Battle for Proxima Read Online Free Page A

life. The displays in his suit showed the warm shape inside the Vanguard armour of the marines all around him, but everything else was cold and dark. The rest of the marines stayed quiet, it took several minutes before they reached a large open area that looked like a hollowed-out hall.
    “What is this place? It isn’t on our plan.”
    “Lieutenant, I think this is a rest and passing area. Look,” said Sergeant Lovett as he moved along the rail tracks to where a set of points diverted away to the side.
    “Sir, over here!” called out one of the privates.
    “What is it?”
    The rest of the marines immediately fanned out to watch the front and rear of their position as they checked the area.
    “Well, Sir, there are smaller tunnels breaking out from the sides. See, like this one.” He pointed to a dark opening about three metres wide and tall.
    Spartan looked inside and moved his remote beams to light it. The tunnel went on as far as the beams could show. The thermal sensors on his suit picked up a number of blooms.
    “Anybody else getting this signal? I’m showing seven sources around us, each of them inside the tunnels and about thirty metres in.”
    “I’m getting the same, it’s taking the sensors a few minutes to work their way through the soil and moisture,” replied Sergeant Lovett.
    “Are they moving?” asked Spartan.
    “I don’t think so, but there’s something strange.”
    “How so?”
    “First of all, we normally get stronger readings from the Biomechs. These looks closer to human.”
    “Zealots?” asked Spartan with clenched teeth.
    “Maybe, or it could be prisoners. You did say there might be some down here.”
    “True, either way we need to be sure,” he said, turning back around to face the rest of the two squads.
    “We have potential friendlies in the area. I want one fire team from each squad to stay back and provide a defensive cordon in this open space. The rest will enter the tunnels and investigate. If you hit trouble put down fire and withdraw back here. Under no circumstances are you to push ahead if you encounter resistance! Understood?”
    They nodded in agreement and started positioning themselves at the entrances to the tunnels.
    “Remember, take it slow and avoid trouble. Good luck!”
    Spartan wanted to be first in, but as he moved he felt something holding him back. It was Sergeant Morato with her armoured hand clamped to his shoulder.
    “Where do you think you’re going, Sir?” she asked.
    Even in this darkness he could make out her smile through her thickened glass visor. Only a small part was visible as the glass section was just a ribbon across the front of the metal-domed headpiece.
    “Where do you think?”
    “I don’t think so, Spartan. You’ve already broken regs. We need you here to organise the team. We’ve all trained for this one, just sit back and wait for the medals,” she said as she blew him a kiss from inside the armour.
    Spartan looked about, concerned the other marines would notice her actions. Either they hadn’t seen, or they had chosen to pretend not to. Either way Spartan was annoyed, he was a fighter, not a planner and standing about waiting was not the way he liked to fight.
    “Let’s go, people! Remember the plan!” Teresa ordered.
    Spartan watched as sixteen of the Vanguards stepped inside the narrow tunnel complex, in groups of four. He knew the fire teams were easily able to take care of themselves in the narrow confines underground, but it still left him uneasy being unable to help.
    “Sir, anything you want us to do?”
    Spartan looked back to the eight marines who were stood waiting.
    “Form up in a circle and watch your scanners. In my experience, they always strike when our numbers are smallest.”
    The marines, some who were already watching the allocated zones, formed up in a loose and widely space formation, with their weapons facing outwards. Spartan stood in the middle and monitored the movement of the four fire teams