Boom!
The Leviathan slammed into the ground. Dirt and debris flew into the air in all directions. Richard ran the remaining distance to the Leviathan and jumped onto the heavy cat’s side, which was now its top. A few of the heavy cat’s automated anti-personnel weapons began firing at him. None of the cat’s heavy weapons were firing.
I calculate the gunners might be a little shook up, said Nickelo. I recommend laying a few anti-armor mines to make sure they stay that way.
Agreed, Richard said.
The Leviathan was down, but it wasn’t helpless. Richard was well aware he still had another two cats from the quad headed in his direction. The last thing he wanted to do was leave a stationary pillbox in his rear.
Scanning the data Nickelo was feeding into their shared space, Richard confirmed his Long Cat had twelve, ten-kilo, anti-armor mines.
Richard took a look at the Leviathan lying on the ground. Even down, the heavy cat looked very large, and the anti-armor mines looked very small.
Set all twelve mines over the engine compartment, Richard said.
Are you sure? said Nickelo. I calculate a seventy-eight percent probability six mines will do the job.
I can’t take the risk, Richard said. Those other two cats will be here in less than a minute. Use all the mines, Nick. I want this cat out of action.
Compliance, said Nickelo a little dubiously. Richard’s Long Cat immediately moved to the rear of the downed Leviathan and began dropping its entire load of anti-armor mines.
Boom!
Richard was jostled in his seat as the Long Cat was knocked off its feet.
What was that? Richard said. Are we damaged?
One of the Leviathan’s right-side 100mm plasma guns got a hit on you, said Nickelo. Its gunner must be back in action.
No kidding, Richard said as he stood the Long Cat back up and jumped off the side of the Leviathan. Tell me something I don’t know.
A quick glance at the Long Cat’s computer readout showed Richard his force field was down to thirty-eight percent. The hit from the 100mm had taken a heavy toll, but fortunately his cat was unharmed.
Well, we’re not going to let them get a second shot, Richard said. Take it out, Nick.
Compliance, said Nickelo.
The Long Cat squatted and then jumped high into the air. At the peak of its jump, the Long Cat’s 200mm phase cannon fired. The creallium round hit the center of the pile of mines lying near the rear of the Leviathan.
Boom!
The explosion was so powerful the shockwave caught the Long Cat in mid-air and knocked it to the ground. The next thing Richard knew, he was staring at the sky through the Long Cat’s windscreen.
I tried to tell you six mines would be enough, said Nickelo. More is not always better. You should try listening to me more often.
Get me up, Nick, Richard said as he shook his head in an attempt to clear the after effects of the blast.
Your wish is my command, oh greatest but most foolish of wizard scouts, said Nickelo.
The Long Cat rose to its feet, and Richard was once again able to see his surroundings. The Leviathan’s 100mm plasma gun was no longer firing. In fact, none of the heavy cat’s weapons were firing. Richard saw flames and smoke pouring out of a meter-wide hole near the rear of the Leviathan. As Richard watched, two crewmen exited out an escape hatch near one of the right-side gun cupolas.
Richard heard a loud pop near the front of the burning cat. A meter-sized, square piece of metal from the Leviathan’s right shoulder went flying into the air. Richard saw two more crewmen scrambling out the hatch to escape their burning vehicle. One of the men had a limp, and the other appeared to have burns on part of his left leg. Since the men were moving posthaste, Richard had a feeling their injuries weren’t life threatening.
Richard pointed his Long Cat’s 30mm chain gun at the fleeing crewmen. A wave of mixed emotions swept over Richard. The heavy cat’s crew had been trying to kill him a few seconds ago. A part of him felt as if he should make them pay. At the same time, he hated the thought of being burned alive. Dying slowly in the merciless grip of fire was one of his fears. His nephew and niece had almost been burned alive a few years ago because of him. It wasn’t a pleasant memory.
No, Richard thought, being burned to death is no way for anyone to die. Besides, I’m the aggressor here. They’re soldiers, just like me. They’re only defending what is theirs. For all I know, they’re good people with families and friends. I’ll kill if necessary, but these guys are no threat to me now.
