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Authors: Stephen W Bennett
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roar of a powerful engine. It was close.
Daktor was among the first to react, leaping out of one of
the large hatchways. From around the side of the heavy human shuttle, on which so
many warriors had wasted ammunition, rumbled an extremely large transport. It
must have been sitting there waiting with engine off, because they would have
heard it coming from a long distance away. That meant a human was in control,
and trying a surprise attack on the Clanship.
A hundred thirty Krall, two pistols each, began firing at
the gigantic machine. There was a cockpit-like compartment on the front,
located under a wide heavy lip of what had to be part of the giant truck’s rear
bed.
Explosive shells and armor piercing rounds were striking the
monster all across its front, as they sought a way to bring it to a halt. It
clearly was going to try to ram and damage the Clanship. The huge black wheels
seemed impervious to their fire, as indeed they were for the most part. They were
solid carbon fiber matrix, and although chips were coming off where explosive
rounds struck, the armor piercing slugs were simply absorbed.
The plazsteel front windshield shattered, as hundreds of
rounds sparked off the heavy hardened steel of the cockpit. The thick plate
steel, there to protect drivers from collisions that would crush smaller
machines, kept the bullets from damaging the electronics and the AI that steered
the truck. However, it wasn’t a combat designed vehicle, and some serendipitous
shots managed to hit hydraulic lines.
The machine began to slow, it’s steering appeared to be drifting
to the right. The engine even increased its roar, but the huge truck wasn’t
picking up speed. It continued towards the Clanship, no longer centered on it,
as the speed gradually slowed. When it hit, it’s mass, even at only ten miles
per hour rocked the ship with a huge clang and a sound of crumpled hull plates.
Several warriors raced up to the cockpit and emptied their
pistols into it from over the edge of the shattered windows, in case there were
living humans hiding inside.
Daktor was no longer interested in the disabled truck. He
needed to inspect the landing jack that it had struck. Calling the K’Tal on his
com set, he met with him to inspect the damage.
There was a hole in the hull from warped and torn plates,
and the landing jack had bent slightly. This was not serious damage at all. The
humans’ trick had failed. However, it was another clever use of mining
equipment. Humans were good at improvising, he was learning.
He sprouted his internal ears as he caught the sounds of
ultrasonic calls coming from the direction of the collapsed human dome. The
remainder of his new command would be here shortly. The damaged jack would not
retract, but that wasn’t necessary for the relocation he would make, nor would
this hamper Jump travel. The K’Tal returned to the command deck to prepare for
the short relocation flight.
With his superior infrared night vision, Daktor was able to
make out the silhouettes of his returning warriors. Their bodies blazing with
the heat of the energy they had been required to use by so much running, on top
of the destruction of the human compound, and the slaughter of some of its
inhabitants. Now it was time to find and kill the remainder of that hiding prey.
Two new powerful engine roars suddenly sounded, from
opposite sides of the landing pad. There were two more of the giant monster
trucks! This trap wasn’t finished yet. Only this time Daktor knew more about
their weaknesses. The hydraulic lines that controlled the truck’s steering and
transmission were vulnerable to the Krall’s hand weapons. Now that they knew where
to shoot, simple pistols rounds could stop them much farther out, before they
could damage the ship again.
The trucks were still only huge noisy infrared silhouettes
in the dark, when the remaining seventy warriors arrived. There were only
seventy novices because they left some trapped or severely
Daktor was among the first to react, leaping out of one of
the large hatchways. From around the side of the heavy human shuttle, on which so
many warriors had wasted ammunition, rumbled an extremely large transport. It
must have been sitting there waiting with engine off, because they would have
heard it coming from a long distance away. That meant a human was in control,
and trying a surprise attack on the Clanship.
A hundred thirty Krall, two pistols each, began firing at
the gigantic machine. There was a cockpit-like compartment on the front,
located under a wide heavy lip of what had to be part of the giant truck’s rear
bed.
Explosive shells and armor piercing rounds were striking the
monster all across its front, as they sought a way to bring it to a halt. It
clearly was going to try to ram and damage the Clanship. The huge black wheels
seemed impervious to their fire, as indeed they were for the most part. They were
solid carbon fiber matrix, and although chips were coming off where explosive
rounds struck, the armor piercing slugs were simply absorbed.
The plazsteel front windshield shattered, as hundreds of
rounds sparked off the heavy hardened steel of the cockpit. The thick plate
steel, there to protect drivers from collisions that would crush smaller
machines, kept the bullets from damaging the electronics and the AI that steered
the truck. However, it wasn’t a combat designed vehicle, and some serendipitous
shots managed to hit hydraulic lines.
The machine began to slow, it’s steering appeared to be drifting
to the right. The engine even increased its roar, but the huge truck wasn’t
picking up speed. It continued towards the Clanship, no longer centered on it,
as the speed gradually slowed. When it hit, it’s mass, even at only ten miles
per hour rocked the ship with a huge clang and a sound of crumpled hull plates.
Several warriors raced up to the cockpit and emptied their
pistols into it from over the edge of the shattered windows, in case there were
living humans hiding inside.
Daktor was no longer interested in the disabled truck. He
needed to inspect the landing jack that it had struck. Calling the K’Tal on his
com set, he met with him to inspect the damage.
There was a hole in the hull from warped and torn plates,
and the landing jack had bent slightly. This was not serious damage at all. The
humans’ trick had failed. However, it was another clever use of mining
equipment. Humans were good at improvising, he was learning.
He sprouted his internal ears as he caught the sounds of
ultrasonic calls coming from the direction of the collapsed human dome. The
remainder of his new command would be here shortly. The damaged jack would not
retract, but that wasn’t necessary for the relocation he would make, nor would
this hamper Jump travel. The K’Tal returned to the command deck to prepare for
the short relocation flight.
With his superior infrared night vision, Daktor was able to
make out the silhouettes of his returning warriors. Their bodies blazing with
the heat of the energy they had been required to use by so much running, on top
of the destruction of the human compound, and the slaughter of some of its
inhabitants. Now it was time to find and kill the remainder of that hiding prey.
Two new powerful engine roars suddenly sounded, from
opposite sides of the landing pad. There were two more of the giant monster
trucks! This trap wasn’t finished yet. Only this time Daktor knew more about
their weaknesses. The hydraulic lines that controlled the truck’s steering and
transmission were vulnerable to the Krall’s hand weapons. Now that they knew where
to shoot, simple pistols rounds could stop them much farther out, before they
could damage the ship again.
The trucks were still only huge noisy infrared silhouettes
in the dark, when the remaining seventy warriors arrived. There were only
seventy novices because they left some trapped or severely
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