World In Turmoil

12: The Betrayed Defenders

"ALL TEAMS PULL OUT NOW!"

Screamed the horrified orders of command. Voice broken into a wild husk of its once orderly self.

Lennard was first on the uptake,
"Sir? Whats going on?"

The brazen commander's reply was instant, like a slap to the face.
"The LSN are mobilizing to eradicate the planet! That fleet is only a fraction of the force soon to be inbound!
It looks like we're not dealing with traitors boys... Agg... But I haven't received any bloody warning! You'd think they'd say something before unloading hell on us, BUT HAVE THEY? NO!"

The shocked replies flooded in from every member of each squad like a burst dam, crushing down onto a helpless village.

"MY CREATOR!"
"Sir!? Are you blood sure!?"
"WHAT?"
"..."
"No... oh no..."
"Well... so that's how we end..."

"Shut up all of you! Get your asses out of there! A planetary purge wouldn't normally include protectorate forces, but since I haven't been informed, the LSN commander has taken it that we are to be purged as well! I'm already coordinating with Planetary Command to try and hold out for as long as possible! NOW FLY!"

The stunned silence was deafening. Total terror gripped the heart of each man and woman.
Their lives. Might not be for much longer.

In a voiceless, silent terror. Each and every single jet set itself into a downward scramble.
The training they all had, screamed one very loud fact at them.

Dive.

If the LSN dreadnoughts were going to open fire on them, getting low and into the smoke cloud might give them a chance of surviving.

A pathetically small.
Chance.

With that in mind, they plunged towards the cloud of smoke and soot, all 34 of them in unison.
Dropping like rocks into a lake of grey and black.
Sending ripples of smoke cascading through the cloud.

Fervent eyes scanned radar monitors. Ready for the inevitable first shot.

They raced through the blackened skies, trails of empty air left in their midst. As they plowed through the swirling vapors.

East, over the mountain was the Protectorate air base. It offered little safety. But it was a silent beacon of hope.

Lennard, understanding what the silence needed, raised his voice, "Men, woman. Everyone. Circle round to the north, we can use the valley approach as cover for our retreat. Remember, stay low. But don't go too far below the cloud line, there could be buildings and hilltops you can't see, just waiting for you to crash into them."

His order held an air of calm practicality. Registering with everyone.

"Sir!" Bursted Teal, "By the creator sir, it doesn't matter how long we survive, there's only so long we can last against the WHOLE LAST STAND NAVY!"

Emerald muttered in a dejected manner, "They wont bring everything Teal. Just a fleet or two more. A company at most... but even then. Our world is toast."

Red, feeling his blood boil as it so often did, pushed his request through clenched teeth, "My life sir. I demand to take my squad and attack the heartless sons of ZorZack."

Command rebutted Red's request in an instantaneous shout of denial, "NO! I'm not losing a single one of you to our own bloody side!"

"Sir. Let me." Red spat through clenched teeth, with forced order in his tone.

"Don't bloody contradict me Qennald! You'll be more useful once we've conglomerated all our forces for one big counter-attack..." command suddenly fell silent.

But then. Slowly. Filled with dread. He said dryly, "By the creator... their on the move. Yellow leader I'm requesting confirmation!"

"Yes sir." Yellow accepted, "But I'm going to have to leave cloud cover. I can't get a good look at them from my altitude."

"YELLOW DON'T! They'll fire at you!" squealed Teal.

"Silence 62. I don't need insubordination right now." barked Command, "Yellow Leader. Do it."

Lennard pulled his flight-stick backward, and pitched the jet into an upward dive. He popped out of the cloud like a dolphin. The adrenaline surgeing through his body, making it tingle all over.

He scanned the skies, trying to guess by first looking at the big dreadnought ship, but it was like trying to guess which way one of the moons were going. Simply put, impossible. So instead, he fixed his eye on the smallest of the LSN ships. And watched as it slowly gained distance from it's big-brother. When Lennard was satisfied he wasn't hallucinating under the stress and panic, he dove back under the blanket of protecting smoke cloud.

"This is Yellow. I can confirm they are on the move."

"Confirmed Yellow. LSN are mobile. I'm sending out an alert to the Yarnada City Protectorate Base. They need to evacuate."

Emerald pitched up, "Wasn't that bloody obvious the moment they started bombarding Gersanto?"

"Emerald Leader. Of course it was. But you do realize how difficult a task finding a place for over 600,000 refugees is? Not to mention the logistics!"

"Of course sir. Sorry..."

"No worries Emerald. Now team, I hope your motor-boating your asses out of there right this moment. Correct?"

"Indeed we are sir." Yellow confirmed, "Were taking the Northern valley as cover. Going over the mountains would put us in too much open air. We'd be sitting ducks."

"Understood." There was a tinge of panic starting to stain the commander's voice, "Emel Gents. Emel."

"Glory to you to Commander." whispered Lennard, in despair.
As the team sped on through the sky.