The Szuiltan Alliance (The Szuiltan Trilogy) Read Online Free
Author: Neil Davies
poor relation of the Milos system. There were no cities on its inhospitable surface, it's thick atmosphere made it financially inadvisable for civilian settlements. In fact, it had almost been overlooked by the Earth Fleet in its ponderous journey through this sector of neutral space, until the faint signal had been intercepted.
At first the origin of the transmission had been thought to be Milos III, a fertile and heavily populated planet and therefore protected under the 4009 Agreement, but further investigation had revealed Milos III to be merely a relay station and the origin was traced to Milos IV. The signal was in a known Aksian code. The Commanders needed no other proof. The Terramarines were sent in.
Now, as Martin rested his hand on the quick release button of the safety harness and tried to steady his nerves, ready for disembarkation, he cursed the careless operator who had sent the signal with the Earth fleet so nearby. He had been on R&R aboard the leisure ship and looking forward to a peaceful journey, feeling happier with each new rumour about the approaching treaty. He had not been ready to go on yet another raid.
The troop carrier hit the ground hard, sliding to a bone juddering halt at the end of a four hundred yard trough. The braking distance was short for something moving so fast, but then the braking power of the machine was immense and showed little regard for those strapped inside.
Even before the carrier had finally settled its weight into the marshy ground, the rear door had unhinged itself and splashed down into the surrounding water, forming a ramp for the troops to disembark.
Martin was first, as was only right given his senior position. There was always a moment after the landing when he sat there, stunned and aching from the impact, but then the adrenaline kicked in and his training screamed at him to move.
He hit the quick release button and his safety harness snapped back, retracting into the seat behind him. All around he was aware of the others doing the same, and the resulting sound was like a flock of birds taking flight.
He headed down the ramp at a trot, sinking into the marsh without hesitation, dragging his feet through the water until he found a small patch of more solid ground. He didn't look behind him. He didn't have to. He knew implicitly that his Unit would be following him.
The first to reach his side were the Trailbreakers, two men and one woman who had been extensively trained in tracking, observation and silent killing skills. The cold, emotionless professionalism in the eyes of a Trailbreaker far surpassed anything Martin had ever seen in any other soldier, however dedicated, and it always unnerved him. Were Trailbreakers born that way or could human beings really be trained to be that ruthless?
Without a word, the Trailbreakers indicated the direction they would head and had soon disappeared into the mists. Martin didn't argue. The Trailbreakers would have studied the maps carefully. If they thought the target was in that direction then Martin had no hesitation in following them.
He signalled for the rest of his Unit to fall-in and acknowledged the thumbs up from the troop carrier pilot. She would be waiting there for them when they had finished the job.
Chapter 4
The Earth Controller left the Church of Larn refreshed. He always found the half hour service relaxing and peaceful, the antithesis of the world he ruled. Was it too much to ask that they could live without the ever-present threat of planetary genocide hanging over them? The Agreement of 4009, signed by one of his predecessors some fifty years ago, forbidding deliberate attacks on civilian targets, had kept the number of non-combatant casualties relatively low, but its hold was tenuous. There had been increasing pressure in the last four years or so to break The Agreement and launch a full scale invasion of Aks, much of it from unnamed but undoubtedly high ranking officers in the military.
At first the origin of the transmission had been thought to be Milos III, a fertile and heavily populated planet and therefore protected under the 4009 Agreement, but further investigation had revealed Milos III to be merely a relay station and the origin was traced to Milos IV. The signal was in a known Aksian code. The Commanders needed no other proof. The Terramarines were sent in.
Now, as Martin rested his hand on the quick release button of the safety harness and tried to steady his nerves, ready for disembarkation, he cursed the careless operator who had sent the signal with the Earth fleet so nearby. He had been on R&R aboard the leisure ship and looking forward to a peaceful journey, feeling happier with each new rumour about the approaching treaty. He had not been ready to go on yet another raid.
The troop carrier hit the ground hard, sliding to a bone juddering halt at the end of a four hundred yard trough. The braking distance was short for something moving so fast, but then the braking power of the machine was immense and showed little regard for those strapped inside.
Even before the carrier had finally settled its weight into the marshy ground, the rear door had unhinged itself and splashed down into the surrounding water, forming a ramp for the troops to disembark.
Martin was first, as was only right given his senior position. There was always a moment after the landing when he sat there, stunned and aching from the impact, but then the adrenaline kicked in and his training screamed at him to move.
He hit the quick release button and his safety harness snapped back, retracting into the seat behind him. All around he was aware of the others doing the same, and the resulting sound was like a flock of birds taking flight.
He headed down the ramp at a trot, sinking into the marsh without hesitation, dragging his feet through the water until he found a small patch of more solid ground. He didn't look behind him. He didn't have to. He knew implicitly that his Unit would be following him.
The first to reach his side were the Trailbreakers, two men and one woman who had been extensively trained in tracking, observation and silent killing skills. The cold, emotionless professionalism in the eyes of a Trailbreaker far surpassed anything Martin had ever seen in any other soldier, however dedicated, and it always unnerved him. Were Trailbreakers born that way or could human beings really be trained to be that ruthless?
Without a word, the Trailbreakers indicated the direction they would head and had soon disappeared into the mists. Martin didn't argue. The Trailbreakers would have studied the maps carefully. If they thought the target was in that direction then Martin had no hesitation in following them.
He signalled for the rest of his Unit to fall-in and acknowledged the thumbs up from the troop carrier pilot. She would be waiting there for them when they had finished the job.
Chapter 4
The Earth Controller left the Church of Larn refreshed. He always found the half hour service relaxing and peaceful, the antithesis of the world he ruled. Was it too much to ask that they could live without the ever-present threat of planetary genocide hanging over them? The Agreement of 4009, signed by one of his predecessors some fifty years ago, forbidding deliberate attacks on civilian targets, had kept the number of non-combatant casualties relatively low, but its hold was tenuous. There had been increasing pressure in the last four years or so to break The Agreement and launch a full scale invasion of Aks, much of it from unnamed but undoubtedly high ranking officers in the military.
Readers choose
Iris Gower
Arianna Eastland
D. J. Molles
MacAlister Katie
Imogene Nix
Aubrianna Hunter
Bianca D'Arc
Seanan McGuire
David Berlinski
Tanya Huff