Incursion: Merkiaari Wars Book 5

by Mark E. Cooper

  Tei’Laran intercepted them before they reached the tents. Eric sent the others on ahead.

  “How can I help you, Tei?” Eric said, choosing to use Shan.

  Tei’Laran was fluent in English, but he responded in kind. “I wondered if we might make use of the storm.”

  Operation Stein was essentially a raid upon a comms station guarded by the Marines. Eric thought fondly of the plan as Operation Screw Stein. He still hadn’t paid the major back for getting them all sent to the ass end of nowhere.

  General Ecclestone hadn’t found his how-to-disable-a-Titan demo amusing, and had exiled him along with Stein and the Shan. It was vindictive, petty, and self-serving of him, but not unexpected. He wanted them out of the media limelight in order to push his own agenda uncontested.

  “The snow doesn’t bother you?” Eric said. “The storm is still building.”

  “Yes, exhilarating isn’t it?”

  “Well...”

  “My people love the mountains, Tei’Penleigh.”

  “Call me Eric. Human ranks don’t truly translate into anything resembling yours. I don’t have your gifts. No Human does.”

  Tei’Laran flicked his ears. “Eric then. It’s usually cold in the mountains. We’re accustomed to it.”

  Eric nodded. “You want to get into position around the target using the storm as cover?”

  “Precisely. We’ll scout the way and observe the target. We can move quickly and stealthily.”

  “Sounds good. I’d appreciate a sitrep when you’re in position, and please don’t attack without us. My guys won’t want to miss it.”

  Tei’Laran laughed. “It will be fun.”

  Eric smiled. “Major Stein won’t think so. I can’t wait to hear his critique of our attack.”

  “That will be interesting. I’ll comms you when we’re in position.”

  Eric nodded. The Shan still didn’t wear helmets or armour, but they did have wristcomps. Those had decent comms range and had satellite access. Combined with wireless ear-buds and throat microphones, the Shan had a good alternative to helmet comms until proper armour was available. He’d heard prototypes were already being tested. Designs ranged from armour that approximated viper issue, to Shan-shaped sneaksuits with chameleon functionality.

  “Go ahead then, Tei.”

  Tei’Laran trotted away, and the snow quickly hid him from sight. It was falling so heavily that Eric needed his sensors to find his way to the camp. The entire company, all 164 of his vipers, were on his internal display marked in blue. He hadn’t bothered to assign sentries.

  The camp was guarded by the usual sentry guns and remotes. The Shan had handled the rest with roving patrols. He briefly considered setting extra guards now that Tei’Laran was moving out early, but he dismissed the thought. The weather was closing down the games for the night. If Stein was feeling adventurous, the remotes would give warning. Vipers woke testy in situations like that.

  He went to join them.

  There were seventeen tents. Sixteen ten-man tents to keep his squads together, and one for him and his officers. Rank had its privileges. He could stretch out and not have someone’s feet in his face.

  Eric homed on the tent that sensors indicated had four vipers inside. His lieutenants. He could barely see beyond his next step. The wind had really begun to pick up, and the snow was being driven into his face. His armour was toasty warm inside, but his face and hands were really feeling the exposure. The temperature was falling. It read minus five degrees and dropping on his display. It felt lower.

  Wind-chill.

  Eric unzipped the tent flap and dived inside.

  “Shut the hole!” Gina cried. “Damn!”

  “Told you not to strip down yet,” Lieutenant Dengler said. She laughed evilly at Gina’s shivers. “Hmmm, it’s lovely and warm in my corner.”

  “Is that an invitation?” Gina said. Her teeth chattered. “I warn you, I have cold feet.”

  “Come near me, and I’ll shoot you!”

  Dolinski chuckled.

  Eric finally managed to get the sticky zipper shut. “It’s turning into a real blow out there.”

  “No kidding, Captain Obvious,” Gina muttered sourly.

  Dolinski snorted.

  “Laugh it up. No Christmas pressy for you.”

  “Really?”

  Gina rolled her eyes.

  “Sucker,” Brice muttered. “I heard you got one for Kate. Is that true?”

  Gina shrugged. “I guess. I did wrap it like one, but she won’t get it for months. It’s aboard Hammer.”

