September 31, 2111 – October 4, 2111
James Stone
Landis had been captured by the enemy! What were they going to do with her? The torture she would endure; I couldn't even force myself to imagine it. And it was my fault, all of it. How can I even stand alongside my squad now? And more importantly, how can I fix this disaster of a scenario? Whatever the means, I must get the gears rotating and figure something out.
After returning from my mission, I arrived back in the command room. Commander Sizar and Kalvin waited across the strategy table, ready for my debriefing.
"First things first, how's Valiic doing?" I asked as I approached.
"His injuries have mended at a comfortable pace. He should rehabilitate within the following day," Kalvin assured.
"And my squad?"
"They await your reappearance in the squad quarters."
"Do they know yet?"
"About Landis? Not at the moment. That news is for you to deliver."
"Which brings me to the first thing I must inform you of," Sizar jumped in. "We've been tracking her beacon, and based on its current path, we believe she's being taken to the dytirc home system - the Draynought System. After our interrogation with the dytirc you captured in conjunction with additional intel, we're able to comfortably presume she's being taken to a prison called the Grando Military Prison, on a dytirc moon named Delkeedo."
"And what measure do we take to retrieve her?" I asked, ready to jump on the mission to rescue her.
There was a pause in our conversation as Sizar shot a quick glance at Kalvin. "None." Sizar's calm tone was misleading.
"What? Please tell me you're stroking my shaft?"
"This is as serious as it gets, James."
I raised my voice, making sure I didn't cross the line. "Respectfully, sir, she has information about our battle tactics, future attack plans, along with her still active cyberwatch!"
Kalvin jumped in for a moment, "Her cyberwatch will short-circuit the instant it senses a false intrusion. In the off circumstance the dytircs try dislodging her arm to deceive the cyberwatch, it would detect the lack of circulation in her arm and short-circuit itself. Trust me, Order of Aegis cyberwatches are nearly hack-proof. The only information they will obtain will originate from her mouth."
"That might be all they want," I said, raising my voice yet again.
Annoyed with my tone of voice, Sizar grunted, "James, I don't expect you to understand this, but an invasion on the Draynought System would be suicide. Even with the entire ARW military, we would lose that battle. The dytircs inhabit many planets in that system and have devastating defenses there. We can't mount such an attack."
"Then send me and the rest of 1070 Legionnaires on a stealth rescue mission. We'll be in and out with no fuss," I offered.
"Absolutely not. Legionnaires aren't trained for long operations such as that. Plus, we can't afford to lose any more members of your squad." I glanced from Sizar to Kalvin and back, speechless. Sizar continued. "However, we still have some unfinished business to take care off. As stated by ARW military protocol, upon the death of a captain in an independent standing squad such as a legionnaire squad, the first lieutenant is promoted to captain to fill the role. That said, I hereby promote you, James Stone, to the rank of captain. It is now your responsibility to lead the 1070 Legionnaires and promote someone else to lieutenant."
"Sir, Landis isn't dead."
"She might as well be!" Sizar lost patience. "Now name your first lieutenant!"
After a reluctant wait, I answered, "Valiic Bessile. He may not be as experienced as Shadow-Walker, but he has a level head and a mind for leadership."
Kalvin lifted a finger. "You do not think Narrisa would be the optimal choice?"
"I've known her almost as long as I've known Valiic. She wouldn't want that responsibility."
"Understandable."
"James, you are dismissed," Sizar shooed me off.
Frustrated, I stomped out of the command room, followed by Kalvin. Regardless of my past with Kalvin, I needed him right now. Pushing aside my dislike for him, I spoke, keeping my tone low. "Remember when you said there's more to this war than we believe?"
"What did you discover?" He jumped straight to the point, his interest piqued.
"On our mission, we encountered a ghost town. Its architecture was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Platforms were floating and disconnected from the structures while not being disconnected."
He stopped me, "That is illogical."
"Umm… there was this bridge. It had two ramps and a platform, but the platform was disconnected from the ramps. It just hovered as if it were connected. And this house of worship… damn thing floated."
"Commonly believed to be constructed by a species known as the Devisors. Proceed."
