The Red Leopards of Zaxon B (Galaxies Collide Book 2) Read online

  Tregan

  A private in the second Trevakian Marine Brigade, Tregan and his close colleague and friend, Mrin, were assigned to protect the four human earth civilians from Heathrow until their consistent stories of innocent incorrect selection could be established. His countryman brutally slaughtered in action whilst protecting them, Tregan now holds the safety of the humans as a high priority, feeling he owes this to his now deceased best friend.

  Captain Dugachard

  The Trevakian commander on the drop ship, Captain Dugachard was stranded with the humans, rapidly realising she was the senior commander at a disorganised outpost of Trevakian and allied volunteers. Coordinating the retrieval of personnel, she became disillusioned with the casualties and deteriorating military situation, eventually complicit in ordering a full retreat when the realisation that the defenders would be overwhelmed and slaughtered became apparent. She remains the commander of the survivors.

  Character Overview: Earth

  Admiral Karladen

  Transported in a Trevakian Skorpion Class Battle Cruiser, Admiral Karladen was the chosen commander to make first contact with earth. His highly decorated career providing the perfect backdrop to open negotiations with an innocent world…a planet that would soon be drawing the attention of the destructive Morgon enemy. Unbeknown to him, the Morgons had followed the Trevakians through space, arriving in orbit above human earth shortly after initial communication was made. Upon first contact, the Admiral elected to remain on the ground with his media officer to negotiate with the humans. He is now in the Churchill bunkers with the British Prime Minister and in communication with other world leaders.

  Vice Admiral Chergui

  A Trevakian Battleship commander with the Seventh Fleet, his ship and escorts were diverted on their way to relieve Zaxon B to attend a distress beacon placed on earth at Admiral Karladen’s order. Uncloaking and successfully engaging the Morgon vessel in orbit above the planet, Chergui has now been instructed to provide whatever defence he can against any hostile action, with earth’s fighter forces now weakened considerably.

  Dryden

  Aboard the Trevakian Skorpion Class Battle Cruiser when it landed on earth, Dryden was placed in charge of showing the first few earth visitors around the vessel for public relation reasons. Innocently causing the misunderstandings with uniforms, he is still aboard the ship currently cloaked in Osterley Park in West London. The Trevakian is currently assisting with the many severely wounded that have ventured for safety through the transporter connected to the space station above Zaxon B, stranded on earth due to military action.

  Sky Commander (First Officer) Petaski

  Placed in charge of the Trevakian Skorpion Class Battle Cruiser after the departure of Admiral Karladen to negotiate with the UK Government and world leaders, the young officer has played host to a senior airport manager, army major and the Heathrow Duty Police Chief Inspector. Moving the vessel to Osterley Park for safety, Petaski has remained in contact with Admiral Karladen covertly and without human knowledge, attempting to maintain a public relations front with the accompanying managers.

  Character Overview: Pastarian System

  Duty Manager David Bland

  The Duty Manager in charge of Terminal 3 on the day of the Trevakian landing, David Bland is a manager that cares for his staff and was appalled when he learnt that three security officers and supervisor had mistakenly been sent to the planet’s surface. Attempting to retrieve these staff members safely against instructions, the drop ship he commandeered was chased by Morgon fighters, becoming deliberately crippled by the enemy and causing it continue to fly into deep space. David and the pilot have now passed into the next galaxy, the Pastarian System and in the confusion of war will likely be pronounced MIA.

  Introduction: Sam’s fate

  The black security officer had stared out over the jagged terrain before the village from his vantage point on the balcony of the tower, witnessing black and camouflaged armoured Morgon infantry pouring across the dust and snow between the rocks. Seeing the three walkers emerge in the distance through his sniper scope, he shook his head in frustration, rising and running at lowered half crouch towards the door from the platform.

