equal forces, but considering that the Portanans had 19th-century technology at best and the T'rais arriving were in many respects more advanced than the Federation, it only meant that the T'rais could kill two birds with one stone.
A bazooka team saw the landing craft as well. They were about 1000 meters up, near the effective range of the bazooka. The team fired, but the weapon's low muzzle velocity didn't allow the round to maintain altitude. It instead followed a parabolic trajectory and annihilated a Gatling gun team 20 meters away from Johnny. Lacking a runner, Johnny grabbed the first infantryman he could find. "Get to as many bazooka teams as you can. Tell them not to fire on the incoming craft at altitudes above thirteen falk!"
"As you command, Sire!" the trooper, not knowing Johnny was no longer Dictator, replied.
As the craft grew closer, Johnny could see sparks as rifle fire glanced off their hulls. A rocket team from the city walls fired. The rocket slammed into the T'rais craft's cockpit and exploded. The landing craft heeled over and crashed before the city walls. More rockets were fired. Johnny noted with amazement that the guidance system was about 80% accurate. Three more landing craft were destroyed and five more damaged. But there were only fifty of the expensive rockets available. The exhaustion of the entire supply only destroyed six of twenty landing craft. The rest had landed, more or less intact, and were disgorging their troops. And armored vehicles.
Johnny found another runner and sent a dispatch with him ordering all artillery, mortar, and bazooka teams to commence firing on the landing craft. They really didn't need the order, though. As soon as the craft hit the dirt the howitzers opened up with fragmentation rounds. Then the mortars started to fire. The troops manning the city walls began sniping at the disembarking T'rais. For a moment, it looked as though they'd accomplished the impossible as a T'rais tank was destroyed by an armor-piercing bazooka round. Good to know they're adequate for their intended purpose.
But only for a moment. The T'rais troops gathered their wits. Their wand weapons were useless against projectiles but the phaser rifles they'd started carrying were extremely effective against the Portanans. Within seconds the T'rais fired phaser rifles and destroyed five of the howitzers. Their ammunition supply cooked off and killed dozens of Portanan soldiers. The Portanan soldiers were frightened but did not break their lines. This time they were determined to ensure that the demons would have no place in their world, or they'd die trying.
It looked distressingly like the latter option was being observed.
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Jenara beamed down amid a scene of chaos. Portanan soldiers running everywhere, the muddy ground littered with the dead and dying. It was a scene of total carnage. The T'rais had landed. The native troops were surprisingly better armed than she'd expected. Johnny's alive, or at least he was!
Jenara saw a Portanan soldier wearing a red and gold surcoat and carrying what looked to be a bag like those mail carriers used to use. She read his thoughts and determined he was a messenger of some sort. That'll give me a way to get to Johnny, assuming he's still here! She shifted into a copy of the dispatch runner and followed him on his errand.
As she followed the runner, she found herself surprised by the amount of noise and poor visibility on the battlefield. It took twenty minutes to reach Johnny, whom Jenara recognized immediately. He was looking over a map and sending messages via other runners to unit commanders.
Jenara ran up to him. "Sir, I have a message for you!"
"Go ahead, runner!" Johnny answered.
Jenara shifted back to her usual form.
The look on Johnny's bedraggled, scarred, tired, dirty face could not have been more priceless!
"We'll talk later, dear. In the meantime, here's something you might find of use!" she said, handing him a phaser.
"Jenara you have never looked more beautiful" Johnny yelled above the battle. He took the phaser, its feel suddenly comfortable in his hand, and fired on the closest T'rais landing craft. A direct hit to the engine! The craft exploded immediately.
Jenara took aim at a T'rais fire team that had been systematically butchering Portanan artillery and mortar crews. They vaporized instantly.
"Keep moving, honey, or else they'll get a fix on us! Any reinforcements on the way, by any chance?" Johnny asked.
"You could say that!" she answered. "Chee to Dawn. Begin the drop!"
Immediately, fourteen Starfleet Marines beamed down in a line across the front. Johnny's tactical helmet appeared at his feet. He slapped it on immediately.
"Barek, did you set this up?" he asked.
<No, sir! You know it requires an officer to authorize an assault like this!>
Johnny looked at Jenara. She shrugged and gave Johnny a mischievous grin.
