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2009 - 2018 - This is an original work by Zeb Carter and is protected under copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Author.
Lone Star
* * Lone Star Tanks * *
The storm was getting worse as the tank was buffeted by the high winds outside. Dust and debris hit with the force of bullets, as the swirling air passed by the armored beast. The dusky tan metal was scoured clean by the driven sand as the three occupants rode out the sudden storm. For now, they were grounded least the storm toss them about like a rag doll. Their hope was that their ninety-ton beast would be able to withstand the tornado-like winds.
Inside the tank, the shrieking of the wind was lessened by the thick armor and even though the tank weighed in at ninety tons, it was still shaken by that wind. The three people inside held on to whatever they could to keep from being thrown around the inside.
"Holy Mother of Jengo!" cried Private Leffler, as the tank pitched to the right about twenty degrees and slammed down on its pads, hard.
"Easy there Leffler, easy," came the soothing words of Sergeant Nevins.
"Geez Sarge," Leffler answered back.
The tank was shaken repeatedly as the storm passed over them. Dust was now starting to filter into the tank through all the tiny openings that were inherent to a beast as big as a tank. The trio donned their goggles and breather masks so as not to inhale the tiny dust particles.
"Another ten minutes, Sarge, then we're in the clear," Corporal Manley chimed in, his voice muffled by his breathing mask.
Ten more minutes of being tossed around like a pinball. Well not really as the tank barely moved from its grounded position but, to those inside it felt as if it was. The howling of the wind increased as the trailing edge of the storm approached. This was not the first time this crew had been caught by a storm on the plains of N'zicka and it probably wouldn't be the last.
The Fourth Armored Battalion of the Lone Star Division had been hired to root out invading contingents of the Fifth Mechanized Division of Leyton V. A dreadnought of the First Star Brigade had been hired and was now in orbit to keep any more troops from being landed from Leyton V. Tank one-four-nine had been on patrol with tank two-one-five when the storm had hit. Both tanks were now grounded and waiting out the storm.
"Blue two to Blue one," Sergeant Balis's voice crackled over the comm.
"Blue one, go," Sergeant Nevins answered.
"Contact, three-one-four true, speed one-hundred kph. He's coming right toward us."
"Roger. Any ID?"
"Readout profile says it's a house!"
"Affirmative," Sergeant Nevins chuckled to herself as her crew broke into laughter.
"You don't happen to see a scarecrow or a tin man with that house do you?" asked Corporal Manley laughing out loud.
"Knock it off Manley!" shouted Sergeant Nevins who was trying to stifle her laughter without much success.
Within minutes the wind started to die down and the buffeting the tank was taking lessened slightly and then was gone. The sky outside was clear and bright with sunshine. Popping her hatch Sergeant Karen Nevins raised her seat up and looked around, bare eyes.
"Private, grav-lev on."
The tank rose, shaking off the dust and debris, which had accumulated on the lea ward side of the tank. Billy Leffler eased the tank sideways, out from under the debris. Once free, the tank popped up to its normal height above ground of thirty centimeters.
Looking over to tank two-oh-five Karen saw that several trees had them pinned down and their grav-lev field was straining to free them. Reaching behind her, she moved the tri-barrel from its stowed position and cycled the weapon to ready.
"Blue one to Blue two shut down your grav-lev and I will clear your tank."
"Affirmative."
When the tank settled back to the ground, Karen took aim and pressed the activation stud. Plasma bolts streaked their way to the trees atop Blue two. As the bolts impacted the trees, they expended all their energy in one massive explosion. The tree trunks vaporized where they were hit. Three gentle taps of the button were all it took to clear the top of the tank.
"You're clear Blue two."
"Roger."
Tank two-oh-five rose from the ground and moved forward, the rest of the trees slipping from its skirts.
"We're clear, thanks Blue one."
"Heading one-zero-five, go," Karen called out.
Both tanks swung to the new heading and accelerated to cruising speed. The land was flat as far as the eye could see. Dunes rose on the horizon to the North, as the flatlands extended to the East. Just over the horizon, Karen knew that there was a town, a town held by the Leyton Brigade. Their patrol wouldn't take them anywhere close to the town but they had to be on the lookout for patrols from the town.
As yet, a major confrontation had not taken place, as the mercenaries truly did not want to battle with each other. First, there would be negotiations, then after those broke down and only then, would they engage in combat. Minor skirmishes between patrols were expected and any casualties would be mourned, but would not have any effect on the diplomatic proceedings.
