Star Crusades by Michael Thomas (whitelam books txt) 📗

fire.The other Novas did the same as a furious firefight ragedon.

“We’ve been reinforced!” Kallias said.

Valentine glanced backwards andsmiled as the side door opened on thenearest Jackal. Dozens of dark shapes leapt out from the dropshipsand to the ground. Two of the dropships expelled nearly fifty IABmarines each, and no sooner had they hit the ground, and theyopened fire. Rather than using conventional weapons, they used acarbine version of the cannon fitted to Valentine’s shoulder.Although relatively short-ranged, they were deadly in the confinesof the cavern, and the expert aim of the marines claimed scores ofkills.

“Beautiful,” said SergeantJablonsky, “Now let’s move.”

With the additional coverprovided by the marines, they could adopta looser formation, and moved or leapt down the steep embankment tofinish off the last of the enemy. The ground levelled off as theyreached the lower level, and two other lances spread out to coverthe width of the cavern. There must have been twenty or moreSki’lig heavies, and Valentine was forced down to one knee as shebraced against the fire.

“Bloody hell,” saidKallias, “Do they never giveup?”

Both of his dual L48s buzzed away as the chain-fed guns put salvos ofexplosive rounds into the debris. Armour and body parts rippedopen, but as one fell, another would take its place. Hawkins fell,and Valentine reached for him as streams of fire hit her armour.The interceptors could barely cope, and soon her armour bore fivemetallic spikes in the chest and shoulder. She staggered back andcollapsed onto a sharpened spiked. It punched into her upper legand thigh, leaving her pinned there.

“Lance Corporal!” Private Colstoncalled out.

He stepped across to help her asmore shots crashed around them. Two embedded in his torso, and thena thirst sliced off two of his roboticfingers. One would have struck his face, if not for a burst ofdefensive fire from his interceptors. He was still hit by a sprayof broken fragments and groaned as they hammered into his arm. Hethen paused and waved his middle finger at them, shoutingobscenities and returning fire. Only then did he bend down next toher.

“Lance Corporal, you still withus?”

She tried to move, but something washolding her there. Warning sensors sounded, and then came theconcerned voice of Tex.

Damage to motorassembly, rerouting. Ruptures to backup harness, and youhave…

Just patch it andmove on. We’ll look at it allwhen we have time.

“Just pull me up.”

Colston nodded,grabbed her upper body, and tugged. Part of herleg plating ripped away, exposing the motor system below.Incredibly, none of the major motive parts seemed heavilydamaged.

“You can still move?”

Valentine took a step, and then spotted movement. A pair of Ski’ligsdropped from the ceiling right for them. She waited, and at thelast moment turned, using her arm shield to deflect the attackaway. The alien warrior slid off, hit the floor, stopping in frontof Kallias.

“Hey there!” He laughed as he placed all four muzzles of his arm cannonto its torso and opened fire. The effect at this range was trulyterrifying and left his lower armour plating in gore.

“And goodbye.”

“We need cover!” Alexissaid, “This is too much.”

Nowthat Valentine was back on her feet, she continued to send downbolts of energy from her shoulder cannon. Her left shield keptdoing its job and deflected some fire, absorbing the heaviershots.

“No,” said Jablonsky,“We can do this. Hold your ground. Help iscoming.”

Valentine looked up again, butthe marines were on the high ground,putting down covering fire rather than coming closer. They weretough, but they faired badly against such heavy fire. The IAB usedsimilar armour to conventional marines, though with a few hardenedplates and upgrades, plus a semi-synthetic skin that could sealover time. But what really caught her eyes was the way theyglistened and blurred as she looked to them. Their armour wassecret, but she knew it contained some form of layered skin thatcould adjust its colour over time, much like a chameleon. It wasslow, but as the battle raged, they looked more and more like theirenvironment.

Incredible.

Yes, itis, said Tex, IAB Shadowarmour using patented chromatophore technology. It uses athree-layer outer skin that can colour to almost any hue in justover a minute. It is quite…

Enough. That is for another time!

“The cavalry has arrived!”Colston said, “And just intime!”

Valentine gruntedas more fire crashed around them. Shecould see the three lances of Novas, more than two-dozen elitewarriors now scattered and pinned down in the diamond fields ofthis lifeless, barren rock. She opened fire once more and wasinstantly hit by a mass of fire from the rocks.

Forty-eighthostiles, said Tex, They are bringing in reinforcements as well. Ourposition is not looking good.

Thanks a lot,Tex.

Youare more than welcome.Perhaps some music might help you fight harder?

Valentine laughed as she blastedtwo alien troopers, and then lifted her right arm to spray firefrom her machine pistol. The muzzle flash blinked away, and she wasrewarded by seeing a pair of the heaviesscuttle back into the cover of the broken weaponbatteries.

“Why doesn’t the fleet put some fire down here and help us?”Private Peterson complained.

Kallias glanced across to him whilestill firing.

“Are you kidding me? You wantships hundreds of kilometres away tobring down shells from their bombardment cannons into this valley?They’d be lucky to hit the valley, let alone this shaft. Trust me,Rhino armour ain’t doing nothing against those shells. We’re on ourown down here, Pal!”

Butthen the next dropship swept overhead, taking fire from the enemy.It waited nearly ten metres off the ground as it put two completeplatoons of robotic Grunts into action. Though a little smallerthan the marines, they moved more quickly through the diamond rocksand into battle. Many were cut down, but most simply rose back totheir feet and continued the advance while continuing tofire.

“Outstanding,”she said happily as the first squad ofrobots surged past the Novas and towards the few remaining heavies,“They’re everything I thought they’d be.”

“Holy crap,” said Kallias,“They’re insane!”

The machines moved soquickly and with so little concern fortheir own welfare, a number of them even sustained damaged from thediamond rock. Sparks followed them as they moved at speed, and atan angle that would be impossible for a Human to match. Ski’ligsfired on them, and as they fired, they exposed their positions tothe waiting Novas.

“Novas…light em up!” SergeantJablonsky said, “Burn the