"You've got a good skirmish line there! I'm sending runners out to inform my troops here not to shoot at you guys!" Johnny replied, giving a written order to a dispatch runner.
"We've got them pinned against the city walls but if their armor really gets going, or if they get any more phasers on the field we've had it! Aim for officers, heavy equipment, and anyone not one of you carrying a phaser!" Johnny ordered.
A bright flash to his left, followed by the explosion of an entire landing craft, marked Private Maxon's appearance with the photon antitank weapon. Another to the right signaled van der Merwe's entry into the fight.
The Portanans rallied and began a charge back toward the city walls. The thoroughly confused T'rais began activating their "laser sword" wands to fend off the sudden appearance of opposing phasers. For every phaser shot a T'rais deflected, however, twenty rifle rounds ripped the enemy soldier apart. An initial landing force of well over a thousand T'rais was decimated inside of half an hour.
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Location: USS Virgo
"Captain, we're within range of the T'rais vessel," Ensign Arlita reported.
"Excellent. Hail them!" Captain Maruu replied.
"Attention T'rais vessel. This is Captain Stephen Maruu of the Federation starship Virgo. Why are you initiating combat activity in this system?"
[This is Sector Commander Krax. We are dispatching a punitive strike to end a rebellion on one of our colony worlds. This matter does not concern the Federation!]
"Please be advised, Commander Krax, that we do have a runabout performing scientific research in this sector. Any action against that runabout will be viewed as an overt act of hostility against the Federation and will be answered with deadly force," Maruu answered.
[We are not responsible for your lost vessel. You should perhaps interrogate its master once you locate him!]
"Captain, the T'rais vessel is dispatching fighters!" Arlita reported.
If that's not an admission of guilt I don't know what is! "K'Lara, plot an intercept course. I want that transport!" Maruu ordered.
"Aye, sir!" K'Lara acknowledged, resisting the urge to open fire on the T'rais.
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Location: USS Dawn
Lataro saw the fighters deploy first. "Ensign, as you know it requires two people to adequately fly this runabout in combat," he told Bortu. "We only had two combat-qualified pilots with us, and one of them is on the planet's surface. You're about to get some on-the-job training!"
"Aye, sir! Ready to initiate countermeasures on your mark!" Bortu replied.
"Initiate countermeasures. We can count on the T'rais trying to use the original protocols they got from the Virgo. That will give us a little bit of time, and some more before they figure out how to defeat these new countermeasures."
"Aye, sir. Tachyon field deployed," Bortu acknowledged.
"What's the disposition of the enemy force?"
"Fifteen fighters escorting three medium bombers. The fighters are identified as the Type Seven; the bombers are older Type Threes. The bombers appear to be slowing down the formation," Bortu reported.
"Good. Now, Ensign, do we go after the fighters or the bombers first?" Lataro asked.
"Destroying the fighters would protect us but expose anyone on the planet to attack, while attacking the bombers exposes us. I recommend going after the fighters. If the fighters are taken out of the battle then the bombers will be vulnerable and we can mop them up later."
"Yes, but the people on this planet won't be able to defend themselves from the bombers. Remember, they don't have adequate air defense," Lataro replied.
Bortu thought for a moment. "Unfortunately sacrifices need to be made. We stand a better chance of stopping the bombers if the fighters escort is eliminated. If the bombers are targeted first, then the fighters will eliminate us and still be able to initiate a strafing attack on the planet, creating an opening for a second wave of landing craft."
"Now you're beginning to understand, Ensign," Lataro replied as the Dawn blasted into the enemy formation. The fighters dispersed, their targeting computers blinded by the tachyon field surrounding the runabout. Two fighters hooked on to the tail of the Dawn.
"Dawn to Virgo. K'Lara, I could use some help here!"
A phaser volley from the Virgo destroyed the two fighters. Three more took their place. Lataro brought the runabout up into an Immelmann and blasted them with phaser fire as he completed the loop.
"Major Chee showed me that! It's an Immelmann!" Bortu exclaimed.
"Just one of many acrobatic maneuvers useful in combat," Lataro replied. Tapping a few commands, he caused the runabout to heel over and execute a 180-degree flip, leaving yet another fighter behind at a higher altitude relative to the Dawn. "That was a barrel roll. It's primarily a defensive maneuver and a good counter in case someone uses an Immelmann against you! I'll fly for now, and you shoot!"
