“No, get back!”
Valentine did as ordered, but she stillcalled out to him.
“Turtle up, they’re faster thanyou.”
Colston glanced towards her, and thenback to the machine.
“No way,” he grunted,“I don’t hunker down against Xenoparasites.”
“Big mistake,” saidAlexis.
The Ski’lig sidestepped threetimes and then kicked down at hisarmoured leg. A Human limb would have shattered instantly, but theRhino armour simply buckled, and he lost his footing for a moment.That was enough for the Ski’lig to strike him in theback.
“Listento those that came before you,” said Sergeant Jablonsky, “Use theirexperience to make you stronger.”
Moreblows came in, and still he lifted his arms into something moreakin to a boxing stance. The strikes hit near his face, and thistime he was able to ward them off.
“Create openings,” saidValentine, “Let its confidence become aweakness. Know where it is attacking, and be ready to…”
“Okay,”he said as he stepped to avoid a strike, “I heard you!”
Helowered one arm and snarled.
“Come on, you damned bird. You wantsome of this?”
The Ski’ligshrieked, and he began to laugh. At firstit appeared he was being the cocky, arrogant soldier as before. ButValentine could tell otherwise. His arms might be hanging down, butthey were ready, and he was up on the balls of his metal feet,ready to move quickly.
Better.Maybe he’s not such a fool afterall.
The alien hunter came inquickly, shielding its left side with a wingedarm as it lunged in for the kill. There was something a littleunreal about the thing, with it looking more like an undead Ski’ligthan the real thing. But as it swung for Colston, the other membersof the lance began to cheer.
“Come on, Colston!” Alexisshouted, “Use your armour.”
He must have listened, because as the next blows rained down on him,he appeared transformed. The attacks came down hard, but he wavedthem away with well-placed parries. Instead of using weapons, heused the thick armour and enhanced structure of the lattice framingto block the attacks.
“Better,” said Valentine,“Now use weakness against strength, strengthagainst weakness.”
He seemed confused, and one blowslammed in hard on his right arm. He stopped theattack, but by the time he countered therobotic Ski’lig, it had moved away.
“Colston, use weakness,”shouted Valentine.
He hesitated, and then grunted inagreement as the others began to cheer.
“Put that thing on its back!”said the usually silent Bandu. Other Novas from the platoongathered to watch as the bloodied andtired Colston continued to fight. Maybe he would have given up ifit had not been for the encouragement. But now as the others formeda loose crescent around them, he took on a second wind.
“It’s time for you to go down!”he said angrily, much to the pleasure ofthe crowd.
“Stay cool,” saidValentine, “Use its strength.”
The Ski’lig moved left, thenright, and then threw itself at him. Therifle came down like a club, and this time Colston behaveddifferently. He lifted his left armoured limb, but the impactforced his arm back down. It happened quickly, but as his armdropped, he moved his rear leg back behind him and twisted at thehips. The motion allowed the Ski’lig to glance off him like anangled piece of plate armour. The Ski’lig was thrown off balance,and as it moved past, he swung his right arm around like a club,slamming it into the thing’s back. It was a brutal strike thatwould have shattered its body had his power not been reduced.Instead, it toppled forward and fell flat on the ground.
“Yes!” Tsarkov howled,“Finish him!”
Colston moved over the fallen beast andplaced one foot on its head.
“Stop!” Sergeant Jablonsky ordered.
Colston hesitated, and then removed hisfoot and turned back to face the others.
“Good,” said Jablonsky, “Very good.”
He tapped something on his arm,and the Ski’lig robot lifted itself upand moved back to the Sergeant’s flank.
“Alliance techs have been workingon these for some time. What did youthink, Private?”
Colston coughed, spittingblood to the floor before answering.
“It’s fast, really fast. Is that whatthey’re like?”
The Sergeant seemed satisfied with thatanswer as he raised his gaze to the others.
“Anybody want to answer thePrivate?”
Kallias lifted one arm, and thenspoke once the Sergeant gave him a nod.
“Yeah, they’re that fast, but there’smore.”
He moved towards the machine andtouched the arm. The wing membrane was missing, with just a simplemetal structure to represent the shape.
“They use the wings like knives.Not such a problem for us, but againstregulars or civilians it’s brutal. Plus…they can glide.”
Colston looked confused.
“And that’s a problem?”
“Maybe not on a ship like this.But if there’s enough space then, yeah,it’s a problem. They swoop in low and fast, attacking with riflesand blades, or they stand off and snipe while continuallymoving.”
“And hasn’t anybody told you about theheavies, or the big ones?”
“Wait, what?” Colston asked.
Valentine glanced over to SergeantJablonsky, and she was certain he was smiling.
The cunningbastard, he set this up to try and pull us together.That’s why he’s the Sarge, and we’re not.
He let them talk for almost a minutebefore clearing his throat.
“We’re going in with the IAB thesecond we arrive, so I want this lance, and this entire damnedplatoon up and ready to fight. Treat thisSki’lig robot as a training device and get started. Do not smashit, though. We’ve only got one. Who’s next?”
Tsarkov moved in front, and theSergeant tapped the device on his arm. Helooked to Tsarkov.
“You ready forthis?”
He moved into a fighting stance, his feet wide apart, and hishands hung down low.
“Cocky,” said Valentine in hushed tones, “But it mightwork.”
“Okay,” Alexis said,“Fight!”
The machine movedin, and both exchanged a series ofhigh-speed attacks, most of which failed to land. LieutenantFletcher moved to the side and watch the first few engagementsbefore leaning in and speaking into the ear of the Sergeant. Thiswent on for some time until the Sergeant nodded. Fletcher steppedaway and looked directly towards Valentine.
“Lance Corporal.A word.”
Valentine turned away from the fight.
“Yes,Sir?”
She spotted Tsarkovwrestling with the machine before beingseparated, and the Novas clapping to his messy, but successfulbout.
“Next up. Yes, PrivateBandu. Show us the Byotaiapproach.”
Valentine would liked to have watched,but the Lieutenant stared at her intently, focusing on heronly.
“I’ve spoken tothe Sergeant and Corporal Kleinlercher about themission, as well as the NCOs from the other lances. All of themseem confident about this mission and our part
