The Valkyrie War

The Valkyrie War

Ben ducked behind a low wall the whine of a high-velocity bullet passed over his head fragments of mortar and dust spraying him as it skimmed a wall on his right. Jaco and Pete scrambled to cover close by as more shots rang out from the ruined buildings not more than a hundred and fifty metres away. Ben surveyed the dusty street ahead as best he could from his position just as Jane holding her helmet on with one hand crept close. Their situation did not look good the cultists had them pinned in a crossfire. Ben pressed the button on the side of his helmet, lowering his visor which displayed a tactical readout of the terrain in front of him. He switched to targeting mode. The heads-up display flashed up multiple threats ahead on both sides of the street and directly in front and more closing in fast

“Damn those bloody cultists how did they get so many here so quick?” Ben said to no one in particular as he raised his visor again he didn’t trust the new helmets much preferring to use his own senses.

“Don’t know sarge this is not what we bought into there were only supposed to be a small group of cultists on this colony according to the governor and the brass back home” Pete answered his voice cracking slightly with the tension they all felt.

Ben looked up, squinting his eyes he could just make out the second moon through the glare of the sun he wished he was back home on earth instead of on a planet that cooked you during the day and near turned you into an ice cube at night. Pete was right; the cultists were too well organised, this time around. This was the third planet were the cultists had risen to cause rebellion. No one knew much about them, but they seemed to be spreading across the galaxy like a plague Ben reflected bitterly. He returned his attention to the dusty street ahead heat waves shimmered in the midday sun; the firing stopped for the moment.

“Not feeling homesick again, Ben?” Jane asked with a smile as Ben turned to face her.

“Just a little Jane, but just keep smiling like that and I’ll soon forget about home,” he replied grinning.

Ben studied the young woman facing him; her file said she was a refugee born on this planet her parents killed by cultists. The brass back at the governor’s place in Galport interviewed her at length. Then assigned her to his team with the vague notion she knew her way around and could help route the cultists from hiding; he had protested; it wasn’t that Jane was a woman he objected to. Instead because, Jaco, Pete, and himself always worked alone before; they were a team. However, to his surprise, it wasn’t long before Jane fitted right in as if she always had been a part of the team. Jane was an attractive and unusual woman, and quite capable of looking after herself as several of the squadies back at base found out when they tried it on with her. One had a dislocated a shoulder for his trouble two others got off slightly better with just a few bruises now they all gave her a wide berth, and she earned the nickname Ice.

“Hey, Jane, why don’t you strip off and run down the street while there all goggling at you we can pick them off,” Jaco said smirking. His bawdy sense of humour still in evidence. Jane turned and stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to Ben. She tolerated Pete and Jaco with good grace, but she only ever let Ben touch her.

There was a couple of sticky combat situations since Jane joined them that somehow, she helped them get out of. Jaco & Pete couldn’t figure out how but they put it down to luck. They considered Jane as their good luck charm. Only Ben knew Jane’s secret, and he still had trouble believing it according to Jane, it would not be too long before everyone knew.

“And then you know what will really hit the fan,’ Ben thought wryly.

“Time to call in some backup” Ben said lowering his visor he spoke into his mike calling in for air support

“I don’t give a damn what you think the place is crawling with them get us some air support now!” Ben shouted into the mike after a brief pause, Ben relayed the coordinates for the strike.

“HQ, giving us aggro again sarge,” Pete called across from where he lay peering through a gap in the wall. The firing started again this time the enemy used lasers as well as conventual weapons as the team returned fire.

“No more than usual, Pete,” Ben replied as he picked off another cultist.

“How come we always get the first patrol anyway,” Jaco said it was his favourite gripe even though the rest of the team knew as Jaco did that they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Because it’s what we are best at silly,” Jane replied teasingly as a warm breeze rose, blowing strands of her braided blonde hair around her shoulders.

“Here comes the strike,” Jaco started to say then noticing two missiles streaking towards the bomber. “Oh crap, they’ve got anti-aircraft capability as well now.” He said as a missile struck the aircraft, it exploded in a massive fireball

“Now what?” Pete asked

“Better fall back to a more secure position without air support we don’t stand a chance,” Ben said as the cultists advanced on their position. “Tell the rest of the men, Pete,”

“Yo,” Pete signalled for the men to fall back. “Hey were is Jane she was here a moment ago,” Pete said, looking around.

Ben swore, Jane disappearing like that could only mean one thing!