War To The Knife by Grant Peter

Author:Grant, Peter [Grant, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fynbos Press
Published: 2014-06-07T18:30:00+00:00

March 31st 2850 GSC, 00:00

CARISTO: ON THE HILLSIDE ABOVE THE GARRISON

Dave pulled the command headset over his eyes, and blinked at the sudden visual overload. A schematic of the garrison buildings was laid out before him, transmitted from the sensors of the hoversat they’d launched to fly directly overhead. Icons showed the position of each member of the attacking unit, and each building was labeled with its purpose, size, and the number of people it was supposed to contain.

“Damn, this is a useful little toy!” he whispered to Sergeant Hein beside him. “I wish I’d had it available for some previous operations. Now I understand why some of our ambushes failed, if the Bactrians were using this sort of thing against us.”

“Is everyone safely tucked up in bed, Sir?” Hein asked. The NCO and Corporal Bujold had stuck to him like glue during the approach, and accompanied him to the overwatch position without bothering to ask for permission or approval. Dave knew they were quite prepared to ‘sit on his chest’, as the Sergeant-Major had put it, and make him behave if they had to.

“Everyone except those in the guardroom and whoever’s in the Captain’s office – its light is on, but with the blinds closed I can’t see who’s inside. Let me check the outlying areas.” Dave expanded the area of surveillance. The hoversat’s sensors scanned the entire area within the fence surrounding the base, but showed no sources of body heat or movement. “Looks like nobody’s out and about,” he confirmed.

Hein observed, “Now that their Captain’s gone, taking the best troops with him – not that that’s saying much, mind you – most of the others are probably drunk.”

“Let’s hope so,” Corporal Bujold whispered from Dave’s far side. “In a way I guess they’re lucky. Hangovers usually make me feel as if I want to die. They’re going to experience the reality before the feeling can set in!” Dave and Hein snorted in subdued amusement.

As the time display in the headset ticked down the minutes, Dave watched the icons representing his assault team. They’d spread out to their assigned positions smoothly and silently. He knew that Sergeant-Major Deacon would initiate the attack on schedule, and all he had to do was sit back and watch; but he couldn’t help feeling – irrationally, he knew – as if he were somehow letting his people down by not being there with them.

~ ~ ~

TAPURIA: COMMAND BUNKER

Lieutenant Yazata replaced the comm handset with a grimace of distaste as she turned to the Major in command of the evening watch. “Caristo has nothing to report, Sir.”

“Very well. You seem unhappy about something?”

“I think the Sergeant-Major to whom I spoke had been drinking, Sir.”

He shrugged. “Hardly surprising in a punishment posting like that. Caristo was the last one, right?”

“Yes, Sir. None of our outlying garrisons have seen any sign of increased rebel activity.”

“Good.” The man’s voice was brusque. She knew he resented her running the Military Governor’s errands, thereby denying him the opportunity

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