All That Glitters Ch. 56

"Castan, that was Unaayel!" some one yelled.

Immediately, the guards fired into the air. "Get back from the fence line or you will be shot where you stand," a guard snarled.

************

"Where is the Lastoc (Captain of the Guard)?" Tarrest demanded as she entered the compound.

"Here Martte Tarrest," came the immediate reply.

"Are the sensors showing anything coming in this direction?" Tarrest demanded.

"Yes, Martte. There are several large shuttles coming down from orbit in our direction," the Commander replied.

"What kind of defences do you have?" Tarrest wanted to know.

"Against shuttles from space, not much, Martte. We are designed as a detention center not as a fortification. We do have some MANPADS available," the commander answered.

"Shit. What else do we have available?" Tarrest snapped.

"We have the robots," came a reply from the rear. "We have several hundred robots guarding the prisoners. We can release every second or third robot and send it in the direction of the shuttle port."

"Do that. Send in every second robot now. By the time those shuttles make it down, the robots should be there at the shuttle port," Tarrest snapped.

Tarrest opened her comms unit. "There is a group of shuttles coming down from orbit. Send the Torge Class ships up to intercept them."

************

"We've got four Torge Class coming up from the planet straight at us," the Science O of the NS Harrel Lamott called out.

"Comms O, let the fleet know. Send a warning to those Torge Class on the local Guard Channel. Weapons O, weapons free, engage if they do not break off after the warning or if they fire on us," Lt.(N) Carla Cassan, commanding the Harrel Lamott ordered.

"Unknown Vessels, you have entered Asocan Airspace illegally. Surrender your vessels or you will be fired on." The instructions came over the Guard Channel.

"Well, that tells us what we want to know," Lt. Cassan muttered.

"This is the Asoc's fleet. By order of the legitimate Asoc, >Catal Mutt Herrtt, stand down immediately or be destroyed," the Comms O returned.

"They're firing on us!" the Science O stated unnecessarily.

"Return fire!" Cassan ordered.

Immediately the Valours opened fire on all four Torge Class, destroying their guns. The four vessels broke off and headed back to the shuttle pad from where they originated.

"Follow them down," came the order from the NS Miles Medent, the lead ship of the mini fleet.

************

The Asoc's mini fleet found the detention center's shuttle port and set down beside Unaayel's shuttles, her forces swiftly overwhelmed the few guards left behind and the crews of the four Torge Class ships then began to move along the path to the compound.

"Be alert, no telling what kind of traps they may have set up on this trail," one of the Asocan Marine Grimn (Lieutenant) barked.

Cynthia Stewart came to the fore then, releasing her flyers into the air and directing them toward the compound. Those closest to her were watching the feed she received back from them.

"There is a large fenced-in compound with guard robots around it. Also a building with some guards around it. That will likely be the guard post," Cynthia said looking at the output from her flyers. "Shit! That's a lot of Asocans in that compound."

"Some of them do not look good," >Gorlat indicated. "They look like they are in medical distress."

"Why?" asked the Asost. "There seems to be plenty of fish in that swamp. Were they injured when they were placed in here? Does that mean they are not receiving medical care?"

"What is that?" one of the Asoc's security team demanded, pointing to things moving on the ground.

"It looks like they are sending some of the robot guards to intercept us," Cynthia replied. "We should inform the advance party to be aware of them."

It didn't take long for something to happen as the advance guard of the combined forces were suddenly confronted by a group of ten armed robots which immediately began to open fire on them.

The firefight was brief but fierce as the first wave of robots were taken out.

"We've got more of these things coming in," Mbibo heard from her earpiece.

"How many this time," she demanded.

"At least thirty of the damned machines," came the voice of an Asocan Marine. "With more of them following behind."

"How many could they have here?" someone asked.

"That compound is almost 11,000 meters in circumference. If you calculate one robot for every ten meters, that's over a thousand robots. We've only taken out ten of them and they are tough bastards to kill," one of Mbibo's Marines commented.

"Send up two of the Valour Class to engage the robots out in front of us, they are an obvious stalling tactic," Mbibo ordered. '"Be aware of what's behind your targets. We don't need stray rounds impacting that fenced in area."

