Warrior Chronicles 2: Warrior's Blood by Shawn Jones Read Free Book Online

each targeted one of the three colony sites. Diomedes One was assigned to the Aeolis site, with the mission goal of disarming the facility completely. Diomedes Two would assume control of Oxia Palus. If both were successful, Diomedes Three would establish a stronghold at the Argyre evacuation site. If either of the first two missions were less than completely successful, module three would land and reinforce them as necessary.
     
    All three launches would replace already planned supply missions. Fortunately for General Taps, none of them were scheduled to contain personnel, so he was able to replace all three cargoes with his own modules fairly easily. Under the guise of government secrecy, Launch Coordinator Alt didn’t even question the orders.
     
    “And Mr. Alt, I don’t need to tell you how important it is that no one knows about the changes in cargo modules.”
     
    “Of course not, General,” Alt said. “The first launch will be in three days time, with the other two launches following every thirty-six hours. That window will allow us the time to reset the tethering satellite and refuel the cargo flights.”
     
    “Very well. The safety of the cargoes is paramount, so while I would prefer to launch more rapidly, I accept your safety windows. Thank you.”
     
    Aeolis Colony
     
    “Dr. Wills,” Cort said, “I have the rails aligned, begin module descent. Is the training group in place?”
     
    “Yes, Cort. Three of our people and the trainees from Oxia Palus are with me. Once I open the module, they will conduct a mock customs search.”
     
    --
     
    Five hundred miles above the colony in geosynchronous orbit, Diomedes One rotated its gravity plate and began to apply its gravity well to the top of the module. Its onboard computer began to decrease its pull on the freighter module and the module descended, perfectly balanced between the gravitational pull of the gravity plate and the planet below.
     
    “Okay people, game time. Neutralize any threats, then secure the area. Disruptors on setting two. Once we have a beachhead, we will send squad two to the control center while squad three confines the prisoners. Brace for touchdown.”
     
    --
     
    Cort pushed the module into place after it landed on the rails. The magnetic locks engaged and while Cort inspected the module exterior, Dr. Wills began making the power and environmental connections. The first indication something was wrong was that the interior of the freighter was already pressurized. This module wasn’t scheduled to have perishables, but Dr. Wills didn’t know that. He didn’t mention it to Rand in the control room, so Rand didn’t halt the connection procedure and double check the manifest.
     
    --
     
    Inside the freighter module, the lieutenant ordered the lights shut off.
     
    --
     
    “The exterior is clear, Doctor. I’m on my way in, open her up,” Cort said.
     
    “Activating the airlock now. At least we won’t have to wait for it to pressurize,” Wills said over the comm system.
     
    Rand was watching from the control room. This was a cargo module, it shouldn’t have been pressurized. “Wait! What do you mean, Doc?” But it was too late.
     
    Cort felt the hair on his neck stand up as he listened to the exchange. He considered ripping the terminal airlock off the freighter module, but the damage to the rest of the colony would be extensive. It would also mean certain death to the people standing between the intruders and the rest of the colony. He was powerless. For now.
     
    “Intruders! Crewmembers down! Corridor four, terminal section! Facility lockdown!” Rand screamed colony wide. “Evacuate corridor four!”
     
    Wills felt the disruptor hit. With the original synthetics in his system, he was instantly paralyzed. Even though he couldn’t move, he could still watch all of the customs trainees drop in front of him. The regular Aeolis security people were armed and brought their disruptors up and fired.
     
    Sergeant