Carnifex. Part 28

"As near as we can tell, they've cleaned out your band completely. And no, we cannot take hostages to trade because these infidels not only won't trade-that much we learned when they were in Sumer-they've already shot or hanged all their prisoners...unless they've spared a few for questioning."

A look of mental agony flashed briefly across Noorzad's face. If he had known, he would have stood and fought rather than run. Not that he'd cared about most of his men, especially the spoiled Yithrabis. But he'd left friends friends behind. behind.

Mustafa read the look well. "No," he said. "That is, I think, part of their method. They shoot their prisoners precisely to make us want to stand and fight. They may someday sell our women and children as slaves to the same purpose."

"What now?" Noorzad asked, willing away his feelings of personal failure.

"Now the winter is upon us. The pa.s.ses are mostly closed. South of the mountains the infidel is continuing to clear out our people and the filthy, decadent Taurans are setting up shop again. In the spring, the mercenaries will surge over the mountains to reinforce the Federated States and Anglia. We cannot stop them, though we can bleed them."

"Cut their supply?"

"No...I think not," Mustafa answered. The Federated States troops require more in supply per man, even for light infantry, than the Volgans did for their armored troops. They must must have their comforts, at least when in base. The lesser infidels seem to require much less. They live....rough." There was a tone almost of admiration in Mustafa's voice. "I don't think we can appreciably interdict their supply lines." have their comforts, at least when in base. The lesser infidels seem to require much less. They live....rough." There was a tone almost of admiration in Mustafa's voice. "I don't think we can appreciably interdict their supply lines."

Noorzad sighed sadly. "Then...my men go unavenged?"

"No," Mustafa smiled. "No; we have a plan and a means to hurt these infidels in return."

4/1/468 AC, Xamar Coast, Motor Yacht The Big ?

The Legion del Cid Legion del Cid tended to take a somewhat legalistic approach to counterinsurgency and piracy suppression. They could have simply started at one end of the Xamar coast and worked their way to the other, killing everything that lived and making the entire coast uninhabitable. But, much as they never sent someone for serious torture until a duly const.i.tuted court had p.r.o.nounced sentence of death, so they would not destroy a village unless it could be directly linked to the support of piracy. tended to take a somewhat legalistic approach to counterinsurgency and piracy suppression. They could have simply started at one end of the Xamar coast and worked their way to the other, killing everything that lived and making the entire coast uninhabitable. But, much as they never sent someone for serious torture until a duly const.i.tuted court had p.r.o.nounced sentence of death, so they would not destroy a village unless it could be directly linked to the support of piracy.

They had such a village now. Early this morning The Big ? The Big ? had pa.s.sed close to some fis.h.i.+ng boats to allow the crews to get a look at the awesome mammary display on the forward deck. Then the yacht had sailed directly southward, paralleling the coast and heading generally towards a village suspected of being a pirate haven. Overhead, silently, a small remotely piloted vehicle with a high resolution camera had caught good quality facial shots of the villagers as they'd cheered their own boat out to intercept the infidel yacht. Was this entrapment? Who cared? It wasn't as if the village wasn't predisposed to piracy. It wasn't as if they hadn't had a boat ready. had pa.s.sed close to some fis.h.i.+ng boats to allow the crews to get a look at the awesome mammary display on the forward deck. Then the yacht had sailed directly southward, paralleling the coast and heading generally towards a village suspected of being a pirate haven. Overhead, silently, a small remotely piloted vehicle with a high resolution camera had caught good quality facial shots of the villagers as they'd cheered their own boat out to intercept the infidel yacht. Was this entrapment? Who cared? It wasn't as if the village wasn't predisposed to piracy. It wasn't as if they hadn't had a boat ready.

The Suzy Q Suzy Q had been little more than a field modification. had been little more than a field modification. The Big ? The Big ? was almost purpose built from the keel up by a Sachsen s.h.i.+pbuilder with some long tradition of building clandestine surface raiders. She mounted hidden side-firing machine guns, as had her predecessor, three per side. However, the firing ports on was almost purpose built from the keel up by a Sachsen s.h.i.+pbuilder with some long tradition of building clandestine surface raiders. She mounted hidden side-firing machine guns, as had her predecessor, three per side. However, the firing ports on The Big ? The Big ? were centrally controlled, as were the guns themselves, from an armored fire control station just under the c.o.c.kpit. were centrally controlled, as were the guns themselves, from an armored fire control station just under the c.o.c.kpit.

