CHAPTER 7
Terra, Australia
May 26, 3151, previously
Kendricke was an old man now in his eighties. The news that had come in almost killed him. Reaching into his desk to pop some heart meds he contemplated the situation. He had done lots of thinking over the decades since he got shunted over to be the warden of the Turbline refugees. The presence of Corden never had went away. He was a legend to these people despite them being none believers. What he had taught them about the successor lords and the clans were remembered by all of them. History had proven Corden and the Word right in this regard. The HPG network fall, the raising of the fortress walls, and invasion of the clans into the Republic had changed the Turblines. Believers of the Word had sprung up over the past few years then it apexed when Clan Wolf landed in Australia. The burning of Atitjere was the final nail in the coffin. The horrors that Clan Jade Falcon brought pushed them beyond the point where it started a burning faith which consumed the Turblines.
Then news of the fateful day had come. Devlin Stone had surrendered. The Republic was no more. Terra was now in the hands of the clans. Further news came that Clan Wolf was Ilclan and Devlin Stone had died in a hospital ward. Trust was few and panic ensued in Kendricke's office. Multitudes of Turbline refuges had contacted him suggesting returning to Turbline. There would be no way for the clans to follow them there.
He opened the drawer that had been locked for years now. He took it out and reached for the data chip. He pulled it out and was shocked it was a different color. The Ghost Paladins had been busy. He plugged it into his computer and typed in different passwords he knew. None of them worked. Then he tried some other obscure ones until it accepted "Iron Father." Devlin Stone in his old age appeared on his screen.
"Greetings Paladin. My death has likely occurred and this message is for you. That means the Republic is no more. It had been my dream that we would have been free of the squabbling wars that plagued mankind. The dream of the Republic and for the people of the inner sphere was almost a success. Events that caused the decline of the Republic I could have never foreseen. I made multiple plans to try and keep us going. Two clans coming here was not how I envisioned things. There were other contingencies I envisioned you might have had to deal with. This is the last one I have ever wanted. So let it be so."
"The Ghost Knights have had extensive files on the robes for a long time as you know. We have been tracking the Turbline system by observing it with satellites and telescopes up till we were invaded. We monitored it every second after your return. The light and radiation that traveled from there took years upon years to get to us. But we were able to observe suspected jump activity to the exact day by our scientist estimations. Down to the first mayday, your jump there, and to the day you came back. Afterwards another jump signature was detected months later. Ten years later one showed up. Then another and another. The Word is active in Turbline Kendricke. They some how know how to get in there without misjumps."
"I know what was written in that damn book and note penned by Corden. As I said to you years ago. You don't come out of a blakist camp not being paranoid. Your refugees fervor was growing the day I came back. Where they want to go will be pretty evident and I am ok with that. In fact with the Word of Blake is still out there. Them learning their holy Terra is now occupied by the clans will ruffle their robes. It will easily draw them out. In the past I would have used this opportunity to strike at them. Now it is not possible. Ilkhan Alaric Ward guaranteed that for sure. Where I failed to find and eliminate them completely will be Ward's down fall. He will receive a response from them which the Republic will be avenged. They truly do believe that they serve mankind and will respond to their so called third transfer being violated. My final order to you... Seek out our so called cousins and bring justice for our beloved Republic."
"On this data chip, you need to read up on things that might allow some of you make it there alive. Also the coordinates to a hidden jumpship fleet in system. The date of departure is soon. Gather the refugees and go! There will be other mini exoduses leaving at the same time from other people I have left messages with. This will ensure some survival and to confuse the so called ilclan fleet. Take that chip with you and give it to them. There is vital information for them and my last message to our nemesis. Who would have thought we would come calling for them. Ad Securitas per Unitas Paladin Kendricke."
The screen went blank. Kendricke pulled out the worn out book. It was the copy of the Word of Blake that was left with him on the dropship when he had left Turbline space. He had kept it and read it many times to try and understand Corden more. What he did find was what Jerome Blake put forward of the constant wars that never ceased. That an end would eventually come and The Promise would be fulfilled by Comstar. Then there was the note inside the book. Penned by Corden himself. He looked at the worn letter.
