Con-Red: Recourse by Max Feinstein

a hover.
    The rear of the transport was already opened wide like the warm inviting embrace of a loved one waiting to take them to freedom and safety.  Unlike before, though, the ramp actually touched down against the snow covered ground to make the boarding easier as the pilots continued to fight the heavy winds in an effort to keep the Buzzard as stable as possible for all of the soldiers.
    “Move out! Now now now!” Duntan yelled out as he raced towards the ramp and stopped short against the side of the transport.
    He looked back and watched the rest of his team running up the ramp in their combat suits as the snow swirled around them and the wind howled while coming down the mountainside.  The timer in his helmet had turned to red a few seconds before and the Colonel knew they were cutting it very close.  Finally, with the last of his people running up the ramp, he took one last look back before jumping into the transport.  As he landed on the reinforced deck Duntan saw the ramp smoothly rising and felt the transport vibrate as it accelerated into the air quickly.
    Something in the sky caught his eyes as the craft turn ed away from the outcropping they had all just evacuated.  The colonel reached up and gripped the overhead support rails as he leaned towards the narrowing slit created by the closing rear doors.  As he watched, the rolling patch of cloud above them disintegrated when multiple large projectiles punched through it.  His eyes grew wide at the realization of what was happening and he only had time to brace himself and send out a mental warning to everyone before the shockwave slammed into the CT-76, tossing the large transport through the air as if it were a small bird.
    Between the blaring alarms and the tumbling of the transport Duntan was able to catch a glimpse of what remained of the ridge they had all been working on seconds before.  In his mind he knew that the fireball and rising debris could be seen for kilometers, but what really caught his mind was further away.  As the transport’s automated systems started to regain control of the unyielding craft the side viewports pointed into the direction of the planetary Headquarters where General Stelle was coordinating the Frontiera military forces.  The helmet over his head covered the expression of horror and shock on Duntan’s face as the entire perimeter surrounding the complex exploded in a brilliant flash of high explosive light.
    At the same instance the transport shuddered again and everything went dark for Colonel Slaige.  He’s body seemed weightless for a moment just before his back slammed into the ceiling of the transport.  Duntan thought he heard someone screaming in the background, but it could have just been his imagination as the world disappeared around him.
     

Frontiera Command Center
Kalka Mountain Complex
     
    The ground shook underneath them more intensely this time, causing General Stelle to reach out and grab the edge of the Combat Coordination Table to steady himself.  This second barrage had landed right on top of them, targeting the mountain they were under directly.  As flakes of dust fell on the holographic table before him, Brinek wondered whether the enemy knew they were hitting the main Command and Control Center for the entire military contingent on the planet.  Judging by how much they were throwing at the base, the answer was somewhat obvious, but brought with it many more questions. 
    Brinek looked up from the display and up to the ceiling, from which the layer of dust had fallen.  The shockwaves passing through the mountain from the detonations had been strong enough to crack the reinforced shell covering the Command Room .  Even as his eyes focused on the dark ceiling, however, the cracks had almost completely disappeared, having been self-repaired by the syncrete.  He could see some of the larger cracks filling up with a foam-like material released from the structure itself and instantly harden