Lone Star

Copyright © 2009 - 2018 - This is an original work by Zeb Carter and is protected under copyright by U.S. copyright law. It is only submitted at Literotica.Com and any submission to any other site has not been authorized by the Author.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

The storm was getting worse as the tank was buffeted by the high winds outside. Dust and debris hit with the force of bullets, as the swirling air passed by the armored beast. The dusky tan metal was scoured clean by the driven sand as the three occupants rode out the sudden storm. For now, they were grounded least the storm toss them about like a rag doll. Their hope was that their ninety-ton beast would be able to withstand the tornado-like winds.

Inside the tank, the shrieking of the wind was lessened by the thick armor and even though the tank weighed in at ninety tons, it was still shaken by that wind. The three people inside held on to whatever they could to keep from being thrown around the inside.

"Holy Mother of Jengo!" cried Private Leffler, as the tank pitched to the right about twenty degrees and slammed down on its pads, hard.

"Easy there Leffler, easy," came the soothing words of Sergeant Nevins.

"Geez Sarge," Leffler answered back.

The tank was shaken repeatedly as the storm passed over them. Dust was now starting to filter into the tank through all the tiny openings that were inherent to a beast as big as a tank. The trio donned their goggles and breather masks so as not to inhale the tiny dust particles.

"Another ten minutes, Sarge, then we're in the clear," Corporal Manley chimed in, his voice muffled by his breathing mask.

Ten more minutes of being tossed around like a pinball. Well not really as the tank barely moved from its grounded position but, to those inside it felt as if it was. The howling of the wind increased as the trailing edge of the storm approached. This was not the first time this crew had been caught by a storm on the plains of N'zicka and it probably wouldn't be the last.

The Fourth Armored Battalion of the Lone Star Division had been hired to root out invading contingents of the Fifth Mechanized Division of Leyton V. A dreadnought of the First Star Brigade had been hired and was now in orbit to keep any more troops from being landed from Leyton V. Tank one-four-nine had been on patrol with tank two-one-five when the storm had hit. Both tanks were now grounded and waiting out the storm.

"Blue two to Blue one," Sergeant Balis's voice crackled over the comm.

"Blue one, go," Sergeant Nevins answered.

"Contact, three-one-four true, speed one-hundred kph. He's coming right toward us."

"Roger. Any ID?"

"Readout profile says it's a house!"

"Affirmative," Sergeant Nevins chuckled to herself as her crew broke into laughter.

"You don't happen to see a scarecrow or a tin man with that house do you?" asked Corporal Manley laughing out loud.

"Knock it off Manley!" shouted Sergeant Nevins who was trying to stifle her laughter without much success.

Within minutes the wind started to die down and the buffeting the tank was taking lessened slightly and then was gone. The sky outside was clear and bright with sunshine. Popping her hatch Sergeant Karen Nevins raised her seat up and looked around, bare eyes.

"Private, grav-lev on."

The tank rose, shaking off the dust and debris, which had accumulated on the lea ward side of the tank. Billy Leffler eased the tank sideways, out from under the debris. Once free, the tank popped up to its normal height above ground of thirty centimeters.

Looking over to tank two-oh-five Karen saw that several trees had them pinned down and their grav-lev field was straining to free them. Reaching behind her, she moved the tri-barrel from its stowed position and cycled the weapon to ready.

"Blue one to Blue two shut down your grav-lev and I will clear your tank."

"Affirmative."

When the tank settled back to the ground, Karen took aim and pressed the activation stud. Plasma bolts streaked their way to the trees atop Blue two. As the bolts impacted the trees, they expended all their energy in one massive explosion. The tree trunks vaporized where they were hit. Three gentle taps of the button were all it took to clear the top of the tank.

"You're clear Blue two."

"Roger."

Tank two-oh-five rose from the ground and moved forward, the rest of the trees slipping from its skirts.

"We're clear, thanks Blue one."

"Heading one-zero-five, go," Karen called out.

Both tanks swung to the new heading and accelerated to cruising speed. The land was flat as far as the eye could see. Dunes rose on the horizon to the North, as the flatlands extended to the East. Just over the horizon, Karen knew that there was a town, a town held by the Leyton Brigade. Their patrol wouldn't take them anywhere close to the town but they had to be on the lookout for patrols from the town.

