Battle for Karnak (Star Crusades: Mercenaries, Book 4)

by Thomas, Michael G.

  The express line to Montu.

  That made Spartan smile. He'd used the Maglev line North of Montu before, and it was the perfect way to move large amounts of people and supplies about the planet. Much of the system was underground to avoid the deadly storms that frequented the barren wilderness of Karnak. Of more interest to him was this system connected directly to Nakoma and her fortified stronghold. Montu was the best-defended place on the planet, and now the military base used by her forces. Intelligence reports from multiple scouting parties and drones confirmed more than half of all Anicinàbe forces on Karnak were based at the fortress city and its outlying depots and compounds.

  This facility doesn't seem that important, but it is the key to the Maglev system in the South. Whoever controls it can ferry troops and supplies to any of the ten cities, and even towards Montu itself.

  The blue schematic showed a number of points in the tunnel system that were blocked off. The Byotai resistance had done an excellent job of cutting links in key places so that none of the cities were currently in contact, and even the route to Montu was incomplete.

  Our engineers can fix that in days. We can do this.

  His attention turned from the partially sealed tunnel and back to the focus of the mission. Green shapes showed the deployment areas for each of his unit, and the landing zone for his particular Jackal. Four would hit the surface, and he was taking two Jackals to the heart of the base.

  So, seventy levels, a transport pool, access to the Maglev system, and more than a thousand Red Scars all in one place.

  He licked his lips with relish.

  It's perfect. Nothing will piss off Nakoma more than knowing they've lost this important facility. And from there...

  His eyebrows rose with anticipation, imagining their position in a matter of days, and then weeks.

  It will be payback time.

  The fighting on Karnak had gone on way too long, and though Spartan loved tackling problems, he was far from satisfied with spending so much time on this dust bowl. He looked upwards and found his view blocked by the cramped innards of the Jackal, a craft he'd help to design.

  It's time to get back into space. This place isn't for me.

  The drop light turned red and flashed multiple times, giving the final warning that battle would soon begin. Spartan's pulse quickened a little, as the anticipation in his body grew. He tensed his muscles and felt his aged, but fit body move. The contours of his custom armour shifted, mimicking every muscle movement.

  "Seven minutes to drop," said the pilot.

  Spartan nodded and then looked to those inside the Jackal. Though he lacked the large numbers of marines he was used to, there were fewer people he'd like to fight alongside with than the twins, Khan, and the others. They'd forged a bond on Karnak, and that meant more than a thousand marines right now.

  "Okay, people, this is it. You know the plan. We hit them fast, and by hell we hit them hard."

  Imagery from the nose of his Jackal showed the craggy hills drop away, revealing the long abandoned deep core mine, and its partially collapsed adjoined buildings. It had much in common with the larger mine at Melantias, but even from this distance it was clearly disused. He looked across to Khan who gave him a reassuring nod. Spartan smiled and then activated the tactical network. This was a short-ranged, encrypted system that created an ad hoc network between all of their operatives.

  "This is Spartan. Six minutes to drop. Listen to your commanders, and focus on your objectives. We have sixty minutes to complete this mission. Don't let me down."

  The Jackal shuddered as they dropped behind another ridge. At the same time, the engines swivelled around, providing greater lift but reduced forward velocity. Syala noticed that Lahok kept looking around nervously. For a second, he'd nearly fitted in with his borrowed Helion equipment.

  "Don't worry. It means we're nearly there. Stay close to Spartan, but always keep behind him."

  "Why?"

  Khan tapped him on the shoulder.

  "Because if you're in front, you're gonna get shot."

  For some odd reason, Lahok felt the need to be pedantic at this point.

  "By the Red Scars, or by Spartan?"

  Khan laughed loudly, and Spartan joined in with a much gentler chuckle. As the sound faded, Khan clamped his visor shut and hissed the next words at him.

  "You never can tell in combat."

