afford a little less armor when you are twice as hard to hit. Even so, your armor is not much less.' His finger pointed at some layered, blocklike additions around the turret. 'See these blocks? Your T-38s will boast the newest reactive armor, Engagement-5, giving an additional 120 millimeters worth of steel protection against solid shot and 500 millimeters against hollow charge, HEAT, ammunition. From the front, nothing the Sumeris have can penetrate. Nada, my friends.'
Used to second rate, light armor-at best-the long-service veterans of the old BDC breathed a sigh of relief, even as the newer men grinned or, some of them, whistled.
For his part, Mendoza simply grew dreamy-eyed at the prospect of having one of these beautiful war machines under his control.
'Moreover, 'Sitnikov continued, 'the tanks you will receive once they are ready will have four significant advantages over even the usual T-38.'
Sitnikov walked closer to the turret and pointed at a device mounted to the side of the turret, behind the gun. 'This is called a 'Blinder.' When the tank or the infantry carriers are attacked by guided missiles, either automatically or when the tank commander flicks a switch inside, the Blinder will send out coded infrared signals that mimic those sent out by the guided missile. This confuses the missile's computerized guidance system so badly that the missile is usually sent into something like low orbit. That; or into the ground. Think of it as a nervous breakdown, computer style. The Blinder also warns and gives a directional indicator for laser beams 'painting' the tank for a laser guided missile. In addition, it launches prismatic smoke grenades to screen you from the view of enemy gunners.'
Pointing then at the oddly placed blocks around the turret, then at an ovoid device above them, Sitnikov announced, 'Moreover, a number of the tanks you will receive in the desert will have mounted an active defense system, the 'Sand Blaster.' This is a system which automatically senses incoming projectiles, computes the best intercept point, then fires off the correct one to three of these other explosive blocks to deflect or damage the projectile. I have never personally used this system, but it is said to be amazing… effective against both missiles and kinetic energy weapons. Yes, even against tank-fired long rod penetrators. The Sand Blaster is new, absolutely new. Outside of a few prototypes, our own tanks do not have it yet. My government is giving it to you for combat testing.
'Then, my friends, look here at this box. This is a thermal imager much like those found in other world-class tanks. The tanks you will receive will have an improved version.
'Lastly, your tanks will come with the ammunition carousel and storage inverted to give you approximately three times as many antitank rounds, and fewer antipersonnel high explosive rounds. In the desert, facing tanks, this will be a good thing for you.'
As Sitnikov moved back to stand over the tanks engine and wax lyrical over the power plant-in this case the 1250 horsepower turbine engine that replaced the less powerful 1000 horsepower diesel job found on most Volgan heavy armor, Parilla asked Carrera in a whisper, 'Do you believe any of that?'
Carrera answered equally softly, 'Oh, maybe every other word. That turbine is going to suck gas. Although I could be wrong; don't sell the Volgans short. Still, I doubt that Sitnikov believes it all, either. But it doesn't matter what you, or I, or even what Sitnikov believes.' Sweeping his hand across the backs of the mostly young Balboans listening raptly to the Volgan, Carrera concluded, 'All that matters is what they believe.'
Though Carrera had spoken to Parilla softly, Siegel had heard. He leaned forward over their shoulders and added, 'Actually, sirs, what the Sumeris believe is likely to be of some importance, too. You know, 'They can because they think they can' and all. Rather, 'They can't because they think they can't, ''
Carrera was puzzled at the reference. He asked, 'Homer? The Trojan assault on the Greek camp?'
'Virgil, sir. The boat race.'
'Ah, Virgil.'
Parilla said, 'You know, Patricio, there is something to be said for naming weapons rather than numbering them. Why don't we give these tanks and the other equipment names?'
'Not a bad idea. Any thoughts?'
'Yes, as a matter of fact. I was thinking that we could name the tanks for a predatory cat.' Parilla held up his hands defensively. 'Yes, I know, so did some rather unsavory characters both in our history and Old Earth's. Not all their ideas were wrong, merely for them having had them. So… yes, the most powerful predatory cat in this hemisphere.'
'Smilodons?' Carrera asked. 'I don't like that; having our tanks nicknamed 'smilies.' Or named for captive animals. Or named for a nearly extinct species.'
Parilla grimaced. 'I hadn't thought of smilodons. They were such a danger, and their fangs and pelts such a prize, that they're almost never found outside of a zoo anymore. How about we call the tanks… mmm… ' jaguars.''
Carrera shrugged. The jaguars, beautiful as they are, are endangered, but nothing like old saber-tooth. They exist in zoos, of course, but they're mostly free. Maybe… oh, why the hell not?
'What about the lighter armor, Raul, the PBM-100s?'
Parilla thought about that one before asking, 'Those things swim, don't they?'
'Yes… yes, they swim pretty well, I understand. They've got waterjets underneath.'
'Ocelots?' Parilla suggested. 'They swim, after all.'
Still atop the tank, Sitnikov was coming to the end of his presentation.
'Now, gentlemen, you may recall that I began by saying this is one of the best tanks in the world. Surely that is a matter of some worry to you, not being the best. Never fear, the only tank better than this is the White Eagle. That, with all the modifications I mentioned, is what you will actually receive for the fight… '
Carrera and Parilla then left for a different part of Imperial Range. There the infantry, artillery, and other professional cadres were going through a training course in staggered groups, some pushing the new trainees while others learned to use the new equipment. Knowledge was power, and Carrera wanted his subordinate leaders to have power over their troops by virtue of their superior knowledge. Therefore, they had to learn the new equipment before the trainees ever laid eyes upon it.
Kirov, Volga, 15/4/460 AC
'Damn your eyes, take it back!' an infuriated Raikin demanded.
'What do you mean 'take it back'? There's nothing wrong with that block. Nothing!'
Raikin reached out his right hand, grabbing a surly looking machinist by the ear. 'You smelly little twat,' he hissed. 'I was boring cylinders when you were pissing on the floor and I know what is and what isn't a good block. Come with me.'
Across the factory floor Raikin dragged the shrilly protesting machinist. A few people stopped to look briefly. Not many did, however. This had become normal. The tyranny of the quality control teams had replaced the dictatorship of the proletariat.
Reaching the block where it rested on a cart by his tank, Raikin pulled the machinist's head down. 'Show her, Stefan.'
With a grimace, the one-eyed man set a micrometer and showed the setting to the machinist. Then he plunged it into an open cylinder and rattled it around. The machinist could not hear the rattling, of course, not over the drone of the factory. But the micrometer moved where it should not have been able to move.
'Now come with me. I am going to show you, once and for all, how to bore a damned cylinder.'
Hand Grenade Range,
Fort Cameron, 21/4/460 AC
Private Cruz was feeling rather pleased with himself today. He had been among the first in the century to qualify to throw a live grenade. Earlier he'd raced through the grenade assault course, proving that he could handle one of the little bombs. Now he waited in line to move up to the pit from which he would throw five live fragmentation grenades. One of the instructor corporals motioned for Cruz to stand and move up to the pit.
At about that point it really sank in, Holyfuckingshit! They want me to hold a live bomb in my hand?
When Cruz reached the pit from which he was to throw his grenades he was met by First Centurion Martinez. Martinez looked the new private up and down and asked, 'Feeling a little cocky today, are we, son?'
Cruz answered, 'First Centurion, I haven't felt cocky since coming to this… establishment.'
'That's good, chico, because today cocky can get you killed.' Martinez returned to business. 'Private Cruz, at this station you will engage targets under a variety of circumstances with live fragmentation grenades. Do you
