Tears of Kerberos (3 page)

“Well, once we’re fully reinforced there will only be so many positions available. Traditionally the post is based partially on service time and partially on merit. You’ll have to compete with the old timers. My suggestion is just keep doing what you do well and I’m sure the job will be yours. Think of this as an opportunity to make your rank more...permanent,” he said with a look that told Spartan exactly what he needed to hear.

The Captain stepped in a little closer as if he had something important he needed to say but didn’t want to be overheard.

“A number of the officers have mentioned your tactical use of the engineers in combat and we have already been authorised to assign Daniels use of the full company’s worth of equipment for this operation. It will give him enough equipment for a full platoon. We’ve only used the gear for sappers’ work so far but you have already proved the combat effectiveness of the armour and strength, both on the ground and in zero-g environments. I think the Lieutenant would appreciate your support in their use on the drop. The techs on board have already started to modify some of the armour based on your exploits. Apparently, Spartan, you retrofitted weapons during one of the training exercises?”

“Well, I’m not sure that using gaffer tape to strap training weapons to engineering gears really qualified as retrofitting, Sir.”

“Really? You have a lot to learn then!” the Captain laughed.

The two men continued towards the side of the hall, only a few marines remained, some were making notes or discussing the upcoming operation with their officers.

“Did you say an entire platoon, Sir?” asked a surprised Spartan, still unsure as to what was going on.

“Yes, I’ve recommended the entire platoon will be armoured for this operation. Take it from me, with the numbers you’ll be facing you’ll want the armour and the weapons! This isn’t a permanent unit, we just need as much fighting power on the surface as we can get.”

A marine approached them and waited patiently for the Captain to turn to him. He handed over a datapad and the Captain gave it just the quickest of glances.

“Sergeant, I must go. Get to Daniels in Section 3F and do whatever you need to get this mission done. Remember the briefing, New Carlos must not fall! Good luck on the mission, let me know how the armour works out!”

Without waiting for a reply the Captain marched off and out of the briefing room. Spartan stood on his own looking around. He’d only just joined his new unit and this new promotion wasn’t going to win him any friends. He lifted his datapad and checked for the location of Section 3F where the unit was preparing for action. It wasn’t far away, just three sections down the ship and after the armoury. He left the room and entered the side shaft that ran the length of the ship. There were no windows on this part and it was just as well, as the movement of the stars when viewed from the rotating section of the vessel were known to cause nausea and sickness. As he marched down the shaft he noticed the large number of marine commandos equipping for combat. These units were normally based on the Furious Battlegroup but most of the ships were still being prepared for the conflict and the battalion had been rushed to the frontline on numerous transports and craft. The downside was that a large part of the heavy equipment was still back at the naval base on Kerberos. For now the CCS Santa Cruz was the new home for the 5
^th
Reconnaissance Battalion of the Confederate Marine Corps. Though it lacked space for the heavy armour and weapons of the unit it did have a number of landing craft and shuttles on board, as well as the engineering equipment and armour that Spartan would be making use of.

The entire unit usually made use of light armoured vehicles and gunships to deliver small teams into combat. The 5
^th
was an elite battalion of the Marine Corps and consisted of over a thousand men and women, the best the Marine Corps had to offer. It was made up of a Headquarters and Services Company, three commando companies and finally the elite Force Reconnaissance Company. The battalion provided reconnaissance and surveillance for the rest of the Corps. They were also trained in close quarters battle (CQB) tactics and other special missions. They were expected to be able to carry out any operation with speed and efficiency. There was no mission they couldn’t complete, or at least that is what they said repeatedly to themselves.

Spartan walked past two women who were in the process of fitting on their Personal Defence Suits. These were the standard set of clothing, camouflage and tactical armour used by all CMC Marines. It was lightweight and covered the entire surface of the marine. As he moved away from them and to the automatic door that led to the next section his mind shifted to Teresa. They met when first joining as recruits and they had become much more than just close friends. In the combat landing on the Naval Station she had taken serious wounds. The ground fire had been much stronger than expected and many marines had been killed trying to establish a beachhead. She was recovering fast and he really wanted to see her but time wasn’t on his side. He would have to check in on her on his return.

The door slid shut behind him and he continued on to the final section where his platoon was assembling. The entrance to the hangars and loading bays was much more utilitarian in appearance than the rest of the ship. Weapon lockers and stowage containers were everywhere. Along the left side of the corridor were dozens of mechanical suits designed for use in repairing and maintaining the ship, or for use on combat operations with the engineers company. These military suits were similar to the sealed Personal Defence Suits but much thicker and bulkier. Known as the Combat Engineer Suits or CES they were of much sturdier construction and also equipped with heavy-duty hydraulic gear, digging implements and cutting tools. Some of the suits were fitted with close range weapons but, since Spartan’s training and combat experience, in the last few days the equipment was already being heavily modified. As he walked past the fifth suit he noticed something odd about it. He stopped and looked carefully, trying to work out way it was so familiar.

“You okay, Marine?” asked one of the fitters.

Spartan looked at the man and then again at the suit. “Yeah, this one looks familiar.”

“Well, it should do, it’s one of the suits used for the boarding action a few days back. I’ve patched some of the holes and welded in the plating as recommended by the report put together by Private Morato.”

“Teresa recommended this? Strange, she never mentioned it.”

