Guns of War - Chapter 1

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I know some of you might be interested in the book I'm working on. Some of you don't like long posts. For those who don't like long posts, I understand if you won't read the first chapter. This is still a rough draft, though this chapter has been edited a number of times already. I welcome any feedback from those of you who love Science Fiction, and those of you who have any scientific input to give me. Though with this first chapter, it shouldn't be necessary. Here now is the first chapter. I also, due to its length, did not separate the paragraphs, so it will look pressed together, and might be hard to read. I apologize ahead of time for any difficulty that might be. CHAPTER 1 War on Obreshan Obreshan-Galileo Galaxy Astronomers found the galaxy for the planet they were on in the Pegasus Constellation and gave it the number BX442. Astronomers numbered everything, which to lay people everywhere meant nothing. Give it a name, and people were ready to locate it as easily as they did the planets in the Milky Way Galaxy. They named the galaxy the Galileo Galaxy after the famous astronomer. What was unique about it was that it was first seen in 2012 and found to be not only the oldest galaxy in the universe, but 10.7 billion light-years from Earth. Astronomers deemed it suitable for their needs as the time drew near when people would leave Earth and reach out to the universe as their new home. Galileo Galaxy was a spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way Galaxy with a sun in the center and the same rotational speed. It also had many planets orbiting it. Of those planets, Obreshan, where Captain Alaina Magarain found herself, along with her troops, was one of them. Obreshan was a lush planet filled with rain forests, rivers, valleys, and oceans. With the exception that there were no arctic poles where ice and snow might be found as she heard existed on earth. Planet temperatures ranged from forty to one hundred degrees Fahrenheit depending on where you were on the planet, with the lower temperatures seen when the sun went down, which it did every six hours being in closer orbit to the sun and having twelve-hour days. Technology in the Galileo Galaxy far surpassed anything the earth ships brought with them. Being in close proximity to the sun under normal conditions would have rendered the planet uninhabitable with temperatures in the thousands Kelvin instead of the warm temperatures found beneath the biosphere layer surrounding Obreshan giving it the greenhouse effect Earth once enjoyed. It also meant that it was a Biocompatible Planet or BP as the scientists referred to it, and therefore had no need for terraforming. It had been a thousand years since ships took off from Earth and headed out to the stars at the end of the twenty-second century. In particular the Pegasus Constellation and began populating the different worlds they found in the Galileo Galaxy. Not all the worlds they found were inhabited, and many needed terraforming before they could properly inhabit the planet. Nine worlds needed terraforming and became known as Astiri, Calypso, Euphrosyne, New Genesis, Nurilia, Othara, Tanus, Kerilia, and Euripides. Another five planets: Scheat, Baham, Markab, Homam, and Matar, were already inhabited and allied with Obreshan. When one of the earth ships landed on Obreshan they found an indigenous population with symbiont chips and the mandate that if they were going to be part of the planet’s population, they were to have them as well. They were told the chip offered long life and perfect health, and of course with that kind of carrot being offered they readily agreed to the implantation, unaware of the consequences. It wasn’t long before Obreshan started making its demands throughout the galaxy, and anyone who refused implantation was imprisoned. When the nine planets refused to ally with Obreshan, war ensued and for the past four hundred years, they had fought to remain a free society on the planets they inhabited, which was why Captain Alaina Magarain and her troops had been on Obreshan for the past nine months fighting for the right to live in a free society while being hip deep in mud and rain. Captain Alaina Magarain studied the lush forested landscape through her night vision goggles for the hundredth time. Torrential rains such as she had never seen on Astiri descended on her command huddled in foxholes in the middle of a rain forest. Despite the raingear, rain plastered her regulation length chestnut hair to her scalp beneath her helmet and dripped into her eyes. Mud covered her gray uniform, and her hands gripping her sledgehammer assault combat shotgun, were wet and grimy. Even her feet inside boots laced halfway up her shins were wet, and her socks soggy from rain. Chills ran through her despite the warmth of the planet. Wiping rain from her goggles, she thought she saw movement. Intel told her enemy troops were in the area. No one would catch her unaware. It was hard to see with the Obreshan uniform, the same dark green as the foliage and trees around her. There, she saw it again. Turning to her troops, she saw Corporal Lynneayia Reilly manning one of the grenade launchers and Corporal Ken Woodard the other. Several other men and women, good soldiers all, stood behind mortars, anti-tank rocket grenade launchers, sniper rifles, and carried both the sledgehammer and semi-automatic pistols. They looked to her as they waited. She motioned to them and made eye contact with two dozen men and women in her foxhole, ankle