Maniacs The Krittika Conflict

CHAPTER 11



Mason lay in bed. The sun had hardly gone down, but he was nursing his wounds. He knew the medipads he was wearing would fix the worst of it overnight, but right then it still hurt like hell. His body hurt all over from a combination of everything that had happened that day. The lights were low, but he couldn't sleep. He heard footsteps approaching from the hallway, and a soft shadow was cast into the room. The footsteps were too light to be any of the men, and not light enough to be Hella.

"What can I do for you, Erin?"

She stepped through into the room and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Peachy."

"What if you'd have lost?"

"But I didn't lose, did I? Think of losing and you will."

"Was it worth it?"

"Yes," he replied confidently. "Vik never wanted to run this outfit. He just wanted to know I was capable of doing so."

"And beating him into submission did that?"

Mason nodded in response. "I just guaranteed his loyalty for at least a good while, and that's a valuable thing."

"Is every mission you do this eventful?"

"They have their moments, but this one is certainly on the edge. We choose the jobs we take carefully, but hitting ground on this planet was not our choice. It was never an ideal situation or a perfect job to take from the beginning."

"So why did you take it?"

"Because the money was too good to say no, and with it in arm’s reach, it was hard to say no."

"I thought..."

"What?"

"I thought maybe you were doing it for these people."

"Wealthy landowners who are too stupid to fight for what's theirs? Come on."

"I don't buy it. Nobody risks this much for money."

"Really? Go ask Hughes how he lost the use of his legs, and how much he got paid for the privilege."

Erin could see the good in Mason and wasn't willing to accept he was a mercenary first and foremost. Maybe he had started to feel a little for the town’s people, but he still wouldn't have helped without the paycheque.

"How's Mitchell doing?" he asked.

"A mess. He's coming down from a major trip, and he's sweating buckets, but he'll live. That was impressive, you risking all to get one of the crew back. Would you do the same for any of us?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because when I go into combat, I want to know that everyone on the team would do the same for me if it ever came to it."

"And that's what is most important to you, trust?"

"I guess so. In the end what we do is just a job. What matters is the team."

"So you're a family?"

Mason thought about it for a moment. "I guess so. Never really had one, and you?"

"What?"

"Family?"

"I barely knew them. They died when I was young. I was brought up on Mikula."

"You don't sound much like an orphan."

"My guardians were wealthy, is all."

"Were?"

"They aren't my guardians anymore."

"So you've parted ways with your old life?"

"Yes, I was heading to Veni before I got captured."

"Why?"

"Because I used to live there a long time ago, and I have business there."

"What kind of business?"

She looked away and refused to answer.

"Fine, you keep it to yourself. But if and when that business becomes profitable, and you want someone to work with you, you let me know."

She nodded in agreement, but Mason got the sense it wasn't a job that she meant. He opened his mouth to pry further, but she quickly retorted with a change of subject.

“All we’ve been through here, and we aren’t any closer to doing what we were paid to do. Feels like we’re slowly being ground down.”

“I’ll admit it hasn’t gone too smoothly so far, but we’ve now got the whole team together. Volkov’s ultimatum is fast approaching, and he can’t walk away. He has to come at us or look foolish and weak.”

“Maybe if people cared less about how they looked, and more about how they acted, we wouldn’t be here.”

“Yeah, well it’s easy to say what could be in a perfect world. That all men and women could be equal, abolish poverty, and give everyone the good life. You should know your history. Veni tried exactly that, and look where it got them.”

She couldn’t argue with that.

“And when he does come, think we can stop him?”

“In all honesty, this ain’t our kind of fight. This is a grunt’s fight. We plan our ops to hit the enemy hard when they are at their weakest, and get out before they can respond with all their force.”

“But this time the enemy is bringing everything to bear.”

“Yes, then I guess we’ll find out just how good we are at soldiering.”

He yawned wide, but Erin could tell he was faking. He wanted to be alone, but she didn’t mind and knew he was really exhausted.

“I’ll be on first watch. We’ll take yours. You need all the hours you can get tonight.”

“Thanks,” he said, surprised.

She left him to it. For a moment he thought about the army preparing to roll over them, but exhaustion soon overcame him, and he faded into a deep sleep. He was awoken hours later to the sound of shots from the rooftop. He leapt out of bed, realising the sun was up, and he'd been out for a long while. He'd gone to bed dressed and with his boots on. Grabbing his rifle, he rushed to the roof.

