Free Tactical Error by Thorarinn Gunnarsson Page B

those
grappling and docking probes?”
    “I can get external cameras on some of the grapples and all six of the
docking probes.”
    “Warn our people at the airlocks when they seem about to open up and
come through,” he told her. “Do not allow them to destroy your
airlocks. Open up first. How much longer on those repairs?”
    “Less than ten minutes now,” she reported. “I am sending
the crews out now to begin planting the explosives on those grappling
probes.”
    Smaller airlocks along the Methryn’s lateral groove opened, and
crewmembers began to move outside cautiously. Wearing the solid black armored
suits of the pilots, they stayed under cover of the deeper shadows as they
moved secretively along the hull to the grappling probes. The probes themselves
were massive rectangular blocks which locked tightly into the carrier’s
lateral groove, hinged at the top where they swung in against the captive ship
and completely retractable into the Fortress itself. They were to plant their
explosives on the back sides of each probe’s hinge, its single point of
vulnerability and, fortunately, well away from the Methryn’s own hull.
    Within the Methryn, Pack Leader Baressa readied her two packs for the
assault on the airlock they had been set to guard. She could well guess that,
once a Fortress had a carrier captive, actually boarding it would be a very
difficult task indeed. The trick was to get a boarding party through a single,
relatively small series of doorways at the airlock itself, where the attackers
could be easy targets as they came through at defenders who might not have to
show themselves. She knew her advantages and meant to make the most of them.
    She also knew that the airlock design was by necessity not the best for
bringing an overwhelming press of attackers to bear quickly. Valthyrra reported
that the shape of the airlock probes suggested a fairly large lift dropping
down into a huge, staging area, where the attackers could assemble under cover
before charging the airlock itself. The only thing she could not know was what
to expect when those doors opened. She could be facing human soldiers, massive,
armored sentries, or the giant Kalfethki warriors that Velmeran had found on
board the Challenger years before.
    “The docking probe is moving in,” Valthyrra reported through the
communication system built into Baressa’s helmet. “Stand by.”
    “Acknowledged,” she responded, stepping aside from the airlock
doors so that she could wave her defenders forward. “Move those beasts
into position and power up. Everyone else move to cover.”
    Several of the pilots under her command brought forward a pair of massive
cannons, each one bearing four barrels designed to fire rapidly in pairs, and
protected by its own heavy, armored flaring. These guns could make short work
even of Union sentries, but were protected against almost any weapon that was
likely to be brought against them through that airlock. Set to fire straight
through the tube of the airlock, they could be operated remotely through their
own sensors by operators who never had to show themselves. Baressa hoped that
these two guns would be enough to hold this airlock for the few minutes they
would need.
    She did not need to be told when the docking probe made contact; she could
hear the impact of the structure against the Methryn’s hull even through
her suit. She waved the remainder of her pilots to cover, within either the
main corridor directly opposite the lock or the two side corridors. The
Starwolves were themselves armed with powerful rifles, the only weapons that
would stop both armored sentries or Kalfethki warriors.
    “Stand by. I will open the doors on my count,” Valthyrra
reported to her defenders throughout the ship. “Three. Two. One.”
    The doors snapped open, revealing a group of sentries standing near the
airlock and, at least to the few Starwolves who saw them, seeming to wear the
most startled expressions. The pair in