This must have given permission to the pilot for he banked left at this point and dropped down as he slowed even further. There must have been a hundred metres between the hopper and the building on either side of the aerial canyon that they were now gliding into, but to Madge they seemed all too close.
They were losing altitude fast. Madge could clearly see the levels of the buildings as they passed by. With their speed down to about 50kph Madge could make out people and furniture and of course the bright signage that adorned many of the buildings. Unlike the constant bombard of advertising she was used to back on Polaris the signs seemed to transition between what she assumed were ads and natural landscapes.
It was into one of these signs that the hopper seemed to turn and head straight towards. Madge’s first reaction was to look to the pilot but she could see he was unperturbed. She looked back to the front and saw the sign had folded over and inwards revealing an illuminated landing. The pilot expertly brought the craft to a hover with minimum disruption to his passengers. He manoeuvred till he was over the correct space and the thrusters lowered them down gently.
“We’re just up a few levels. This will be your new home” said Meelanda.
Chapter 8. Resolute over Q2, 2050, 14 August
“We’ve lost it” called out Jasmin, referring to the probe. “But we’ve got the data” she proclaimed in triumph. “It’s available now.”
The Resolute was cloaked in orbit around Q2 50K out. The ground ops leaders were huddled around Chase’s terminal as the probe data was being scrutinised for last minute fine tuning to the plan.
“Shit” said Ginty who was tugging on Jim’s arm to get him to focus on the imagery of the enemy battery site. Chase had four windows opened tiled on his screen – one for visual, one for thermal, another for infrared and the fourth was for X ray.
“Can we have that on the main screen” Jim asked Chase pointing to the visual window.
“Sure” said Chase. He used his controls to circle various objects and then started making some annotations.
“It’s on the other side of that huge harbour” said Jim “It must be what thirty kilometres away from the spaceport.”
“That’s not our biggest concern” said Ginty “Look it’s a hardened site, nothing above the surface bar those towers. You can bet that its defences are automated.”
The imagery had moved on like the probe that took it. “Replay it” ordered Jim. Chase wound it back and left it paused. He was observing an oblique angled shot which showed that the site was on a huge rocky headland that arced around the eastern side of the bay that formed this huge harbour. The bright lights of the city were to the north west. The spaceport was sou-southwest of the city. It was on the southern coast and two big north south runways, distinctly marked by their lights, jutted out into the southern ocean.
Chase advanced the images slowly till they had one showing the battery site clearly. He froze it there. “It’s not that wide is it?” he asked rhetorically. Can’t be more than 500 metres.”
“Can we see that one?” asked Ginty. Chase switched the view to the X ray imagery. The outlines of the battery site structures were pretty clear. Chase began marking the silo doors, the towers and had question marks on a few other objects.
“They’ll have poppers, beamers and flechettes for sure” said Ginty. “Can we get some droids?” she asked of no one in particular. She leaned a little closer to the image which was mirrored on Chases screen. “What’s that?” she asked pointing to the flash of bright light off to the right of the main site on the thermal imagery window.
Chase put it up on the main screen.
“With that heat signature it could be a tunnel entrance” said Jasmin.
“Yeah I think you’re right” said Chase.
There was a moment of silence as everyone took in what they were looking at.
“How many droids do you need?” asked Dave.
Ginty had to tear her eyes away from the imagery. She rubbed her chin as she thought about it. “At least a section and four bangalores, make that five. Oh and a human operator for the droids.”
Dave already knew that Sue and Emilio were assigned to control the droids for the main assault on the spaceport. He looked across to Julian Smythe who was wearing his normal ship fatigues. “Mr Smythe you appear to be incorrectly dressed.”
“Of course I am Sir” he said with a resigned smile. “Permission to change.”
“Granted” said Dave. Before Julian had turned Dave added “We’ll commit the whole 7th Platoon. You’ll go down in their pod.”
Julian nodded as he rushed out.
“So what’s you plan Ginty?” asked Dave.
“Probably come in from the south over the ocean” she said annotating Chase’s screen by leaning over his shoulder and using his controls. “We’ll land here on the southern tip of that headland, take out those towers with some Rizstorms, use the bangalores to destroy the poppers and sensors and send in the droids to take out the flechettes. Then we’ll bust in, lay charges, back off and blow.” She stood back upright and faced Dave.
“And the beamers?” asked Dave referring to the automated beam weapons. “They’ll chew up those droids in short order if your bangalores don’t take out all the sensors.”
“We had better make sure they do then” and she gave one of her trademark cocky smiles.
Dave chuckled. “OK anything else we need to discuss or change?”
Ivan was now going through the imagery again and zooming in on the spaceport. “Give us a few?” he asked. For the next few minutes he, Li, Jim, Sue and Emilio were in deep discussion.
Dave left them to it but kept an eye on the time. When it hit 2110 he called out “Are we good to go?”
“Finishing up now” called out Ivan.
“It’s there now Sir” announced Chase a minute later.
Dave accessed the plan from his terminal. From what he remembered it looked like only a few minor changes had been made. He focussed on the tasks and the resources first. He’d leave the timings to Ivan and his group. He knew they would rarely be stuck to once things got underway. The only exception being the fire support plan.
