Trampship Wars 2

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Trampship Wars 2 Page 62

by L. D. Roberts


  “They took out one of the snipers Mark. That must have been shooting at the line of English troops.” Mickey continued said . “I do not know what I am Mark. I am not the human I was when I sat in the bonding chair but I am not a computer either. I am me.” A tuft of dirt and grass flew into the air a few feet from Jack with a with a thump of a small explosoin explosion . Something thumped into the ground a couple feet from Mark’s other side leaving a small hole in the grass.

  Mark did not know what to say to what Mickey had said that as the jeep landed a few yards from him . The as the turret moved again and fired again. The concussion pushing Mark rocking back a bit before straitening back up. Something streaked past him a foot off the ground with a high pitched warbling noi se.

  Another bright flash blasting a bunch of dirt and grass into the air only a few feet away s ending en ding a wad of turf hitting Mark across his shoulder. A small storage box on the back corner of the jeep that had just landed , blew off into a dozen pieces landing spread ing out across the manicured lawn behind it . A suit climbed out and started walking toward Mark. He recognized Captain Summers.

  Smiling up at her he said; “Hi Captain. What brings you out here?” A 40mm blaster shell streaked into the SP Gun turret creating a large pockmark sending multen molten splinters flying around with one hitting Mark in the side but doing no damage except knocking him over on to his side only to have him push hims elf upright again . Followed by several more as the 8 inch gun answered with a big blast making the Captain stager sideways for a second before continuing toward Mark .

  She stopped in front of Mark. “You do know you are making a target of yourself. You ever hear of camouflage and why didn’t you change over to the military IFF codes .” A 40 mm blaster ball hit the ground a dozen feet to the side of Mark , sending up a stream of dirt and debris across the SPG, the Captian Captain and Mark still sitting on the ground obliveouse oblivious to the show around him and the crater it left behind. A as a nother streaked past a few feet over his head.

  The big 8 inch gun barked again as the Captain knelt on one knee to keep the concussion from knocking her over. “Or did you make yourself a beacon on purpose to draw their fire.” The 8 inch gun belched again with the Captain's shifting her legs, catching herself from falling even though she tilted over a ways then straightened back up.

  Mark looked down at himself as he was covered yet again with sod and burnt grass. W h i p ping the burnt green and dark earth off his lap. He had forgotten that his suit was a bright red beacon as he suddenly remembered hearing something about IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), codes as they were deploying the Company but he was too busy having a blast riding in the SPG and staring at the tower and all the damage. . “Mickey could you please change my color to something a little more appropriate and shut off the civilian IFF please.” His suit went dark turning green to match the grass. “No Captain I just forgot to change after I was done lighting up some one’s life in a dark cargo container.”

  The hatch on the SPGun control cab clanged open as a half dozen vehicles suddenly left the closest squads spread along the ridge and headed for the hill top.

  The First Class Gun C B aptain jumped down and came running up to Mark. “Where you hit Mark Commander ?”

  “What?” Mark looked up at the Sargent as he knelt down next to Mark with the medical kit from the SP. As something bright zipped past behind him. The gun barked again as the Gun Captain braced himself from moving sideways from the concussion and back as he looked Mark over. The gu n started sending a steady stream of shells at the tower making Mark wonder what its hurry suddenly was.

  “Your beacon disappeared from our sensors Commander activating our medical alarms.” An APC with a big red cross on the side skidded across the grass plowing up a good furrow as it slid to a stop with its side facing Mark blocking his view of the tower as something hit the opposite side rocking the APC toward Mark still sitting on the grass with a loud bong . Several medics scrambled out of the back. The APC now solid ly stopped on the ground suddenly only echoed from the rear hatch with a n a n outside bang as something hit its far side again. Another APC zoomed overhead with the rear hatch wide open as two suits dropped out to land so each side of next to Mark with loud thumps as their feet sank a foot into the soft ground , beating the medics coming out of the grounded APC to Marks side by a good 10 feet a few inches . A tank slid to a stop over to one side of the APC facing back toward the tower and started firing its 105mm (4inch) gun. Womp..... Womp...Womp… Mark could feel the concussion with each shot mixed in the roar of the 8 inch gun but with his helmet closed he could still hear his com. As everyone kept asking him where he was hit. The 8 inch (208mm) gun roared again and Mark realized that it was independence day as a steady stream of fireworks continued to streak past the little group of vehicles as explosions bombarded the area around them sending up flames an d metal slag from hits on armor and bur ning grass and melted dirt flew up across the sky. .

  Mickey said in his ears. “Mark; a general call has gone out to the other units that you have become a casualty.” Mickey said worried as more shells streaked close past them with more bangs coming from the far side of the APC in front of him and the SPG turret . The bots in the tower seemingly emboldened by their success. The SPG fired several shots in rapid succession angrily at the base of the tower rocking everyone standing around Mark as the Tanks all across the camp belched fire as they joined the SP Gun firing at the base of the tower. Followed a few seconds later by the other two marine positions to the left and right of the tower. Their big SP Guns sending large streaks into the base of the tower amongst the smaller streaks from the tanks.