  Ducking through the opening, he began to descend the stairs two at a time, keen to reach Captain Dugachard and warn her of the approaching overwhelming numbers of enemy soldiers. Hearing the muffled firing outside, he glanced up, the open doorway above casting dull light across the darkened stairwell as he descended further. Then the building shook violently, the explosion above throwing debris and dust downwards as he tensed. The loud rumble engulfed him, the structure shaking almost without control as he lost his footing, slipping from the staircase as his arms flayed through the air, attempting to grasp some form of support.

  The dust and darkness enveloped him as his body swept downwards, the building above collapsing inwards and cascading down towards him. His mouth opened to scream, the wind knocked out of him as his back crashed against the wooden floor below, his body twisting as the floorboards gave way beneath, his frame smashing through into a small dark basement.

  Crashing onto supply sacks, he felt the crack across his legs, the bones snapping as he twisted. His body rolling from the obstacles as his pelvis fractured, the excruciating pain sweeping through his body as dust and rubble poured through the opening above, his face and chest smashing against the side wall as darkness overcame his vision, his mind blacking out.

  Slowly, his eyes flickered open, dust and debris covering his face as he struggled to comprehend where he was through the darkness. He sucked air desperately as the intense pain swept over him, his back and pelvis fractured, both legs and an arm broken, his uniform increasing the anaesthetic capability through his pores. Then he froze, his alertness intensifying frantically, eyes darting back and forth rapidly as the aroma of acrid and burning filled his nostrils.

  His chest started heaving painfully, the pungent smell becoming stronger as tentacles of smoke drifted through the debris around him. Coughing to clear his throat of dust, he moaned loudly, tasting blood in his mouth as he wretched. His eyes widened in horror as the debris above ground together, the rubble shifting as he swallowed hard to quell his coughing. Distant gunfire echoed around the small space he was trapped in, the darkness seeming to close in around him as his chest ached painfully, his legs twisted unnaturally and covered in heavy masonry.

  Coughing further, his chest wheezed as additional dust fell into the enclosed space, the collapsed building above shuddering again as muffled gunfire erupted around the piled debris. His eyes darted around the pitch black again, intense fear rising within his chest as the masonry above shifted noisily again. He breathed heavily, swallowing hard as his eyes tensed, tears forming as the visor flickered then died, the helmet attempting to reactivate after the damage sustained.

  Colour swept across his vision, the cracked visor electronics surging with power. He blinked heavily, his pupils contracting as he glanced around in the confined space. Gasping as he saw a dust encrusted outstretched arm lying about a foot away, the remainder of the body covered in masonry, the Trevakian marine dead, though the corpse still containing some heat as the infra-red glow on the visor indicated.

  More smoke filtered through the cracks in the shattered debris, wisps spreading and hanging across the small space. He realised he had been prevented from being crushed by the heavy duty cabinet that his body half lay in, the angle the metal and wooden locker had fallen at preventing his immediate demise.

  Flames flickered through the cracks in the fallen masonry, the smoke around him seeming to increase slightly as he tried in vain to move his broken body, the injuries and fallen debris pinning his body in position. He gasped in agony, shaking his head in disbelief as he clenched his teeth, sucking air through his mouth as his mind surged with adrenalin, his lips opening in half dread, ‘Help! Please help!’

  He shuddered as he heard muffled movement above, his heart pounding as he cri
ed out again, tears running down his dust encrusted face, ‘Can you hear me? Help Please!’

  More muffled movement, dust cascading from above as his head dropped back in despair, the thick debris being swept aside in seemingly desperate attempts to reach him. He jerked in nervousness as rocks and masonry moved around him, creaking and grinding together as the weight shifted, more debris removed from above.

  Small stones fell from above, his combat suit inflating slightly to cushion his body. He closed his eyes in fear, visions of his mother filling his startled thoughts as more stones and dirt bounced off his crippled limbs and damaged uniform, the lights on his visor going out again.

  Light flashed across his face, the stones above removed as he cautiously opened his eyes, several snowflakes fluttering into the dark hole as he held his breath. Staring upwards, he could just make out the grey clouds sweep overhead through the small gap as more and more stones and debris were removed, the opening widening slightly.