That fire control station also had command over the two main guns. Forward, there was, as with Suzy Q Suzy Q, a rising gun, hydraulically driven. There was also a stern gun mounted to fire through a port that opened under central control. Both were 40mm high velocity pieces, firing from fifty-five round magazines. All the positions, along with the hull itself, were now fairly heavily armored.

More thought had been given to tactics now, too, given the sad end of Suzy Q. Suzy Q. The side guns and the forward gun were not to be the primary engagement stations any longer. Instead, when under threat the boat would turn away from any attacker, allowing its rear 40mm to begin the engagement. That station, the entire stern, in fact, was extremely well-armored. Indeed, under the smooth-appearing white hull was not only a three centimeter belt of steel, outside of that steel a complicated matrix of boron carbide resin, ceramic, polyurethane, and tungsten proofed the hull against the largest weapons the pirates had shown so far, the shoulder-fired rocket grenade launcher. The side guns and the forward gun were not to be the primary engagement stations any longer. Instead, when under threat the boat would turn away from any attacker, allowing its rear 40mm to begin the engagement. That station, the entire stern, in fact, was extremely well-armored. Indeed, under the smooth-appearing white hull was not only a three centimeter belt of steel, outside of that steel a complicated matrix of boron carbide resin, ceramic, polyurethane, and tungsten proofed the hull against the largest weapons the pirates had shown so far, the shoulder-fired rocket grenade launcher.

Because of the weight of the stern armor belt, the engines had had to be placed somewhat forward of center. This gave the boat some peculiar handling characteristics, notably a comparatively tight turn radius and a comparatively quick recovery from a tight turn. The engines themselves, twin diesels with an aggregate horsepower of over eight thousand, were capable of pus.h.i.+ng the boat at almost the speed of the Santisima Trinidad. Santisima Trinidad.

Moreover, except for an excess of fold down bunks in the crew s.p.a.ces, it looked like a yacht even to a suspicious boarding customs agent. Even the guns were not obvious from inside the yacht, being hidden behind what looked like storage s.p.a.ces and under fixed bunks.

Though they were crew, as corporals Marta and Jaquelina had a stateroom of their own. Since Marta was a screamer this was less of an advantage than it might have been. In fact, the two slept together but approximately approximately chaste. " chaste. "Approximately" because while Marta was a screamer, Jaquie was not and Marta was a very giving girl.

"Kinda silly, isn't it?" Chu asked Rodriguez.

"Huh?"

"C'mon, Rod, you only have to look at them to see they're in love. Everybody knows it and looks the other way."

"Oh..." Centurion Rodriguez sighed. "I told them to cool it before they ever signed on as regulars. I'm a little surprised they took my advice, really."

"Yeah."

Chu's eyes scanned the instruments. "Cla.s.sis was right. We've got company coming." was right. We've got company coming."

Rodriguez nodded. "I'll go have the girls put on their act and get my boys standing by."

As the Cazador left the c.o.c.kpit, Chu picked up the microphone for the encrypted radio. "Dos Lindas, this is this is The Big? The Big? We have company coming and we are preparing to engage." We have company coming and we are preparing to engage."

5/1/468 AC, Combat Information Center, Dos Lindas Fosa saw that there was a new kill recorded for The Big ? The Big ? on the operations board down in CIC. Below the Ops board, a chart showed the intercept course between the on the operations board down in CIC. Below the Ops board, a chart showed the intercept course between the Dos Lindas Dos Lindas and a helicopter chartered by Hartog s.h.i.+pping, based in Haarlem. and a helicopter chartered by Hartog s.h.i.+pping, based in Haarlem.

Haarlem still did quite a bit of s.h.i.+pping around the globe. As such, her merchant fleet had suffered more than most from the pirates' depredations both along the Xamar Coast and through the Nicobar Straits. It wasn't really surprising then, that a mid-sized Haarlem company, Hartog, had contacted Nagy and asked about hiring protection from the Legion del Cid Legion del Cid. Nagy had entered negotiations, in consultation with both Fosa and the Yamatan representative, Kurita, and hammered out a workable, and sufficiently profitable, deal.