The NS Harrel Lamott and the NS David Malcom jumped into the air, immediately seeing the bulk of the robots moving toward the shuttle port. They opened fire on those closest to the trees as firing on the robots further out would subject the prisoners to potential shrapnel from the Twin 50s.

************

The prisoners saw every second robot break off and scurry away to the West, toward where the prisoners suspected the shuttle port was hidden behind some trees.

As they watched, the prisoners heard a brief firefight, then saw two strange looking small craft float into the air and engage more robots with heavy rail guns. To the cheers of the prisoners, they made short work of the robots.

Mattan heard cursing coming from around the compound and saw four guards run forward. Two of them hefted brackets of some kind to their shoulders while the other two slipped rockets into the brackets, then stepped to the side, out of the way.

Those with the brackets took aim, and fired point-blank at the strange craft only to have the rockets explode harmlessly against their hulls. However, that was enough to cause the craft to back off and return to the shuttle port.

************

"MANAPADS!!" The Science O on NS David Malcom called out, too late to do anything as missiles were suddenly coming at the ship. The bridge crew felt the impacts against the hull.

"The Gara-Hinn shield held. We have not been damaged," Engineering called out from the rear.

"Right, we can't risk more shots fired at us. Set us back down at the shuttle pad and let the Marines take care of those guards," Lt.(N) Maricela Lazcano ordered.

"Mbibo, Maricela, both our Valours took a hit each from MANPADS. We are OK, but you need to clean out that vipers nest before we can return to the air. The shuttles don't have the shields. They could be destroyed by the MANPADS," Maricela sent out on the mini Tac Link the small task force was using.

"Roger that. You did a good job on those robots. I think we can make the compound now. We can see those two MANPADS teams. We'll take care of them," Mbibo returned.

The Marines rushed out of the tress, shouting orders to surrender over their suit speakers. Those guards foolish enough to ignore the order, died.

"We have more guards coming from the back side of the building," Mbibo heard. "Nix that! Those are not guards, those are human and Asocan Marines, it's Unaayel's team!"

Mbibo took the lead and set her forces where she wanted and needed them, including a section of Marines to clean out the robots surrounding the fenced area. The remainder of the groups engaged the enemy and the guards.

The Asocan Marines had been training with the Union Marines for months now and the two groups worked like a well oiled machine. They supported each other using fire and movement techniques to press the enemy, who fell back rapidly. The next moment, explosions began around Mbibo's teams as the enemy started throwing grenades at them.

"Carla, get your ship and the Malcom into the air. We have taken out the MANPADS but we need heavy fire support to supress the enemy around that building," Mbibo called out.

Both ships leapt into the air. Staying over the shuttle port to lessen the possibility of return fire, they used their 50mm to fire on the enemy forces at the rear of the building with telling results.

The enemy forces broke off and moved out into the surrounding forest, heading North.

The Marines began to fire on the robots that turned toward them, destroying them as they came at them from around both sides of the circular compound. The Marines ran forward to meet the robots destroying them as they moved. It was no easy task as these robots were tough.

Mbibo's main group moved on the building, ordering the guards to surrender and shooting any that opposed them. They were in no mood to be charitable to stupid guards.

"This is the Asoc!" >Catal called out. "Surrender now are be killed!"

On hearing the familiar voice of the Asoc, most of the guards surrendered, though a handful did not and were eliminated.

The Asoc entered the guard building and found the senior members of the guard's staff. She pulled them out to the compound gate just in time for it to be opened. What she saw in that compound appalled her.

Thousands of Asocans in various states of health were in the compound. Many of them were laying on the ground with their mouths open, labouring to breath. Then she saw two people she recognized, only their condition was beyond words.

"Gilli! Neron! What has happened to your hands?" the Asoc demanded.

"Unaayel challenged us and defeated us. She then took our hands in contempt of our loss, Asoc," Gilli replied. "As far as I know, she has challenged around forty-five of us. She killed fifteen outright, eight more committed suicide inside this compound. Another ten died of their wounds. There are only twelve of us left and some of us are in very bad shape."

"How is it that we did not see that on the news nets when everything else she did was broadcast?" the Asoc wondered.

