Free The Red Leopards of Zaxon B (Galaxies Collide Book 2) by Andrew McGregor Page A

running Trevakians. He stared upwards as the darkened visor seemed to study him, the bubbled shoulder, chest and leg armour lined in blue as the soldier dropped to a crouch, his skin dark and lined. The long assault rifle was lowered and an armoured hand stretched out towards him, a brief reassuring smile crossing the dark soldier’s face as Rees raised his uninjured limb weakly.
    Rising painfully to his feet, smoke and dust swept over them as he glanced upwards, the dark armoured helmet lined with thin blue stripes as the alien soldier glanced at him, his voice heavily accented but demanding, ‘Best get your weapon…we are going to drive this Morgon scum back!’
    Then the figure lunged forward, the assault rifle rising into both hands as the soldier leapt up onto the forward trench wall and disappeared into the smoke, Rees gasping for breath as he glanced round the emplacement at mutilated and still bodies.
    Seeing one South Korean stir painfully, he dropped to his knees next to the figure, the soldier clawing at the earth as blood seeped from beneath his damaged helmet, his face heavily bruised. The Oriental nodded his thanks, slumping against the westerner’s frame as they both gasped for air, coughing dust and dirt from their mouths.
    The explosions and shrieks in the distance slowly crept back into his ears, dust and smoke catching in his nostrils as he heard a familiar voice shouting his name, ‘Rees! Where the hell are you? Get your behind to me…’ Jozefina Kapralova’s shriek filled the emplacement as more Trevakians and reserves ran past, the shorter South Korean next to him struggling to his feet and extending his hand as the shout came again, ‘Heathrow volunteers to me! We are moving forward!’
    The Oriental grinned painfully as Rees winced and rolled his eyes, his bruised body scrambling slowly upwards as the marine spoke to him in broken English, ‘Blue Dragons come!’
    Rees spun round, the whirring of blades from above and behind startling him as he caught his breath. Turning back, the South Korean Blue Dragon marine had gone, lunging forward along the trenches as shouts of the advancing troops spread around him through the smoke. The young Heathrow volunteer cautiously retrieved his rifle, glimpsing the black metal weapon on the top of the emplacement wall as he searched through the smoke.
    The noise of mechanical blades escalated, the sound surging across the trenches and rising behind him. Hearing Jozefina shout again, he pushed forward into the next trench section towards the sound, his heart beat rising as soldiers pushed past him, their weapons rising as they jumped from the defensive positions and ran into the smoke, heading towards the enemy.
    Struggling along the trench, his hands running along the sides as smoke billowed around his figure, the swirling blades above rose in ferocity, passing over him as he progressed. Silhouettes ran from left to right, the men jumping the trench walls as gunfire broke out further east, the distant shrieks of Morgon anger chilling through him as he staggered on.
    The raised voice of Jozefina filled the smoke filled air once more, this time nearer and a little concerned, ‘Rees! Where are you…?’ The Heathrow volunteer grinned painfully as he heard the female supervisor berate the Trevakian marine, ‘I thought I left you to look after him! Where is he?’
    The silhouettes roamed into view, the smoke clearing slightly as distant explosions and gunfire swept across him from the right. Jozefina turned, glaring at him as he emerged from the smoky gloom, her eyes narrowing as she recognised him through his dust and dirt covered uniform, ‘Where the hell have you been? What happened to your face?’
    Rees gritted his teeth painfully, indicating to the Trevakian marine, ‘Your friend here hit me to keep me quiet…’
    Jozefina turned to stare at the Trevakian, the rest of the dust covered volunteers gathering round, ‘Is that true?’
    The soldier nodded