A SPARTAN'S WAR

"Prefect… I have the ground forces necessary to secure this planet. I need ships to protect us from Union forces when they do arrive."

"The union is stretched even thinner than we are Azlenr." Keleru spoke. "And we replace our clone troops by the thousands every day. Civilian casualties are not a concern of mine at this moment. Your operation is just one of four that we are conducting in order to establish forward bases. We need these bases and if you have to kill a few hundred civilians to do it then so be it. You must use all your options Azlenr'Macoe. You must not fail."

"I do not intend to fail Prefect." Azlenr stated.

"Major Marsin… your Puma Bane Detachment will refrain from any more civilian executions unless something like this happens again."

"Prefect that is not a good idea." Azlenr spoke quickly. "It could back fire on a colossal scale if executions continue."

"I will not have your men… my men butchered by these Durcunusaan dogs!" Keleru snapped softly. "If this continues then we will show these few Union troops that remain it is not going to benefit them in the least to continue their attacks. It will only spill innocent blood. Leave the civilians to Major Marsin and you concentrate on securing that colony for our use."

"As you order Prefect."

"Marsin!" Keleru snapped.

"Prefect!" Marsin barked.

"Major… you are Puma Bane… but you are not above the chain of command. If you ever disobey an order from General Azlenr that does not deal with the civilians on that world I will see to it personally that you and your entire Pride are stripped of their honor and their skins! Is that clear?"

"I understand Prefect."

Sa'roh touched the control panel on the STRIKER's Chart Table and looked at Andro slowly. They had been able to tap into the communications of the Kavalians with relative ease. The encryption was not very sophisticated among individual Puma Bane Communications devices and taking the different channels from the dead bodies and downloading them to Union COM units had allowed them to scan all of their channels and hear the entire conversation that had just taken place.

"Andro?" Sa'roh spoke.

Andro looked up as Cletus walked back up the ramp of the STRIKER and moved to the chart table. "Our team watching the southern settlement just confirmed it." He spoke softly. "Fifty-three Bontawillians and humans were put up against the outside wall of the settlement and executed. They… they left the bodies to rot where they fell."

"Nubou!" Andro nearly screamed as he pushed away from the table.

"This Marsin…" Dantio spoke his voice trembling in anger. "I want this man's nor in my hands!"

They watched silently as Elynth moved up next to Andro and lowered her snout beside his shoulder. His arms moved up and encircled her muzzle as much as they were able and his forehead touched her scales.

You must not blame yourself Andro. Elynth spoke softly. This is not your fault. This man takes pleasure in hurting others. He would have found another way.

Andro nodded his head keeping his skin in contact with her scales and feeling her soothing presence within Mindvoice fill him. He lifted his head finally. I can't allow this to stand sister.

Elynth nodded her massive head. No you cannot. What does your Spartan soul call for you to do?

Make them know it was a mistake. That they never should have come here. Andro answered.

Then make it so. She told him.

Andro turned back to the chart table. "How many Puma Bane troops are on the planet Cletus?" Andro asked as he moved back up to the table.

"Near as our people can determine… a reinforced detachment Milord. Twelve hundred give or take. Two hundred and fifty at each settlement and perhaps another three hundred in reserve here at the southernmost settlement." He answered. "From what we know… this is their standard size when conducting an operation like this. A little smaller than the ones that hit High Coven worlds according to their Intel reports, but large enough against a colony with no real defenses. And they are living up to their reputation. Stone cold killers and nothing more according to High Coven survivors and officers."

"And this Marsin character?" Andro asked.

"The signal was coming from the southern settlement Andro." Sa'roh answered that question. "That must be where he has his command."

"Our long eyes reported that both the generals we saw yesterday afternoon showed up in a hurry." Cletus said. "That is who was with him when they were talking."

Andro turned to Sa'roh. "How long before they figure out we can monitor their COMS?" He asked.

Sa'roh shook her head. "I estimate we got hours before someone realizes it. It won't take much Andro. A simple systems check will detect the tap."

"Then we move now." He answered. "Where is the smallest contingent?" Andro asked looking at the chart.

Dorian pointed to the northern plains. "This one here." He answered immediately. "The Northern settlement that sits on the plains. They set up the settlement just at the entrance of the valley that begins at the tip of the mountain range to make use of the river. It's where the ones you killed came from based on numbers."

