More contempt flashed into Jack’s mind as the Master Sargent was in an assault transport headed for their basecamp after a long boring uneventful night mission in another campaign when his lieutenant called him up to the cockpit. He saw a convoy of trucks loaded with supplies being systematically destroyed and looted less than half a mile from the Army base they were headed for. The lieutenant turned to the Sargent taking his hand from his ear. “The Army is waiting for orders while their convoy is destroyed outside their gate. I am going to drop you off behind the enemy at this end of the convoy. I want you to work your way along the Convoy’s flank taking them out while I make sure our heavy weapons shuttle can drop our mortars at the front gate for direct support. I will have 2nd platoon (in the assault transport behind them) start at the Gate end and work your way. I will then get ahold of the Captain to find out what the Armies problem is as we funnel the rest of our troops in as they arrive. Keep me informed of your progress. I will stay up here coordinating until the Captain gets here. I will have our attack choppers here in a few minutes from the LZ to support you. I will have 3rd platoon drop on the trucks themselves to save as many of the drivers as they can even if they are army pukes. We will blow the trucks if we have to but we can’t let the enemy get any of the supplies.” The Lieutenant wasn’t the senior officer on the flight of Air transports but the other platoon leaders usually jumped when he started making suggestions. Some very nasty combat followed lasting hours.
When the exhausted Sargent finally walked through the main gate into the Base, the Army guards tried to search his marines for contraband after they had safely emptied their weapons mags, pointed their weapons muzzles down into the sand filled barrels to clear their chambers. Ignoring the Army demands as they continued through the Gate, the guards shot over the marines’ heads threatening to shoot them if they did not comply and let the guards’ search them and their packs for drugs and contraband.
The Master Sargent pulled the pin on his last grenade (he had pulled off an enemy corps) and stared at the army Sargent. “Millions of credits of desperately needed cargo and weapons go up in smoke or stolen to be used against us and your drivers are killed right outsideyour gate in plain sight while you do nothing and now you have the balls to even think of searching us for contraband?” A dozen pins went zing behind the Sergeant. “I will give you a whole bunch of contraband up your fucking butts in about 5 seconds.” The two groups stood there for several minutes staring at each other.
A Marine attack sled dropped down on the back side of the gate aiming its guns at the back side of the half bunker behind the gate with an open back full of the army guards manning heavy weapons. Marines walking up to the gate with their weapons still powered up, pulled and aimed their weapons. Marines already inside the gated including the platoons mortar men came running up energizing their weapons.
The security detachment that had abandoned the convoy and their vehicles, sat a short distance away inside the base staring dumbfounded at the marines still pouring in from all sides.
Marine Attack sleds that had only minutes before been attacking fleeing terrorist started dropping down or circling as the Sargent’s Company Commander walked up and calmly stopped next to the group of Guards and their officer. “You know what your mistake was ass hole?” The now scarred guard still with his gun pointed at the Sgt. turned to look at the Marine Captain. “You fired your fucking gun at a marine. Don’t you know Marines are trained to go toward the sound of gun fire without waiting for fucking orders? You know we could kill your whole detachment and blow up half the fucking gate and your bodies wouldn’t be found until it is time for your relief to arrive without any of my guys getting scratched. So why don’t you put down your stupid weapon before you shoot yourself in the foot or we have to kill you.”
“But I have orders to search everyone coming in the gate Lieutenant.”
“Now isn’t that amazing that you have no orders to go to the help of your own trucks while the drivers are slaughtered but you have orders to search my men that have been up all night and normally fly over your gate with no possibility of you searching them to begin with. Did you even call it in?”
“Yes sir, as soon as the first truck was blown up even before the convoy’s security detachment came through. The Major is putting together a response. It should be ready in a half hour or so complete with tanks. There was nothing we could do with even the Security vehicles being out gunned sir.”
“Yes I know the Army’s reputation for protecting its convoys and its orders to drive through ambushes even when the trucks can’t.” Glancing at the dozen armored escort vehicles still sitting behind the gate with disgust. “Though I see plenty of ordinance to suppress the enemy fire long enough for your trucks to make it out of the kill zone if anyone had used their brains instead of blindly following orders. I even saw your attack platforms finally arming up back at the field the last time I looked. Well, you can tell your Major that the only response left is to clean up the mess and that he can find the wounded drivers in our camp’s hospital. We are burning the supplies since I don’t have men to guard them.”
The Army lieutenant pointed over the Captain’s shoulder at the string of marine cargo sleds lifting cargo containers slung under them from the surviving trucks that had most of their cabs full of holes and their tires shot flat, toward the Marine Camp at the back of the base. “But aren’t those our supplies and equipment you are hauling away.”
