The Desert of Stars (The Human Reach) (35 page)

It was surrounded by an eight-foot high wall of what the
troops called “Texas barriers,” for reasons that were obscure to Rand. The
entry gate was on the far side.

But we’re not going through the gate.
Rand sent one
squad up to a warehouse roof with a line of fire into the hotel parking lot,
and Maldonado, with Ruiz covering him, rushed forward to a seam in the barriers
and stuck a hefty pack of explosives to it.

“Charge is set; thirty seconds ‘til it goes,” Maldonado
transmitted. He turned to run back to cover just as a Chinese autosentry drone
rounded the nearby corner. It fired a spray of bullets, cutting down Maldonado.

Another one,
Rand thought.

Ruiz was midstride when he was hit just below the knee; the
Paladin suit’s armor stiffened and absorbed most of the blow, but the Green
Beret lost his balance and fell forward.

But servomotors, battle software and muscles were already
responding. Ruiz’s gun – an M18 large-caliber automatic rifle – hit the ground
pointed at the drone, and he fired.

The drone wasn’t much, a shielded machine gun mounted on a
tracked hull, with software that could handle driving over flat surfaces and
killing people who it found out in the open and weren’t broadcasting the
correct IFF codes. Its armor stopped the first dozen bullets from Ruiz, but the
rest cut into its interior, and it fell silent.

Ruiz rose and limped away, barely reaching cover before
Maldonado’s explosives went off.

The hole wasn’t large, big enough for maybe two people at a
time. Ruiz’s leg armor relaxed and he charged through, followed by Rand and
Patterson.

About eighty meters away they saw panicking Chinese MPs
running in several directions; the guards had expected the attack to come
through the front gate, and thus had lined up inside the far wall. Rand’s
rooftop riflemen opened up, dropping murderous fire into them, even as they
sought cover behind the few planters and parked cars they could find. Shots
from the guards wounded two of Rand’s troopers, and he left Ruiz and a squad to
pull them to safety and cover the exit.

The Goodnight Hotel was three stories and U-shaped, with an
outdoor pool in the interior courtyard. Rand, Neil and Patterson’s squad moved
behind the structure and clear of the gunbattle. A single guard stood at the
back door; Patterson, advancing, fired two rounds into her chest, and she
crumpled to the ground.

They rushed inside, breaking into small groups to cover each
wing and floor of the hotel. Fireteams moved from alcove to alcove, but no
guards were inside the building … nor, apparently, were any prisoners.

Did they move them out already?
Neil thought as he
and Rand climbed some stairs to the third floor.
They shouldn’t have had
time …

“Hey, soldier!” said a female voice.

Neil turned. A head, poking out of a door, slightly familiar
…

“Captain De Caxias!”
CO of the
Curtis Le May,
lost
in the Second Battle of Kuan Yin.

The woman looked stunned at being recognized. “We’re all
holed up in here, all twelve of us. Have friendlies taken the city?”

“No, ma’am; we’re getting you out before they can move you
off the continent.”

A broad-chested man pushed past her. “We’re ready to go. Where’s
the transport?”

Rand stepped up. “General Chalk, I’m Captain Castillo. No
transport; we’re going on foot.”

“Then give me your sidearm, Captain,” the general barked.

Rand complied. The other VIPs filed out behind the general,
and several of Rand’s guerrillas surrendered their sidearms to the military
prisoners.
At least they aren’t demanding our rifles,
Neil thought. The
captives appeared to have been well-treated; they bore no evidence of torture
or malnutrition. But three, including Governor Rivera, were advanced in age.

“Are we going to attack the military internment camp? I’ve
got a lot of people in there,” De Caxias asked.

Aguirre said, “I’m willing to try.”

Rand shook his head. “We don’t have the firepower. The
threat was they would move you guys to Fengsheng. They can’t move thousands of
POWs, but we can’t, either. We’ll get them out when the Big Army gets to town.
Now, let’s get out of here before we have to fight something more than prison
guards.”

Outside, the Chinese guard force was defeated. Rand reformed
his platoon, and they moved back toward the civilian camp. It quickly became
apparent that the frailest of the VIPs were moving dangerously slowly, so Rand
ordered the two medics in the Hospitaller suits to carry away the eldest among
them. He sent ahead two more squads with the more robust VIPs, including General
Chalk, leaving him with only Neil and Patterson’s squad to protect Rivera.

Governor Rivera was walking gingerly, clearly trying and
failing to make his body run. Several of Rand’s troopers surrounded him like
bodyguards, but Rand could see their discomfort at moving so slowly out in the
open.

“Sir!” one of the squad’s spotters shouted. “Large convoy is
coming our way, on the street that runs just outside the wall.”