"There will come a day when the Clans rise to their abominable ways again. They will seek out Terra and invade it as that is their personified goal. The Master always preached we should have annihilated the clans entirely and it was what we were made for. But history was fickle and thus we made war upon humanity to unite it. I wish the clans never had their hand in the creation of the Republic Kendricke. It would have been pure!"
"I read of what the clans did in the history files on your dropships. Rumors of reavings. Civilians killed for no other reason of being associated within their society with a particular clan. Then of what they did to the Wolverines. I could tell you way more on that, but that is a classified thing. We were created to end them. Instead we did horrible things to end all wars. The clans were created to wage war and exhibit petty psychopathic agendas! I will concede what my brethren accomplished can not be forgiven by all of you, but you saw what that fruit brought in the 3rd transfer! Your republic! Rejoice in its creation! Rejoice to those all that sacrificed themselves! Willingly or unwillingly!"
"Deback suggested you and the Republic of the Sphere were cousins to the Word of Blake. In this he is right. I know that you would not agree, we are related in its creation, and the ultimate goal of The Master."
"When the day comes that the clans do invade and if they take Terra. Seek us out Kendricke. Seek us out Devlin Stone. Seek us out whatever Paladin that reads this. Blood is thicker than water and the Word will come if we are sought. I am sure we did not die off at the end of the Jihad. I know that there are missing Shadow Divisions and they for sure went somewhere. We are likely watching and waiting. Do not be afraid of us for we are the living will of Blake made manifest. We will enact Blake's will if it is needed and if we are called. Peace of Blake be with you all and the Republic."
Kendricke slammed the book shut. Damn it! Why is it the Blakist always seemed to get certain things right? Was it that they had a certain perception of history? Was it that indeed Blake did guide Comstar, The Word of Blake, or The Blessed Order? How did they know these things! He had read that note hundreds of times. Pondered over its meanings and came to the conclusion they were in fact cousins. The revelation that The Master and Manei Domini had indeed waged war on humanity to bring about the end of war with the birth of the Republic had galled him. Hiding the information from Devlin Stone had not been one of his finest moments. But he still had found out anyways and it had not even phased the man. Why had he not told the other paladins or himself of what he did or didn't know? Why had he just surrendered and not fought to the end? He picked up the book, the data chips, a suit case, and grabbed the combat gear he had in the closet. As he left his office, he looked back, then left to fulfill his last orders from a man that he had lost complete faith in.
He made his way to the city the Turblines had settled in. Clan check points were numerous, but they had become lax ever since the pacification of Australia. He was just a hideous old man as he presented his papers of who he was and waved on. In the city he knew the elders and went to them. There he presented the plan to exodus from Terra and back to Turbline. They did not hesitate and voted unanimously to enact it within minutes. Supplies were raised and plans put together. Terra was a big place with billions of people. The clans would be busy policing various places and thankfully this side of the continent had remained peaceful despite the underground blakist fervor. It was then that Kendricke made his move to make contact with the next step of the operation.
-----
Rain beat down on Kendricke as he waited under an umbrella. Like some old detective holo vid, he was in an alley waiting for contact with a ghost knight. A whistling stranger with a particular tune came by which alerted Kendricke. He said one phrase. "Do you have the time of minute?"
The stranger responded. "Stone lives."
They stood before each other and shook hands. It was good to meet another member of the Republic.
"The rain will keep any sound reading devices from hearing us. Kendricke, I am Ghost Knight Tony. I have been directed to meet with you and discuss our destination. We are to steal a dropship and escort some group of people out of here."
"I know. I am their liaison. Their representative."
"So you are. I have no idea why Stone wanted this done. But it was flagged highly important. So I will do what Stone ordered me to do. There is a fleet waiting near Jupiter where I am to take these people to then you will give our final destination. There will be others initiating this operation at the same time in other locations around Terra. They will also be stealing dropships or launching hidden ones to evacuate people of interest that shouldn't be in the ilclan's hands."
"That is an understatement. There are definitely some people that they are looking very hard for right now. All the more to get the hell out of here."
"Come."
They traveled about a kilometer in the rain to a family home. In it they crossed a living room where a family watched a holo vid and went into another room. There the ghost knight pushed aside a book case and went down a hidden stairs. Down there Kendricke met two others of the team. Ghost Knight Hadrick and Ghost Knight George. From the briefing Kendricke could tell that the ghost knights didn't know of the Turblines origins or where they were going. They only knew that they were to get these people off the planet and they could come with them if they wanted.
