Carnifex. Part 12

"They do have mountain troops, you know, General."

"I know...but they're not our our mountain troops. I would miss the Ligurini, Stefano." mountain troops. I would miss the Ligurini, Stefano."

To that the captain had nothing to add. He left his general to his own thoughts for some minutes. When Marciano spoke again it was to say, "f.u.c.k 'em."

"General?"

"f.u.c.k the politicians. Tell the commander of the company-Romano, isn't it?-to follow those sons of b.i.t.c.hes and kill them."

The device Noorzad carried, the same one brought by the messenger from Mustafa, beeped low. He answered it.

"Noorzad? Mustafa. Some friends inform me that there is a company of infantry on your tail."

The device was surprisingly static-free. Though unmarked, Noorzad was pretty certain it had come from off world; that, or was an offworld technology perhaps manufactured on Terra Nova.

"I can handle a company of infantry," the guerilla chief said.

"Yes, I am sure you can. But you cannot handle the battalion that will descend from the air if you are found, or the air strikes that will come. They are already gathering."

Unseen by Mustafa, Noorzad shrugged. "I understand. I will split my men up, ditch most of the weapons. We can take shelter in the villages nearby."

"You are not concerned they will turn you in?" Mustafa asked.

"After what we did in Jameer? No; word will have spread like the lightning. They'll be too afraid to go against us."

8/3/467 AC, Escuela de Montaneros Bernardo O'Higgins, Boqueron, Balboa Jesus, this s.h.i.+t terrifies me.

Ricardo Cruz had his left hand jammed into the crevice of an otherwise nearly sheer rock wall. The hand was formed into a fist, effectively locking him to that wall. His other hand searched for further purchase higher up while his booted feet rested precariously on a couple of finger-widths of ledge. A rope was coiled around his torso.

Cruz's job was to get the b.l.o.o.d.y rope up the cliff, attach a snaplink to whatever could be found, and create a belay system so that the rest of the men could follow safely. On the way up Cruz mentally recited the very unofficial and much frowned upon version of the Cazador Creed.

Considering how f.u.c.king stupid I am...

Aha! There was a little outcropping of rock. He grabbed tight hold of it and began working his left leg to another little spit of a ledge.

Appreciating the fact that n.o.body lives forever...

The ledge and the outcropping held. Heart pounding, Cruz unballed his left fist, removed it from the crevice and began feeling up and along the wall for another place to anchor his hand before he risked moving his lower foot.

Zealously will I...

Cruz's foot slipped.

There were actually four legions now, since the last, but probably not final, reorganization. The field legions were numbered I through IV; plus the air ala ala and the naval and the naval cla.s.sis cla.s.sis, which retained their tercio tercio numbers, and the training and base legion, which was not yet numbered at all. At the moment, two of those legions, I and II, were at or just over full strength. The other two were at roughly seventy percent, for III, and forty percent, for IV. numbers, and the training and base legion, which was not yet numbered at all. At the moment, two of those legions, I and II, were at or just over full strength. The other two were at roughly seventy percent, for III, and forty percent, for IV.

Under the reorganization, which had been implicit from the start, the Legion del Cid Legion del Cid would operate on a four year cycle. While one legion was fighting or ready to go, another was at full strength and training to fight, while a third was building up to full strength and training at lower level unit and individual tasks. A fourth was, practically speaking, broken up with its personnel either in school or supporting school. Since this was the year the married soldiers could actually be home nearly every night, sometimes Carrera referred to the fourth, or school, year as the Legion's "Reproduction Enhancement and Divorce Reduction Program." would operate on a four year cycle. While one legion was fighting or ready to go, another was at full strength and training to fight, while a third was building up to full strength and training at lower level unit and individual tasks. A fourth was, practically speaking, broken up with its personnel either in school or supporting school. Since this was the year the married soldiers could actually be home nearly every night, sometimes Carrera referred to the fourth, or school, year as the Legion's "Reproduction Enhancement and Divorce Reduction Program."

