Monday(316)
BILLOWING CLOUDS OF PARACHUTES DOTTED THE SKY AS ONE OF
Admiral Horii’s shuttles began aerial resupply operations. As it drifted over Akashi continent at a suitable altitude, a stream of one-ton pallets rained down on Admiral Horii’s caserns.
Two corvettes patrolled alertly, ready to pounce on any attempt to disrupt the operation, along with a flock of Shiden aircraft carrying antiradiation missiles that would home in on radar signals as soon as Vereshchagin’s men attempted to lock on to a target.
The resupply operation proceeded without interruption until the shuttle reached Bloemfontein. As the Manchurians gathered below, a single flak missile—unguided, with a modified antiamior warhead—arched into the sky and struck a pallet of mortar ammunition. Squashing itself against the pallet, the warhead exploded and sent a stream of liquid metal into the mortar rounds.
The resulting detonation spilled the air out of some chutes and split others open. Frantic Manchurians ducked out of the way of the one-ton loads that came dropping onto their heads. One crashed into a bunker and completely flattened it.
“It appears to have been an excellent shot,” was Admiral Horii’s comment when he was informed.
“WELL, WE KNOCKED DOWN A LOT OF AIRCRAFT AND CHEWED UP
most of two Manchurian companies, but B Company is wrecked. Admiral Horii probably considers it a good exchange,” Matti Haijalo commented when Vereshchagin was able to gather his officers together. “Raul, what do we know about that new bomblet they’re using?”
“I have Rytov and Reinikka looking at the pieces we picked up, but it probably homes in on human pheromones,” Sanmartin responded.
“Yes. We field-tested something similar during the Cyclade campaign,” the Iceman said. “Apparently, they have figured out how to make it work.”
“Add to the debit side of the ledger the fact that Horii now knows about the bicycles and the gimmicks with the machine guns,” Sanmartin inteijected. “Eventually, it’s going to dawn on someone that we’ve been making preparations for a long, long time, and if they start thinking about some of the other surprises we have for them, we’re in trouble.”
“Where are the warships?” Haijalo asked.
“I don’t know. We lost sight of the warships last night when it started raining, and nobody has reported their positions yet,” Sanmartin confessed. “Horii has figured out that we’re tracking their movements rather closely and started getting shifty on us.” He watched Per Kiritinitis’s hands tremble. It had been a long day and night for Kiritinitis.
“Thus far, their use of reconnaissance aircraft has been sloppy,” the Iceman said.
“Timo tells me that they have most of their Hummingbirds out combing the Drakensbergs under central direction, which is inexcusably sloppy under the circumstances,” Harjalo commented. “Think it’s time we did something about them?”
“I think so,” Vereshchagin agreed. “It will be a few days at most before Admiral Horii discovers that the data he stole from our computer is corrupted, and after that, it is only a matter of time before someone uncovers the rest of it.” Everyone else nodded except Per Kiritinitis, who didn’t know what they were talking about.
Timo Haerkoennen stuck his head in and interrupted the meeting. “Lieutenant-Colonel Ebyl reports that his casern is under attack. Warships have already destroyed several bunkers and inflicted heavy casualties. Reserve reconnaissance platoon personnel report that aircraft are leaving the spaceport and heading south. It appears to be a strike force of three companies and eight Shidens.”
Admiral Horii was using the warships to pin Ebyl’s battalion in place while he maneuvered the rest of his force into position.
“Well, that saves me from asking everyone what Horii’s next move is,” Haijalo said with forced levity.
No one stated the obvious. The cowboy country was short of population after the losses they suffered during the rebellion. Having taken in only a handful of recruits to replace the personnel who had been killed or discharged, Ebyl’s light attack battalion had barely half its nominal strength. With the warships to pen Ebyl’s vehicles in their revetments, the aircraft and infantry that Admiral Horii was sending would easily breach his defenses.
“Apparently, they did not take Uwe’s protestations of loyalty seriously,” the Iceman said.
