Six thousand meters, said Nickelo.
Richard began cycling the battle helmet’s visor through various filters; radiation, thermal, and sonic. Colored lines and waves swept back and forth across the sky with each filter change.
Are you seeing this, Nick? Richard said. I thought this was supposed to be a surprise mission. It looks like every sensor on the continent is concentrated on this one area.
A wave of yellow light headed in Richard’s direction threatening to wash over him. Quickly tucking in his left arm, Richard dived to the left just as the wave of yellow passed through the area where he’d been. The yellow wave continued on without stopping.
That was close, Richard said. I’m not sure what would have happened if it had passed over me.
Once again, Richard thanked the Empire’s technicians for developing the battle suit. Sonic waves were invisible to the naked eye, but the battle suit’s filter had highlighted the sonic wave in yellow for Richard’s benefit.
Well, you might have avoided discovery anyway, said Nickelo. Your stealth shield’s obviously holding up. So far, nothing has detected you.
You’d better send a warning to the other shuttles letting them know the landing zone is hot, Richard said. While you’re at it, put in an official request for a mission abort. The tele-bots didn’t sense any of this stuff. This is no surprise mission. They were obviously waiting for us.
Tele-bots were microscopic robots that could observe and send data back to headquarters via the tele-network. Since the tele-network allowed near instantaneous communications from one side of the galaxy to the other, information gathered by the tele-bots was basically real time. However, tele-bots were susceptible to hacking, and they could be fed false information. Thus, there was always a need for boots on the ground such as a wizard scout or one of the military’s other recon forces.
Roger, said Nickelo. Data packet is ready. Secure the packet.
Richard wrapped his battle computer’s data packet with a small amount of Power. Only the decoder back on the mothership would be able to interpret the data. Once Richard completed the task, he informed Nickelo. Soon thereafter, Richard sensed a small burst of energy flow into the tele-network.
Richard switched the visor back to normal night vision. The landscape below showed up in clear detail, although everything did have a slightly reddish tinge. Richard was used to it. Even during daylight hours, wizard scouts were trained to keep their battle helmets in night-vision mode. According to their instructors, if they routinely operated with the same night-vision filter in place, then it wouldn’t make a difference whether it was daylight, nighttime, foggy, or snowing so hard it would make an ice bear want to cry. They’d always have the same vision they were accustomed to.
That was the theory, but Richard tended to cheat sometimes and use his clear visor more than necessary. However, he wasn’t an idiot. The current mission was too dangerous to try and cheat the system. This time he was keeping his red, night-vision filter deployed as much as possible.
Two thousand meters, said Nickelo. Your speed’s down to two hundred kilometers per hour. That’s about one hundred and twenty miles per hour back in the sticks where you grew up. That’s a good speed. I’d recommend maintaining it if possible.
No one on Earth has used miles per hour for a couple of hundred years, Nick, Richard said. Please keep it in meters. By the way, I grew up in the city, not out in the sticks, so get your facts straight. Now tell me, how much time do I have? About fifteen seconds?
About ten seconds actually, said Nickelo. I’d recommend using your passive scan on the drop zone now. The battle suit’s electronics are too risky at this range.
Roger that, Richard said.
He took a moment to let the Power in the land below soak into his senses. Everything, whether living or dead, released at least some Power. As soon as he evaluated the passive scan, Richard became even more concerned. He did not at all like what he was sensing from the ground below. The drop zone was located next to a large, three story building. He’d have called it a mansion back on Earth. However, the angles and odd shape of the structure was nothing like he’d ever seen on any of the various planets he’d visited over the years. The holograms the intelligence boys had created during their practice simulations didn’t do it justice.
Nick, Richard said, something’s not right. Put the results of the passive scan on my heads-up display. It looks like the place is crawling with lifeforms.
With only a few seconds left to make decisions, Richard was grateful his conversations with his battle computer consisted mostly of images, feelings, and thoughts interspersed with a few words. Otherwise, he’d have hit the ground before he got his request out. As it was, his request and Nickelo’s response were near instantaneous. An image of the mansion and the walled area around it appeared on Richard’s heads-up display. The area around the mansion was covered in various colored dots. Standard color codes for battle computers was red for soldiers in battle armor, orange for armed soldiers not in battle armor, yellow for possible non-combatants, and white for friendly forces. Richard saw an awful lot of red dots.
Nick, Richard said. It’s a trap. Send the abort code. It’s too late for us, but the others still have time to abort.
Data packet ready, said Nickelo. Secure the packet, please.
Richard automatically wrapped Power around the data packet. He sensed his battle computer send the data off into the tele-network.
Five hundred meters, Rick, said Nickelo. You’re committed. Recommend you try for that balcony on the third floor of the building. The open field of the drop zone is too exposed. You haven’t been spotted yet, so I estimate only a sixteen percent chance of discovery if you land on the balcony. If you time your descent right, you can land noiselessly. Probability of discovery is one hundred percent if you land anywhere in the courtyard or the open field.
Richard didn’t bother replying. He angled his body slightly in an attempt to make the balcony. At two hundred kilometers per hour, he had about five seconds before he splattered on the ground.
