A Pale Dawn

by Chris Kennedy

  “How do you do that?” Sansar asked.

  “The AI can do it,” Alexis said. “It’s been an ace up our sleeve for a long time.” Sansar scowled. “It’s actually possible for any computer to do it, with enough processing power. Most ships just don’t have that kind of power.”

  The display showed the fleet engaging another fleet over Earth. “Of course, we don’t know exactly what forces Peepo has around Earth, but from what we got at Golara, it won’t be much; she’s been off trying to consolidate gains. Also, since the Izlians haven’t come into the fight, I don’t think they can stand against us.”

  “But we’re coming in with enough velocity to run if necessary,” Nigel said, pointing to the display. A fleet element had come out at a different angle and was approaching the stargate. “Live to fight another day?”

  “That’s the plan,” Alexis agreed. “If she’s got her entire fleet there, we’ll hit and run.” The display zoomed into the Earth orbit. “Once we approach orbit, the battleships will engage the orbital defenses while the frigates provide cover for our drops.” The planet lit up, showing targets.

  “São Paulo and Houston,” Jim said, pointing.

  “Exactly,” Alexis agreed. “We have several smaller strategic targets such as the CASPer plant outside of Osaka, Japan and the jail facility in Lagos, Nigeria where they’re holding some of the mercs they captured, but the majority of our forces will be focused on the world capital and Houston.”

  “I’ll take São Paulo,” Jim said.

  “Why?” Sansar asked.

  “São Paulo is probably going to have the hardest defenses,” Jim said, and he manipulated the map. “We can come in over the ocean, avoiding any damage to the population. The land around Houston makes that harder. The Gulf of Mexico is heavily populated and lots of people depend on the seafood from there. Seven Raknar landing on fusion torches aren’t going to do a closed ecosphere like that much good.” Sansar nodded, and he continued, “We come ashore and liquidate all defenses. Half my force secures the starport, the rest goes for the capital.”

  “The capital area is heavily populated,” Nigel pointed out.

  “So is Houston,” Jim said, “and we need the infrastructure there. I’ll use the Cavaliers in CASPers for the capital, Raknars for the starport and defenses.”

  “And we’ll have allies on the ground in Houston,” Sansar said. “My people have been working the whole time. I don’t know exactly what we can call in, but as soon as we emerge in system, I’ll transmit a code to let them know we’re attacking. Once we free the mercenaries the Guild is holding in Nigeria, they will join the remaining forces we have on Earth. They can then get the CASPers we have in storage at sites in Alaska and join the fight.”

  “Every little bit will help,” Nigel said. “So Asbaran will land at the starport in Houston. We will secure that while the smaller merc companies capture the other strategic sites in the area. The Horde can hit Lagos and then join us in Houston in case we run into more Merc Guild forces than we’re expecting, and the mercs they free can go to where the CASPers are stashed, and then on to re-take the CASPer plant in Japan.”

  “Exactly,” Alexis said. “We’ll maintain space superiority, neutralizing or forcing capitulation of as many forces as possible. Most importantly, Peepo will be contained.” She looked at Jim. “We need her alive, Jim.”

  “Hey!” Jim said and laughed. “You are mistaking me for Nigel.”

  Nigel flipped him the bird, and everyone laughed.

  “In all seriousness,” Alexis said, “we’ve all seen how in-the-moment you and your fellow Raknar drivers can get. Please be sure to hold back when it counts.”

  “Will do,” Jim said. “My Cavaliers will come in once we have a beachhead. The Raknar aren’t exactly suitable to capturing individuals anyway. My XO, Hargrave, will be tasked with that mission.”

  They spent another two hours modifying some operations, assigning units to others, and generally going over the entire plan several more times.

  “Now down to the hardware,” Alexis said. “I briefed everyone that the Mk 9 CASPer project was sabotaged before we got to it. Our Geek Squad has managed to salvage it, and we have four platoons of Mk 9 CASPers completed. I’m going to assign two to Asbaran, and one each to Cartwright’s and the Horde. It’s up to you how you use them, and you’ll have a week to get them integrated into your command enroute. I’m sorry we couldn’t have them sooner.”