The operation was going to hit a small star port. There were currently two dropships there under minimal security. One point of elemental armor and a platoon of salhoma. The battle for Terra had been costly and the ilclan was trying to make due with what they had. Since Australia had been pretty docile, most forces had been shifted else where planet wide.
To counter the forces there, they had access to a david light gauss rifle, some mortars, explosives, and other small arms. Four republic soldiers against five trueborns in battle armor and a hodgepodge mix of salhoma. What could go wrong. In their discussions, some of the Turblines would be taught how to use the mortars. They would shell the barracks. At the same time, explosives planted by bondsmen loyal to the republic would be set off. They would be key for distracting and diverting any guards. Their reward would be freedom or they could join the dropship in the ensuing chaos. Kendricke would team up with Hadrick as a sniper team on the david light gauss rifle. George and Tony would take an armored car to bust thru a side gate and make a run for a specific dropship that they had the command codes for. When the dropship was secured, they would call in the Turblines and they would come in via bus and van. Crammed in like sardines. The operation was set to go off in 7 days.
-----
Terra, Australia
June 4, 3151
Kendricke looked through the range finder. There were two elementals at the front gate and the other three patrolled the perimeter. He sighted in on the two at the front gate.
"Range is 121 meters to elemental 1 and 122 meters to elemental 2"
Hadrick adjusted the scope dial on the gauss rifle. He sighted in on elemental one. He calmed himself and waited. Then thumps in the distance could be heard. He breathed in, exhaled, then pulled the trigger. Four hypersonic rods shot out in burst mode at his target. In a blink three of them connected putting down his target. With unnatural speed he switched to the other elemental and fired another burst. Two connected to the elemental and it went down. Then the mortars landed in the barracks and explosions went off. Chaos had come.
"Range to elemental 3 is 200 meters. Vector 202."
Hadrick readjusted and sighted in. He fired a four burst shot and scored glancing hits. The distance was starting to push it. He switched to single shot and took aim again. One, two, three shots, and the elemental was down. Then the armored car busted thru the side gate with the two ghost knights.
Kendricke watched as the other two toads started to get a grip with what was going on and started to head towards the armored car. Kendricke watched as the rotunda revealed its hidden weapons. A large laser opened up and SRMs flew. Kendricke took his eyes off and sighted at the gate noting one of the elementals was still moving.
"Elemental 2 is still alive. Range 125."
"On it..." THACK! The elemental died.
Kendricke shifted back to the two moving toads...
"Elemental 5 is down. Elemental 4 is left and has been hit. Range 270, vector 170"
"That is going to be a hard one. Reloading."
Hadrick popped in a fresh magazine and took sight. It would be at the edge of weapons range effectiveness. He sighted in and started doing one taps every two seconds. Sparks flew off the elemental and it took the time to duck into cover.
"Radio the mortars and have them shift two of them to coordinates 243, 241."
Kendricke radio-ed it in and thirty seconds later mortar shells came in at the position. They weren't enough to damage the toad, but it was enough to annoy him and possibly flush him out. A direct hit would certainly cause significant damage. Hadrick caught sight of an armored foot and fired. It connected resulting in the elemental falling to the ground. With its head revealed he took the shot and the suit no longer moved.
"Its time for us to get the hell out of here."
They abandoned the gauss rifle and grabbed their autoguns. Then they jumped on a open topped jeep and floored it. By the time they sped thru the open side gate the mortars had stopped firing. Kendricke saw the rotunda had made it to the dropship and the team had made it aboard. Then a SRM hit the side of their vehicle and they spun out.
Kendricke came too a few seconds later. Pain engulfed his side. He blinked thru the pain and heard gun fire. He saw Hadrick was firing his auto rifle at the remains of the platoon that had managed to survive the shelling. They were pinned down behind the wreck. Hadrick just kept sighting and firing. No hestitation to what targets he took. Changed mags then continued to sight and fire with ruthless effiency. Then he ducked down.
"I am out of ammo. Pass me your rifle."