I’ll need your help with the battle suit, Nick.
That’s what I’m here for, said Nickelo. I’ve got your back.
Most wizard scouts kept tight control on their battle computers. If a battle computer had complete control of the battle suit, the wizard scout could find himself a prisoner in his own suit. Consequently, the Empire’s engineers had designed security features to insure a battle computer only did exactly what the wizard scout allowed. Sometimes, situations occurred which required reaction times faster than a wizard scout could respond. As a result, the Empire’s engineers had installed an override switch in the battle suit. When activated by the wizard scout, the battle computer was given complete control of the battle suit so it could do whatever was required. Many wizard scouts were hesitant to give up control of their battle suit even in life and death situations. Richard was not one of them. He trusted his battle computer, and he often kept the override switch activated just in case Nickelo needed to take control in an emergency. Richard was pretty sure he was going to need a lot of help from his battle computer in the next few minutes. The compound below had all the makings of a carefully laid ambush.
Richard felt his battle suit move slightly. His track to the balcony improved dramatically.
Thanks, Nick.
No problem, buddy.
At one hundred meters, Richard wrapped himself in Power and began using his telekinesis to tap-the-brakes so to speak. His speed slowed to one hundred kilometers per hour. When he was twenty-five meters above the balcony, he felt Nickelo rotate the battle suit to a near standing position. Richard bent his legs slightly and used his telekinesis to hit the brakes hard. He came to a complete stop a half meter above the balcony.
Damn, Richard mentally cursed as he released his telekinesis. He dropped the final half meter to the stone floor of the balcony. The legs of his battle suit easily cushioned his fall. He made no noise.
Rick
–, started Nickelo.
I know, Nick, Richard interrupted before his battle computer could go into lecture mode. I’m already kicking myself for miscalculating. I know what you’re going to say. Stopping completely used too much Power. If this had been an Academy simulation, TAC Officer Myers would have failed me. I’m well aware the loss of the extra Power could be the difference between life and death. Does that about cover what you wanted to say?
Actually, I had no doubt you knew what you did wrong, Rick, said Nickelo. I was merely going to ask you not to curse. It’s a bad habit to get into. However, since you brought it up. I had the suit ready to absorb the shock. All you needed to do was slow your speed to twenty-five kilometers per hour. Your suit would have handled the rest. Coming to a complete stop was a waste of Power. You’re Power reserve is now down to sixty-two percent. You can’t recharge your reserve while you have your highest stealth shield deployed. All you can do is conserve Power whenever possible.
Richard said nothing in reply. He knew his battle computer was right. Still, that didn’t make the medicine go down any easier.
Well, said Nickelo. At least you made it down without getting noticed. Let’s see if you can keep it that way.
Richard crouched below the balcony wall and glanced around the courtyard. Even though it was a moonless night, he could see clearly. He correlated the dots on his display with what he visually saw. He had a momentary thought that he could see a lot more in the courtyard than he wanted. Being unaware of danger might not make it any less dangerous, but it did temporarily reduce the stress. At least, it did until something reached out and bit you.
How many targets? Richard asked.
Your passive scan has pinpointed twenty-five armored, fifteen unarmored, and about twenty civilians inside the building and the grounds within the courtyard, said Nickelo. Fortunately, none of the armored troops are inside the building. There’s another hundred or so troops outside the compound walls.
What about vehicles? Richard asked.
Power readings from your passive scan make it hard to tell, said Nickelo. I think there’s a few in the woods on the north side of the wall. We’d need to run an active scan or use the helmet’s electronics to be sure. I’m concerned they would give away our position.
Richard lowered himself even further below the balcony wall as two armored soldiers walked by underneath. So far, no one appeared to notice they had an uninvited guest.
Any word on our abort request? Richard asked hopefully.
Negative, Rick. The mission must still be a go.
Damn, Richard muttered.
You use that word a lot, Rick. Wizard scout cadets aren’t supposed to curse.
Well, put me on report then, Richard said. Besides, it’s not cursing. It’s just colorful language.
I’ll have to remember that, said Nickelo.
Well, since there’s no word on the abort, Richard said, I guess we better get started on our recon. It does no good to stay here waiting until we’re discovered.
Agreed, Rick, said Nickelo. What do you want to do first?
They’re bound to have equipment close by hacking into the tele-bots, Richard said. Commander Stevens would be a lot better off if she had real intelligence data instead of the falsified stuff the hackers are sending her. Do you have any suggestions?
If I was setting up a hacking station, said Nickelo, I’d probably put it in the basement of this building. That’s just a guess, which you know I hate to do. You’ll have to go inside the building to find out. I recommend putting on a camo suit before entering.
Agreed, Richard said as he removed his dimensional pack off his back. As far as he knew, he was the only soldier in the Empire to be issued one. He had no idea why the High Command had issued it to him. At times like these, he didn’t care. The dimensional pack had been the difference between life and death on a previous mission. Richard had a feeling it was going to be again.
