Steel Gauntlet Read Online Free PDF Page A

profits. Human considerations have always come second to corporate survival. And everybody there accepts that.”
    “What is your plan for invasion?” she asked.
    “We will work out the details once the Congress gives you the go-ahead, ma’am,” Admiral Perry answered. “But the Marines will go in first in divisional strength and secure a beachhead. They will be reinforced by the army. From there they’ll spread out and engage St. Cyr’s forces.”
    “We’ll get ‘em there on time,” Admiral Jaime “Spider” Webb, Chief of Naval Operations, promised.
    A short, slight man with steely blue eyes and curly hair, Admiral Webb was known for his incisive wit and his ability to make quick and correct decisions. When he retired, which was expected to happen soon, he would be sorely missed.
    “What about these tanks?” Berentus asked
    “He calls them ‘Toyful Panthers,’ ” Benteen said dully.
    “Uh, that’s ‘Teufelpanzers,’ ” Donovan corrected Benteen. “I believe it’s Old High German for ‘devil tank.’ ”
    “Armaments? Capabilities?” Chang-Sturdevant asked.
    “We are not too sure, ma’am, aside from what Admiral Donovan has already mentioned,” Admiral Perry responded. “We believe St. Cyr has at least enough tanks to equip two divisions, supported by infantry. We guess their organization and tactics are based on those of the German Army during World War Two, since St. Cyr admires them so much. But General Benteen is the only person we have who’s seen them in action and, uh,” he nodded at the defeated general, “he had other things on his mind at the time besides, um, studying nomenclature.” This was meant as a bit of levity, but neither Benteen nor Chang-Sturdevant took it that way.
    “How many tanks would that be?” Madame Chang-Sturdevant answered.
    “Two thousand,” General Benteen answered. “I did manage to keep count,” he said, looking directly at Admiral Perry. “There are fifteen tanks to a platoon in St. Cyr’s army. I found that out the hard way, up very close. Since there are three platoons to a company, three companies to a battalion, three battalions to a regiment, three regiments to a division, that makes one thousand, give or take a few, for each division.”
    Chang-Sturdevant began to experience a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. “Admiral, do we have anything that can stop these things?”
    “Madame President, we do,” answered a heavyset man with closely cropped hair who’d remained silent up until now. The speaker was Commandant Kinsky “Kickass” Butler, Confederation Marine Corps. Commandant Kinsky was famous for his terseness. “It’s called the Straight Arrow, Madame.” Madame Chang-Sturdevant looked questioningly at Admiral Perry and turned to Minister Berentus.
    He shrugged.
    “Madame President, the Straight Arrow is old technology that was developed specifically to stop heavily armored vehicles,” Admiral Donovan said. “It’s a rocket-propelled explosive charge that will penetrate armor.”
    “How old is this technology, Admiral?” Madame Chang-Sturdevant asked suspiciously.
    Admiral Donovan hesitated. “It was developed, um....well, about three hundred years ago, ma’am.”
    “Three hundred...” Madame Chang-Sturdevant gasped.
    “Well, there was no need of them, so they were scrapped two hundred or so years ago, but now that this St. Cyr has resurrected, as it were, armored fighting vehicles, well, the army found some money in its budget to build some prototypes, and we’re putting them back into production immediately, Madame.” Admiral Perry added brightly, “Our next budget submission will have a line item for the continued production of these weapons.” A pregnant silence descended upon the room. “Uh, we’ll need them now, you see, in case somebody else gets the idea to—” Madame Chang-Sturdevant’s icy stare froze him into silence.
    The silence became embarrassing as Chang-Sturdevant continued staring