The attackers riding in the jeeps had not expected to come up against the remote gun platforms. Kuhl's scouts had told them that the east perimeter, now under American control, was guarded by an inadequate number of men possessing only nonlethal small arms intended to disrupt and incapacitate. The scouts had told them that the VKS was apparently convinced an offensive against the space center, if it came at all, would be launched against its industrial area--never expecting that Kuhl and his small group would infiltrate that sector rather than stage a mass assault there, and that the attack on this perimeter was a mere distraction that would allow Kuhl to accomplish his mission, drawing any troop concentrations away from the cargo-processing facility. Kuhl's scouts had also told the attackers that the Sword security team did not have adequate manpower to form a strong second line of defense or mount an effective counterattack.

Although the TRAP T-2s had come as a surprise to him, the leader of the attack force had assumed they had been moved into position after the last forward reconnaissance. Having never seen anything like them, he completely underestimated their precision-firing capabilities. Furthermore, the smoke, gas, and fireworks belching from the fixed platforms seemed to confirm his intelligence--relayed by Kuhl himself--that the Americans were under stricter no-kill orders than in Brazil.

Completely misled, he stuck to his plan of attack and ordered the jeeps to roll on toward the perimeter.

The Sword gunners opened up on them with everything they had, the TRAP T-2 VVRS platforms unleashing streams of deadly ammunition, angled to cover the entire field of approach with plunging, grazing, and crossing fire.

Men leaped from their vehicles as they were sprayed with bullets, many falling dead before they could make their exits, others managing to take cover behind the jeeps and return fire with their FAMAS guns. But they knew they were stalled, unable to advance, and by the time the QR squads came speeding up on their flanks, the attackers left alive were ready to surrender.

Their assault lasted just under half an hour before the Sword guards were satisfied it had been suppressed.

Exactly as Kuhl had planned.

His rifle slung over his shoulder, the fingers of one hand clutching the strap of Kuhl's backpack, Ricci pulled Kuhl toward him, keeping him in the doorway, hooking his free arm around Kuhl's chest. But Kuhl continued to press forward, fighting to escape, twisting slightly to drive an elbow into the center of Ricci's rib cage.

The wind knocked out of him, Ricci struggled to keep his arm around Kuhl, took another hard, crisp elbow jab to the diaphragm, a third.

His hold relaxed but didn't break.