"These challenges occurred five kilometers North of here in a small, raised area, Asoc," Gilli answered. "Unaayel recorded the events for her own enjoyment. She is quite literally insane, Asoc."

The medical teams rushed into the compound. Heyya came back several minutes later with someone that the Asoc recognized trailing behind.

"Guro<! How are you?" the Asoc asked.

"Better than many others here, Asoc. This area is poisoned by radiation from the Lost Shall. Those that have been here for some time are struggling, their bodies starting to shut down. They could be dead in days without proper medical care." Guro< informed her.

The Asoc turned on the Lastoc. "How is it that your people are not sick?" she demanded, real anger in her voice.

"We have been given pills to help prevent sickness and we spend much of our time in the building, which is shielded from radiation," the Lastoc replied with fear showing on his face.

"You knew that these people were being poisoned?" the Asoc growled.

"Yes, Asoc. We were ordered to prevent them from escaping the compound and instructed on pain of death not to help them medically in any way," the Lastoc replied.

"Such an order is illegal. If I didn't need your testimony against Unaayel, I would strike you down where you stand, you and all of your guards," the Asoc snarled.

"Heyya, get as many of those who are struggling into the building as soon as possible. We will need to treat in place until we finish taking down Unaayel and her cronies. Use my authority to call in whatever medical supplies you need," the Asoc ordered. "And use these damned guards for as much of the menial work as you need!

"Lt. Mbibo, I need to know where Unaayel has gone," the Asoc snapped.

"That's going to be tricky, Asoc. Lt. Cassan tells me that there is strong magnetic interference in this area. It is screwing up the sensors. We can't see more than two kilometers away.

"The engineers are working to counter that but I suspect we will have to do this the old fashioned way and track them," Mbibo replied.

"Unaayel is using the ground to her advantage," the Asost stated. "She likely knows the area and the threats. I will bet that there is a location not far from here that is relatively free from radiation poisoning. She will likely head there."

"We cannot spare many of our people to help here if we are going after Unaayel, Asoc," Mbibo indicated.

"We will have to call for medical support. What kind of numbers are we looking at?" the Asost demanded.

"At least 15,000," said a commanding voice coming out of the fenced area.

"Asoc, I would introduce Sarga Mutt Reta. She has been here for two weeks and is most knowledgeable about the compound and those within it," Guro< said. "She has become the defacto leader of the prisoners in the compound."

"Well met, Sarga. How is it that you have become the leader here?" the Asoc demanded.

"I have total recall memory, Asoc," Sarga replied. "It allows me to remember all those who have been imprisoned here. I was once the aide to my Mutt Gurn Reta. That provided me a firm base of information on the law. Not that it does us any good in here.

"However, when the last Gurn Reta died, the new High Gurn did not want my services. Tarrest wanted to recruit me to assist her and Unaayel. When I refused, I wound up in here," Sarga informed the Asoc.

"Consider yourself recruited whether you wish it or no," the Asoc told her. "The information you retain will be invaluable in listing the crimes against Unaayel and her clique. I also wish to be informed of all those who have died since this compound has been constructed."

"Most of those who died in here did so in an attempt to escape the compound, killed by the robot guards," Sarga continued. "Some took their own lives, mostly those like Gilli and others who lost their limbs to Unaayel or who got so sick they didn't want to keep on living.

"They only built this compound a little over a month ago and already four thousand have died in here," Sarga imparted.

A grim and determined Asoc and her teams moved North to find Unaayel, her friend Gilli leading them to the challenge area where they thought Unaayel would most likely be.

"You do not have to come with us, Gilli," the Asoc gently told her friend.

"I do, Asoc >Catal. I want to see Unaayel's fall and I can only do that if I am with you."

The Asoc gave her friend a nod and kept moving. Junelliya was suddenly beside. her.

"Asoc, Unaayel and her cronies have been to this challenge place many times. They will know the lay of the land. We are at a disadvantage," Junelliya mused.

"Pay attention all," Mbibo suddenly called out, understanding immediately what Junelliya was implying. "We are headed into enemy territory. Make sure you work in your fire teams.

"Asoc, you will remain with your security detail. Unaayel will likely try to separate you from them so that she can kill you herself," Mbibo said with a no-nonsense tone to her voice.