“You want forty missiles?” he asked.
“It’s this target here Sir” said Ivan. “We need to deal with those AFVs.”
With the palm of his hand Dave wiped down from his forehead to his chin. The hand hung there holding his chin while he weighed up the costs versus the benefits. Forty represented a good proportion of his remaining missiles but Ivan was right, this was a real and present threat that would have to be dealt with. If he left it to his ground forces there was the real probability of casualties. With the missiles he could reduce those.
“All right you have them.” He double checked the bombardment end with the ETA of the Warthogs from the main assault. They would be arriving hot on the heels of the bombardment but he knew that it was best that way as it gave the enemy less time to recover.
“So H Hour for the main attack is dependent on Ginty taking out the battery right?” he asked.
“Yep” replied Chase.
“OK looks good. Committed” said Dave as he hit the commit button. “Time to get going everyone. Good luck.” It was 2120. Force Chen, the formal name for the battery assault group, was scheduled to launch in ten minutes.
Dave gave Ginty a few minutes head start and then made his way down to G deck. He caught up with her outside of Whiskey 1. Her troops were already on board the three warthogs allocated for this part of the mission. Dave nodded to Charles Chen as he stood in the hatchway of Whiskey 2.
The engines on the warthogs were all firing up and it was getting hard to hear. Dave turned to Ginty and yelled out loud in competition with the engines “Remember Ginty the main game is that battery. Don’t worry about Chen.”
Dave knew he would not have time to duck down and see Julian Smythe before he departed so he hailed him “Julian.”
“Ah yes Sir” said Julian who was just che
cking the display in front of him to ensure the pod was set for human parameters.
“I realise this is your first time Julian but you’ll be OK. Look to Ginty if you have any problems.”
“Right Sir. Will do.”
“Good luck.”
“Thank ...” The comms line cut out as the cloak was activated on the pod. Julian instinctively braced for the drop he knew would follow. Unlike the last time where the enemy surrendered before his valour was called into question this time he knew there would be no ‘get out of jail free’ card for him.
“Fucking hell!” he exclaimed as the pod dropped free.
Chapter 9. Lewista 2115, 14 August
Felis slung his pack onto the floor of the bedroom he’d been allocated. He was hungry and tired. But most of all he was suspicious. Yes it was plausible that a high ranking corporate executive would have access to a company apartment in the heart of the city. But just to give it over to a bunch of people she had never met and moreover, if they were caught, they could land her in front of a firing squad. ‘It just doesn’t feel right?’ he said to himself.
Evie came to the opened doorway and said in a quiet voice “Excuse me Felis. Meelanda’s back with dinner.”
“Really?” he asked surprised.
He followed her out to the living space. There were six places set at the glass table. Meelanda and her minder, who he now knew was called Erkum Polist sat with their backs to the window. “Sit here Felis” said Meelanda indicating the end seat on her right. “You get a good view from there.” Evie and Madge emerged from the kitchen with the plates as Judy came into the living area and smiled.
Wine was poured while the welcome aroma of cooked seafood salivated their taste buds. Meelanda proposed a toast “To auspicious beginnings and new friends.”
“Boy that’s nice” said Madge in real appreciation for the wine.
“Way… way better than our usual fair” said Judy. Her blue eyes were lighting up.
Even Felis appreciated the wine. He looked to Meelanda, saw that she had started to eat and he began with gusto. Madge and Judy also dove in. Evie was a little more measured in her consumption.
“So Felis, Evie tells me you were a Commander in the fleet” said Meelanda just before taking another mouthful of food.
Felis looked up from his plate to Meelanda and nodded while he swallowed. “Yes that’s right.” He didn’t offer any more information even though he knew that is what she wanted.
“You were on the Kunter, weren’t you?” asked Erkum. For someone who was supposed be the hard muscle he spoke with a soft, well-mannered voice.
“Yes, until she was captured.”
“How did that happen?” asked Erkum.
Madge increased the volume on her ear piece. The translator was having difficulty with Erkum’s soft voice.
Felis looked straight into Erkum’s eyes and said “I think you already know those details. Correct?”
Erkum smiled, nodded and changed tack. “So why did you kill Admiral Soola?”
“We were up against the Resolute and…”
“The what?” interrupted Meelanda.
“It’s the newest capital ship in the Federation Fleet” answered Evie. “It has stealth capabilities and it’s commanded by Captain Warner. He’s their best.”
“So?” asked Erkum.
“So between Soola’s incompetence and the Resolute we had lost most of our fleet and he was going to get all of us killed” replied Felis.
“So rather than face the enemy you shot your superior and surrendered.”
“Look I don’t know who you really are but I doubt you have ever set foot on a combat ship let alone served in one. I served for over fifteen years, all of it in war. You name the sectors and I have been there. No one has ever questioned my bravery or my duty but I have had a gutful of killing in the name of imperial ambition. I have blood on my hands so the likes of you can enjoy the best the home worlds have to offer. Don’t lecture me.”