Richard imagined a camo suit. He felt a small amount of Power drain from his reserve. He opened the pack and pulled out a grey set of coveralls and a roll of cloth. Being careful to remain below the lip of the balcony, Richard wiggled into the coveralls. He plugged a wire on the inside of the coveralls into a receiver on his battle suit. The grey coveralls changed color to blend in with the stone floor. His dull-black battle suit was great camouflage when operating in the dark of night since it could shift its shade when required. However, it wasn’t so great for hiding in a brightly lit building. A camo suit didn’t make the wearer invisible either. However, it did hide the wearer enough that a quick glance in a room by a guard might allow the wearer to be overlooked. Richard pulled a cloth hood out of one of the camo suit’s pockets and wrapped it over his head and face. He pulled a set of gloves out of another pocket and put them on. Next, he picked up the roll of cloth and wrapped it around his M63 lightweight plasma assault rifle as best he could. Richard went to great lengths to make sure the cloth left the trigger of his weapon exposed.
The M63 was by far Richard’s favorite weapon. While it only fired light-plasma rounds, it could fire a lot of them very quickly. The M63’s high rate of fire more than made up for the lack of penetrating power as far as Richard was concerned. The M63 could fire two thousand two hundred and twenty-six rounds on a single isotopic battery. Richard figured only a fool could run out of ammo with an M63.
Ready, I guess, Richard said. I won’t be able to get to any of my other weapons since the camo suit is over them.
Hmm, said Nickelo. That won’t do. I’d recommend putting your phase rod in one of the camo suit’s pockets. You might need it.
Richard unzipped the camo suit and removed his phase rod. Once he zipped the suit back, he placed the phase rod in a leg pocket on the left side of the suit.
What about the dimensional pack? Richard said. Shouldn’t it be under the camo suit?
I’d recommend leaving it on the outside, said Nickelo. You may need to get at it quickly. Just try to keep your back away from any bad guys.
Sure, no problem, Richard said sarcastically. I’ll just tell any enemy soldiers I meet they have to stay to my front.
Taking one final glance at his heads-up display, Richard caught a momentary flash of blue on the north side of the compound. It seemed to come from outside the compound’s wall near the wood line.
Did you see that, Nick? Richard said perplexed. It was a flash of blue. That’s not a standard color.
Of course, I saw it, said Nickelo. I put it on your heads-up display. I don’t know what it is. Your passive scan gave an unknown reading, so I used blue as an unknown source.
If you had to guess, Richard said, what do you think it was?
Not enough data to make even a guess, Rick, said Nickelo. And I told you before, I’m a computer. I don’t guess. I give probabilities. If I say guess during a discussion, it just means a very low probability.
Well, then Nick old buddy, Richard said, I ‘guess’ we should get moving and see what we can find.
Chapter 2 – The Children
____________________________________
Richard stood at the top of a set of wooden stairs. His passive scan confirmed no one was nearby. However, two lifeforms were located at a hallway intersection just a few meters from where the stairway ended.
Those wooden steps look creaky, Richard said. I’m thinking I should use telekinesis to get down.
I concur, Rick, said Nickelo. I hate for you to waste the Power, but making noise won’t help our situation either.
Richard flexed the legs of his battle suit and leapt towards the bottom of the stairs. Just before he hit the floor, Richard wrapped himself in Power and landed lightly with nary a sound.
Nicely done, said Nickelo with rare praise.
Yeah, Richard said. It’s a little easier when I’m not falling at two hundred kilometers per hour.
The building schematic shows another set of stairs to your left, said Nickelo. It leads down to the first floor.
The two l
ifeforms Richard had detected were located to his right just around the corner of the intersection. Richard could hear them talking in some unintelligible language. Since Nickelo was not interpreting for him, Richard assumed it was useless chatter. The two lifeforms were remaining stationary. He assumed they were guards. Richard hoped they weren’t roaming guards.
Turning to the left, Richard walked down a brightly lit hallway. Paintings of several humans adorned the walls. Other paintings were of insect-looking creatures standing upright on four hind legs. Two other legs appeared to serve as their arms.
It seems strange, Richard said, that two such diverse species have lived together in peace for over three hundred years.
Too bad other races don’t emulate their practice, said Nickelo. Veturna used to be a nice planet until the Crosioians took it over last year.
Commander Stevens had briefed Richard that Veturna had been a neutral, scientifically-oriented planet in sector five when the Crosioians attacked the Empire during Richard’s freshman year at the Academy. The Crosioians had easily overrun Veturna since the planet had no standing army. While the Empire had allowed the Veturnians to remain neutral, the Crosioians were not so likeminded. From the little Richard had been briefed, the Crosioians had transported a lot of the planet’s scientists back to the Crosioians’ home world. Richard doubted any of those scientists would ever see their families or Veturna again.
That’s undoubtedly why this scientist is defecting, said Nickelo.
Are you reading my mind again? Richard said a little irritated.
As I’ve told you before, said Nickelo, I don’t read your mind. Why would I want to? But, I can’t help it if you shout your thoughts for all to hear.
One day, you’re going to have to explain to me how I can whisper my thoughts, Richard said.
Wizard Cadet (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 2) Page 2