  Lahok swallowed, desperate to clear his dry throat. He was surrounded by violent and dangerous people, and should have felt safe. Yet he felt no safer than when he'd been waiting at the wall in the heart of the city, seconds before disaster had befallen Hyndla. The massive warrior wore heavy armour that looked very different to the high-tech gear used by Spartan. The grey plates were covered in marks and dents, but he could see no obvious damage to the surface.

  "Your armour, is it old?"

  Khan lifted his left arm and twisted his bicep.

  "No idea, this isn't mine."

  As he looked away, Syala noticed the disappointed look on Lahok's face. It had been a clumsy attempt to converse with the hulking creature, and she struck him in the chest before twisting back around to Lahok.

  "This is a gift from Olik and the others. It is sacred equipment from the Blood Pack."

  Lahok looked at the metal with fascination. From a distance it looked grey and battered, but closer examination showed curious patination and discoloration where the material had been fused and folded.

  "May I touch?"

  Khan's face was hidden behind the crude armour, and when he heard the translated words, he uttered an odd sound. Lahok did not understand what it meant until Syala intervened.

  "Go ahead. He won't bite."

  Khan grunted again, and Syala gave him a hard stare.

  "Not today."

  Lahok nervously touched the metal plate, and his eyes immediately lit up. He said several words the translator couldn't understand and pointed to the rifle system, resting on a cradle mount against Khan's chest.

  "And your weapon, is that from the mercenary units arsenal as well?"

  Khan tapped the unit and nodded.

  "This is what Wictred calls a Thumper."

  With a single smooth motion, he slid the contraption from its mount and held it in his two oversized arms.

  "This is a customised L48 system, built from surplus military weapon stocks, and upgraded with a shared ammunition box and gun assembly."

  Lahok didn't know what to say, but luckily, Syala said what he could not.

  "He's making a fuss over nothing, Lahok. It's basically two old spec rifles from the Great War Era of humanity."

  "I see. Why two? Doesn't that just..."

  Syala laughed as she lifted a hand.

  "No, not quite. You see, Khan and his people prefer confrontation over subtlety. Why take one gun, when you can carry two in one package?"

  Khan nodded in agreement, either ignoring, or merely accepting her attempt at belittling him as simply confirming his martial prowess.

  "The Thumper gives me firepower, and the if anybody gets too close..."

  The gun made a clinking sound as a terrifying blade extended out and forwards from the main gun system. The blade increased the overall length of the gun by fifty percent, hanging low and to the front of the twin muzzles. Lahok's skin paled even more than normal as he stared at the metal. It was large and heavily serrated along the entire length.

  "Trust me," said Khan, "If anybody wants to taste some of this, they are very welcome."

  He retracted the blade and returned to his final preparations. Syala could see the Byotai militiaman was well out of his depth. She placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, doing her best to reassure him, completely forgetting that smiles and expressions involving the mouth looked more threatening than friendly to a reptilian Byotai.

  "Khan has taken over the Blood Pack, in light of Wictred’s disappearance."

  Lahok opened his mouth to question the name, but she moved in closer and lowered
her voice.

  "Khan's son."

  Lahok swallowed and tried to keep his eyes away from the large monster.

  "When they get into battle, make sure you keep well away."

  Syala straightened up and glanced to Khan, while raising her voice.

  "There's nothing quite so terrible as a Jötnar in battle."

  Khan laughed repeatedly and pointed to his comrades spread through the rest of the spacecraft.

  "Trust me, there is always something worse than a Jötnar in battle."

  Syala knew what he meant, but Lahok made the mistake of falling for the trap.

  "What is more terrible?"

  Khan lifted his arms and roared.

  "A whole pack of Jötnar!"

  Some of the others heard his last few words and joined in. The roar filled the interior of the Jackal, and Spartan moved over to see what all the fuss was about.

  "Okay, that's enough fun," he said.

  The volume reduced, and he nodded quickly to Khan.

  "This is gonna be a messy operation, but we can do this. Agreed?"

