The interceptor had been attacked by a ground-to-air missile the dropship pilots voice could be heard in Alexeys helmet. The Lieutenant noticed the interceptor make a sharp evasive anti-missile maneuver, but then it disappeared out of sight. There was no sound of an explosion.
He evaded it, said the pilot. Hes lucky. Stop! One more missile. And one more
A sirens scream let the group know that their dropship was also under attack. The large and slow aircraft, unlike the interceptor, couldnt evade a missile, and the interceptor couldnt help because that pilot had his own problems.
The dropships pilot shot off a bunch of thermal and radio-location decoys, and directed his sluggish craft downward. But the missile didnt fall for the trick. The siren continued to scream, and on top of that was the loud clanking of the ramp going down and the noise of incoming air.
Jump, Lieutenant! the pilot was almost shouting. A ground-to-air missile is gonna hit us in about 20 seconds.
Alexey saw the missile coming from the back; its contrail clearly visible in the opening above the ramp that was drawn down. The missiles nose could already be seen. It approached steadily despite the decoys and the anti-missile system. Alexey understood they werent going to make it and jumping from that height would be suicide. But then something heavy struck him on his helmet and he couldnt even see straight. He noticed it was the Cadets armored elbow, and then a wild roar filled the compartment. The buzzing of the rotary machine-gun was unbearable, even with a helmet on, though Alexey didnt have time to pull down his visor. This hellish sound continued for just under a second. Then it all went quiet except the rattling of hundreds of cartridge cases rolling around the bay floor. Alexey heard them as if through a layer of cotton wool. The siren ceased and the ramp started closing. The dropship descended at full speed.
Lieutenant, Sir, the pilot was still in shock, his voice trembling, Your soldier brought down the missile. Thats impossible, but he did it. Were making an emergency landing. The interceptor wasn't so lucky: he had almost evaded the missile when it was blown up remotely, and pieces from it hit his plane and the pilot had to return to base. It remains to be seen if he can do so.
Alexeys gaze focused on the cadet who had fired while on his knee and now he was getting up to return to his seat.
How did you do it, Cadet? Ivans voice sounded more firmly than their ships pilot, and it seemed he had been in similar situations more than once. Alexey always liked his calm self-restraint, and he turned to the Cadet again, concerned with the answer no less than the Sergeant.
Lavroff sat down on his seat, secured his equipment, which was obviously not superfluous before the emergency landing as Alexey remarked to himself. Then he raised his helmet visor, which had been pulled down in time, and explained:
My helmets data processing system has a special co-processor for calculation of deflection thats used while firing on quick moving targets, and its interfaced with the visual recognition system. Then its connected to the exoskeletons pseudo muscular system that helps to aim the machine gun or the cannon. I just took up a position for shooting, identified the target, chose the weapon and pointed the machine gun at the missile. The equipment did the rest.
Have never heard about gear like that before began Shefferson, but he had no time to finish his sentence. The dropship touched down and it shook. There was no time for talking. The ramp went down abruptly and the landing started.
Chapter 1
Long before that
So, Colonel, how do you feel? there was clearly tension in General Clays voice.
Just the same for now, General, Sir, I smiled joylessly. The doctor thinks theres a bit more than one month of normal life left for me. Then my brain will start deteriorating at an increasing rate. As far as I understand nothing can be done.
Hmmm, the General clearly struggled for words, but then gave up and sat down on the bed's edge. Lets put aside ranks. Youre right, Dean. They dont know what to do. This is a new weapon. The enemy used it for the first time. Those who were at the epicenter saw their brains fried and fail immediately, and irreversibly. Your troop carrier just nicked the edge. At first, no one had any symptoms at all, some light-headedness at the most, but
Clay, addressing the General without ranks felt more appropriate. Ive got a request
Go ahead. I can deal with it.
Ill be fine for one more month. I saw the guys from the Hawk while I was on the rescue operation after the attack. I know what awaits me. I dont want to die slowly in a hospital like a vegetable. Im not just a planetary commando. Ive got experience commanding a squad of assault robots. A major counter-offensive was launched in the 17th sector. Let me land with the first wave of commandos on one of the planets occupied by the toads. I wont be able to command any human, thats understood, and Id never ask men to follow me to certain death. But to lead ten autonomous assault robots and to rage one last time thats another story. A warrior with no fear of death can save many soldiers.
My words got the general thinking. The look on his face didnt change, but there was a gleam of understanding in his eyes and, as it seemed to me, approval.
Fair enough. Although your case is unusual. Im not 100 percent sure, but Ill do my best to make it happen.
* * *
For three days I was left alone except for the standard daily check-ups and medical procedures that were unavoidable for patients at the hospital. Doctors averted their eyes from me, and so everything became quite clear. On the fourth day the General came again.
Get dressed. Quit warming up your ass here, the harsh words were an attempt to cover the awkwardness that Clay felt. Theres no point for a brigadier general to hang around here in the rear ward when his army has been assaulting Delta Kirsani for the second day already.
I dont understand, I looked at the General raising my eyebrow.
Aint nothing difficult to understand. For the recent operation you've been promoted to brigadier general earlier than planned. My congratulations, Sir. At the same time your new insignia is an extra headache for me. Your request has been considered in Fleet Headquarters. The Imperial Technological Consortium has just delivered 10 brand-new assault robots to the Armed Forces. They have to face testing under the most difficult conditions. This task was entrusted to you by headquarters. I had to rack my brains on how to appoint a brigadier general to a lieutenants post and not to seem as if I was fucking with the brains of all the captains, majors and colonels who will be your immediate supervisors.
So, you managed to do it, General, Sir? I gave him a little smile.
What else was I supposed to do? Heres the deal: you and your robots will form a strike platoon reporting directly to me as before. These assault robots are new and a secret weapon, so theyre not to be tested on the level of a battalion or even a regiment. Ill wait for you at the flyers lot near the main entrance. The hospital staff has been notified. Your new uniform will be brought here.
I wont say that I was very happy to know what lay ahead, but I was relieved. After all, death in battle thats honorable for a soldier, as well as for a general. Its much better than dying in a hospital, slobbering and wetting ones bed.
* * *
Nevertheless, I couldnt get everything done without messing with the minds of some officers. When I arrived to take command of my strike platoon I saw that the assault robots, which were still in their shipment packaging, were stored in a separate hangar under the guard of two boarding robots. I had to ask the technicians for assistance. Despite my rank those in charge of the logistic base clearly had enough of their own concerns, and had no time to bow and scrape before a visiting general, who with all due respect, is neither their commander nor inspector. I had a job to do, so I tended to it myself. The head of the local technical service, who appeared to be an elderly major, was extremely surprised to see a commando general at his office. Rather amused by the situation and keeping a straight face, I was the first to salute the major who came towards me from behind his desk.