Alien Mine Ch. 24

The BCI chip had been implanted a month ago, and he was still getting used to it. Rhys had explained to them during training that the capabilities were basic but would get better. Still, it allowed his men to use a simplified version of tac-grid that in itself was a significant force multiplier. Captain Yair had never imagined something like this, a battlefield tool that linked his men together with a simplified 3-D Heads Up Display. They were still discovering the ramifications of the technology and had trained intensively developing new tactical doctrines. Rhys had warned them many times not to become too "tech-focused just because they got a snazzy new toy that made them feel invincible. The Captain looked at the top right corner of the HUD, and it changed into a display of the twenty other men with him. He could focus on each of them, but that was digital overload. Jessica could do it, but it was too much for him, especially during combat. One last check as the assault craft came to hover five meters over the roof of the house, then the bottom opened up, and they were falling.

An explosion blew a hole in the roof half a second before Yair and five of his men arrived. They continued to fall, hitting the floor, already firing as the armor absorbed the shock. Despite his new interface, Yair acted on instinct, firing at the first thing he saw instead of assigning targets as they had practiced. His first round took off a man's head, and the second turned into a long burst as a roach scurried across the room's interior, firing as it went. The Trangrods concentrated their fire even as they dodged, and one of his men went down with multiple hits. Yair was moving fast, and ricochets pinged off his armor as he found his target just as the combined fire of the four remaining soldiers blew one of the Trangrods apart. Grenades blew the other roach onto its back, where heavy bullets from the BFWs tore it apart. There was more firing in the other part of the compound as his men killed the remaining guards. The weapons-grade uranium was sitting on the floor, one heavy container about half a square meter in size still intact despite the heavy fire. "Thank god," Yair thought. He would have hated to have to explain to Jessica why there was a severe radiation leak.

"Target secured," he reported to her. "One dead, one slightly wounded."

"Roger, my targets in sight; see you back at the base," Jessica replied.

In the cafe, her drones caught a motion by another woman sitting at a table in the far corner. Jessica had ignored her, making a classic mistake by dismissing the woman as a threat, but the small automatic weapon she pulled from her robes was real. Jessica was already moving as the woman pulled the trigger, the bullets spraying across the café, one of them glancing off the side of her head. Patrons in the café screamed as the automatic fire hit some of them, sending the men she had followed scrambling for safety. Stunned for a second, she almost didn't have time to react to the Om parasites, but her nanobytes did. Her necklace dissolved as they flowed out of her neck in a silvery cloud, and the screeches from the Om parasites drowned out all other sounds in the surrounding area. Jessica was already moving as the nanobytes broke down the Om parasites. She drew a pistol in her left hand and put two bullets through the woman's head without ever looking back, using tac-grid to target her.

At the same time, a blue-tinged beam shot out of her right hand, and with a slashing movement, she decapitated two of them. Kazim had been quicker, jumping over the food bar and running out through the kitchen. The beam followed, drilling a two-centimeter-sized hole in the back of his head. As he dropped, Jessica turned and leaped out the door of the café after Jahangir. He had been the quickest, but still not fast enough. Jessica extended her hand, moving it in a slight waving motion as the blue beam wove around men and women in the street. Jahangir was trying to use them as human shields, "so typical," she thought, and it might have worked if she had just been trying to shoot him. Jessica moved her hand as if swatting a fly, then squeezed her hand into a fist. The beam slid around a woman and went immediately behind her toward Jahangir, forming a sickle in front of his neck. Jessica let him run through it, neatly decapitating himself.

There were screams as blood shot from his neck, spraying those closest to him. Jessica melted back into the crowd, quickly losing herself in the crowded alleyways. The two dogs had paralleled her movements, but there was no sign of the Om. Jahangir had failed to live up to his name, "ruler of the world." Instead, he was probably someone's bytch in some hell reserved for monsters like him, or at least she hoped so.

*** Three months later

"Miranda is finally up and running," Jack told Rhys with some satisfaction. "It went smoother than I expected, and everyone there is a volunteer or most of them. The engineers and scientists were fighting for a spot, but a few had to be volunteered. Leslie is in charge for now, and Carson, Anita's husband, is running logistics. He's a good administrator and can probably replace Leslie on the civilian side of things in a few months." They hadn't settled on a military commander yet. Miranda would primarily be a military facility and an R&D center.

