Stark's Command Read Online Free PDF

flank."
    Stark considered the idea, frowning at the ridge before him. "Why?"
    "Because the enemy ain't gonna come through that rough terrain on the left," Milheim argued. "It'd slow them too much, even in low-G. And the opening on the right is too far off their line of advance. No, they're gonna come charging right up the middle here, and I want enough force on hand to knock them back on their butts."
    "Kinda risky if you're wrong," Stark observed. "But it makes sense." And it felt right on that level where his instincts operated. "Okay. Do it, Milheim. Update your battalion's Tacs and get them deployed like you want. Do it fast. We ain't got much time."
    "You got it." Milheim's fierce smile somehow came through the comm circuit, then he switched circuits to start ordering his soldiers into position.
    "Ethan?"
    "Yeah, Vic."
    "What the hell is Milheim doing?"
    "Sorry. You weren't in on that conversation." Small wonder, with the entire rest of the battle to worry about. "We decided to deploy his battalion different than you'd told them."
    "I see. You've gotten rid of the officers so now you have to disobey my orders."
    "You think your original plan was better?"
    "I don't know. But I do know I can't run a battle if you keep improvising and don't keep me informed!"
    Stark winced. She's right. "I'll keep you cut in from now on."
    "Thanks." Vic sounded only slightly mollified. He'd have a lot of fences to mend when this battle was over, assuming they both survived the experience. "Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not used to handling this many troops. I want input."
    "Understood. Me, too."
    "You sure you want that battalion deployed along the back of the ridge? The best place to hit the enemy is when they're trying to climb up at you."
    "Yeah, and the best place for them to hit us is on top of that ridge. These guys are still shaky, Vic. I need them under cover."
    "You're on-scene. It's your call."
    The simple statement startled Stark, used to officers in the rear using the sophisticated command and control gear to literally try to call every shot he fired. If we get through this, I bet I can make these apes ten times as dangerous as they were when they were micromanaged. Just give me a chance.
    A moment's respite, the line around him solidifying, Milheim's Battalion giving a spine to those soldiers who had fled the enemy. Stark switched circuits again. "Anita. How's it going?"
    Her breathing came heavy, health indicators displaying stress markers across the board. "They're all over us, Sargento. This bunker ain't gonna last much longer. They've got its position, and there's a lot a heavy stuff being thrown at us."
    Scan simply confirmed Corporal Gomez's report. The enemy had figured out that Mango Hill formed the hinge for the American line now. Break it, and the rest of line would probably fall apart. Stark bared his teeth as he viewed the forces assaulting the hill held by his old Squad. Too much going on at once, but I'm not gonna forget them. Okay. Think it through. Try to find an option, maybe not a by-the-book option, but one that fits the problem. "Anita. Put the bunker's chain guns and grenade launchers on continuous full auto, minimum target criteria."
    "Sarge, that'll burn all their ammo in a coupla minutes, at the most."
    "The bunker won't last much longer than that, anyway, and that heavy fire will roll back the troops closest to you. Hang in there a little longer. We've almost got this mess fixed up."
    "Sí, Sargento. Got 'em on full auto. Uraaahhh!"
    "Bail out of there, Gomez, before they take the bunker down. You and the weapon station sentries."
    "Comprendo. See you on the surface, Sarge."
    Back to where he stood, focusing on the situation around him, adrenaline making Stark shiver with reaction even as Vic Reynolds called in. "Got a problem with Fifth Batt, Ethan."
    "What?" Stark scanned Fifth Battalion's symbology hastily, scowling as he did so. "Nobody's hitting them. Why aren't they moving?"
    "Because Kalnick