“Yeah, the reports we were given from the survivors of the Titan mission said the suits were vulnerable to hits on some of the hydraulic sections and also there’s thinner plating near the ribs. We’ve not had time to fit in all the recommendations but we have sealed the biggest weaknesses and fitted the weapons as per the comments in the report,” explained the man as he continued making adjustments.

Spartan continued on towards the group of marines at the end of the room. There were two platoons getting ready. The first was from Charlie Company and were readying their weapons and armour. Each marine wore a PDS suit and carried the marine’s standard issue L48 12.7mm assault rifle. The weapon used a twenty round magazine of variable operation ammunition and it was equally suited for short and long-range work. It had proven itself against a variety of enemies and types of armour. One marine in each squad carried the 6mm module and box magazine that modified the standard L48 rifle into a support weapon that could unleash massive quantities of lower calibre ammunition. It was normally used on board ships where hull penetration could be an issue.

Several of the marines acknowledged him as he walked past the first group and up to where his own platoon was assembling. The unit was made up of three squads and led by Lieutenant Daniels. He was busy discussing some piece of equipment with the crew Chief. Spartan stopped and saluted.

“Sergeant Spartan, glad to see you’re finally here. I thought we’d lost you.”

“I’ve just finished speaking with Captain Mathews, he requested I join your unit, Sir.”

“Yes...he did,” answered Daniels.

The officer turned away and finished his discussion with the Chief before turning back to Spartan.

“Contrary to what you might think, I am glad to have you here, Spartan,” he said as he handed over a datapad. “As you can see, we are to be dropped into the most violent and dangerous part of the battle on the surface.”

Spartan examined the maps and dispositions in detail. The datapad viewed the events in real-time and the scale of the battle was enormous. The main part appeared to be about five hundred metres from the city limits where a collapsed tunnel forced the focal point of the enemy assault. Scores of marines and infantry were battling in the rubble but, even as Spartan watched, the enemy shock troopers were smashing their way through the thin lines of defenders.

“How are the defences along the city limits coming along?” he asked.

“We are working fast, but if they break through the outer marker they will be inside the city in minutes. We need to clear an area of two hundred and fifty metres wide for an hour so heavy weapons and minefields can be set up. General Shears is sending five companies of city militia to help but they will not be able to hold the line until the defences are finished.”

One of the crew ran up to them and spoke directly to Spartan. The man was short and covered in grease and oil from working on the machines.

“Your suit is ready, Sergeant.”

Spartan nodded and turned back to the Lieutenant. “How long till we start the drop?”

Daniels checked his watch before replying. “We will be over the drop point in eleven minutes, we start the drop immediately, you’d better get ready.”

“Will do, good luck, Sir,” Spartan said as he delivered a crisp salute.

As Daniels moved off to get himself ready the first three CES units stomped past. Each was much bigger than a man and looked like an armoured monster. They were all painted in grey but a few carried the personal markings and patterns of the squad and unit commanders. Spartan approached his own unit and pushed his legs inside. Two of the crew helped to fit him in as they clamped down the seals and plates around his body. It wasn’t a vehicle, more a heavy and augmented suit that was perfectly suited to hostile environments. As the metal rings around the neck locked into place he felt the air pressure change as the suit fully sealed. Through the metal reinforced visor he could see the crew hammering with tools as the last sections were clamped into place. One woman stopped in front of him and peered inside his helmet.

“Sergeant Spartan, your suit has been modified as per the specifications in Private Morato’s paper. The welding and repair tools have been removed. We have retained one utility blade on the left arm mount and the right is fitted with twin L48 carbines. Both are loaded with 6mm box magazines and are linked through to the digging controls on the right panel.”

Spartan looked about inside the suit and found the small bank of recently added switches. The job wasn’t pretty but for just a few days’ work it was impressive.

“Good work, I’ll let you know how it all works out!”

The woman banged her wrench on the helmet as a signal it was clear to move. Two more CES units marched past and Spartan moved in behind them as they filed ahead. Walking along the left side of the column of armoured marines were the men and woman of Charlie Company. In comparison their PDS suits looked puny and weak.

The massive airlock door was open. It led to the loading bay for the landing craft. Each craft was heavily armoured and designed to carry a full platoon of over forty marines. In this particular action the CES units took up twice the space of a marine. Three of the mighty machines were waiting with their side ramps down for their passengers to board. The marines filed in, the CES units first and the rest of the marines squeezing in around them. Spartan approached the third craft and found he was the second CES unit to board the vessel. As he attached the clamps to his suit one of the marines spotted him.

“Hey, Sergeant, thought you’d abandoned us!” shouted Harrison.

He was one of the few marines he’d met in the last few days since arriving on the ship. He was a jovial character and one hell of a card player. Wherever Harrison was, Anthony always seemed to be there as well. Spartan looked around and sure enough he could see the other man. Then he saw two people he thought he’d managed to avoid for months. Burnett and Matt, two of the recruits from when he first joined.

“Spartan?” The first one asked.

He just looked at them. “Sergeant Spartan,” he answered.

Burnett approached and looked through his helmet. “What’s your first name, dude?”

“Sergeant,” he answered as he unclipped his right armoured hand swinging it around in front of the two marines.

“What are you doing here?” A third man approached, he was tall and wearing a fire-scorched suit. It was a mark of pride to repair the damage but not to remove the marks on the exterior of armour. This man had seen some trouble. Spartan recognised him and relaxed.