Legio IV was currently in school, hence the forty percent strength. It would be replaced by I after the terms of service of that legion's one term volunteers ran out. Arguably, during the school year, a legion was not really a legion at all, since it consisted only of cadre and those were mostly in school or supporting the training legion or other units. But, since the school year legion had an Eagle, had a chain of command, had equipment and IV was currently in school, hence the forty percent strength. It would be replaced by I after the terms of service of that legion's one term volunteers ran out. Arguably, during the school year, a legion was not really a legion at all, since it consisted only of cadre and those were mostly in school or supporting the training legion or other units. But, since the school year legion had an Eagle, had a chain of command, had equipment and would would be filled to strength at some point, it was still considered a legion. be filled to strength at some point, it was still considered a legion.

What was not generally considered, outside of by Carrera and his staff, was that, since there was a reserve clause in the enlistment contract, every legion could be brought up to strength in a matter of days. This presupposed that the troops would come back voluntarily as Carrera had no legal way of making them return.

I think that's a safe bet though, Carrera thought. Carrera thought. And besides, their business and student loans all go into default if they fail to answer the summons. And besides, their business and student loans all go into default if they fail to answer the summons.

Legio III's cadre had completed their refresher training the previous year and was in the process of building up to one hundred and five percent strength. III's cadre had completed their refresher training the previous year and was in the process of building up to one hundred and five percent strength. Legio Legio II was at roughly one hundred and five percent strength, and was working up to divisional operations. II was at roughly one hundred and five percent strength, and was working up to divisional operations.

Legio I, recently returned from Sumer, still had seven months left on the enlistment contracts of the sixty percent of its strength that were one term volunteers. Rather than waste the time, or let the men go slowly crazy from boredom, Carrera had them training. To be more specific, he had them training to return to the war, but in Pashtia. I, recently returned from Sumer, still had seven months left on the enlistment contracts of the sixty percent of its strength that were one term volunteers. Rather than waste the time, or let the men go slowly crazy from boredom, Carrera had them training. To be more specific, he had them training to return to the war, but in Pashtia.

As a young officer in the Federated States Army, Carrera-then under the name Hennessey-had acquired a fine loathing for general officers. Oh, yes; he'd known a few he thought were better and more useful than sandbags. He'd even known a few he genuinely admired. But those few had been few indeed.

One of the distinguis.h.i.+ng marks of worthwhileness, a sine qua non sine qua non of good generals.h.i.+p, in Carrera's view, was that the general ought not let of good generals.h.i.+p, in Carrera's view, was that the general ought not let himself himself become a hindrance to training. Since people became, frankly, freaky when a general-or a senior legate or a become a hindrance to training. Since people became, frankly, freaky when a general-or a senior legate or a dux dux-showed up with all his entourage and all his pomp and circ.u.mstance, Carrera thought a general could a.s.sist training best by, in most cases, seeing while not being seen. Thus, while Cruz inched up the wall, Carrera and Soult hid in a sheltered draw and watched through binoculars. They'd parked their vehicle two miles distant and walked in guided by map and compa.s.s. Carrera loathed being dependent on the Global Locating System.

Soult, a senior warrant officer now, as was Mitch.e.l.l, had stayed on. Most of Carrera's original group, those still alive, had.

"You're pretty confident, aren't you, boss?"

"Confident about what?"

"That we're going to be rehired by the FS. I mean, why else go through the expense of training at this...intensity?"

Carrera adjusted the focus on his binos to key in on a youngish trooper scaling a wall. He spoke as he turned the adjusting wheel.

"I am am somewhat confident, yes, Jamey. But I'd have the troops training like madmen anyway just because I think it's the right thing to do, that it's... somewhat confident, yes, Jamey. But I'd have the troops training like madmen anyway just because I think it's the right thing to do, that it's... immoral immoral for soldiers not to spend every possible minute and every dollar, every drop of gas, and every round of ammunition you can spare on it." for soldiers not to spend every possible minute and every dollar, every drop of gas, and every round of ammunition you can spare on it."

"What's more...ah, f.u.c.k."

Soult looked into his binoculars until he saw what had caused his chief's outburst. When he did see it-a climber who'd slipped until he hung by his fingertips from a small rocky outcropping-he repeated, "f.u.c.k."

...try to f.u.c.k every female I can talk into a horizontal...f.u.c.k!