deep in mud and water, which sandbags could not hold back. She spoke into her shoulder walkie-talkie, to the other units posted in foxholes throughout the area and gave them a three count before they opened fire even as the enemy moved in on their position. Guns blazed from every foxhole in a quarter mile. Missiles launched and screamed through the air. Smoke blinded her eyes and made them water. With a parched throat, she led her troops against the enemy, firing her sledgehammer as she emerged from the foxhole. She saw troops gunned down in battle, but still she persevered, vowing she, with her troops, would remain free. Trees cracked, splintered, and toppled with every missile launch, exposing the enemy. Little by little, Captain Magarain’s command whittled away at the enemy command until not one stood. It was an overwhelming victory. A surprise attack planned by Obreshan had gone in their favor, thanks to Adonai and the intelligence report Alaina received the day before about troop movement. Alaina removed her headgear and slumped to the ground. Lynneayia came towards her, “Captain, it would not be a good idea to remove your headgear. How many times have you told us not to do so until we were safely inside our quarters?” Alaina looked up at her, put her headgear back on, and smiled a weak smile, “How many casualties?” “Six dead, including Corporal Woodard, four wounded.” “That is a sad loss. I hate this war. We need to get the dead buried at once,” said Alaina staring at the damage. “I’ll get a detail on it right away,” said Lynneayia, turning and stopping another soldier. “Get a burial detail together right away.” “Will do,” he said, looking from Lynneayia to Alaina, saluted and turned towards several others and the burial detail was set in motion. “They’re all good men,” said Alaina, watching the men and women in her battalion get the six casualties ready for burial. “Out of twelve hundred fifty, I would say we did very well. I will notify Colonel Latimer of our victory and have him notify the families of the victims.” She sighed with the enormity of it. She hated war and all it stood for. She cringed at the sound of gunfire, even her own every time a missile screamed through the air. Thoughts of sending troops into battle who might not survive to see home again made her nauseous, but Alaina knew her duty and she did it, despite every nerve in her body screaming at her to turn and run. “Do you know what I’m going to do when this war is over?” she said, looking up at Lynneayia. “Yes, you’re going to find a place where war has not been invented,” she said, sitting beside her. Alaina shook her head. “There is no getting away from it. I long for the day when the prophecy comes true, and we will live in peace.” From memory burned in her from childhood and the militia academy, Alaina rehearsed the prophecy: “Alas! For the day is great, that none can compare to it, a day of great deliverance and salvation, a day when the pillars shall hold strong against your common enemy. You shall break forth into song when I break his yoke from off your neck, and burst your bonds, and you shall no more serve them: But they shall serve Adonai. Therefore, do not be afraid or alarmed, for I will save you, and no one will ever make you anxious again.” “It will be a glorious day. Have you heard anything about the peace talks taking place even as we fight for our lives,” said Lynneayia. “Not yet. I am hoping for word of peace, but it has been several days, and nothing has transpired yet, though in four hundred years nothing has broken through Obreshan’s defenses in their need to castrate everyone through implantation.” “Well not castration exactly.” “Castration of will, emotions, freedom, that is the castration I speak of. If given the opportunity, they would implant everyone who speaks the name of Adonai, not just the ones they take prisoner, and we would be lost forever.” “Emperor Terhana will not let that happen.” Alaina looked around at the decimation their armament had done to the Obreshan army, and landscape. “He might not have any choice if Obreshan wins this war. I pray that day never happens. I want to go home and do something different with my life.” A sniper came out of the surrounding forest, firing at will. Lynneayia was quick to raise her rifle and killed their attacker. Looking around, she saw Alaina holding her right arm, blood staining her jacket. “Captain, we need to get you to a medic.” “I’ll be fine, the bullet went clean through.” “Still you need it attended to before an infection sets in,” she said, helping Alaina to her feet and headed back to the rest of their command. “I need a medic!” she shouted, and was soon surrounded by medical personnel, and led to the med tent. “Here, take this for the pain,” said the doctor, handing her a pill and a glass of water. “Take off your jacket and let’s take a look.” Alaina took her jacket and blouse off, leaving only a tank shirt, and found a neat hole in her upper arm gushing blood. She almost fainted at the sight of her own blood, though the sight of blood generally didn’t bother her. “It’s the amount of blood you’ve lost,” said the doctor, pouring a cleansing powder into the wound and washing it out and putting more into the wound before bandaging it. “That will also cauterize the wound and stop the bleeding,” he said, putting her arm in a sling. “Thank you, Doctor,” said Alaina, as she put her blouse back on with help from Lynneayia, leaving her right arm sleeve dangling, and carrying the jacket. As they left the tent, she said, “We need to have the burial ceremony