  Syala and Khan nodded immediately.

  "Excellent."

  He looked to Lahok.

  "You'll see something exceptional today. Never ever forget it."

  Spartan moved away, leaving Syala alone with Lahok once more. The other warriors made final checks on their gear and then waited for the inevitable. There was nothing any of them could do until they hit the ground. She pointed to the sides of the Jackal.

  "The engines are orientating for combat landing. You'll be on the ground in no time at all."

  Then came the great boom as the engines unleashed their full force. Syala's eyebrows rose, and she gave the alien a wide grin before sealing her helmet. Now all of them were ready, apart from Spartan who still left his visor open to expose his bearded face. Since returning to Melantias, he'd shaved his beard slightly, giving it a shorter Van Dyke look. The dark goatee beard and wider moustache matched his loosely cut dark hair.

  "Remember the plan. It's a simple one, but we have to do it right, or we'll be overwhelmed."

  Khan laughed at that last part, but Spartan chose to ignore him. His left hand pointed to the two sisters.

  "Syala and Arana will secure the upper structures and stop anybody trying to get out on the surface. Dynax and Helion 5 are there to assist, so use them. They have proven themselves."

  The two female operatives acknowledged his orders, though they were not needed. Spartan had planned the operation with them well before leaving the North, and since then they'd gone over the plan a dozen times.

  "Don't worry, Spartan," said Arana, "We'll take the surface. I'm more concerned about whether you and your Jötnar friends can take the mine. The mapping data shows more complexity than expected. It's not just a pit; it's an entire underground city build into the side walls."

  Spartan laughed.

  "It's a pit, with seventy levels and a landing platform fifteen levels from the surface. I can handle that."

  Arana's eyes wandered from Spartan and across to the Jötnar.

  "Aren't you a little small, compared to your friends?"

  The sound in the craft dropped as some of the Jötnar heard her words. It was true, the Jötnar were bigger than him in every way, yet none would dare have mentioned that.

  "Size is relative."

  He leaned in a little closer.

  "You and your sister should know that."

  Khan burst into laughter, and the other Jötnar quickly joined in. Arana shook her head in mock irritation.

  "Spartan, you are just bad, way too bad."

  He nodded and then double-checked his harness was secure. Both laughed, and Spartan found his heart rate slowing as he relaxed. He signalled towards Tanis, Khan's new number two. The Blood Pack warrior noticed his signal and straightened up.

  "Major!"

  "Tanis. It's time to show these Red Scars what the Blood Pack can do. We'll be on the deck in seconds. Are you ready for this?"

  Tanis answered without hesitation, his voice thickly hidden behind a strong accent. It wasn't so much a regional sound, but actually from the hunting clans living together on Hyperion; the lush and deadly jungle world now home to so many of their kind. With so few conventional Humans nearby, their language had adopted many odd mannerisms, a difficult to understand, guttural accent that was becoming popular among other Jötnar.

  "All ready for the attack. It is time for payback, Major. I lost brothers at Melantias."

  Spartan sighed as he listened to the mercenary. He was all too familiar with the desire for action, and equally familiar with the desperate need for vengeance. He'd probably seen more people killed in his lifetime than any other soldier alive, and still he went back for more.

  "Understood, Tanis. This will be a standard assault, just like in the plan."

  The clatter of heavy weapons fire reminded them all of the danger they were in. At least half a dozen pinged off the thick armour of the Jackal, but none made it through the plating. It was a sign that a remote sentry had spotted them, meaning the enemy knew they were coming in fast.

  "Yes, Major. Kornag will take two squads to the surface. I will follow you into the base with the other five squads."

  "Perfect," said Spartan, "It's good to fight with you again."

  Tanis smashed one fist into the other, clearly excited.

  "It is the second greatest thing for a warrior to fight alongside Khan and Spartan, heroes of the Biomech War."

  Khan snorted at hearing this, but Spartan felt taken aback.

  "Second?"