"Good Job," Jack; "I appreciate it," Rhys said, meaning every word. Rhys had delegated more and more to the military leaders he thought could handle it. The US, Russian, and even the Israeli military were undergoing significant leadership changes as peacetime Generals and Admirals concerned only about their careers were ruthlessly weeded out and replaced with fighters and problem solvers. There was no time to be gentle, and Kiania was rapidly reorganizing the current military structure to fight the Om. For now, she was laser-focused on building a fighting force from NATO countries, along with Russia and Israel. At the same time, they were still fighting a low-level conflict in China while actively encircling and containing the Om, so much had to be delegated.

"General Kelly is making progress organizing the marine division, Rhys said with some satisfaction. US Marines will make up the bulk of it, but other countries are providing men. He is not really happy about it; the multinational aspect complicates things, but the General will get it done. The Army contingent is coming together also, but I want you in command, Jack. You have the most experience of anyone fighting the Om, and you have a good idea of what we will be facing. I have already cleared it with Anita and the Chiefs of Staff."

"Yes, sir," Jack said while thinking how many senior officers would be furious. He didn't have this kind of command experience; he had only been a major a short while ago, and now Rhys was asking him to coordinate a division.

"Don't look so sour. Tell me who are the best available officers to help and I will get them, but I want you in the field leading when we attack the Om. You have worked with Kiania; you know the Om tactics. These other Generals will try and fight like they would against a human opponent, and we will lose if that happens. Make no mistake, casualties will be high, Jack. This will be a meat grinder, and we will have to feed troops into the fight no matter what. Your experience will save lives, and that is more important than worrying about seniority."

"The seniority issue will cause problems, Rhys, but I don't have the experience to lead a division."

"Don't worry, Kiania will be there, and I will ensure you get the best staff officers available. But listen Jack; I want a short chain of command; don't let other officers influence your best judgments. You have fought the Om and survived; it's you I want in command when the men go in. It is you the men will want when shit hits the fan, and it will hit hard. You have six months to get them ready."

Rhys knew he was pushing Jack; he was pushing all of them. In ten years, he had to be ready to fight a completely different battle in space against an Om starship, and he couldn't do that with the Om still entrenched on Earth. Kiania had them boxed in for the most part, though they were still finding ways to slip out to grab people and animals. There was a constant stream of casualties; the men gained experience but paid a high price. China still simmered with occasional outbreaks of fighting, but most of the people were just trying to recover some semblance of their previous order. Famine was a real possibility, and the UN had organized an enormous relief effort.

At that moment, Sandy, the new UN ambassador for the US, was sitting in a UN Security Council meeting, tasting the emotions of those seated around the table with her. The membership had undergone a change; China had been replaced with Israel over the objections of many of the other member states, but possession of alien technology trumped other considerations. Rhys now controlled three of the five permanent members, and Great Britain could be counted on to vote with the US. Even the French were being reasonable. The threat of extinction tended to focus the minds of even the most quarrelsome members. Still, Sandy had met "privately" with several UN representatives to suggest changes to their positions and encourage a spirit of cooperation instead of confrontation.

Sandy knew it was a stop-gap measure; many of the countries they represented were often profoundly suspicious of outside powers. With China out of the way, India and Japan were the leading powers in Asia, and both were firmly committed to fighting the Om. With technology and money flowing into South America, Anita wielded considerable influence. Africa was the most unstable region and would require the most work. Rhys and Mika agreed that there should be a new UN President, and they should be from Africa. Sandy's hair would ensure that the new President would be a puppet, effectively putting Sandy in Charge.

