given the Hammers one hell of a beating. A bit too good, actually.”
Michael did not like the sound of that. “Too well?”
“Yes. Thanks to that Kraa-damned peace treaty with the Feds, the Hammers were able to transfer three marine forces-MARFORs 21, 33, and 92-in from Faith; 33 and 92 were sent south, and MARFOR 21 has been deployed across the Calderon Gap to make sure our 9th Brigade doesn’t pose any threat to McNair City. But what they don’t know is that we’ve managed to get a second brigade up there. It’s taken us months to do it, and now we’re about to teach the new boys one hell of a lesson.”
If it were possible, Michael’s heart sank even more; the Hammers outnumbered the NRA three to one. “One hell of a lesson.”
“Operation Caradoc,” Vaas said, grim-faced. “Part of the deception plan for Juggernaut. And speaking of Juggernaut, thank Kraa you got through with the latest plans and those brevity codes. There are so many damn Hammer ships over this planet, we haven’t been able to get messages in or out for the last month.”
“You didn’t have the latest date?” Michael asked, incredulous.
“No, we did not. We’d have been sitting on our asses twiddling our thumbs when your guys arrived, and that would not have been good.”
“No, it wouldn’t,” he said.
“To take the Hammers’ eyes off Juggernaut, we have to make them think the NRA is trying to break out of the Branxtons. We hope … we think Operation Caradoc will distract them enough to let our people take out the antiballistic missile installations around McNair. We’ll also mount attacks on the planetary defense bases at Qian and Kraneveldt, and speaking of Kraneveldt,” Vaas said, turning to Michael, “they still haven’t finished rebuilding after you trashed the place.”
“That seems like a lifetime ago, General,” Michael said, his voice soft as he recalled the way his hijacked lander’s Henschel HKS-30 cannons had chewed their way through billions of dollars of Hammer hardware, with hypervelocity depleted uranium slugs stitching lines of red dots across ceramcrete aprons, the towering columns of flame-shot black smoke rising skyward, and Corporal Yazdi’s adrenaline-fueled triumph as she took out another flier, only to end up in an unmarked grave on a rain-drenched hillside.
“You did well.”
“Only if we can finish this. What about the marine bases?”
“We’ll mount battalion-strength attacks against Besud, Amokran, and Yamaichi. Beslan Island we can’t do much about; it’s too hard to get to, but we will run truck bombs into its main gate and perimeter defenses. Won’t achieve anything except a lot of smoke and noise, but it’ll add to the confusion.”
Michael put his hand up. “Hold on, General,” he said. “Battalion-strength attacks against marine force bases? I’m sorry, but are you nuts?”
Vaas laughed. “Probably, but have some faith in me. They are only diversionary attacks.”
“Still a huge risk.”
“Not really. The NRA has a secret weapon: all the marines Polk had shot.”
Michael looked skeptical. “I’m sure,” he said, “that there are a lot of marines who’d happily cut Polk a new asshole, but that’s because they’re pissed at what he’s done. They won’t sit on their asses if the NRA attacks them.”
“No, they won’t, but we don’t need them to. All we need is panic and indecision, and thanks to the ax that Polk hangs over the neck of every planetary defense and marine commander, believe me when I say there’ll be plenty of that about.”
Michael did not look convinced. “And how can you make sure of that?”
“Let me see … Take Yamaichi. The commanding officer of the marine air wing is one of ours, along with most of his staff. The man’s uncle was shot after Medusa, so he didn’t need much persuading to lend us a hand. And Besud will find that a large percentage of its ground-attack landers are combat-ineffective as well.”
“You can do that?”
“We think so. We own the specialist unit that maintains their fire-control systems.”
“What about Amokran?” Michael asked even though something told him that he would not like what Vaas was about to tell him.
“Best we could do is a couple of senior officers in one of their combat logistics battalions. We’ve given Amokran to Anna’s battalion …”
“Oh, no,” Michael whispered.
“… and that’s because the 3rd is one of the best units we have in the NRA, so I’m afraid they get the hardest targets.”
“Can’t argue with success, I suppose,” Michael said, his voice stiff.
“No, you can’t, not in this business. Now, what’s next? Oh, yes. What to do with you. Now, I know this will come as a disappointment, but I don’t want you joining the 3rd.”
Michael blinked; he had assumed the transfer was just a formality. “It doesn’t bother me that Anna’s the battalion commander, sir.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t, but it’s not that. I have other plans for you. Others may have taken the Juggernaut idea and run with it, but it was your idea, just as what comes next was your idea. Sending you out there,” Vaas said, waving an arm, “in the field with an assault rifle in your hand would be a criminal waste of your talents …”
“… and before you tear my head off, I know what you’re thinking. Anna, right?”
“Was I that obvious, sir?”
Vaas chuckled. “I’m psychic, remember?”
“So everyone keeps telling me.”
“Look, seeing her won’t be a problem, because I want you to be my roving eyes and ears, someone who’s not part of the formal command structure, my Devil’s advocate, if you like.”
“If that’s what you want, sir.”
“It is. You’ll be … let me see … yes, let’s call you my aide-de-camp.”
“Sounds good, sir,” Michael said. “For a moment I thought you wanted to bury me somewhere in the bowels of ENCOMM.”
“Not a chance, my boy. So trust me, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to visit the Velmars.”
“Thank you, General.”
“Right. The final run-through for Juggernaut is this afternoon. I’d like you to sit in on it, tell me what you think.”
“I’ll be there, and thanks for giving me so much time. I know how busy you are.”
“It’s nothing less than you deserve. Anything else?”
“Colonel Hartspring?”
“Now there’s a coincidence.” Vaas’s eyes narrowed. “I haven’t forgotten what Hartspring tried to do to you and Anna, and I don’t suppose you have either.”
“How can I? He hasn’t given up.”
“What’s the scumbag up to now?”
“He runs a unit called Team Victor. It’s a personal project of the chief councillor’s. When I was in jail waiting to be … you know … a message was smuggled in to tell me Team Victor was planning to kidnap Anna and hand her over to DocSec, and … you can guess the rest.”
“That’s answered a few questions we had,” Vaas said. He shook his head, his face a puzzled frown. “But why would they do that?”
“Polk didn’t think I was hurting enough, so he decided to make me really suffer. which I did,” Michael whispered.
“Kraa!” Vaas hissed. “They are something, those people. But why are you telling me?”
“I’m going to hunt Hartspring down and kill him, and when I’ve done that, I’m going after Polk. The time’s not yet right, but when it is, I want your word that you’ll let me do what I have to do.”
“Ah,” Vaas said, “that’s a tough one. You are one of my best assets, Michael. What if I still need you?”
Michael shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll go anyway,” he said, “but I’d feel a lot better if you said okay.”
“What the hell, fine.” Vaas sighed. “When the time’s right, come and ask. Unless you are the only thing that