As yet, a major confrontation had not taken place, as the mercenaries truly did not want to battle with each other. First, there would be negotiations, then after those broke down and only then, would they engage in combat. Minor skirmishes between patrols were expected and any casualties would be mourned, but would not have any effect on the diplomatic proceedings.

* * Charlie Squad * *

"Get your head down Phillip's or I'll knock it off myself," Sergeant Osterhouse whispered harshly.

"But Sarge, we're sitting ducks out here," Private Phillip's whispered back.

"As long as they don't have their IR gear powered up, we'll be fine. Now shut the fuck up!"

Charlie Squad of the Fifth Mechanized Division of Leyton V lay in the shallow foxholes they had hurriedly dug to protect them from the storm. They had started this patrol with three vehicles, but they had all been scooped away by the storm. Now they watched as the two tanks from the Lone Star Division whispered across the desert plain. It was going to be a long walk back to town.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

"Contact bearing one-four-oh, stationary. Count sixteen, on foot," Corporal Manley called out.

"Blue one to Blue two, contact, bearing one-four-oh, continue on course."

"Roger, continue on course."

"Private Leffler put us on a course that will curve us around behind them and put us between them and the town."

"Roger that Sarge."

"Blue two, fall in behind us."

"Roger Blue one."

Karen watched the panel in front of her. Sixteen contacts, out on the desert, glowed against the dark screen. The course their tank was following was a dashed red line. It showed them arriving on target in thirty-eight minutes.

* * Charlie Squad * *

"Crap, they must have spotted us."

"How can you tell Sarge, they're still going away from us?"

"They're curving around to get behind us, which they'll do in about thirty minutes, and there's nothing we can do about it."

Sergeant Osterhouse scanned the immediate vicinity looking for cover and protection from the tanks. Just to his north, there was an outcropping of rock.

"Gear up, we're on the move, due north. Hustle, hustle, hustle."

There was a commotion as the squad gathered its gear and started in the direction Osterhouse had pointed out.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

"They're on the move Sarge," Manley called out.

"Where too?"

"Due North of their current position."

"Leffler, change course, intercept as soon as possible."

"Roger."

The tank lurched to the left as it turned sharply to the southwest. The speed increased as the hum of the reactor changed pitch.

"Intercept in three minutes," Manley called out.

"Blue two, prepare to deploy, echo formation on my mark."

"Blue two, Roger."

* * Charlie Squad * *

"Holy Mother..." Osterhouse quickened his pace to get to the rocky outcropping.

The point man of the squad was just reaching the outcrop when he disappeared. Osterhouse watch as man after man in front of him disappeared from sight. As he topped the little rise in front of the rocks, he saw why. There was a cave entrance at the base of the rock and his men were scrambling to get inside.

Osterhouse ran the rest of the way to the entrance and started to take control of the madhouse. Pushing, pulling and kicking his squad until they were all inside. He didn't know if it was a good idea, but any hidey-hole against a tank was better than no protection at all.

Once inside Sergeant Osterhouse saw that the cave opened up and went down into the ground at least a klick.

"Everyone lights on, keep moving to the back of the cave, move you jarheads."

The squad started to move back into the cave. The farther they were from the entrance the darker it got. Their lights helped but did nothing to part the gloom in front of them.

The bright flash of a plasma bolt just outside the entrance followed a loud boom that rocked the ground under their feet. The squad quickened its pace.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

"Sarge, contacts disappearing."

"What?"

"The contacts are disappearing one by one Sarge."

"Where are they going?"

"Hell if I know."

"Leffler, speed it up."

The tank lurched forward as Leffler applied max thrust to the impellers. They arrived seconds after the last contact disappeared from their screens. Popping out of her hatch Karen looked around and saw the cave entrance. Slipping back inside, she pulled the manual sight down to her eyes. Lining up the cave entrance was difficult as the tank was still moving. Hoping for the best and the worst at the same time, she tapped the foot switch.

Super-heated plasma scorched its way down the ceramic lined barrel and hit the rock centimeters above the cave entrance. Superheated rock flowed down to cover the opening.

"Seismic probe, on the double, find out where this cave goes."

"Probe planted, charges set, fire in the hole."

A deafening explosion went off directly under the tank, yet did no damage, as it was a highly directional blast.

