Merkiaari Wars: 02 - What Price Honour

by Mark E. Cooper

  “Outstanding Katherine. Casualties?”

  “Captain Hames and one other, sir. Chrissie Roberts bought it.”

  Burgton sighed. “Copy that, Katherine. Meet me at the LZ.”

  “Will do, sir. Alpha Leader out.”

  “Gold One out.”

  * * *

  Chapter 25

  Zuleika Spaceport, Child of Harmony.

  James searched the empty sky for the source of the sound. Thunder? No, it was getting louder. Shima pointed behind him and he turned in time to see a pair of Nighthawks fly subsonic over the outskirts of the port. He flinched as the fighters accelerated through the sound barrier, the sonic boom echoing over the busy port as they climbed steeply. He watched the neon blue light of their twin afterburners until he lost them to distance.

  “Professor Wilder?”

  James recognised the black battle dress uniform of a viper Colonel. “Yes, sir,” he said to the approaching man, coming to a rough attention.

  “Let me introduce myself, Professor. I’m Colonel Flowers, Regimental Exec.” Flowers smiled and shook hands. “Call me Dan if you like. And who is your companion?”

  “Colonel, this is Shima.” James turned and translated for his friend. “Shima, this man is a Tei among the vipers. His name is Dan.”

  “But James,” Shima protested. “You have told me of the shock troops called vipers. You said the Alliance had no more.”

  “It seems I was mistaken my friend, and thank the harmonies I was.”

  “Tei’Dan, I… pleased am you here are,” Shima said in halting English and held up a paw.

  “Like a handshake, sir,” James explained. “Press your right palm to hers for a few moments.”

  Flowers did so without hesitation.

  “I greet you, Shima. May you live in harmony,” Flowers said in passable Shan, and James grunted in surprise. “I’m glad to finally meet one of your people face to face. Tei’Varyk’s brief went a long way to help us, but there’s nothing like the personal touch.”

  “Colonel, if I might ask,” James said. “How is it you speak Shan so well?”

  Flowers smiled ruefully. “Not so well, as you no doubt noticed, Professor, but good enough for now. My men and I uploaded the language on our way here.”

  He nodded, intrigued by the idea that Binder’s translation could be used by a viper’s internal computer system. It would be like having a built in translator.

  “You said Varyk is alive?”

  Flowers nodded. “Very much so. Canada picked him up from the wreckage of his ship. He was instrumental in arranging our presence here.”

  “And Tarjei?”

  “His mate?”

  James nodded.

  “She’s well. Tei’Varyk and the remnants of his crew received nano treatment before reaching Earth. There was some concern over cross-species infection I understand, but Canada’s surgeon took care of it.”

  “That’s great. I barely had time to get to know them both. They were the first Shan I ever met. I’m glad they survived.”

  James quickly translated for Shima. She was delighted and spoke rapidly to the others to tell them the good news. He listed for a moment before turning back to address the reason for his presence at the spaceport.

  “I know you’ve seen some fighting here, Colonel, but I have to warn you that the Merkiaari here are nothing compared with the new troops in the city.”

  “New troops?” Flowers said with a frown. “I don’t believe I understand, Professor.”

  “Call me James. My friends and I have been fighting here for months. The new troopers are extremely hard to kill, sir. They fight smarter than those you fought before. They have learned a lot from their previous defeat, Colonel. Too much for my piece of mind.”

  “Come with me. The General needs to hear this.”

  “But my men,” James said glancing back at what was left of Zuleika’s resistance movement. There were perhaps three hundred bedraggled people gaping at their surroundings, and flinching as the fighters screamed overhead on their way to bomb the known Merki infestations.

  Flowers’ expression softened. “I’ll assign you a couple of men. Take a half hour to get them settled and fed.”

  “Weapons Colonel, we need weapons. Our cell charger is in the city and what we have with us won’t last long.”

  “We’ll discuss that later. For now, get them bedded down in the east wing. I’ll come get you when the General has time for you.”

  James would have protested, but what was the point? He was in the presence of one of the Alliance’s greatest heroes as well as in the middle of a camp full of its elite troops. He nodded slowly and turned back to explain to his people.

  A few hours later, James was sitting at a table in a large room on the terminal building’s ground floor. Burgton was there along with his officers. Flowers was sitting next to the General, and both had worried faces. He didn’t blame them. He had learned since his arrival that there was only a single battalion of vipers in the system. Worse than that, they represented every combat capable viper the Alliance had available. Shima and James’ team leaders sat with him. He had explained that he wanted them nearby to back him up, and would go over what was said after the meeting. Their English was still too poor to make understanding easy, but he felt better facing so many vipers with a few of his own men with him.

  “Firstly,” Burgton began. “I am ordered to offer you a ride up to Victorious to rejoin the rest of the contact team, but I don’t think you’ll take it. Will you?”

  “No,” James said without hesitation. “I have responsibilities here.”

  “He is our Tei,” Shima said in heavily accented English, but the words were understandable.

  Burgton nodded. “As I thought. Now that’s out of the way, let us get down to business. Dan has briefed me on your claims—”

  “Not claims, facts,” James interrupted.

