OK, now we get to the action, but still introducing human characters. Zaratustra and the "finback" design were first featured in my short story "Uncertainty", and Princip, the Flea, the Tick, Sunflower and Zotgjakt are featured in "Walking Dead".
Lords of Battle
April 14, 2044: A secret location in Serb-occupied Kosovo
The Serbo-Albanian war was perceived from its outset as one in a long series of wars in the Balkans. It had been expected that it would offer little in the way of tactical and technological innovation. The arsenals of both sides were dominated by weapons and vehicles first built during the last years of the "Cold War". But, almost accidentally, the war led to the first large-scale deployment of the most revolutionary weapon system since World War 2: the exotroopers.
The development of combat exoskeletons had proceeded slowly since the 20th century. Advocates and critics alike had considered it suited for only a limited range of roles: Protection against nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons, survival in extreme environments, and (according to the most optimistic proponents) special forces operations. Development and deployment proceeded according to these lines. The first exoskeleton deployed operationally was a modified "headsman" NBC suit, fitted with motors in the legs. Succeeding western exoskeletons proceeded on similar lines, being designed as NBC gear with protections against weapons fire being no more than a secondary concern. But then from the east came the 311 exoskeleton. Designed in Russia, built on license by international consortium and sold to Serbia and Montenegro, the suit would be judged a key factor in the course of the Serbo-Albanian war. When first deployed in 2042, in what was then primarily a border dispute between Kosovo and Serbia, they had driven the Kosovars to the brink of surrender. When Albania entered the war in mid-'43, they stopped and then threw back an amphibious invasion of Montenegro. A mobilization by Croatia that threatened Serbia from the north was inexplicably aborted, and a mysterious operation by 3 squads of exotroopers was deemed responsible.
Technologically, the 300-series exoskeleton was obsolete by the time designers had a working prototype. Their Russian sponsors ordered that, rather than attempting to catch up with western designs, they should maximize "combat survivability". To this end, they made the relatively bulky hydraulic motors even more robust. They used composite armor, made of flat slabs of alternating layers of metal and ceramic, and positioned the slabs at multiple angles to quadruple the thickness presented toward head-on impacts. It was suggested that the suit could be "stealthed" against infrared, and so they added radiators to prevent heat accumulation. Finally, it was realized that, even with full armor, the wearer could still easily carry over 100 kg of weapons and other gear, and that he would be able to fire weapons from the shoulder that would otherwise be unmanageable.
The result looked like a man with stubby wings, put together from oversized prisms plated with metal. Their armor was 45 mm thick in places, and judged equivalent to 80 cm of steel. A heavier "tank destroyer" version of the armor, fitted with a rack for Explosive-Reactive armor, could stop most anti-tank weapons. It was effectively invisible to infrared equipment, unless the user stepped in front of another heat source. Its users could run at full speed, and even climb with the aid of retractable claws. They carried and fired archaic but massive weapons like the MG45, an 8 mm machine gun that fired 30 rounds per second; 3 cm automatic grenade launchers; 14.5 mm anti-materiel rifles; and 57 mm recoilless guns. They did not limit themselves to swift and stealthy commando raids like conventional special forces troops, but fought side-by-side with frontline infantry. They went by a number of names. They called themselves hercegs, after the Balkans' feudal nobility. The Shqiptars of Albania called them crusaders. The Kosovars referred to them more respectfully as "lords of blood", traditional title of avenging kinsmen. To western onlookers, they had acquired a number of names. The one which stuck most persistently was finback.
To those who saw the base exoskeleton, finbacks (indeed all exotroopers) seemed inhuman and impersonal. But in action, the armor became virtually an extension of the wearer's personality. Limitless variations were made by rearranging the standard parts and adding ones improvised from battlefield scrap. It was said that, if one could get a complete description of a finback's armor, one could identify the individual on every occasion. Those who had seen groups of them, in and out of the armor, reported something even stranger. There was indeed no trouble telling individuals apart based on armor. But it was frequently difficult to tell them apart out of the armor. Perhaps this was why, when gathered before and after battle, finbacks usually remained in armor.