I guess the easy part’s over,
Neil thought.

“Through the gate!” Rand transmitted. He stopped just
inside. “That tears it. Neil, Hal, Tim, and Patterson, get over here.”

“Sir?” Aguirre asked when they gathered.

“I’m going to hold the gateway as long as I can and slow
down these jokers. Neil, it’s your command, which means you do exactly what
these sergeants say. Get Rivera to the rally point if you can; otherwise, hole
up in the city and hide.”

He wants to die.
Neil opened his mouth to protest,
but Aguirre spoke first.

“Sorry, captain, but you need to lead. You don’t get to
abandon your people,” he said harshly. “I’ll be the rearguard. Give me someone
to help.”

“I’ll do it,” Ruiz said quickly.

Rand looked between them. The hum from the approaching
convoy grew louder.

He’s freezing up,
Neil thought. The path was clear.

“Okay, Rand?” he said.

“Okay,” Rand whispered.

Neil nodded at Ruiz and Aguirre, and he grabbed Rand’s arm
and pulled. “We’ve got to go.”

Maybe they’ll survive,
Neil thought.

The squad had traveled about four hundred meters from the
gate when they heard the low thumping of Ruiz’s M18, followed by single shots
from Aguirre’s M6. Chinese rifles chattered in response. Ruiz and Aguirre had
switched to their own private comm channel, but anyone listening in heard
Aguirre calling for Ruiz to suppress certain targets, and Ruiz pointing out
Chinese forces trying to outflank them.

Rand’s squad was a full klick away when they heard an
explosion, and Ruiz’s and Aguirre’s comms and guns fell silent.

“They gave their lives for their country,” Governor Rivera
said.

Rand ignored him. “What a waste,” he said, so quietly that
only Neil could hear.

NEW DELHI – In what analysts describe as an historic
international coup, Prime Minister Varalakshmi announced Thursday that India
had put in the winning bid for colonization rights to most of 10 Tauri V, the potentially
terran world within European space, and had simultaneously struck a ceasefire
in the ongoing border conflict with China. She announced that India would open
peace negotiations with China over “a number of outstanding issues that outside
forces have used to drive a wedge between us.” The move is said to have shocked
Japanese and American officials, who had been counting on Indian support in the
war with China and Korea. Analysts said the move all but guarantees
Varalakshmi’s reelection next month, and it may mark a decrease in influence by
Tyag Bahadar Singh, the powerful general leading the counterinsurgency in the
former state of Pakistan. European Colonization Minister Claude Delvaux said
India’s bid amounted to E228 billion plus a number of other considerations
involving trade rights on Earth. Europa would also retain the colonization
rights to the second-largest habitable continent on the new planet, or 20 percent
of the primary continent if the world turns out to be in a single-continent
geologic era.

USS Javier Benavidez y Diaz

Many off-duty personnel spent their downtime in the
ship’s main mess, watching the orbital bombardment play out on a giant
wallscreen. It was the next best thing to looking through a window, but those
did not exist on an armored warship. Sequoia continent was coming into view
below them, its green coastal patches still dwarfed by the great rusty deserts
into which Earth life had not yet advanced.

Donovan was watching, trying and failing to take his mind
off the news of India’s sudden withdrawal from the war effort. Ramesh had
messaged a brief apology, devoid of explanation, and he had not replied to
Donovan’s entreaty for more detail.

If they were misleading us, they sacrificed hundreds of
lives in the border war with China in the name of a lie. But to what end? Maybe
China agreed to stop funding the Punjabi rebels, or they are secretly funding
their purchase of 10 Tauri V. It doesn’t make sense.

Komarov, wearing a solemn expression, entered and sat down
across from him. Donovan had figured the admiral would avoid him in the days
after learning his true line of work, but the Russian had actually sought him
out
more
often. In their conversations, Komarov’s language had grown
more technical and his discussions more revealing, almost as if he was glad
Donovan was in the national security community and thus someone he could share
his thoughts with on an expert level.

“Officer Calvin,” Komarov said, “I have come to say
do
svidaniya
.”

“Admiral, I am not scheduled to drop to the surface for
several more days.”

Komarov looked down at the table. “No, I am being …
dismissed from the
Diaz
, I’m afraid. Very shortly a jumper will take me
to the
Kirov
.”

“Dismissed? If there’s some kind of misunderstanding, I can
talk to Admiral Cooper. She knows who I am.”

“No, no misunderstanding. The news has not been made public
yet, but it will be shortly. I am afraid my government has struck a separate
peace with the People’s Republic of China. They are ceding us all of their
territory on Kuan Yin, excepting, of course, Sequoia, and they are turning over
the Gliese 353, 20 Leonis Minoris, Rho Cancri, and GJ 1134 systems to us as
well.”