"In that ghost town, Landis and I were forced into a temple carved into the mountain where you picked me up. Inside the last room, before the warlord made himself present, we discovered this artifact on a mantle."
"Describe it." He looked as if he knew what I was about to say.
"It was triangular, with two additional lines protruding from the triangle and converging down into the center circle inside… and covered in symbols."
"What happened to it?"
"A dytirc honor guard took it."
"Interesting."
"Why? What does it do?" I questioned.
"I am uncertain. The Order of Aegis has another artifact comparable to the piece you described. Although, I presumed the artifact to be a decoration or possibly a symbol of worship. In light of the situation, I will set researches on this matter." He stopped me and whispered in my ear, "James, this conversation remains between us. Understand?"
"I do."
He stepped back and smiled. "Perfect. I have additional matters at hand." He started off in the other direction.
"Hold your steps," I stopped him. "Does the Tempest of Titans still have a monastery?"
"Absolutely. It is located at the stern, fifth floor. I did not realize you were religious."
"I'm not." I gave him a nod as I left.
Inside the monastery, the comfortable padding of cedar bench eased away the doubts I had in showing my face here in the first place. One other person sat in the room with me, sitting a few benches ahead of me. The atmosphere was light, feeling like a sanctuary for my soul. At the front of the monastery, a large cedar wood stage scented the room with its aroma. Gold trim gilded the railings and the podium to enrich the room. On the left side of the stage was the confession box, along with a doorway to the back offices. At the moment, the priest was inside the box with another.
After a few minutes, the priest left the confession box. The other door opened, and a maelkii male stepped out and walked out of the monastery. The priest's gaze stopped at me and noticed I was new. He came up to me and took a seat to my right. His fragile, old body restricted his movements as he eased into the padding.
Without making eye contact, he spoke, "In times of war, a place such as this can often be somewhere to unburden one's self. Tell me, child, are you a Catholic?"
"Once upon a time," I replied, staring at the crucifixion cross hanging behind the stage.
"Great, great. You are in the right room, child."
I turned toward the priest. "That maelkii… I didn't know they believe."
Without turning, he responded, "Strange how these things seem to work out? Despite the various religious beliefs on Earth and an innumerable amount more religious beliefs among the galaxy, the maelkii Book of Ancient Prophets had surprisingly similar messages, and even stories, as the Bible. I've always believed in miracles, yet I was flabbergasted by that revelation."
"And the dor'o? Qwayks?"
"Qwayks never were historically big into faith. The dor'o-- Ever hear of the great Library of Alexandria?"
"Can't say I have."
"I heard it isn't taught so much these days. Anyhow, it was founded by the Ptolemaic dynasty and served as one of the largest and most significant libraries of ancient human history. It was said to house tens to hundreds of thousands of scrolls documenting everything from art to science. Then much of what was inside was burned by Caesar himself, and, some say, it set us back hundreds of years. The dor'o are said to have had something similar happen. Only instead, much of their ancient religion was destroyed. Dor'o historians claim that was the day religion died."
"That's--"
My words were lost. I couldn't help myself. Memories of my family and past came flooding back. I forced myself to hold back the tears.
"I can see you didn't come here for a history lesson."
"Father, does God exist?" This was the only thing I could think to ask in the moment.
At that moment, the priest turned to face me. "Would you like to hear a story?"
"It wouldn't hurt."
"Have you ever heard of the 2nd Big Bang in 2036? I was there if you can believe that," he joked.
"I may have heard a whisper or two."
"Great, great. Before the energy wave from that big bang hit… scientists… experts… they thought it was the end of the world. Nothing we'd ever seen moved as fast as this wave, not even light. Earth was ravaged. Streets lined with trash; stores burned and ransacked; houses abandoned with nothing worthwhile remaining. Surprisingly, the churches were mostly empty. I guess people wanted to spend their last moments with family. But the day the energy wave hit Earth - nothing. For minutes after the energy passed the planet, Earth had experienced a state of silence unlike any in my lifetime. If I'd dropped a pin, the world would've heard. The following Sunday, my church had such an attendance that I had to quadruple the number of sermons I'd prepared for that day. People lined the streets, thinking we'd been spared. Child… from that day forth, I've never doubted the answer to that question." I sat there for a moment, processing what he'd said. He spoke once again. "Child, I can tell that question isn't what brought you to this monastery. You look like a man who's already answered that question for yourself. I can see you have something else troubling you."
