by Rod Carstens
“Hey, Fenes, look what I found,” Holman said, holding up a large explosive charge.
“Do you think it's enough to bring this place down?” Fenes asked.
“Yeah. I really like blowing things up, and I paid real good attention in explosives class. Even if it doesn’t, we can sow a bunch of mines down the tunnels as we scoot.”
“Sounds like a plan. Grab anybody you need. I’m going to scout ahead.”
While Holman made sure the cache was emptied of anything useful, Fenes moved down the tunnel. The lights snapped on, triggered by his movement as he searched. It was clear to an intersection to the right that was their way up into the building. When he returned, Holman had everything ready.
“You ready?”
“Well, kinda, boss.”
“Holman!”
“They forgot to put a timer in the cache. Just like Striker used to say, things that need to be shipped together never are.”
“So what do we do?”
“I’m going to shoot it.”
“Fuck, Holman, I know you’re crazy, but—”
“Look, there's an intersection about a hundred meters down that tunnel, right? I’ll lie down and shoot it from around the corner. Easy day.”
Fenes looked at Holman. She was serious. He knew if they didn’t blow the place, the hybrids might use what was left in the cache and would find a way to follow them. It had to be destroyed.
“Okay, if you’re crazy enough to do it, then I’m crazy enough to let you. Everybody else down the tunnel and take the first right at the intersection. It leads to our way upstairs.”
Fenes and Holman waited until all of the other troops were well down the hall before Holman lay down, held her rifle around the corner, and used the weapon’s holo targeting system. Fenes lay down beside her.
“What the fuck are you doing? This was my idea.”
“Yeah, but I’m in charge and I said yes. So I’m here. Just like Striker said. Don’t tell anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself.”
“But you didn’t tell me to do it. This is my idea.”
“Yeah, but I said yes. Now shoot the fucking thing before I shoot you.”
“I love it when you sweet-talk me, Sergeant.”
Holman held the rail rifle around the corner, carefully lined up the shot with the holo targeting system, and pulled the trigger. The explosion was so massive that it blew the rail out of her hand and down the tunnel before she could pull it back. The tunnel collapsed to the intersection they were in. When the dust finally settled, Fenes looked over at Holman. She was holding the shoulder of the arm she had used to fire the rail. Fenes glanced at her medical reading. It was a yellow, and the suit’s nanos were repairing the damage to her shoulder.
“Nice move, Holman.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
They both laughed as they trotted down the hall toward the stairwell that led up to the rest of the building.
Chapter 46
City-State of New York
Phase Line Yellow
Rockefeller Center
Hu stood next to Nani in the formation behind General Sand as they waited for the Von Fleet troops to arrive. Hu, like Nani, was still trying to get used to the fact that they were about to face an attacking force of hybrids with a bunch of Von Fleet salarymen. He hated Von Fleet as much as Nani. Von Fleet had not evacuated his family from their mining planet and had let the Xotoli invade with all the miners and their families left behind. Then Von Fleet had sued the Confederation for using his genes to grow him new legs after Rift, claiming they were Von Fleet genes and could not be used without compensation. Von Fleet had been able to get the courts to garnish his wages until the case was settled. He had spent a year living off contributions from the rest of the battalion while the Confederation fought the case out in the courts.
And that was just the start of the list of shit he didn’t like about Von Fleet. He looked at the men and women in his platoon around him: Gra, Vallaion, Retig, Flavia and the rest. All had stood beside him through battle after battle. He trusted them with his life and they did the same. Now he was waiting for a group of Von Fleet troops to reinforce the conscripts. He had seen them fight on Chika and they had not impressed him. They relied too much on technology and not enough on toughness and training. They had fought the corporate wars and never faced any hybrids.
Hu was, frankly, concerned about what was about to happen. If it had been a battalion of conscripts it wouldn’t be so bad. While they weren’t Marines, they were proving they could fight as he stood there. He had no idea if the Von Fleet guys could fight or if there were hybrids embedded in their ranks. They had been disarmed and put under arrest until Sand got them out. Now his life would depend on how well they could fight.
“Von Fleet Fourteen to Combined Force Actual,” the radio blared over the all-hands network.
“This is CF Actual,” General Sand replied.
“We are inbound your pos. Thirty seconds.”
“Roger, thirty seconds.”
Hu watched as the sleek black Von Fleet APCs appeared and made their final into the hangar bay on the hundredth floor of the Mega where they stood. The first ship came in, flared, and gently landed in front of Sand and the Raiders standing behind him. The hatches on both sides of the APC dilated open and the troops ran out and organized themselves into a formation. Their armor gleamed in the sunlight it was so highly polished; a large VF was stenciled on each troop’s helmet. Their weapons looked as if they had never been fired. These guys had been the ceremonial troops for the secretary general when he needed a parade or to make a public appearance, and they looked like they had just stepped off a parade ground. It was in stark contrast to the Raiders with their battle-scarred armor and well-used weapons.
“No combat-ready unit could pass inspection. These boys and girls look pretty, but can they fight?” someone said over the platoon net.
