by F Stephan
Anger flared in her at that, a bright flame burning everything around her, overcoming prudence and fear. Today, she could get her revenge. “How long since they arrived?”
“We think eight days. Maybe nine. This area is the most difficult to reach.”
Tasha’s face tightened. She turned toward the hall, taking her brother by the shoulders. “My friends! We have intruders and they’re not welcome. Tigroids have invited themselves to the party.” Her voice rang throughout the hall, and silence fell around them. “Nikolai and I will throw them out of our land. And we want volunteers.” She stressed the word ‘we’. “Together, we will tell them they’re not welcome.” And I’ll avenge my dad.
The audience hesitated for an instant, looking at Nikolai and then at her. She had left them to return as a visitor after six long years. Her mother had joined them at the center of the table, laying her hands on their shoulders, a bridge between the two heirs. Only a few hands shot up at first and her heart tightened. Former bodyguards, coworkers. She knew them all, had worked with them for long years as she prepared to take over the conglomerate. Suddenly there came an answering “Hurrah” and hands rose everywhere. Tasha felt a quick squeeze of approval from Nikolai. She turned to the burly bodyguard by her side.
“Roman: veterans only. Armed and ready two hours before sunrise.”
The beasts had haunted her childhood nightmares and she wouldn’t take any chances. The men and women of the Podorovski security group began to move toward Roman. She called out to another group, “I’d like the Complex Police Force to help. Will you answer our call?”
The hesitation, the moment of doubt, lasted longer. She had seen them less often. From her own forces, shouts followed her, asking for help outside any formal links. Cousins and friends in her troops were rallying their own families – it was as though a virus was spreading in the room until, with a new shout, a wave of recruits came from all directions to join. The Police force was financed by all families in the Complex and wasn’t subject to the Podorovski clan. At the same time, they all knew the dangers of the tigroids. When their own families had joined the fight, they had decided they wouldn’t miss this opportunity to deal with it.
Finally, Tasha called to the other side of the room. “Governor, will the Spetznatz join us?”
This was the moment of truth. The huge man was dressed casually like everyone else, a jug of beer in hand, but he belonged to the Group of Ten, the Russian Oligarchs who governed Reborn Russia. He was a friend, had rocked her when she had been a toddler, but he owed her nothing. She watched his eyes, saw him calculating, weighing options, even here in the Complex, the only place they could truly relax without politics.
Then he looked at Nikolai in the eyes, nodded, took his huge jug, and toasted Tasha with a cheer. “You bet they will! Igor will assemble them in the main plaza with your troops. I’ll also provide satellite access. We don’t want those visitors here. The whole Urals supports you, Tasha and Nikolai.” He was the only one here who would dare call her publicly by her nickname. “You have left us for the stars but at this time of danger, you came back to stand with your brother and your friends. Could we ask for more? I say no, my friends. Look at our Tasha. She is a true daughter of our beloved land.”
The crowd became wild at his words, roaring fiercely.
Minutes later, Tasha and Nikolai left the room, soon joined by Roman, Wilfried, and the Federation Marines. In the hall behind them rose an old Russian anthem.
Wilfried was direct. “What are the next steps?” The two bodyguards were intent.
Tasha looked at him thoughtfully. “We leave at sunrise. We find them, and we chase them away. You want to come?” Suddenly, she was slightly scared. “Can you shoot?”
Her question surprised him visibly, but he stood his ground. “If you go, yes, I’ll go. And yeah, if you’ve got a heavy pistol, I can shoot.”
“Not the best weapon for hunting,” interjected Roman.
“In Hamburg’s harbor, we don’t hunt a lot. But if you’ve got something that fires at short range with stopping power, I can hold it.”
The burly bodyguard nodded and gave a quick order in Russian to an assistant.
Lelal, the little Marine from Filb who protected Tasha, hadn’t left any openings. “No shooting for both of you except as a last resort. You’ll be at the back, you do not take any risks. But if you’re attacked at that range, a heavy pistol will be perfect.”
