Merkiaari Wars: 02 - What Price Honour

by Mark E. Cooper

  Nothing.

  She didn’t move. It was unlikely she had been seen ghosting in, but unlikely wasn’t impossible.

  Kate’s sensors reported all quiet, and she finally believed what they were telling her. She stood and moved southeast through the trees making for her rendezvous with the resistance. She heard the firefight long before she reached her objective. The shattering sound of pulser fire, and the dull thump of grenades exploding, had her diving into cover and calling up a long range scan. It was a risk, but she felt it a necessary one. She would rather risk detection than walk blindly into a battle.

  What her sensors revealed had her cursing.

  A trio of combat sleds was attacking the resistance cell at the rendezvous point. The resistance had sensibly chosen to take cover in the available buildings, and were using them as platforms to snipe at the Merki gunners. She approved of the plan, but she didn’t think much of their marksmanship. The Merkiaari were dominating the fight. They would win. They had the heavier weapons and could simply standoff and pound the buildings into rubble.

  Kate moved up and chose a vantage overlooking the shattered remains of the dome. It was breached in numerous places allowing the enemy into the residential area of the farm complex. Using sensors and infrared, she located the defenders fighting among the ruins. Smoke boiled up from burning buildings adding to the chaos of weapons fire. The resistance seemed well supplied with ammunition. They were lobbing grenades, ineffectually it had to be said, at the gravsleds like there was no tomorrow. Of course, if the Merkiaari had their way, there wouldn’t be one, so she understood the sentiment.

  She quickly assembled the HTR and loaded it. While the resistance fighters hammered unsuccessfully at the armoured sides and drives of the gravsleds, she chose the open cockpit and the pilots as her target. Laying down and wriggling a little to get comfortable, she carefully targeted the first pilot. He was in range, but the motion of the gravsled as he jinked to avoid fire from the ground, made the shot a challenge. She grinned and squeezed the trigger.

  Zzzzzing!

  The pilot’s head exploded nicely, and the gravsled plummeted to the ground. It buried itself hard into the mud and rolled, but apart from the dead pilot, the crew was unhurt. At the urging of their commander, they piled out of the sled and took cover behind broken walls and rubble.

  She targeted the commander and took him out before turning her attention to the other gravsled pilots. Both died in the same way as the first, and two more twisted pieces of wreckage were added to the mess littering the ground. Performing another sensor sweep, she found a couple of Merki troopers that were careless about taking cover. She took them out, but then discarded the HTR in favour of her rifle. She laid down some fire before advancing into the dome. Fire and manoeuvre was the order of the day for the next few minutes, but it wasn’t long before the resistance gained the upper hand. She left them to finish off the last few troopers, and stopped to check her sensors. She widened her range to max and watched the flashing red icons depicting gravsleds going about their business. They appeared unaware of what had happened here. Good.

  “What the hell are you doing?” one of the resistance fighters said, and slapped a fresh magazine into his rifle.

  “None of your business,” Kate said coldly and without looking in his direction.

  In a rage he lunged toward her.

  Kate’s hand swept down in a blur of speed and drew her pistol. He froze with the weapon centimetres from his face. With her sensor sweep now complete, Kate turned her attention to him. He was more boy than man; tear tracks were clearly visible on his dirty face.

  “Is there a problem?”

  “Leave him alone,” a woman said from behind her.

  Kate smiled. The voice was punctuated by the sound of a round being chambered into a hunting rifle—slug thrower she assumed by the sound. Her sensors had detected the woman some time back. She had all of the resistance on her display, and a single silent command from her was all it took for her processor to target this one.

  “Point that rifle at me,” Kate said smoothly. “And I’ll cap him and then you.”

  “Stop it all of you.” An older man came forward and dragged the boy away from her. “Haven’t we got enough trouble? We have to stick together.”

  The boy shrugged off the man’s grip on his arm and stormed off. His girlfriend hesitated a moment, but followed him after aiming a glare Kate’s way.

