War Zone (Star Crusades: Mercenaries Book 5)

by Thomas, Michael G.

  "Yes, Mr Walker."

  The operative looked back and pointed to the others.

  "We've cleared sectors six and seven, but the synthetic, the one you call Commander Gun..."

  Mr Walker nodded.

  "Yes, he commands the IAB units here right now."

  "Well, I've not seen a thing like it since the streams of the War."

  The tone of his voice betrayed awe and almost a sense of reverence about him.

  "We dominated the place when we landed, that was until he sent in his drones. I thought the drones in the World Ship were locked down?"

  Mr Walker squinted at the accusation.

  "The reports were accurate, Senior Manager. These drones are not from the World Ship stores."

  Brody shrugged.

  "Well, wherever they came from, they've massacred our forces on the lower decks. And that synthetic leader of theirs..."

  He still appeared stunned at what he'd seen.

  "His machines are going berserk. We fortified the landing ground, as per the plan. Combat suits in key locations, supported by merc units and heavy teams; the operation was perfect, textbook, until he arrived and hit us. Last I saw, he was throwing them at our people."

  They moved a little farther inside the ship, but with communications almost entirely down, Mr Walker was desperate for information wherever he could find it.

  "Well? So our people are holding them back?"

  The CTC executive didn't sound very convinced as he asked the question.

  Brody almost laughed, but upon seeing his expression decided to err on the side of caution.

  "Uh, it's a slaughterhouse down there. I lost nearly a third of the second wave when that ship came through..."

  Mr Walker looked confused at this part of the story.

  "Ship? I gave orders for no vessels to be granted entry to Taxxu. Are you telling me something came through?"

  Brody nodded. "You didn't get the alerts?"

  From the look on his superior's face, he hadn't.

  "Well, it was Titan. I'm sure of it. You know, the ship that's supposed to still be out at Karnak. I thought the plan was our new friends were going to keep them busy while we settled the score out here?"

  Mr Walker looked uncharacteristically shaken.

  "Yes, that was the agreement. It looks like things have not played out as they should have."

  "You don't say."

  Both looked at the long cabling running along the one side of the passageway. The tubes flashed with light as it ran through the innards of the World Ship, like blood through the circulatory system of a man. A CTC technician moved closer and pressed a hand on the metallic tubes. Light immediately coalesced around that one location, pulsed, and then raced off into the structure.

  "The ship had already taken substantial damage. She must have fought through the Black Rift to get here."

  Mr Walker exhaled in frustration.

  "We put a lot of resources into making this happen. Now Delatorre comes back and screws us over."

  His eyes moved furtively, and for a second, Brody thought he saw fear.

  "What happened next?"

  "The ship came through the spacedock without clearance. She rammed her way inside, ripping out half the spacedock until reaching our landing ground. It will take months, maybe years to repair the damage down there."

  Mr Walker rubbed his chin, and then twitched upon hearing something. He reactivated the CTC assault helmet, and the layer plate lifted up to protect the face, simultaneously muffling his voice. The external speakers took over, but the sound was still not quite the same.

  "This is the problem with these alien creatures and their pawns. They bring out the insanity in people. How can we function when they are prepared to destroy what we are here to protect?"

  Brody wasn't sure how to respond, so merely explained what had happened to him and his small team. He was a mercenary, a soldier, a corporate fixer, but nothing more.

  "We hit the ground running, but they were not as unprepared as we were briefed. I found two of our squads falling back, so combined them with my unit to finish the job. We can't go back now."

  He then looked back into the darkness and pointed.

  "I've sent the signal to all remaining units to converge on target alpha, as per your orders. If we're lucky, another squad, maybe two will join us at the target. Are you sure it's the right place."

  "Of course I am. Once the Biomechs are under our control, this fight will be over."

  He took a deep breath to prepare himself for what was to come, also to mask his frustration at the events now conspiring against him. It had taken a long time to make these plans, and the money involved was astronomical, especially the bribes to Alliance officials. He called out to those around him, while drawing his pistol and pointing off into the ship.