Hesitating, I told him, "I, er… I was on a mission with my squad, and I chose to pursue a lone boney. He was across a bridge, by himself, so I chased after him." I hesitated for a moment. "My Captain, Clover Landis, warned me, but… but I didn't even think. I just reacted. I guess it was instinct, but I can't be sure. As she came after me, the bridge blew. It was an ambush. You see, Landis and I were separated from the rest of our squad. The enemies forced us into a mountain, and, hah… I was so confident. We were supposed to take out a high-ranking enemy, and I figured he would be like any other. Well, I guess the enemy forced us into the mountain for a reason. They knew the warlord would best us." I rubbed away a tear. "I... I did everything I could to save her… but h-he took her." I looked the priest straight in the eyes. "Father, it wasn't enough."
He sat there silently for a few moments before placing his hand on my shoulder. "If you did everything you could for her, then why are you here?"
"Forgiveness."
"For what?"
"No-not doing more… I-I--" I answered, unsure.
"You just said you did everything you could. Looking into your eyes, I'm sure that's true."
I paused for a moment and looked to the ground. "Then why do I still feel guilt eating at my conscience?" I dropped my head in shame.
He sighed. "Guilt isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes guilt can be one's guide; the soul's call to action. The indication that something… something isn't quite as it should be. The best way to rid your soul of it is to correct your mistakes and keep going until amends are made." He took a moment before speaking. "I don't know what you did or what you should have done, but the guilt… your guilt means your mission is not yet finished." He stood up and walked up to the front stage.
I continued to sit there for a few more minutes, thinking over what he'd said. After much thought, I whispered to myself, "I know what I have to do," then walked out.
⁕⁕⁕⁕⁕
Days later, the Tempest of Titans was dispatched to Gorak after a distress call was made from one of the ARW's supporters - the o'garks. According to Sizar, the Wersillian Legion was preparing to mount a full-scale invasion on Gorak. After their last victory in Juster, the Wersillian Legion had their eyes set on another plant from the Ju-Sana System. They'd set up a massive base camp surrounded on three sides in the valley of a mountain. Their shielding was too strong to penetrate from orbit, so Sizar had ordered a ground assault. The 00810 through 00844 Rangers had been ordered to distract the enemy as my unit drove through a tunnel under the mountain. That tunnel would lead us to the back of the base, where we must destroy the shield tower. This was just another mission to every other soldier involved, but to me it was far more. To me, the mission was just the beginning of a grander plan. It was the first step on my path to finish my mission and cure my guilt.
I sat passenger in a Raptor V12; a human-made, four-wheel drive, all-terrain utility Jeep capable of traversing many obstacles without difficulty.
"James, how do you get the pedals up?"
Shadow-Walker searched the Raptor V12. Due to Gorak's uncharted terrain, the navigation computer system inside would be useless, and the Raptor must be manually driven.
Reaching through the window opening into the cockpit, I pointed at the switch. "Pull it down to the dor'o setting." When he pulled it down, the pedals adjusted themselves up and the seat slid forward to compensate for the dor'o species's smaller size.
"Why are human vehicles so complicated? The qwayks have advanced figure analysis tech. I don't even have to move to control their vehicles," he complained.
"Sure, as long as you don't mind the clunky helmets used to control them."
"You have a point there. That tin can gives me headaches." Shadow-Walker positioned his stasis scout rifle upright, at his left side.
From inside the hangar of the Tempest of Titans, the drop platforms started lowering. Hundreds of Raptor V12s, Raptor V14s, J7 Brutes, and Type-8 Cruisers awaited in standby mode, ready to drive off the drop platforms once it reached the ground.
"All I can say is, today is going to be one hell of a day. One for the history books," Shadow-Walker commented. He stuck his head out of the window opening and looked back. "Hey soldier, what's your name?" he asked the soldier manning the rotating machine gun turret on the back right side of our vehicle. Interestingly, the soldier had very a unique helmet and armor set, shaded in black and red roses instead of standard camo schemes.
