Forward Recon

By Mike Adams

In the West, the Battle of the Bayfront is over and casualties are being treated, but the Rangers won’t get much of a break. Before the day is out, all of the Ranger battalions in New Hope Town will be sent north and east to prepare to meet the oncoming alien ground assault that must be held off long enough to complete the evacuation of the colonial capital.

In the East, Commander Cassidy and Gunnery Sergeant Pickford take Jacks Company and the more than 500 Rangers and civilians they have saved from the alien cookpots to New St Louis, 700 miles south of Winter Cove. They hope to find safety there, even if that means taking it from the aliens by force. They can’t stay in Winter Cove any longer; the aliens know they are there now and will be coming back in force soon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mike Adams
• Release date: Nov 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215637524

Mike Adams

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Staten Island, NY. Mike has a BS in Business Admin from Wagner College and an MBA from SDSU. A retired US Navy Lieutenant Commander, Supply Corps (Logistics), a former small business owner, and part-time substitute teacher. he's visited 6 continents and 36 countries, speak Spanish, some German, a little Italian and a little less French. He currently lives in Chula Vista, CA with his wife Chris.

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Prologue

Lieutenant Nicole O’Brien

Yonkers New York, February 2122

Nicole O'Brien did not know it at the time, but the day she saw the recording of a courageous young female Marine save a group of captives in the African jungle the direction of her life changed. Home for a weekend visit, the 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Kentucky was still unsure what she wanted to do after college.

There had been many police officers in the Cassidy and O'Brien families but law enforcement was not something that interested her. Her mom, Kelly Cassidy, had been the senior weapons trainer at the New York Police Academy until recently when she retired with the rank of captain. One of the best shooters the force had ever had, Kelly had begun training her children after the death of Nikki's father, Detective James ‘Jimmy’ O'Brien, who died in the line of duty when Nicole was six years old. Nikki and her siblings were all outstanding shooters before they began high school. Her brother Rick was an officer in the United States Navy serving on a ship that was currently off the coast of Africa. Military service was also a family tradition, and it was something Nikki was considering.

She had been sitting on the couch in the living room while her mom was in the kitchen showing Rick's 9-year-old daughter Ciara how to bake cookies. The recording she was watching was only a few hours old and came from the helmet cam recordings of two Marines who had been watching as a large band of marauders led by two of the sons of the terrorist leader Hassan Gul marched a group of captives into a clearing in the jungle. They were about to execute one of the captives when one of the Marines, an unnamed female NCO, jumped into action. She killed those about to execute the captive then jumped down and put herself between the terrorists and the other captives, killing several more including two in hand-to-hand combat. When it was over, Nikki called her mother and niece into the living room then had Robby, the household AI, replay it for them. Stunned and amazed, they watched it several times.

Weeks later, Nicole was in her dorm room when a call came in from Robby. Her brother had just been involved in an incident in Africa. He and a female Marine had just done something extraordinary and she needed to see it. Rick and the same Marine involved in the earlier incident had killed Hassan Gul and two more of his sons. This time, the Marine’s identity was not kept secret, her name was Staff Sergeant Susan ‘Molly’ Bennett.

A few weeks later, Nicole’s family had a chance to meet Bennett. Kelly, Nicole and her sisters Bridget and Chloe, Ciara and Ciara’s mom, Melanie McCord, adopted ‘Molly’ Bennett into the family, when they found that she had no close relatives of her own. After spending time with ‘Molly’, Nicole decided that she wanted to join the Marines after college.

A month later, Rick and Molly became the targets of assassination teams, sent by the last two Gul brothers who had vowed revenge for the deaths of their father and brothers. Eventually, they had to flee under new identities to the New Hope Colony on Tau Ceti 4 as Lieutenant Commander Rick Cassidy and Gunnery Sergeant Molly Pickford. Nicole hoped to join them at the colony but she needed two years of active service before she could qualify for a tour of duty with the Colonial Rangers.

After surviving Marine Basic Officer's Training during the summer of 2124, Nicole received her commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marines Corps. Nikki was assigned as a platoon leader in Lima Company, Second Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment in the Third Marine Division at Camp Pendleton in California. In February 2125, four months after arriving at Camp Pendleton, her battalion embarked on the amphibious ship USS Chesty Puller, and after stops in Hawaii, Singapore, and Sri Lanka, they arrived off the coast of East Africa where 4th Battalion was sent ashore to perform peacekeeping operations along the Kenya-Somalia border.