"We've got company!" shouted Hughes who was on watch. He was propped up with a crutch under one arm, making up for the fact one of his legs wasn't working, but he still had his rifle slung across his front and ready to use. Mason arrived in time to see a small fast ship come in to land. Its wingspan was small enough it could come down in the street, and so clearly couldn't carry much of an attack force.

The ship was brand new and expensive, a lavish method of transport that few they ever met would use.

"Think it's Volkov?"

"I'd have said so, Hughes. Not many others who fly a thing like that."

But coming right into town without his army? Mason asked himself. Something tells me this isn't Volkov at all.

Hughes laid his crutch aside, leaned against the wall of the rooftop for support, and lifted his rifle up onto it ready to fire.

"I don't like this at all," he stated.

"Let's just be sure who's inside before we start shooting."

The engines powered down and a ramp lowered down into the street. Feet were the first thing they could see from the rooftop, as a lone person stepped out and into view. Mason's face turned from curiosity to a smile. He recognised the face.

"Hold your fire!"

Carter stepped into view from the ship. He was the last person Mason had expected to see. He rushed to the stairs, storming down them to get to the street to see the Boss. As he passed through the bar on the ground floor, he noticed Viktor sprawled out in a chair and barely awake. He looked like he had slept there all night.

"Friend of yours?" he asked.

"The old Boss."

"What's he doing here?"

"No idea."

Mason rushed out through the doors and saw Liu had already got out before him.

"I'm gone for a few days, and look at the shit you land yourself in."

"Wasn't really our choice. Foxy Lady was almost the end of us."

"You don't treat her right. She'll take everything you've got to give."

Mason was eyeing up the lavishly expensive little transport.

"And this amazing machine? In all the time I've known you, you never bought anything so flash."

"Well, when you get to retirement, and have a whole bundle of cash to spend, you realise it’s time to start spending it when you're still about to enjoy it.”

Mason patted him on the shoulder and led him towards the bar. Erin was approaching from the east where she had been stationed. Mason gestured for her to join them.

"Been recruiting?" Carter asked.

"Had too. We were down on numbers, and for this job we need shooters."

"And she's up to the task?"

"Better believe it, but she ain't the only girl I hired."

"Times are changing."

"Not really. You're just getting older.”

Carter laughed, and they went inside.

"This is Viktor. Hughes was the guy on the roof who nearly took your head off."

"Good to know."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you, Max. This job has been kicking around a few years for good reason. Nobody was stupid enough to accept it."

"But the money is great."

The Boss took him by the arm and led to him to a corner at the back of the room where they could talk privately. They took a seat, and Kaper was quick to lay down drinks on the table for them both. The Boss took his drink with suspicion.

"It ain't poisoned."

"That's not what I was worried about. They've got their hooks into you here."

"It's just a few drinks as a thank you while we work."

The Boss went quiet as he took a sip and at least enjoyed the taste.

"So why are you here? You said you wanted to warn me, but you didn't have to come in person to do that."

"Yes I did, because you're a stubborn son of a bitch. I don't care what they're offering. I didn't give this job a second look after learning some of the details. It ain't our kind of work."

"And whose kind of work is it?"

"Oh, I don't know, Max, and frankly, I don't care. We aren't humanitarians. We do this job for money and expect to a reasonably solid chance of surviving it."

"You don't do the job anymore. You retired."

He shook his head. "You know exactly what I mean. Hit and runs, assassinations, rescues, anything where we can use and exploit small numbers with careful planning. This is a stand up fight against an army."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Give back any money you have taken, and get the hell out of here! Plenty of other work out there."

"How did you even know we were here, anyway?"

"You put out a call for operators."

"Still keeping an eye on the usual channels, then?"

"Always. Max, it's just not worth giving your life up for."

Mason sat back and thought about it for a moment. He wouldn't have given it any consideration coming from anyone else, but from the Boss it was cause for concern.

"You came here because you knew it'd be almost impossible to change my mind."

"Sure did."

"And what chance did you think you'd have?"

"Not a lot, but I wasn't gonna leave you here without a try. What is keeping you here? How is it worth it?"

The Boss could see Mason had changed in the few days they had been apart, and he himself was starting to feel it.

"So come on, spill it. This isn't all about the money, is it?"

Mason shook his head.

"You know all the shit jobs we've done. The people we've killed and the people we've worked for. That last mission we did together was the first one in a long time that actually felt good."

"Why?"

"Rescuing an innocent girl from a place like that. You tell me it didn't feel good?"

"But we were paid good money by the Gutierrez family to save her ass."

"No, not Skylar Gutierrez. Erin."

