The Cairo Saga, book 4: Operation Chindit
Part 9: Close Quarter Combat
CS Bordeaux
Zenith jump-point
Un-named system
Dieron Military District
Draconis Combine
"There should be an airlock 20-meters towards the bow." Major Akuma reported as she stood on the hull of the warship like it was the most natural thing in the world, "We should be able to override it from the outside."
All Cairo could do was nod as he did his best to keep his balance: the 175kg Magshot rifle strapped across his chest had his centre of balance out of alignment. He knew that if it was not for the exoskeleton built into his suit that he would never be able to even lift the formidable weapon.
As it was, carrying it was a risk: the weapon was notorious for over-penetration, sometimes hitting who or what ever was behind the intended target. Better suited for close range were there Stetta auto-pistol strapped to each hip. The weapons fired 1mm magnesium darts from a magazine of 100 rounds. He had started carrying the weapon after his truly ancient revolver had developed a crack in the barrel. Due to the simplicity of the design, it was impossible to fix or replace the damaged part.
Cairo still had the weapon, refusing to get rid of it: it was the same gun his father had carried when he had been a police officer on far-away Los Alamos, and it carried great sentimental value. Cairo also carried his curve-bladed Kukri, another family heirloom that supposedly dated back to one of his ancestors who had been a mercenary in the Inner Sphere before moving to Los Alamos to be with a man she had fallen in love with.
There was no evidence that the story was true, but Cairo carefully maintained the blade, sharpening it each day as instructed by his grandfather. The only problem was the tradition associated with the Kukri: once brawn, it could not be returned to its scabbard without having first drawn blood.
The network of small scars on Cairo's forearms were mute whitens to his adherence to this particular tradition.
"Here we are." Akuma's voice snapped Cairo back to reality, and he was surprised to find that he had made it to the airlock without vomiting.
One of the commandos pressed the 'open' command on the keypad next to the door, but it refused to move. Akuma stepped forward and typed in the override code she had retrieved from the Spirit Sights computer before setting out.
The hatch lurched, then opened half way before the power gave out.
"Ok, one at a time, stay sharp!" Akuma ordered as she pulled herself through the half-open portal, gyro-jet pistol in hand. The others followed one-by-one until they were all thought. The low intensity emergency lightning cast more shadows then it dispelled, so the commandos activated the UV lamps attached to their helmets.
Beams of invisible light pierced the darkness, allowing the night vision equipment attached to the ComStar suits to see as clear as a summers day.
"Someone try and close the inner hatch." Akuma ordered once everyone was inside; "I don't want to depressurise any more of this ship if it can be avoided."
One of the team pulled the thick hatch closed, turning the manual hatch lock until it locked with a click.
"This corridor looks sound." He said as he studied the readout, "We should be able to use it as an airlock."
"Ok, from here on in I want complete radio silence: hand signals only." Akuma looked back at her troops, "Ok, let's move."
Cairo turned of his suits transmitter, but left the receiver open to see if he could intercept any stray communications as they started to move down the corridor towards the first junction.
The Sergeant in the lead raised a hand to stop anyone, and then motion the trooper fallowing him to look left while he looked right. Both men pulled fibre optic probes from their belts and poked them round the corner, scanning the corridor beyond. The Sergeant gave the thumbs up, but the commando looking the other way gave thumbs down.
Silently gliding across the gravity free vacuum that filled the corridor, Major Akuma took up position to look through her own spy-scope. She held her hand up, one finger raised, then clenched her fist, and made a circle in the air: one hostile with a combat shotgun.
Cairo flicked of the safety catch on his Magshot and raised it to the rifle to his shoulder, pulling it in tight.
Akuma shook her head, signalling a commando carrying high-powered laser carbine to step forward. Everyone else moved back as the young commando used her probe to look round the corner before checking her own weapon was ready.
Kicking away from the floor, she floated to the ceiling and braced herself against the bulkheads. Tucking her carbine tightly to her shoulder to stabilise it, she kicked forward so she drifted into the junction ready to fire.
Cairo found it strange to watch someone take such a well-aimed and rehearsed shot with absolutely no sound: a single flash of sapphire-green light pierced the gloom, leaving a burning after image in his eyes. He shook his head to clear his vision as the commandos spilt into two teams, one taking each side of the junction.
Akuma pointed at the deck and circled her hand, indicating that it was their rendezvous point for the return journey.
Cairo followed the Major along the corridor, sweeping his rifle back and forth; never looking a direction his gun wasn't pointed. He smiled: his old drill instructor from basic would have been proud. Los Alamos, like many Periphery worlds, relied on infantry for most of their standing army and Militia. Everyone, even the high and might MechWarriors were expected to undergo basic small arms training.
Movement caught Cairo's eyes as they swept the corridor, and he instantly brought his gun round: a suited vigour was standing with their back to the approaching commandoes, apparently concentrating on a fire fight going on round the next corner. The suit bore Word of Blake identification markings.
Cairo raised his Magshot and aimed for the middle of the sword painted on the back of the suit and started to slowly pull the trigger.
Akuma rested a hand on the rifle and shook her head. Moving forward, the commando pulled a vibroknife from her belt and turned it on: the blade started to glow as it vibrated faster than the human eye could fallow. The knives were first developed for use by techs, and could slice through BattleMech armor with ease.
It hadn't take long for someone to realise that they could also cut through a human body with no resistance.
Moving a stealthily as a jungle cat, Akuma made her way forward, knife held ready in her right hand. Quick as a viper, she grabbed the unsuspecting Wobbly round the head and stabbed them in the back of the neck. The vibroknife cut through the lightly armoured spacesuit and the flesh beyond, severing the victim's spinal cord.
They were dead before they realised what was happening.
The body fell to the deck, making a figure in a suit of Tornado Power Armor look round. The startled Word of Blake solider raised the TK Assault-rifle they were holding and started to bring it round to face Akuma.
TBC…
Many thanks to those who reviewed: it's nice to know that someone is readying this. I've already stated work on the third part of this set piece battle.