  Tanis nearly choked as he tried to answer.

  "I...I didn't mean..."

  "Out with it, man," said Spartan.

  His voice was a little irritable, though Khan and Kanjana both recognised the subtle hint of sarcasm that few would have any chance of detecting. Not even Syala and Arana would be able to pick it up. Tanis cleared his throat and did his best to explain.

  "Fighting alongside Gun is the desire of all of us. There would be no higher honour."

  Spartan gave a punishingly slow nod as he listened.

  "Well, Gun is a lot of fun, I can give you that. He's loved by High Command, though, and rarely gets to play as much as the rest of us."

  Tanis' eyes opened wide like a child's as he listened.

  "Maybe when this is over, you might get to see some action. I hear the IAB is filling up to full strength, and I reckon we're gonna see a lot of action over the next few years."

  The internal alarm sounded again, but this time louder and continued much longer than before.

  "Okay, people, this is it," said Spartan.

  By now, they could all see the red coloured buildings in the distance on their visor overlays. As they moved closer, the red seemed to fade, or even vanish where time and the elements had stripped it clean. The single storey red structures ran around two-thirds of the massive pit, and next to them sat a well-maintained landing platform. There was little left of any of the other taller structures, and a single large tower lay on its side, partially dismantled into various large segments. A single smaller tower remained, and on top of that was a metallic mast fitted out with dishes and microwave transmitters.

  "Hold on!" said the pilot.

  The Jackal rolled to the right and then hard to the left, before levelling off once more. Spartan looked down, quickly spotting the problem as several figures stopped and looked up at the Jackals. Smoke trails raced up and were deflected just as quickly by automatic flare dischargers fitted on both sides of the spacecraft. They were so close they could see details of the facility via the external cameras. The engines pulsed with power as they flew closer to a row of circular storage structures running down one side. They may have stored ore, water, or fuel in the past, now they lay like much of the site, a ruin covered by dust.

  The Jackal shuddered violently, and Lahok gulped as the spacecraft slowed a little. It felt as though multiple objects had hit the front of the Jac
kal, though none of the passengers appeared particularly concerned.

  "What's that?"

  Khan sighed and tapped his fist against the ceiling of the spacecraft.

  "Upper launch unit firing rockets, lots of rockets."

  The upper-mounted rocket assembly launched a salvo of guided missiles that screamed away from the Jackal. The craft carried a mixed payload of warheads, but these were simple high-explosive, perfectly suited to this rapid attack. In less than a second they angled downwards, boosted their engines, and slammed into the tower in a devastating attack.

  "Great job," said Spartan.

  The entire tower vanished in the bright explosion, instantly severing orbital and long-range communications. Two more missiles struck the lower mountings, but the tower was already falling, its structure torn asunder by the powerful and unexpected blasts.

  "Ten seconds for the surface party!" Spartan yelled, "Standby to drop!"

  He turned around and nodded to Syala and Arana, both waiting over the circles on the floor. In the last moments, the smoked tubes had risen from the floor and encased them like a pair of test subjects in a medical laboratory. Another six had done the same and waited for the order.

  "Why are they in the tubes?" Lahok asked.

  At the same time, he looked down and noticed the wide circle at his feet. A cursory glance showed all of them were over the same space, though only those of the female mercenary unit waited inside their tubes. Khan thumped the side of the nearest and then gave Lahok the thumbs up.

  "Watch!"

  The red light turned green, and everything sped up as the tubes activated. Lahok assumed they were mine launchers, or some loading or fuel system. He'd not expected for a single moment they were actually an advanced delivery system for infantry.

  "Commencing drop...now!" Arana said.

  Lahok watched in sheer astonishment as each of the smoked tube units flashed. It looked like they had been vaporised in the tube, and he recoiled in horror, before noticing the shapes drop through the vent hole in the base of the Jackal. The tubes made a thumping sound as they disgorged their payloads, like large calibre howitzers firing heavy shells.