The Lieutenant smiled. “Ya I wish. Your equipment is so much newer and better than ours. I love your knew assault guns, your guided mortar shells are fabulous and that 76 mm recoilless plasma cannon is superb for close support. Thank heavens the cargo container that was packed full of them did not fall into enemy hands. Too bad it is all burning up with your trucks.” Jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the packed sleds. “All I see there are a bunch of marine cargo sleds returning from our last mission with enemy contraband they captured from you lieutenant. Nice we get to keep contraband. Though usually it is not this nice.” Turning to the Sargent. “Safe those grenades and get the hell over to our side of the base and get some chow and sleep. It is a long walk so get moving. We are supposed to be getting ready for another deep strike mission tonight not target practicing with the locals the Army is supposed to be out protecting. But then that is kind of hard to do when they run to their base every time a shot is fired when it does not follow their 6 month plan. But that is army business.”
The Master Sargent with the rest of his platoon put the pins back in the grenades and walked past the guard and said for all to hear. “Fucking Girl Scouts.” A slick dropped down in front of the Sargent and his men as the Captain’s attack sled lifted out and they piled on. They had done a lot of running trying to hit the next strong point along the ambush line after each assault before the terrorists’ could react and form defenses on their flanks so the Sargent was damn glad they didn’t have to walk all the way across the miles wide army base to get to their camp. He watched the last of the cargo sleds with equipment and cargo containers head for the Marine camp as a row of explosions blew up what was left of the convoy. Leaving nothing but unidentifiable scrap metal. The sled flew over an army column getting ready to move out with some men busy while others sat in the shade beside their vehicles. It could be another hour before they actually moved. The Master Sargent turned his back on the columns of smoke behind him just outside the gate as he spotted the chow hall in the Marine Camp and his stomach growled. He was already planning who to give the new recoilless support launchers to. Thumpers were ok but damn, sometimes they needed something a little heavier like that new squad cannon. The Sgt cradled the new Army Squad Automatic in his arms. It was a damn good upgrade with charge magazines half the size of the marines, carrying twice the rounds and would be even better once his men got done upgrading it with decent sights and sensors from the same shipment and a few Marine specialties. The Sargent heard another whomp from behind them. It was too bad a lot of the compan
y’s old obsolete equipment was getting blown up with those trucks from enemy action. The Sargent tried to feel sorry for the Army not getting their latest weapons but then the Army’s old weapons it was still operating with was 2 generations newer than the marines usually got. At least he knew the new weapons would actually get used to kill the enemy instead of being worn out shooting paper Targets.
Jack shook his head as the Sargent stepped away dropping his hand. Jack reaching out and steadied himself on the armored bulkhead. He could tell the Sargent was flashing through a dozen other memories probably about the morons as he continued to calm down but Jack could not see them once he was not touching him. ‘Evidentially raw emotion had something to do with him seeing memories. Or was it touch.’ He thought to himself. It was going to take him a long time to figure out what the hell he was now able to do and how to use it. But then he kind of wished he didn’t have it at all. He was getting tired of hearing people talking to themselves just because his head was pointed in their direction. And seeing a person’s memories when touching them was damn disgusting at times. It made it hard to think sometimes. ‘Well at least I don’t have to worry about our new men.’ He said to himself in his mind.
Suddenly he felt a prickling at the back of his mind. Turning he saw Pan hovering just off the edge of the container staring at him as she said to herself. ‘When we get time I will start training you Captain.’
Jack kept turning as if he was leaving but had thought of something as he slapped the Sargent’s shoulder without holding on. “Get the new men distributed through the ranks to reinforce each squad Sargent I will be below trying to find out what is taking so long to get the refugees down the shaft.” Smiling at Pan. “I was just headed your way Pan. Something wrong?”
“We are having problems getting the refugees down shaft. Many are too week to do much climbing and tire easily. The Commodore likes his women lean and many are half starved. We have already had to rescue several that have fallen off the narrow catwalk to plunge down the shaft. Then there are sections and lines in the engine room that are cooled hundreds of degrees below zero. We have already had several cold burns with half naked women bumping up against sections of the engine room hull or pipes. At least the pipe that is at a thousand degrees is giving off enough radiation it can be easily felt before anyone touches it. But we are having to dress everyone before sending them down beside the engine to the bow section. We don’t dare cram anymore refugees into the engine room with all the dangerous systems in there until we get the first cleared out. The good thing is we have had to use and have found the other ships main Sickbay still intact. We can send whatever the main Sickbay on this ship needs. Krump is putting together a bag to take up now of what we do know they need. Mainly pain sedatives and antibiotics.”
“Shit. How many do you have left in the shaft and up here?”
“About 73.”
“Here they come Captain. They have shields this time.”
Jack turned around and saw a line of shields made of metal plates 6 foot tall by some 15 to 20 feet wide with notches cut along the top to fire weapons through coming slowly around the core towards them. Worst yet he could see the 3 original surviving Mechs behind them firing over the tops of their shields. With no way to get behind them to their week backsides. Jack took a couple of quick shots with the Plasma cannon that only blew small holes in the shield cut from the power trunk that had been removed from the compartment.
Turning back to Pan. “Damn it Pan, form a damn chain gang from the chase shaft through the engine room to the bow hatch. Put someone every 4 or 5 feet and pass the refugees down the chain to make sure none of them gets near the bad parts. It should only take a few minutes to get the rest down. Now go. We aren’t going to last long here. Get that shaft hatch closed damn it.”