"Alexander, sir." He looked down from the gun.
"It's Shadow-Walker, not sir. We're brothers in arms out here. And when I ask for your name, I want your full name."
"Darcrose, Alexander Darcrose."
"No way. Are you kidding?" Shadow-Walker cheered. Alexander nodded in response.
I jumped in. "What?"
"He's a Darcrose, James. His mother and father are founding members of the current structure of the ARW's military. Hah, his mother is a chief admiral for crying out loud!"
"Holy damned!"
"Ah, come on. It's not that big of a deal." Alexander shrugged.
"Haha. You gotta have some grand war stories," Shadow-Walker said.
"Whew, I wish! Today is actually my first mission. Like, look at my arm, it's shaking."
"Damn, Darcrose, are you ready to ride with the big boys?" Shadow-Walker laughed.
Alexander wasn't so sure. But regardless, he answered, "I'll give it my all!"
Next to our Raptor V12, the rest of the 1070 Legionnaires operated in a maelkii favorite, a Type-8 Cruiser. Using reverse gravity technology, this ground vehicle hovered a meter off the ground. One of the benefits of the reverse gravity technology was its unique ability to move at the same speed in all directions. Its sharp edges and purple glow matched the preferred design of maelkii crafts. Uslar resembled a child in the maelkii-sized driver's seat. A qwayk ranger sat in the passenger's seat, with his designated laser rifle ready. Narrisa and Valiic stood up at the rear. The bottoms of their shields were embedded in the floor, giving them something to use as cover. Most of the vehicle was open-aired, a design choice unique to the maelkii. Their species believes in using themselves as weapons, and that's why there's no weapon system attached to the Cruiser.
Unlike the Type-8 Cruiser, our Raptor V12 had much more cover. Most of that cover was catered to the driver and turret operator. Every Raptor had a heavily armored cockpit for the driver, an open passenger's seat with a mounted gun, a fully rotatable heavy-mounted gun on the back right with armor plates to cover the operator's body, and an armored storage area on the back left. As with all human ballistic weaponry, our turrets used airjen fuel to propel the projectors faster than any other weaponry known in the galaxy.
The drop platform touched the dusty ground of Gorak. "It's finally time to feel the wind in our face," Shadow-Walker hoorayed as he pressed down on the gas.
"Remember, watch for bugs." Alexander laughed as we drove.
Unit two, my unit, rounded out the far right side of the fleet of vehicles driving down the dirt and rock terrain. The 01120 and 01121 Eagles covered the skies with dor'o Buzzard-23 attack choppers and human V-Hawk harrier jets above us. Unit three, the unit of I7 Brute tanks, trailed behind because of the vehicle's lackluster speed. When they inevitably catch up, the battle should tip in our favor.
Dirt flew up in our faces as we tailed other vehicles. Dusty, dry air sucked away any moisture in my mouth, causing me to grow thirsty. Peeking back, I saw Darcrose's elbows trembling.
"Darcrose, I've been in your situation before. Unleash your fear at the enemy. Listen to me. We will get through the day, do you hear?"
I saw him take a few breaths. "It's funny, I used to have nightmares about those creatures."
Through the noise, Shadow-Walker howled "Incoming!" In the distance, enemy Pursuers flew in while Destroyers revved across the dirt. Dytirc vehicles are often decked out with the most retro shivf that can be found; cloth flapped in the wind, the skulls of their enemies were mounted around the vehicles, and rusted spikes protruded all over.
We were still at least ten kilometers away from the separation point.
"Darcrose, cover the skies. I'll handle the ground," I shouted over my shoulder.
Like two massive waves, our fleet of vehicles crashed into our foes. Pillars of fiery smoke and dust lifted into the air almost immediately. A series of new flashes broke out, lifting and spreading more toxic smoke, and great rivers of oil-fueled flame covered the terrain. Rushes of winds and smoke were created by more and more explosions; great rags of fire, changing from red to violet and back through the spectrum to red again, went soaring away to dissipate in the upper atmosphere. Then soldiers on our side and theirs quickly spread the terrain with their blood-soaked, dismembered bodies as the stink of burning flesh mixed in with the smoke. It was war.