Kendricke went to hand it to him and saw that it had been bent up and the ammunition scattered or lost. They were truly sunk. With only side arms left they would not get out alive.
"Well it looks like we aren't going to make it then." chuckled Kendricke.
Hadrick starred at Kendricke for a good 10 seconds as the platoon remnants made their way up to close the distance to them. Bullets richocheted off the tarmac and the body of the jeep as suppressive fire kept their heads down.
"I would have liked to see Turbline. You MUST survive Kendricke in order to get there. Go Kendricke! GO! Tell my brothers that Poltergeist Delta Hadrick will miss them! For the Master! For Mankind!"
Ghost Knight Hadrick then jumped over the jeep wreckage and charged the solahma platoon firing his pistol. He took multiple rounds to his chest and legs yet he kept on going. Then it dawned on Kendricke who it really was. He didn't hesitate. He turned and ran towards the dropship. More gun fire could be heard then a large THUMP came. Screams of injured and dying solhoma reached his ears and then started to fade as he got closer and closer to the active dropship. The man was never or ever had been ghost knight and was in fact a Word Manei Domini plant. He had sacrificed his life using his suicide charges to accomplish the mission. Kendricke could only shake his head as he kept running. What other surprises were in store for him.
The engines started to rumble as the other two ghost knights managed to fire it up. The ear piece came on and the order of bringing the buses onto the tarmac was initiated. Kendricke kept running as his old legs would let him. His heart hurt as he pushed himself to survive. Others counted on him.
He saw the lines of vehicles speeding towards the dropship. They were to drive up the ramp, disgorge their human cargo, then drive out of the dropship on the opposite side of the bay. Other vehicles would stop near the dropship and let their human cargo board thru other ramps and doors where buses wouldn't be able to fit in. By the time Kendricke got there and started to ascend the ramp, the unloading was done. Everyone that wanted to go back to their home world was on board. Ghost Knight George was waiting for him at the top of the ramp.
"Where is Hadrick?"
Kendricke considered his words wisely.
"He sacrificed his life to let the dropship to take off. You have a choice now. Come with us or stay here George. I know Tony will have to pilot this thing."
"My last orders were to get you, Hadrick, Tony, and these people on this dropship. After this, I had no others."
PPC fire came at the dropship. In turn, some of the weapons on the dropship went hot and returned fire.
"Think quick. Get on with us, burn as we take off, or get on one of those vehicles and hope you don't get blown to bits getting out of here."
Ghost Knight George hit the ramp recall button and the dropship buttoned up.
"I will take my chances on here."
They made for the bridge as the dropship began to ascend.
"I will warn you. You will not like where we are going and I can't tell you in case you get captured along the way some how. Stone would want it this way."
"The clanners would have tried to extract info I can't tell them if I was captured. Frankly I didn't like the idea of getting captured in the future. Any interrogation and death at their hands seems anti productive to living. Staying here seemed like a more logical choice."
The dropship ascended into space. In other places on Terra, other operations were successful. Others not. A flotilla of dropships making way to orbit was sighted by clan space forces. Intercepts and messages of warnings were being sent.
-----
Star Admiral Haake Sukhanov surveyed the holo tank. Multiple dropships had taken off from Terra. Some stolen. Some without authorization. Despite the relative peace that had come. Insurrection appeared to still exist. He motioned to the communications tech to open a channel on the wide bands that everyone could hear.
"Freebirth surats. This is Star Admiral Haake Sukhanov. You are ordered to stand down and be boarded. Anyone surrendering will not be harmed and will be returned to their homes. We are a honorable ilclan and harbor mankind in its best interests. These bandit like activities make integration with the new star league even more harder. See the wisdom in the ilclan and the coming of age. I implore you, please."
He made a motion across his neck to cut the line. He would issue orders that anyone taken would actually be treated properly with velvet gloves until they determined who and what was going on. Instigators would be punished. Fools would be forgiven. Unless his ilkhan over ride him. He noted some dropships slowing down and responses coming in. Some mutinies apparently were going on. But the majority of the forming flotilla was ignoring his message.
"Prepare intercept courses. I want vessels disabled and not destroyed. There might be personal we are looking for aboard those dropships. Promotions to any warrior that manages to disable and NOT destroy. We need answers."