Time enough to get in touch with your feelings later, said Nickelo who was obviously monitoring Richard’s thoughts. Those other two cats are closing fast. The second Trecorian Long Cat is making a beeline straight for us.
Richard kicked himself for letting his thoughts about being burned alive drift into his shared space. Thoughts like he’d been having were best left private.
Understood, Richard said into their shared space. I’ve got the two incoming cats on my passive scan.
Wizard scouts had two types of scans; a passive scan and an active scan. Scans worked upon the principle that everything, whether living or not, emitted at least a residual amount of Power. A passive scan detected the released Power much like a person’s ears heard sound. Because the wizard scout just passively picked up the Power naturally released by everything, a passive scan was almost impossible to detect. An active scan on the other hand, required the wizard scout to intentionally send out Power to locate targets. As an Academy instructor had once explained it to Richard, an active scan was similar to old Earth sonar equipment. Once the Power sent out by the wizard scout touched the target, it returned with information about the target. An active scan could obtain much more detailed information about a target than could a passive scan. Unfortunately, active scans were Power hungry. Plus, they were easier to detect since the wizard scout was actively sending Power out into the universe.
Richard’s passive scan easily picked up the Power from the approaching cats. They were making no attempt to hide. Using a mixture of information from his battle helmet and his passive scan, Richard made a quick calculation of both cats’ paths.
I don’t think the medium cat is heading for us, Nick, Richard said. It seems to be heading directly for the burning Leviathan.
Hmm, said Nickelo. I calculate you’re correct. Unless it changes course, the Trecorian Long Cat is going to pass forty meters to your right. After a short pause, Nickelo added, Strange, the pilot is leaving his flank exposed.
Whether the advancing medium cat’s pilot was aware of the danger or not, Richard didn’t know or care. He acted instinctively to take advantage of the situation.
Nick, Richard said. Target everything we’ve got on that Long Cat’s right leg. We need to take it out before the second Leviathan gets here.
Compliance, said Nickelo. Target is acquired. I can fire whenever you’re ready.
Fire! Richard said.
Every weapon on Richard’s Long Cat opened up at the same time. The 200mm phase cannon, 40mm plasma rifles, 30mm chain-gun rounds, and a salvo of anti-armor missiles traced a path straight for the running Trecorian Long Cat. Unfortunately for Richard, the pilot of the medium cat was no slouch. The Trecorian Long Cat veered left to avoid Richard’s fire. At the same time, the pilot jumped the cat into the air and twisted ninety degrees until the barrels of the medium cat’s weapons were pointed directly at Richard’s Warcat.
A blaze of return fire shot out from the Trecorian cat at Richard’s location. Thankfully, Richard was also no slouch when it came to piloting either. Or rather, Nickelo was no slouch. Consequently, Richard’s Long Cat was no longer in the same spot when the Trecorian cat’s rounds hit the ground. Richard’s battle computer had taken his thoughts and immediately put them into action by shifting the cat to the side and avoiding most of the return fire. A few rounds hit and jostled Richard around in his chair a little, but nothing of consequence was damaged.
Shields are
at seven percent, said Nickelo. Sorry. I tried to avoid the fire, but the pilot’s good. Plus, I didn’t compensate enough for that extra two thousand kilos hanging onto our Long Cat’s back.
Richard had forgotten his Warcat was still clinging to the back of his hijacked Long Cat. Red blinking-lights flashed on several parts of the control panel in front of Richard. They gave a vivid reminder of why trying to fight a battle with a Warcat hanging onto your back was probably not the smartest thing to do. As it was, his Long Cat couldn’t hope to match the maneuverability of his opponent’s unencumbered Long Cat. The other pilot was in a position to gain the upper hand.
