Disclaimer: Vandread and all related characters and technology belong to Gonzo. All other characters and tech belong to me.
Vandread: The Unknown Soldier
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Infiltration
Location: Mountain Range, five hundred-fifty meters from Weapons Facility. Two hours before start of space battle.
Lieutenant Julia Marks scanned the area with the advanced equipment of her Falke light scout armor. Her job was to find a suitable entrance to the facility, and it was a difficult task. Her armor was currently painted in a camouflage pattern that helped her blend in with the terrain. She had yet to identify any suitable way into the facility, but she would not give up. Giving up was for cowards and weaklings, and she was neither. She was just about to report to Aidan that she had yet to find any way into the base when she heard the sound of an engine. She looked over to spot a large cargo truck that drove up to the gate. The driver in the cab of the truck showed one of the guards his security card, and the guard motioned the other to open the large gate door. She allowed herself a slight smile, as she had just found their way in.
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“Alright, we hijack the truck and use it to enter the facility,” Aidan confirmed her idea.
“Yes, that seems to be the best way inside, the next time the truck will get anywhere near this area is about another two hours,” she said.
“But how do we capture the truck?” Meia asked as she listened in on the conversation.
“Now that you ask…” Aidan said with a smirk.
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The battle continued to rage, with neither side able to attain an advantage over one another. Explosions were commonplace as warheads detonated and fighters and mecha were destroyed. Occasionally a bright flash of light marked the destruction of another warship. In fact, even calling it chaotic was rather optimistic, as there were no solid battle lines once the two fleets literally crashed into one another.
As Barnette maneuvered her Dread around a large piece of debris, which she assumed used to be part of warship. She was forced to pull into a tight turn that put stress on her body as a group of missiles locked onto her. She managed to use the debris as a shield, the missiles slamming against it instead of her. She got a bead on the fighter that had launched those missiles and gave chase. Once she had a lock, she let loose several missiles of her own, and this time the enemy wasn’t so lucky. The explosions engulfed his fighter, vaporizing it. Then suddenly a large amount of flak blasted away at her Dread.
“Damn!” she cursed as she was shaken around her cockpit. The fighter had managed to drag her into the range of the Indomitable’s guns. She regained control of her fighter and moved out of the way, but not before blasting one of the turrets into molten scrap with the beam cannons mounted in her Dread’s wings.
“Barnette! Are you okay?” Jura asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied.
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Gunter Argust was pissed, really pissed. When he noticed that Mejalean pirate ship had managed to approach his ship. He had wanted to activate the P.N. Device, so he could finish them off once and for all. Then a tech had informed that the device was beginning to have problems and wouldn’t activate. It was the only prototype, so it might be normal for it to have glitches, but not a complete system failure. That was not good, and he had ordered them to fix it as soon as possible. Right now he would have to rely on the powerful weapons of his ship.
The entire bridge seemed to shake as the ship was hit with several lasers as a single destroyer took several shots at it. Argust ordered the portside batteries to unleash their fury on the foolish warship. The destroyer seemed to cave in on itself as the laser cannons tore into it. It exploded sending a slight shockwave through the deck. He savored the fact that another group of feeble heretics who didn’t follow Earth’s divine will were wiped from existence.
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“Admiral! We just lost the Sabre!” one of the bridge crew shouted out.
Admiral Graff ignored the fact that the destroyer was destroyed, for his concentration was fully on the other battlecruiser besides the Indomitable. The warship was originally christened the S.D.S Resolute, but had been renamed Divine Will by the rebels, then put into service as their flagship. At the time of their development, there was four of the Invincible Class. The first one, the S.D.S Invincible, was destroyed during the attacks by Earth. Of the other three, two fell into the hands of the rebels, including the one that had been outfitted with experimental Paksis Nullification Device. Only the Dauntless managed to avoid capture, due to the fact it was on maneuvers when the others were seized. Now he was going to be forced to fight the Dauntless’ sister ship.
“All forward batteries, lock onto the Divine Will,” he commanded.
“All forward batteries locked on, sir,” the weapons officer replied.
“FIRE!” he commanded.