"Data coming in..."

"Well?"

"It goes due north for about a klick on a downward slope then starts back up for another klick, there are three side branches that go nowhere. Uh..."

"Where does the damn thing come out?"

"Uh...two klicks to the east at another rock outcrop, bearing four-eight degrees."

"Leffler, four-eight degrees, step on it. Blue two, stay put until I call for you."

"Roger."

The tank lurched around to its right and hurtled toward the east. Blue two grounded facing the molten rock plug covering the entrance to the cave system.

* * Charlie Squad * *

Osterhouse and his men had slowed to a walk after the blast at the entrance to the cave. Another jolt made them stop as they all looked up to see if the roof was going to be tumbling down on top of them.

"Sarge, seismic charge, I'm getting data from the echo."

"We need a way out of here Hendricks."

"Uh...another klick straight on then turn to the east and two klicks there's an exit."

"Any others?"

"No, not that I can see at this scale, Sarge."

"Okay, see what you can do to find us another exit on the way. Move out."

The squad started their slow walk along the sharply climbing cave tunnel.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

Blue one halted just out of sight of the cave exit. Leffler jumped out of the driver compartment and ran to the ridge of the dune that overlooked the exit. In the sand just below the top of the ridge, he placed a remote camera. He then hustled back to the tank.

On Sergeant Nevins' screen, the cave exit popped into focus as Leffler's hand moved out of the frame, the cave mouth centered on the screen. Switching to IR Karen saw that there were no heat signatures in the cave.

Leaning back in her chair Karen watched the screen while they waited. She felt the vibration as Leffler climbed back into the driver compartment.

* * Charlie Squad * *

Forty minutes later, Osterhouse and his squad were five hundred meters from the exit around the bend ahead. The glow of their IR signature was probably on the screens of the tank he knew was waiting for them.

"Carlson, any other exits in this maze?"

"Maybe. Back about six hundred meters, that branch that looked like it closed down to nothing?"

"Yeah."

"Beyond the place, it drops down is another tunnel that goes to an exit about a click to the north of there."

"Is there a way around that blockage?"

"Maybe, but I need to go down that passageway."

"Roberts, Miller you go with him, check it out and get back to me. The rest of us will wait here."

Roberts, Miller, and Carlson turned and headed back down the passageway. Osterhouse and the rest of the squad sat down to wait their return.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

"Manley, deploy the seismic probe. Just listen, no charge this time."

"Roger." The soft thunk of the probe planting itself in the ground could be felt in the tank.

The crew sat and waited. Why Karen had Jeff deploy the probe, she didn't know, maybe it was the feeling she had in her gut.

"Manley, I want full scans too," no point in being surprised by anyone else. After all, the back of the tank was pointed due east and due east there was a town full of mercenaries just like her.

* * Charlie Squad * *

Roberts, Miller, and Carlson stood at the face of the pile of rocks that had fallen to block the passageway. Miller being the demolition expert said he could probably move the pile of rocks out of the way. Carlson didn't think that was such a good idea. Roberts started to climb the pile and was halfway up.

"Hey, we can get through up here. There's room to climb through and down to the passageway on the other side."

"Fine, let's go tell Sarge," Carlson replied.

"Great, you go tell him and we'll wait here," Miller told him.

Carlson looked down at Miller as he sat on a rock. Then he looked at his shoulder and then to Millers.

"No, Roberts will wait here. You and I will go tell Sarge, Private."

"Fine," Miller groaned getting up from his rock and following Carlson back down the passageway.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

"Anything on the sensors?" Karen asked Manley.

"Nothing yet Sarge but, I keep getting little blips from about six hundred meters in the cave. They may know we're out here and be waiting us out."

"Could be, anything from the town?"

"Nope, nary a blip, they're too far over the horizon to pick up anything but air traffic."

"There's air traffic over there?"

"Yeah, a couple of choppers took off about ten minutes ago, headed south."

"Blue two, anything on your end?"

"Nada Sarge."

"Keep your eyes peeled, watch for possible aircraft intrusion."

"Roger."

* * Charlie Squad * *

"Sarge."

"What is it Mickelowski?"

"I'm picking up radio chatter. It might be from the tank outside."

"How could that be, their frequency wouldn't be anywhere near ours and it would be on a tight beam to whoever they're talking too."