  “Claims,” Burgton said firmly. “They are claims until one of my people examines an example of your new Merki troopers. Having said that however, we will proceed on the assumption that they are indeed something new. Caution costs little. I need everything you have regarding them, Professor.”

  James nodded. He was relieved that Burgton was willing to listen. He interlocked his fingers, and leaned forward intently.

  “I don’t know if you know this, but one of my fields is history. I assure you that I know what I’m talking about, General. The troops you fought were tough, there’s no disputing that, but they were also stupid. You agree?”

  Burgton smiled. “Up to a point, yes. The females always seemed more intelligent. The males were never deep thinkers. They were unsound tactically, and needed close supervision and guidance. We used that to our advantage time and again.”

  James nodded. “We’ve always known they breed for certain traits, General. Unlike the Shan caste system—which I have come to admire the more I learn of it by the way—the Merkiaari system is rigid with well drawn boundaries. The fighting males and females are bred for strength and endurance. Their commanders are bred for speed and intelligence; that’s why they’re generally smaller.”

  “But you say things have changed?”

  “They have, General, that they have. They have learned that strong but stupid soldiers are a liability when fighting people like us. Killing the leaders no longer confuses them. I’ve put this to the test many times, General. Kill a patrol leader, and before he hits the ground, another trooper will have taken his place and given new orders. Not only are they more intelligent, they’re just as strong as they ever were. Worse, I’ve seen them heal from wounds that should have killed them.”

  “Regenerating you said,” Flowers put in.

  James nodded. “They keep fighting despite unbelievable wounds, and if they don’t die immediately, they regenerate very quickly.”

  “Nanotech?” Burgton asked uneasily.

  James shrugged. “Their version perhaps, or something we’ve never heard of. It doesn’t
matter.”

  Burgton pursed his lips. “No, I suppose not. We had considered sending two companies to Harmony, but I think all four will be needed here.”

  “I think you’re right, General, but what of the people living on Harmony?”

  “I’m afraid there aren’t many left—at least not out in the open. The Keeps are shielded from our sensors, so we can’t know how many may be inside, but I’m sure there must be a great many survivors. ”

  “But you can’t be sure,” James said, feeling sick.

  “No I can’t, but I can tell you there are roughly twenty divisions of Merkiaari left on Harmony—in the region of two hundred thousand troopers, and they’re scattered all over the planet. They’ll not be easy to track and remove.”

  “Can it be done?”

  Burgton nodded. “Eventually yes, but not just yet. It seems they hit Harmony first, and then moved here taking the greater portion of their forces with them. The damage is already done. We can do little to change that, so I propose to concentrate on matters here while there is still something to save.”

  James frowned. “I know we have no more than a single division here in Zuleika.” That was an estimate based on enemy landings. He knew how many troopers were customarily transported aboard their landers. He had based his figures on that, possibly out of date, knowledge. “I only know what our couriers have managed to sneak out as far as the other cities are concerned.”

  Flowers nodded. “Child of Harmony has the equivalent of thirty divisions. That works out to roughly three hundred fists.”

  “Three hundred,” James gasped. There were a thousand troopers to a Fist. That meant there was close to three hundred thousand Merkiaari on the ground.

  Burgton smiled at his shock. “A planet is a big place, Professor. Three hundred fists is nothing on that scale, but it does pose us some problems.”

  “Problems… I should think it does!”

  “Not what you’re thinking, I assure you. Three hundred fists split over two main continents, the small island chains are so far untouched by the way, gives us plenty of opportunities to hurt them. We have air superiority including full satellite surveillance. We have the ability to move our forces quickly and with impunity. We have complete control of the system, and resupply from orbit is not a concern. Fifth Fleet has been alerted, and will be here in a matter of months, but in that time we should have the situation here dealt with.”

  James shook his head gently. “I admire your confidence, General, but I can’t agree with an estimation based on old intelligence. Your information was gained two hundred years ago. Until I see Zuleika cleared, I have to doubt that you can do what you say. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Professor,” Burgton said. “It could be as you say, but I choose to believe otherwise. Either way, we need to clean out the enemy from Zuleika as soon a possible. This port is mine. I’ll not let them have it back. It’s too important.”

  James nodded. “I agree.”

  They needed the port for the fighters to rearm and refuel. Supplies would be delivered here form orbit, and troops would embark transports here on their way to battle Merkiaari in cities thousands of kilometres away. It was the only intact port left on the planet.

  “With all this in mind,” Burgton went on. “I have ordered Charlie and Delta Companies down from Grafton. We will commence full scale operations to remove the Merki infestation of Child of Harmony at sunrise tomorrow…”

  Infestation?

  Burgton sounded like a Merki discussing the vermin they were about to exterminate. They were the enemy, true, but they weren’t animals. They were thinking breathing beings, not some kind of insect to be crushed. James hoped he never viewed them in such a light.

  “…and the fighters have already begun softening up the bases and outposts uncovered so far. They will continue their efforts. Sutherland’s fighters will be on standby, and available to support us as and when necessary.” Burgton glanced at the Shan and then back at James. “Ask them if they realise their city will be badly damaged.”