"If Unaayel challenges me, Mbibo, I will have to answer to that challenge. You needn't worry. I intent to stop Unaayel this day. She will be the one who loses this challenge," the Asoc answered.

It wasn't long before the Asoc's group found the challenge area. It was a large circular area raised about a meter above the swamp. It appeared to be a roughly 500 meter circle and had numerous lit torches all over it. The light from each of the torches made a circle of approximately three meters. There were thousands of them.

The Asoc's team moved onto the raised area. As they got a third of the way onto the challenge area, they heard popping noises all around them and the flares suddenly flared brightly. The Asoc and her security team, the Asocan Marines, and all of the humans had shields over their eyes that protected them from the sudden glare. The remaining Asocans did not and were temporarily blinded by the bright lights.

Hundreds of Unaayel's Marines, both human and Asocan, jumped up from concealment around Asoc's forces. They were surprised to discover that many of their foes had not been blinded.

The clash was brief and fierce with Asocans on both sides dying in that unexpected melee.

As quickly as the melee began, it ended, with both sides now separating and facing each other. Unaayel and Tarrest came to stand in front of their people.

">Catal! I challenge you! Step forth if you dare!" Unaayel shouted.

>Catal and her security team stepped to the front of her forces. Just then, a nimbus of radiation appeared around several of the more prominent members of the Asoc's group, including the Asoc and the Asost.

"SNIPER!" Mbibo called out.

Cynthia Stewart had her flyers out to capture the event. She saw the nimbus of light burst around the Asocan's but did not hear the whine of power so knew the snipers would be out past two hundred meters. Her flyers had an infrared search ability which she engaged. She immediately spotted five snipers roughly three hundred meters out.

Junelliya was standing beside Cynthia and noted the location of the snipers. She sent her empathy outwards and found them. With a brief burst of power, she touched the part of their brains that was responsible for determining the balance input from the inner ear. The snipers, who were higher up in the trees, suddenly found their sense of balance out of wack and slipped helplessly from the branches they were laying on. Most of them were injured from the fall. One was killed. The only one who hadn't fallen out of the tree, lost his weapon which shattered as it impacted the tree roots under him.

"Is this the way you commit yourself to challenge, Unaayel, by bringing snipers to the field?" the Asoc snarled.

Surprised that her snipers had not proven effective, Unaayel roared and attacked >Catal, her >Curlat drawn and ready for her first strike. Cognisant of Kim's instruction to never cross uneven ground with your weapon drawn, the Asoc met her square on, drawing her own >Curlat at the last moment. The weapons sang in protest as they clashed together in front of the two opposing groups.

Unaayel initially smiled when she saw the shiny blade that >Catal was using. Such presentation blades did not usually fare well in true combat. Unaayel was surprised as she heard >Catal's weapon slip through the air. The whisper it made as it cleaved the air sounded much different then that her own blade. The two weapons clash blade on blade and Unaayel saw that her own >Curlat received a deep bite while that of her opponent did not.

Unaayel pulled away from >Catal's blade and spun 180 degrees on her heel, intending to cut into the unprotected flank of her younger cousin at the end of that turn. But as she came back around, >Catal's blade was there, angled to force Unaayel's own >Curlat up and away, sliding helplessly over >Catal's head.

Unaayel was shocked at this. She had conducted many mock battles with >Catal over the years and she never remembered >Catal having this kind of speed and skill. Her opponent had obviously been practising hard with an expert!

Unaayel was not worried. She was the greatest warrior of her time. Had she not recently beaten forty-five of the best fighters in the Asocan realm? While >Catal showed some skill, Unaayel was not worried.

The pair continued to battle, their blades moving at incredible speeds for the size and weight of the weapons. Unaayel's >Curlat took another impact on the blade putting another sizable divot in it. Unaayel was shocked to see that >Catal's blade did not reflect the damage that her own did. What she had initially dismissed as a presentation blade she now realized was a new kind of alloy that fared better in real combat than traditional blades.

The two blades flashed relentlessly, the sounds of their impacts rebounding in the humid air. The combat had gone on fore several minutes longer than had most of Unaayel's previous battles. She was beginning to worry.