“Quiet in the ranks!” Nani snapped.
Another and another APC landed and disgorged more troops, and as they joined those in formation, Hu noticed they were all the same size. There was no difference in their heights the way there was in the Raider ranks. What the hell? Hu thought.
General Sand hinged his helmet back and said, “Hinge.”
The Von Fleet troops all hinged their helmets back and Hu saw they were all Sols, and all tall and blond with the classic Sol looks. Fuckin Sols, Hu thought, and hinged his helmet back. It was bad enough they were Von Fleet, but all Sols made it just that much harder to swallow. A female officer took a step forward and said, “Major Rosser of the 1st Ceremonial Battalion reporting as ordered.” She started to salute.
“No saluting up here unless you want to get us both killed!” Sand snapped.
Somebody in the formation behind Hu mumbled, “She’s hot.”
“Good to see you, Major. I’m going to address your troops and the rest of the incoming battalion now. Switch to the all-hands net.”
Sand waited a moment, letting the troops here and in the incoming APCs switch to the all-hands net.
“Men and women of the 1st and 2nd Von Fleet Ceremonial Battalions, this is General Sand. I am the one who ordered your release. I’m also the one who ordered that you be armed and assigned to reinforce the lines. You have never faced hybrids in combat, so I want you to look at the men and women behind me. They have been doing the fighting and dying for you and your planet since Rift. All while you sat here performing ceremonial duties. The men and women of the conscript battalion were conscripted against their wills and sentenced to serve in the military. They too have been fighting the Xotoli and the hybrids while you sat here safe and sound. Understand you have much to prove to these men and women, and to me.”
He paused to let his words sink in. Hu watched his image in the holo in front of him closely. He had his command face on. He remembered the first time he had seen it. You didn’t want to be on the other end.
“The Xotoli have landed a l
arge force of hybrids in Central Park, and despite the defenses they are pushing south toward this position as we speak. I believe their main line of attack will be from Long Island, and I have the rest of the Raider battalion out there waiting for the main landing. But all of that will be for nothing if they are able to use the hybrids and push through these lines. I needed more troops, and against everyone’s advice, I chose to use you. I chose you because you are Sols and this is your planet. I was told you were threatening to rush security and rearm yourselves, you wanted to get into the fight so badly. Well, now is your chance to prove yourselves.
“You know that the Von Fleet Corporation was cooperating with the Xotoli for years, and that is why it was nationalized. I don’t think there is any reason not to trust you, but there are a lot of skeptics, including among the men and women behind me. While I’m sticking my neck out in placing you on the line, they will be placing their lives in your hands, because if you can’t trust the man or woman standing beside you, it will get you all killed. This is your chance to prove yourselves and to begin to rebuild the good name of the Von Fleet Corporation. I’m one who thinks that there are a lot of good men and women who gave much of their lives to a corporation they felt was a good one. I have no proof of that, but you have the opportunity to give me and all the doubters the evidence needed to prove them wrong by your actions in the next hours and days.”
Sand stood there staring at the formation.
“I’m finished with speeches. From now on you will follow my orders and the orders of any superiors in the Raiders or conscripts. You are dismissed, and you are to report immediately to your assigned positions. The conscripts are falling back to this phase line as we speak. Move out!”
Hu watched as the officers and NCOs gave orders and the Von Fleet troops began to move past them toward their positions. They were all taller than Hu, but they gave him and the other Raiders a wide berth. Hu knew what a big push by the hybrids looked like. He hoped these pretty troops were up to the task, because if they weren’t, they were all in trouble.
Chapter 46
City-State of New York
Phase Line Yellow
Rockefeller Center
1st Raider Battalion
Alpha Company
First Platoon
Sand had Nani and her platoon standing by to fill any holes in the line as the three companies retreated to Phase Line Yellow. Sand had placed his command post in an ancient building called Rockefeller Center. It was a Mega that had been built around a tall old skyscraper. It now stood over two hundred stories high and spread over several old blocks. The old building was still intact in the center of the Mega. The achitects had simply encased. It was an ideal place for a command post, with good views of the surrounding area. All of the buildings in front of it were smaller, giving Sand the opportunity to place his positions to provide plunging fire onto any attacking hybrids. It was also large enough and strong enough to take the Xotoli’s new tactic of crashing APCs into positions.
He had Mati’s company heading for a church called St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It had been built with thick stone walls that would provide good cover for the troops. It was ground level, and which should provide Mati good fire and movement lanes allowing her to be mobile enough to protect his right flank.
Chucha with his company was across Sixth Avenue in a Mega. This Mega provided a number of different walkways and terraces connecting to the buildings surrounding it, so he felt good about the two companies on his flanks.
Ura was positioning his troops throughout the center as they made their way back from Phase Line Green. All of these planned positions were in flux until the surviving troops made it back. Doing so was proving more difficult than expected, even with the routes preplanned. There was little unit cohesiveness, because the units had been scattered by the new tactics the Xotoli were using. Sand was, however able to move the Von Fleet troops into their preplanned positions. He sent a Von Fleet company to reinforce Mati at the cathedral and did the same with Chucha’s position. The other Von Fleet companies and the second battalion were spread throughout Rockefeller Center.