  “They won’t care,” James said.

  “Ask them any way,” Flowers said for his General.

  James shrugged and turned to Shima. “Tei’Burgton wishes me to tell you that Zuleika will be badly damaged when they attack tomorrow. He wants me to ask if you realise this.”

  “The city is nothing,” Shima said in surprise. “You should know this by now, James. The Great Harmony isn’t buildings or cities, it’s a way of life. As long as some of my people survive, Harmony will endure. Destroy the city, James, if that is what it takes to save my people—destroy them all.”

  James smiled grimly. “I do know it my friend, but these other humans do not. I can tell you now, they will not hit the cities from orbit. It’s forbidden by the Accords.”

  “Even when the Murderers are the only ones living there?”

  “It makes no difference who the target is, Shima. When the Merki War was at its height and things became desperate, nuclear weapons were used not just in space but on captured cities as well. It doesn’t matter now who began that policy, only the aftermath matters. A beautiful planet called Kushiel was invaded, and its cities taken. Our forces were spread too thin. The Fleet couldn’t help without risking other worlds nearby. It was decided by the people living on Kushiel, that if they couldn’t win, they wouldn’t let the Merkiaari win either. Mutual annihilation… you understand the concept?”

  Shima’s ears were tight against her skull. “I understand the words, but…”

  James nodded. “I know. It’s a terrible thing, but they were desperate. They thought the Merkiaari would give up and leave if they proved to them they were willing to destroy the cities themselves. They were wrong. After the first two cities were destroyed, the Merkiaari did withdraw their forces to orbit, but then they rained destruction on the planet in a nuclear bombardment that lasted many days.

  “You see, Shima, they understood the concept better than we did. They destroyed every living thing on the planet in retaliation. Its atmosphere, what’s left of it, is still poisonous to this day. The planet will never recover. Shortly after what happened on Kushiel became widely known, both sides stopped all use of nuclear weapons in planetary environments. In the Alliance, all members were required to sign the Accords. We don’t know what the Merkiaari chose to do, but the result was the same. The Accords state that the Fleet will visit any nation or planet, making war on another in such a fashion. Its cities would be destroyed, and its population eradicated by nuclear bombardment. It has never been put to the test.”

  Shima’s ears struggled to rise, but then flattened again. She drew in a sharp breath. “A hard thing, this Accord. Humans are a strange people, James. Your ships could devastate every city on Child of Harmony without loss, but instead you choose to fight on the ground, and will perhaps die for us.”

  “It’s our way,” James said with an apologetic smile.

  “What did she say, Professor?” Burgton asked.

  James had a feeling that Burgton already knew, but he played along. “She said what I expected she would say. Asking any Shan that question would receive the same response. Her answer is, and I quote: destroy every city if that is what it takes to save my people.”

  There was a profound silence among Burgton’s men. The only sound was Shima discussing the situation quietly with the others.

  “I see,” Burgton said finally. “You told her about the Accords.”

  “I did, and she understands the reasons behind them. For my part, I believe the Accords must stand in their present form. Any weakening of the Alliance’s resolve regarding orbital bombardment will lead us all to disaster.”

  Burgton studied James and his friends in silence, but then he said, “There will be no orbital bombardment.”

  There were sighs from the other officers in the room, as if the decision had been in doubt. James glanced at Flowers, but received nothing but a blank-faced stare in return.

  Burgton b
egan laying out his plans. “First Battalion will clear Zuleika, thereby safeguarding my spaceport. We will then begin the work of liberating the rest of the planet. You and your people may assist us or not as you choose, Professor, but I take no responsibility for their safety. I will not endanger my people needlessly by tasking them with your protection. I strongly suggest you leave this fight to us.”

  “No,” James said simply.

  “Fine,” Burgton said, sounding not in the least surprised. “Colonel Flowers will issue you and your people with body armour and weapons that you may use. As I’m sure you’re aware, viper weaponry and equipment is somewhat different to the standard Alliance gear. We don’t have much you can use, but what we have you’re welcome to.”

  “The armour is welcome, General… if it can be modified to fit my men that is, but what we really need are power cells or the means to recharge those we have.”

  “We have nothing to fit those pistols of yours, Professor, but Colonel Flowers will arrange for a charging station to be modified to suit your needs. Give him the specs after this meeting.”

  “I will, sir, and thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me,” Burgton said without so much as a flicker of emotion. “You will likely die of my generosity.”

  “But still I thank you,” James said, this time more solemnly.

  “Two fighter wings will over fly the city at dawn tomorrow, and bomb the main concentrations of the enemy detected yesterday by satellite. That will be followed by an artillery and rocket barrage set up near the old Merki fortifications that Captain Richmond secured for us. The launchers and artillery pieces are being off loaded for that as we speak. Alpha and Bravo will attack from the north simultaneously, while Charlie and Delta will swing wide and come in from the west and east respectively.” Burgton eyed James thoughtfully. “The… resistance will tag along with Alpha and Bravo, which will carry the brunt of the attack until Charlie and Delta can flank the Merkiaari. If all goes well, tomorrow evening should see us mopping up stragglers. Questions?”