As part of that deal, the Haarlemers had insisted on face-to-face contact with the commander of the flotilla. There had seemed no principled reason to refuse.

The Haarlem registry helicopter had come in with the morning sun. Undaunted by the machine guns ostentatiously trained on it, it had flown twice around the Dos Lindas Dos Lindas before settling down to a marked spot on the rear deck. There it was met by a small party of escorts and brought down to CIC to meet the skipper. before settling down to a marked spot on the rear deck. There it was met by a small party of escorts and brought down to CIC to meet the skipper.

Fosa shook hands; Kurita bowed slightly. The Haarlemers introduced themselves as Ms. Klasina Frank and her administrative a.s.sistant, Christian Verdonk. Frank seemed extremely pale and rather plump, quite in contrast to the very deeply tanned and athletic-looking Verdonk.

Both Haarlemers' faces were guardedly friendly as Fosa led them through a tour of the s.h.i.+p. He took them through the five decks of the s.h.i.+p's tower, then down to the deck encircling the hangar and finally down to the hangar deck itself where he'd a.s.sembled one company of Cazadors and a roughly equal number of s.h.i.+p and air crew. Frank and Verdonk walked the line, following Fosa. He didn't lead them down each rank.

Later, over a cordial but not overly friendly lunch in Fosa's quarters, which meal the visitors barely touched, the skipper explained, "We cannot guarantee you protection. You understand this? The most we can do is try, within reason, to conform our deployments to the pa.s.sage of your company's s.h.i.+ps, to come as quickly as possible, if we are in practical range, if one of your s.h.i.+ps is attacked, and to station small parties of Cazadors on some of your s.h.i.+ps as they make the pa.s.sage. In theory, we are capable of conducting rescue operations, but as a practical matter, we've never really been able to rescue any crew once they were taken to sh.o.r.e. I doubt we ever shall be able to."

"Hartog s.h.i.+pping understands this," Ms Frank said, looking up from her uneaten rehydrated pork chops. Shrugging, she added, "We are not paying so much that we could ask for more. As long as you will be willing to go to the aid of s.h.i.+ps as you are able, or let one shelter under your wings at need, this is enough."

6/1/468 AC, Hajipur, Sind Owners.h.i.+p of Hartog s.h.i.+pping was an interesting subject. Indeed, it was so interesting that a not inconsiderable portion of the both Federated States intelligence and investigative a.s.sets, with a healthy a.s.sist from Yamatan Imperial Intelligence, had gone into trying to determine just who owned the company, and others like it. Between s.h.i.+ps owned but leased elsewhere, and some of those pa.s.sing through four or five or, in one case, even nine nine nominal leasers before being leased back, plus shadow corporations, secret stock owners.h.i.+p, and front organizations, it had never proven possible to determine owners.h.i.+p of the company to any degree of certainty. This was actually nominal leasers before being leased back, plus shadow corporations, secret stock owners.h.i.+p, and front organizations, it had never proven possible to determine owners.h.i.+p of the company to any degree of certainty. This was actually normal normal.

Mustafa didn't have that problem. He knew who owned Hartog. For all practical purposes, he he did. At least he had a controlling interest. did. At least he had a controlling interest.

For the most part, he exercised no control. Rather, he left it to the company management to keep the affair solvent. He had, however, intervened to the extent of having two of the company's lesser a.s.sets filled with thoroughly reliable, even fanatical, Salafi skippers and crew. He had also intervened to obtain the company's sailing schedule, then pa.s.sed that on to Abdulahi in Xamar so that the latter could attack a few Hartog vessels. This was a necessary cover for what was to follow.

The chosen s.h.i.+p, the Hendrik Hoogaboom Hendrik Hoogaboom, was an older, dry-bulk cargo carrier of roughly sixty-eight hundred tons capacity. Measuring one hundred and two meters in length at the waterline, and just under eighteen in beam, she was of a perfect size for her chosen task. Indeed, she was not really very well suited anymore for her designed task, being more or less uneconomical to run. Neither Mustafa nor Hartog s.h.i.+pping would much miss the Hoogaboom Hoogaboom once she'd completed her mission. once she'd completed her mission.