"Harmonic distortions from the cave? I don't know but, it's them, I'm pretty sure. I'm also picking up some chatter from base, helicopters I think."

"Now those would be useful. Alright keep listening and if any of those choppers get close enough for you to hale them, don't hesitate."

"Aye, Sarge."

Carlson and Miller showed up just then.

"Where's Roberts?"

"He's back at the blockage, it's navigable. All we have to do is climb up over the pile of rocks."

"Interesting. I wonder if they know? Okay, saddle up everyone we're on the move."

Osterhouse and his squad quickly gathered their equipment and headed back down the tunnel Carlson leading the way.

"All right try and keep the noise down, they probably have seismic sensors deployed," Osterhouse whispered.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

"What say the sensors, Manley?"

"Quiet Sarge. I am picking up some kind of seismic event though, about six miles from here."

"What kind of event?"

"Earthquake maybe, I really couldn't tell you."

"Listen closely, is it getting any closer?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah, it's coming this way."

"From the South?" Karen asked.

"Yeah, how did you know Sarge? Bearing two-two-five true."

"Blue one to Blue two, helicopters approaching your position."

"Blue two, they're on us now, moving out max speed. Tri-barrel on auto-fire." Explosions could be heard through the headsets as Blue two transmitted.

Karen reached behind her and flipped the switch on the tri-barrel control to auto-fire. It would now fire on any unfriendly target within sensor range.

"Leffler, grav-lev on."

The tank popped up enough that Karen could see the cave entrance in her main gun site. She lined up the entrance and tapped the foot switch. Superheated plasma raced into the cave and expended its energy on the wall five hundred meters in.

* * Charlie Squad * *

The explosion in the cave rolled down the passageway Osterhouse and his squad were now running through. The fireball that raced behind them was quickly overtaking them. The men in front of Osterhouse disappeared around a bend up ahead. Within seconds, he was turning the corner down the side passage to the other exit. The fireball passed by the side tunnel just as Osterhouse turned the corner curling the hair on the back of his neck.

The squad kept running down the passage until they arrived at the pile of rock. Then they stood there catching their breath as they looked up the pile of rocks they now had to scale.

"All right let's get to it men," Osterhouse whispered.

* * Lone Star Tanks * *

Karen fired once more just above the entrance, sealing the cave completely.

"Leffler, two-two-five and step on it," Karen yelled.

"Roger," Leffler answered as he engaged the impellers at max thrust.

The tank swung around to the right as it gained speed. They were on the way to give support to Blue two, support, which they could use about now. As their speed increased, Karen could hear the tri-barrel start to hunt for a target. Looking down at the sensor screen Karen could see two blips that appeared then disappeared. The choppers, swooping and diving on Blue two. Then the tri-barrel got a lock on a target and started to fire.

"Leffler, pattern Foxtrot four."

"Roger."

The tank started zigzagging across the plain. The tri-barrel kept up a constant chatter as it endeavored to track the chopper it had locked on too. In her screen, Karen could see smoke trailing from the chopper her tank was engaging. She could also see Blue two speeding toward them, trailing smoke of its own.

Following Blue two was a chopper, jumping from side to side as Blue two's tri-barrel attempted to lock on. Karen swung her main gun around and lined the sights up on the chopper as it swayed back a forth behind Blue two. Timing would be everything with this shot. She tripped the foot switch and the plasma bolt raced down the barrel out to the helicopter in the air. The chopper disappeared from the sky in a blaze of superheated wreckage.

Now, two tri-barrels were tracking the remaining chopper. The pilot rolled around to the east and took off for parts unknown. The tri-barrels kept firing until it was out of sight.

"Leffler stop."

Blue two stopped fifty meters from Blue one. Three crewmen jumped out of the tank and ran toward Blue one. Flames and smoke started to spout from the hatches just vacated by the crew. There were pops and crackles as the inside of the tank burned. The three from Blue two climbed onto Blue one.

"Back us away Leffler."

"Roger."

Blue one slowly backed away from Blue two when they were a hundred meters from the burning tank, Karen tapped her foot switch. Tank two-one-five was bathed in the glow of superheated plasma for an instant. Then it was a melted mound of metal slag. The plasma charges in the tank started to pop and fizzle creating a crater where the tank once stood.