Tasha winced. “I’ve got to go,” she pleaded.
“I understand. I didn’t say nay. I didn’t even say no to being armed. You’ll stay behind the troops. That is all.” The Marines was now in front of her, barring the passage. Wolm, Wilfried’s bodyguard, had joined her to form a wall.
Roman intervened, nodding at the bodyguards. “They are right. Nikolai and you will remain in the back. Everyone expects you to go and support the soldiers. Not to be in the front line.”
Tears overcame Tasha in a sudden flash, the tension from standing in front of her clan released abruptly. “My dad did just that to get you away safely. While I was away.”
The big Russian hugged her, holding her in his large arms. “Yes. I was leading Nikolai and your mother to the planes when the tigroids overturned us. Your father was in front because the damn beasts are so smart, not because he wanted to be there. He never should have been. Once he was there, he stood his ground and died bravely, but it was a mistake. My mistake. And if you had been with us, you would have been on the plane.”
Lelal put her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t let past battles trouble you. A brave act should be an honor for those he saved. Not a burden.” Her voice was sharp. “Now, you and Wolm are going to brief us about the menace. Is that clear?”
Josh
NorAm Alliance, road from Saint Louis to Seattle, July 24, 2140
Hidden under a rock outcrop, Josh tracked a convoy with his binoculars. He couldn’t hack into their short-range radio network until they were closer. The cold weighed on him and he had coughed blood several times since the wait had begun. The vehicles had reached the hills, reducing their speed. Josh nodded appreciatively. That was the most dangerous part of the trek, nicknamed “the death road” by the roadsters; the guy running the show was prudent. He had sent drones up already twenty minutes ago, covering the whole area. Josh was no amateur either, and his troops were well hidden. At last, the convoy entered radio range. For a few seconds Josh tweaked his receiver until he could listen in to their communications.
“Elisabeth, we’re engaging the death road.” Josh recognized the voice of Iain Mitchell, the head of Space Operations at the NorAm Flight Conglomerate. He’s with the convoy as expected. Josh was right on top of him, or would be in another five minutes.
“Yes, sir. I’ve engaged satellite surveillance.” Competent voice. Elisabeth Evans. She was on his list of kills, but today she was following the operations from their remote command center. Shame. I would have loved to kill both in one strike.
“Good god, Elisabeth, did I tell you my grandda came from here?” It was Iain Mitchell again, chatting on the radio. His voice suggested some anxiety. Not enough to save you, my dear.
“No, sir.” The voice was quiet, professional.
“It used to be such a beautiful place. National parks of the NorAm. Free country for free people.”
“The Separatist Wars were a dark period for the entire continent.” Josh winced at the understatement.
The older man continued without hesitation. “Few roads remained opened from East to West during that period and this one was a fast one. My grandda was a ranger here, protecting the death road and fighting the rebels.”
Josh smiled briefly, a shark facing his prey. Today, this place is going to earn its reputation once again. He raised his hand to signal the attack.
“This was the true heart of this country back then. How did we lose it so bad?” Iain seemed rather melancholic, but Josh wouldn’t dispute the mess that global warming had made of this pla
ce, along with the local wars which had kept him employed for most of his adult life.
Five, four, three, two and one. Josh’s heart leaped as the first rocket struck the forward locomotive.
“Elisabeth, we’re under attack, send reinforcements now.”
Josh smirked. The first minute was key to the engagement and his opponent hadn’t wasted it. The support copters would reduce Josh’s timing by a good five minutes.
Iain continued, “Security, forward and cargo protection.”
Josh’s prey had reacted as expected. Detonations exploded all around the hill.