On this occasion, eight finbacks, plus eight of the support troops dubbed squires or "seconds", were gathered. Most had their helmets and masks off, revealing uniformly shaved, pale-skinned heads. The chief was among those who kept his helmet on. His status was marked by an improvised crown, made in his case from a circlet of braided barbed wire. His name was Lt. Princip, and he was the longest-serving member of the finback force.
"Now, after your experiences in counterinsurgency, you may be thinking, Envers' guards will be a walkover. You may be expecting more of the same thugs and fanatics with fourth-hand Kalashnikovs. Rest assured, what we will face is of an entirely different order. Envers has saved plenty of the weapons he smuggles for his own defense, and he has spent a sizable portion of his profits hiring people who know how to use him. His personal guard includes four veterans of the US Marine Corps, a Spetznatz sniper instructor and a blackbelt. Their known equipment includes carbon microfiber body armor, 7 mm caseless assault rifles with 2.5 cm grenade launchers, at least one Eliminator 22 mm antimateriel rifle, a working 7.62 Minnie gun' and a 12.5 cm smoothbore antitank gun.
"Envers' ace in the hole is a vehicle called the Limo'." He showed a picture of a huge, glossy black ten-wheeled vehicle that resembled a mobile home with dreams of world domination. "It is based on a 6X6 offroad supply carrier and trailer, capable of moving at almost 50 kph offroad. Wherever Envers goes, the Limo is with him and online at all times. When he is on the move, it carries him, his guards and as many of his top lieutenants as he cares to take along. It is known to have a retracting turret, which holds a 35 mm auto cannon, a coaxial 12.76 machine gun, and four anti-tank missile launchers. The vehicle also bears a large number of defensive grenade launchers, loaded with smoke and chaff. Perhaps most formidably, it has an array of sensors and communication equipment, which is believed to be capable of detecting and tracking lasers and Narrow-Band Radar. In every attempt to capture or kill Envers while he is traveling, he has detected his enemies in advance and either defeated or evaded them.
"The only alternative, so far not even attempted, is to take him at his home', a fortified compound centered on an 18th-century mansion. It has been surrounded with an electrified barbed-wire fence and sensor net, and further fortified with numerous weapons and sensor emplacements and over one hundred guards. A further problem for us is posed by a number of paved roads and parking lots within the compound." The other finbacks nodded. Asphalt was a hazard to them because it absorbs and then releases heat, producing a glow in the infrared spectrum. When they walked on it, they became visible as silhouettes.
"I intend to use two squads, one to enter the compound, neutralize the anti-armor weapons and immobilize the Limo, and a second- my own- to support a final assault. For those of the first team, surprise will be of the essence. You cannot use radar or laser scopes, lest they compromise your own positions. You must use passive night vision and optical scopes only. You should use suppressed weapons only, up to the final assault. You must breach the fence without sounding the alarm, and cross the asphalt without revealing your position. If necessary, you are to engage the Limo and the guards, to keep Envers in place until my squad arrives.
"I have personally chosen every member of this first squad, except one. Zotgjakt, called Shqiptar- you were my first choice for tank destroyer in the strike squad." He looked at a man in heavy armor, who unusually had allowed a little facial hair to grow. This was the only Albanian member of Serbia's exotrooper force, a Geg from southeastern Montenegro whose clan had been sundered from their kin by some forgotten feud. "But I was convinced that another would be better suited, due to specialized skills. So, instead, I am assigning you to be tank destroyer to my own squad. However, I must ask you: Do you have any problem with taking part in this mission?"
"None whatsoever," said Zotgjakt. "Envers is an evil man. And besides, he is a Tosk!" There were ripples of laughter, the only real purpose to the question. Everyone who knew Zotgjakt at all knew his loyalty to Montenegro, and his complete hostility toward the Albanian national government.
Princip turned to the only other finback in full armor. This one also wore a commander's crown, put together from steel rods. It was both more imposing, and suitable for deflecting incoming projectiles. His other distinctive feature was that, whenever he made a fist with his right hand, the third finger remained rigidly extended. "I have chosen as commander of the first squad Sergeant Schwartz, who prefers to be called Zaratustra. He was my skirmisher in the Zagreb strike. He is back with us after his second term as chief of security for the BioDeterrence Division."