  "Okay, it's time to end this. Follow me."

  The combined group moved away from the cover and out into the secretive plaza that few Humans had ever seen. Mr Walker was one of those few, and years ago he'd made a mental note how to get to this particular part of the World Ship. Though he was the most important representative of the mega corporation, he had never been granted the same freedom of access given to the so-called War Heroes. He'd never particularly resented that. He was, after all, a company man and not a soldier. But after everything he'd done out here, he did expect a little more consideration. After all, without CTC, Taxxu would have been abandoned, or simply nuked from orbit by the Alliance Navy.

  "Mr Walker," said Tech Specialist Andrews, "My sensors are detecting significant electrostatic discharges ahead, matching the patterns in our mission package."

  Mr Walker smiled inside his helmet.

  "It's them."

  Even with all this planning, there remained an element of doubt within his mind. The Biomechs were the key to Taxxu. For without them it would be difficult, perhaps impossible for the Alliance to extract useful scientific data from the World Ship; more important perhaps than that, the massive numbers of Thegns now serving as engineers, workers, and labourers throughout the system. They may have sworn loyalty to the Alliance, but few doubted their true loyalty to their ancient masters.

  Whoever controls the machines, controls the slaves.

  He'd heard it spoken as an ancient axiom before, and though On'Sarax and the others refused to accept it as true, he did; and so did the senior executives with CTC.

  With a million Thegn slave soldiers, CTC can become what it was meant to be. Carthago has been under the thumb of those bureaucrats on Terra Nova for far too long.

  Just thinking about the possibilities of the future sent a tingle through his body. He knew the plan, and his role in it would prove critical. Without Taxxu, it was unlikely to succeed, and that meant right now he was the most important person in the grand scheme.

  "Good work. Ionise your armour and be ready. These machines are deadly. Remember, I want then dead or alive, but ideally alive. On'Sarax, their leader, she must be taken alive."

  Once more he licked his lips with anticipation.

  "This is their hive, and according to the computer logs, most are still in temporary hibernation. This is how they live for such incredibly long times. They use machines to replace their bodies and rest their minds for long periods of time."

  And we've caught them in the middle of their weekly cycle. Only one should be active right now, perhaps none.

  Brody nodded and scanned left and right for targets. He'd never seen one of these things before, but he knew their reputation enough to know they were a serious threat. Each was completely different in shape and design, but all were capable of taking on an entire company of warriors single-handed. And this was their turf, a place they'd called home for millennia. He almost felt bad at having invaded this space. Though the Biomechs had been defeated, the surviving rebel Biomechs remained on this ship, as both a home, and as what amounted to little more than an open prison. Few in the Alliance would accept the free movement of these machine
gods, and to most there was a good reason. Each was an army in itself, with access to people, creatures, and technologies few Humans could ever really understand. Only the guarantee of their hibernation sabotage could give Brody and his mercenaries a chance of victory, assuming they were not already awake and active. A unit commander stepped out to the front and waved an arm.

  "Stay focused, people...if you..."

  The operative's head vanished in a spray of blood, and his lifeless corpse thudded to the ground. Mr Walker instantly stepped into the shadows, suddenly feeling the vulnerability of his own mortality. He was not a Biomech and lacked the heavy protection worn by the assault units or JAS suits.

  "Contact!"

  Mr Walker had no idea who was speaking and hid in the blackness, with his pistol held out in his trembling hands. Of all the weapons he could have carried, he'd elected to use a civilian version of the M6 Navy Pattern Autorevolver. The weapon was big, and in his hands looked more like a hand cannon. The barrel shuddered as he tried to take aim at the distant muzzle flashes. Gunfire rippled back and forth as a small group of marines tried to hold them back. The ambush had been well organised, and against anybody else might have succeeded. These were no rookie soldiers, though. They were CTC operatives and many ex-military. Their skills carried over from their past careers, and in many ways, they were better equipped than anything the regular marines had access to. CTC was rich, and their security units used nothing but the best gear.