To Richard’s amazement, the pilot didn’t take advantage of his momentary vulnerability. Instead of taking the time to fire a second salvo, the pilot turned the Long Cat and once again began running towards the burning Leviathan. Richard noticed the flames had completely engulfed the back half of the downed Leviathan and were spreading quickly towards the front.
Target that Long Cat’s right leg again and fire, Richard commanded.
Richard was immediately knocked around in his seat as his Long Cat once again opened up with everything it had.
Don’t you want me to save some of the missiles for that second Leviathan? asked Nickelo suggestively.
Negative! Richard mentally shouted. Fire it all. Give it everything we’ve got.
Another salvo shot out from Richard’s Long Cat and struck the backside of the right leg of his opponent’s cat. The force field protecting the leg gave way. Pieces of brerellium steel exploded outward as the lower part of the cat’s leg shattered. The Trecorian Long Cat fell to the ground, bounced once, and remained still.
Lady luck was against Richard this time, and his opponent’s Long Cat fell in such a way its 200mm phase cannon was pointing directly at his cockpit window. Richard wrapped himself in Power in preparation for shifting into the void. Surprisingly, the Trecorian pilot didn’t fire the cat’s main gun. Instead, Richard saw the medium cat’s escape hatch blow outward. A single human dressed in an emerald-green jumpsuit crawled out of the cat’s cockpit and began running towards the burning Leviathan. The pilot appeared to be oblivious to the plasma and chain-gun rounds kicking up the dirt around him.
Cease fire, Nick, Richard commanded.
The Long Cat’s weapons immediately stopped firing.
Is there anyone else in the Long Cat? Richard asked.
Richard doubted there was since he didn’t detect any lifeforms with his passive scan, but there was no use taking chances. There was always the possibility someone was inside with a stealth shield.
Negative, said Nickelo. That’s a single-pilot version of the Long Cat.
In spite of the tenseness of the situation, Richard took a second to watch the fleeing pilot. From the cut of the pilot’s jumpsuit, he was a male. And he wasn’t trying to escape. The pilot was continuing to run towards the burning Leviathan with single-minded purpose and without making any attempt to seek cover.
Richard could easily have shot the pilot down with a burst from his 30mm chain gun. But he resisted the urge. The pilot’s actions confused him. After a second, Richard knew the pilot’s purpose. Through the smoky haze surrounding the burning Leviathan, Richard noticed movement inside the burning Leviathan’s cockpit. The Leviathan’s two pilots were beating against the inside of the cockpit’s cracked but unbroken windscreen.
The cockpit’s escape hatch must be jammed or blocked, observed Nickelo. Too bad. You haven’t had to kill anyone up until now. Oh well, I guess we should be grateful there haven’t been more casualties.
Those pilots aren’t dead yet, Richard said as he turned his Long Cat in the direction of the burning Leviathan.
Rick, no! Nickelo shouted into their shared space. You don’t have time. The other Leviathan’s preparing to fire.
Chapter 3 – Escape and Rescue
_____________________________________
Before Richard could reply to his battle computer, he was thrown hard against the right side of his seat as something slammed into the side of his cat.
Eject! shouted Nickelo.
Richard still had his body surrounded by Power from his earlier preparation for shifting into the void. He immediately used the Power to do a dimensional shift just as a jet of flame along with molten pieces of metal entered the inside of the Long Cat’s cockpit. Richard pulled himself backwards with his telekinesis into his Warcat which was still hanging onto the back of the Long Cat.
As soon as he was inside the Warcat, Richard released the cat’s grip on the Long Cat’s missile pods. He kicked backward with the Warcat’s legs just as the Long Cat exploded. A blast of fire and plasma energy hit his Warcat and threw it backwards a good twenty meters. This time luck was with Richard. The Warcat’s force field held.
As soon as the Warcat hit the ground, Richard tucked his cat’s legs against its chest and rolled to reduce the shock of landing. After two rolls, he straightened the Warcat’s legs and was up running towards the attacking Leviathan. He was no longer concerned with the fate of the crew in the burning Leviathan. Their fellow Trecorian would have to save them. He had worries of his own now.
