Space Brigade
Chapter 1

After the resolution of the mechanicalTrepan wars, Nepis is now predominantly controlled by a group ofallied planets known as the Coalition. Originated by the Agarians,the Waii, the Lithians, and the Ventek, bringing as many species asthey could under one unified banner.

Since the endof the devastating Trepan robotic confrontation, many other planetshave aligned themselves with the Coalition. Their space is vast, andunder constant threat from the non-aligned species that harass theouter fringe planets. Amongst these are the feared Quat-tar, theAurian Bloc, the belligerent Sentec, and the highly secretiveExecutive. The most prominent of which are at present the Quat-tar; awarring race, which take captives at every opportunity, to use intheir brutal bio-experiments.

The Quat-tar’never-ending raids on the fringe planets are a perpetual matter ofdebate in the Coalition Assembly. Many species have had losses thateither ends up on Quat-tar Prime, or their prison planet of Secunda.

Many terriblestories roam the outer systems telling of the Quat-tar’ cruelty.

Horrific talesof the degradation and debasement of entire species, of captivesbeing dissected and mutilated in vile experimentation to achieve theultimate submissive slave population; those who did not conform aftersurgery, are either put to painful death, or released to wonder theBurrena wastelands of Secunda, there to die of starvation or fallprey to the wastelands savage predators.

The Quat-tarare basically humanoid in appearance, but have inbred animalisticvalues. Their left hand is surgically removed at birth and replacedby a bone-like claw, their favoured means of inflicting pain. Theirscaly skin, a mottled grey, their eyes large and dark as death.

For years theyhave driven deeper and deeper into Coalition space, making shortdecisive sorties, then returning to the safety of their own system onthe other side of the Executive. Usually these infringements aredealt with by diplomatic means, unfortunately with little or noresponse from the Quat-tar.

The Coalitionhas an enormous military force, known as the Network, consisting ofresources, men, and equipment from every aligned planet. However, forthe Network to mount a quick decisive strike on Quat-tar or Secundait would mean crossing the no go area of Executive Space, somethingthe Coalition Assembly as yet was unwilling to sanction.

The Assembly,the Coalition’ governing body, is made up of ambassadorialrepresentatives from all aligned species, and even some non-alignedspecies hold seats.

The Assemblyconstantly pressured the Coalition President, President Lurth, to usethe Network to eradicate the Quat-tar problem. However, when put to afull assembly vote, only a few were prepared to lend weight to anyincursion of the Executive, and chance being thrown into a war with aspecies they almost knew nothing about.

Minordiplomatic channels were available, but are seldom used. TheExecutive wanted nothing to do with the Coalition, or any otherspecies.

For now theQuat-tar are safe in their far removed system, a situation that wassoon to change...

The smalldeciphering room was full of black smoke. The bodies of Networktroops and Sentec lay strewn amongst the debris of twisted machineryand crumbling walls. The noise of laser fire had subsided, a solitaryvoice called out.

“ All right,we have what we came for, now let’s get the hell off this damnplanet!”

In unison, theremainder of the Network’ elite Pierce Force hurried after theircommanding officer. They picked their way through the shatteredplasti-steel that had been thrown across the floor, each timechecking their fallen comrades as they came across them. Eventuallybreaking out into the bright daylight. Sentec’ sun was almost atits apex; the heat was becoming unbearable to the Network team.

Steadily, the well-trained men of Pierce Force moved cautiously backinto the

undergrowth. CaptainPala Toms took a head count as the men passed, two wounded arecarried on makeshift litters.

Theircommanding officer, Colonel Jim Raga, hurried them along the trailtowards their extraction zone. Fortunately, the heavy downpour thenight before hadn’t washed away their markings. Hopefully theywould reach the zone and board the transport before Sentecreinforcements could arrive.

As they reachedthe outskirts of the extraction zone, two Pierce Force troopers aim aheavy plasma cannon in their direction.

“ PierceForce, Raga one!” Colonel Raga called.

The air aroundthe small extraction zone shimmered with tiny glowing particles asone of the troopers deactivated the perimeter force field. ColonelRaga led his men into the clearing, all the time the trail behindthem being targeted by the plasma cannon.

“ Colas callup the transport. I want us out’a here ASAP,” croaked Raga.

He coughedtrying to clear the taste of acrid smoke that lay on his lungs. Hewiped a hand across his sweaty face, his fingers leaving smudgedblack streaks on his cheeks. His normally immaculately combed hairwas ruffled and damp with sweat. He turned to his second captain,Captain Cap Beeta, a dark skinned man of about thirty from the planetCapstan Four; a member of the select Capstan warrior caste, and longtime friend.

“ Cap, getCagrr to check the decoder, and make sure he doesn’t lose anything,that damn thing’s cost us too much already!”

“ Sir,transport’s on its way, e, t, a, two minutes.” Trooper Colasreported while hurriedly packing away his portable com-console.

Captain Tomsjogged to Raga’ side and said.

“ Colonel,Troopers Glun and Loote haven’t turned up yet, shall I sent Qwertito replace them?”