  "Sir, stay down."

  It was Brody, and Mr Walker let out a sigh of relief as he moved out to take control of the battle.

  We have to end this. We can't turn back now.

  Sweat ran down his face as two more mercenaries were cut apart by well-aimed shots. Mr Walker might not have been a fighter, but his operatives knew what had to be done, and with Brody leading them, they moved in fast. Rather than falling back, they moved ahead rapidly, hitting the hidden enemy units with automatic fire. It took less than ten seconds for the fight to be over, but at a cost to both sides. As the shooting stopped, Brody signalled to advance, check the bodies, and then continue onwards. Only then did Mr Walker emerge and rejoin the middle of their growingly depleted assault force.

  Step by step, they continued forward. With each closing metre, the unusual readings increased until finally they came to the massive chamber. Mr Walker followed a few metres behind the lead unit, but even he stopped for a moment to soak in the wonder of the place. The vertical shaft was massive, perhaps two hundred metres wide, and criss-crossed by long granite bridges covered in carving and complex shapes, giving them an almost religious look. Light came from the top of the shaft and penetrated down to cast long dark shadows. On the other side of the shaft was a tall arch, almost gothic in style that led into a dark cavern. Both sides of this area were covered in tall sculptures shaped like a creature or machine of the past.

  "How much further, Sir?" Brody asked.

  Mr Walker spoke more quietly, while nodding ahead. He'd seen this place a few times before but at the express invitation of On'Sarax. Now as he walked inside it, he felt anger building in his body.

  We beat them. They have no business denying us access to anywhere we please.

  "This is the place. Be cautious. We’ll get a single chance at this. Across the chasm, and into the chamber, that is our objective."

  It was all Brody needed to hear.

  "Weapons ready, this is gonna happen fast," said Brody.

  Mr Walker looked back to check on his units and sighed with irritation. He'd intended on eliminating Gun and his trainees immediately so that he could take his time working through the World Ship. The plan had called for four full companies of commandos to get inside to take out the Biomechs. Now he was down to half that, and he'd lost contact with those on the landing grounds.

  "One unit on the bridges at a time...move it!"

  As the operatives moved apart, with the more experienced at the front, something happened on the other side. The wall itself seemed to shift, and before they could stop, at least ten CD-3 Grunts appeared in a long firing line to protect the other side. Unlike before, these units stayed well back to avoid being seen. In the middle of the formation were a handful of Alliance marines, and one in particular had opened his helmet to reveal a familiar face.

  "Mr Walker. Stop this attack now. Haven't you killed enough already?"

  The attackers slowed and then stopped, some on the bridges, others waiting their turn. Mr Walker moved to the front of his forces and placed one foot on the bridge.

  "Captain Wilson, so nice to see you."

  Scores of weapons pointed across both sides of the chasm, and another heavy siege combat suit stomped up to the bridge.

  "You're not passing us," said the Captain, "This is murder, and you will pay for..."

  A shot rang out, but the Captain must have expected trouble. He ducked down just as a burst struck where he'd been standing. The CD-3 Grunts returned fire, standing their ground. Several mercenaries took hits, and at least two fell from the wide bridge over the chasm, screaming as they fell to their deaths.

  "Open fire!" Brody shouted.

  The return fire from the large force of CTC operatives silenced most of the Grunts in less than a minute until finally just the Captain, two marines, and four Grunts remained. Mr Walker lifted his hands for the shooting to stop, and the gunfire ended almost immediately. He double-checked on his own formation, smiling to himself at the arrival of another fresh platoon, numbering nearly forty more mercenaries. They moved in behind the others, now providing a dense wall of soldiers for the battle.

  "It's over, Captain. Lower your weapons, now! It's time for these machines to learn that we are the masters of this place, not them. They had their time...now that time is over."

