John G. Hemry - Starks War

Table of Contents

Prologue

Part One

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Part Two

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Part Three

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Epilogue

Copyright

Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated

Copyright 2000

Pub. Date: April 2000

ISBN-13: 9780441007158

Starks War

The Ethan Stark Series

Book I

John G. Hemry

Content

Prologue

Part One

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Part Two

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Part Three

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Epilogue

Prologue

Once before, Americanshad come here, riding to another world on primitive reaction rockets and a burst of national determination to be first across the final frontier. They came, staying briefly, exploring tiny patches of territory, and seeking knowledge. Then national will faltered and sought frontiers closer to home, frontiers less expensive, less risky, and less demanding. The Americans left a last time and did not return, leaving behind few traces that humanity had ever broken the bonds of its home world.

As the great Cold War that had dominated the last half of the twentieth century ended with an unexpected whimper and as economies around the world imploded during the post-Millennium Crash, America found itself the last superpower, economically and militarily supreme. Its corporations, backed by the most technologically advanced military in the world, dominated the Earth as no empire ever had before.

The Earths riches foreclosed, other nations looked elsewhere. Many years after the Americans had left, others came, from other nations and alliances, seeking the material and scientific wealth offered by Earths consort. They built research labs, mines, refineries, low-G manufacturing plants, and colonies for their workers that soon became small towns. After great investment, the wealth began coming home and enriching the colonizers.

America finally raised its gaze once more, staring up at the Heavens and realizing they were now owned by others. So America resolved to return, and claim what she felt was hers.

Part One

Operation Tranquillity

Chapter 1

The assault boatshuddered and jumped, a random pattern designed to foil fire-control systems but also annoying as all hell to the soldiers seated in their Armored Personnel Carrier. Regular motion could be expected and countered, but the wild jogs of the boats course were always unanticipated. Sergeant Ethan Stark swore as a particularly violent jerk slammed him against the restraining harness. You never knew what waited at the end of a drop, but the drop itself always guaranteed bruises.

Stand by for drop. The Lieutenants voice rang through the comm circuit, piercing an otherwise oppressive silence. The dimly lit boxlike interior of an Armored Personnel Carrier was never a cheerful place to begin with, but going in for the initial assault ratcheted the tension a little higher. Stark closed his eyes, focusing inward.

Drop! Lieutenant Porter sang out, followed almost immediately by the ascending whine of the APCs lift units. Theyd run drop simulations in lunar gravity conditions, and it was immediately obvious the real thing wasnt going right. The driver gunned the lift as the drop extended for tens of seconds too long, both of which meant problems.

Starks eyes shot open, locking onto the Lieutenant where he sat rigid and silent with uncertainty. Brace for impact! Stark ordered his squad, barely getting the words out before the APC grounded with a teeth-jarring slam that wrested a volley of curses out of the waiting soldiers. With a sideways lurch, the APC shuddered back up and into motion.

The average grunt didnt rate an outside view, but Stark wasnt average. As a squad leader, he rated his own view, which was less a compliment than a recognition that Lieutenants could die or be disabled very quickly in combat, after which Sergeants had to be available for the brass to pass orders through. Not that Im going to let them keep me in the dark until then . Stark toggled a communications switch, bypassing security thresholds to access the officers-only command circuit. Between the official view and his strictly unofficial pirate back door into the command circuit, Stark now knew as much as the Lieutenant-which, as usual, granted him no peace of mind whatsoever.

Where the hell are we? the Lieutenant complained. My Tac cant get a fix.

Were off your Tactical map preload. The laconic voice of the APC driver seemed deliberately modulated to enrage hyped-up ground soldiers. Heres a dump.

The Lieutenants gear took a few seconds to download the extra maps, seconds slightly elongated by Stark covertly tapping into the download to copy the maps into his own Tac, then Porter erupted in anger. Damn! They dropped us twenty klicks off target!

Yeah, the APC driver came back agreeably. And they dropped us way too high. Didnt seem to do any damage, though. Im making best speed toward your drop-off point.

Twenty klicks off and too high. And God only knows where the rest of my platoon is. Would it do any good to file a complaint?

Does it ever? Id tell my own commander, but it looks like they dropped her so hard her vehicle lost comms. With that minimal comfort from the APC driver, silence settled over the circuit. Stark relaxed against his harness, studying the new maps, gut tense with anticipation. Sometimes you just waited.

Twenty klicks would take a few minutes, even at best speed.

Lieutenant? The APC driver called again, considerably earlier than he should have to announce their arrival.

Here, Porter responded, voice surly. Whats up?

Going to have to ground it. The power cells are overheating. They need a rest or theyll blow.

I thought you said the APC didnt take any damage when we grounded.

It didnt. The driver sounded aggrieved. Its a design flaw. The cells overheat sometimes, and the only fix is to power down and let them rest.

How far are we from the drop-off point? The Lieutenant seemed torn between resigning himself to a totally screwed-up day or flying off the handle.

Four klicks. Grounding now, the driver announced anxiously, maybe worried about the Lieutenants reaction, or maybe just about his power cells.

Thats too far. What happens if you push the cells?

They blow.

Can we ride that out if it happens? We have to stick to the Tactical plan, Porter insisted, and the plan says we ride this vehicle to our assault positions.

Stark tensed, searching for the words necessary to convince the Lieutenant to follow the APC drivers advice, but the driver did the job for him.

I wouldnt advise it, Lieutenant. Youre sitting on the power cells, and if they blow theyll vent the blast into the troop compartment before the side relief panels pop. Its not supposed to happen that way, but it does. Ive seen it, and it aint pretty.

Lieutenant Porter paused, then replied in barely controlled tones, I suppose thats another design flaw?

Lieutenant, I just drive them, I dont design the damn things. Are you gonna walk, or wait an hour for the cells to cool?

I dont know! Why the hell dont I have comms with anyone else right now?

I dont know, Lieutenant, the APC driver noted desperately. Look, you either wait here or you walk.

Its up to you.

I need orders!

Time to get this show on the road . Stark loosened his harness slightly, leaning forward to tap the Lieutenants armored knee while he tried to project innocent concern. Lieutenant, weve stopped moving. Wont we get off timeline?

Off timeline? Porter questioned, horrified. Oh, God. Damn. Well walk, he informed the APC driver brusquely.