  “Better late than never,” Nigel said.

  The Tri-V showed the new Mk 9 suit and the three ground force commanders all grinned in appreciation. The new combat suit was smaller, faster, had better armor, and was completely modular. It was also designed to use full pinplant integration from scratch.

  “Thanks, but we’ll pass,” Sansar said. “My folks are used to using our own CASPers, which have always had full pinplant control. I understand there are some upgrades from the Mk 8, but I don’t want to change anything this close to the assault. I’ll be happy to look at them and evaluate them once we have some time, but I’ve been burned in the past by using equipment we didn’t develop ourselves. Pass. Cartwright’s can have ours.”

  Jim nodded. “That’s fine; we’ll take them.”

  “Okay,” Alexis said, “my people are on forty-eight-hour notice for deployment. Let’s get this done. Next stop, Earth.”

  “On to Earth!” Jim said, pumping his fist.

  “I can’t wait to see Peepo’s face when she’s in chains,” Nigel said as he got up to leave. “She owes me—hell, she owes all of us—an awful lot. And it’s time for her to pay.”

  * * *

  Winged Hussars Prime Base, New Warsaw System

  Sato floated in his specially modified CASPer just outside the control node of the brand new Steed-class battlecruiser EMS Sphinx. He’d been out in space for just over eleven hours, integrating the new technology into the ship. It was an easy job that he’d finished hours ago.

  The manufactory had been working on the modules for more than a month now. One of the orbital support docks contained 105 of the modules, ready to install. He’d been using this one as a demonstrator. Other personnel could handle the rest of the ships. He had more important things to do.

  His escorts, a squad of Winged Hussars marines, watched from where they were clamped to the hull or practicing EVA tactics, completely convinced Sato was doing something important. He was—just not what they thought.

  Out in space, he could see the Hussar’s fleet mustering. They’d been accelerating toward the stargate for a while now, preparing for the assault on Earth. A dozen merc cruisers were in formation, as was the newly refit carrier, Dragon, with dozens of the new Avenger bombers aboard. He’d been sure that would work out as well. The SalSha was a fascinating new race, and Sato was positive the galaxy was a better place with them. Another squadron was also accelerating toward the stargate a light second behind the first one, but from a slightly different angle. Sato expected the attack was a two-pronged assault.

  A laser comm touched his receiver, and Sato opened the line. A single text message arrived, and he acknowledged it. Out in space, the stargate flashed, and the first fleet element moved through into hyperspace.

  “There they go,” he said to the marines over the radio. “Off to Earth.” He waited a second then used his pinplants to initiate a program. Checking that it was running properly, he moved a meter over on the hull and opened a major access panel. It was more than large enough for him to enter, and he did. The tiny drone he’d left behind observed the marines as he got situated. The first had just started to move toward the hatch when the CASPer came back out.

  “You okay there, Mr. Sato?” asked the squad leader.

  “Fine,” his suit replied.

  The second fleet element was just entering the stargate when another access hatch opened on the other side of Sphinx, and a CASPer floated out using cold gas thrusters. A maintenance tug was waiting nearby, and the suit quickly moved to it. A crew hatch o
pened, and the CASPer entered.

  “Thank you,” Sato said to the pilot.

  “No problem,” the pilot replied. “Prepare for thrust.”

  The tug boosted away from Sphinx and toward a nearby deep-space mooring buoy used to tie up various equipment carriers or supply tugs being used in the dry docks. The buoy was an automated ship, containing spare fuel for anything moored to it. It had the ability to perform station keeping for itself and other craft. It also allowed traffic control to track where everything was in the busy shipyards.

  The tug docked with the mooring point, and Sato and the pilot both transferred to a cargo module. There they waited for two hours until another tug came along. The new tug took no notice of the other moored tug, it was looking for the cargo module. It locked onto the module, unmoored it from the buoy, and took it under tow. Minutes later, it placed the module into the hold of a waiting ship.

