The jerk actually did me a favor, Richard thought.
“Well, don’t just stand there gawking, cadet,” said Sergeant Ron with a friendly shove towards a workbench to the right of the Tomcat. “Get a move on. You’ve only got twenty-three minutes until you have to be in the training area. Your battle suit’s on the workbench.”
Richard didn’t need to be told twice. He was aware of the time limitations. Sergeant Ron had saved him several minutes by picking him up in the tanker truck. However, Richard knew he’d still be hard pressed making it to the training area in time. He began stripping off his jumpsuit top as he ran towards the workbench.
Nick, are you there? Richard thought.
I’m here, Rick, came the reply from his battle computer. What kept you? You know I hate being pressed for time. We need time to plan.
You’re always telling me you think at nanosecond speed, Richard said. I’m confident you will probably have a dozen or more plans before I finish donning my battle suit.
I only think at nanosecond speed on my slow days, Nickelo laughed. I can think a whole lot faster when necessary. And, it just so happens I have twenty-two possible plans laid out already. However, they all require you to be inside the Tomcat to work. So, you need to start hustling, oh greatest of wizard scouts.
Kicking off his boots, jumpsuit, and underwear, Richard hurriedly began pulling on his battle suit. He sealed the battle suit’s upper and lower sections together. He felt a prickly sensation all over his body as the suit’s seventeen thousand plus thread-needles inserted themselves into his body. The thread-needles connected the battle suit to Richard’s nerves so the suit felt like a second layer of skin. Automatic filters in the battle suit kept sensations from becoming too painful. However, the filters still allowed him to perform delicate maneuvers including picking up a single grain of rice if the need arose. He could even read braille through the battle suit’s gloves.
Placing his battle helmet on his head, Richard said, Seal me up, Nick.
The battle helmet changed shape, and it extended down the sides of his head and around his neck until it merged with the top of his battle suit. A red glow appeared in front of Richard’s eyes as the helmet’s filter formed a visor. The filter was actually a mini force field incorporated with a multitude of sensors. The filter could be switched between sensors in order to detect light, radiation, thermal, or even sonic vibrations. Standard procedures for wizard scouts were to keep their night vision filter activated even during daylight hours. According to their TAC officers, by doing so, it wouldn’t matter to a wizard scout whether it was daylight, nighttime, foggy, raining, or snowing. They’d always be used to sensing their surroundings in the same manner. During the last three years, Richard had found his TAC officers’ reasoning to be true. However, he’d never admit it to them. Besides, he tended to cheat sometimes and use his battle helmet’s clear visor so he could see the world in a more natural view.
As the battle helmet sealed, tubes forced their way into Richard’s nostrils and mouth as well as his other body openings. Richard barely paid attention. The first time he’d been sealed in his suit, he’d fought the invasive tubes. At the time, he thought he was going to die. Each new cohort at the Academy normally did have a couple of cadets die when they were first introduced to their battle suits. Richard assumed the Empire wrote their deaths off as training accidents. He wondered if the cadet’s parents ever knew their child suffocated to death boxed up alone inside a battle suit. Richard shrugged the thought off. He needed to get to work.
Charlie held the ladder as Richard clambered up towards the top of the Tomcat’s head. The upper-entry hatch was already open. Before Richard could enter the Tomcat, Charlie gave a yell.
“Here,” said Charlie through the translator hooked to his belt. “You’ll need this.”
The old lizard threw a bundle of straps and buckles up to Richard. It was an interface harness. Richard shook out the harness and strapped it over his battle suit. He arranged the harness so the metallic buckles and computer access points were located on his shoulders and sides. Once he was satisfied with the fit, Richard slid feet first down the circular opening in the Tomcat’s head. It was a tight fit, but he made it easily enough.
When he was inside, Richard said, Not much room in here, is there, Nick?
There doesn’t need to be, said Nickelo. It’s similar to the Warcat scout. There’s no console or seat. Just connect your interface harness and you’re ready to go.