and get some shuteye.” “Captain, we’re ready for you,” said the soldier Lynneayia told to get the detail ready. “Good,” said Alaina. “Assemble the troops.” With Lynneayia’s help, she soon had her jacket on. She would need to get a new jacket and blouse as soon as possible as the blood not only felt wet, but sticky as well. Word quickly passed through everyone as they gathered around the new graves with their solemn cross markers. Alaina nodded to the chaplain, who began the ceremony. “Today we honor our fallen dead, heroes of this war for freedom,” the chaplain began. Alaina listened to the short ceremony as the names were read, and thought about the waste to their lives, but knew they did not hesitate because they knew the stakes involved if they hesitated even a moment. She joined in with the rest of the troops, as the chaplain began the Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on this world as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.” As they left the ceremony and started back to their tent, Lynneayia said, “That makes two dozen attacks, and two dozen victories, three of them surprise attacks, which you found out about only hours before, in the past two months. You’re a hero, you know that don’t you?” “I don’t want to be a hero. I just want to go home and get away from the guns of war. Even in my sleep, I hear their shelling all around me. I wake in a cold sweat, only to go back to sleep and dream I’m still in the thick of it.” Alaina shook her head. “I want to do something different. College is the answer. When I think those missiles could take us out next time, it makes me shake. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the sounds or smells of it. It even invades my dreams.” “I know. I’ve seen you toss and start at every sound, waking in fear.” “I admire you. It seems nothing bothers you.” “Oh, I’m scared. Do not let this bravado fool you. I cannot wait to get this uniform off. I just do my best not to let it affect me. You are an officer, and closer to it by your every action. Do you make the right decision in what you do? Should you turn right instead of left? Should we maintain radio silence, or can we talk above a whisper. Everything you do has the ability to make or break your entire command. You hold our lives in your hands. I wouldn’t want your job, but you are a good officer, and so far, we have fared very well.” “We are in Adonai’s hands. If I had to trust me to lead you, we would be lost. No, if it were not for Adonai, we would all be bowing down to humanism and the people of Obreshan. I will not give them that hold over me, so I will continue to look to Adonai to guide us. You are a good friend, the best I have had. We’ll need to be careful not to lose sight of each other when this war is over.” “Are you kidding? I am going to stick to you like glue. I’m even determined to sign up for college at the same time, on the same day as you when we get back to Astiri.” “When we get back, if we get back. We have been here for almost a year. I am straight out of the academy. I have been thrown to the symbionts, if you will, fighting for my life and the lives of every man and woman under my command. It boggles my mind to think what Colonel Latimer entrusted to me. I could not do any of it without Adonai. The people from Obreshan think we use Adonai as a crutch, that he is only a fairytale for children. He is so much more. He is my life and my salvation. I have most of King David’s psalms memorized for those moments when we face our biggest challenges. I remind Adonai that I am his and I need his protection in order to win the battle in front of me. He just quietly assures me he goes before me at the head of my small army.” “And that is what makes you a great militia leader. You look to Adonai as your source. You mentioned college, what would you do?” “I would become a biotech engineer and an astrophysicist.” “Two majors? They aren’t even related.” “Of course, they are. They are a study of planets, stars, and space. It is a study of the universe. I want to dig my hands deep into the soil and see what it’s made of, and I want to see how the stars and planets in this galaxy affect our way of life. I could start with this soil right here,” said Alaina, reaching down and digging her hand in the soil and bringing up a handful of dirt. “You know, I might just join you. It sounds like fun, and it would take us away from the war once we’re able to go back to our civilian lives.” “We might be civilians when we go home and take off our uniforms, but we will always be militia. We have it drummed into every cell of our being. It’s part of us.” Lynneayia nodded as Alaina looked up at the rising sun and looked at her watch. “The rain stopped and I didn’t notice. A new day already, but I’m calling for sleep. We’ll convene the troops in eight hours.” “You’ve been up all night.” “You know the one thing I am glad about on Astiri that Obreshan doesn’t have: twenty-four-hour days. Instead they have two twelve-hour days to accomplish everything. Astiri, like Earth’s years are twice what they see here, but then they are closer to the sun. They are not even a true planet, just a star half-way across the solar system. Sometimes I wish we could go back to Earth.” “If we could go back to Earth, to the Milky Way Galaxy, we would have other problems. We destroyed Earth. We would be unable to breathe the air without a facemask. But if there were any people there, they would be underground due to radiation poisoning. So, wishing we were back there would be a fight for our lives on another level. You