Rhys had directed Anita to appoint Sandy as the US Ambassador to the UN despite warnings from Hua. Sandy knew she walked a tightrope; get out of line, and Rhys or Hua would kill her. So far, she had made it work, and Rhys needed her here. The future world government he wanted would come from the UN, and Sandy was laying the groundwork to consolidate power. Rhys had intended for Sandy, Anita, Mika, and Nelya to assume control over the next decade slowly, but that timetable had been rendered obsolete with just a few words from the AI. Ten years until the Om returned. Now, Sandy was subtly adjusting attitudes and allegiances among the delegates. Rhys hadn't ordered her to seduce any of them yet, though it was still an option. Sex with a beautiful woman has bought or changed many votes throughout human history.

"We now have enough votes in the General Assembly; Miranda will be officially recognized to lead the fight against the Om Master," Sandy reported as ordered with a flush of pleasure. The sensations of obeying Rhys were more intense than before her rebellion. Some of it was Rhys using her hair to program the desired response. However, Sandy suspected much of it was her symbiont's response (and perhaps her own) to the dragon that required submission. When Rhys used that form with her, he wasn't just Rhys. The dragon was "One", and it was fiercely dominating, demanding her submission. It had even invaded her sleep.

Sandy's dreams were tormented by predators, a giant dark dragon chasing her against a backdrop of fire and destruction. She was hunted, the dragon's chosen prey, and her dream version of herself could never escape. In her dream, Sandy was filled with terror as she was herded like an animal, corralled, and forcibly brought to heel. No longer was she strong and untamed, but instead domesticated, broken in like a wild mustang being taught to take a rider. But at the same time, the hunt touched something in her, something erotic in the way she was pursued, the way her body would submit when the dragon caught her, falling beneath the weight of her conqueror as it always did in her dream. Sandy would always awake then, terror and passion competing in her mind, her sex wet and ready, wanting and needing to be taken, but part of her mind still fighting for her freedom. She imagined how the dragon would take her, forcing that dragon-like cock deep inside her and demanding she surrender. Sandy's body desperately wanted to surrender, but then afterward, in her imagination, the dragon would stand with a foot on her neck in a display of conquest and humiliation. The worst part was she felt herself slipping, wanting to accept the slavery Rhys was demanding, kissing the dragon's foot as it pressed down on her neck.

"Good work. Was there any particular problem we need to deal with,"

"No, just the usual conspiracy theories."

Rhys was conscious of the warnings from Bob and Hua, but Sandy's frequent visits back to the base enabled Rhys to reinforce her status. He thought Sandy had nearly reached the end of her ability to live outside the rest of them; it was like being thrown out of a tightly-knit family, and she desperately wanted in. Rhys widened the tac-grid connection with Sandy, letting her see and feel his emotions. Sandy felt the sudden surge of emotions and immediately knew that Amancia and Leslie were making love to him. Leslie was kissing him, moaning softly as his hands tweaked her sensitive nipples, while the other part of the Binary had Rhys' cock deep in her throat. Sandy couldn't block the flood of raw sensual lust from the three bodies that drove her own immediate arousal. Amancia's chocolate skin contrasted with Leslie's paler look, and the way their bodies moved made it clear they were interlaced. Sandy was not only forced to watch and participate as a distant voyeur but one who could feel everything as if she were there. Amancia's lips worked urgently up and down the cock filling her mouth, and she squealed around it as Rhys' large hand casually spanked her bottom, urging her on. Leslie broke the kiss only to encourage Rhys. "Spank us harder," she begged before her lips were captured again.

Somehow, Sandy held herself still, sitting at the table, not giving any outward indication of the naked waves of lust that assaulted her senses from the three of them. This was beyond cruel, and Rhys ensured she felt all the pleasure they shared, but at the same time, Sandy knew she was the outsider; she could only look but not touch. Worse was that she could feel how much Rhys loved the girls. He would never do anything to hurt them; they were precious to him beyond anything. She had once enjoyed the same bliss; the love she and Rhys had shared made her happier than she had ever been. Now, that was shut off from her as well, and at times like this, the pain from the loss seemed more than she could bear.

The connection over tac-grid was like being there, and Sandy couldn't block it. She heard/felt Rhys groan as he exploded in Amancia's mouth, the slut greedily drinking it down, while the Binary writhed in pleasure as the orgasm swept over them, but not Sandy. The only outward sign was a tear that formed in the corner of her eye and slowly moved down her cheek.