Scccrrrr…
Small ECM grenades had fried all electronics above the surface. Josh had lost his connection to their network. A good commander, Josh thought with a smile. Dead already, but good. All around the train, armored gun platforms rose to cover the hills while the drones concentrated on the three central wagons. Perfect coordination. Professionals. Josh’s ragtag troops of Ecowarriors moved toward the forward wagon, hoping to grab a few boxes of equipment before hiding away in the hills. Not good, according to his usual standards, but his employers’ orders were clear: use local resources whenever possible. His soldiers might even get a few expensive crates of merchandise for the black market as he had promised. At least, those who survived.
Josh had already moved on to the next phase of his plan. He rose slightly from his hiding place and adjusted the aim of his anti-tank missile launcher. It was a manual device – old, clumsy, but impervious to electronic jamming.
The missile erupted from the launcher and sped toward the convoy. Now exposed on the hill, Josh rushed past the rushes, running as fast as he could. Behind him, he heard the missile explode against the command center. Iain wouldn’t make it through. The drones were also moving toward Josh, and he wouldn’t make it through either, if it didn’t disappear fast.
A new ECM blast erupted around him. It would have fried any electronics he wore, if he had any, but he had learned long ago not to trust anything that could be jammed. He placed his trust in speed instead. Bullets whistled past him, but he jumped into a ravine before they could adjust their targeting. He slid to the bottom and hurled himself into a side gulley. Above, a drone stopped at the entrance of the ravine and began following him. Josh waited a second before activating the detonation charges he had prepared in advance. This would cut off one escape route for his fellow attackers, but he didn’t expect them to survive anyway. No traces would be left of the poor Irish activist who had lived among them.
Above him, new explosions shattered the rock as counterattacks devastated the place where he had stood, but the drones weren’t equipped properly to find the old riverbed where he was hiding twenty yards below ground. Rocks continued to fall behind him as he continued to run.
Josh was bleeding from several cuts when he reached a new cave. Safe! Quickly, he retrieved the painkillers he had stashed here in advance. Years of preparation were now paying off. His next move would be easier. He didn’t have to report his success to his employers since the media would do for it him. He would make the long voyage back to the base. Thanks to the Federation, it will only take a week. He smiled at the irony. These travels made operations slow, but it would give him time to see if he could get back at Boris, the only person who had ever escaped his plans. I should have expected him bringing friends as backups. I’ll find him and kill him. As I should have done immediately.
Eventually, he would to tell his employers – unless he found Boris before.
Tasha
Reborn Russia, Urals, July 25, 2140
Four hours after sunrise, two hundred soldiers left their gliders in a large clearing at the edge of the Urals. Above them loomed pine trees and a clear blue sky. A snow-capped mountain range was also visible far in the distance. They moved at a fast pace in three columns toward the river, with a long way to go before reaching the scouts. High above, an eagle circled, hunting for prey. Tasha had spent long hours hiking in these landscapes when she was younger, and she loved the scent of the large pines.
She walked in the middle of the column, flanked by Nikolai and Wilfried. All three were dressed in Russian military greys. She felt better, protected by their bodyguards and a small Spetznatz detachment. Ivan, a muscular fellow with a square face and a politely mean attitude, had taken charge of their personal security while giving Roman full command.
As they walked, Wilfried whispered to Tasha, “Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Roman for your security and Igor for the operation?”
“No. They are used to working like this.” Her friend hadn’t grown up in a complex and he couldn’t understand how close all those men and women were. The oligarchs hadn’t always been close, but the melting of the permafrost had changed that drastically in the last fifty years. They had been forced into small protected compounds, connected to the rest of the world only by satellite. This forged stronger bonds than outsiders could imagine.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Tigroids are plaguing all the Urals communities. We cannot let them cross the border whenever they feel like it. If my father had been alive, he would have led.” I’m back and I’ll do my part, even if I’m not the leader anymore. Don’t mistake that, my friend. She looked at him defiantly, expecting a challenge, but he remained motionless, his expression indecipherable. What the hell is he thinking? He was so annoying sometimes. She continued sharply, “Let’s move. We need to be in position by midday.”