Meelanda cut Erkum a look which restrained him. She turned to Felis with smile. “No one is questioning your honour Felis. We just want to understand why you are now supporting the resistance.”
“You mean why I should be trusted?”
Meelanda sighed.
“Well yes” blurted out Erkum in a much stronger voice that he had used so far. Meelanda cut him a disappointing look.
Felis squared off against Erkum. “Look, for your information, killing a superior officer in the Imperial Fleet is punishable by death. There can be no mitigating circumstances. There is no going back.” Felis paused to let that sink in. “But that alone is not why I am doing this. Your lot has no idea. You are born into privilege. The galaxy is your oyster. While for the likes of me, the non-aristocrats, the peasants” spat out Felis “well we don’t have the choices you have. If I had not joined the fleet fresh out of school I would have been a virtual slave in one of your corporations. Well fuck that. It’s time this whole rotten edifice was torn down. That’s why I’m here right now. Why are you?”
Meelanda took the opportunity to step in. “Enough of the machismo” and she shook her head at Erkum then turned to Felis. “Well in my case, I was born before all this imperial system was imposed upon us. Yes I had aristocratic blood dating back to the 23rd Imperium but for three hundred years my family has been strong supporters of the republic.”
Meelanda moved her chair back and stood up. She pointed out through the window. “Do you see that building there, the Ripple building?”
Felis got to his feet and looked out the window as did the other. “That one that looks like a wave.”
“Yes that one. Thirty two years ago it was the public broadcasting corporation and it was run by my father.” She sat back down and the others followed suit. “There was no greater advocate for the Republic and its principles.”
“For almost two years as the Imperialist grew in power they called for his dismissal. My father stood firm till my mother could take it no more and committed suicide. My father was devastated. He had a stroke and I had to nurse him for almost a year before he died. I was thirteen years old. I have dedicated my life to avenging them. I want to see that building brought back to its original purpose. That is why I am supporting the Resistance.” She paused for a moment.
“That is also why I have to be very careful about whom I trust. I do not want these years of endeavour to come to naught. Now I have heard your story and I am prepared to trust you. Let’s leave it at that then for tonight shall we.”
Felis drained the wine from his glass and stared down the length of the table to Evie. As he pushed back the chair and stood he said with real resentment to her “satisfied?” He turned and went back to his room.
Meelanda turned to Evie who looked crestfallen. “Well I thought that went pretty well.” Evie’s demeanour did not change. “Oh come on Evie. You’ve got what you wanted. The scilon always tells the truth you know” she said holding up a small vial. The older female looked at the younger one with a knowing expression. “He’s genuine. That’s good. We can trust him.”
As Evie reflected on what she had just done she heard Meelanda’s words as though the volume was turned right down. She only really caught the last bit. ‘But will he ever trust me now?’ she asked herself. ‘What have I done?’ She finally turned to Meelanda and gave her a weak smile. “I’m really tired. If you will excuse me” and she rose and left for her bedroom.
Madge had been sitting there the whole time taking it all in like the proverbial fly on the wall. She caught most of the conversation. She did not miss the vial of truth serum. When she saw it she realised she had misjudged Meelanda. She definitely had a hard streak that belied her demeanour.
She saw Judy, on her right, down her wine and took the cue to do likewise. “We need to get some sleep too” said Madge. Turning to Erkum she asked “and you’re staying in the apartment across from us?”
“Yes, if there is any trouble I will be there” said Erkum.
/> After Madge and Judy retired Meelanda turned to Erkum with a smile “well done my nephew” and she ruffled his hair. Erkum grinned.
Chapter 10. Whiskey 1 over Q2, 2155, 14 August
2nd Lt Parinya Puket led her stick of three warthogs in single file across a significant swell of the southern ocean. She was on the glide path down to 20m altitude when she realised that the swell was really big. She tapped her controls to raise the glide path by ten metres. This would still keep them below the crest of the headland and hopefully above any white water.
She had throttled back to just under Mach 1 but was still finding it difficult to control the trim of the craft. She slowed further to 300 kph and felt reassured by the greater stability. She glanced at the screen and could see that she was now 40 kms from their objective. She leaned a little forward and strained to see out through the night sky. ‘Yes!’ she said to herself as she spied the first light on the dark night horizon. It was off to the left of her centre line so she guessed it was from the city - nothing dead ahead.
She glanced behind her to ensure the troops were ready to go. Ginty nodded. Her helmet was sealed and her visor down but even in the subdued lighting of the cabin she could tell she had her battle face on.
Parinya re-focussed ahead. It was a relatively clear night but virtually no moonlight to speak of. She throttled back to 150 kph and double checked her altitude. Everything looked dark directly ahead. More and more lights were appearing NNW of her. Range to the objective was now 18 clicks and closing fast. They would be there in less than three. She finally made out the headland ahead. She was just below the clifftop.
She activated the cabin’s red light. “Two minutes” she hailed to her charges behind her. She tuned out to the sounds in the cabin as the explosive laden packs were being manhandled ready for the exit. “Alain, no activation unless I say so.”
“Affirmative” said her weapon systems operator from inside his turret.
Audacity (Warner's World Book 5) Page 17