  “What did you get her, a new knife?”

  “Nah. Kate has everything lethal pretty much covered. This is something fun.”

  “You can’t leave me hanging like that!” Brice whined.

  “If you must know, I’m giving her my autographed model of Bad Penny.”

  Brice whistled. “You love that thing.”

  “She’s a big Zelda fan.”

  “Not as big as you.”

  Gina shrugged. “Makes it more special then, doesn’t it? Don’t spread it around, okay Martin? I want it to be a surprise.”

  “She’s back home! How the hell would she find out?”

  “Don’t ever underestimate her. Stone and Kate are two peas. He can find out the colour of your underwear on a given day without leaving his rack. And what Stone knows, Kate knows minutes later.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Eric smiled as he listened to their banter, and stripped down. He piled his armour in a corner to thaw out. The regiment’s tents used a breathable type of fabric that allowed moisture to escape while maintaining a comfortable temperature inside. The snow-melt wouldn’t be a problem. He kept his battle dress on. It wasn’t really as toasty as Dengler had made out.

  “Tei’Laran is using the storm to get his people in position,” Eric announced as he shook out his survival bag. “They’ll recon and report.”

  Gina snorted as she snuggled into her own bag. “They just want to play.”

  “They do love the snow.”

  Dengler chuckled. “Did you see Cragg’s face when Kisa won the championship?”

  Gina laughed. “I warned him. His losses are his own fault.”

  Eric snuggled into his bag to sleep. “Lights out people,” he said over viper comm. “Set your wake up for oh-five-thirty local.”

  “Okay mom...”

  “G’night mama...”

  “Can I have a story?”

  Eric ignored the backtalk coming over the comm. Bunch of comedians. He set his usual security alerts before setting his own reactivation.

  Computer: Initiate maintenance mode. Reactivate combat mode at 05:00 local.

  Acknowledged. Maintenance mode in 3... 2... 1...

  Lights out.

  Southaven Province, Pandora

  0335:50

  Communications: incoming message.

  Priority: Code Red One Alpha

  Authentication: SDF Hammer, Riley Patrice, Captain commanding.

  Verified.

  Reactivation approved.

  0335:55 close archive file... Done

  Diagnostics: Unit fit for duty

  Activate combat mode... Done

  TRS... Done

  Sensors... Done

  Targeting... Done

  Communications... priority message received.

  Infonet... Done

  TacNet... Done... Scanning... Alpha Company net online. 164 units found.

  0336:01 Reactivation complete.

  Eric snapped awake, but for a few precious seconds he was still on San Luis killing Merkiaari. He’d watched them burn, and laughed like a maniac as they screamed. His tears had washed runnels in the dirt on his face, and he’d laughed and laughed and laughed...

  The blinking alert on his internal display caught his attention. He interrogated his logs, and peered around at his companions still sleeping the sleep of the righteous. It was so quiet. What had happened to the barrage? He checked his lo
gs again.

  So peaceful.

  Pandora. Not San Luis.

  Right. The war was over.

  The games. Just playing at war now.

  His processor had awoken him early because one of his standard alerts had been tripped. Not the usual one. There were no hostiles involved. Just a simple message. He deactivated the alert and read his comms log.

  0335:50 incoming message.

  Priority: Code Red One Alpha

  Authentication: SDF Hammer, Riley Patrice, Captain commanding.

  Verified.

  Red One Alpha was a reference to the Red One Alert. It hadn’t been rescinded. The Alliance was still at war. Tacking on the Alpha tag could mean a lot of things, but all of them were bad news. The storm had died down a bit. He tried to contact the ship.

  “Hammer this is Penleigh, over. Come in Hammer.” He listened to dead air for a count of ten. “Hammer Hammer Hammer, this is Penleigh over.”

  “Captain! Standby please,” lieutenant Besson said. She sounded scared.

  “Penleigh?” Captain Riley said. “You have Merkiaari incoming.”

  Of course he did. His first vacation since forever, and the Merki invited themselves to his party. His thoughts flashed to Tei’Laran. Hammer didn’t have the lift capacity to evacuate his vipers and 2000 Shan warriors. Hell, it had barely had the environmental capacity to accommodate her crew and his men on the trip out. Hammer was a destroyer, not a troop transport or a passenger liner.