As Pan dropped away Krump slid up in her place. “Captain I have a couple of packs of supplies for the Sickbay. What do you want me to do with them?”
“Damn it Krump, we are in the middle of a fucking battle. I am not going to risk someone’s life to run across the open Bay to deliver them. They would be gunned down before they made it half way across.”
“Not everyone Captain. I can make it.”
“What? And what if there is a squad just inside the hatch waiting for you? You would still get gunned down.”
“I think they would be firing out the hatch by know if a squad was guarding the core. I can make it captain. They need these packs desperately. We can feel their pain. I will make it Captain don’t worry.” Then he was off zipping across the deck popping over the armored wall and down out of sight toward the core hatch.
Jack ran after him getting to that side wall just in time to watch Krump half way across the open bay at some 35 or 40 miles an hour and picking up speed. A mass of laser streaks behind him. “Smoke!” Jack yelled but Krump was already through the core hatch before the first smoke grenade exploded outside it. Jack flipped down his visor and a couple seconds later he was able to discern Krump climbing the ramp up through the decks around the core leaving half a dozen cooling bodies behind. Turning he saw three large heat sources of Mechs coming around the other side of the Core from the original attack. Lines of troops behind shields on the front of cargo forklift carts slowly moved ahead of the Mechs.
The top of the redoubt was sending hundreds of laser shots a second out toward each side of the core that did not seem to be doing much good but then the closest shield was still a couple hundred feet way. A laser cannon beam hit the armored wall not far from Jack knocking the crewman behind it back to tumble over the edge of the platform. Jack heard a scream farther down the wall. As another laser cannon found a target. The redoubt was now getting hit from both sides.
Then a bright spot came out of the core hatch headed for the redoubt and picking up speed. “Smoke!” Jack yelled. “Open the Gates. Hurry.” If Krump had to climb up over the containers it would slow him down considerable. But then he would also have to cross in front of the Redoubt to get to them. Smoke started popping ahead of Krump giving him some cover as he sped along the deck. The laser shots toward him slackened as it became harder to see him.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief as Krump zipped over the wall and then made a circuit around the inside of the redoubt above everyone’s heads as he slowed down. Shaking his head Jack looked back at the Core seeing no signs of replacements for the rapidly cooling bodies. Shaking his head Jack smiled as a plan came to his mind. “Thumpers, I want riot gas rounds on the attack lines and mechs now. Everyone you’ve got left.” Turning to the Sargent. “Master Sargent, I need a dozen bags of smoke grenades up top. Then I need 20of your best, half with thumpers down on the core side of the Redoubt and cut me a small personnel gate facing the core hatch so we can make a run for the core. Get Curry and the explosive packs. We are going to get behind those ass hole shields and take out the Mechs from behind.”
Jack watched as a string of blaster balls hit the Mechs without damaging them. Jack turned and started firing at the closest shield wall to the core coming toward them. He was finally able to punch a big enough hole to get a shell through to take out the forklift moving that side of the wall since it was not armored plating.
As the fork lift blew sending flames and smoke up toward the overhead the wall stopped moving.” Mark hit his comm. “Assault blasters target one of the fork lifts on each wall. Blow holes through in one spot until you get through. “Jack went to the other side and did the same thing. This time stopping the two shield walls closest to the redoubt. The other Assault Blasters taking out a half dozen more making it impossible for the moving walls behind to get past the front walls.
Jack frowned as the crewman next to him was hit by a Mech laser cannon penetrating the wall blowing what was left of his suit and body minus his chest back over the side of the container. The Mechs had started concentrating their cannon fire on the area the blasters where firing from. The Blaster balls were hard to miss. Two blasters were quickly knocked out.
“Captain.” The Sargent said over the Comm. “I have the hole cut and the men ready to go.”
“Good. Thumpers I want 3 smoke rounds from each thumper placed along the front edge of the attackers and then 3 on the mechs. Then I need smoke screens on both sides of a line between us and the core hatch now.” Jack jumped off the top of the containers landing next to the column and the Sargent. “You are in charge of the Redoubt Master Sargent. When I am ready to hit them from behind, I am going to need you to hit them with as many smoke grenades as you can. Try to get their attention with hand grenades and the explosive packs you can drop behind their shields that are in range. I don’t know how long it will take me to get behind them. Just hold out until I do. I just hope I can take out those damn Mechs before they know we are there.” Jack watched a continuous stream of smoke grenades detonating forming screens to each side of strait line to the core hatch.
The Master Sargent smiled. “That is what my marines are for Captain. Sargent Meyers will make sure the Mechs don’t last long.” Then pointing at what looked like a catapult. “We are about ready to start throwing packs at them. Those damn shields won’t last long when one of these slides up against it and we might get lucky with the mechs.” Holding up a ball of explosives from the packs taped together with a detonator to form a projectile. Wasn’t it nice for the Commodore to give us all these bombs?”
Battleship Destroyer 2 (Battleship Destoryer) Page 55
