Richard vaguely remembered Chief Instructor Winslow saying as much.
Taking a moment to glance at the readout for his primary Power reserve, Richard noticed it was steady at one percent.
Aren’t you going to chastise me for using all my Power? Richard asked.
No, said Nickelo. You’re a wizard scout now. You did what you thought you had to do. Besides, I have to give you credit for saving one percent to charge your dimensional pack.
Richard was surprised, but he said nothing further. He extracted the isotopic battery from his M12 and summoned a new one from his dimensional pack.
Now what? Richard said. How are the others doing?
Jerad’s got two medium cats heading your way, said Nickelo. Stella and Telsa have successfully defended the armory and the backup teleporter. Stella’s still waiting for Sergeant Hendricks to arrive. Sergeant Ron’s trying to get more cats up and running.
Richard checked out the area for two thousand meters in all directions with his passive scan. He saw plenty of lifeforms, but none looked like an enemy formation.
I don’t see any sign of the Crosioians, Richard said.
They must have magic users shielding them, said Nickelo. Switch your filter to sonic.
Richard did as requested. His visual sight of the airfield was replaced by a strange series of vibrations.
What’s that? Richard said.
I’m comparing the sonic vibrations with known sonic signatures in my database, said Nickelo. I’m putting the results in our shared space.
That’s heavy armor, Richard said. Is it ours or theirs?
I’ve marked all friendly armor on your heads-up display in orange, said Nickelo. I’ve marked the remaining sonic vibrations in red.
Richard saw a line of six red dots on his heads-up display making their way at high speed across the airfield. A line of three more red dots were behind them.
As Richard watched, three orange dots marking friendly vehicles blinked out. Richard picked up the sound of distant explosions. One of the red dots in the front line disappeared. Then two more orange dots disappeared. Richard heard more explosions.
Were those wizard scouts? Richard said concerned he might have just witnessed Jerad’s demise.
Negative, said Nickelo. They were conglomerate armor. Jerad’s at hangar 4 getting a Leviathan cat running. The two blinking orange dots are wizard scouts. They’re forty-five seconds out. You’ll notice the five remaining red dots in that first line are only twenty-eight seconds out. Get ready.
Richard wasn’t sure what else he could do to get ready. He only had a little over one percent in his Power reserve. He unhooked his phase rod from his belt and activated it in destructive mode. Richard moved the dial to maximum. The red arcs of phase energy crawling up and down the length of the rod took on an intensity he’d never seen before. To Richard, it felt like the demonic essence in the phase rod was demanding souls as living sacrifices. It was hungry.
Switch back to normal night filter, Rick, said Nickelo. The enemy cats aren’t trying to hide anymore.
Richard switched out his filter. The strange vibration of the sonic filter was replaced by the familiar red of standard night vision. Richard saw the tops of three cats over the roof of a distant warehouse.
Suggestions, Nick? Richard asked hoping his battle computer had some.
Don’t die, said Nickelo with a laugh.
I’ll do my best, Richard thought as he began running towards the approaching cats. If he had to die, he wasn’t going to do it sitting around waiting for death to come to him.
The first cat will be coming around the north corner of that warehouse in five seconds, said Nickelo. You’re current path is too far to the south.
Richard held his course. He hit the wall of the warehouse near the center and burst through the thin-metal siding. Green plasma rounds began blowing small holes in the roof as the nearest Crosioian cat tried to train its anti-personnel weapons on Richard’s fleeting form. Richard leaped on top of a convenient box in the warehouse. He used his momentum to jump again. His jump carried him through the warehouse’s roof. The warehouse was built for low-security items, and the metal roof was thin. Richard burst through easily.
Richard rolled on the roof to avoid a burst of rounds from a light chain gun. As he rose, Richard saw a light cat to his front. Two other light cats were to its left and right. Dodging to avoid a stream of plasma rounds from the left-most cat, Richard jumped off the roof aiming for the top of the nearest cat.