At that same time, the Divine Will fired back with equal intensity. The Dauntless shook violently as it took several hits along its nose. One of them got close to the bridge, causing a few small explosions inside the bridge. One of the ceiling panels fell, and exposed wires shot sparks. Small fires started to blossom, but were being put out by the fire suppression system. The Dauntless had been hurt, but she was far from out of the fight. The effects were equally devastating on the Divine Will. This was going to be a tough fight, but Alex Graff intended to survive it.
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Lieutenant Julia Marks stood on the side of the road in nothing but a pair of tight jeans pilfered from an abandoned shack, a drab green tank top and a pair of boots. She originally didn’t want to go through with Aidan’s idea, but he stated they’d need the two men in the truck alive, for awhile anyway. She was to act like a hitchhiker so the truck would stop, and then they would take the driver and passenger by surprise. Then she saw the truck approach…
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The driver with the unlikely name of John Smith, was bored of these routine pickups and drop-offs. He knew it was to a weapons facility, but as a soldier they could have him do something else, something more productive. Then his partner Carlos got his attention.
“Hey, look over there,” he said, pointing to the other side of the road. A lone woman was standing there, trying to get their attention. He pulled up to where she stood and set the truck into neutral. She was slightly taller than average height, with short dark blonde hair. She appeared to physically fit as well. She appeared to have a tattoo on her left arm. Apparently this dull supply run was about a little more interesting.
“Hey, gorgeous, need a lift?” he asked.
“Yeah, my boyfriend and I had a fight, and he dumped me here,” she replied as she approached the truck and stepped onto the railing that would allow her to climb up into the cab. Just as he down to check his watch, he looked up to see a small laser pistol pointed straight at his head. He hoped Carlos would help him out, but didn’t get a response out of him. He felt the truck rock a little bit and saw out of the corner of his eye that a large armored figure was pointed a very large gun at him. He raised his hands in surrender.
“Get out of the truck,” she commanded, and he complied, not wanting to die.
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Aidan pulled the truck to a halt as he came up on the security gate in front of the entrance, into the target facility. One of the guards approached as he pulled to a stop.
“You’re late,” the guard said.
“I know, the truck broke down, and it took us an hour or so to get it to run again,” he said as he handed the guard his stolen identity card. To verify his story, he gunned the engine, which let out a rough, coughing bellow instead of an even roar. The truck was skillfully sabotaged by Private Hawkins, his team’s demolitions expert, who now sat in the passenger side.
The drab green uniforms he and Hawkins wore were taken from the two men who used to be in the truck. The guard apparently believed his story and handed back the security card and motioned for the other to open the gate.
“Well, next time notify us, and we’ll someone out to properly fix it,” he said as he motioned them forward.
“Will do,” he replied as he waved a salute. As soon as he got the half the truck through the gate, he cut the ignition. Both guards turned to see what had happened, and it was the last thing either of them did. Two sharp cracks split the air, and he knew both guards were dead, killed by Julia’s accurate sniper fire. Without another word the rest of his team and Kemp’s jumped out of the back of the truck and rushed into the compound. Aidan and Hawkins donned their armor which was brought out from the back of the truck. Once Aidan locked the last piece of armor into place, he spoke into his chin-mounted mike.
“Alright, everyone in?” he asked. After receiving confirmation of the status of his teams, he started to rattle off orders. “Alright, Ghost Team will take the command center, Spectres Two and Four will remain outside to watch for possible enemy reinforcements. Spectres Three, Five and Six, you’ll set the explosives in the various locations laid out in the plans. Spectre Seven, you’re with me.”
He looked around as Ghost team went in search of the command center. Three of his men, Steiner, Hawkins and Deveroux, would plant the explosives used to demolish this place. Akida and Marks would stay hidden outside the compound to provide overwatch. He and Meia were going to head for the hangar, to recover Meia’s Dread.
“Alright, let’s get moving,” he said to Meia as he lifted his gauss rifle.
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“Why hasn’t the Indomitable activated the device?” Magno asked BC.
“I don’t know Captain, they’ve had ample time to do so.,” BC replied.
“Perhaps it malfunctioned?” Magno stated as she watched the battle rage around the Nirvana.
“Perhaps, but we should take advantage of this, before they can activate it,” BC said. “All Dread Teams, you’re orders are to destroy that battle cruiser at any cost!”
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The end is approaching… Feedback always appreciated.