###

April 9, 2125

Eastern Kenya

Somalia had not been a peaceful or unified country for well over 100 years. There were several warlord-controlled regions, some of which did a better job of protecting their inhabitants than others. One particular area along the Kenya-Somalia border had become a haven for various terrorist groups operating in the region. There were several camps filled with refugees from Somalia just over the Kenyan border that were frequent targets of the terrorists. Lima Company was part of the peacekeeping force sent to protect those camps. They were posted outside the refugee camp designated 'Charity' where over 10,000 refugees were living in tents and supplied by international relief agencies with just enough to keep the people there relatively healthy and safe.

There were five platoons in Lima Company, supported by eight armored personnel carriers, each with a 5-man crew. The company was dug in on a low ridgeline overlooking the mostly flat countryside 6 miles east of the camp, and about 10 miles west of the border. There were 50 Marines in O’Brien’s platoon, including three medics. Her platoon had three rifle squads, along with a command group with the platoon sergeant, a comm tech, the medics and the platoon leader, Nicole O'Brien.

The area had been quiet but now a large, heavily armed force was coming their way and it was equipped with many 'technicals'. The 'technicals' were makeshift assault vehicles mounted with machine guns, mortars and rocket launchers. They had breached the security fence 20 miles further south during the night and were headed north towards the camp on an unpaved dirt road that ran through a narrow gap in the hills. Lima Company was squarely in their path.

Lima's commander, Captain Rhonda Finnegan, had set up her command post just behind the ridge. Her 1st and 3rd platoons manned the ridge east of the road while 2nd and 5th platoons were on the ridge to the west. Just behind her Command Post, or CP, 4th platoon was waiting for orders, ready to reinforce the forward platoons or to intercept anyone trying to flank the Marines. She had visuals coming in on the monitors in her command van from the platoons on the ridgeline above and from a drone that was tracking the enemy convoy as it approached their position.

Initial reports had mentioned some 40 vehicles passing through the border fence line but what she saw on her monitors was closer to 140 vehicles, a mix of technicals, troop transports, cargo trucks, and several converted cargo vans that might or might not house the enemy force’s senior leaders. This did not count the dozen 4-passenger ATVs that were moving ahead of the main convoy and would soon be visible to the waiting Marines, or the six light, armored personnel carriers and the half-dozen technicals that were moving northwest, hoping to circle around the waiting peacekeepers. The drone however, had found them even before detecting the main force.

The unexpected size of the approaching enemy force was a source of great concern to the Marines, and Finnegan wasted no time; she immediately requested reinforcements and air support. The nearest ground units were twenty miles further north though and the armored shuttles supporting Second Battalion would not be able to reach them for at least an hour; they were 100 miles to the west delivering a Kenyan Army unit to a town attacked by a smaller band of terrorists the night before. Now it appeared that that attack had been a diversion to draw off the air assets and some of the ground forces guarding the refugee camps. Lima Company was all that stood between the militants and the camp. The Marines needed to stop them until help arrived.

Finnegan had ordered the road blocked where it passed through the gap in the hills. Two of the APCs towed some wrecked and rusted vehicles into the break, effectively blocking it. The wrecks would have to be moved out of the way before any other vehicles could pass through the gap. The enemy APCs trying to sneak around to the west to outflank the defenders had to pass through difficult terrain for at least six miles with numerous ravines, dry riverbeds and boulders large and small to slow their progress. The main convoy would reach the roadblock well before they made it to the next break in the hills and could try to attack the Marines from behind.

Captain Finnegan joined Nicole at the top of the ridge to get a first-hand look at the approaching convoy that was coming to a halt now that the roadblock was in sight. She said, They’re considering their options. They could use rockets to blast those hulks out of the way, attack on foot, start blasting at the ridgeline or wait for their APCs to come at us from behind, or a combination of any of those. They won’t wait there for long, whatever they do. They know we’re here even if they can’t see us; they know that roadblock wasn’t there last night.

They sent scouts through here? O’Brien asked.

innegan shook her head, They sent a drone up the road this way during the night. They made a mistake and flew it into a tree right outside the camp. One of the local guards was standing nearby when the thing hit a branch and crashed to the ground. I guess whoever was controlling it didn't see the tree. The guard reported it to the nearest guard station about three this morning. No doubt they would've flown up this way looking for any opposition.

How do you want to play this, Captain?

I’m sending Captain Cross with two APCs and 4th platoon to intercept their APCs. They've also got some ATVs trying to circle to the east. We have the drone tracking them too. Carlton Cross was the company’s executive officer. Finnegan called Cross and gave him her orders. Moments later, they watched as 4th platoon moved off in four troop carriers led by the two heavier armored vehicles.

