By William S. Frisbee

"Graviton Emmisions at seventy eight degrees, nine hundred meters," Koenig said fiddling with his sensors to get a better reading. In the cramped cockpit of the Tiger class grav assault vehicle little Koenig had no problem moving around.

"Aknowledged, at seventy eight degrees," Sergeant Burch said. 'Curse little people,' Burch thought as he squirmed in his seat. "I have tenative target lock."

"Check it out?" Koenig asked his voice betraying his reluctance.

"No, we'll stay here," Burch said winning Koenig's thanks. "Let's see what we're up against."

"Roger," Koenig said relieved his new GAV commander had some sense and realized even though it was called a tank GAVs were vulnerable to enemy weapons. "Maintaining minimal signature."

"Tank two," Lieutenant Mills said. "Advance to contact and report enemy strength and disposition."

"God damn it!" Burch said before switching comm frequencies. "Aye sir, advance to contact."

"Up and at them?" Koenig said less than enthusiastically.

"You heard the Lieutenant," Burch said trying not to let the anger into his voice and failing.

"Aknowledged," Koenig said his thoughts echoing Burch's. Powering up the GAV Koening started it forward.

Koenig knew he was living on borrowed time since Lieutenant Mills had ordered his previous tank commander into an attack against a Sulakan base. It had been pure luck that Koenig had survived, his commander hadn't.

Koenig knew that the Lieutenant was death ever since he laid eyes on the brawny Legionarre poster boy. His doubts became even more severe when he learned about the Lieutenant's high level connections. His father, General Mills kept tabs on his son's activities and that of his son's commanders. Angering Lieutenant Mills was the equivelent of angering his father.

Koenig usually got the feeling not many poeple liked the arrogant Lieutenant and he wondered if that was why the Lieutenant was willing to expend his men like ammunition.

"Bogie changing course," Burch said. "They see us."

"Incoming!" Koenig said activating the calliopes that would hopefully shoot down incoming missles. Accelerating toward the contact Koenig began dodging buildings and lamp posts.

"Aknowledged," Burch said calmly and launching a barrage of fusion rounds that arced up and at the incoming target.

Several rockets were vaporized and the others were classified as no threat by the onboard computer. Around the Tiger the buildings that had once housed humans shattered and caught fire. One apartment complex tumbled and fell where the Tiger had just been.

Koenig watched the contact flicker and fade from his display.

"Neutralized!" Koenig said satisfied.

"Negative," Burch said. "I hit it with EMP. We have to close in and confirm."

"Aknowledged," Koenig said imagining what it must be like for the Salukan crew. Right now they would probably be abandoning their lifeless GAV because all its electronics had just been fried. He knew exactly what it was like.

Koenig slowed down considerably. The Salukans didn't consider crews without a tank as a still useful weapons, like the humans, but that didn't prevent the crew from submitting to fate either. They could still have teeth.

Switching over to molecular decay imager Koenig started inching his way closer to the enemy vehicle. Hopefully he would detect the Salukan crew before they targeted him with a fusion tube or something.

"You aren't going to sneak up on them," the Lieutenant said. "Get a move on."

"Damn that bastard!" Burch said loudly and then switched frequencies to aknowledge the command.

"Okay Koenig," Burch said his mind working. "High speed pass. Be ready to make another one.

"We'll light up like a christmas tree," Koenig said refering to graviton emmisions. The faster they went the more obvious they were to enemy sensors and the Salukans could get a grav reading which allowed them to determine what had shot down their GAV.

"I get the impression the Lieutenant wants to draw attention," Burch said and Koenig shut his mouth. He was living on borrowed time.

Koenig throttled the GAV to full speed and shot past the crashed Salukan GAV like a bolt of lightning. Once he was past it he dropped speed and then changed direction.

"They haven't popped hatches," Burch said and Koenig realized they must have been pretty high up when they lost power.

"What are you doing!" the Lieutenant yelled.

"Confirming the classification and status of contact," Burch said in a neutral voice.

"You want to tell everyone where we are at?"

"They just lost a Ripper," Burch said. "They know someone is here."

"Now they know what is here," the Lieutenant said his anger obvious.

Burch remained silent but Koenig smiled. Thankfully his face was hidden by his battle helmet and nobody could see the smile. Mabye he would live a while yet, Koenig thought, starting to like Sergeant Burch. Burch had come from another unit and it was now obvious to Koenig that Burch knew exactly what he was doing, even if the Lieutenant didn't.

"Incoming!" Koenig said wanting to accelerate but waiting for the command.

"Change course to fifty degrees, maintain speed," Burch said calmly. "And don't wait for me to tell you to dodge."

The calliopes remained inactive and Koenig realized the Salukans were just bombing the area in the hopes they would get lucky. Relaxing again Koenig began to see the Salukans were now way off target.

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