  He breathed heavily, his dust and dirt covered body twitching as more debris fell from above, his eyes half closed in protection as he tried to lift his one unbroken arm. His voice trembling, Sam coughed again, ‘Thank god you heard me…thank you!’

  Dust fell all around him, a brief smile flicking across his face before he winced, the pain surging through his back again. Then he stared upwards, his eyes widening in terror as the clouds were obscured, two silhouetted helmeted heads looking down onto him as a bright light flashed across his encrusted features.

  The eyes looking down glowed red, one silhouette’s forked tongue slipping across scaled lips as clicking and a low shriek came from the commander behind, his armoured helmet briefly glancing down before instructing his troops what to do with the human casualty below.

  Sam’s shoulders shuddered as he cried openly in fear and defeat, the debris and stones above being feverishly swept aside and removed as more dust swept downwards, the red helmeted eyes glowing as they dug with increased vigour and determination.

  Eventually lifted gently from his basement tomb, he sobbed uncontrollably, his chest heaving painfully as the armoured soldiers held his broken and bloody aloft as a prize. Screaming in agony as the strong armoured figure tossed his broken body into the cold air in triumph several times, then holding him roughly and triumphantly before the others, their glowing helmet eyes shining in blood lust at his bedraggled figure.

  Numerous camouflaged and black armoured Morgons stood around the edge of the square, their tall bodies and eyes staring in hatred at a surviving enemy. Several bodies of Trevakian marines were scattered across the square, most decapitated, the blood splattered dust and walls around them indicating they had fought to their last breath. Fires burned around the destroyed village, the plumes of black smoke rising into the air as explosions and any remaining ammunition detonated in buildings on the outskirts.

  The squeal of armoured walkers approaching from the valley, the Morgons moving more of their heavy weaponry up towards the front line. The Silakian troops and other assaulting Morgon infantry units trudged past, their weapons held aloft as the firing in the distance intensified. Some glanced at the broken human body in disgust and hatred as muffled explosions swept up the slope from the direction of the airstrip.

  Sam bit his dusted lips as he saw the dead marine that had shared his hiding place jerked upwards from their underground hiding place, the black armoured soldier dragging the battered and bloodied dusty corpse in contempt like a rag doll across the street before stopping outside the building Captain Dugachard had previously used as a headquarters.

  The Morgon dropped the body, lowering his black armoured frame next to the corpse and roughly lifting the limp body with a clenched fist. Sam’s eyes narrowed as the soldier twisted and snapped the neck of the dead marine, a large sharpened serrated blade drawn from the back of the Morgon as he decapitated his dead victim, lifting the blood soaked helmeted head in one hand as a grisly trophy, the soldiers surrounding him raising their weapons in salute and glory.

  Sam felt his body lowered, then dropped to the ground roughly as he shrieked in pain, the suits anaesthetic capability now exhausted. He stared upwards at the Morgon above, the armoured soldier looking down on his prey, seeming to study him. Sam’s chest heaving helplessly as he anticipated the soldier’s next move, his eyes staring into the dark helmet. Another head drew next to the first, the camouflaged helmet lined in gold stripes as two pairs of red eyes glowed, staring at their prey.

  Then the Morgon unit commander lifted his assault rifle, twisting it in his armoured gloved hands and cracking it downwards. Sam vaguely felt the blow, his teeth shattered as the butt of the rifle broke his jaw, his mind swirling as excruciating pain overwhelmed his senses, his consciousness seeming to flicker before plunging into darkness.

  Chapter One: The Eastern Front Line

  The South Korean marines of the Blue Dragon Division ran through the trenches, their heads lowered and bodies crouched as dust and debris flew over them, the blast waves rocking the trench walls. Passing Trevakian Marines and shuddering terrified volunteers of the Heathrow volunteer battalion, their commander approached Captain Mason, offering a brief salute as he spat dust from his mouth.