“ No theyknow the procedure, two minutes and we leave!”

“ Here shecomes!” Colas called with a sigh of relief.

The highpitched drone of the Network troop transport engines could be heardapproaching from the south, the drone getting louder as it closed onthe extraction zone.

Suddenly athundering explosion far to the north drowned the noise of theengines out. A plume of smoke snaked its way into the sky. Looking atthe smoke plume, Raga mumbled to himself.

“ I hope theymake it back in time.”

The transportsimmense form loomed overhead, ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack rsonnellift was slowly extending to the ground.

“ Cap, getthe wounded on first.” Raga called over the engines noise.

Cap Beeta nodded anacknowledgment and headed for the lift.

“ We’ll givethem one more minute.” Raga advised Toms while glancing along thetrail for his missing troopers.

The woundedwere on the lift along with the others when Cap Beeta shouted.

“ Come onColonel, time to go!”

Raga motioned Tomsto join them on the personnel lift, and carried on watching thetrail. There was no sign of the missing men. Finally he turned anddashed for the lift. As he climbed abroad, troopers Glun and Looterushed into the clearing, running like hell.

“ Hold it!”Toms called over the com-link to the pilot.

Glun and Lootejumped abroad the partially raised lift, their mates helping them on.

“ Glad youtwo could finally make it. Next time I might not wait!” Ragaexclaimed jokingly.

“ You may nothave that option Sir. There’s a large force of Sentec about akilometre behind us, and they’re moving fast.” Loote reportedquickly.

The liftcontinued to rise while the pilot trained the ships lasers on thetrail. As the lift locked into place, and the bay doors closed, theyheard the crack of laser fire as it bounced off the ships hull.

The pilotopened up with her more powerful guns, scorching the narrow pathwhere the Sentec troops fired. The bushed to either side burst intoflame, the enemies fire subsided as the transport banked left andheaded for open space and her mother ship, the Phoenix Pride.

By the timethey reached space, Raga had reached the cockpit.

“ Raga one toPhoenix?” he said.

A short momentpassed, then the strong tones of Network Carrier Admiral Torre burstfrom the speakers.

“ Phoenixhere, have you got it Raga?”

“ AffirmativeAdmiral. Can you have the doc and a medical team ready? I’ve gottwo seriously injured who’ll need urgent attention as soon as wedock!”

“ They’llbe waiting. Are you being pursued? Do you need fighter escort?”

“ No Sir,just the doc.” Raga replied.

The speakersturned to silence as Raga switched off the communication, and satdown in the vacant seat next to the pilot.

“ Costly?”She inquired casually.

Raga simply nodded,and thought of just how costly this mission had been.

The officialreport would state. Nineteen troops of Pierce Force, killed in actionduring an assault on the planet Sentec, mission successful.

There would beno glory, no accolades for the men who lose their lives. TheDirectorate of Covert Operations had sanctioned the raid, andtherefore all knowledge of the mission would be classified.

Raga had hisown views of the mission’s success; yes they had managed to getwhat the DCO wanted, the universal decoder would be of great use tothe cipher boys at Network HQ, if the damn thing worked.

His mendeserved better than to die on an alien planet just for the sake of apiece of machinery. In his mind, the price was far too high.

“ There sheis!” The pilot announced.

Raga looked out theforward view port. The colossal construction of the Network CarrierPhoenix Pride loomed in front of the small transport. Her matte greenhull making her stand out from the backdrop of the planet she isorbiting.

She carries todistant alien worlds, fighting men and equipment ready to do battleat a moments notice. The Phoenix Pride, one of only four carriers inthe Network fleet, carrying a maximum of one hundred dropships undereach of her giant wings, each dropship capable of ferrying sixtytroops plus equipment to any co-ordinates required.

She has acompliment of seven squadrons of one-man fighters, dispersed on fourlanding bays. Her armament consists of twenty forward quantum lasers,ten aft facing lasers, two hundred plasma and fusion torpedoes, andnumerous space mines.

The Phoenix iscapable of initiating an attack on her own, but most often isescorted by at least two class-one attack ships. She is a flyingwar-zone, faster and more deadly than any other ship in the Networkfleet.

The PierceForce transport glided neatly into her docking clamps under thePhoenix’ port wing. When Colonel Raga and his men disembarked,Chief Medical Officer Ferl Collona was waiting with a medi-unit. Sheimmediately whisked away the wounded troopers to sickbay. Theremainder of Pierce Force headed for the debriefing room on deck sixwhile Colonel Raga, flanked by Captains Beeta and Toms headed for themain bridge as the Phoenix broke from orbit.

The Phoenix’bridge was a hive of activity as she headed for open space.

“ Course set.Heading one, three five, mark two!” Command Captain Mittvnannounced.

Admiral RalTorre acknowledged with a nod.

“ Scanners tomaximum, it’s a long way to the Sentec frontier. Let’s not getcaught unawares!”

Captain Mittvncrossed from helm control and took his seat next to the admiral.