That’s every way out of here, except for the wormhole
back to American space,
Donovan thought
. All the systems we were going
to conquer. They’ve won two wormhole chains that lead to areas outside the
desert, so they may find more colony planets. And – my god, with the Indians
and Russians out, the friendly fleet still around Earth is suddenly much
smaller.

“We will, of course, be allowed passage through Chinese and
Korean space to maintain commerce with our new possessions,” Komarov went on.
“The Chinese will withdraw their troops from the planet under our protection.
The citizens on Fengsheng will be allowed to stay and become permanent
residents, or they may purchase passage on one of the European or Federation transports
to another Chinese territory, if they wish.”

The admiral paused. He seemed distressed.

“Did you give them Siberia, Sergei?” Donovan asked.

“No, in fact, the Chinese only asked for a slightly greater
portion of the revenue from our joint Siberian mining operations and permission
to put unarmed monitors in a few places, to ensure Chinese citizens working in
Russian territory are not being manipulated or abused.”

“That is a significant concession on their part.”

“Indeed,” Komarov said. “We think they are giving ground to
get us out of the war, and they have also cut off a path from your space into
theirs by putting us between you.”

“And all this … the
Kirov
and the rest, and all the
troops, this was to demonstrate resolve to the Chinese, right? And you got free
passage through American space, with an American escort, to get here.”

“Yes. For once, I’m rather impressed with our leaders, I
must say. I also feel compelled to tell you that I only learned this was a
possibility shortly after the battle near Long Nu. I am truly sorry for the
deception, my friend.”

“I understand, Sergei,” Donovan said. “I don’t think I’m in
a position to hold deceptive behavior against anyone.”

Komarov bowed his head slightly. “And please, Mister –
Calvin. Be careful on the surface. Chaos makes a useful cloak.”

He left, escorted by the ship’s master-at-arms, leaving
Donovan to wonder alone how things had gone so wrong.

Sycamore, Sequoia Continent, Kuan Yin

They made it another ten blocks before a Chinese drone
spotted them.

It was an unarmed monitor, and Rand initially refrained from
ordering it shot down, hoping his squad would register as a cluster of
civilians if no one was watching closely. But it followed them, so Rand had his
grenadier drop it.

We can’t reach the exit before they’ll be on us
, he
thought
.
At least the rest of the guerrilla company, including the other
VIPs, had made it out.

He scanned the street.
Still no civilians out.
There,
that’s a good spot.
He ordered the squad to move into a deserted two-story
restaurant at the corner of 19th and MLK, which advertised a basement bar.
The
corner makes it easier for the Hans to hit us from two directions, but we can
hide Rivera in the bar and put guys on the roof, at least until the drones
come.
He ordered Patterson to launch the squad’s last scout drone to see
what was arrayed against them.

“The force that followed us through the gate looks to be a
couple of platoons, one infantry, and the other some kind of security unit,”
she reported. “They are moving very slowly in our direction, acting like they
expect an ambush. There’s a second force headed our way from where we entered
the camp from the outside. They are probably the guys who engaged First
Platoon. They’re spread out along several primary streets, looking for us. And
… they’ve got some heavy hitters, sir. Six LAVs.”

Rand flipped to transmit to the entire squad. “All right,
everyone down to the basement – ”

He wasn’t sure if he heard the gunshot or the sound of breaking
glass first. The sniper drone had aimed its big bullet through the window and
at Corporal Briggs’ head, but the soldier had turned at the last second, and
the round cracked into the hardwood floor, kicking up a plume of splinters.

A grenadier upstairs lit off another small antiaircraft
missile, which streaked into the sniper drone and exploded. The drone fell to
the pavement.

“Nice shot, Mook,” Patterson transmitted.

“Cancel previous,” Rand said. “Everyone stay in position,
and call out the Hans as soon as you see them.” He turned to Neil. “Time to
make yourself useful, buddy.”

USS Apache

“Signal from the flag, spacestrike request from the
surface,” the comms watchstander announced. She sounded puzzled. “Admiral
Cooper is asking for volunteers.”

“Volunteers?” Captain Howell asked. “Weaps, what’s the target?”

“Several armored vehicles in Sycamore proper, sir,”
Lieutenant Ortega replied. “Fleet intel rates that area as still very red for
STO defenses.”

“Sounds like a job for one of the cruisers, then,” said Carruth,
the XO. “
Maryland
is ahead of us in the bombardment queue.”

“That won’t work, sir,” Jessica said. “We’re the only ship in
range with enough thrust to increase our inclination to reach the target in
time, and then change our orbit again to avoid going over the Han continent.
Even then, we’ll be shooting a high-angle shot through lots of the atmosphere,
meaning we’ll have to use most of our laser power to do any damage. We can
manage one pass, maybe twelve minutes of useful laser time.”

