Outsystem (Aeon 14) (34 page)
Read Outsystem (Aeon 14) Online
Authors: M. D. Cooper
Tanis laid out the scenario to her two squads. Taylor spoke up as soon as she was done.
The two men dashed from their position, rolling and sliding across open spaces to present the smallest targets possible. The power junction was on a catwalk seven meters above the deck and while a few crates rose higher, much of their climb would be in the open.
“Good luck,” Tanis whispered.
< C’mon Marines, let’s lay down one hell of a distraction.>
In a coordinated effort, grenades were lobbed and fire spewed out of assault rifles and slug throwers to hide the movements and destination of Taylor and Weber. Combat net showed they were almost at their goal and just had the climb ahead of them. Tanis saw they had opted to
scale the back of a radioactive waste storage container rather than take the more exposed ladder along the wall. It would be quite the leap to the catwalk, but the two men must have thought they could make it.
Tanis swung a probe into their area to see a pair of the enemy on the opposite side of the container the
Marines were climbing. She sent the feed to Weber. Upon reaching the top of the container he crouched and lobbed two conc grenades over the far side. Twin blasts ripped apart several crates and Weber leaned over the top and delivered a barrage of slugs from his assault rifle before continuing with blasts from his pulse rifle, while his automatic reloader fed fresh ammunition into the AR.
Taylor had used the distraction to make the leap to the catwalk. He crouched low, unfastening the cover to t
he power conduit’s coupling. A plasma pellet hit the catwalk near him, half blasting and half melting a portion of the structure away. The unsteady surface shook and swayed, but Taylor held his position while Weber threw his last grenade at the attacker who had made the shot.
or the ring, but we’ll all die.>
Three minutes is cutting it damn close, though.>
Her words were emphasized by a
slight rumble that passed through the deck plate as the ring made magnetic grapple with the
Intrepid.
Marines were once again in danger of being flanked.
Things were getting tense; the fireteams were pulled back as tight as they could manage around the comm shack, but the plasma rails were chewing up the cover. Tanis was trying to bring in more cargo, but their attackers had wised up and were shooting any haulers or grav pads they saw.
A low boom echoed through the dock and Tanis knew that the
Intrepid
had completed its docking procedure. It was just over a minute early. Any moment now the ES shield would drop and the trigger mechanism would fire. She saw the Marines all shift, their posture showing that they were taking a last stand approach to the fight. They’d go down as heroes.
“We’re so fucking close,” Dvorak swore. “Just one more goddamn minute and we’ll have this bastard cracked.”
Behind the Marines the ES shield at the cargo hatch snapped off and the
Intrepid
’s
doors began to slide open.
Of course! she thought. The dampening field wasn’t set up to block the focused beams between the comm system and the
Intrepid
. The opening iris had established those connections and since Angela was deep in the comm system she was subsequently linked with her ship.
Intrepid
itself, stepping in to disable the device. The vast mind that powered the ship broke through the trigger failsafes and seized its processes. Angela, Trist and Dvorak let out simultaneous cry of delight on the combat net and a moment later the waveform guides in the communications array exploded in a shower of sparks and debris.
<
Bob’s pretty happy that you all have gone to such lengths to protect him and the ship’s passengers,>
Amanda said.
by all these guys with guns,>
Perez said.
Joe’s voice came over the combat net. Tanis turned to see him entering the dock at the head of over two hundred soldiers in full combat gear. Within moments they had taken up positions around the Marines and were laying fire into the enemy.
Tanis had never been so happy to see anyone in all her life.
STELLAR DATE: 3227348 / 01.30.4124 (Adjusted Gregorian)
LOCATION:
GSS Intrepid
, Callisto Orbital Habitat (Cho)
REGION:
Jovian Combine, Sol Space Federation
“We were pretty sure something suspicious was going on when we couldn’t find you and General Grissom said you’d gone rogue after attacking Strang,” Captain Andrews said. “You may be a bit impulsive, but that tale was a stretch.”
“Ring security couldn’t find you, and we couldn’t get a comm signal from the guards at the dock,
even though TSF told us they were checking in regularly,” Terrance added. “We were getting one hell of a run-around.”
Tanis was sitting at the table in the bridge’s confe
rence room with Terrance, Joe, Captain Andrews and Admiral Sanderson. With the additional forces Joe had brought to the battle on the docks, the attackers had been overwhelmed and surrendered. However, things were still a mess. Grissom was demanding Tanis be turned over to his command on the ring, and Strang had not been indicted for abducting her. With all sides of the tale coming out it was becoming obvious that Grissom was in Strang’s pocket.
“So, we were ready for just about anything when that dock opened up, hence the rather large armed force at my back,” Joseph said. “Can’t say how glad I was to see you there still kicking.”
“That’s me.” Tanis smiled. “I’m a kicker.” She realized that statement could have been misconstrued. “Er, well, figuratively speaking.”
She couldn’t help but notice a wry look from Joe. Ever
yone else pretended to ignore the statement and the look.
“Glad we got there when we did,” Terrance said. “We owe you, Major Richards. We owe you several times over.”
“That we do,” Sanderson growled. “I’ve got calls in to several individuals up the chain of command demanding Grissom’s head. Things will come to light very shortly, and they won’t go well for him—that I can promise you.”
“Lucky for me Angela is rated A97 incorruptible, or it would be my word against a TSF division’s that Strang assaulted me,” Tanis said. “As it sits, it’s still going to take some doing, I imagine.”
“We had some of our own excitement as well,” Joe said. “Turns out there was a bit of sabotage in the scoop’s main systems. If we hadn’t caught it, it would have activated and caused some pretty serious damage to Callisto.”
“Really?” Tanis asked. “Did we find who did it?”
“Ouri is working on it. So far everything points to some contractors back on MOS. Everyone onboard checks out.”
“I’ve just got word that Grissom has been relieved pending further investigation.” Tanis saw Sanderson smile for the first time. “It would seem that internal affairs has been keeping an eye on him for some time. He made official insubordination charges against you, and those are still standing, but I believe I can get those dropped even if he’s cleared.”
“Strang really has grown desperate to stop us,” Captain Andrews said. “His little plan here was frankly nuts—chancing millions of deaths to take us out.”
“There’s even a twenty-one percent chance that the field could have destroyed another ring.” Terrance’s expression was grim. “While Sanderson is taking
action through military channels I’ve filed over three hundred civil complaints against Strang, Grissom, several local security firms, and…well, you get the picture. There are going to be court battles for decades over this.”
“Not that we’ll really care,” Tanis said. “We’ll be long gone by then.”
Terrance had that smile again, the one that reminded Tanis he was the owner of a multiworld corporation for a reason. “We won’t, but I promise you that they will care very much.”
Tanis looked over the assembled men. “I really can’t say enough how glad I am that you decided to tak
e every precaution when docking.”
“Well.” Terrance wore his nicer, human smile. “Like I said, you deserve some thanks too. Without your work we wouldn’t have made it to Callisto, let alone survived today.”
“You really have the
Intrepid
to thank,” Tanis said. “Even with all of my efforts, without his intervention at the last moment it would have all been worthless.”
“Let’s just say that it was a group effort.” Joe smiled. “And I’m betting that it will be the STR’s last volley at us. It’s smooth sailing from here.”
“Aw, damn it!” Tanis put head in her hands. “Now look what you’ve done!”
