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

Chapter 22

  As the fleet flew through the galaxy towards Rufins' world the squad and the rest of the ship settled into a war footing for the coming battle. All ground fighters kept the training bays full, the sound of gunfire reverberated around the clock. Many had become sharpshooters, handy to have in this style of fighting.

  The squad trained intensely. Strategic planning took place daily, learning the terrain.

  Soon, they were within surveillance distance, hiding behind the furthest planet, the Revenge cloaked.

  Rufin was in charge of this mission so he appointed Hawk as the surveillance drones pilot.

  "Sorry Cory, but Hawk knows my world, he flew the rescue shuttle I got onto." Rufe explained.

  "No need to apologize, Rufe," Cory told him "It's your mission, your call.."

  A projection of Rufes world hovered over the table in the briefing area of the training bay as Rufe pointed out areas where survivors could take refuge. Much like Surnis home, the largest cities had underground transportation systems where many would have fled to. Seeing how many of the enemy was crowding the cities was essential. The intel was needed to see if an air campaign would be effective here.

  The drone cloaked as soon as it cleared the hanger bay. As it approached the target planet Rufe had Hawk stop to scan for radar signals and proximity detection satellites. If those were working it would be difficult to pass undetected. As Hawk stopped to scan, Rufin stared at his home, excitement making it near impossible for him to stand still.

  "Negative on the scans." Hawk informed the rest of the squad "Heading into the atmosphere, now."

  The camera showing the Continents from the pilots point of view, quickly sliding by below as the plane searched for a place to land.

  Finding a rooftop high enough and large enough was a job in itself. Finally, in a city beside a spaceport Hawk found his pad.

  The streets were clear, no swarms of young Ruchkitay. Pairs of mature Ruchkitay moved smoothly through the city towards the more rural areas hauling produce, metals and what looked to be meat animals being herded towards grazing lands far outside the city. A totally different scene than the swarms that crawled over Surnis' home. This looked civilized, almost normal. That changed when a native prey animal ran in front of a pair of Ruchkitay just outside of the city. The reaction to the movement was startlingly fast. The deer sized animal was dead in a flash with one adult to an end, bitten in half and swallowed just as quickly as the jaws snapped closed.

  "This is not going to be easy." Cory muttered to himself, he thought.

  "What?" Krystal asked "You expected an easy win?"

  "One can always hope." Cory replied.                                                                                                       "Dream on!" Krystal replied sarcastically "Now is when it starts getting tough. What the ..."    On the screen adults were running into buildings in the city, in the country the adults closed all the herds in barns , closing doors and hiding inside themselves. The squad watched as young Ruchkitay started to swarm out of deep country, this was eerily similar to the scene on Surni,s world a week ago.    

  "Look!" A voice rang out, drawing all eyes back to the screen. It showed several adults caught in the open. It was over in seconds, the young eating every living thing unlucky enough to be outside when the young charged, running amok.

  "Even they're scared of their young." Surni observed "They have to hide to live when the young swarm."

  Still watching the screen Cory saw that the swarm was pointing itself to the spaceport.

  "Send out drones to the other ports let's see what's going on down there." the Commander ordered.

   Moments later a squad of drones cloaked as they left the hanger bay. Approaching the planet the drones separated each heading to ports around the world.
  Hovering overhead the cameras showed the young rushing to the ships in the ports. Now the young attacked each other in the quest to leave this world for a new home. It wasn't long before the first ship lifted off . Bodies of those killed littered the ground. Fighting was still ongoing surrounding the remaining ships. Wholesale slaughter reigned. As well as cannibalism as the young ate the dead and wounded littering their passage.

  As they watched, the rest of the ships filled and launched, heading towards the next planet out to gather for their migration to the next planet of conquest.

  Back in the Revenge the Commander was issuing orders, putting the programmers in position to disable the ships and vent the atmosphere.

  "We will attack after we disable the stolen ships." T'ilvesh stated "Gather your people and start launching the air strike pilots and put out a fighter squadron for the programmers protection."

  The squad dispersed quickly, within fifteen minutes Cory led the group out of the hanger bay. Shoure and Chuff assembled the ground troops, transports readied for loading them aboard. When all was ready, acknowledgement was sent to the Commander.

  "Disable ships in five minutes, on my mark." T'ilvesh commanded "Mark!"

The countdown started, Cory turned the squad towards Rufes' home.

  Falling back, Cory lined up off Krystals wing saying " Your lead Rufe."

  Rufin took point and flew straight to his home town.  As they passed the planet where the swarm gathered to depart this galaxy in search of another world, a cloud of vapor surrounded the stolen ships.

  The fighter squadron escorting the programmers targeted the bodies of those sucked out into space. Lining up on their targets the chain guns disintegrated them quickly.

  Rufin slowed down as they entered the atmosphere arrowing down to strafing altitude before leveling off outside his city.  The squad took parallel streets and started shooting at the remaining young, who were running back to the wilderness. The streets were covered in blood and bodies as the squad took vengeance for the theft and rape of this planet.

  Shifts of fighters continued the air campaign for three full days eradicating the Ruchkitay from open areas. Now the ground troops entered the picture.

  With Rufin giving command positions for the squad leaders, they started the building by building hunt for the remaining adults, hoping to capture one for questioning. Slowly, one by one the buildings were cleared.

  Scouts searched for survivors in the underground transportation system, the few that were found required immediate medical treatment.

  In two weeks the planet had been cleared of Ruchkitay with at least ten adults captured. However the adults refused to communicate. They also had to be kept separated since they would try to kill each other to stop communication with fleet personnel. Multiple attempts to insert translators failed.

  "We need to talk to them." T'ilvesh said "Try to figure out a way."

  "How about implanting a translator in one?" Cory suggested "Is there a gas or other way to render them unconscious long enough?"

  "I don't know." T'ilvesh responded "No medical knowledge besides anatomical exists. We've never had one fall ill."

  "Changing the subject slightly," Krystal interjected "Medical personnel are finished with the survivors. Rufe found out his mate didn't make it."

  The mood of those in the ready room fell dramatically  after that. All the rest of the squad sympathetic. All wondering if Rufe would stay with them. The Commander resolved he would find that out.