  Kate holstered her weapon.

  “I’m Ben—your contact for what it’s worth.” Ben’s grimace made Kate doubt it was worth much at all. “Follow me… Captain isn’t it?”

  Kate nodded. She hefted her kit and followed him into one of the buildings.

  * * *

  Chapter 15

  Garnet Simulation Kilo

  Kate was led into one of the few houses still standing. Ben led her upstairs and into a room where a woman awaited them.

  “This is Erica Rhodes, Captain,” Ben said ushering Kate inside. “She leads us.”

  Kate shook the woman’s hand. “Kate… I mean George Burgton, Captain 501st infantry.”

  “I can see that,” Erica said coldly. “I have three dead because Fleet wanted us here to meet you,” she said bitterly. “Three lives wasted.”

  “Only three?” Kate said sarcastically.

  “You bastard—”

  “Don’t bother with your insults. I’m here to do a job. You’re here to help me do it.”

  “A job that amounts to suicide. No one can get in there. It can’t be done.”

  “It will be done,” Kate said instantly. “Fleet can’t come in until it is. How many more will you see dead through your cowardice?”

  Ben stepped forward. “Erica’s no coward, Captain. She saved us all and led us—”

  “He doesn’t want to hear it, Ben.” Erica sighed. “He’s a cyborg remember, just a machine. Isn’t that right, Captain?”

  Kate was hardly impressed. She had said much worse herself. “If thinking that gives you comfort, go ahead and think it.”

  “It does,” Erica snapped with eyes blazing in anger.

  “Fine, glad that’s sorted out. I need a map of the building they’re using for their HQ, and any first hand observations you’ve managed to bring out.”

  Erica scowled but turned back to the table.

  Among the dross—dirty plates and the like—Kate could see what seemed to be a street map and some hand drawn schematics. She advanced without being asked and snatched up the drawings. She ignored the street map entirely, already having one similar within her database, and concentrated on the building plans.

  “Who drew these?”

  “Why?” Erica asked sullenly. “They’re accurate.”

  Kate glared, silently waiting for an answer. Erica shuffled her feet nervously but didn’t answer. “Who?” she asked again, but this time she barked it as an order. Damn civs had no discipline.

  Erica jumped in surprise and answered. “Ben worked there before—”

  Kate turned to Ben and asked her questions. “This is accurate?”

  “Yes,” he said not liking her treatment of Erica. “I worked as a loader operator.”

  “What of this access way? Is it straight, or does it curve like it’s drawn?”

  “Curves. It’s even more obvious when you see it for real. I heard they built it that way to avoid an underground lake that—”

  “This elevator,” Kate broke in. “Where’s the maintenance hatch?”

  “There’s one in all the cars.”

  “No good. I’ll have to open the doors to enter them and they’ll know. Any other way into the shafts?”

  “Yeah, in the basement stores, but you’ll have to climb almost four stories from there just to reach them.”

  “Let me worry about that. You haven’t shown air conditioning ducts. Why?”

  “I told you, I was a loader operator not maintenance,” Ben said in an aggrieved tone.

  “Then how can you be sure abou
t the basement hatch?”

  “Coz I have to go down there a lot to get stuff. I’ve seen the hatches, and the maintenance crews using them.”

  Kate nodded. She was well pleased with Ben. “Good. Are the hatches locked or secured in any way?”

  “No, there’s a simple latch.”

  Even better. “If I were to say I wanted to get into the basement, what would you say?”

  “That you’re crazy.”

  “Why?”

  Ben pointed to the map. “Because the only way in is via the loading dock. They’re using it as a motor pool. It’s guarded like Alliance HQ.”

  That was interesting. “You a Marine?”

  “That was a long time ago.”

  Kate shrugged quickly losing interest. If he didn’t want to talk about it, that was fine. “Draw me another of these showing the loading dock and the way to the basement stores.”