  Dropping to his knees, the South Korean nodded a grim greeting to Jozefina Kapralova, turning his black visored helmet to look at the American, offering a further courteous salute, ‘Lieutenant Kim reporting Sir, what’s the situation?’

  Captain Mason gritted his teeth, screams echoing from further down the line as acid shells erupted across the broken terrain, ‘The enemy is now below the ridge…’ He indicated around him, ‘This unit should be in reserve, so we need your troops to strengthen the position…what men have you available?’

  The short South Korean shook his head in annoyance, ‘Forty seven soldiers only in this sector…the rest are further north around the caves…they are clearing them out to use as a medical facility.’

  The American grinned ironically, slapping the Korean’s shoulder as they both ducked instinctively, a shell burst nearby, ‘Well, that will have to do…spread them along the line and let’s go to the command post…see what the Trevakian’s have to offer us.’ He turned and gestured to the next trench, shouting at Jozefina through the thundering blasts, ‘You have the confidence of your troops, come along…we need to see how we can hold here!’

  Jozefina glanced at the soldiers around her, indicating to the marine holding the struggling Rees below, ‘Keep him safe please!’

  The Trevakian marine looked up briefly, a grim smile crossing his lips as he grasped the shaking man’s shoulders, ‘Don’t worry…he will be safe…I may have to have a rather forceful chat with him after you have gone!’ He nodded, applying more force to the writhing body below, ‘…It will be best for both of us!’

  They ran half-crouched along the trenches, shell blasts rocking their bodies as they progressed. Around them, the screams of wounded and shell shocked drained resolve, their realisation that the soldiers were inexperienced and totally unprepared for what they faced undermining the commanders as they moved forward. The uniforms of the panic stricken soldiers reacted to atmospheric pressure, increasing padding for additional protection, chemicals to decrease anxiety slowly being excreted onto their skin follicles.

  Jozefina ran behind, her eyes moist with emotion as she witnessed the terrified staff of the Heathrow volunteer battalion shaking with fear at the numerous blasts, her friends and colleagues frantically pushing themselves further into the dirt. Nausea rose into her throat, the realisation she had placed them in ultimate danger, her helmeted head shaking in despondency as she realised that deadly reality was far removed from adventure and idealism. That the naivety of their resolve and bravery had placed them in mortal danger.

  Dust and debris flew across the trenches, engulfing the defenders as they pressed their faces into the emplacement floors, gloved hands over their heads. Several sections of the defensive positions had polymer protective roofs, the sturdy sheet
s deploying automatically from their small portable self-embedded housings to offer limited protection to the soldiers below from shrapnel.

  Flashes flickered around the terrain, the detonations throwing acid and shrapnel projectiles across the positions as they ran. Smoke billowed over them, the stench of burning matter and material filling their nostrils. Stepping over the wounded and screaming men and women, they reached a section of Trevakian marines, the highly trained soldiers all raising fists to their chests as they crouched beneath the trench walls, an officer realising their intent and pointing further down the line, ‘The command bunker is just ahead!’

  Captain Mason stopped next to the commander, the Trevakian’s grin puzzling him as the others stopped abruptly behind. The American shouted above the raging noise above, ‘What’s the situation…when will the enemy break over the ridge?’

  The Trevakian officer shrugged, ‘It may take more than that…’ He indicated further to the north as blasts echoed above, ‘The track leading up from below emerges further along…we have prepared a surprise for the Morgons when they advance. This was a designated fall-back position! The terrain will force them into a bottleneck…we have deployed laser turrets in front of the track as it emerges onto the high ground…’ He ducked as a nearby explosion covered them in dust, spitting, ‘The ravine walls are embedded with proximity mines…once the barrage ceases, we will draw them in and detonate…you will see…and hear it all from the command bunker.’

  Mason’s eyes widened in surprise, a grin spreading across his face, ‘So we are not firing back for a reason…to draw them forward?’