Weapons of War Read Free

"Those soldiers don't seem that concerned to me."
    "They have grown complacent over the years. Some will take the threat more seriously than others, at least until you start winning more battles."
    "Which I have every intention of doing," Donovan said, his thoughts drifting to his mother. Had the Dread discovered her and the children? Was anyone from their base still alive? "We can't let them take him."
    "No."
    "What about the female clones?" Donovan asked, putting his eyes back on them. They were nearly identical to Ehri, created from the same base DNA. "Are they a threat?"
    "They can't be permitted to escape."
    "Is there anything else you can tell me that might be helpful?"
    "The armored soldiers. Aim for the helmets. Severing the connection to their oxygen supply will kill them. Be careful not to hit the tanks. At this distance, you'll wind up killing the pilot."
    Donovan remembered the explosion that had followed when they had killed the bek'hai Hunter, Orik. "Affirmative. I'll take the one on the right. Can you hit the one on the left?"
    Ehri raised her rifle. She had confided that she had trained with Orik for a number of years. She knew how to fight, better than he probably ever would. "Of course."
    "On my signal. I expect Diaz will open up as soon as she sees the plasma."
    "Affirmative."
    Donovan lifted the Dread plasma weapon, sighting along it to the armored soldier, getting a bead on the helmet. He focused on his breathing, making sure to keep himself centered and steady while he took aim. He couldn't afford to miss. Not this time.
    He was about to take the shot when a flash to his left broke his concentration.  
    A scream pierced the night.

  FOUR

    "Matteo," Donovan said, lowering the rifle and breaking back toward where they had left him.  
    His motion drew the attention of the Dread soldier, and a moment later a heavy plasma bolt hit a tree right in front of him, sending hot splinters into the alien cloth he was wearing. The second skin absorbed the attack, deflecting it without harm, and he continued to run.
    A second bolt came a little closer, flashing past his chest, nearly cutting him down. He dropped to his stomach, sensing the light and heat of the third shot crossing over him.  
    The shooting stopped.  
    He got back up, running toward the trees. He could see the light of rifle fire to his right, back at the clearing. It had to be Diaz and Ehri covering him.  
    A face appeared to his left. A clone soldier, nearly on top of him. He didn't hesitate, swinging the Dread rifle like a club, smashing it across the soldier's jaw. The clone collapsed into a heap, replaced with a second a moment later. It tried to tackle him, but he fell to his knees, turning the rifle and shooting, catching the clone in the chest. He rolled away before the body fell on top of him.
    "Matteo," he shouted. The enemy already knew he was here; it didn't matter if they heard him.
    "Donovan," his friend replied.  
    "Where are you?"
    "Help!"
    Donovan followed the sound, rushing through the trees. He had managed to break away from the attack, to escape the Dread's attention.  
    He caught sight of Matteo a moment later. The tech's back was against a tree; the rifle cradled in his arms. His expression was fearful and tense. A dead clone was on the ground in front of him. Three more were approaching his position.
    Where had this group come from?
    Donovan dropped below a stump, resting his weapon on it and taking aim. He didn't have time to worry about accuracy. He started firing, sending bolts of plasma across the distance and into the enemy line.  
    One fell. Then another.  
    Something came at him from his left, cracking through tree branches and landing right beside him. A bek'hai warrior. It kicked the rifle away from him, giving him just enough time to stumble back and fall onto his ass.
    "Shit," Donovan said, eyes frantically searching for a way out. The soldier said something to him in the alien language as it approached,