“I told Uwe to go when we sent off what was left of the Gurkhas,” Vereshchagin said, pained by the memory.
“I think that Uwe was tired of fighting colonial wars,” Harjalo responded.
“But why would they attack him? It must be obvious to Admiral Horii that even though he sympathizes with us, he isn’t going to do anything to help us. Strategically, it makes no sense,” Kiritinitis questioned.
“From a purely logical standpoint, Admiral Horii can utilize a victorious operation like this to rebuild the morale which must have been shaken by the losses his forces suffered yesterday,” Paul Henke said. “However, I do not believe that he will leave a garrison in Upper Marlboro. This would be a useless diversion of resources.”
The Hangman’s comment struck a jarring note. Sanmartin tried not to stare. “Call it an exercise in terror, Per. He’s trying to intimidate us.”
“He’s making a good job of it,” Haijalo commented.
Ebyl went off the net several hours later. Out of the 250 men in his battalion, about sixty escaped the trap. A very bitter captain named Ulrich Ohlrogge took command of the survivors. The Manchurians who conducted the operation took most of their casualties when Ebyl’s ammunition bunker blew up. They took no prisoners.
Horii left instructions with his staff that he was to be awakened if there was any countermove from Vereshchagin. About a half hour later, thirty-seven reconnaissance drones that he had scouting the jungle simultaneously crashed themselves.
Tuesday(316)
HORII WAS DOZING FITFULLY IN HIS PERMANENT QUARTERS, HIS EN-
gineers having finally finished repair work, when he heard footsteps in the corridor outside. He sat upright. “Watanabe?” Watanabe entered the room highly agitated. “Admiral, a helicopter was shot down in the Stormberg Mountains about forty kilometers north of Steenfontein. Our aircraft are attacking and are receiving return fire. This would appear to be a major contact.”
Instantly alert, Horii rose and allowed Watanabe to dress him. Calling up his electronic map, he tapped the touchpad to focus in on the valley where the helicopter went down, carefully studying its contours. “Has Captain Yanagita discovered the problem with our reconnaissance drones?”
“I regret that he is still researching the matter, honored Admiral.” Watanabe pointed excitedly to the map. “We have intercepted signals from individuals moving around the valley there. Colonel Uno has two companies waiting to board transports. We could easily block both exits and land troops along the ridges to trap Vereshchagin’s forces, but if we delay, they will escape.”
“Do we have pilots overflying this valley?”
“Yes, Admiral.”
“Let me see it.”
Surprised, Watanabe hastened to make the arrangements with the aviation company commander. A few minutes later, he splashed the image from one helicopter’s camera eye onto the admiral’s electronic map.
“Heavily forested,” Horii grunted.
“But there are good landing zones along the ridge line and
on the valley floor, honored Admiral,” Watanabe responded. “May I give Colonel Uno your approval?”
“A good swordsman intuitively sees the origin of every real action, Watanabe,” Horii said inflexibly. He pointed. “What is that? There, on the side of the mountain.”
“I do not know, honored Admiral.”
“That is an old lava flow on the side of a volcano, Watanabe. Perhaps it is not such an old one. Some volcanoes build up pressure inside until a weak place bursts and then spew out gases or superheated mud. Such flows can travel at 120 kilometers an hour, faster than men can run. Tell Colonel Uno to stand do
wn. Have the warships attack instead.” “Honored Admiral?”
“It is a trap. If there is a volcano on this continent that Vereshchagin can cause to erupt with the proper explosives, it is this one, Watanabe. This is the origin of his action.” Watanabe folded his hands and bowed. “Yes, Admiral.” “Both a low spirit and an elevated spirit are weak, Watanabe. You should not rush in at your enemy’s first movement, nor should you flinch from him. You defeat an enemy in battle by knowing his timing and using a timing that he does not expect. That is the lesson you should learn from this.” “Yes, Admiral.”
“Tell Colonel Uno that he may send a survey party with instruments to determine the condition of the volcano in a few days if he wishes.”
When evening fell, Watanabe made one final check on Horii before retiring and found the admiral in a contemplative mood.