don’t want that either.” “I know there is a freighter that travels to earth and collects artifacts. I have several of them in my apartment. I often wondered what conditions they found there when they arrived on their salvage missions,” said Alaina. “I didn’t know you collected artifacts from Earth?” “I have all my life. Each item comes with a statement of where it was found. I often wondered about the people who owned it before me. My favorite artifacts are the tragedy comedy masks, and the dolls, which also sport those expressions. I also have other things from kitchens, tools, and the like. They are not as sterile in appearance as the practical tools and appliances we have on Astiri. However, I know you are right. From what I hear, Earth is uninhabitable. Well, I need to get in touch with Colonel Latimer and let him know about the victory achieved here today and find out our next orders.” Alaina directed the troops into their tents. “Set your watches. We convene in eight hours,” she said, and slipped into her tent, with Lynneayia behind her. They had been on Obreshan for nine months, a year and a half by Obreshan standards. In that time, they had come up against enemy fire dozens of times, and every time Alaina thanked Adonai she was still alive. Her command could have fallen victim to any number of attacks. She had lost good troops. War did that to people, cut them down, and made them wonder why they fought. She knew why she fought. She fought to remain free. She fought for Adonai. She would not allow anyone to put restrictions on her life and turn her into a walking zombie with no thought of her own, only the thoughts that came from a symbiont. No, that was not for her or any of the men and women in her command. They looked to her, trusted her and her judgment. She had proven herself over and again. She would not let them down. Using her one good arm, Alaina took off her headgear, and set it on the portable table with the radio that reached across the universe. Her jacket and blouse landed in a heap in the corner of the tent. She would need to mend them and get the blood from them before she wore them again. Sitting in front of the radio, she touched a few buttons and talked into the microphone. “Colonel Latimer, this is Captain Alaina Magarain. Can you read me?” “Yes, Captain. What do you have to report?” “Their surprise attack was on their side thanks to the intel you gave me.” “Good to hear. And losses?” “Six, Corporal Ken Woodard,” Lynneayia handed her a sheet of paper on which she had written the names of those who had fallen. “Private Ben Gates, Private Sharon Hallstead, Sergeant Ryan Piper, Corporal Lynn Banes, and Private Steven Fisher.” “I will contact their families. They were good soldiers.” “Yes, they were, sir. Is there any news from the peace talks?” “I should be getting it any moment.” “What about our next orders?” “One moment, stand by.” “Something’s up,” said Lynneayia. “Hopefully something good.” Colonel Latimer came back, “I just got word, the peace talks are just getting under way now. More to come on that.” “And my orders sir?” “Stand by, am getting another message.” Alaina waited for several long minutes, as she listened to the rain pouring down once again. It never stopped raining for very long, but it did help her sleep. “Captain, we just received word of an ambush on a convoy. I need you to take your troops north of your current location and get our troops out of enemy hands.” “Where north, Colonel Latimer?” He gave her the coordinates as she brought out the map of Obreshan and located where the ambush had taken place. “We’ll leave for that location in seven and a half hours. We’ve been under fire for several hours and I’ve called for sleep.” “Get some sleep yourself and let me know as soon as you find the convoy.” “I’ll do that, signing off.” Alaina set down the mic and looked at the map. “It’s going to take us a week to get to these coordinates.” Lynneayia looked at the map. “We’ve been there before. It’s all marsh land.” “It is, but there’s also a city to the east of there,” she said pointing to the map, “and a prison here.” “Let’s hope we find our troops alive.” “I agree. We won’t be able to break them out of the prison.” “I remember from the last time you tried that. We lost too many good soldiers.” “Yes, we did,” she said, folding the map, setting it with her gear, and sitting on her cot, took off her boots and socks, trading them for clean dry socks. “I am always amazed nobody can pick up our radio signal,” said Lynneayia. “We don’t pick up any signals from Obreshan either. I’m not a scientist, but it’s something to do with some kind of silencing technology that has been around for a couple hundred years now, that only allows the person you’re communicating with to get your message.” “I remember stories from Earth and their wars. They had to transmit in code so they couldn’t be picked up by the enemy, and there were code breakers on all sides looking for the information.” “I remember them too. It was one of the first things our scientists worked on when war broke out. Now it’s part of all facets of communication.” “Like the vid phone only more sophisticated and no code breakers necessary.” “Yes, now let’s get some sleep. It’s another long day tomorrow,” said Alaina, pulling her blanket over her, fully clothed, careful with her arm and closed her eyes to sleep. They would need to mobilize as soon as they woke. She only wanted one thing, to have the war over and go home. She never wanted to hear the sounds of war again as long as she lived. When would it end? Only Adonai knew.