Nani and her platoon were positioned in what appeared to be a huge room that must have been used for meetings and conventions. They were doing what any experienced grunt did when they had the chance—if you don’t have to stand, then sit. If you don’t have to sit, then lay down. And if you don’t have to stay awake, go to sleep. They were all sleeping, waiting for their orders, when over the platoon’s net she heard, “Basso to Nani. You awake?”
Nani had grabbed Basso, the best sniper in the battalion, before she left the company. Captain Yu had agreed that she could be better used in the buildings. When they had reached Rockefeller, Nani had told her to find a good perch. She and her spotter Mara had left, looking for a good spot.
“Yeah, go.”
“I found a good spot, and I put out a nice sensor plant throughout the buildings in front of us. We got movement in that building directly across the street.”
“Friendlies?”
“I don’t think so. Somebody over there is jamming my sensors, or these buildings are interfering with the signal so my readings aren’t clear. I do see the conscripts moving back, but I think they’ve got hybrids mixed in with them.”
“Roger that. I’ll pass it on.”
Since she was assigned to Sand, she decided he was her immediate superior, in spite of the number of ranks between a lieutenant and a general. She stood up and walked down a short hall to the command post. Sand saw her coming and turned toward her.
“What’s up, Lieutenant?”
“I let Basso find a perch and put out a sensor plant. She just reported that she thinks hybrids are mixed in with the conscripts who are falling back. Somebody is trying to jam her sensors, but she’s pretty sure.”
“Basso’s the best,” Sand said. “We’ve got nothing on our holo that would suggest that, but I’ll watch out for them. Thanks. That will be all.”
Nani went back to the platoon and lay down. Just as she did, a Von Fleet captain and several troopers walked into the room. He stopped when he saw the Raiders sprawled around the room.
“I was looking for a good CP location, and since these Raiders seem to be using it for a barracks, I think this will do. Lieutenant, get your people out of here.”
Nani looked up at the captain, with his shiny armor and new rail, and said, “Fuck you and the horse you rode in on, Captain. Me and my platoon do not report to you, nor will I take any orders from you. Find yourself another CP.”
“You are being insubordinate. I am going to bring you up on charges, you stupid bitch. Do you know who you’re talking to? Seize her!” the captain ordered.
Three troopers moved to grab Nani, then froze. Every Raider in the room was pointing a weapon at the captain and his troops. A number of the rifles hummed as the Raiders prepared to fire. Hu had jumped up and stood behind the captain, his famous razor-sharp shovel in his hand. He tapped the captain on the helmet with his shovel.
When the captain turned and saw the shorter man standing behind him, Hu said, “You don’t talk to our lieutenant that way if you want to live much longer there, Captain.” Hu twirled the shovel in his hand and stared. “None of us much like Von Fleet salarymen, and we work directly for General Sand. So I suggest you take it up with him.”
Before the captain could answer Sand stepped into the room. “I’ve got a mission for you, Nani. Who are these people?”
“They wanted the room for a CP. We were discussing the possibility.”
“Good. They can go with you.”
“But, General—” the captain began.
“You will accompany these Raiders on their mission and the lieutenant is in charge. Am I understood?”
“Yes. Yes, sir.”
“Nani, Basso was right. There is a force of hybrids gathering.” Sand snapped on a tactical holo so they could all see. “A large number of hybrids is forming up in an area across the street from
Rockefeller Center. The main body of the hybrids are blocks behind them. I think they're going to try and ambush any conscripts that try and cross the street.”
“I’ll bet those are spike troops, General. Sent ahead to scout and raise hell any way they can.”
Sand pointed to the holo and the symbols representing conscripts. “I agree. You can see some of the conscripts are spread through the buildings as well as underground. The spike troops could do a lot of damage if we don’t eliminate them. I want you to take out those spike troops before they can ambush the conscripts.”
“Roger, sir. Saddle up, boys and girls. We got a job to do.”
The Raiders stood and began checking their equipment.
“All right, pretty captain. Time to go play,” Hu said.
Nani led her platoon and the Von Fleet troops down to the third floor then stopped them. The Von Fleet troops were breathing heavy and had a hard time keeping up with the Raiders. They might have been big and muscled up, but you needed another kind of muscles to be a grunt, the kind that let you move day and night without stop, and getting those took the right kind of conditioning and some fine-tuning of your armor to your body. It took months of training and exercises to get it right. Hu doubted the pretty Von Fleets had any training for this kind of battle.
“Hu, up,” Nani snapped.
Hu ran up to the front of the line of troops and found Nani. She had her tactical holo up, and it showed they were directly across from the cluster of red triangles.
“If we go underground, there's no telling what we'll run into. I think the best shot we’ve got is to cross the street.”
“That sucks.”
“I know, but there are no walkways or crossovers this low. I’m going to get some of the heavy minis and Basso and her friends to give us cover when we cross.”
“What do you think, one or two bounds?”