Recruit: Book One of the Universal Conflict ( Under Constant Editing)

Chapter 19

  A/N: Trilian (Tri- LEE-an) Surni's mate.                                   Davra (DAV-rah) Surni's son.     Graglia (Groj-LEE-ah) Surni's daughter

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Nearing the planet the fighters split into squadrons to start the air strike portion of the attack.

  Even though a good portion of the enemy left the planet, many more remained. Scurrying through city thoroughfares, running over the rural countryside, Ruchkitay scrambled to find safety.

  This didn't help, the strike groups found the heaviest concentrations and they started to launch air to ground missiles leaving bodies and parts of bodies lying everywhere. Turning for their strafing runs, the pilots found more targets as the escaping young stopped to eat the remains of the fallen. Chain guns spat thousands of rounds, cutting down multitudes of Ruchkitay as they cannibalized their fallen and wounded.

  Days of air strikes pretty much decimated the Ruchkitay on the planet. Now came the most dangerous part, putting troops on the ground.

  "We'll stick with our group when we get down. Shoure and Chuff are in command of the platoon we'll be assigned. Surni knows the area best so she will direct the action in our search grid." Krystal briefed the squad prior to departing for the surface "We must destroy every Ruchkitay found. The only exception is if we come across the brains of the enemy. We need that one for study."

  The rest of the squad listened attentively as Krystal finished the squads briefing.

  "Alright, Surn, you lead from here til missions end." Krystal said, handing Surni command of the squad.

  "Thank you." Surni said "Pilots, to your fighters, Ground troops, to the transports, now!"

  The squad ran to their planes and scrambled into their cockpits as Shoure and Chuff double timed the ground assault teams on board the transports.

Surni led the fighters out of the hanger bay with Krystal as her wingman. Cory was next with Hawk and Rufe on his tail. The transports followed close behind as they entered the atmosphere. Splitting to either side, Hawk and Rufe slowed down to cover the transports as they came down in a rural area just outside of Surni's home village. While Hawk and Rufe circled overhead the rest of the squad climbed out of their ships while the assault teams ran down the ramps and formed up ranks.

  "Hawk, you and Rufin give us air support if we run into a bunch of Ruchki's, otherwise just keep a lookout." Surni ordered "Shoure, you take your squad and search the north side of the city. Chuff, you take your squad and search the south side. Cory, Krystal, you each take a squad and search the outlying farms. I will take a squad and search the cave system in the nearby hills."

  The teams split according to orders.

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  As Shoure's squad stealthily hunted through the north side of the village they came across a building with the windows broken out. Signalling his squad to cover each other he had them enter in teams of four. As the third team entered gunfire suddenly rang out through the building. Back out in the street the final two teams were surprised when the windows on the upper floors shattered, raining glass down on them as a small swarm of Ruchkitay ran out and tried to escape by climbing up the wall. The warriors on the ground opened fire and shot them off one by one. Clearing the building they moved to the next and repeated the operation.