Stark's Command Read Online Free PDF Page B

doesn't like his orders."
    Kalnick. Sergeant Harry Kalnick. Not someone Stark had ever had much contact with. A vague impression of someone who didn't quite rub right, though. "Kalnick, this is Stark."
    "Yeah." The response was surly, with a dash of annoyance thrown in for good measure.
    Stark counted to three before speaking again, fighting off the pressure-driven urge to scream Kalnick into a primal state. Give him a chance to explain. "Why isn't your battalion moving into position on the flank of the penetration?"
    "I'm not going to let my battalion get beat up because you and Reynolds lost the bubble. I think it's a lousy idea and lousy tactics."
    "Okay, what's your idea? How do you think we should deploy Fifth Batt to stop and roll back this attack?" Silence. "Kalnick. Tell me what's wrong with the positions you've been ordered into."
    "They're lousy orders! They won't help anybody!"
    "What's your alternative?" Stark repeated with forced patience. "Kalnick? We haven't got all damn day. The tactical situation is critical, and every other soldier is counting on you."
    "This situation isn't my fault, Stark."
    "I'm not debating with you, Kalnick. Get your Battalion moving."
    Another voice, one Stark recognized, broke in as other Fifth Battalion Sergeants joined the debate. "Hey, Kalnick. What's wrong with these orders?" Sergeant Stacey Yurivan questioned.
    "Stark's trying to use us to bail himself out," Kalnick argued.
    "The hell he is. Stark's planted right in front of the enemy advance along with Fourth Batt."
    More Sergeants chimed in. "I got friends in Fourth Batt. I ain't leaving them hanging."
    "Why are we just sitting here?"
    "Kalnick, what's your plan?"
    Another brief stretch of silence, finally broken by Stacey Yurivan's voice again. "Hey, Kalnick. Either lead, follow, or get out of the way."
    On Stark's scan, units in Fifth Battalion began moving, breaking out of their neat alignment to head for the positions Reynolds had designated on the flank of the penetration. "Kalnick," he called, "I'm giving you one more chance. Get your Battalion in position. If you've got a problem, we'll settle it after this is over. Understand?"
    Kalnick didn't reply directly, but as Stark watched, the rest of Fifth Battalion surged into motion. Okay. Got that fire put out. Now look at the big picture. Got a battalion taking up position to hit the flank of the penetration. Stark pulled up the command scan, chewing his lip as he watched the so-far victorious enemy swarm toward his improvised defensive line. Got another battalion here behind the ridge. Switch views again. The Castle's still holding. Mango Hill's still holding. God, look at all the crap getting thrown at them. "Corporal Gomez." Static answered, fuzzed with the staccato beat of enemy jamming. Stark swore in frustration.
    "Use your command overpower setting to punch through the jamming," Vic suggested.
    "I can do that? Sure I can. I got official access to it now. But what are you doing sitting on my shoulder?"
    "Just lucky timing," Vic assured him. "Gotta go and make sure our reserve company is ready to punch out from the Castle. See ya."
    "Likewise." Stark checked the options available on his commander's scan, calling up the overpower and linking it to Corporal Gomez's call sign.
    Chaos sprang to life around him. Stark twitched as another dose of adrenaline surged into his system, urging action against violence being played out far away. "Gomez. What the hell's happening there?"
    "Damn all, Sargento." The view from Gomez's remote swung dizzyingly as she pivoted to pump a round into an enemy soldier who reared up not a meter away. "Hand-to-hand," she added unnecessarily.
    "Can you hold 'em?"
    "I dunno. Real target-rich environment out here." Lunar terrain jumped wildly again as Stark watched a ripple of red warning lights spring to life on Gomez's remote. Grenade, maybe, exploding not far from her. The view jerked several times as she fired rapidly. "Damn. Too close, Sargento,