The Boss was taken aback. He looked back and could see her leaning at the entrance of the bar, looking out down the street with Mason's rifle slung on her shoulder.

"We didn't have to save her, and nobody else was coming for her. She's here because of us. Didn't that make you feel a little bit good? A little like our job was worth more than just the money we’re paid?"

"It was nice we could help and all, but is it going to change the way I see the world? I dunno. You get soft in this job, and you get dead."

"Maybe, just maybe we can do the right thing, save some lives. Save some people from being robbed, and make a shit load of money in the process. As long as we make it through, what's not to like?" asked Mason.

"Well, you’re the Boss now. It's your call."

"No, I'm the Captain, you're the Boss. And you came, so what will you do now?"

He took a deep breath, sipping his drink while he thought it over.

"You really are set about staying and seeing this through, aren't you?"

He nodded.

"Then what's one more gig? I'll stand with you."

"What happened to retirement?"

"Retirement is for sissies. It just took me a little while to figure that out."

"Not so long," he replied.

Mason was more than pleased to have the Boss along, but it also saddened him that Carter hadn't managed to break free from the work he had waited so long to get away from.

"You sure you want to do this?"

"Why not? Not got a whole lot else planned. But you're still in charge. I'm just here to help."

"Who's the old guy?" Hella asked.

They turned around. She was at the door.

"Why aren't you on watch?" asked Mason.

She lifted her hand and tapped her wrist. He looked down to see it was on the hour.

"Liu has taken over."

She turned her attention back to the Boss.

"You're a real charmer, aren't you?" he asked her.

"Made quite a statement landing that thing in the street. Who were you trying to impress?"

Carter smiled at Mason. "I like this one."

"Wait till you see her with a knife," he laughed.

"Hella, meet the last Captain, Ed Carter. We just called him the Boss."

"Retirement getting old?"

"Something like that."

"He'll be working with us, but I'm still running the operation."

"Where's Mitchell?"

"He got a little roughed up, Boss. He'll be all right, but he's gonna need another day’s rest before we see much of him. I'd love to go on, but we have work to do."

"Shoot."

"Volkov, that's the bastard we're facing, has laid down an ultimatum. We're supposed to be out of this town by something like six hours’ time. After that, he says he'll come at us with everything he's got."

"And is that as much as his reputation would have you think?"

"We clipped a good number yesterday, but pretty much, yeah."

"Armour and other vehicles?"

"A few trucks with heavy weapons at least, probably a lot more. Local intel tells us he has five armoured wagons which we haven't seen yet."

Carter shook his head. "You really did land in the shit with this one."

"Yes, so we’ve got little time to prepare. I'm all ears for any good ideas on how to handle them when they come. My guys reckon he'll come at us in a pincer movement, bringing in his heaviest gear from the north and south roads."

"Sounds about right."

Mason put his datapad down on the table and tapped a few keys until a map of the town was projected on their table.

"We must assume at least something is coming down the eastern road. We're here," he pointed to the bar on the map, slightly east of the central crossroads of the town.

"Vehicle access from only these four roads?"

Mason nodded. It's a simple and compact layout, so pretty much."

"What assets do you have?"

"The team you know, and the new ones you have met, and a good amount of ammunition. Oh, and a tonne of explosives from the mining operation."

"Well, hell, why didn't you say so? Set Archie loose on that kind of gear, and you've got yourself a real party going."

Mason looked down at the map.

"So if we block off the few small access roads, and funnel them down the main streets, that'll work. Just hope they haven't got V hulls, or our charges ain't gonna do a lot."

"Not likely on a world like this."

"That should take care of the worst of their support, but what about the infantry?"

"How many are we talking, Max?"

"Maybe up to uh...two hundred," his voice dipped when he got to the number.

The Boss’ eyes lit up.

"And is any of the town standing with you in this fight?"

"Unlikely. They're miners, tradesmen, and shopkeepers."

"I don't give a high hell what they are. They expect you to fight for them, they better be willing to put something in themselves."

"They are, ten million things."

"Not good enough!"

"All right, so what do you suggest?"

"Least they can do is provide intel throughout. Get comms set up here, and have them in contact at all times. You got some work ahead of you, and not a lot of time to do it. How can you have ever expected to win this fight sitting around waiting for it?"

"We had more than a little trouble yesterday. Mitchell was in deep shit, and we had to do what we had to do to save him."

"Glad to hear it, but that was yesterday, and now it's today. You need to get moving."

He felt humbled by the Boss, and it was a stark reminder of the man he needed to be.

"Where's the Wizard?"

"He's been across the street all night, Captain.” said Erin.