  “I’ve been trying to reach you through the storm for over an hour. The lull you’re enjoying is temporary. You’re in for another blow very soon.”

  “What are my options?” Eric said.

  “The fleet is outnumbered hundreds to one. The Merki are turning them into scrap. If I try to pick you up, my ship will join them. I’m sorry. I can’t stay.”

  Well, that made things easier. No guilt trips. No trips at all. Just the usual fight or die... or fight and die.

  “Understood.”

  “I’m going to try something—a supply drop to you by remote. No guarantees and I won’t ask my pilots to volunteer for a one-way trip down. Sorry again.”

  She didn’t sound sorry. She sounded stressed but in control. Patrice Riley was one of Snakeholme’s best ship captains. The SDF didn’t have many warships and competition for a command slot was fierce.

  “What’s on the menu?” Eric said. He didn’t like it, but it was Riley’s call.

  “I’m guessing you’d like to ditch your simunition rounds for war shots.”

  “You got that right!” Damn, she was ahead of him. He should have considered his lack of supplies the instant he heard the news. “Ammo and power cells first.”

  “I’m stuffing my shuttles with everything that’ll fit. No time for neatness. You’ll have to take what I give you. You can keep the birds. I’ll pick them up later. If there is a later.”

  “Understood. You already sent a report home?”

  “We’ve detected dozens of drone launches, but yes, the General has one on the way from me. I’ll probably reach him first. I promise you, I’ll be back with Grafton full of whoop-ass as soon as I can.”

  Eric snorted. Pandora was a high value asset. Or it used to be before the Merkiaari started trashing it. Burgton might well bring the entire regiment himself for this one.

  Whoop-ass indeed.

  “Drop coordinates follow,” Riley said.

  Eric copied the data. He grimaced when he saw the location she’d chosen. It made perfect sense, but Stein wasn’t going to be impressed when he realised all the ammo landing on his doorstep was viper issue.

  “Hammer out.”

  “Penleigh clear.”

  * * *

  36 ~ Sudden Drop

  Southaven Province, Pandora

  Eric scrambled free of his survival bag and dragged his armour closer. As he laced his boots in the silence of the tent, he considered and discarded plans beyond securing Riley’s shuttles. That had to come first. Second would be securing Stein. He didn’t actually need the Marines. He had the Shan, but more warm bodies with weapons wasn’t a bad thing. Third was rearming them all.

  The Shan were key. Their beamers didn’t use ammo. The Shan could simply remove the chokes on the barrels that the games had imposed. The attachments were the only thing making them training safe, and that meant Tei’Laran was his only offensive force.

  For now.

  Eric finished pulling on his armour, and took the first step in his new war.

  Computer: Access Alpha Company net.

  Connection achieved

  Computer: Access all units. Initiate emergency reactivation.

  Acknowledged. Authorisation required.

  Computer: Command override alpha-six-six-alpha-zero-three. Reactivate combat mode.

  Verified... working

  Reactivation in progress.

  Eric broke the connection. He pulled on his helmet briefly, and contacted Tei’Laran while he waited for everyone to come fully online.

  “I need you to hold in place, Tei. I have bad news.”

  “We’re already in position around the station,” Tei’Laran said. “I wanted to wait for my scouts to report in before informing you.”

  “That’s quick work. I’ll be joining you as soon as I can. The Merkiaari are in system. They’ll be landing soon.”

  “Where is this coming from? I’ve heard nothing. Did General Ecclestone inform you?”

  Tei’Laran didn’t snarl, but Eric heard the fury barely contained. Ecclestone had made it quite clear that he didn’t value Shan participation in the games. Tei’Laran had jumped to the wrong but logical conclusion that he’d been left out of the command loop.

  “No. It came directly from my ship. The storm prevented Captain Riley warning us sooner. That’s probably why we haven’t heard from higher yet.”

  “I see. Tell me everything.”

  Gina sat up muttering. “Damn piece of junk woke me early.”

  Brice snorted. “Me too, and that junk is us, you know?”

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  “I woke you,” Eric announced, and then to Tei’Laran he said. “Wait one, and I’ll explain.”