Lataro and Bortu continued to work their way through the T'rais squadron. The bombers continued on their way, seemingly oblivious to what was happening to their escort. Soon they settled into orbit around the planet.
The Virgo destroyed two of them before the third entered the atmosphere.
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Location: Portanus V
The Portanan troops were mopping up the remnants of the original T'rais attack force. Under instructions from Johnny they were salvaging what they could of the weapons and other equipment the invaders had brought with them. Prisoners were being marched to the dungeon in Flor. As they passed through the main thoroughfares, the citizens of Flor, hearing that victory had been achieved, began cheering and throwing garbage and emptying chamber pots on the procession of prisoners. The "demons" had been rendered mortal!
"We've got plenty of cleanup work to do after this as it is," Johnny replied to one of his officers upon hearing this news. "Flor has put up with too much from these people. A little garbage and manure on the streets isn't something we can't handle!" Besides, the streets'll probably still be cleaner than they were when I came here!
Johnny activated the com circuit in his helmet. "Platoon, sound off!"
Everyone checked in. "All right, people, it looks like this fight is over!" Johnny yelled. The Portanan troops began cheering. A runner from the Korath scouts in the rear lines reported that the remnants of the native T'rais force had been neutralized. I'll just bet they have! Johnny thought. There was even less love lost between the Korath and the T'rais than between Flor and the T'rais!
"Well, it looks like you've been busy here!" Jenara told him. She rushed forward to embrace Johnny, who suddenly yelled in pain. They both looked down at his right arm. His arm, in fact, his whole right side, had been riddled with shrapnel from the grenade that had killed Waratz. For nearly an hour Johnny had been running the battle while severely wounded. He collapsed.
Jenara tapped her com badge. "Zelansky, get to my position with your medkit now!"
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Location: USS Dawn
Between the Dawn and the Virgo most of the fighters had been destroyed. One fighter, however, had managed to get off a lucky shot. The Dawn rocked with the blast. The runabout controls shorted and electrocuted Jon Lataro.
"Dawn to Virgo! Commander Lataro is down!" Bortu reported. "He needs immediate medical attention!"
[Ensign, you'll have to hold your own. We can't drop the shields right now!] Captain Maruu replied. The assault transport was firing on the Virgo. [We'll do what we can for you as soon as possible but try to remain calm and keep your vessel out of the line of fire as much as possible!]
The young ensign was on his own. Suddenly his wits came about him. The bomber had made it into the atmosphere!
Immediately Bortu took helm control and brought the Dawn about, heading for the planet's surface. If I don't stop that bomber all this will have been for nothing!
Meanwhile, fifteen kilometers above the surface of Portanus V, the T'rais bomber launched a cruise missile. Bortu saw it. Even if I could warn them there's nothing they can do, and transporter control is gone! Only one thing left to do!
Bortu tapped in a command to the Dawn's helm. The runabout's computer plotted a tractrix to intercept the missile.
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Location: Portanus V
Johnny's platoon had gathered around their fallen leader. Zelansky ran his tricorder over Johnny's wounds, administering a hypospray of cordrazine. "It looks like he's taken shrapnel in his arm and his upper thigh. I've controlled any infection and most of the bleeding but we'll need to perform surgery to get the metal fragments out. If we had a transporter available I could probably pull it off but we don't just now."
Two Portanan healers approached. "If you'll permit us, we can help you. Our skills may not be as advanced as yours, but we have treated Johnny before," they said, showing where Johnny had cut his hand open months before. The suture work had been very neat and there was little scarring. "We know of how to control infection and of the need for sterility in surgery. But we will need help with effective anesthesia and his overall physiology."
"Ma'am, it's your call. You're the senior officer on the ground now, and his next of kin. For some reason we can't raise the Virgo," Zelansky said.
"Do it," Jenara said. "But you go with them, Private." She still had her doubts about the once miscreant young man but upon closer acquaintance with him had seen the change in his character.
"Yes, ma'am. All right. Let's get him up on a stretcher, but keep his back straight! Do you have a medical facility in that city?"
The Healers nodded. "Our facilities are the finest on the planet!" they boasted. That they were the only facilities on the planet was immaterial.