“Doing what?”

“What he needed to do, I hope, getting those explosives ready,” Carter said firmly.

Mason got to his feet, and Carter was close behind as they went to investigate. As they left, he called back to Erin.

“Get Hughes set up on the radio, and spotters every three shops in each direction!”

He looked across the street. The door of a mining supplies shop was prised open. He knew it was the place. He and Carter strode and found Archibald at the far end of a counter, obscured by lines of devices he had put together. There was not a single part of the counter top visible.

“Carter, was wondering when you’d turn up.”

The Boss looked surprised.

“Oh, come on, biggest fight we’ve seen in years, and we’re to think you wouldn’t want a part in it?”

He laughed in response, “Yeah, I figure so.”

Mason looked along the counter in astonishment, but he knew he shouldn’t have been surprised after working with the Wizard for so long.

“We’ve got big trouble coming our way. We needed the tools to fight that.”

“So what have we got?”

“Ground charges big enough to take out the vehicles we saw yesterday. Trip charges. Have these non-lethal grenades made from a local mineral.”

“Non-lethal?”

“Yeah, it’s a power which comes close to blinding anyone within maybe three metres. It’ll induce vomiting and generally a world of pain.”

“Enough to incapacitate?”

“I can’t see how it couldn’t.”

“Good enough.”

“What’s this?” Carter asked.

He was looking at a large charge that was different to all the others. It stood half a metre tall.

“Well, we haven’t seen it yet, but they must have some air transport.”

“Be amazed if they didn’t,” replied Mason.

“Well there’s only one roof suitable enough for a landing of anything substantial.”

“The med station. Of course, only place in town ever has a reason to come in that way.”

“Yep, and you can be sure that bastard knows it,” he replied. He got up and paced over to the counter where the device lay. “I call this one the game changer. Med station is just eight shops along. They take it, and we’re in trouble.”

“Yeah, they secure that landing pad, and they could bypass any of the devices we set on the roads.”

“We could blow it?” asked Mason.

“But I think Archie has a more interesting idea in mind, isn’t that right?” asked Carter.

“We take out the pad, they change tactics. We blow the pad when they’re overhead, and we take out whatever is inside. This is a shaped charge which should maintain the integrity of the roof while taking out anything up to ten or fifteen metres overhead.”

“And where does that aircraft go then? Could come down on any of the buildings in the town.”

“I said it would work. I didn’t say it wasn’t dangerous.”

Mason smiled. He liked it nonetheless.

“Yes, we can use this.”

“We’re still missing something though,” Carter said.

The two of them looked to him for an answer.

“You said Volkov could have two hundred shooters. Say these devices take out half of those, which would be a big ask, what about the rest?”

“Hey don’t look at me,” said Andrews. “I can get you this far, rest is up to you.”

“When it comes down to it, we’re gonna have to slug it out. We have defensive positions, high ground, and a determined will to succeed.”

“How do you figure they aren’t so motivated?” asked Carter.

“Because ten million credits keeps us in the fight, what about them? And plus, they have somewhere to run when they get scared, where have we got to go?”

“Cornered rats, wonderful.”

Mason lifted his comms unit.

“Vik, Liu, start barricading off all routes between the street buildings for as far as you can in the next two hours. Erin, you have those people. Watch and do not let them leave their positions until this is over. Hughes you’re on comms in the bar. Hella, you’re our only eyes and ears. Everyone get that?”

A string of confirmations came back. He could see the plan was starting to come together, and it was a stark reminder of how unprepared they were that morning. He turned to the Boss who clearly had plenty to say on the matter.

“You think we can do this?” he asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know, but we’ll give ‘em one hell of a fight either way.”

Mason nodded in agreement, but deep down he was not at all confident, and the fact the Boss was unsure as he was made him worried.

“Why did you really come back?” he asked Carter.

The Boss took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his brow. The heat was rising quickly and was a reminder of the brutal temperatures of their last mission.

“You know all these years I looked forward to retirement, and all the peace and easy going life it would entail. Only took me a few days to realise that everything that ever meant anything to me in this life was here, with this crew.”

“But you said you’d never have accepted this mission, that it was suicide?”

“Yeah, maybe. But maybe I realised it ain’t about just a job, but how we live our lives. I couldn’t go and live the easy life knowing my friends still slogged it out for a living.”

“Then take back command of the crew and lead us.”

He shook his head.

“No, it’s time a younger and fitter man had that job. I’m here for you, but you’re the Boss.”

It was all Mason needed to hear.

“Then let’s do this.”