Drivers broke off. The enemy force matched us vehicle to vehicle. It was utter chaos in its finest form.
"Destroyers headed our way!" Shadow-Walker shouted.
"They're mine!" I shouted.
Instead of using my mounted turret in front of me, I pulled out a W4G5 grenade launcher I'd brought along. Each grenade was armed with explosives, which contained an EMP blast for extra oomph. I shot one of the Destroyers - blowing it up and disabling another one for a short time with the EMP. My next shot hit in the middle of three Destroyers, disabling each of them for a few seconds, enough time for tens of Raptors to destroy them with gunfire.
Near us, Valiic and Narrisa shot waves of plasma bursts in the air at the Pursuers while the ranger in the passenger seat focused his laser rifle's blue laser at the dytirc driving a Destroyer.
"James. We have a Pursuer on our six," Alexander called as plasma shots rained from the skies.
Moving myself out of a shooter's position, I positioned my knee against the padding of the seat. Four or five enemies were shooting at us from the platform on top of the Pursuer. Aiming, I held up my grenade launcher and shot at the Pursuer. It pulled right, causing the grenade to miss. But I wasn't done; I pressed the secondary trigger, which detonated the grenade early. Its blast had no effect, but the EMP disabled it, and it came crashing down.
Opportunity arrived, I had a moment where I could reload the grenade launcher. Spinning out the rotating cylinder, I pushed my last three grenades into each empty chamber. Now I had a full six grenades in the launcher.
More Destroyers drove toward us. One weaved its way through the crowd of vehicles. Others headed around us. Turning my attention to a Destroyer riding at our side, I was jerked as our Raptor swerved left to dodge a plasma mortar from one of the Destroyer's back cannons. The Destroyer riding our side whipped left and rammed into us, bumping us to the side. The dytirc driver pulled out a plasma handgun and attempted to fire at me, while the lycargan in the passenger seat shot at Darcrose. After ducking under the first shots from the plasma handgun, I hopped out of the passenger seat. Flying backward, I almost missed my chance to grab the cloth armor from the dytirc driver. The whiplash almost pulled the dytirc from his seat. He struggled to drive and aimlessly fired his weapon backwards in hopes of hitting me. Using his clothes, I pulled myself to the front and punched the passenger out of the Destroyer before he could shoot me. Next, I grabbed the cyclic stick that controlled the Destroyer's direction and pulled left. As we hit the Raptor I'd just jumped out of, I climbed over the dytirc driver and back into my seat. That sent their vehicle out of control, making it an easy target for another Raptor to pick off.
"Something is seriously wrong with your brain." Shadow-Walker smacked the back of my head as I got back in.
"I appreciate the two cents." I grabbed the grenade launcher again.
"Heads up!"
We swerved right to dodge another plasma mortar. Our Raptor crashed into another group's, flipping both vehicles. The ranger manning the anti-air gun on their Raptor V14 was thrown off the back as their Raptor flipped over ours. Our Raptor was forced to its side, where we rolled and flipped against the dirt and rock. After what seemed like an eternity, we stopped rolling, and I was the first out.
Darcrose, who was a few meters back, got to his feet. I headed around the vehicle for Shadow-Walker. The Raptor was on its side, so I knew Shadow-Walker would be trapped in the cockpit.
I bent down and peeked through the opening. "Are you hurt?"
"Just flip this damn thing up so we can get back into the action."
From the side, I pushed over the Raptor. Since it was less than two tons, I was able to lift it. The wheels bounced as the Raptor landed. As Darcrose walked back to the Raptor, I asked, "Are you hurt?"
"A few road burns, but I can still fight!" He climbed back into the machine gun turret.
After I was in the passenger seat, we drove on. We passed the Raptor we'd hit. Fire engulfed the vehicle, and the lifeless corpses surrounding it showed us they hadn't made it. Holding the cross my mother had given me, I took a second to honor them.
We managed to rejoin the invasion a kilometer out from the separation point. The mountain edge was already within eyesight. At the tip of the mountain, the dirt and rock terrain split in two. Once we hit that point, unit two, with my legionnaire squad, was going to split off to the right side leading to a tunnel. Unit one would head left to distract the majority of the enemy force until unit three arrived to help.
