GALAXY AT WAR - Book 1 - The Tranchillion Encounter

CHAPTER EIGHT - December 2171 - Ganymede

Authors Note:- Thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter. It is a little larger than previous chapters plus I had internet problems which slowed the process up. I hope you're all enjoying my story. Now on with chapter eight.

Ganymede was on the dark side of Jupiter. Everywhere, except the human colony buildings, was in total darkness. The guards patrolling the fences couldn't see too far beyond them unless they requested a spotlight to be aimed their way. They didn't expect much, if any, trouble as most of the tranchillions that had landed on Ganymede, and evaded capture initially, had now been rounded up or killed.

On the other side of the fence, about fifty meters out, lay three tranchillions. They were on a scouting mission, trying to find any weakness in the aliens' defences. They were hidden by the rise and fall of the land. When combined with the pitch blackness of the night, they were virtually invisible.

"It's time to get back," said the squad leader.

They moved away from their observation point and headed back in the direction of their camp, covering their tracks as they went.

Suddenly, three dark shapes rose, as if from out of the ground, and took them completely by surprise.

"Do not raise your weapons. I'm Captain Xenorphide and I demand to know your names," said one of the dark shapes.

All three tranchillions were frozen with fear. They couldn't believe how easily they'd been captured.

"Captain. We thought you were dead, sir."

"We were captured but we managed to escape. Now, what are your names?"

They gave their names and Rebecca checked them off her list.

"How many are left?"

"There are another five of us at our camp, sir."

"Good. Take us there."

They set off for the camp.

"We'd better hurry, sir. The light will be returning in another half an hour and we're still twenty minutes away."

They arrived at the camp as the sun started to appear from Jupiter's shadow. The camp was a natural hollow in the moons crust that was only a few meters deep.

"How did you find this cave?" asked Neil.

"One of us fell down it when we were running from the aliens. If he hadn't, I'm pretty sure we'd have been captured or killed by now."

"We need to get the rest of our men out of that base as soon as possible. Has anyone come up with a plan yet?" asked Neil.

"To be honest, sir. We were just trying to survive. Our food supplies are running short though and a few of us were thinking of giving ourselves up just so we can eat."

"That won't be necessary now. My shuttle's only five minutes from here. I'll call it in when we're ready to go and we'll get off this moon."

Neil opened his rucksack and produced some of his rations. "These will help for now." A few seconds passed. "I have recently promoted Staff Sergeant Carphide to Lieutenant," he pointed at Rebecca. "She's now my second-in-command."

"With respect, sir. I don't think we'll be able to get anyone out of there. We are outnumbered and any assault on that base will be suicide or, at the very least, a sure-fire way of getting captured."

They followed the three tranchillions to their hideout. Once inside, Neil found out the others' names.

"Who was in charge here?"