Chapter 107

Daganian internment camp

Upon capture the Daganian citizenry were unceremoniously tossed into a ramshackle camp. Lacking even the most basic of facilities the camp was nothing more than a crude tent city surrounded by layers upon layers of razor wire. Patrolling this camp were the soldiers of the Genii military deemed to be in need of remedial training. Lacking the discipline to perform as frontline combat troops these leadership challenges were whom the Daganian's now found themselves at the mercy of. Failure to immediately comply with even the most ridiculous of demands from the guards meant a swift and brutal beating. Insolence or insubordination was met with summary execution.

Under these conditions a majority of the planets indigenous population sat. Few of them felt they would live to see the return of freedom to their world. Lacking basic sanitation, running water, and unable to perform even the barest of hygiene tasks it was only a matter of time before disease set in and purged those within the camp. At the hands of such brutality many contemplated ending their own lives. They knew all too well they lacked the ability to resist the Genii and their weapons. Public displays of grief over their plight were now unseen after the vicious beating of an elderly woman crying at the loss of her son.

Unseen by those in the camp was a lone figure. Walking among the people Dorin felt an anger and hatred burn within him like a fire. Memories of the atrocities committed by their children the Aschen came flooding back into the forefront of his mind. Instead of dolling out justice for their misdeeds the Furling had merely stripped their world of its DHD. The Tauri had exacted a much heavier toll upon the Aschen he thought, and once again they fight the forces of tyranny. This time he refused to stand back and do little. As an ascended being he had more destructive power in his fingertips than most armies had in their entire being.

"This time I will not stand idly by and do nothing. They will respect the freedom of other worlds or I will rain devastation down upon them and those they love" Dorin whispered to himself.

Twenty miles north of the Daganian capital

Moving silently through the densely wooded landscape were five silent killers. These highly trained men were members of Task Force 190, but their parent unit was the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Three time volunteers, each of these men had volunteered for the Army, Airborne training, and further training at Fort Benning's US Army Ranger School. Each man was a battle hardened veteran of battles both known to the public and unknown. Consummate professionals, each of these men were among the elite of light infantry forces globally on Earth.

Wearing their Night Vision Goggles the five men silently stalked through the forest. After a series of hit and run attacks this squad was given orders to precede at best possible speed to the area that would make up their new hunting preserve four miles to the south. With weapons at the ready the men navigated the terrain before them ready to deliver swift and violent death to anything they might encounter.

Two hundred yards in front of the group of men the point man picked his and his teammates path through the woods with care. Looking at the terrain before him the soldier took note of anything that might make even the slightest of noises. Noise and light discipline were something drummed into each Ranger during training, and had kept the men alive through countless encounters during the course of their carriers. This attention to detail greatly slowed their forward progress, but training demanded it. As the point man moved his head constantly swiveled in motion around him, and to the ground below. This constant process was never ending.

At the distant edge of his NVG's field of view the point man saw movement. Removing his goggles and withdrawing his low light spotting scope from his web gear he peered ahead to discern what before them. Seconds later sure of that he saw the soldier tapped his earpiece to alert the other members of his team.

"Six this is Point" called in the point man.

"Go" replied the squad's leader.

"Two hundred yards to my front is what looks to be a road of some kind. Enemy patrol is present and following the road on an easterly path. Twelve in number, standard weapons load out, no heavy weapons observed" reported the point man.

"Roger. Stay eyes on but do not engage. I'll parallel the road and we'll set up a hasty ambush half a click to the east" replied the squad leader.

In reply the point man clicked his radio twice and moved twenty yards closer to the road before him. Behind him he knew his squad would move quickly. From his vantage point he could hear the Genii soldiers chatting among themselves, and a few were even smoking. That won't help your night vision one bit the point man thought while smiling to himself. At the leisurely pace the enemy troops were maintaining the ambush would be set up with more than enough time before their arrival. Like a hunter stalking the most alert of game the point man weaved in and out of the foliage before him, always staying silent and out of sight.

Ahead of the oncoming men the Ranger team prepared their hasty ambush. Using the standard L-shaped ambush pattern three of the Rangers remained on their side of the road, concealed within the wood line, while the forth Ranger armed with his M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon crossed over to the other side taking also taking position in the foliage. Acting quickly two of the Ranger's emplaced their claymore anti-personal mines along the side of the road quickly covering the mines with shrubbery. Now all that could be done was to wait for their prey to enter the kill box.

"Point this is Six" said the squad leader over the radio net.

"Go Six" replied the point man.

"Ingress to contact position is marked with infrared chem.-sticks. Once hostiles enter the box you slam the back door shut. How copy" said Six.

"Point copy's. Estimate time to contact seven minutes" replied Point.