Multiple <<"affs">> came in over the command link. Omnifighters launched and the few dropships in orbit that could intercept plotted courses. They had a limited time window. Sukhanov ordered the warship to full thrust to also intercept. Reports came in that the likely destination was above Jupitor.
"Send what forces we have at saturn to that location. With luck, we can find what jumpships are there and take them."
"Aff Star Admiral. Sir. We have two dropships plotted in our intercepts."
"Where did they come from?"
"Both originated from Australia. It appears one was hijacked and one was hidden."
"Concentrate fire on the one that was hidden. Likely any persons of interest would be on that one. What range brackets do we have on the stolen one?"
"They will be out of range of all weapons in ten minutes."
"Assign forward AR-10 batteries to load barracudas. With luck we can slow it down. What aerospace assets do we have that can make it to the dropship?"
"Stand by... One star might make it to the dropship, but they are of a lighter weight. They might not survive against the weapons it has."
Sukhanov stroked his beard thinking quickly. He needed to keep the navy in good standing. Their forces on the ground had been savaged during the fighting and were rebuilding. He had to weigh in and made a split second choice.
"Fire all barracudas. If the dropship is damaged and slowed, then send the star."
"Barracudas launched. Firing at primary target."
Minutes passed as capital weapons fire unleashed at the primary target. The dropship took fire to its aft and starboard side. Damage indications came up that the bridge had been hit and some engines. It started to drift out of control. Meanwhile the barracuda missiles closed the gap in the void. Sukhanov watched as the dropship went into evasive maneuvers and point defenses started to fire. Two of the six missiles were destroyed before they slammed into the dropship. Sukhanov made a gesture of celebration. He waited for the damage reports to come in.
"Four hits. Leaking atmosphere. Engines still running. Likely a hit to the cargo bay. Next volley is loaded and plotting commencing... sir, they are out of range."
"STRAVAG!"
"Reports coming in that 33%. NO 35% of the flotilla has been crippled. Pursuit vectors are being calculated now."
"Recall all omnifighters and pursue. As much as I don't want to, we will have to move. Fire up the engines."
"Yes Star Admiral."
The McKenna's Pride broke orbit above Unity City. It was never intended for a formidable battleship to do such low level mop ups, but the situation had required it.
"Sir, the ilKhan is trying to reach you."
"I will take it over a private channel."
Star Admiral Haake Sukhanov reached for a head set...
-----
Kendricke felt the hits jar thru the dropship as the barracudas collided with the dropship. Damage indicators came up that Tony noted.
"Engines good, fuel good, armor fine, but... the cargo bay has been hit! We are venting atmosphere there! Bulk heads are sealing."
All three surviving knights and paladin looked at each other. Most of the Turblines had elected to stay there. Then Tony noted that the McKenna's Pride was starting to move but not in their direction. Minutes passed before Tony said they were safe for now. Kendricke undid his seat belts and made for the cargo bay as fast he could. He passed a few other people on the way down. Those that had elected to move up into the other areas of the dropship.
He got to one of the inner cargo bay doors and hit the open button. It blinked red indicating it wouldn't open. Kendricke looked to the side panel and saw that the pressure gauge for the the bay was zero. NO!!! He looked thru the thick glass window trying to see what he could see. Lights were flickering all over the bay from the barracudas penetration. Bodies were on the floor and there was a pile at the door as they had tried to escape their doom. Kendricke's mind snapped.
"NOO!!!!" He screamed out as George came around the corner.
Kendricke slid down against the door cradling his head. They were his responsibility. He had made friends amongst the Turblines being their liaison. He had ate with their families. Watched children be born. They were an extended family to him despite his post. And now they were mostly all dead. Suffocated and frozen to the void. More horrors of war. Not again.. not again... not again. George made it to the door and looked himself.
"Damn it!" He yelled and also slid down beside Kendricke.
The mission had gone without a hitch and had been almost picture perfect. Other than the loss of Ghost Knight Hadrick they had lost no one else. Then this. He put his arm around Kendricke to consul the old man. He noted that the old man was mumbling. Shaking in a sitting fetal position. He squeezed the man then got up and went to check on other areas of the ship. What he failed to note was who Kendricke was praying to his first time in his life.
