Starfist: Kingdom's Fury by David Sherman & Dan Cragg Page A
Authors: David Sherman & Dan Cragg
Tags: Military science fiction
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when the threat warning shrilled in the pilot's ears, just before his Raptor disintegrated. The other Raptor got off all four of its Jerichos, then dropped altitude and sped back to base less than fifty meters above the ground. The Skinks knocked three of those six Jerichos out of the air before they reached their targets.
The Over Master issued two prearranged commands. One command halted the fire against the bunkers, began the withdrawal of those weapons, and led the ten thousand Fighters who were just short of the heights—still undetected by the dazed and blinded defenders—to close the final gap and begin their killing. The second order sent sappers along the line of killed weapons, to set fire to the corpses and fragments and to retrieve the weapons.
Silent until now, the Skink Fighters shrieked and barked as they charged the final twenty-five meters. They jammed the nozzles of their acid guns into the apertures of the shattered and cracked bunkers and let them spray.
The stunning, ear-ringing quiet that fell when the Skinks stopped battering the bunkers lasted only seconds. It was replaced by the screams of Kingdomite soldiers whose flesh was being eaten by the acid.
All along the line, Marines began firing back. The flashes of dying Skinks lighted the bright afternoon even more brilliantly. Enough of the Marines had the presence of mind to radio reports to their command elements that they were being overrun, so Brigadier Sturgeon and his staff recognized the severity of their situation. In moments new fire orders were issued, and all the artillery began firing on the defensive line. The Marine cluster munitions mowed Skinks down by scores, but more of them survived because of their body armor and helmets. The Kingdomite artillery, by dint of numbers, killed just as many. But shells from those guns also hit bunkers already weakened by the Skink fire and collapsed them, wounding or killing the defenders inside.
"Regimental artillery, cease fire!" Sturgeon barked as soon as he realized the Kingdomite fire was killing Marines. The rumble of the Kingdomite guns slowed and stopped. There weren't enough Marine guns to do the job on the ridge and the hill, and he didn't dare send any Raptors up. What could he do to stop the Skinks from taking Heaven's Heights and Hymnal Hill?
"Cooks and bakers?" he asked Sparen.
"I can have them on the move in five minutes," Sparen replied.
"Ram, can you get anybody there sooner?"
"Van Winkle's been rotating his line companies off the line," Colonel Ramadan replied.
"Have whoever's available hit Hymnal Hill."
"Aye aye." Ramadan picked up the comm to his infantry commander.
"Who else is available to move?" Sturgeon wanted to know. "We need to get more Marines up there."
Meanwhile, the Marine artillery kept pouring its scatter munitions on the high ground.
CHAPTER FOUR
"THIRD HERD, SADDLE UP!" Staff Sergeant Hyakowa bellowed as he raced into the park where the Marines of the platoon waited tensely, watching the fight on the heights above the city.
"Fall in," Hyakowa shouted as he skidded to a halt.
In seconds the Marines were in formation, all with their weapons and gear, though the new men were still shifting everything into place.
"Squad leaders, report!"
Sergeant Ratliff looked to his side. "First squad, all present!"
Sergeant Linsman didn't pause; he'd taken stock as he ran into formation. "Second squad, all present!"
"Guns, locked and loaded," Sergeant Kelly sounded off.
Hyakowa pointed at the nearest height, Hymnal Hill. "We're going up there," he said, "as soon as some Dragons get here."
A muffled roaring came from behind a nearby building.
"That's probably them now." Hyakowa looked toward the sound in time to see two of the armored, air-cushioned, amphibious beasts slip around the corner of the building.
The drivers reined in their mounts and reared about so the ramps faced the Marines when they dropped.
Lieutenant Rokmonov poked his head out the rear of one
The Over Master issued two prearranged commands. One command halted the fire against the bunkers, began the withdrawal of those weapons, and led the ten thousand Fighters who were just short of the heights—still undetected by the dazed and blinded defenders—to close the final gap and begin their killing. The second order sent sappers along the line of killed weapons, to set fire to the corpses and fragments and to retrieve the weapons.
Silent until now, the Skink Fighters shrieked and barked as they charged the final twenty-five meters. They jammed the nozzles of their acid guns into the apertures of the shattered and cracked bunkers and let them spray.
The stunning, ear-ringing quiet that fell when the Skinks stopped battering the bunkers lasted only seconds. It was replaced by the screams of Kingdomite soldiers whose flesh was being eaten by the acid.
All along the line, Marines began firing back. The flashes of dying Skinks lighted the bright afternoon even more brilliantly. Enough of the Marines had the presence of mind to radio reports to their command elements that they were being overrun, so Brigadier Sturgeon and his staff recognized the severity of their situation. In moments new fire orders were issued, and all the artillery began firing on the defensive line. The Marine cluster munitions mowed Skinks down by scores, but more of them survived because of their body armor and helmets. The Kingdomite artillery, by dint of numbers, killed just as many. But shells from those guns also hit bunkers already weakened by the Skink fire and collapsed them, wounding or killing the defenders inside.
"Regimental artillery, cease fire!" Sturgeon barked as soon as he realized the Kingdomite fire was killing Marines. The rumble of the Kingdomite guns slowed and stopped. There weren't enough Marine guns to do the job on the ridge and the hill, and he didn't dare send any Raptors up. What could he do to stop the Skinks from taking Heaven's Heights and Hymnal Hill?
"Cooks and bakers?" he asked Sparen.
"I can have them on the move in five minutes," Sparen replied.
"Ram, can you get anybody there sooner?"
"Van Winkle's been rotating his line companies off the line," Colonel Ramadan replied.
"Have whoever's available hit Hymnal Hill."
"Aye aye." Ramadan picked up the comm to his infantry commander.
"Who else is available to move?" Sturgeon wanted to know. "We need to get more Marines up there."
Meanwhile, the Marine artillery kept pouring its scatter munitions on the high ground.
CHAPTER FOUR
"THIRD HERD, SADDLE UP!" Staff Sergeant Hyakowa bellowed as he raced into the park where the Marines of the platoon waited tensely, watching the fight on the heights above the city.
"Fall in," Hyakowa shouted as he skidded to a halt.
In seconds the Marines were in formation, all with their weapons and gear, though the new men were still shifting everything into place.
"Squad leaders, report!"
Sergeant Ratliff looked to his side. "First squad, all present!"
Sergeant Linsman didn't pause; he'd taken stock as he ran into formation. "Second squad, all present!"
"Guns, locked and loaded," Sergeant Kelly sounded off.
Hyakowa pointed at the nearest height, Hymnal Hill. "We're going up there," he said, "as soon as some Dragons get here."
A muffled roaring came from behind a nearby building.
"That's probably them now." Hyakowa looked toward the sound in time to see two of the armored, air-cushioned, amphibious beasts slip around the corner of the building.
The drivers reined in their mounts and reared about so the ramps faced the Marines when they dropped.
Lieutenant Rokmonov poked his head out the rear of one
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