“Kruds?” Petrik inquired.
“Them damn Kedzees, or whatever they call themselves. We call ’em Kruds. Well, it seems they learned a whole lot about us in their defeat and the next time they came they were ready. And a whole lot more than before.
“We didn’t get too much of the action up here but the bastards took over most of the southern regions. Wiped out everyone they got their claws on. We lost quite a few Bolos as well. Looks like we’re gearing up for another planet buster of a battle. Leastwise that’s how I figure it. Why else would HQ be spreading the front all the way out here?”
“Maybe it’s just a precaution. Why take a chance of being flanked?”
“We’re already flanked, Lieutenant. Those scaly buggers are stretched out across the whole continent. But now that we got reinforcements, well, I bet they’re rethinking things a bit. ” ‘Course, even with the new forces, we’re still spread out thin as a spider’s thread.”
“You’re probably right, Private. Well, whatever happens, we want to be ready. What do you need me to do?”
“Got most of the hull breaches sewed up. That starboard-aft repeater’s giving me a devil of a time though. I’m gonna have to jury-rig the targeting manifold. It’s probably gonna take me most of the afternoon. How about calibrating the forward mortars?”
Petrik spent more time fending off insects than working and instead of feeling better about actually having some hands on time with Turkey, by the end of the day he felt worse. For every repair job he completed he found three more things that needed attention. He needed at least a week with a full twelve man maintenance crew to bring the Bolo up to regulation standards. “The damn battle is suppose to be tomorrow and I don’t even know if he can get there without an anti-grav towbus,” he muttered to himself. As he worked he made up his mind that he was not going to trust Cho. Tonight he would sneak into the Bolo and program an override in case the old man became confused during the battle.
It was about two in the morning when he crept into the control room. There was the general, still sitting and playing chess. Turkey communicated the next move and addressed the commander.
“I believe that is check mate, General. Or will be in three moves.”
“What the hell kind of move was that? Knights can’t move just one space!”
“The move is called Dismounting.” The Bolo answered calmly. “When you dismount your knight, it moves like a king. But once a knight dismounts, it can not regain its original movement power.”
The general sat back and sighed. He looked even older and more withered as he looked over at Sean. “Couldn’t sleep, eh son? I remember the night before my first battle. Didn’t get one minute of shut eye. Well, don’t you worry, boy, you’re gonna do just fine. And so are you, Turkey. This sure as hell isn’t my first battle so I’m gonna get some rest. You two go ahead and run whatever tests you want, just don’t make a racket. Make sure I’m up fifteen minutes before dawn.”
The old man finished his drink, rose slowly, and, with a staggering shuffle, feebly made his way to the elevator. Sean wanted to help him but didn’t want to take a chance of firing the general up. Was this really the great Hero of Laxos? The man who was responsible for saving an entire planet, six hundred million people, from being conquered by the Melconians? He looked so frail and withered now, but he must have been gloriously impressive in his prime.
As soon as Cho left, Petrik began to run some tests. The diagnostic program showed a long list of malfunctions. “Turkey, twenty-five percent of your systems are damaged! Can you even function in combat?”
“I believe that most of my primaries will be within acceptable parameters, though some are at the lower end of the range. Private Lawlor assures me that I am battle ready.”
“Has Lawlor ever worked on a Bolo before?”
“No, Lieutenant Petrik, but he has extensive experience working with Templars and came highly recommended.”
“Highly recommended? By whom?”
“General Cho.”
“That figures. Well, he does know how to patch up a hull, but I have my doubts about that repeater he tried to repair.” Petrik looked at the damage list again and shook his head. Too late do anything about this now. “Who knows, maybe the battle will be postponed.”
He then began to program in the override. He felt guilty, betraying his hero, but he wasn’t prepared to risk Turkey and possibly the whole battle to the whims of a dotard. Besides, he might not have to activate it. It was only a safeguard in case of extreme emergency.
* * *
Sean awoke to the gentle voice of Turkey. “Lieutenant Petrik. It’s time to prepare for today’s battle.”
Petrik was still in his co-commander chair. He must have fallen asleep. Then he checked his console in a panic and was relieved to see that he had finished his project and filed it away before he passed out.
“You ready for the big time, Fish-Boy?”
Sean turned and saw the general in his chair. He was clean shaven and was wearing a pressed uniform. The table in front of him was missing the chess board but still had the essential scotch and cigar-filled ashtray. Petrik marveled at how much authority his commander projected. “Yes, sir.”
“Well, here’s the situation. We’re facing a huge build-up of Kezdai forces spread out across a three-hundred-kilometer front. There is a gap between two mountain ranges. Apparently one of the Kezdai warlords or factions or whatever the hell you call them put their entire force here hoping to make a breakthrough. He’s risking a lot but if he succeeds it will be a disaster for us. We’ve been dug in here, hoping they would attack but they know we’re too strong and they want to avoid a frontal assault. Anyway, General Rokoyan, the local commander, decided we’d better attack or they’ll have too much time to prepare positions and plant mines. On our side we have Turkey, and five Mark XXXs, along with a number of lesser battle wagons like Templars, Specters, artillery, and infantry. We can’t count on any air support but neither can they.
“We’ve got the far right flank, as well as command of the entire operation. Our goal is to crush or at least disperse them. I believe there are much bigger assaults going on elsewhere but I wouldn’t expect them to tell us anything. If the enemy breaks through here, they have a clear shot at flanking our main body which could lead to total defeat.”
Sean listened carefully as he watched the map on the viewscreen showing their position as well as the enemy’s. “If they haven’t planted too many mines already, we should be in pretty good shape. From all that I’ve learned, they don’t have much that can hurt a Bolo too badly. And with the Hellrails we can keep the sky clear.”
The general pondered the Hellrails. “Yeah, pretty impressive. Too bad they’re mounted on the back and don’t really lower enough to use as a ground weapon.”
The lieutenant laughed. “That would be too dangerous, too devastating. It would destroy everything in the line of fire as well as most of the terrain.”
“Guess you’re right, Fish-Boy. Okay folks. Let’s saddle up.”
Lawlor radioed that the area was clear and Turkey lurched forward. Slowly at first, then gradually increasing to about half cruising speed. Without a road, the trees and rocky ground kept him to about fifty kilometers per hour.
“All other Bolo units moving into position, General Cho,” Turkey reported. “They say they need about sixteen minutes for secondaries to catch up. No reports of hostilities.”
“Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of hostility soon enough. I expect a shit storm as soon as we clear that ridge.” He pointed to a line on the screen.
Sean’s hands were sweating and he found himself comforted by the confident presence of his commander. He was actually glad he wasn’t in command right now. He couldn’t imagine the pressure of being in charge during his first battle.
Sixteen minutes seemed to take forever; then Turkey spoke. “All units in position, General. Awaiting your command.”
General Cho looked over at Sean and raised his glass. “Sure you don’t want some, kid? Might be a while before you get another chance.”
The young officer shook his head.
“All right then. Here’s the toast we use to give back when I was a lieutenant. To Hell with all generals!” he yelled and polished off his drink. “All units forward!”
Cho was right. As soon as they rolled over the ridge, Turkey started to rock from the impact of enemy fire. Petrik heard the humming vibration of the infinite repeaters and the muffled blasts of the destroyed incoming missiles.