Richard knew it wasn’t quite that simple. While he’d not had a chance to pilot a Tomcat, he’d piloted Warcat scouts on several occasions. Richard liked the Warcats, and he hoped the Tomcat would prove to be as easy to drive.
Grabbing a thick, black cord on one of the Tomcat’s walls, Richard plugged the end into the corresponding point on his interface harness. He quickly followed suit with other connectors. Once he was hooked in, Richard thought the command to close the Tomcat’s hatch. The hatch closed, and a clear liquid began filling the area within the pilot’s compartment.
Without an environmental suit, a pilot would drown in the toxic liquid, but Richard was not concerned. His battle suit was a self-contained environment. Its recycling systems supplied him with everything needed from air to nutrients. According to the Academy’s technicians, wizard scouts could theoretically stay in their battle suits their whole lives. The battle suit would recycle the wizard scout’s body wastes and reintroduce the recycled nutrients and water back into the wearer’s system via the suit’s thread-needles.
Theory aside, Richard hoped he never had to remain in his battle suit for a long period of time. As he’d told his battle computer on many occasions, his battle suit would keep him alive, but it wouldn’t be a very comfortable life.
Once the pilot’s compartment was completely filled, Richard sensed energy flow into the liquid. The liquid’s consistency changed to a gel. Richard raised his right arm. The Tomcat’s interface sensed the change in the gel and raised its right arm in a movement corresponding exactly to Richard’s. He raised his left arm. The Tomcat’s left weapon’s pod moved accordingly. Twisting to the left and right, Richard saw his field of vision through the cockpit window shift as the Tomcat’s torso shifted in response.
Nickelo, Richard said. Are you connected to the Tomcat’s computer?
Roger, said Nickelo. I’ve been given a special security interface for this training mission. I’m connected to the Tomcat via the tele-network.
The tele-network allowed computers from one end of the galaxy to the other to communicate with each other instantaneously. From experience, Richard knew the tele-network even extended into other dimensions. Almost all of the Empire’s computers were connected to the tele-network. Nickelo was an exception. The Empire’s central computer didn’t allow Richard’s battle computer to connect directly to the tele-network. According to Nickelo, the central computer thought Nickelo had been corrupted emotionally by his close association with Richard. As far as Richard could determine, the central computer was concerned Nickelo might corrupt other parts of the tele-network if he was allowed to connect directly. Consequently, Nickelo could only connect to the tele-network when the central computer provided a special security interface created for a specific mission.
“Sergeant Ron,” Richard said using the Tomcat’s external speakers. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Roger that,” said Sergeant Ron as he gave Richard a thumbs up. “Charlie, move that ladder before this crazy cadet tramples all over it.”
Looking up at Richard through the Tomcat’s cockpit window, Sergeant Ron yelled, “Give em hell, Rick. Just make sure you don’t damage my Tomcat. I want it back in one piece at the end of the day.”
Richard raised his right hand in acknowledgment to Sergeant Ron. The Tomcat raised its right arm with the 20mm chain gun in response. Then Richard walked towards the hangar door.
He called me Rick, Richard thought. I didn’t even know the old fart knew my name.
I guess that goes to show you don’t know everything, Rick, said Nickelo. Now, keep it to a walk until we clear the taxiway. It’s so hot outside you’ll tear up the asphalt if you try to run.
Roger that, Richard said.
The urban training area was on the other side of the airfield about five kilometers beyond hangar 2. Richard silently cursed TAC Officer Myers. He had no doubt his TAC officer had intentionally assigned him a cat in a hangar as far from the training site as possible. Richard knew for a fact that hangar 3 had two Tomcats he could’ve used instead.
How’s our time, Nick? Richard said. Will we make it in time?
It’ll be close, Rick, said Nickelo. But, I calculate a ninety-eight percent probability we’ll be in position with at least forty-six seconds to spare. Now, less talk and more walk.