The thin roof of the warehouse held his weight long enough to complete his jump. He landed on the top of the cat. This cat was a model unfamiliar to Richard. It was just shy of four meters high. Its width was wider than normal. The cat was armed with two light chain guns and a 40mm phase cannon.
It’s a Crosioian cat, said Nickelo. It’s wider to accommodate their wings.
Richard slammed his phase rod against the cat’s upper-entry hatch. The phase rod bounced off without doing any visible damage.
It’s magnetically sealed, said Nickelo. Your phase rod can’t penetrate it.
Ya think? Richard said growing frustrated. Maybe you should’ve told me before I wasted my time beating on it.
Without waiting for a reply, Richard switched his aim and brought his phase rod down on the base of the 40mm phase cannon. Apparently it wasn’t magnetically protected, because the base of the cannon cracked. The cannon drooped towards the ground. Richard took out the two chain guns in a similar fashion.
Jump! Nickelo commanded.
Richard didn’t waste time asking questions. He jumped. As he did, a burst of rounds hit the cat he’d been on as the other two cats turned their light-chain guns on their companion. The rounds didn’t penetrate the cat’s armor. They ricocheted off into the air.
Hitting the ground in a somersault, Richard came up on the run. He ran for the next nearest cat in an attempt to get beneath the level of its guns. He succeeded, but the third cat started firing at Richard. His battle suit dodged to one side of its own volition as a line of chain-gun rounds tore into the ground where he’d been standing.
Thanks, Nick, Richard said as he reversed course and grabbed hold of one of the cat’s legs.
No problem, said Nickelo. That’s my job.
Richard climbed up the metal leg until he got even with the backside of the cat’s body. The third cat began spraying its companion with both of its chain guns. Richard hugged the temporary protection of the cat’s backside. He knew he wouldn’t be safe long. He had no doubt the pilot would think to turn around in order to give his companion a visible target.
Stop dillydallying, Rick, said Nickelo. The fourth and fifth cats are heading towards the power plant.
Richard was too busy trying to stay alive to comment. At that moment, the cat he was riding started to spin. The third cat redoubled its firing rate apparently assuming Richard would soon be within its sights.
No time for half measures, Richard thought. He tore the satchel of J22 explosives off his shoulders and jammed it in a convenient cubby hole near the cat’s engine exhaust.
Set the timers for three seconds, Nick, Richard said as he jumped free.
Compliance, said Nickelo.
Richard ran for the warehouse hoping to make its cover before the explosives detonated. A line of chain-gun rounds from the other cat intersected his path. Richard felt the battle suit start to move as Nickelo tried to dodge the rounds, but his battle computer was a split second too late. A sound similar to rain beating on a tin roof echoed inside Richard’s battle suit. The tough armor of the battle suit deflected most of the chain gun’s rounds, but not all.
Richard felt white-hot fire in both of his legs as well as his right hip. His feet were knocked out from underneath him. He fell to the ground. At the same time, the bag of J22 plastic explosives detonated. Small pieces of cat armor ricocheted off Richard’s back. The force of the explosion hurled Richard several meters along the ground before he rolled to a stop.
Crawl, said Nickelo. The third cat is trying to train its 40mm phase cannon on you.
In spite of his pain, Richard crawled for the dubious shelter of the warehouse all the while expecting to feel 40mm cannon rounds tearing into his body at any moment. To his relief, they didn’t come.
You’ve got six bullet wounds, said Nickelo. Your selfheal needs about thirty seconds to repair the damage.
Richard felt warm blood filling up his battle suit’s legs. However, he also felt Power from his third reserve wrapping around his injuries and staunching the flow of blood.
Although his selfheal was repairing the damage to his body, the pain was still excruciating. Nevertheless, Richard forced himself to crawl into a hole in the warehouse’s wall. He rolled over onto his back and brought his M12 to bear on the fully-armed cat. He didn’t fire. The third cat was no longer firing or even moving for that matter. Even the cat whose weapons he’d disabled was no longer moving.