“But then we won’t have any laser power left to shoot down
any Stoats they throw at us,” Carruth warned. “And even with all the
suppression kinetics we’ve been throwing at them, there’s no guarantee they
won’t try to take a surface laser shot at us.”

Everyone looked at Howell, whose face had lost its command
pose and now betrayed uncertainty.

“Sir, we need to thrust immediately to maximize time over
target,” Ortega said.

Howell said nothing. Jessica raced through several screens
of data about the fire mission request, saw the originator code:
Sneaker.

“The request came from Lieutenant Mercer,” she said.

Sycamore, Sequoia Continent, Kuan Yin

“Twenty-five minutes, and we’ll get some help,” Neil
said. “My ship, as it happens.”

“Thanks, Neil.”

To the south, they saw a series of white lights, climbing
upward in the night sky. Missiles
.

Maybe thirty or so. Looks like Hellastrae’s Rangers have
done some good; otherwise
Apache
would be facing three times as many.
“I
can’t promise they’ll be able to do everything we need, though,” Neil said. “They
will be under fire and won’t have a lot of time overhead.”

Rand nodded. “Hope they make it through, Neil.” He pressed
his handheld screen to transmit to the squad. “Might have some friendlies
overhead soon, so let’s engage the Hans as soon as they are in range.” He
turned back to Neil. “Hopefully the prospect of recapturing our VIP will dissuade
them from just blowing us up.”

“Right. It’s better that we force them to come in and
slaughter us personally,” Neil said.
Come on, Rand, your people need you to
lead them.

“That’s the spirit,” Rand said, a shadow of his usual grin
cracking across his face. He turned to one of the guerrillas. “Yo, Ramos, you
were stationed here in Sycamore, right? Was this restaurant any good?”

Ramos snorted. “This place? Out of my price range, sir. Maybe
one o’ you high-and-mighty officer types could afford it, but not on a PFCs
salary, that’s for sure.”

Rand looked skeptical. “You think I’d be caught dead in
here? The ambiance is terrible, and the service … we’ve been in here, how long,
fifteen minutes? And no one’s even bothered to take our drink orders.”

Several of the soldiers laughed.
Good, Rand. Even if it’s
just bravado, your people need it,
Neil thought.

The first Chinese armored vehicle appeared to their south,
far down 19th Street, moving in their direction. With Briggs covering him, Ramos
ran outside, kneeled, and fired an antitank rocket in its direction. The LAV
blew up, sending a black cloud into the peach sky of Kuan Yin’s early dawn.

Keep the enemy back. If they close, they’ll figure out
that there’s a basement and Rivera is in it, and they can launch explosives
into the top floors,
Neil thought
.
Rand’s troops were taking
low-percentage shots to keep the Chinese at bay, but their ammunition would run
out eventually.

“More LAVs coming!” Patterson shouted from her window.
“Infantry’s with them, under cover.”

We can’t run, not with Rivera in tow. Maybe it’s time to
find a white cloth.

He saw a bright light in the southern sky, moving fast
across his field of vision.

“There she is!” he shouted.

USS Apache

“Count is twenty-eight Stoats intersecting with our
orbit,” the CIC caller said.

Apache
was pointing its nose down at the surface, which
was racing by beneath her. The ship’s defensive laser emitters fired on the
missiles racing up to meet them, destroying several, and antimissiles took out
a few more. But the incoming missiles had only 350 kilometers to cover – point
blank range in a space battle – and they closed quickly.

“Ready point defenses,” Captain Howell said.

“We’ll need to devote three hundred thirty mike-whiskeys to
the point defenses to shoot all those down,” Lieutenant Ortega said.

That won’t leave me enough, and Neil will die,
Jessica
thought.

She said, “There’s a lot of smoke in the lower atmosphere
from the battle fires. If I don’t have five hundred for bombardment, I’ll just
be giving the Hans a suntan.”
Apache
’s laser engines could muster six
hundred megawatts of power.
If we were just a damn destroyer,
we wouldn’t
have this problem,
she thought.
Ortega’s too conservative. Those Stoats
are dinky missiles with dinky warheads. But how to convince Howell to overrule
Ortega?
She remembered Neil’s theory, that Howell had achieved some measure
of self-actualization after helping take down the
Ban Chao.

“Come on, let me kill some Hans, Skipper,” she said.

It worked. “Lasers, five hundred mike-whiskeys to the main
cannon,” Howell said. “The rest to the point defenses. Ortega, you take the PD
so Barrett can focus on the bombardment.”