Roger that, Richard said as he sped up his pace to the maximum he thought the airfield’s asphalt could handle. He looked across the airfield at his destination far off in the distance. Even at max speed he had a feeling it was going to be close.
Chapter 4 – Three Against One
_____________________________________
Enemy armor is approaching from your nine, eleven, and two o’clock positions, wizard scout. Recommend you take immediate evasive action.
I see them, Nick, Richard said to his battle computer as he looked at the red, orange, and yellow dots on his battle helmet’s heads-up display. I’m assuming the red is the heavy cat, orange is the medium, and yellow the light scout.
Affirmative, Rick, said Nickelo. I calculate an eighty-four percent probability your friend Jerad is in a light Warcat scout.
At three meters, the Warcat was the smallest and most lightly armed of any of the U.H.A.A.V.s. The Warcat only had a small-caliber plasma rifle and two anti-armor missiles for defense. It was designed for stealth operations in areas containing advanced detection equipment. Even wizard scouts had trouble detecting a Warcat when it was operating in stealth mode.
I’d say you’re probably right, Nick, Richard said. Jerad’s got more experience in cats than anyone in the cohort. He’s too good of a leader to put himself in one of the heavier cats and leave his troops with the lighter protection. I suspect he put Telsa in the heavy cat and Tam in the medium-utility cat.
I concur with your analysis, said Nickelo. That could work to your advantage. Your Tomcat is a light cat. It’s got speed, maneuverability, and decent firepower. If you can stay away from Jerad in his Warcat scout, you may be able to work your way behind Telsa or Tam. They’re as bad at handling cats as you. In fact, Telsa’s even worse. She should be an easy kill even if she’s in a heavy cat.
Thanks for the vote of confidence, old buddy, Richard said with only a little sarcasm. He was well aware of his shortcomings in piloting a cat. Fortunately, the control interface for the Tomcat was fairly intuitive.
Give me a rundown on the locations of all the cats and possible courses of actions, Richard said.
Analysis indicates the other two cats facing you are a Long Cat medium-utility cat and a Kraken heavy cat, said Nickelo. As you said, Jerad’s probably in a Warcat. It’s lighter armed than your Tomcat, but it’s faster, and it has superb stealth capabilities. If Tam’s in a Long Cat like I think, then you’re really in trouble. Its primary weapon is a 200mm phase cannon. Tam’s an expert shot.
Tell me about it, Richard said. He’d seen Tam at the gunnery range often enough to have a deep respect for her marksmanship.
But being in a larger cat has its disadvantages, said Nickelo continuing with his analysis. The Long Cat’s seven meter height means Tam will have a harder time hiding. Of course, that’s counterbalanced a little by the two sets of anti-armor rockets on the Long Cat’s shoulders.
So was that supposed to be good news to cheer me up? Richard said.
I don’t remember saying there was any good news, said Nickelo. If you look at your heads-up display, you’ll notice the Long Cat has taken up position at the end of the next street. I calculate a fifty-eight percent probability Tam will stay there as a sort of pillbox to provide fire support for the two other cats. You might be able to work your way up the street using your Tomcat’s maneuverability to dodge rounds, but I wouldn’t want to bet my life on it.
Neither would I, agreed Richard. What about the Warcat scout? Assuming Jerad’s in it, what’s his most probable course of action?
The urban training area consists of eight city blocks by eight city blocks, said Nickelo. The Warcat scout is designed especially for urban fighting. I’m plotting my best guess on the Warcat’s position on your heads-up display with a yellow dot. It’s based upon intermittent readings. The Warcat’s actual position could easily be two or three blocks from the point shown on your heads-up display. If I was Jerad’s battle computer, I’d recommend he perform a flanking movement to get behind you. With Jerad’s previous experience with armor, I estimate you have about four minutes before you’ll be caught in a cross fire. The Warcat’s antipersonnel weapons can’t hurt you, but its two shoulder-mounted rockets can put you out of action. I calculate Jerad will try to push you into the kill zone of Tam’s Long Cat.
And the heavy cat? Richard said.
