Last Stand of The Frej [Chapter 1]
#2 of Last Stand of the Frej
"The Aridanian crew member is well versed in the art of combat. Both the doctor and the soldier can fight effectively and form a cohesive unit. This is why they are so respected as a force, and so feared"- Excerpt from 'A History of the Fleet, Volume VI' by Thuram Vorund.
Chapter 1
Medical Bay of the ADV Frej
Dominik readied his Rhodean Standard Issue Plasma Carbine after being flung to the bulkhead by a sudden and violent vibration of the ship's hull. His squadron of Rhodean marines were already recovering from this unexpected tremor, already hearing the footsteps of an Aridanian reaction force moving in on their position. He knocked over a medical table, and took cover behind it, with his squad taking up numerous other positions in preparation of the Aridanian force. They were tense, like a coiled snake ready to strike, and waited impatiently for the next few minutes, but no Aridanians came rushing through the door.
The seven fur boarding squad lined up in the typical door-breaching position, slid the door open, and swept into the next room, carbines at the ready. The team leader signaled for caution, and attempted to pass through the next door in their path. It slid open to reveal a darkened corridor, absent of the standard hazard lights normally present on an Aridanian vessel after an alert is sounded. They advanced slowly and as quietly as possible, paws sweating underneath thick black gloves as they had no clue of the reaction force's intentions. Dominik dared to turn his gun-mounted light on a sign, and noted they were close to the bridge. One thing bugged Dominik, why didn't he hear the gunfire of the other boarding parties?
Cafeteria of the Frej
The Reaction Force was busy fortifying the cafeteria, turning it into a fortress. Due to the design of the ship, the cafeteria was placed only half a kilometer from the bridge, and was positioned so that all routes to the bridge had to go through the cafeteria. The Aridanians had already laid down trip wires connected to concussion grenades, along with pulling every available crewmember into the cafeteria and behind improvised cover, such as turned over tables and crates brought in from storage. They had already received reports that the Rhodean marines were only a hundred meters or so away, so they began to set their sights on their entrance of choice, and waited tensely.
Corridor leading to the Cafeteria
Dominik spearheaded the group, and heard through the other side of the door with his canine ears the clattering and clunking of numerous armaments being loaded and prepped for fire. He signaled his squad, and their squad leader contacted the other elements of the boarding party. Their shortwave radio began to crack to life, and communication was established.
"Are all squads in position?" asked the voice over the shortwave.
"Of course" responded the squad leader, impatiently.
"Five seconds." the voice on the other line finished, and the link was cut.
The leader flashed his sign "3...2...1..." Dominik detonated a charge that sent the hatch flying off its hinges, and charged headlong into the concussive blasts of grenades and deadly plasma fire, returning to the Aridanian forces fire with his own. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he unleashed a torrent of deadly bolts of plasma, forcing some of the defenders below their makeshift barricades. Luckily enough, Dominik was able to make it behind a thick steel support beam on the far left side of the room, and he unleashed sudden, quick shots from his carbine when the opportunity presented itself among the brief lulls in the barrage of noise and fire.
Already, the Rhodeans had lost the initiative, and were being forced behind cover while the fight quickly devolved into a standstill. Heavy plasma lurched forth from one of the two Aridanian light cannons, and was being directed into the steel tables one of the attackers was crouched behind. Before his eyes, he could see the plasma melting through the table and scorching the fox behind. He writhed in pain as he was immolated by white-hot plasma, snow-white fur turning black instantly. This put fear into the hearts of the attackers, but they all knew the Aridanian policy towards prisoners: there are none.
Dominik leaned out of cover and unleashed a burst of plasma from his carbine into an unlucky member of the Frej, sending the feline in his sights to the ground, and jumped back into place as he was being targeted by one of the cannons. He placed his hand against the beam, and felt the heat of the plasma cutting through it. Dominik knew he had to run, to flee in fear of the Aridanians who he had come to destroy, for they were about to destroy him.
Cafeteria of the ADV Frej
As the Reaction Force began to realize their success, they started to advance from behind cover and charged the beleaguered Rhodeans, who were either too weak to fight or too scared. The heavy chattering of the cannons halted, and the Aridanian force surged forth, points of bayonets and knives gleaming, and barrels jettisoning plasma, slaughtering any marines they came across.
"Hey, catch him! He's running away!" screamed an Aridanian crewmember, as they saw an enemy marine fleeing through one of the many hatches torn apart by Rhodean explosives. They gave chase, but he was far out of sight as they went through one of the darkened corridors that led to the Cafeteria. A general notice was put out by the bridge, and a deadly game of cat and mouse was about to ensue.