The first step had been recertification of the hull and engines. The engines were a problem, having been rather poorly maintained for some years in an effort to eke out something like a profit from Hoogaboom's Hoogaboom's operations. Fortunately, Hajipur was a full-service port, albeit a small one, and its facilities and workers were more than capable of rebuilding the engines. operations. Fortunately, Hajipur was a full-service port, albeit a small one, and its facilities and workers were more than capable of rebuilding the engines.

The hull itself was fine. The hold, however, was more problematic. The s.h.i.+p was not double hulled and was, of course, completely unarmored. This would never do.

The mixed Hindu and Moslem workers of Hajipur were able to fix that as well. Inside, they built up a large bunker of two centimeter steel plates. The bunker would be sufficient to contain approximately two thousand tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in pelletized form. It was also leakproof.

Within the bunker a series of pipes with blow out perforations were a.s.sembled and welded into position. The workers were told that the pipes were part of a fire suppression system, designed to pump pressurized steam into the hold should the cargo ever catch fire. This seemed reasonable to them. The real purpose of the pipes was to spread an explosion quickly.

A number of additional armoring jobs were added on, though none of these were explained to the welding crew. Above, on the rear-sitting superstructure, the bridge had double layers of two centimeter steel added. Down below, a second bridge-almost a simple CIC-was built up with more steel plates. Video cameras were installed around the s.h.i.+p and linked to batteries of monitors both on the bridge and below, in CIC.

In between, flush with the main deck, two boxes were built, each just large enough for a two man machine gun crew. Machine guns in those boxes, firing through the forward-facing ports cut in the bulkhead, could sweep the main deck with machine gun fire should there be a boarding. Some other, similar, steel boxes were welded in to port and starboard, with similar firing ports cut. Between the size and shape of the boxes, the welders winked knowingly at each other, presuming that the mission of the Hoogaboom Hoogaboom was going to be piracy suppression. They'd heard grisly stories of both the pirates and their enemies, the "Christian" mercenaries, operating off the Xamar coast. was going to be piracy suppression. They'd heard grisly stories of both the pirates and their enemies, the "Christian" mercenaries, operating off the Xamar coast.

The stern was changed as well, two sets of davits being added. These were considerably larger than the normal life boats would account for. They looked like near twins of those mounted on the Harpy Eagle Harpy Eagle for the patrol boats. The Hajipur crew bought them off of a pa.s.senger liner sitting at the breakers down the coast. Two surplus special operations boats were to be fitted as soon as they were delivered by a private company in Anglia which had them. for the patrol boats. The Hajipur crew bought them off of a pa.s.senger liner sitting at the breakers down the coast. Two surplus special operations boats were to be fitted as soon as they were delivered by a private company in Anglia which had them.

The bow of the s.h.i.+p was heavily reinforced with armor plate and the intervening s.p.a.ce filled with conexes, themselves filled with a mix of sand, Styrofoam packaging peanuts, and sheet metal. The conexes had been filled elsewhere and then moved by rail to Hajipur on Sind's excellent rail system. Further conexes lined the side of the s.h.i.+p from just below the water line to just above the central armored bunker.

There were limits, though, to the modifications that could safely and wisely be made. Some form of cannon anti-aircraft defense, for example, would have been nice. On the other hand, it would also have been more obvious. Worse, training the gunners would have been extremely extremely obvious. The s.h.i.+p made do with half a dozen shoulder-fired anti-aircraft gunners, each with several missiles apiece. Similarly, torpedoes were right out and cruise missiles too problematic. obvious. The s.h.i.+p made do with half a dozen shoulder-fired anti-aircraft gunners, each with several missiles apiece. Similarly, torpedoes were right out and cruise missiles too problematic.

On the bridge, standing besides the s.h.i.+p's captain and future martyr to the cause, Abdul Aziz sighed with satisfaction. The Hoogaboom's Hoogaboom's rebuilt engines barely strained as the s.h.i.+p left the tugs that had guided it out into the dredged channel that led to the sea. rebuilt engines barely strained as the s.h.i.+p left the tugs that had guided it out into the dredged channel that led to the sea.

"Three more stops," The captain said. "And then one more on the way to Paradise."

"I'll be leaving with the next stop, Captain," said Abdul Aziz. "I must report back to Mustafa."