The Kraken heavy cat is easy to trace, said Nickelo. It appears to be making its way down the street behind us and one street over. Based upon its erratic movements, I’d say Telsa is having a difficult time steering it. Its six legs and four weapons’ tentacles are difficult for even experienced armor-pilots to control. Assuming Telsa’s at the controls, I’d say there’s an eighty-nine percent probability she’ll take the Kraken to the end of the intersection on your right and set up a blocking position. If you don’t make it past the intersection before she gets there, she’ll have a clear field of fire if you try to maneuver up the street towards Tam’s Long Cat.
Richard considered his options. He attached the 20mm chain gun in the Tomcat’s right claw to its holder on his side. Using the right arm of his cat for support, Richard bent the Tomcat down and started crawling into a large hole in the closest building. The opening looked like a bombed-out section of the wall, but Richard was pretty sure the hole had been created by the Academy’s engineers.
Once through the building’s outer wall, Richard rose to a crouching position. The guts of the building were a spider web of metal support beams crisscrossing between the walls and ceiling.
This may take longer than I thought, Richard said as his left weapon’s pod caught on a support beam and tore it loose from the wall.
Moving forward, Richard reached the end of the building. He opened a passive scan and allowed the life-force energy of his surroundings to seep into his mind. As a wizard scout, Richard had two types of scans. His passive scan was similar to hearing in that all he had to do was sense the life force, or Power, of his surroundings. Everything living or non-living released at least a little bit of Power. By sensing the released energy, Richard could tell a lot about things around him. His passive scan confirmed the presence of two large energy readings; one to his front and one to his rear.
Richard concentrated on the Power to his front which he assumed was the Long Cat. He looked for the subtle differences between the Power emanating from the non-living Long Cat and the Power coming from the living occupant inside. He concentrated on the living occupant. Richard had trouble separating the energy frequencies, but finally he sensed a trace of Power he recognized as Tam.
We guessed right, Richard said. The pilot of the Long Cat is Tam. We’re going to have to work on her stealth shield some more. I’m not complaining, but I shouldn’t be able to sense her at all with her best stealth shield activated.
That’s true to a degree, said Nickelo. But, you have an advantage since you’ve helped your friends with their stealth shields so much.
Richard thought about it. He’d spent many hours of free time with Tam improving her stealth shield. A wizard scout’s primary job was reconnaissance. This required getting in and out of enemy territory undetected. A wizard scout�
�s stealth shield was the best line of defense against detection. Everything, including wizard scouts, released at least a residual amount of Power. A stealth shield prevented most of that residual Power from escaping. No shield could prevent all Power from escaping, but it could prevent a lot. This made it difficult for creatures or electronic devices to detect the source of the Power.
I calculate you have about two minutes max before the Warcat scout will be here, said Nickelo. If you’re going to do something about the Long Cat, you need to do it now.
I hear you, Nick, Richard said.
Richard was now at the end of the building facing the side street. In one direction, the side street connected with the street the Long Cat was covering. In the other direction, the side street connected with the street the Kraken was on. For whatever reason, Telsa had not brought her Kraken any closer. Still, Richard figured even though the Kraken was stationary, Telsa probably had the length of the street covered with the Kraken’s primary weapons. Richard had no doubt it would be game over if he so much as stuck one of the legs of his cat out into the street. He needed to avoid the Kraken at all costs until he had taken care of Tam’s Long Cat.
The building he was in had several large storefront windows facing the side street. The windows were blown out. Richard took advantage of the openings by crouching even lower and slipping out into an alleyway. Fortunately, the alley was not visible from the Long Cat’s position. Once he was in the alley, Richard eyed the intersection to his right. He couldn’t help feeling exposed. It was the street occupied by the Kraken.
We’ve got to protect our rear before we can take on the Long Cat, Nick, Richard said. This Tomcat has eight anti-armor mines. Do you think that would be enough to prevent Telsa from getting the Kraken through here?
Wizard Scout (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 3) Page 4