  “All right, but it’s a waste of time,” Ben said reaching for a pen.

  “He’s right,” Erica said. “You’ll never get in.”

  “I will be inside this night, and you’re going to help.”

  “How?” Erica asked suspiciously.

  “I need you to draw attention away from the loading dock for a few minutes.”

  Erica was already shaking her head. “The only way to do that is show ourselves. They’ll kill us for sure.”

  “Not if you’re careful,” Kate said privately agreeing with the woman. “A little shooting should attract the guards away from their posts. You can fade away and lose them in the city.”

  “I don’t know…” Erica said and bit her lip worriedly. “They have electronics and we don’t.”

  “War is dangerous. Chances have to be taken.”

  “But not foolish chances.”

  “We have to do it,” Ben said quietly to his friend from where he was drawing the map. “We have to kill their leaders if the Alliance is to have a chance against so many. We have to do it, Erica.”

  “I don’t know…” Erica whispered uncertainly.

  Kate was about to try a little more persuasion, but a glare from Ben gave her pause and she missed the opportunity.

  “All right, but I’ll do it alone,” Erica said finally.

  “Now wait a damn minute,” Ben said. “I didn’t mean—”

  “I said I’ll do it,” Erica said glaring at Kate and Ben equally now. “End of discussion. You will lead the others away from here, and don’t stop until the Alliance finally lands. That’s an order.”

  Kate didn’t expect Ben to obey, but he surprised her. “All right, but I expect to see you tomorrow night without fail.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Wherever there was, had no bearing on Kate’s mission as far as she could see. She dismissed it from her mind and watched the map flowing from Ben’s pen. She could already see a way in, but then he started adding crosses to represent guards, and she scowled in annoyance. They were going to upset her plan.

  “You’re sure about the guards?” Kate said.

  “Positive.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I tried what you’re about to try a week after the invasion. There were seven of us. I survived.”

  “That’s how we know it’s suicide,” Erica said. “My husband… he was one of them.”

  That explained the anger then. Kate hesitated a moment, but she really didn’t need it where she was going. “Here, you can use this from much further away. It will give you more options.” She offered the HTR to the woman.

  Erica took the weapon and examined it. “I’ve never seen one quite like this.”

  “Viper issue, but it will still work for you.”

  The HTR was modified to talk to a viper’s targeting software, but the scope was fitted as a backup. Anyone could use it, but not as quickly or as efficiently as a viper of course. Erica played with the rifle while they waited for Ben to complete his map. Kate watched over Ben’s shoulder occasionally asking for more detail, but on the whole she was satisfied. As soon as he was finished, she held the map before her and studied it. Her processor automatically filed a copy of it in her permanent memory. She discarded the drawing and had her processor display a map of Corigin City.

  She nodded in satisfaction when the command was accepted. With another coded thought, she ordered the map zoomed and centred over grid F6 of the city. She found the shopping arcade and zoomed in again until the building was the only one visible. One more command, and her copy of Ben’s drawing was superimposed over the arcade, but the fit wasn’t anywhere near perfect. She ordered Ben’s drawing rescaled.

  Much better.

  The building was still clear behind Ben’s drawing, but she added another little touch by colouring his lines blue. She followed the loading dock into the building and down into the basement. The lift shaft hatches were easy to find from there.

  “You said they’re using the fourth floor?”

  “Yeah, but that’s a guess.” Before Kate could argue, Ben explained. “They obviously won’t use the arcade or shops, and the basement is out. That leaves the fourth floor—it’s like a palace. The high and mighty execs had their rooms up there. I swear it’s just like a hotel.”

  Kate reluctantly agreed with his assessment, but she had to point out something.

  “How do you know they don’t like living underground?”

  “I…” Ben frowned. “I don’t, but…”

  Kate smiled. “It’s all right. I agree they’re most likely up on the fourth floor. How many floors are there by the way?”

  “Six.”

  “What’s up there?”

  “More offices mostly. There’s a landing pad on the roof as well.”