  “Holding.”

  Eric switched to viper comms and using his company-wide channel he laid it all out for his people. Gina and the others grabbed their armour and hurriedly got ready. There were a lot of questions and comments coming in over the comm. Eric put a stop to it.

  “Quit your whining. I have Tei’Laran waiting on the other line.”

  Gina snorted. “I’m glad someone does. You do realise the Shan are the only ones within a couple of thousand klicks armed and on our side?”

  Eric glared at her.

  “Just sayin’,” she muttered, and busied herself locating her other boot.

  “We’re screwed,” Brice said. “Who the hell thought this cluster-fuck was a good idea?”

  “Ecclestone for one,” Dengler said.

  Brice shook his head bemusedly. “War games with a real war going on. When does that get fun?”

  Gina chuckled.

  “No seriously, Gina. No one thought this through? No contingencies? All we have is this simunition crap to use.”

  Lieutenant Dolinski was the only one without an opinion. Eric looked at him, expecting something. He finally obliged.

  “Simunition only makes sense. No one likes blue on blue, sir. We’ll deal.”

  “How, Kamarl? How are we going to fight them? With our bare hands?” Dengler said.

  “Everyone shut the hell up,” Eric said using viper comms again. His officers weren’t the only ones complaining. “We’re breaking camp. I’ll brief everyone as we go.” He turned his attention to his lieutenants. “Get everything packed aboard the APCs. Leave nothing behind. Resupply is an issue. Waste nothing.”

  “What are we going to shoot at them, spit balls?” Brice said.

  “If you’ll shut up a minute I’ll tell you. Hammer has arranged a drop at the following
coordinates,” Eric said and reeled off the data. “The Shan are already in position and waiting on us. The Marines too. We get there as fast as possible, rearm, and then we deal with the Merki. Other issues will be dealt with as and when. Clear?”

  “Yes, sir!” They chorused.

  “Now get out there and act like this isn’t your first rodeo.”

  They scrambled to obey.

  “Sorry, Tei,” Eric said. “I had to get my guys moving in the right direction.”

  “Understood. Do you know what has happened to the Nstar shipyard? Tei’Shima was visiting.”

  That was a damn shame. It probably meant she was dead along with thousands of others.

  “I have no word of her, but Captain Riley did report the Merkiaari outnumber the fleet hundreds to one. My guess is the Merki will take out everything in orbit. I’m sorry.”

  “May her ancestors comfort her,” Tei’Laran said. “You have a plan?”

  “Your warriors are the only ones armed until I can receive a supply drop. Captain Riley is dealing with that. I need you to provide security for the Marines until I can get there.”

  “I’ll inform Major Stein.”

  “Thanks. I’ll get there as soon as I can, but the APCs aren’t as nimble in this terrain as I’d like.”

  “You could abandon them. Vipers can move almost as well as Shan.”

  “I could, but with resupply unlikely, I don’t want to waste anything.”

  “I understand. Thinking ahead is a good thing. Until later,” Tei’Laran said and signed off.

  “Penleigh clear.”

  Eric evacuated his tent, and it collapsed almost on his heels. He looked back to find Cragg and a few others from Gina’s platoon hauling it away. All around the hollow similar things were happening. It was still night, but it wasn’t dark. The snow’s reflected light revealed everything clearly.

  Too clearly.

  When they’d been assigned to play in the snow of Southaven, he’d ordered everyone to set their armour to white in order to match conditions. That was fine as far as it went, but the APCs were horribly visible to the naked eye. They didn’t have chameleon capability.

  Eric headed for the closest one.

  Viper APCs didn’t have chameleon capability either, but they were tracked and bigger. He’d borrowed all eight of these from the Marines. They were more modern than viper issue, but being newer didn’t make them better. They were smaller and used anti-grav. He would’ve preferred tracks. It meant his men had to mount up in groups of twenty. Two squads per vehicle, not four. He’d never liked splitting his platoons that way, and he’d need to pick his route with care. He had to avoid the numerous problems that always arose from using anti-grav propulsion. Ground effect vehicles were a pain in the butt in certain types of terrain. Terrain like, oh... snow covered ground say, where anything could be hidden from sight and ready to ambush him.