Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [60]
Patrick was so excited to get such a concrete tip that he almost left without finishing his beer, but he couldn't afford to let the two men grow suspicious. He listened as they talked about new trade routes into the Ildiran Empire and the proposed tax structure and parliamentary makeup of the Confederation. All he could think about, though, was Zhett.
He thanked his new friends without exchanging names, then hurried back to the Gypsy. Now he knew exactly where to go.
Thirty-four
General Kurt Lanyan
General Lanyan's peacekeeping ships arrived at Rheindic Co, which would be his staging point for securing control over the fledgling new colonies on Klikiss worlds. He doubted that any of them had heard of the new Confederation or Peter's rebellion, since they had no direct method of receiving outside information, and he would make sure it stayed that way.
Lanyan sat back in the Jupiter's command chair, pleased with the immensity of the Juggernaut. The great battleship seemed extremely safe, like an entire kingdom around him. No wonder Admiral Willis had been upset about surrendering her ship.
During the first year of the Colonization Initiative, the Hansa had gotten more volunteers than it could accommodate. Many groups of hopeful pioneers had been shuttled here and dispatched to their new homes through the transportal in the ancient cliff city. By the luck of the draw, they emerged on barely explored worlds to settle. When Chairman Wenceslas had cut off ties with all colonies, claiming every available defence for the protection of Earth, the Colonization Initiative had been mothballed, leaving only a skeleton crew here to watch over the equipment. Lanyan's goal was to deliver two thousand ground troops to the transportal centre on Rheindic Co. He suspected a hundred or so would be enough at each colony world. Those isolated hayseeds wouldn't dare raise a fuss when they saw his soldiers and overwhelming weaponry.
Using the intercom, he alerted his troops. 'Prepare for immediate deployment. I want to do this quickly and efficiently.' The subcommanders rounded up their uniformed teams. The General decided to accompany the first group on its mission as an important gesture of support.
The shuttles landed in the empty canyon in front of the Klikiss cliff city. Hundreds of troops disembarked and quickly set up a base camp on the trampled ground. Some of the colonists' amenity stations remained functional, with pumps to supply running water. Mid solar-power grids to provide subsistence energy. The soldiers would have to sleep here for a few days, the time it would take for Lanyan to organize the various missions through the transportal.
The crew of Hansa technicians and researchers on Rheindic Co were shocked when Lanyan barged into the central complex. In total, only fifty men and women remained at the base within the hillside ruins. They peered out of the high caves, shaking their heads at the sight of the landed transports. 'Well, well, I hope you brought your own supplies,' said the senior technician, a fidgety and balding man named Rico Ruvi.
Lanyan brought four engineers and data specialists with him into the cliff city. The Chairman insists on having an EDF presence at every one of our Klikiss colony worlds.' He directed Ins team to the control room. 'Start checking out possibilities.'
Ruvi shrugged. 'Be my guest. We've had the transportal off-line for some time now, running diagnostics. But we can get it powered up again in an hour if you like.'
'An hour will be sufficient. While your technicians get the transportal running, my men will review their missions, clean their weapons, and get ready to move out. They'll bring along whatever they need. Don't worry, we have sufficient supplies for ourselves.'
The administrator's eyes lit up. 'We could use a few mealpax, if you've got extra.'
'I'll talk to my supply sergeant.'
'By the way, most of those colonies you're going to