Ghost Soldiers Read Online Free Page B

The small cadre of commanders would make quick decisions, while the Grunts supported them in battle. He finally moved back to his clamp and rejoined Khan, just as they travelled through a layer of thick cloud.
    “Remember the brief. The target is well protected inside and out, but they are not expecting an attack like this. Grunts are expendable, but they are not cheap. Expend them for the mission, and let’s get our people out of there.”
    He double-checked his own clamps and then waited patiently alongside Khan.
    “Nice speech, Spartan.”
    The dropships blasted out from the mountains at a reduced speed of just under four hundred kilometres per hour and right at the compound. Spartan tensed a little as he watched them pass the one kilometre marker, confirming they were now well inside the kill zone. Icons lit up on his overlay from the dropships tagging additional targets missed by the spotters and the drone.
    “That’s a lot more than one-fifty,” said Spartan.
    Khan tensed his shoulder muscle.
    “Who cares? They will die like the rest.”
    The pilot’s voice quickly silenced them both.
    “Gunships are inbound, targets selected, weapons hot.”
    Those inside the dropship watched on their helmet overlays as the pair of Alliance Hammerhead gunships did their work. These were the workhorses of Alliance armed forces, performing the dual role of squad landers, as well as gunships.
    “That’s more like it.”
    Spartan nodded, watching them move in on the pre-selected position well before they knew what was happening. The first circle strafed over the target area in a wide circle, yet with its guns facing inwards towards the compound. Its turret put down an incredible amount of fire, quickly followed by a barrage of missiles. As it turned away, the second came in for a long strafing pass to knock out their anti-aircraft systems.
    “Not bad,” said Khan, “Looks like the anti-air is offline, for now.”
    Spartan smiled inside his armour.
    “We have our window, but it won’t last long. They have other weapons.”
    He then spoke to the entire landing force inside the three dropships.
    “We hit the ground in fifteen seconds. Get ready, this is going to get rough!”
    A red light flashed inside the hull of the dropship, and then a grinding noise as the hatches fitted to the underside slid open, revealing the cargo of ground troops to those below. Spartan could already feel his pulse beginning to quicken, and with little effort he calmed himself, waiting for the moment of the actual drop. The craft vibrated as the landing mortars launched a star shaped pattern of stun shells all around the landing sight. They hit the ground with a series of flashes and bangs. Spartan laughed quietly.
    Shock and awe!
    “Drop, drop, drop!” yelled the pilot.
    The dropship spun about its engines and reverse thrust while lifting up its nose. The sound from the engines was so loud it sent stowage shaking as they went from low speed to almost stationary. With barely fifteen metres from the ground, it began blasting its cargo out. Like a renaissance organ gun, the dropship expelled its cargo one tube at a time until four seconds later the entire transport bay was empty.
    Here we go!
    The change from being transported in the dropship to falling to the ground was so sudden that even Spartan surprised. Then came the landing, made safe only due to the massive deceleration of the dropship. He hit the ground, and the legs automatically crunched down, letting the pistons and servos take the strain. Spartan could feel the suit groaning and then he was upright.
    On the ground, now the work begins.
    With his face blocked from the enemy, he was instead granted a perfect open view via the inserts in front of his eyes. To the right was the shape of his dropship rushing away, while to the left the other two were blasting their ground forces like missiles directly towards the ground.
    “All squads move in!”
    In front of Spartan were a perimeter wall,