Princip turned his gaze to a pair of finbacks who were sprawled on an overtaxed couch, and making no secret of the fact that they considered the briefing an interruption from a card game in progress. One had lightened his armor by removing a number of plates, including those of the pelvis, which had been replaced with a heavy-duty tire. The other had upgraded his armor, and inexplicably wore a toilet seat around his neck. Princip looked from one to the other, saying with only a hint of humor: "Josevicz, called the Flea (Serbo-Croatian: Buva), and Kosmets, called the Tick (Vu"s): It is with great reluctance and growing alarm that I have assigned you to be strike squad's skirmishers. Between Buva's ability to dodge and Vu"s' ability to find cover, I judge there is at least a 50 chance of one of you surviving the mission."
Finally, he looked to another tank destroyer. This one was sitting beside his own ERA rack, which in place of explosive panels was decorated with scrap from his kills, arranged in a disconcertingly festive floral pattern. "Karajorga, called Sunflower (Sunkolkrak): At Zaratustra's request, you are being assigned to the strike both as tank destroyer and as silent weapons specialist. We have received a number of reports of your skill with- traditional weapons."
"These, sir?" He removed a gear from his armor rack; it had been fashioned into a serviceable throwing star. "Well, I do score within the top percentile of competitive shuriken-jutsu. But I must tell you what any expert would: Shuriken are not practical combat weapons."
Zaratustra spoke in a deep but noticeably rasping voice: "Duly noted, Kolcrak. I will ask you: are you prepared to make the experts eat s?"
Sunflower saluted. "I will do my best, sir."
Princip laughed and spoke the standard closing remark: "You are free to go, men, but only if you can tell me: What's the best way to stop a bullet?"
All of them roared back in unison: "Shoot the other man first!"
April 15, 2044: Treklayano Municipality, Bulgaria
Even through the masonry of the mansion, Envers could hear the sounds of battle, and they did not bode well. Apart from a couple warnings of shorts in the fence, no alarm had been sounded until the attack was in progress. His prized anti-tank gun must have been taken by then, since it never fired a shot. The first weapon to sound was the minigun, which ran for all of 11 seconds. His ex-marines went forth, straight into a volley of AGL fire from well within the perimeter of his home. Only one of them fired his weapon. The Spesnatz sniper did marginally better. He heard three shots from the Eliminator rifle. If the sniper fired a fourth shot, it was drowned out by the impact of a 57 mm high-explosive shell.
He retreated toward the rear of the building with six of his guards. From outside came a roar of engines as the Limo pulled out of the garage. A massive amount of gunfire erupted. "There is our diversion!" said the leader of the guards, an Asian woman. They ran for a rear entrance, which he had fitted with a modern steel door. Outside were seven motorcycles, which with good fortune would carry them to Macedonia. The gunfire outside was accentuated by a crashing and screech of metal, and then began to subside.
"Oh, hells!" he said. "I hoped it would lead them out of the compound. But we can still get out of here before they find out I'm not in it!"
The leader and two other guards moved forward to see that the door was secure. Before they reached the door, it flew open. White phosphorous smoke poured in, enveloping the three guards. Three bursts of caseless rifle fire sounded within the smoke. He got a glimpe of sparks against a manlike shape. Then the leader came flying back out. In a fraction of a second, two of the remaining guards stepped in front of him, and a third stepped to one side to fire the grenade. They might as well have assailed their attacker with bare fists. A huge weapon fired three times, before any of them could fire theirs.
Envers froze where he stood. The shape of the finback stepped imperiously out of the smoke. A crown of iron bars ringed his head. An exotic instrument called a gas spike was mounted on his left forearm, in place of the usual grenade launcher. In his right hand, he held a huge "pistol" that fired 12-gauge shotgun shells. His eyes flicked to the third finger, which was extended. He relaxed. "Zaratustra," he said. Quickly, a note of genuine smugness entered his voice. "I actually rather hoped to contact someone in your organization…"
April 15, 2044: Back in Kosovo
"I still say," said Sunflower, "that the hata-shuriken is not practical for combat." His rack bore a new trophy, a hubcap from the Limo.
The Tick looked up from his cards. "That first marine out the door would disagree."
The Flea chimed in: "Yeah, but he didn't do nearly so well against that sniper in the tree. He used up half his stars, and still didn't hit him. I was ready to climb up and pull him down when he finally fell, and that was just an accident."