Rhys held both bodies in his arms, the three of them momentarily sated. He could feel Sandy's anguish and regretted it on one level, but he knew it was necessary and effective. He was running out of time to resolve the "Sandy problem" and needed a resolution.

***

Kiania adjusted the aim of her weapon, a two-meter-long monster that could penetrate Om armor at five kilometers. Part projectile, part rocket, even she needed powered armor to control the recoil. Her first round took off a leg, causing return fire to be inaccurate. To his credit, General Kelly didn't even flinch as he fired his weapon, a three-round burst, but only one found its target, knocking the roach to the ground. His weapon continued tracking the Trangrod as it slipped behind a rock. Then the General switched to explosive rounds, destroying the rock and the Trangrod in a hellish series of explosions that churned the ground almost like an artillery barrage.

Kiania watched for more targets, but even the Om had learned that their tactics no longer worked against the increased firepower, at least above ground. The Centipedes were no longer a threat; better sensors could detect the tunnels they had used in the past, and if one did show its head, a swarm of drones would immediately attack. Kiania wondered why the Om hadn't deployed airborne drones to counter theirs. Rhys thought it was their nest mentality that they didn't seem to grasp the strategic implications of the three-dimensional battle space. Kiania wasn't so sure; any species that could fight in space had to understand the spatial concepts; battles between starships weren't fought in tunnels. They were missing something.

General Kelly looked through the targeting optics of his weapon, almost mesmerized by the link between his brain, armor, and the arms computer in the rifle. Five kilometers was unheard of in a standard infantry weapon, and the explosive force of the rounds was like having your own light artillery battery. Seeing movement, the arms computer zoomed in, and he switched from explosive to standard round with a mental command and then let off a short burst that ripped through the roach. "The recoil hits you really hard; thankfully, the armor absorbs most of the shock," he said to Kiania.

"Yeah, Thea is a genius at designing weapons, but she has really outdone herself with this one. It will not be nearly as useful in the tunnels though; you barely get one hundred meters, and not often. The way the Om build their nests, your fields of fire are restricted; that's what makes them so deadly."

"I haven't fought in them like you have; almost none of the soldiers have. The simulations are great; I've never seen anything like it for realism. But when you start taking real casualties, men will become spooked. These aren't humans we are fighting, and the idea of aliens will weigh heavily on their minds."

"I know," Kiania said. "Casualties will be high, but that's why we will be there in the fight. The men we send in must be led in person, and the battle will be fluid. That's the nature of fighting in a nest. We humans find it uncomfortable; whereas the Om are at home, they know how to fight there."

"I estimate twenty-five percent casualties," the General said solemnly while watching the area in front of him for movement. The drones in the air and on the ground would probably spot them before he would, but General Kelly loved the tech.

"Forty-five percent," Kiania said, "if we are lucky. If the attack fails, it could be as high as seventy percent."

"What happens if it fails? We still have them bottled up for now."

"Try and get an asteroid through their defenses, but that is a real risk. An impact that big will throw so much dust into the air it will cool the Earth dramatically, crops will fail, and famine will become a real issue. Best if we don't fail the first time."

"How are we getting in? The General asked, sighting down the barrel of his weapon. He didn't really need to; the link between weapon, armor, and the new chip in his brain projected the target in front of his eyes. Still, it was a force of habit as he scanned for alien movement. He and Kiania were surrounded by what she called Command Squad, and there were another fifty marines spread out in front and to the sides.

"Miranda is working on it," Kiania said, meaning Thea and Hua, as well as the entire research team they were putting together. Rhys and Sandy had been collecting the brightest minds humanity had to offer. "You will be briefed, of course, but not here, only on Miranda where we can be sure of security. We will only get one chance to surprise them, so we are keeping a close lid on it. Save that one for the General," she told the Marines in front of them as a roach scurried out of the tunnel they had identified. A shot removed an exposed leg, knocking the roach out from behind the rock. A burst from the General's gun finished it. They hadn't seen the energy weapon the Om used in a while, and Kiania guessed that the Om would have surprises for them as well. She made a note to start throwing surprises like that into the training sims.