Cruz felt his lower foot slip vertically. That put excess demands on the other one, which likewise lost its hold on the rock ledge. His left hand hadn't quite found purchase. In much less time than it takes to tell about it he found himself hanging by the fingertips of one hand, and not even all of those. His body slammed the cliff face, almost causing him to lose his death grip on the outcropping. Moreover, while his helmet protected the bulk of his head, in slipping he had managed to sc.r.a.pe the left side of his jaw along the rough rock wall. He felt hot blood drip down his neck.

His first instinct was, frankly, akin to panic. It lasted milliseconds before training and experience took over. I've been scared witless before and overcome it. I can again. I've been scared witless before and overcome it. I can again.

As Aristotle had said, "We become brave by performing brave acts." This Cruz had done often enough to deserve the t.i.tle of "Brave."

The first thing Cruz's questing fingers found was a tiny little spur of rock. It would never do to support his entire weight but, gripped by two fingers and a thumb, it was just enough to take some weight off of the overstrained fingers of the other hand. His heart began to slow, if only slightly. Ok...so I have at least two or three more minutes of life. My fingers will hold that long. A lot can be done in two or three minutes. Ok...so I have at least two or three more minutes of life. My fingers will hold that long. A lot can be done in two or three minutes.

Next, his foot found the previous ledge it had occupied. He was unwilling to take quite the same perch he had had previously. He spent some of his one hundred and twenty to one hundred and eighty seconds feeling around for the best position he could find. When he found it he tested it, spending a few more precious seconds. He then allowed his foot and leg to take some weight from his whitened, tired fingers.

At last, breathing a little more easily, Cruz found a spot for his other foot and began to rest his fingers in turn.

"I recognize the face, boss, but who is that kid?"

"I think it's a centurion, junior grade named Cruz," Carrera answered. "Volunteer for the original Legion. Decorated twice...mmm, maybe three times; not sure. Two kids. Wife's name is..." and here Carrera had to struggle to remember, "...mmm...Cara or....no; Caridad Caridad, I think. Good kid. Going places if he stays with us."

Unseen by Carrera, Soult smiled. Gotta admire the boss' memory. Gotta admire the boss' memory.

"You actually know know his wife? I mean, we've got fifteen hundred officers, twenty-five hundred optios and centurions, maybe a thousand warrants and you know his his wife? I mean, we've got fifteen hundred officers, twenty-five hundred optios and centurions, maybe a thousand warrants and you know his wife? wife?"

"Long story," Carrera answered.

Soult shrugged, then asked, "Hey, boss; does it bother you when...you know...when you have to meet the wife and kids, or the parents, of somebody who got killed?"

Carrera was a long time answering. "Jamey, it bothers the h.e.l.l out of me. But you know what keeps me going?"

"Revenge?"

"When we first started, sure, that was all I had. But the fact is, I keep going now for two other reasons. One is that we have to win this war for the sake of our civilization, for our kids and grandkids."

"And the other?"

Carrera sighed. "The other is that I love this s.h.i.+t; that I'm addicted to it."

Cruz didn't have time to think any deep thoughts until he reached the top of the cliff and secured and lowered the rope. After that, he thought, Maybe Cara was right. Maybe I should give this s.h.i.+t up. Maybe Cara was right. Maybe I should give this s.h.i.+t up.

If only I didn't love it so.

10/3/467 AC, UEPF Spirit of Peace I love it when a plan comes together, thought High Admiral Robinson, as he watched a distant image of Xamari pirates in half a dozen boats swarm, engage and board a Balboan registry freighter. thought High Admiral Robinson, as he watched a distant image of Xamari pirates in half a dozen boats swarm, engage and board a Balboan registry freighter.

It hadn't been all that easy for Robinson, setting things up as he had. It had helped, though, that nearly half of Terra Nova's global s.h.i.+pping was registered with the Republic of Balboa and most of the rest was with an otherwise insignificant country in Uhuru. The Balboan Government needed merely to be reminded of the World League's discountenancing of privately armed merchant vessels and that, with a large, uncontrolled and potential hostile army inside its borders the government needed whatever friends it could get... or should we arrange to pull out the TU troops that are there to safeguard you, Senor Presidente? or should we arrange to pull out the TU troops that are there to safeguard you, Senor Presidente?

