Free Pax Imperia (The Redemption Trilogy) by Mike Smith

onwards, quickly disappearing into the storm, with the noise swirling around him, a shadow vanishing into the twilight.
    *****
    “Admiral.” The voice of his Communications Officer carried across the bridge to Admiral Sterling on his return after briefing Paul on the rapidly unfolding situation. “I have managed to contact a Marine Sergeant Patrick Reynolds on the planet, who claims to know where the Commander is,” the officer explained.
    Sterling nodded, recognising the name, and motioned with his hand for the Communications Officer to open a channel. “Gunny,” he demanded. “Where is the Commander?”
    There was no reply for a while and all that could be heard over the channel was heavy static, interference caused by the storm. “We’re all fine Admiral, thanks for asking.” Even with the interference, the bridge crew could hear the sarcasm dripping from the marine. “You know, after falling several hundred meters, while travelling at several times the speed of sound. How are you all doing up there, by the way?”
    The Admiral had known Gunny for many years. Like Paul, they had first met while serving in the Imperial Navy, hence he recognised Gunny’s frustration. Gunny was as hard as they came, tough as nails and hard as leather. The man was a legend in the Marine Corps. Sterling often wondered what it was about Commander Radec that seemed to draw people such as Paul and Gunny to him. “Gunny, I need to speak to the Commander. Immediately. Can you put him on?” he asked, deliberately ignoring the earlier sarcastic quip.
    “Uh, the Commander isn’t exactly here right now,” Gunny hedged.
    “What,” Sterling shouted. “Where the hell is he?”
    “It would seem that the Commander has decided to proceed on ahead. On foot.”
    Sterling could only pummel his fist into the armrest of his seat in frustration. “Gunny we have to find the Commander, he is possibly the only one left alive that can stop this madness, before things get out of hand.” During the past half hour a plan had slowly started to form in his head. It was crazy, more probably insane, but it was all that he could think of. But first they had to find the Commander. That was going to be the easy bit; the hardest part was having to convince him to go along with the plan. Sterling was certain that was going to take more than a little fast talking.
    “I have injured marines down here Admiral, who are not fit to travel,” Gunny replied after a long pause.
    “Understood Gunny. I am dispatching a search and rescue shuttle to your location now; they will be with you shortly. But Gunny, I need you to take whoever you can and find the Commander. Now.” The silence between the replies convinced the Admiral that Gunny was reluctant to leave injured men behind. After all, there was a reason why this man was a living legend in the Corps. “Gunny, I wouldn’t order this if it was not important. I cannot say more over this channel, but believe me when I say that unless we can find the Commander and bring him back to the fleet, then many more are going to die.”
    “Understood Admiral, we will locate the Commander. I have a good idea of his intended destination.”
    “Thank you Gunny. Signal us when you have located him and we will send an assault shuttle to retrieve you and your team.”
    “Understood Admiral.”
    Pleased that at least this plan seemed to be progressing, Sterling dispatched a search and rescue shuttle to Gunny’s current location and then went back to monitoring the Indomitable . Captain Harrington and the marines should be there shortly. Sterling wondered what sort of reception they would receive upon their arrival.
    *****
    Paul stepped cautiously off the assault shuttle that had landed on the flight deck of the Indomitable . There was little risk however, as three companies of angry, heavily armed marines had already disembarked and secured the few shocked crew that had been present. If the crew had not been frightened enough