18/1/468 AC, The Base, Kashmir Three men, Mustafa, Nur al-Deen, and Abdul Aziz, walked the trails within the fortress. There came from the north the steady crackle of small arms fire as the mujahadin mujahadin practiced marksmans.h.i.+p. For the most part the practice was a wasted effort. Yet it had one great virtue. In any group there are always exceptions. The marksmans.h.i.+p training program, useless as it was to train any appreciable number of decent shots, was still absolutely critical to identifying the rare naturally superb shot for further, more useful, training. Federated States Army, Taurans, and even the Legion had had occasional cause to curse those rare genuine marksmen the Salafis now fielded. practiced marksmans.h.i.+p. For the most part the practice was a wasted effort. Yet it had one great virtue. In any group there are always exceptions. The marksmans.h.i.+p training program, useless as it was to train any appreciable number of decent shots, was still absolutely critical to identifying the rare naturally superb shot for further, more useful, training. Federated States Army, Taurans, and even the Legion had had occasional cause to curse those rare genuine marksmen the Salafis now fielded.

Along with the rifle and machine gun fire, the din was frequently punctuated with much larger blasts as others among the holy warriors were trained in the intricacies of combat demolitions, b.o.o.by traps, and other improvised explosive devices.

Mortars, too, could be heard as their crews practiced this simplest of the artillery arts. These, though, fired from outside the perimeter of the fortress and directed their fires even further away. It might have been more effective to fire from inside at targets outside. In the past, as a matter of fact, they had. Quality control at the factory, however, was never all that great and there had been a number of unfortunate accidents. Mortar firing was all done outside the perimeter, now.

After the cacophony of the s.h.i.+p fitting in Hajipur, Abdul Aziz barely noticed the blasts of mortars and demolitions. Mustafa and Nur al-Deen were fairly used to them. None of the men so much as twitched, even at the largest of the explosions.

Abdul Aziz explained, "The greatest weakness to the plan, Sheik, is. .h.i.tting the target's motive power before it notices the threat from the Hoogaboom. Hoogaboom. The enemy carrier is more than twice the speed of our s.h.i.+p, and based on the tour given to our two undercover reverts, extraordinarily maneuverable." The enemy carrier is more than twice the speed of our s.h.i.+p, and based on the tour given to our two undercover reverts, extraordinarily maneuverable."

"I do not see," Nur al-Deen huffed, "why we need to make this extraordinary expenditure to destroy a single s.h.i.+p. A single cigarette boat with a ton of explosives should be enough."

Mustafa laid a hand on Nur's shoulder. "It would not be, my friend. We have reason to believe that such a boat would be most unlikely to get anywhere near the carrier unless covered by something like the Hoogaboom Hoogaboom. Even if it did, the great infidel in s.p.a.ce, High Admiral of Pigs Robinson, a.s.sures me that the carrier is sufficiently well built and compartmentalized that it would take as many as three such hits to put it down. There is no chance, none, that we could get three cigarette boats close enough."

"And," added Abdul Aziz, "With two thousand tons of a mix of ammonium nitrate, hydrazine, and aluminum powder, the Hoogaboom Hoogaboom need not get all that close to destroy the s.h.i.+p, two hundred meters or so." need not get all that close to destroy the s.h.i.+p, two hundred meters or so."

"I still think it's a waste," insisted Nur al-Deen.

Mustafa stopped walking and turned. "My friend, one thing I have learned since we began this. Defense does not win. We must attack, and attack, and attack again."

"Abdulahi is not enthused about the prospect of martyrdom for more of his men," Nur al-Deen said.

"This is true," Mustafa agreed. "But then he, too, must learn that he must attack and hold nothing back. He should study Parameswara."

"Parameswara isn't being asked for one hundred and fifty suicide bombers," Nur al-Deen answered.

19/1/468 AC, BdL Dos Lindas "Security and Economy of Force are principles of war, Captain-san," Kurita intoned. "Defense is not."

Fosa paced the rounds of his bridge nervously. Indeed, he grew more nervous the closer the Dos Lindas Dos Lindas approached to sh.o.r.e and the possibility of land-based cruise missiles, torpedoes, or suicide boats. The FSN had been clear that an attack on the fleet was being prepared. Sadly, they could not provide the first clue as to its nature. approached to sh.o.r.e and the possibility of land-based cruise missiles, torpedoes, or suicide boats. The FSN had been clear that an attack on the fleet was being prepared. Sadly, they could not provide the first clue as to its nature.