Through grifted teeth, Richard said, “What gives?” He spoke aloud. The battle suit had unsealed when its armor was breached. The battle suit’s air tubes were no longer jammed down his throat.
Before Nickelo could answer his question, a dark, wolfish-looking head emerged from the armored body of the third cat. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the dolgar followed.
“Tika!” Richard shouted out loud.
The dolgar held a fear-stricken human in her mouth. The human was dressed in the uniform of a Crosioian mercenary. He was screaming and trying to struggle free. Tika dived into the ground. A few moments later, she reappeared. The mercenary was no longer in her mouth.
Even though the mercenary had been trying to kill him, Richard didn’t relish the form of his enemy’s death. A little on the claustrophobic side, Richard shivered at the thought of being entombed alive.
Well, he’s not alive anymore, said Nickelo. So stop worrying about it. You’re seventy percent healed. That’s enough for you to function, so get moving.
Richard leveraged himself up with his plasma rifle. He hobbled over to a hole in the warehouse wall facing the power plant. Tika trotted up beside him.
The fourth and fifth cats were just outside the power plant’s fence. They began firing their 40mm cannons at the outer wall of the power plant. Pieces of concrete and metal blew high into the air. Richard fired his M12’s 20mm grenades at the cats. As soon as he fired one round, he hastily chambered another round and fired again. Unfortunately, the 20mm rounds were too light to penetrate either of the cat’s armor. The rounds glanced off the sides of the cats into the night sky.
“Tika,” Richard said as he started moving towards the cats. “Stop them.”
Tika growled, “No. Metal boxes no danger to pack.”
“Thanks for nothing, Tika,” Richard said as he continued firing. They in turn continued firing at the walls of the power plant. The reinforced concrete was thick, but Richard knew the cats were only moments from breaking through the walls and exposing the vulnerable generators inside.
Suddenly, a flash of red came out of the sky and slammed into one of the cats. Its armored body erupted in an explosion so violent only the legs and part of the floor of the cat remained. Dark billowing smoke floated into the night sky.
Richard heard a roar as an attack shuttle zoomed past. He caught a glimpse of a Deloris Conglomerate insignia on the shuttle’s side.
At the same time, two medium cats strolled past the warehouse with all their energy weapons firing at the remaining Crosioian cat attacking the power plant.
That’s two of the third platoon’s scouts, explained Nickelo. They’ll take care of that light cat. There are three heavy cats twenty seconds out. You can’t allow them to get here.
Richard glanced at his heads-up display. He saw three red dots heading his way. He saw other red dots further back, but they appeared to be engaged by Conglomerate armor and several cats from the third platoon. There were no friendly forces between Richard and the three enemy cats charging his way.
Richard took off at a run towards the three approaching heavy cats. Surprisingly his legs and hip were basically healed. He still felt a jab of pain every time he took a step, but it was bearable.
Any ideas? Richard asked as he ran to intercept the cats.
You ask that a lot, Rick, said Nickelo. And the answer is no. Not with one percent Power. I guess we’ll have to figure it out when we get there. Maybe you’ll get lucky.
Unslinging the dimensional pack off his back, Richard pictured a man-portable, anti-armor rocket. No Power left his reserve.
Did you really think that was going to work? said Nickelo. You’ve only got one point two-five percent Power. You’d need more than that to summon an anti-armor missile.
Yeah, thanks for the timely update, Nick, Richard said as he extracted the isotopic battery from his M12 and summoned a new one from his dimensional pack. He also summoned a resupply of 20mm ammo. Once he got it, Richard reloaded the M12. He continued running towards the incoming cats.
After Richard shoved the last 20mm grenade in the rifle’s magazine, the first of the Crosioian cats strolled into view. It was a Leviathan, the largest and most heavily armed of any U.H.A.A.V.
Somehow, I don’t think we’re going to get lucky today, said Nickelo.