Nicole frowned as she surveyed the ridgeline, They could drive right up and over the hill somewhere, it’s not that high. The ridge was only about 20 feet above the open terrain to the south and a dry riverbed ran along the bottom of the hill. It would be relatively easy for someone to climb on foot, but it was too steep for most vehicles.

Maybe. They’d have to go at least a couple of miles to the east or west of here before there's another point low enough to try. Any closer than that and the ridge is too steep and rocky even for the ATVs to climb. I’ll send a couple of APCs to meet them if they do try that somewhere but it looks like they’re trying to reach the next gap that’s about 4 miles east of here. I’m not too worried about them right now, it’s what’s in front of us that’s the bigger problem. It would be easier to climb on foot and I expect some of them will try to do just that. We can only cover so much ground by ourselves.

Finnegan activated her comm, Lima Company, listen up. We’re going to take out as many of their vehicles at the same time as we can. I want all four platoons ready to open fire on my order. Expect some counter fire coming back at us. Lieutenants Zapata and Hayes, I want 3rd and 5th platoons to move over closer to the gap. Lieutenants O’Brien and Marconi, 1st and 2nd platoons will cover the flanks. Our friends out there are spreading out to the left and right of the roadway. Keep an eye on them. Lieutenant Romero, move your APCs closer to the gap but keep them out of sight for now. If they haven’t spotted you yet, I don’t want them to know you’re here. It took a few minutes for some shifting around to be completed before the Captain was satisfied that her people were right where she wanted them. In the meantime, the enemy vehicles had begun slowly moving forward again. She pulled out her datapad and began selecting the priority targets for her Marines.

She used her company channel again, I want one rocket fired per squad in the first volley. All rocket operators check your HUDs for your assigned targets. Be ready to fire on my order. All heavy weapons squads are to open fire on the closest vehicles at the same time. Concentrate on the weapons operators first then the drivers. Everyone else, stay below the ridge crest and out of sight. Hold fire until your platoon leader gives the order. Let’s see what they do first. Keep track of the enemy on your HUDs. All platoon leaders, acknowledge. The four platoon leaders responded promptly; even though she was right next to the captain, Nicole acknowledged the order over the comm so that everyone in her platoon would hear her. There were three 5-man fire teams in each squad and three squads in each platoon. Each fire team had a man equipped with two shoulder-fired rockets. Finnegan’s four platoons could launch 36 rockets if they all were to fire at once, with a second volley to follow.

Finnegan said, Now! Fire rockets at your designated targets. The twelve Marines raised their launchers and fired up into the air above the ridge. The computer-guided, 2-foot-long missiles’ guidance systems steered them right at their designated targets. Within seconds, seven technicals carrying rocket launchers or heavy machine guns were reduced to bloodstained scrap metal. The other five rockets hit vehicles at intervals further back to make it harder for the others to move. The people in those vehicles had no time to escape. The captain sent them more sets of coordinates and the rocketeers from the next group of fire teams got ready to fire. She ordered the next volley of 12 rockets fired 15 seconds after the first. The shoulder-fired missiles destroyed what appeared to be a communications van and several trucks carrying armed insurgents.

Machine gunners up, weapons free! The captain switched over to her command net as the gunners opened fire on the now retreating enemy. Several vehicles collided as their drivers were killed or wounded. Hold fire! The enemy had retreated out of range, pulling back several hundred yards. Scores of bodies lay about in the open, and two dozen vehicles had been destroyed. The captain grinned in satisfaction, That should give them something to think about.

They may fire on the ridgeline from over there, Nicole pointed out.

Right. The captain switched to her company net again, All personnel stay down, they'll be looking for targets up here now. She barely had time to give warning before sniper and machine gun rounds peppered the positions the Marine gunners had just vacated, smacking into the ground or whizzing by overhead.

There was a cry from her left and Nicole’s head snapped around to see what had happened. A sniper round had hit Finnegan in the armored vest, sending her tumbling down the hill. Medic! The Captain’s been hit! Get over here!

Nicole kept her head down as more rounds hit the ground around her. The medic, Sergeant Cherry ‘Vanilla’ Breyers, was already checking on Finnegan. Breyers called O’Brien, Lieutenant, the Captain took the round in the vest, but it didn’t penetrate. I think her shoulder’s broken though. She’s conscious, but out of it. She may have some other injuries from the fall.

Okay, Cherry. Get some help and get her under the scanner. The small portable medical scanner in the command van would tell the medic if there were any serious internal problems like broken bones or significant bleeding.

Nikki called Lieutenant Morgan Zapata, the leader of 3nd platoon on the left side of the gap closest to the road and the next senior officer after Captain Cross. Morgan, the Captain’s alive but out of the fight. You’re next senior officer.