Robertsonia, the other large flag of convenience registry on Terra Nova had needed a bribe that was so low it was pitiful. The Tauran Union had, of course, begun to enforce the World League's edicts. The rest of down below, except for the Zhong, didn't much matter. And to the Zhong, every non Zhong s.h.i.+p seized by the pirates was all to the good.

While the currently in-power Progressive Party in the FSC also frowned on armed merchant s.h.i.+ps, it had a large and powerful surface navy, more powerful in fact than all the other navies combined, to protect its own s.h.i.+pping. A task force of this had been sent off to suppress the piratical scourge along the Xamar coast. It was signally failing to do so. In part this was because Robinson was pa.s.sing to Abdulahi which s.h.i.+ps could be attacked without risking engagement with the FSN; in part because the FSN's Rules of Engagement, or ROE, forbade taking any seriously deterrent action even if they happened to be in a position to engage. The Progressive Party's domestic "mandate" was not so strong that it could afford to alienate any of it const.i.tuencies, progressive, pacifist, racial, environmental, or other.

Neither the World League nor the other-marginally-significant naval powers on the planet were taking any significant action to suppress the pirates.

Even better; Mustafa's man among the Nicobars is gradually bringing the other pirates under his control.

11/3/467 AC, Nicobar Straits A thick haze floated over the water, reducing visibility to no more than two hundred meters in the daytime daytime. At night, a sailor could, sometimes, see the end of his nose. The haze was not from the weather. Rather, it was mostly smoke from gra.s.s and brush fires that raged uncontrolled upwind of the Straits.

On any given clear day the Straits would have a steady hum as more than one hundred and fifty s.h.i.+ps made pa.s.sage through it. When the haze closed down like this, though, all the s.h.i.+ps stopped engines and dropped anchors. Even the risk of pirate attack was better than risking a wreck.

Parameswara, chieftain of his own band of pirates smiled in the silence. Tonight was not a night for piracy. The s.h.i.+ps were safe for the nonce from him and his men.

I have a better fish to catch tonight, he thought he thought * * *

One remarkable feature of Nicobar piracy was not that it was entirely Islamic, but that it was not not entirely Islamic. Indeed, there were Hindu pirates, Sikh pirates, animist pirates, Buddhist pirates...even "Christian" pirates. There were Chinese pirates and Tamil pirates. There were white, black, brown, and yellow pirates. In all, there were-and not counting mere part timers-some thirty-three entirely Islamic. Indeed, there were Hindu pirates, Sikh pirates, animist pirates, Buddhist pirates...even "Christian" pirates. There were Chinese pirates and Tamil pirates. There were white, black, brown, and yellow pirates. In all, there were-and not counting mere part timers-some thirty-three large large bands of pirates, plus substantial numbers of small time freelancers, not more than half of either Moslem. bands of pirates, plus substantial numbers of small time freelancers, not more than half of either Moslem.

They all hated each other; that was key.

It had taken some time, and considerable intelligence support from Robinson, before Mustafa had determined the solution to his problem. It was really elegant in its conceptual simplicity. Mustafa would help and direct one not terribly large or powerful Moslem group, under the leaders.h.i.+p of a fat, middle-aged Malay cutthroat named Parameswara, to take over, one by one, all the non-Moslem pirates. That band would then be large to take on the largest of the Moslem bands. That united band would then be large enough to have little difficulty taking over the rest of the Moslem bands. At that point, there would be enough Moslems under cohesive leaders.h.i.+p to exterminate the previously allied non-Moslem pirates.

That was one elegant concept. More elegant still, so much so that Mustafa nearly s.h.i.+vered when he thought upon it, was that the ultimate targets of the pirates, his his ultimate target, the s.h.i.+ppers of the industrialized world, would pay to have Parameswara do this. ultimate target, the s.h.i.+ppers of the industrialized world, would pay to have Parameswara do this.