“Look at the starlight, Watanabe! Isn’t it beautiful? What strange constellations!”
“Honored Admiral, Colonel Sumi is still waiting to see you. He wishes to discuss taking hostages from the populace.”
“I will see him in a few moments.”
“I will tell him this. May I turn on the lights?”
“No.”
“Honored Admiral, surely you shouldn’t sit here in the dark,” Watanabe urged, the same way he coaxed Horii to eat when the admiral was in a foul mood.
Horii chuckled. “I was nearly killed in this room. What would happen if watchers outside could see inside?” Watanabe rushed to the window and peered out. “The Lifeguards have two platoons on that ridge there,” he said, pointing. “Surely there is no danger. If there is, you should be moved!”
“There is no danger. If I were killed, Colonel Sumi would take my place. If Sumi were killed, Colonel Uno would do so; and if he were killed, Colonel Enomoto would do so. They would take actions against the civilian population that Vereshchagin wishes to avoid. Vereshchagin knows this.”
“I am not certain that I understand. The civilian population provides the water in which Vereshchagin swims. Wouldn’t attacking them be a good idea?”
“The proverb is, ‘When the lips are destroyed, the teeth are cold.’ I do not agree, Watanabe. Destroying the will of the people to resist will cripple him, but merely attacking them will only defeat them superficially. We must penetrate to the depths and extinguish their spirit.”
Horii rose leisurely and walked over by the window. “Colonel Sumi is developing a ferocious hatred for this world and its people, which perhaps blinds him. One cannot hate and be a good soldier, Watanabe. It weakens one’s spirit. Hatred is something that belongs to living persons. The way of war means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death. Once you have become accustomed to death, you can keep your spirit correct and pass through life without possibility of failure.”
“I admit that I have been worried by the disharmony between you and Colonel Sumi,” Watanabe said, expressing what most of Horii’s officers felt, but few dared voice.
“If a carpenter knows the strengths and weaknesses of his workmen and their tools cut well, he should deploy them so that the finished work turns out well. It is the same with soldiers. A commander must know the abilities and weaknesses of his men. I know Colonel Sumi’s strengths and weaknesses and intend to use him to best advantage.” Horii turned away from the window. “What do my technicians say about the Hummingbirds that crashed themselves?”
“They still profess themselves mystified, Admiral. They have grounded all such aircraft and are wondering whether this could be a manufacturing flaw.”
“That is nonsense, Watanabe. Tell them that I demand answers.”
“I will do so, honored Admiral. Also, Colonel Enomoto reports that he has identified Lieutenant-Colonel Ebyl’s body.” “Please tell Colonel Enomoto that it is my express desire to have the body buried with appropriate honors.” Horii’s tone of
voice made it clear that the disposition of Ebyl’s body was not open to further discussion, “Are there other matters?”
“One other, honored Admiral.” Watanabe fumbled with his notecase and produced a document. “Matsudaira-san has been interrogating his employees and has information which he believes to be of importance, as well as a plan of operation that he wishes to suggest to you.”
“Matsudaira-san believes whatever his employees tell him. I find this humorous.” There was too little light in the room to read Matsudaira’s missive, so Horii let it fall into a wastebasket. ‘Tomorrow, please remind me to compose a suitable reply thanking him for his efforts.”
“May I fetch Colonel Sumi, now?”
“Yes. Do so.”
As Watanabe turned to leave, he noticed a woven object rolled up in the comer, and curiosity got the better of him. “Honored Admiral, what is this?”
