Pt. 16 Alamo

 

 JR

Unnamed asteroid,

CCP had been waiting for us, and after the first wave I knew there was more to this than a mining op, Cat was running a decoy as my ships gunned the Fuckers to the Sun, but there were too many ships for us to handle at once, and we resorted to tossing our guns into the middle of a CCP pack, and taking out twenty or so at a time, thanks Elon, this bought us some time.

 

I led First Company into what looked like the main base, Cole at my side, did I tell you he was an ancient cousin of Cat himself? Impressive, but whatever. CCP used a swarming pattern on us, but they were easy pickings, at first, then came the second wave, then the third, we were 20 to 1 better, but attrition was taking its toll.

 

Two days before

 “Cat, stations report timing and readiness” here we go, Gentlemen, I wish you well this day, may Victory be ours! The call went out over the main comm, and the men cheered, ready for action,

 Commence Action! 

 

CCP knew we were here, but I was stunned at the ease in which we took out their installations, railguns reduced to ash, and Lord knows how many souls lost, so much so that two of JRs companies resorted to intel cleaning up, not like there was much left.

 

Meanwhile it seemed JR was having a time, our railguns weren’t having much effect, maybe a grav field? No matter, we dropped a fresh company in the piss pot, and tried to pull JR, but he was having none of it. “Win or Die Cat!, we stand, we have intel from a captive that tells us You need to watch your back”

 God Damn it! Fine, I put the fleet on high alert and prepped the armored shuttles for evacuation. That’s when shit got real.

 

1000 guns

Turning and burning was the game, high G flips, hard turns around small ‘roids, CCP pilots were good, but we had a higher sustained rate of fire, enabling us to stick to a target longer, bye bye!

But again, they swarmed like bees, and it was only our railgun tosses that kept us in the battle, we were losing, then it happened.

 

At first we were lost and disoriented, like everyone I imagine. Maybe we recovered first, maybe they did, but no one was in any shape to fight, so we stood down, for now.

“Cat, it was the Anomaly what did it, when it senses weapons, it appears to cancel them, we can’t fight close to it, or we’re done Sir” Steve at sensors was right of course, I don’t hire yes men you know

Fine, Boom and Zoom, commence! What was JR’s status? We have had no contact since the boom.

Support

“We need guns on our right flank!” That was the last we heard, and the order was given, I sent the armored shuttles down and proceeded to evacuate what Mercs were injured, and prep for a total bailout, and jumped on the next shuttle to find JR. I found him in a ditch with Cole, laying out another defensive sweep, “dude, you guys need to get out, there is no reason to stay here”

Cat, I get it, but if we don’t stand here, now, they will never go away, we must finish it.

 

Cole was put in charge of evacuation, he was angry not fighting with his brothers but did his job, and we were left with a platoon of our best, I wasn’t leaving, so we waited for the assault we knew was coming. Things happened fast, as all gunfights are, and we were on the losing end this time. JR was hit, mortally it turned out, but his only question before he Died, are the Boys Safe?

I knew then we needed to bail out fast, then……

 

Seamus

We were a week out when Cat called me, I told him there was trouble afoot, I took the the ships in high parabolic trajectory, over the plane of the ecliptic, and ended right on top of Cats position, then my worst nightmare, there were no ships, just a debris field full of spaced bodies

.

We looked for survivors from any ship and found none, a tough battle indeed, CCP were gone, as if they were never there, which brought up some questions, which we can never answer I guess. I took me crew and went home with our Booty.

 

 Epilogue

 We arrived to a Hero’s welcome, I don’t see why, we lost the Cat, we have riches, but not a leader, then I heard, “HAIL SEAMUS, LEADER OF THE TRIBE! What? Me? I’ll have to try, you can’t get out of being a leader, but in honor of the Cat, I’ll do my best! 

 

 JR Gibbons (2220-2265}

  Letter written by commanding officer after leaving the grave site of James R Gibbons.

Lieutenant James R Gibbons of Company C Barry Battalion Southern States Frontier Regt.

 

On the 8th day of Jan 2265 Lieutenant James R Gibbons fell mortally wounded in the battle with CCP in the Dove Creek Battle. He lived until Jan 16th. A braver officer than Lieutenant Gibbons was never sworn. He was a freemason, a Christian, a good man and a true soldier. He was respected by those who knew him best.

We can not call him back so let us revere his memory on the banks of the Concho. Far in the distant stars he lies

this brave warrior in his quiet peaceful rest.

S G S McGarry

So lies Catatonio Fletcher, leader of men, friend to all,

The End, of this Tale