"How long will it take our long eyes in the north to get into an overwatch position?" Andro asked.

Dantio looked at Cletus and then back to Andro. "Not more than an hour if they shift and move along this depression. The vegetation is thick enough to hide them until they reach this plateau."

Andro nodded. "Get them moving." He spoke. "Two STRIKERs Sa'roh. How many can we carry?"

"Not counting you and Elynth, we can carry sixty per bird if we crammed them tight." She answered.

"Cram them tight then." Andro said. "Elynth and I will exit here and sweep in from north of the valley. You'll drop our team right on the north edge of the camp after we ghost it. Daio… I want you leading my team. Dorian… you and Dantio take the second team. Exit over the plains and then you and Ryner sweep in from the south at the same time Elynth and I come in from the north. Dantio, drop right on the south edge of the camp. Shi Viskas active and drive north. We'll drive south and meet in the middle."

"After… after what we just saw Andro, this murdering ronnus will kill a lot more of the civilians if we do this." Sa'roh stated.

"He would find some way to kill more anyway. Not attacking them only gives them more time to dig in and fuck us later." Andro said. "We need to keep them on edge until Sa'sur and General Vengal arrive with the Durcunusaan Division. Then we will drive them out of this fucking sector."

"What about the civilians Milord?" Haridl asked. "There must be something we can do to keep them safe. Or try to at least."

Andro looked at Sa'roh. "Can we transmit on their channels with our gear?"

Sa'roh looked at him with a disgusted glare. "Please Andro… I could make it so you can speak to that Kavalian prick Keleru if you want."

Andro grinned. "He'll get the message soon enough. Copy this transmission of theirs and burst it to Marci and Armetus. They will know what to do with it."

"Sa'sur's last message was that our Strike Wing had joined with her and they were only waiting for the last parts of the divisions to load out." Sa'roh told him. "She estimates they'll be back insystem in thirty-four hours."

They all turned when Vari came running up the ramp.

"Vari?" Andro asked.

"Long eyes from the north and east have reported a large contingent of their DAGGERS lifting off from the spaceport loaded with troops. They spread out south and west once airborne and were burning speed." Vari said.

Andro nodded. "They're looking for us." He said.

"And wasting their time since we aren't even on the same continent." Dorian spat. "They are thinking one dimensional fervon. Not outside of the box. Unless these ships begin to move for the ocean then they haven't even thought we could be on another continent. They are sticking with the west and south because the terrain is more agreeable and they don't realize we have out own ships."

"And we'll use that to our advantage until they smarten up." Andro said. "Sooner or later they'll figure out we have transport of our own. And it's only sixty kilometers across the ocean to reach us."

"I'll make sure Captain Trenou has her triage ready to receive any casualties." Sa'roh spoke.

Andro looked at her and nodded. He turned back to the others. "If it wears the uniform of a Puma Bane soldier kill it." He growled. "I don't care if they are kneeling in their own blood and screaming for mercy. Kill them. No prisoners people. No mercy. Once we have secured the settlement we'll load the STRIKERs with as many civilians as we can and then start heading back north while Sa'roh brings them back here. Sa'roh?"

"We can drop off and return in under an hour if we stay low and use max thrusters across the ocean." She answered.

Dantio nodded. "We should be able to cover ten kilometers in that time." He said. "If all goes well… they won't even begin knowing something is wrong until you pick up the second group of civilians. By that time they'll have realized this settlement is silent and send someone to investigate. It's close… but we've done tighter ops."

"I'll buy us more time." Andro stated. "We just need to keep the civilians moving as fast as they are able."

They all nodded. Things were about to heat up considerably. They looked up at Andro and Dorian as the two brother's backed away from the table with surprised looks on their faces. Dantio stood up fully.

"Milord? What is it?"

Andro looked at him. "My sister Lisisa and Jeth have entered the system... Dorian!" He gasped.

Dorian nodded his head. "I feel her too. Both of them." He said.

Andro's eyes narrowed. "I feel… someone else is with her." He said softly. "Someone that I…" Andro looked up. "Sa'roh prep a data burst! I can see what she is planning and we need to give guidance to the Captain of her ship! Dorian and I will make contact with her within Mindvoice." Sa'roh didn't hesitate and began moving back to the cockpit.