"Okay, Nikki. Take charge on the right while I handle things on this side."

Roger that. Nicole called Second Lieutenant Johnny Marconi, the leader of 5th platoon. Johnny, the Captain’s out of it. I'm taking charge on this side while Zapata handles the other side. Acknowledge. Marconi was the junior-most platoon leader in the company having reported in just a few weeks before.

"Acknowledged, Lieutenant."

"Incoming! Rockets incoming!" someone called over the net. The extremists had their own rocket launchers and they were targeting the top of the ridge.

Everyone, stay down! O'Brien ordered her Marines. Seconds later, a dozen rockets hit the ridgeline. Rocks and dirt showered down on the Americans who had all retreated a few yards below the top of the ridge. Machine gunfire also began coming in, pummeling the ridgeline or whizzing by overhead. Nicole climbed back up to take a look and she did not like what she saw. There were several hundred raiders coming at them on foot in a hurry. They were using the covering fire of their machine guns and rockets to keep the Marines from targeting them. Nikki dropped down again just in time as another rocket exploded just below her on the south-facing side of the ridge, showering her with a choking cloud of dust and rocks. They're sending their troops in on foot, she informed the other platoon leaders. There are hundreds of them coming fast. If we don't stop them, they'll be up and over the crest and on top of us in a minute.

"There must be another 40 or 50 technicals out there and they’re all firing at us right now," said Zapata. They’re all lined up about 300 yards out. Let's saturate the area and take out as many as we can so we can re-man the ridgeline.

Good idea but we'd better do it now, Nicole said. They're almost here.

"Right. Attention, Lima Company! All rocket launcher operators, your targets are 300 yards directly forward of your positions! Weapons free, fire at will! If you’ve still got a second rocket, use it now!"

The rocketeers had been waiting for the order and within seconds, the missiles started hitting the enemy positions. Without specific targets given, the missiles’ guidance systems locked onto whatever was in the general area and missiles began to explode all along the enemy's line of vehicles. Some of the missiles locked onto targets destroyed by the previous volleys while others were not able to lock onto any vehicles; they hit the ground nearby instead. The explosions killed and wounded many of the unprotected raiders.

Up to the top, Marines! Open fire! O'Brien ordered her platoon, Marconi following suit. Zapata and Hayes did the same on the other side of the gap. At the same time, the APC commander Lieutenant Callie Romero had one of her APCs push the wrecked vehicles that made up the roadblock out of the way. As soon as there was room to get through, she led her six APCs forward and charged the enemy, launching missiles and firing their cannon and machine guns whenever they found a target.

By the time the Marines had regained the top of the ridge, the enemy fighters were climbing the low hill and some of them were almost to the top. Machine guns and rifles opened fire, and before long, they had cleared the enemy off the south side of the hill. Without the cover of their own rockets and machine guns, many of the marauders were caught out in the open and were easy targets for the Marines. The technicals still in the fight began to fire again but more than half of them were concentrating on the charging APCs that were swiftly approaching them. Nicole O’Brien led her Marines down the south side of the ridge to the flatland below where they could fire on the retreating enemy while staying below the still incoming but sporadic machine gun fire; the enemy gunners could not lower their aim without killing their own men. Some of the fighting was hand-to-hand, but the poorly trained raiders had no chance at all against the highly trained Americans. Some surrendered, while those who could turned and ran with the Marines taking many of them down from behind.

The raiders were soon in full-blown retreat with the Marine APCs in pursuit. The raiders had miscalculated, thinking that all of the technicals firing on the ridgeline at once would be able to keep the Marines from stopping the ground assault. They had not figured on the sheer number of shoulder-fired rockets the Marines had, nor had they thought that their own APCs would get bogged down in the rough terrain to the west then run into the waiting 4th platoon and the APCs with them. None of raiders’ APCs or the other vehicles with them lasted more than two minutes once they came within range of the Marines’ weapons. The ATVs were recalled before they could get around the ridgeline and come at the Marines from behind. Less than a third of the original force of raiders made it back across the border.

With Captain Finnegan in the hospital for two weeks while her shoulder healed, Captain Cross took temporary command of Lima Company with Morgan Zapata serving as his Executive officer. Nicole still had another year to serve before she could request a transfer to the Colonial Rangers. Lima Company stayed in Kenya for another three months then was sent to North Pakistan for a brief stay before rotating back to the States. When the time came, she had the recommendation of her company commander and of General Robert Black, her soon-to-be stepfather, who was then on his way back from the New Hope Colony where he had been the Regimental Commander. She would have to wait a few months before her detachment of American Rangers was scheduled to enter training and she soon said goodbye to Lima Company and 2nd platoon. After completing their three months of specialized Ranger training, her detachment departed for the colony on the Australia in October 2126. Her younger sister Chloe was also on the starship. Chloe was to serve as colony business manager for the family business, Stellar Enterprises. The Australia was inbound to Tau Ceti 4 when they learned that aliens had invaded the colony.