  The landing pad was of no interest, or was it? Could she figure out how to use a Merki gravsled? No, better to ignore it. She could easily find herself trapped up there.

  “Okay. How long to get there?” Kate asked knowing that Erica would slow her down.

  “Two hours,” Erica said confidently. “We have transport.”

  “The Merki—”

  “Won’t detect it. It has no electronics.”

  Kate nodded, feeling better about the situation. “Good. Very good, we go now.”

  Erica scowled, but she made no protest at the order. She hefted the HTR and led the way outside. Ben trailed along looking worried, and soon the entire group had assembled to see what was happening. Kate shook her head at their stupidity, but said nothing about it. They should have sentries set and be spread out. A single mortar round would kill the lot of them. Seeing their ineptness lowered her opinion of Ben’s military expertise. It wasn’t surprising he was no longer in the Corps if this was how he deployed his people.

  “Ben will take you to join the others,” Erica said addressing her command. “The Captain and I have something to take care of. I’ll rejoin you in a couple of days. Until then, Ben is in command.”

  Erica led the way around the side of the house and climbed into the cab of a waiting truck. It was a battered and abused Mitsushima GX4, the one with the three axles and the flatbed extension. The hood was missing, as was all its glass. It looked fit only for scrap. Kate climbed inside and noted the wiring had been ripped out. She turned around and saw a few of Ben’s people getting ready to push.

  “Gas?” Kate said. “What about ignition?”

  “Not gas, diesel.”

  “Diesel?”

  Erica grinned. “We don’t have to worry about pollution here, Captain. A lot of the smaller farms save money by using fossil fuels to generate power. We ripped the turbine out of this and stuffed a diesel in her.” She shrugged. “It works—kind of.”

  Erica pulled on a pair of night-vision goggles, and gave the signal to start pushing. The truck needed a push to raise the compression for ignition, but once it was running, it drove like any hydro-turbine powered truck. Erica gunned the engine and launched the truck toward a hole in the dome. Kate grabbed the door handle to steady herself and winced as the
truck glanced off a broken dome support.

  “Hey, take it easy!”

  Erica laughed and cranked the wheel hard right. The truck slewed sideways and almost onto three wheels, but it didn’t roll. It crashed back down onto its balloon tyres and accelerated down the road like a missile. Kate gave Erica a dirty look and switched to light amplification. The night receded to a point where they might have been moving through an overcast day. In reality, they were racing at breakneck speed through utter darkness. Garnet was devoid of moons. The only light came from the stars, but it was enough for her systems to work with.

  “How did you join up?” Kate yelled over the rushing wind.

  “We fought back when they first came down. Not many of us survived, but those that did became the Corigin resistance. When my husband died, I took over from him, when I die, Ben will and so on until there’s none of us left.”

  There wasn’t much Kate could say. Erica obviously didn’t believe in the Alliance’s promise of liberation, or in her own survival. Millions had already died in the fighting. It was hard to blame her.

  In the early hours of the morning, Erica pulled off the road and stashed the truck where it wouldn’t be easily found. “We walk from here.”

  Erica led the way. Kate followed far enough back to keep her in sight, but not close enough to get caught up in an ambush with her. Her sensors were sweeping ahead of both of them, and twice she had to direct Erica wide to avoid enemy patrols. The Merki troopers had chosen the obvious demarcation point of the main dome as their patrol radius. It wasn’t hard to get inside; they simply waited for the patrol to pass by and then slipped in. Most of the buildings on the outskirts of the city were in ruins. The city’s defenders had chosen the area near the dome as their battleground; it had taken heavy damage. Rubble filled the streets and most of the buildings were burned out shells. Erica chose one at random and they went to ground to discuss the situation.

  “I’ll leave you here,” Erica said. “I need to get in position.”

  “Give me a time.”

  Erica checked her wristcomp. “Three.”

  Kate checked the time legend on her internal display. “Don’t be late.”