"I've got him stabilized, and he should keep long enough to get to the city. Once we get him there, though, we'll have to start operating immediately!"
The Portanan commanders had the situation outside the walls well under control. Jenara was ready to order the platoon inside the city walls when an alarm in Johnny's tactical helmet sounded. Jenara put it on, struggling with the unfamiliar displays.
"Dear God! There's a cruise missile headed toward the city! Estimated yield five megatons!"
Everyone looked at one another. There was no way they could get far enough from the city in time!
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Location: USS Dawn
Bortu killed the communications circuit. Captain Maruu was ordering him back to the ship. But he couldn't do that just now. Commander Lataro needed help, but there were sixteen more Starfleet personnel on the planet who were in danger. To say nothing of a large city!
The Dawn vectored in on the bomber while Bortu grabbed a medkit and stabilized the commander. He'd live, but he would need proper medical attention soon. One thing at a time! He retook the controls of the runabout and targeted the bomber. Defensive phasers shot out from the bomber but Bortu dodged them, using the techniques Lataro had explained. Soon he got a lock on the bomber and fired a full-strength phaser blast. The bomber exploded.
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Location: Portanus V
The explosion of the bomber could be heard in and around Flor just about the time that the contrail from the cruise missile became apparent. Suddenly the city was in panic! The signs were just as they had been in the Day of the Demons!
Only Jenara and the Marines knew the significance of a small, bright dot moving rapidly behind the contrail, however. "Chee to Dawn. Please respond!"
[This is Dawn, ma'am!] Bortu replied. [I have acquired the missile!]
A bright flash was followed shortly by an even brighter flash. For a moment, they thought the warhead on the missile had detonated. But the flash was not big enough or bright enough, and was soon followed by a sonic boom as the runabout passed overhead!
[Target destroyed! If you'll clear me a landing area I'll set this thing down! I have wounded aboard!] Bortu reported.
"Acknowledged! Set it down at my coordinates!" Jenara replied. "Everyone, clear a landing zone!" The Marines dispersed and began clearing out the debris of battle to form a place for Bortu to land. Once the runabout set down, Zelansky left Johnny to the healers' care and treated Lataro.
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Location: USS Virgo
Back in space, the T'rais transport was in serious trouble. A hit by the Virgo to its docking bay had disabled its ability to disgorge more troops or fighters. Most of the rest of the ship's systems had been damaged. The Virgo, on the other hand, thanks to its ablative armor, and its new tactical and countermeasures programming, was almost completely undamaged.
"Virgo to Krax. Strike your colors now, and we'll help your wounded!" Maruu offered.
[This is Sector Commander Krax. I do not want to surrender but neither do I want to see more of my warriors killed. I accept your terms.]
"Bridge to Sickbay. Prepare to receive wounded! All hands, secure from battle stations!"
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Location: Portanus V
Upon hearing the news, the city of Flor broke out in celebration the likes of which it had not seen in its entire history. The demonic legions of the Ghann had been destroyed!
Everyone, that is, except for a few individuals. Two Healers and a Starfleet Marine corpsman who were working to save the life of the man who had made it possible. That man's wife, who was anxiously awaiting the outcome of thesurgery. His associates, Human, Bajoran, Vulcan, Betazoid, and Ferengi, who were grateful for the outcome of the battle and the unexpected news that their leader had not been killed after all. A Portanan monarch and his wife, concerned about the life of a man who was at once their mentor and a valued subject. And a Starfleet ensign who had just returned a very big favor.
One of the Healers stepped out of the operating theater, which looked much like an early 20th-century operating theater on Earth. "We've managed to remove the shrapnel and close the wounds. Your man Zelansky is using some eldritch device to regenerate his blood. He's awake and talking!" the surgeon exclaimed as he hurried passed the waiting throng.
"What's he saying?" Jenara asked.
"I quote: 'Why the hell are you worried about me? Get to working on the real wounded now!'" Punctuating his remark were a number of stretcher-bearers carrying in horribly wounded Portanan soldiers.
Johnny walked out, dressed in a light robe. Everyone stared at the man they though was dead. "What's everyone looking at? You look as if you've seen a ghost!"
"You could say that," Jenara said as she rushed into his arms. The rest of the party decided to give them a moment alone.