  Captain Wilson laughed, but this time made sure he kept well out of sight. Even the remaining Grunts shifted from their positions to the lower ground near the entrance to the large, cavernous chamber.

  "If you want them, come and get them!"

  With those last, fateful words, the Alliance liaison officer and his tiny entourage vanished into the blackness. A few of the mercenaries started to give chase, but Brody sent the signal to halt, and as one, they stopped and went to ground. Two of the Grunts remained at the mouth of the entrance and fired back, sending dozens of the mercenaries to cover. The return fire was incredible and filled the open space with a great fusillade of gunfire and explosions. The mercenaries hit the Grunts with such intensity both machines were torn apart by the impact. Heavy cannon fire from the siege suits exploded sections of the robotic units, leaving little, but the odd piece of metal and wiring to show they'd ever even existed.

  "Get across, now!" Mr Walker yelled.

  So intent had he been on his small, personal skirmish with Captain Wilson, he'd almost forgotten his primary mission. Time was not with him, and the Captain had just slowed him down for another few minutes. It didn't seem much, but that was enough time to wake a Biomech, which could spell disaster for his plans.

  "Hurry!"

  It took little time to cross the bridges, all the while each of them expected to be attacked. Nothing happened, and they converged on the entrance of the massive chamber. From the other side it had look large, but now they could see the ceiling was nearly thirty metres away, and partially hidden by the lavish arches and statues that merged into the walls. They kicked the broken remains of the Grunts out of the way and completely ignored the bloody mess that marked the last position of a fallen marine.

  "What the hell is all this alien crap?" complained a merc.

  The CTC operative leaned in towards a tall, black sculpture and struck it with his rifle butt. Had they been made from old stonework it may have broken, but this hardened material was tougher than the plastics used in the weapon. A section of the butt tore off, leaving the butt plate hanging down uselessly. Vaconis, a more experienced mercenary, tapped the operative on the top of the helmet.

  "Way to go, idiot. Keep your e
ye on the ball."

  The man snorted with irritation and pulled back on the restraining bolt so that the rest of the rifle butt fell away to remove the obstruction. He did it in such a way as to show that it meant nothing to him, but it clearly didn't work.

  "Next time, concentrate on your job, and not on smashing things up," said Brody, "Got it?"

  The man nodded. "Yes, Sir. I..."

  "Cut the chatter. Eyes front and centre, and keep moving. We've got work to do."

  The mercenaries pushed on and moved close to the walls to make use of whatever cover they offered. One by one they stepped inside, making little noise as they went on by. There should have been double the number, but Clarence Walker wasn't waiting a moment longer. On they went, checking every crevice, as they kept moving. Those with the heavier weapons stayed further back so they could support their comrades when the battle inevitably occurred. Mr Walker took another step into the more open part of the place. For all the size, entire sections were bathed in blackness as massive gargoyle type figures reached up into the air and then vanished. As he stepped, the hard black shadows skipped and jumped about.

  "This is the place, the entrance to the inner sanctum of the Ancients. Few have ever seen this place before and lived to tell of it."

  He said the words as though they contained some kind of reverence even though he clearly had no love for the things. He stopped, immediately realising he may have taken a step too far into the machines' lair. He pointed into the distance, and Brody soon realised what was happening. He sent commands to his communications overlay unit, and in seconds, the squads spread out.

  "This is it. The machines do not allow anybody inside this area. Stay awake in here."

  The space opened up inside, yet retained the same basic structure. It was as though they were walking inside a massive eye, with the outer skin made up of incredible stone and metalwork that glinted even after all this time. Even Mr Walker could have stood there for hours looking at the place as the complex designs, geometric shapes, and strange creatures lifted up like serpents coiled around the trunks and branches of trees. Light twisted, distorted, and bounced from the ceramic like quality of the walls, a clear sign that the infamous nanocrystal paste had been used here in the past. It was yet another sign of its lavish and rich past, something that irritated Mr Walker even more than he already was.