Chapter 1

A New Branch of the Family

June 25, 2127

Day 265 of the invasion of the New Hope Colony

Yonkers, New York

A bit nervous yet also excited, Melanie McCord Grant, the mother of Ciara Cassidy, Commander Rick Cassidy’s 15-year-old daughter, watched as the Ranger anti-grav courier jet landed at the small airport that served the local area then waited for her guests to come out of it. At the request of Major General Robert Black, who was now the commander of the main relief force on the way to the New Hope Colony aboard the colony transport ship James Cook, the senior officer at Ranger Command in Geneva, Switzerland, Major General Kendall Ryerson, had sent the aircraft to Thunder Bay, Ontario. There, less than two hours earlier, it had picked up Major Naomi MacCaffrey's parents, Alex and Regina MacCaffrey, her younger sister Amy, Amy’s husband Liam Stanhope, and their two children, and brought them down to New York to meet Melanie and her family. The Canadians still did not know why they had been asked to come down to New York and Mel had no doubt they would be asking before long. Mel’s husband Brian Grant was with her and she waved when one of the aircrew opened the side personnel door and looked around. He saw her and waved back.

Naomi had sent her family a rather cryptic message. Sent from New Hope Town, the colonial capital of the New Hope Colony on Tau Ceti 4, it had been relayed by the starship North America during one of its hops into orbit to send updated reports and message traffic to the outbound Marco Polo for delivery after it jumped back into Earth’s system. The message said they would be getting an invitation to go to New York to meet some special people and to please go and not to ask why, just go. They did not know when the invitation would come or from who, and they had been shocked to hear from Major General Ryerson three days later. They were to be picked up by a Ranger courier jet usually reserved for VIPs, and flown down to New York on Saturday morning. They still had no clue why they were there.

Regina and Alex came out first followed by Amy and her husband. Amy and Liam each carried a little girl who looked to be about three or four years old, and they were obviously twins. Two members of the aircrew followed them out carrying their bags and placed them on a luggage cart rolled from the little terminal that serviced the airport.

Melanie and Brian walked up to them and she greeted the new arrivals, Hi, I'm Melanie McCord Grant and this is my husband Brian. It's very good to meet you all. They shook hands and the newcomers introduced themselves then Mel thanked the aircrew while Brian took charge of the luggage cart. Why don't you come this way, we both drove here so we’d have enough room for everyone.

No one told us who would meet us here, said Regina. It's been a great mystery. So, where are you taking us, Melanie?

Mel smiled You'll see. It's a wonderful little place. It’s not far from here, about 20 minutes. We'll be there in no time.

Do you know why we’re here? asked Amy.

Melanie grinned, Yes, of course, but you'll have to wait to find out until we get to where we’re going.

Well, let's go then, said Alex. I don't suppose we can stop for lunch somewhere? It’s been a long day already.

Melanie smiled, No worries, lunch will be waiting for us. I've got car seats in my vehicle for the little ones, so how about you, Amy, and your family come with me while Regina and Alex go with Brian.

Sounds good, Amy replied for the group. The little girls looked around curiously at the unfamiliar environment.

They soon arrived at the sprawling two-story, eight-bedroom residence that was the Cassidy/O'Brien family home and parked in the five-car garage on the side of the house. There were three other vehicles in there when they pulled into the garage, the back wall of which formed one side of the indoor pool house, a favorite of many members of the extended Cassidy and O'Brien clans. Especially now that it was summer and school was out, there were young people over at the house almost every day but they’d been told to stay away for a couple of days because there would be some special guests at the house. The only exceptions were the 20-year-old twins Ashley and Amanda Sorenson, who were there with their mom Janie Cassidy, Kelly Cassidy's younger sister. The two college girls just about lived in the pool and they frequently took care of Melanie and Brian's 15-month-old son James, who everyone called Jamie.

This is your house? asked Amy.

I wish! Mel chuckled. We do live here though. She led them through a side door and into the foyer inside the front door of the main house.

Greetings, Mistress Melanie, said Robby, the household AI that had helped Kelly raise her four young children after the death of her first husband. Now Robby did the same for Melanie and Brian, keeping a watch on the energetic toddler who was always trying to wander about the house on his own now that he had figured out the walking/staggering challenge. I see that your guests have arrived safely.

"Yes, they