In the short term, the Malay would do precisely as he said, suppress piracy. The s.h.i.+ppers, like all their ilk, rarely thought in the long term. Short-term returns were what kept them in their cushy jobs. Short-term returns were what got them golden parachute packages. Indeed, that much at least Terra Nova's capitalists shared with its progressives. There was little practical difference between a progressive, or an outright socialist, promising to rape an economy for short-term gain to buy votes from the ma.s.ses and a capitalist raping a company for short-term gains to buy votes from the stockholders.

So, at least, Mustafa thought of it. And, in principle, giving money to Parameswara to protect their s.h.i.+ps from pirates was not substantially different than paying it to Abdulahi, as an increasing number of s.h.i.+ppers were, to keep his merry boys from seizing their s.h.i.+ps.

The part Mustafa had the greatest difficulty in understanding was the failure of the s.h.i.+ppers to arrange for their own s.h.i.+ps' protection. Is it that we are charging one drachma less than it would cost the s.h.i.+ppers to hire mercenaries for protection? Are they really that short-sighted? They must be. Is it that we are charging one drachma less than it would cost the s.h.i.+ppers to hire mercenaries for protection? Are they really that short-sighted? They must be.

One form of aid Mustafa had given Parameswara was a company of his own mujahadin. That company had also brought with it modern weapons ranging from rifles to heavy machine guns and rocket grenade launchers, or RGLs, sufficient to arm ten times Parameswara's band. In addition, they had brought money, a doctor, night vision equipment and radios.

Mostly, they brought expertise. The war to gain control of the pirate factions of the Nicobar Straits would be fought mostly on land.

The engine was killed even as the boat's pilot turned the wheel hard a port, toward the coast. Landfall was a subdued sc.r.a.ping of muck along the lead vessel's bottom, followed by a shuddering stop. There was no sound except the lapping of small waves on the hull of the boat, the sound of feet sc.r.a.ping along a dirty wooden deck and the quiet splas.h.i.+ng of men easing themselves over the side to the waist-deep, murky and polluted water.

Mustafa's man-called, simply, al Naquib al Naquib-sniffed at the unpleasant smell composed of mixed smoke, salt sea, rotting jungle vegetation, and pollution. It was so unlike his native desert that inside he cringed.

Still, the mission was important and if al Naquib al Naquib had to put up with a few esoteric smells to complete it, then so be it. He, too, eased himself over the side and into the foul water. Parameswara followed. had to put up with a few esoteric smells to complete it, then so be it. He, too, eased himself over the side and into the foul water. Parameswara followed.

"Place not far," the Malay bandit advised. He spoke a sort of pidgin Arabic that served as a lingua franca along the Straits.

"I hope not," al Naquib al Naquib answered. "My men are not used to the jungle. answered. "My men are not used to the jungle. I I am not used to it either." am not used to it either."

"'Not far,'" the Malay repeated, then left to take the lead to guide the mujahadin toward their target.

The village sat on a low promontory above a slow flowing, greenish river. Culturally and ethnically the place was Chinese, part of the diaspora on Old Earth that had been replicated by forcible immigration to the New. The ethnicity could be seen in the architecture, smelled in the aroma of cooking, and heard in the sing-song speech of early-rising women. Boats were tied up to the riverbank, below the village. Most were unpowered. One, however, sitting low and lean and rakish, had a powerful outboard mounted to the stern. This was the boat the men of the village used for their piratical forays.

Parameswara eyed the boat hungrily. It would make a fine addition to his small fleet. Only let the Yithrabi, Al Naquib, do his job as Mustafa promised me he would. Only let the Yithrabi, Al Naquib, do his job as Mustafa promised me he would.

In the dank, green jungle surrounding the village, al Naquib al Naquib was doing just that, positioning the men of his company by squads. The early morning calls of birds covered the sound of his movements, and it did those of his men and Parameswara's, and the few words he spoke. Even without the birds, it is doubtful they would have been heard over the chatter of the village's women. was doing just that, positioning the men of his company by squads. The early morning calls of birds covered the sound of his movements, and it did those of his men and Parameswara's, and the few words he spoke. Even without the birds, it is doubtful they would have been heard over the chatter of the village's women.

Yuan Lin was the village chief's senior wife. This didn't protect her from having to rise early, just like any of the other women, to clean and to cook. At most, her position allowed her to drop some of the more onerous duties on the younger women.