  “Ok Mickey turn the damn beacon back on but without the glowing suit.” As Mark lit back up on everyone’s tactical he climbed to his feet. “Ok people. I am all right. I am fine. “The shots zipping past the APC a few feet from the group around Mark seamed to pick up in volume. Hits on the SP turret, the tanks and the Medical APC’s now crowding around them sending clouds of molten metal splinters through the air to hit the ground burning the grass and the armored suits standing around Mark. The hill top was quickly turning black and cratered. Though no one took cover as the shockwaves from the 8 inch gun kept trying to knock everyone to the ground with the steady pom, po m of several Panther tanks that had joined the hilltop circus. . And then the fire from the tower tapered off to finally stop as explosions peppering the lower floors at the base of the tower became fewer and fewer to finally stop.

  Looking around at everyone Mark shook his head. “Sorry guys. I did not think anyone would noticed little old me out just sitting on the turret as far away as we are.”

  Captain Summers shook her head. “Well your beacon is transmitting who and what you are in the clear for everyone to see including the Damn Tower AI who thinks you have come to kill him without the Godstar damn military codes you should be using. Hell I noticed 20 miles away and so did the Damn Tower AI . Now switch your damn beacon to military codes. It is not needed now that you have managed to take out most of the heavy weapon snipers on this side. That is unless you want to go around to the other sides and provide them a target to shoot at as well. Though I doubt the Tower AI will be stupid enough to shoot at you after what has happened on this side but we can try it if you want to. ” The Captain said sarcastically. “ Just let me drop you off at the Command transport first so I can watch stand back a ways before you turn it back on.”

  “Naw. That is ok Captain I think I have done enough stupid things for one day.” Mark’s beacon changed to the military codes.

  Shaking her head the Captain brushed herself off and shook her head down at Mark. “ Good. Now get your butt into the jeep so we can go. You are wanted at the Command Center.” The medics climbed back into their APC’s as the Gunnery First Class Turret Captain climbed back into the gun control cab. Several of them slapping Mark on the shoulder before leaving to his puzzled consternation as a last few shells were fired into the base of the tower befo
re peace returned to the hill top and the camps around the tower .

  ------------------

  Captain Summers climbed into the grav-jeep that now had a half dozen holes blasted in the its back light weight armor of its rear that faced the tower . The rear storage compartment separated from the personnel compartment up front taking all the damage. “You coming Commander!”

  Mark looked around at the emptying pock marked cratered hill top and the now shell streaked SPG turret. “I take it that all this was my fault for being lit up like a beacon with my transponder beacon transmitting in the clear? I just did not realize I was being shot at. I did not niotice any streaks or w W ell, guess I was just not paying attention at the time I guess .” Shaking his head. “I just thought they were just some strange bugs. I hate bugs.”

  Mickey’s voice started crying. “Mark there was a dozen sniper shots at you before the SPG shot it’s first round with the several first of the large caliber shells streaking past you or hitting the turret just before it opened fire. I do not understand h ow it could have missed you as close as the rounds were hitting You just happen to be sitting on the SP . I am sorry I failed you again. I was so busy feeling stupid I did not take notic e have my sensors going at the time or hear when the order was given over the net to switch to the English military codes. The first shots could not hurt you at such a long range with the thickness of the armor I had put into your suit but I still should have paid attention to them and why they were shooting at you. The large caliber shells that streaked past us and hit the Jeep , the APC’s and SPG could have killed you if they had hit you before the APC was here to protect you. ”

  Captain Summers starred down at Mark. “ Commander. Are you coming or do you plan on staying here to give the AI more target practice? ”

  Mark climbed into the jeep next to the Captain shaking his head . “Well now that I have made a fool of myself, take me where I can do no harm.”

  “Boy; your middle name seems to be trouble.” Shaking her head. “Your little stunt may have saved the lives of many English troops as well as your marines though. We have been trying to knock out those heavy guns all day. But they have been shooting and scooting back behind cover. This was the first time they had stayed put long enough to be shot. That is if your guys can hit the broad side of a building and managed to destroy the bots and their weapons before they disappeared behind cover. Though I think that damn 208mm (8inch ) SP G g un with it's double sized round at close range had a big enough kill radius to knock anything out before they could go far. ” “

  They drove away from the hill and the marine camp as several tanks took up formation with them as an escort. The tanks flying One of them would turn sideways pointing their guns at the building. One tank would and fire its gun at the building every so often as the little force flew around the side of the Tower toward where the jeep had come from far to the rear deep inside the megaplex city .

  “Mark.” Mickey said in his ears. “I am getting reports of several English troops getting hit when they stuck their heads up to see what all the shooting was about from our camps. Two of them are definat definite KIA’s to the hea d . There are still a lot of big stuff on the other sides of the building Mark ” A few seconds later. “The casualty list has grown to a dozen English now with the first report of Star Queen marines on the other camps being hit though the new armor seems to have protected them.

  The Captain not hearing Mickey continued. “Though why you thought you had to bring an 8 inch SPG along was beyond me until a few minutes ago. But I am still not convinced. We will see.” Shaking her head as she stole glances at Mark, thinking that she may have gotten the wrong idea. Or that maybe he was even more stupid than she had thought. Sitting out there making a damn target of himself.