  The module was the last item to be loaded onto Virginia Hall, which closed its hold and immediately began to maneuver toward the stargate. Right on schedule, the intelligence cutter transitioned into hyperspace.

  Safely away, Sato activated the specially constructed cargo module’s internal systems, which changed it from an EM-dead cargo unit into a pressurized living space. When a full atmosphere was indicated, he opened his CASPer’s cockpit and took a deep breath of the canned atmosphere. It was a little cold but tasted just fine. He grinned. Back on Sphinx, the marines would not realize they were shepherding an automated CASPer identical to Sato’s for many more hours.

  “Are you okay, sir?” asked the pilot.

  “Perfectly fine,” Sato said. “Yourself?”

  “I’m fine, sir, just a little confused. How did I end up here? Last thing I remember was having my pinplants installed.”

  “It’s a little complicated,” Sato said. “However, we have a week to explain. Where to begin?”

  The visual pickups on the Æsir hummed quietly as they tracked over from the pilot’s station to look at Sato, still inside his CASPer. The Æsir piloting the craft was only about half the size of Sato’s modified Mk 7 combat armor. Nobody would have recognized the machine if they hadn’t seen the proposed final design of Binnig’s original Mk 9 system, prior to those plans being destroyed.

  “You can start by explaining why I can see in radar and infrared,” Rick Culper replied.

  “Have you ever heard of a Bregalad?”

  * * * * *

  Chapter Fourteen

  EMS Bucephalus, Hyperspace

  Jim Cartwright watched Hargrave’s platoon working to familiarize themselves with the new Mk 9 CASPers. He would have liked to have given them to his own platoon, but his platoon was going to be dropping in direct support of the Raknar landing so they were sticking with the orbital drop-proven Mk 7s and Mk 8s. Hargrave’s platoon, with the Mk 9s, would be inserted for the raid on the SOGA HQ.

  “These aren’t as great as Binnig promised,” Hargrave commented. He and Jim were watching the Tri-V simulation proceeding in Bucephalus’ gravity deck. All twenty of the platoons were in a close combat drill that Hargrave was simulating with a computer.

  “I understand there was some sabotage,” Jim said. “I didn’t get any more details.” Hargrave grunted and manipulated the Tri-V for a different view. “You can do that with your pinplants,” Jim reminded him.

  “I hate these things,” Hargrave said, reaching up to touch the pinplant, his fingers feeling the strange new addition to his skull. All the Cavaliers had them now. Hargrave was one of the last to get his—only hours before they’d departed New Warsaw.

  “You’ll get the hang of them, and then you’ll see the benefits.”

  Hargrave glanced back at Jim then away without comment. They watched the sim until it completed. With two days to go before emergence in Sol, the platoon looked ready. The Mk 9s were similar to the Mk 8s in a lot of ways. However, they were much faster, possessed greatly improved jumpjets, and they could now fly for extended periods.

  The other improvements included a completely modular add-on system that allowed any suit to be customized for any operation, an integrated CID—close-in defense—laser that could intercept missiles, and the best anti-laser protection to be fielded, based on a new ceramic matrix used with the armor. Last, the sensor suite on all the new suits was as good as what the scout armor used to have. In addition to having a better view of the battlefield, this capability also contributed to better anti-missile defense. Interestingly, the new sensor system was mounted in a low protrusion at the top of the armor, giving the CASPer a sort of “head” for the first time.

  “It’s so damned small,” Hargrave said, shaking his head. “Hard to believe it provides nearly the same protection.”

  “The armor isn’t as tough,” Jim agreed, “but the predictive systems and direct pinlink connections makes it harder to hit. It’s probably a good tradeoff. Add in the improved flight capabilities, and the suit is incredible.” He looked at a Tri-V view of the armor, which included the measurements. “I doubt I’ll ever fit in one, though.”

  “You prefer the Raknar anyway, don’t you?” The look on his face said he didn’t approve.