"Not quite," Zaratustra interjected. He was in the process of examining a reproduction PTRD 41 rifle. "He fell because he was distracted. A 4 cm disc slamming into a branch next to one's ear will do that. Distraction is the one purpose for which shuriken have always been accepted."
"But the guy screamed all the way down! I was amazed it didn't draw every guard on the perimeter to where I was."
"There was never a danger of that. At worst, he would have drawn every guard to where you had been. You were already most of the way to the AT gun by the time we were over the fence."
At another table, Princip sat with his skirmishers, anxious rookies named Pavel and Lupov. They were helping to remove several hundred minigun bullets from his armor. "By the way, Buva, fine work capturing the 12.5 cm gun. It would have been even more inconvenient than the minigun to deal with in the main assault. Is it true you secured the piece without a single shot or blow?"
"Yes, it was simple enough," the Flea said, now trying to sound smooth. "The crew didn't see me until I was standing next to them with a gun. It was a group of Indians. The one in charge just raised his hands and said, Reincarnation or no, I am not dying for that karmaless son of a pig!' I gave them each a sound tap on the head. Then, of course, I moved in, and got in position just in time to stop the Limo."
"Stop it?!" snorted the Tick. "It ran over you!"
"Yes, but it stopped, didn't it?" said the Flea. "They had little enough choice, after I slashed their tires and tore out the carburetor." He glared at Sunflower. "Why did you take that hubcap? It was my kill, not yours."
"It was an assist. You disabled it, I knocked out the main weapon. Besides, I offered you a piece. You didn't want one."
"I already had my own trophy," said the Flea. He pointed to a captured minigun.
"What were you expecting to do with that?" said the Tick. "You realize, there's no way even one of us could shoot that thing?"
"I'm not so sure… There's a story I've heard of a group of Special Forces troops who rigged a minigun to function as a squad MG. It's said that they ran it on a light-weight, battery-powered motor, and loaded it with AK47 rounds instead of full-sized NATO ones. They could carry it around and fire it from a tripod. One of them is supposed to have been able to fire it from the hip, if you can believe that."
"I can't," said Sunflower. It was a remark the Flea would have let slide from his fellow skirmisher, but he seized upon it as a chance to further goad the tank destroyer.
"Well, why do you collect all those trophies? I'm sure you don't carry them all with you."
"I take them home to use in more permanent sculptures," said Sunflower. "Right now, I'm working on a swan." He looked to Zaratustra. "And we still haven't heard from the one who made the kill. Tell us, Zed, what happened in the take-down."
Zaratustra set down the rifle and began to tell his story. "Well, I took it as a given that Envers would have multiple means of escape. So, while you and Vu's were slaughtering marines, I circled around the rear, and saw bikes, just outside a door. So, I waited, and when I heard approaching footsteps, I forced the door with my gas spike. He still had some of his guard with him, including the black belt: a saucy little lass. I could tell she was the one by how she moved. She managed to draw a mark on me while we were both in the smoke, and put a bullet in my visor housing. I was gentle with her. I think she will live."
The others chuckled. "Was Envers still alive when you took the last guards down?" said the Flea. Zaratustra nodded slightly, as if there was something he was reticent to reveal.
The Tick chimed in eagerly, "What happened?"
"He talked. A little."
"Was he begging for his life?"
"No. He tried to buy his life. By the time he got to begging, it was for his own death."
The finbacks laughed long and loud.
Later, alone, Zaratustra made a report: "The presence of the parasitoid in the hands of Envers is confirmed. He had this as proof." He held up the slightly shriveled corpse of a giant, crab-like creature. "It matches records of the ectoparasitoids in all particulars. Envers admitted personal knowledge of 14 human and 5 animal infections. He claims to have 3 specimens under containment', at the location I am sending. He also possessed images of possible extraterrestrial technology, presumably of another species than the parasitoid. Envers has been eliminated as per instructions. Between his confession and files recovered from his property, there is sufficient data to neutralize his major operations and associates. My unit will remain in a position suitable for a strike for at least the next 4 hours. If orders are duly expedited, we can secure the new target by 1200 hours 16 April."
Next: History of the Hunter