  They passed by the hill that was the location of the flanking marine position with Mickey having to point out the location of the camouflaged units. Even the SPG that was on the ridge top was indistinguishable from the terrain around it.

  Then several big rounds zipped past the Jeep and suddenly the Marine camp they were flying past erupted as its 8inch SP gun and the light tanks opened up on the base of the tower on that side. Mark’s escort tanks all joining in flying sideways as they climbed up above the jeep Mark was in to get a clear shot fired at the Tower. The stream of shots coming from the lower floor s of the tower increasing rapidly in spite of the return fire from the camp. Mark slid down in the seat a little trying to hide behind the hatch as he peeked through the corner of the little armored window . The lasers and plasma balls streaking out toward the little jeep seemed to hypnotize Mark with their beauty .

  That is until the jeep was hit yet again in the back knocking the jeep to one side into a spin . The Captain fighting th e controls for a second to strai ghten the jeep back up.

  “Mark! One of the rear coils has been knocked out but the rest have compensated .”

  Mark grimaced as he tried to sc r unch down even farther into the seat without taking his eyes off the stream of shots going both ways now. Mark’s eye’s Chuckled looking at the base of the Tower as it lit up with dozens of blasts a second for about 15 seconds before the rounds from the tower petered out stopped and quiet returned to that side of the building.

  Mickey showing Mark where a half dozen heavy weapons had been knocked out on th at e side of the tower. And then she said. “ While the sniping on this side of the building has stopped. Another Dozen English casualties have been reported around the two sides that we have not fired on yet Mark. The English keep getting knocked off in their fixed as they move between positions. They have no yet had time to dig descent fox holes or tranches trenches between units .”

  Shaking his head, Mark frowned as he told himself to shut up. That it was not his problem. But then his mouth opened. “Well that worked Captain. Let’s finish the rounds and see if we get any takers on the other two sides.” Mark slide down into the seat where he could not see out of the side window any longer. He could not believe what just came out of his mouth.

  Captain Summers turned and stared at Mark. “Are you Crazy. All it would take is another one damn hit to kill us both. The armor on this jeep is not that thick. You saw the sho ts this thing has taken already t up ass of this thing didn’t you? If there wasn’t a blast wall between the rear storage compartment and the personnel compartment, the inside including us would have been torn completely up destroying the jeep. Hell we are lucky that only a maneuvering coil was destroyed and that one of the main grave coils did not get hit. As it is, one hit by a 40mm plasma shell on the side of this Jeep and we are just going to be a wad of wreckage plowing into the grass below.”

  Thanks to Mickey, Mark could see laser bea ms streaking into the English lines farther around the tower with the icons for the troops changing to dead with almost a quar ter of the shots. Shaking his head as he grimaces Mark turned to the Captain as he tried to smile. “You’re the one that said you have solders dying every few minutes Captain. Let’s make the round s .” Then to Mickey. “Turn my beacon back to the civilian frequencies and make sure we get the towers attention.” Again N n ot believing what was coming out of his mouth. But someone had to do something as he realized that he could not just sit there while troops were dying. Even English troops.

  Captain Summers suddenly turned to face Mark. “You little shit turned your beacon to general broadcast again.” Shaking her head. “Damn you if you get us killed I will haunt you for eternity.” She turned the Jeep to head away from the Command building deeper in the City and around toward the next side of the building. A few seconds later a flight of light tanks lifted off from the Marine camp below them and fell into formation with the jeep and the other light tanks.

  Looking around at the tight formation Mark shook his head. “Aaa, Mickey tell them that they need to spread out a ways to make it easier to spot the sniping bots before they shoot at us.”

  As the formation spread out, light tanks streaked around the tower from the other two camps
to join the widely spread out formation as they slid around to the next side. The tanks started firing in spurts even before the first reinforcements arrived as they started to orbit ed around the building. Mark only seeing a half dozen streaks coming from the building as they orbited making him think that the AI was not going to take the bait with some relief. Only a few rounds coming from the building actually passing close enough for Mark to see as they approached the half way mark across that face of the building . . Starting to regret that he had so many escorts blaming them for the light response from the tower . But being greatl y relieved that he wasn’t being shot at, much.

  Mark was starting to breathe easier and even relax some when suddenly all hell broke loose from the building . A mas s of and dozens of streaks started flying past the Jeep as dozens of windows on that side of the building started flashing. Mark was suddenly glad the light tanks had joined his procession as some 21 light 30 tanks and an SPG started pouring their fire back into the building lighting up window after window with bright flashes as each streak came from them. The big blasts of the SPG taking out whole apartments as 30 foot wide holes exploded out from the face of the building.

  As soon as the building lit up the Captain started doing radical maneuvers trying to avoid making the jeep an easy ta rget. Throwing Mark around in the seat time after time. “First one way and then another. Even after he tightened up his belt his head hit the overhead . Suddenly wishing he was doing the flying and not her. But not sure if he could do much better.

 

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