  Splunk sat on a console nearby, munching a meat snack and talking with Ryft, Sergeant Epard’s partner. The Winged Hussars transport Perseus had been loaned to him for the Raknar operation. The ship was mated with Bucephalus, allowing the two to travel through hyperspace together. The Cavaliers, already used to Splunk, took the new Fae in stride. Jim wondered what they’d think if they knew the Fae were the ancient race of Dusman.

  “They’re just like big CASPers,” Jim said.

  “Bullshit,” Hargrave replied. “You’ve been changing since you started using them and even more since all those Fae turned up. You’re more willing to fight and less worried about the consequences.”

  “You’re just mad I don’t need your guidance anymore,” Jim snapped, and instantly regretted it. Fueled by frustration, he doubled down instead of backing off. “I’ve been making the calls and you’ve had to take a back seat.”

  Hargrave’s head came around, his mouth hanging open. “Is that what you think?” Jim’s jaw set, unable to take it back. “Well,” he said after a second, “there’s more of your old man in you than I thought.” He got up and left the control room without another word. Splunk watched the older man leave without comment. Jim didn’t see him again before they arrived in Sol.

  * * *

  EMS Pegasus, Hyperspace Emergence Point, Sol System

  “We have arrived in the Sol system,” Flipper announced. “Sensor sweeps underway.”

  “Hoot,” Alexis said, “confirm all ships of Squadron One have arrived and are in combat readiness.”

  “I’m getting good telemetry from all ships,” the Buma comms officer confirmed.

  “We have good trajectory,” the helmsman, Pleek, stated.

  “Data on the emergence point picket is coming in,” Paka said. “Looks like eleven ships—two battlecruisers, five cruisers, and four escort frigates. They are attempting to line up for a missile swarm attack.”

  “All battlecruisers, assign targets,” Alexis ordered.

  “Transmitting,” the TacCom, Xander, replied. “Done.”

  “Match bearing and fire!”

  Under the direction of Xander, the five Egleesius battlecruisers all locked on an alien counterpart; they arrived in-system with their primary weapons charged and ready. As one, all five released a 40-terawatt charged particle beam. The blasts overwhelmed their targets’ shields and carved into the hulls. All five enemy ships were either destroyed outright or so heavily damaged they couldn’t maneuver or fight.

  The Hussars fleet’s pair of Steed-class battlecruisers lacked the massive firepower of the Egleesius, but they both possessed a pair of one-terawatt particle accelerator barbettes which they turned on two of the enemy cruisers. It wasn’t enough to destroy them, but it was enough to knock out their shields. Laser fire from other escorts tore into them a secon
d later, leaving both yawing hulks.

  The remaining three cruisers and escorts tried to run. Pinpoint fire from the Hussars escorts inflicted considerable damage, keeping them from mounting their own missile strikes. The Hussars continued on their course for Earth.

  “One undamaged enemy cruiser and two escorts are withdrawing,” Xander reported.

  “Task a squadron of drones with pursuit,” Alexis ordered. “Launch recon drones as well.” An image of the Earth-Moon system began to build on the main CIC Tri-V, and Alexis forced herself to breathe as she waited for sensors to build the picture of the battlespace.

  Ghost told her.

  “Is that good or bad?” she asked.

 

  Damn it, she thought. They’d expected a real fight. The battlespace showed fifty ships in-system so far, with twenty-two of them designated as non-combatant. That initial assessment remained to be confirmed. Of the twenty-eight combat ships—not counting the ships that had been at the emergence point—there was only a single battleship and six battlecruisers. The remaining twenty-one hulls were not yet confirmed. Not many damned ships at all, she thought, not mollified in the least.

  “Highguard squadron emerging,” Flipper announced.

  The battlespace updated as the eight-ship squadron tasked with taking the stargate appeared. They were on a much different course, cutting across Earth’s orbit toward the LaGrange point where Sol’s stargate sat. There still wasn’t any data on what waited for them there. She’d tasked three former Maki Stem-class light cruisers, three Sword-class frigates, and two Seed-class escort frigates, also former Maki ships, to that mission. If it wasn’t enough firepower, they were maneuverable enough to abort and join the assault on Earth.