“Lieutenant-Colonel Vereshchagin’s ryijy carpet. I am returning it to him. Recall that it has sentimental value.” “Honored Admiral, he is an enemy!” Watanabe protested. “Of course, Watanabe, but an honored one.” Again, Horii looked out the window into a darkness misted by the halos of the spaceport’s lights. “He was an Imperial officer before you were bom. He remembers a different Imperial system. He was bom Japanese in another life—of this, I am sure. More than anyone else, I believe that he understands that in some ways Earth is too far away from us to matter. A few weeks ago, he asked me politely what difference it would make to Earth if Matsudaira got what he demanded. The same metals would go to Earth in the same ships, and nearly the same finished goods would be shipped here. The only difference would be in the cost to the people living here. Matsudaira-san cannot understand this way of thinking, unfortunately. You must honor the spirit of your enemies, Watanabe. The ryijy is a small matter.” “I am not sure that I understand,” Watanabe said, disturbed by the admiral’s bizarre humor.
“Remember, Watanabe, that I know Anton Vereshchagin. I was a lieutenant in the Third Lifeguards Battalion on Cyclade, and Vereshchagin was a major. Time differential has altered things between us as you see. On Cyclade, some young Lifeguards officers were frivolous.”
Horii waited a moment so that Watanabe would make the comparison with his own young officers. “These officers did not take the way of war seriously. The rebels there, the Provisional, understood this. With no real strength, they destroyed one Lifeguards company and part of another. Major Vereshchagin was brought in to explain to us the nature of war. In this way, our fates have become entwined.” He turned. “That is all, Watanabe.”
When Sumi entered a few moments later, Horii said, “Colonel Sumi, I understand you wish to further discuss taking Afrikaner cultural leaders as hostages.”
“Yes, honored Admiral,” Sumi replied politely, impatient with delay and prepared to argue the point.
“I concur. Please issue the necessary orders to have two or three hundred selected persons taken into preventive detention to ensure proper behavior from the population.”
As Sumi left, Horii once again lost himself in contemplation of the night sky.
During the night, Sumi’s blacklegs fanned out to detain every Afrikaner identifiable as a community leader, using the master population list taken from Vereshchagin’s data base. Problems developed immediately as the security policemen were unable to find the persons in question at the addresses listed for them in the central data base. In some instances, they were unable to find the addresses themselves.
New lists and frenzied discussions failed to resolve this. Blackleg patrols brought in people, but it rapidly became apparent that few, if any, of these people were the cultural leaders that Sumi wanted.
Part of the problem was identified when one sharp-eyed corporal noticed that one address on a printout did not match the same address on a printout made several hours before. After several hours of tests, it became apparent to Horii’s computer technicians that data in files copied from Vereshchagin’s data base was literally migrating from file to file. The technicians’ elation rapidly turned to confusion when they discovered that da
ta was migrating from files which had not been copied from Vereshchagin’s data base.
Wednesday(316)
HORII FOUND OUT ABOUT THE COMPUTER GLITCH AT BREAKFAST,
which put him in an exceedingly foul mood by the time Captain Yanagita came to report progress.
Yanagita saluted. Then he bowed. “Honored Admiral, we have uncovered the problem which caused our Hummingbirds to crash. It would appear that the central data base has been infected with a computer virus.”
Yanagita looked and felt awful, having been up all night with the computer techs.
“Is this perhaps the problem which induced Colonel Sumi’s security policemen to detain two sixteen-year-old boys as leading citizens of the community last night?” Horii demanded.
Blacklegs were not selected for their intelligence, and a number of Sumi’s patrols had chosen to believe the printouts they were given rather than what their eyes told them.
Before Yanagita could respond, Horii snapped, “How was this done, Yanagita?”
Yanagita shifted his feet uncomfortably. “It would appear that when we copied data from Lieutenant-Colonel Vereshchagin’s data base, we also copied the virus, which recopied itself into data files and executed operations to corrupt data and programs. It is very sophisticated. Whoever created it knew our systems well enough to evade our controls.”
“Of course they did. Vereshchagin uses an earlier version of the same program.” Horii turned his back.
“Regrettably, the virus allowed Vereshchagin entry into our systems, which permitted him to issue commands, such as the one which caused our Hummingbirds to crash themselves. We are indeed fortunate that we uncovered this problem before he was able to cause more extensive damage,” Yanagita said, fervently wishing that someone else had been tasked with reporting this to the admiral.
Robert Frezza - [Colonial War 02] Page 21