Once again, Tasha checked her hunting rifle, an electromagnetic weapon capable of firing from a klick away. Wilfried carried a pistol borrowed from the Police Force. It wouldn’t fire beyond thirty yards but at shorter range it would pierce armor. Nikolai had taken him to the practice range and had confirmed his skills while Tasha finished the convoy’s preparation. Both were now walking side by side, a good sign.
The sun was now high above their head and the tundra was steaming. It was too warm, way too warm. In the distance, Tasha saw swarms of mosquitoes over the swamps. She turned to Roman. “How long till the fog is upon us?”
Her head of security moved back from the edge of the ridge. “Two hours at least. We’d better start now.” The afternoon fog was a real threat, with the enhanced smell the tigroids boasted.
“Any news?” she asked the scouts who had joined them on the ridge.
“Eight females and twelve males,” began the lead scout, a bearded ranger.
“We can deal with them. One at a time. We don’t want our visitors to escape and bring back their friends.” Tigroids didn’t cooperate except to retaliate when attacked. They were dangerous foes. But today, Tasha would avenge her father.
The scout coughed. “We’ve also confirmed four babies.”
This brought the troop to an immediate halt. Twenty years earlier, a rogue sniper had shot tigroids and their babies. A female escaped and brought back all other clans to rampage the communities in the Urals. It had been a bloodbath on both sides, which had ended when the government had bombed a band of fifty klicks by four hundred. A single rule had emerged in the following years. No harm to babies, humans or tigroids. She cursed loudly. “So, they escape.”
“Sorry, Madam. I knew your father well. He was a great man. But, yes, today, they escape.”
She nodded, rage burning inside. She had them and could do nothing. Roman confirmed the decision with a quick nod. Move on. Don’t get stuck on this.
She turned to the four leaders surrounding them. “Have you heard? We’ll just drive them away. Are your teams ready?”
All of them acknowledged. Behind them, the forces had been divided into four groups, identified by colored ribbons on their arms. In the clearing, men and women were resting and eating slowly. There was little chatter as the forthcoming action weighed on them.
Roman began. “The plan is a simple pincer. Red and Yellow groups will close on them along the river. I’ll lead Green to push them, starting from here.”
Tasha’s father had hammered the principle i
nto her: keep it simple. Sounds too simple? Make it simpler still.
“Everyone follows the plan and maintain his position. You leave your positions, I won’t lose anyone getting you back. Is that clear?”
They all nodded grimly. No heroics here. The beasts would strike an isolated group before anyone could act. Losing formation would just increase their losses.
“Don’t open fire unless they attack. And no one shoots on the babies. If they evacuate and cross the line back, we leave them.”
The big soldier looked at Ivan. “Team Blue is the reserve and communication team. Anything happens to the main force, clear Tasha and Nikolai out of here. Ivan, you are cleared to carry her out of here if needed.”
The burly soldier smiled at Tasha. She saw understanding dawning on Wilfried, standing beside her. The current arrangement put Tasha’s security in the hands of the only person she couldn’t order around.
On both sides, the Marines nodded approvingly. They enjoyed working with other professionals. Wolm added in a whisper, “The same applies to you, sir. If needed, I will carry you away at the same time.”
One hour later, the Blue team was perched on a hill with a clear view of the river used as a border. Behind Tasha, her crew had launched four drones which rose soundlessly over the hills. Wilfried had activated his nanites to process all incoming images and feed them into a field screen in front of Ivan. She used her nanites to enhance her vision and track the action closer to the river.
“This is Red. We’re ready to close on our target.”
“Yellow on position.”
“Green. We’re moving forward.”
Everything seemed to go according to plan. Tasha saw them walk forward at a slow but deliberate pace.
Suddenly, the tigroids moved and the tundra was full of roaring sounds.
“What’s happening, Tasha, Ivan?” Roman sounded anxious over the radio.