"I know that, Commodore. And I know we have to do this. h.e.l.l, it was my idea. But I still hate the idea of getting closer to a threat I don't know the nature of."

Resuming his pacing, Fosa took all of three steps before he stopped and turned. Facing the Yamatan over one shoulder he observed, "You're taking this all very calmly." taking this all very calmly."

"I was captain, Battlecruiser ois.h.i.+," was Kurita's only, and completely sufficient, response.

Fosa grunted while Kurita turned his attention back to the contemplation of the eternal beauty of the sea at moments before action.

It was several hours before sunrise. Only one of Terra Nova's three moons shone. In the relative darkness, the sea twinkled with thousands of stars. Kurita amused himself with the notion that the stars were his old s.h.i.+pmates, come to watch him in action before he joined them at the Yasukuni shrine which had been dismantled and sent s.p.a.ceward from Old Earth so many centuries ago.

Above the winking sea, the Dos Lindas Dos Lindas cruised under half power toward the sh.o.r.e. The carrier was blacked out, with not even deck lights showing. Crewmen, who would normally be allowed to smoke on portions of the flight deck were instead confined to air- and light-tight compartments before they could indulge their vile habit. cruised under half power toward the sh.o.r.e. The carrier was blacked out, with not even deck lights showing. Crewmen, who would normally be allowed to smoke on portions of the flight deck were instead confined to air- and light-tight compartments before they could indulge their vile habit.

On deck every functioning Yakamov helicopter sat with engines idling. Forward of them were a baker's dozen of Cricket Bs, the upengined and expanded variant of the Legion's standard recon aircraft. Between the Crickets and the choppers sat four Turbo-Finches with light ordnance loads of about one ton each. None of the aerial troop carriers had more than their crews aboard.

The Cazadors were going in under strength. One half of one of the eight line platoons was detached to The Big ? The Big ?, though they'd be nearby at sea and could land by rubber boat if needed. Another two platoons were split up among various Yamatan and Haarlemer freighters. Still, with the headquarters and support troops that were going to land, there were just over two hundred Cazadors in the landing force. These waited below, in the hangar deck, playing cards, sleeping, or sneaking off for a quick cigarette as the mood took them.

UEPF Spirit of Peace "Computer?"

"Yes, High Admiral?"

"Put me through to Abdulahi in Xamar."

The call went through almost instantaneously; Abdulahi had learned since he'd lost three s.h.i.+ps to the infidels' ambushes not to let the High Admiral's warnings pa.s.s.

"Yes, Admiral Robinson?"

"Your enemies are moving insh.o.r.e, between the villages of Sanaag and Gedo. I can't tell which of them is the target. Possibly both are."

"The villages? What reason could they have for going after villagers?"

Unseen below, Robinson rolled his eyes. Were these people incapable of understanding the nature of the war they were in or the nature of their enemies, the nature they themselves brought forth? Were these people incapable of understanding the nature of the war they were in or the nature of their enemies, the nature they themselves brought forth?

Forcing disdain from his voice, Robinson answered, simply, "Terror."

That Abdulahi understood. "I'll have a column on the road within the hour, High Admiral. Thank you." Abdulahi understood. "I'll have a column on the road within the hour, High Admiral. Thank you."

"I don't know that it will do you any good."

"Perhaps not, High Admiral, but I have to try."

Again, Robinson rolled his eyes. "You can reasonably expect them to cover the roads by air, Abdulahi."

"We have some anti-aircraft weapons mounted on some of our vehicles."

"I doubt that light ones will be enough."

BdL Dos Lindas The Cricket Bs, being the slowest, were the first aircraft to take off. With the carrier's nose into the wind, even fully laden with five Cazadors and a pilot, it was a strain to keep the things from taking off on their own. With Fosa's command, "Land the landing force," the deck crew removed chock blocks, the pilots gunned engines, and-fwoosh-the things were gone into the night in a couple of eyeblinks.

The Finches were next to depart. These had superb short take off capabilities, but nothing like the miraculous abilities of the Crickets. They needed every inch of the flight deck they had to get airborne.

Rafael Montoya was lead bird for the Finches, this mission. As usual, he nearly wet himself as his plane reached the end of the flight deck and began to fall to the sea. As usual-now, at least-he maintained control of his bladder as he fought his plane back into the air.