The Last Hero by Nathaniel Danes Page A

It didn’t have a mask, indicating they could breathe the atmosphere.
    After deep thought, Gabriel finally commented, “Does anyone else find it a little unnerving that so far two out of the three intelligent species in the known universe look like cats?”
    Trent said, “That is something to think about. I’m not sure I like that idea.”
    “What do you think they were doing all the way out here, sir? Some kind of long range patrol,” Gabriel asked.
    Trent turned away from the body to survey the rest of the temporary camp containing scattered gear and hanging animal carcasses. He walked over to one of their weapons leaning against a tree, taking it into his hands.
    It was a huge rifle that appeared to fire a projectile around the size of a 50 caliber round. He shuddered to think what a hit from the weapon would do to a person.
    “I don’t think this was an official op. It kinda looks like a couple of guys out hunting for fun. Hopefully, with them so far out, it will be a while before they’re missed. We need to get moving soon.”
    He handed the rifle to Simms.
    “Give this to one of the techies to break down. Learn what we can. I want this and the autopsies done in thirty.”
    ***
    After burying the dissected bodies and the enemy’s gear, the warriors of Earth, having just savored their first taste of alien blood, fled the scene of the first victory in the war with renewed vigor toward the heart of the enemy.
    Anxious to make up time lost during the delay, they pushed themselves harder than before.
    They had met the enemy, and he was to be feared.
    So were they.
     

Chapter 11: The Base
     
    T he base was in the middle of an open plain. The Bearcats understood the principle of creating a killing field around fixed positions. From Trent’s vantage point in the tree line five kilometers away, he couldn’t see any approach offering a bit of cover. Any attack would have to be an open advance.
    The best point to launch an assault was on the far side from where he surveyed the area. From there, the base was only two kilometers outside the tree line.
    With the visor on maximum zoom, he conducted a detailed recon of the enemy fortifications while creeping along the tree line. Fifteen gray dome shaped buildings made up the compound, but he couldn’t determine what their function was.
    His observations gradually discovered the enemy didn’t expect an attack from the ground. Their defenses against such a move appeared minimal. A simple fence, similar to a chain link version from Earth, enclosed the area. Four heavy weapons placements that appeared suitable for anti-personal use guarded the four corners on towers. The bulk of their firepower rested in a healthy allocation of anti-aircraft lasers and missile batteries pointed toward the sky in the base’s center. A reasonable posture if you are confident your forces control the only gate capable of reaching the planet.
    Nothing Trent found on the recon overly concerned him. The fence and heavy weapons would be taken care of in the first seconds of battle. What gave him pause was what he couldn’t see.
    For all he knew, the field around the base contained untold numbers of mines that CAL couldn’t detect. Or once they attacked, the Bearcats might deploy near invincible robots to do their real fighting for them. An unknown enemy presented an untold number of possible problems. He didn’t know how to plan for such contingencies.
    With the day’s recon work completed, Trent walked back into the camp established a kilometer deep into the forest furthest from the base. He looked for Simms, finding him by the sub-space transmitter he and a team of techs had assembled. The transmitter had a comical appearance of a square box with a rod that looked a lot like a penis sticking out at a forty-five degree angle. 
    “Simms.”
    He glanced up at the major and stood.
    “How was your walk, sir? Find anything interesting?”
    “Well, let’s say I gathered a good amount of