The Leviathan lit up as all of its weapons began firing at Richard. But Richard didn’t give the gunners on the Leviathan time to adjust their aim. He was a dodging blur in his Warcat. Richard freely admitted he was only a mediocre pilot when it came to larger cats. But all modesty aside, he knew he was one of the best Warcat pilots in the Empire. It felt as if the Warcat was an extension of himself.
Richard jumped to the side as fast as his Warcat’s assistors could move the two thousand kilos of metal and weapons which was his cat. With only a little help from his battle computer, Richard zigzagged his way towards the attacking Leviathan while doing his best to avoid its fire.
The Warcat’s force field is down to twenty-two percent, said Nickelo. You can’t take another hit from any of the Leviathan’s larger guns or missiles. I calculate you’d have a sixty-four percent chance of getting away if you retreated to the south.
I’m a Marine, Richard said. Marines don’t retreat.
Richard continued running at the Leviathan while attempting to make it as difficult as possible for its gunners to adjust their aim.
Smart Marines retreat when the situation dictates, said Nickelo. At least the ones who want to stay alive do. Besides, don’t think of it as retreating. Think of it as attacking in the opposite direction.
When Richard didn’t reply, Nickelo said, Okay. I can see you’re going to do what you’re going to do regardless of what I say. So, what’s your plan, oh greatest but most stubborn of all wizard scouts?
I haven’t the faintest idea, Richard said as he twisted the Warcat to avoid a stream of plasma rounds. What’s my Power level?
He was still fifty meters from the Leviathan. Richard doubted he could close the distance before the Leviathan’s gunners got him in their sights.
Your Power reserve is at thirty-eight percent, said Nickelo. It’s not nearly enough to form a defensive shield capable of stopping all that firepower.
That’s not my plan, Richard said as he sent his idea into the space in his mind he shared with his battle computer.
It might work, said Nickelo after analyzing Richard’s plan. Two years ago, thirty-eight percent wouldn’t be enough. But you’ve improved your efficiency significantly during the last two years. I calculate you’ll have five percent Power remaining in your reserve if you don’t dawdle.
Richard didn’t plan on dawdling. Nickelo flashed the image of a dip in the ground to his left that was just large enough to hide the Warcat. Richard dove for the depression. As soon as the Warcat hit the ground, Richard wrapped himself in Power and shifted into the void. Using telekinesis, he moved below ground towards the Leviathan. Everything was black underground, but it was easy to keep track of the Leviathan with his passive scan.
You need to pick up the pace, said Nickelo. You’re down to eighteen percent Power.
/> I’m going as fast as I can, Richard said unable to think of any way to significantly speed up his progress. But he did change direction from the back of the Leviathan to the front to try and save a few meters.
Five seconds later, Richard rose out of the ground and levitated himself upward until he passed through the Leviathan’s outer skin and into its chest cavity. As soon as he was in a clear space, Richard dropped his Power and shifted back into the physical dimension.
You’ve only got three percent Power left, said Nickelo. I’ve been telling you to practice your efficiency more. You’re not that good yet at using telekinesis to move long distances while you’re in the void.
Understood, Richard said.
Moving while in the void continued to be one of Richard’s weaknesses as far as efficiency was concerned. No one knew it better than him.
Reaching to the left side of his utility belt, Richard unhooked his phase rod and activated it in stun mode. A meter-long length of brerellium with a creallium core popped out of the handle of the phase rod. Phase energy resembling small bolts of red lightning ran up and down the length of the rod. The phase rod began emanating a feeling of hunger as if it wanted to feed on the life force of the living creatures around it.
Wasting no time, Richard ran four steps along a metal catwalk and shoved his phase rod into an open hatch on his left. A female in a jumpsuit sat behind a control panel for four gun ports. She was just starting to rise from her seat with a blaster in her right hand. Richard’s phase rod caught her in the stomach. Her blaster clattered to the floor. It was followed by her body as she rolled around struggling for breath.
Wizard Omega (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 4) Page 3