* * Charlie Squad * *
"Get your head down Phillip's or I'll knock it off myself," Sergeant Osterhouse whispered harshly.
"But Sarge, we're sitting ducks out here," Private Phillip's whispered back.
"As long as they don't have their IR gear powered up, we'll be fine. Now shut the fuck up!"
Charlie Squad of the Fifth Mechanized Division of Leyton V lay in the shallow foxholes they had hurriedly dug to protect them from the storm. They had started this patrol with three vehicles, but they had all been scooped away by the storm. Now they watched as the two tanks from the Lone Star Division whispered across the desert plain. It was going to be a long walk back to town.
* * Lone Star Tanks * *
"Contact bearing one-four-oh, stationary. Count sixteen, on foot," Corporal Manley called out.
"Blue one to Blue two, contact, bearing one-four-oh, continue on course."
"Roger, continue on course."
"Private Leffler put us on a course that will curve us around behind them and put us between them and the town."
"Roger that Sarge."
"Blue two, fall in behind us."
"Roger Blue one."
Karen watched the panel in front of her. Sixteen contacts, out on the desert, glowed against the dark screen. The course their tank was following was a dashed red line. It showed them arriving on target in thirty-eight minutes.
* * Charlie Squad * *
"Crap, they must have spotted us."
"How can you tell Sarge, they're still going away from us?"
"They're curving around to get behind us, which they'll do in about thirty minutes, and there's nothing we can do about it."
Sergeant Osterhouse scanned the immediate vicinity looking for cover and protection from the tanks. Just to his north, there was an outcropping of rock.
"Gear up, we're on the move, due north. Hustle, hustle, hustle."
There was a commotion as the squad gathered its gear and started in the direction Osterhouse had pointed out.
* * Lone Star Tanks * *
"They're on the move Sarge," Manley called out.
"Where too?"
"Due North of their current position."
"Leffler, change course, intercept as soon as possible."
"Roger."
The tank lurched to the left as it turned sharply to the southwest. The speed increased as the hum of the reactor changed pitch.
"Intercept in three minutes," Manley called out.
"Blue two, prepare to deploy, echo formation on my mark."
"Blue two, Roger."
* * Charlie Squad * *
"Holy Mother..." Osterhouse quickened his pace to get to the rocky outcropping.
The point man of the squad was just reaching the outcrop when he disappeared. Osterhouse watch as man after man in front of him disappeared from sight. As he topped the little rise in front of the rocks, he saw why. There was a cave entrance at the base of the rock and his men were scrambling to get inside.
Osterhouse ran the rest of the way to the entrance and started to take control of the madhouse. Pushing, pulling and kicking his squad until they were all inside. He didn't know if it was a good idea, but any hidey-hole against a tank was better than no protection at all.
Once inside Sergeant Osterhouse saw that the cave opened up and went down into the ground at least a klick.
"Everyone lights on, keep moving to the back of the cave, move you jarheads."
The squad started to move back into the cave. The farther they were from the entrance the darker it got. Their lights helped but did nothing to part the gloom in front of them.
The bright flash of a plasma bolt just outside the entrance followed a loud boom that rocked the ground under their feet. The squad quickened its pace.
* * Lone Star Tanks * *
"Sarge, contacts disappearing."
"What?"
"The contacts are disappearing one by one Sarge."
"Where are they going?"
"Hell if I know."
"Leffler, speed it up."
The tank lurched forward as Leffler applied max thrust to the impellers. They arrived seconds after the last contact disappeared from their screens. Popping out of her hatch Karen looked around and saw the cave entrance. Slipping back inside, she pulled the manual sight down to her eyes. Lining up the cave entrance was difficult as the tank was still moving. Hoping for the best and the worst at the same time, she tapped the foot switch.
Super-heated plasma scorched its way down the ceramic lined barrel and hit the rock centimeters above the cave entrance. Superheated rock flowed down to cover the opening.
"Seismic probe, on the double, find out where this cave goes."
"Probe planted, charges set, fire in the hole."
A deafening explosion went off directly under the tank, yet did no damage, as it was a highly directional blast.
"Data coming in..."
"Well?"
"It goes due north for about a klick on a downward slope then starts back up for another klick, there are three side branches that go nowhere. Uh..."
"Where does the damn thing come out?"
"Uh...two klicks to the east at another rock outcrop, bearing four-eight degrees."
"Leffler, four-eight degrees, step on it. Blue two, stay put until I call for you."
"Roger."
