Merkiaari Wars: 02 - What Price Honour Read Free

Frankowski shouted as he tried to bury himself into the riverbank. “Are they nuts? ”
    Gina could only cover her head as the world went mad. Flyboys were all crazy, but this was pushing it. Talk about overkill.
    “Eagle One, Falcon Leader.”
    The explosions died away to be replaced by the crashing of falling trees and the crackle of burning undergrowth. Gina wiped mud and leaves from her visor and blinked at her surroundings. She could hardly believe what she saw. For almost a klick ahead of her, nothing stood above ground level. Fires were burning all over, and where huge majestic trees once stood, now all that remained were piles of broken kindling surrounding a deep crater.
    The fighters screamed by overhead. “Eagle One, Falcon Leader,” the call came again.
    “Falcon Leader, Eagle One. You sure know how to trash a party,” Gina said, crawling to the edge of the huge smoking crater.
    “Navy training, Eagle One,” the voice said with a chuckle before hardening again. “Falcon Leader clear.”
    “Always knew flyboys were nuts, but this is ridiculous,” Westfield said in awe.
    Gina nodded in complete agreement. “Sensors up,” she ordered and rebooted her own software.
    “No hostiles,” Frankowski reported first and the others concurred.
    Eric pointed off to his right. “I have one.”
    Gina didn’t know how he knew that. He was a civ. More than that, he didn’t have Marine armour or tactical helmet with its sensor package. There was a depth to his emerald green eyes, a kind of knowing weariness that puzzled her. He noticed her watching him, and his lips quirked into a crooked smile. He seemed to find her amusing, which was strange considering the situation they were in. Strange or not, there was something about Eric that said she would be wise to heed him.
    “Frankowski, Westfield, go check it out. The rest of you cover them.”
    “Aye, aye,” her people chorused and moved out.
    Eric stood to follow.
    “Not you.”
    He shrugged. “As you wish.”
    As she wished? Damn right it was. “Who are you? What are you?”
    Eric smiled. “I think you already know, Sergeant, or perhaps you’re only now beginning to guess.”
    She glanced at his stump. Now she had time, she noticed something odd. It excited her at the same time as it appalled her. The bone wasn’t shattered or even split. Instead, it was bent and twisted at the end like metal. She knew why that was.
    “A viper?” she whispered reverently.
    Eric smiled again. “I think it’s time you called in, don’t you?”
    “What rank?”
    “Does it matter?”
    “It does to me.”
    He straightened to attention. “I am Captain Eric Penleigh, Special Assault Group, 501 st infantry.” He relaxed and laughed at her dumbfounded expression. “Don’t bother to salute.”
    Gina nodded slowly. Of course he was 501 st , all vipers were. To meet one was rare, especially when the Alliance consisted of more than two hundred member worlds, a total that didn’t include those in the Border Zone like Thurston. Who knew how many Human settled worlds there were altogether? She certainly didn’t. They had a great many worlds to cover.
    “Don’t make a fuss, Sergeant, and that is an order. I’m supposed to be Eric the terrorist while on this God forsaken planet. If you want to tell your people something, tell them I’m an informer who needs protection.”
    “Aye, aye, sir.” Gina almost saluted, but she managed to restrain herself in time.
    “And watch the sirs,” Eric added before walking away.
    “Is there likely to be more of this?”
    He looked back over his shoulder. “Probably.” He went to join her people in their search.
    Gina made her way to where Pike lay. She sat beside him and keyed his wristcomp to display a read out on his medical condition. It was in the red. She watched as his bots reported back that his condition was critical but stable. Reassured somewhat, she contacted base.
    “Red One, Eagle One.”
    “It’s about damn time,”