Chapter 55 – The Crosioian Admiral
_____________________________________
The Crosioian admiral surveyed the overhead display along the wall of the command bridge. Operations at the spaceport were going as expected. The spaceport’s power plants had been destroyed, and its protective shields had been brought down on schedule. From the overhead display, the admiral could tell her fleet’s attack shuttles were gaining air superiority over the spaceport. All was going well at the spaceport. Even now, Crendemor and his assault teams were inside the DNA center acquiring the vials of DNA gas. Once their technical teams had removed as much of the center’s computer data as possible, the assault team would set their explosives and depart. The success of the primary objective was assured.
The assaults on the Academy and the airfield were another matter. Somehow, the new batch of wizard scouts at the airfield had acquired their weapons and armor as well as heavy weapons. They were defending the remaining power plant. Until it was destroyed, his dreadnaughts couldn’t effectively bombard the installations at the airfield.
Even the Academy was giving General Constance’s forces trouble. The admiral slammed her fist down on a support railing for one of the bridge’s many communication consoles. The sound shocked those around him.
“How can a handful of decrepit old wizard scouts at the Academy thwart your attack, general?” yelled the admiral. “Can you explain that to me?”
The holograph of the general’s head clearly showed the Crosioian’s embarrassment. The admiral put her face right in front of the general’s.
“You will personally lead the next assault, general,” said the admiral. “I want the Academy’s protective shield brought down. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, admiral,” said the general. “I will personally bring you the head of the commandant, or I will not return alive.”
“See that you don’t,” said the admiral.
The general’s holograph disappeared to be replaced by the Crosioian head preferred by the Master computer.
“You’ve accomplished your primary objective, admiral,” said Zenthra in the guise of the Master computer. “I recommend pulling your forces back from the airfield and the Academy grounds.”
“Retreat?” said the admiral. “Never!” She turned to the bridge officer. “Has the DNA Center’s second wave landed yet?”
“Negative, admiral,” said the officer. “The second wave is still two minutes from the spaceport.”
“Good,” said the admiral. “Shift the spaceport’s second wave to the airfield. I want the airfield destroyed along with every one of those new wizard scouts.”
“Admiral,” said the holographic-head of the Master computer. “I highly recomm
end–”
“Enough,” said the admiral. “I’m in charge. The decision is mine. Divert the second wave.”
Zenthra controlled his anger. He hated living creatures and their freewill. He began to plan how he would kill the admiral and his irksome freewill.
Chapter 56 – Defending the Academy
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TAC Officer Gaston Myers was worried. The commandant had taken no one with him to the spaceport. He’d told the commandant it was too dangerous. But the commandant had been adamant. The commandant had said if one wizard scout couldn’t do what needed to be done, a hundred couldn’t do it. The trouble was the commandant was no longer the wizard scout he’d once been.
TAC Officer Myers gritted his teeth. He wanted to go fight by the side of his father, but he couldn’t. He had his orders. The Academy’s power plant had to be held at all costs. If the protective shield failed, he had no doubt the Crosioian fleet overhead would send a half dozen tactical nukes down to destroy the Academy and what was left of its cadets.
“Hold at all costs,” the commandant had said.
TAC Officer Myers looked around him. Dozens of torn and bloody bodies littered the ground. His cadets had already paid a high price. He knew it was going to get even higher.
A quick glance told the story. Only two hundred of the freshman and sophomore cadets were still alive. Many of those were wounded. But the ones he could see still gripped their weapons resolutely. Gaston Myers nodded his head with pride. They were good soldiers, every one of them. The smoking remains of a dozen Crosioian cats and armored vehicles gave mute testimony to the cadet’s determination.
“They’ll be coming again soon,” said TAC Officer Trevor. “We need more heavy weapons.”
TAC Officer Trevor was a seasoned wizard scout of eighty-four years. Unfortunately, her Power reserve had been irreparably damaged decades ago. But when the commandant had asked the old woman to return to active duty as a TAC Officer, she hadn’t hesitated. None of the twenty-two disabled wizard scout veterans had. The skills of those old wizard scouts combined with the courage of the latest crop of cadets had proven too much for the first wave of attackers. The Academy’s power plant stood unscathed.
Wizard Scout (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 3) Page 53