As we approached, Commander Sizar said over the intercom, "Now, Unit two, split off." Shadow-Walker turned our Raptor to the right. Uslar drove his Cruiser by our side, and two other Raptors manned by rangers tailed us.
"Hey James, looks like we got some fans," Shadow-Walker signaled at the Destroyers splitting off to trail us.
Turning around, I joined the rest of our unit in shooting the Destroyers. I nailed one with a grenade, and it was gone with a bang. Three of the four remaining Destroyers focused fire on the squad to the back left. The plasma mortars proved too great for the armor to handle, and that squad was obliterated. Uslar's Cruiser fell back to the side of one of the Destroyers. Meanwhile, we kept firing. Another Destroyer exploded in red and purple fury. Two of the remaining three Destroyers sped up to each side of the squad at our rear. The Destroyers were too close to our allies for me to use the grenade launcher. Instead, I swapped it for my assault rifle and shot one driver in the head, sending the Destroyer into the mountainside. Milliseconds later, Valiic and Narrisa out battled another Destroyer and sent it down in flames.
"One left!" I shouted into the air just as we entered the opening of the tunnel, cutting out the natural light. Brightstone-powered headlights switched on and became our one source of light. I could see the last Destroyer was on fire. It was almost down.
I pulled out my grenade launcher and shot, missing twice. In a last ditch effort, the Destroyer shot a plasm mortar directly at us. "Darcrose, get out of the way!" I leapt out of my seat toward him.
"I'm stuck!"
As he struggled to get out of the mounted turret, I grabbed his hand to help.
Bang!
The mortar hit the rear of our vehicle, exploding Darcrose and the turret. I was sent back into the passenger seat.
"DAMNIT!"
I slammed my fist against the seat repeatedly. The Destroyer suddenly sped up and rammed into another Raptor. Instantaneously, the Destroyer exploded, followed by the Raptor. Now only the legionnaires remained.
I gripped my cross as the memory of his death replayed in my head. I looked at Shadow-Walker and said, "Damnit, I told him he would make it through this."
"Not everyone will survive this war, James." The vehicle began to tilt upward. "Shivf, hang on to something," Shadow-Walker called.
I gripped the handle in front of the passenger seat in time for the ramp-like hill. Our Raptor jumped a few meters in the air and landed with a smooth bump, with the hydraulics' assistance. Next to us, the Cruiser that Uslar drove wavered up and down as the reverse gravity tech readjusted for their landing.
"How long is this tunnel?" Shadow-Walker asked me.
"Sizar said around five to six kilometers," I answered.
"James, we lost two Raptors already. We may need reinforcements."
I looked over to the Cruiser. Their passenger was missing - probably died at some point in the battle. "Let's see what the base has waiting for our asses first."
The drive time flew by. Before I knew it, we could see the end of the tunnel. "Guards!" I yelled out. "Let's give them something to remember us by. Keep the vehicles full throttle and jump out."
I walked out on the back of the Raptor, using the bars to assist me. I dropped around to the door of the cockpit Shadow-Walker was in. Carefully balancing myself, I opened his door.
"You ready?" I asked.
"Be gentle."
He wrapped his arms around my neck and right shoulder. In that moment, I popped on my stasis shield and dove away from the Raptor. The stasis shield absorbed the impact as we skidded to a stop. Seconds later, Narrisa and Valiic landed feet first off the back of the Cruiser. Uslar was on Valiic's back.
Our vehicles took out many guards, sending vehicles and guards over the edge past the end of the tunnel. The remaining guards engaged us in a firefight, but they had no luck. They were outnumbered and outmatched. We wiped them out in mere seconds and kept moving until we made it to the edge of the tunnel.
I gazed down the hill of loose rocks. A few hundred meters past the bottom of the hill, the edge of the shield covering the enemy base met the dirt. The shield tower was stationed to the far right of us, deep in the enemy base. Luckily, our position was concealed from our enemies' view by a two hundred meter long star cruiser stationed at the edge of the shield. Platoons of vehicles lay dormant against the rocky ground near the back of the star cruiser, waiting to be used. This base was clearly for an opening attack on Gorak.
"We're going to need at least fifty rangers to make it to that shield tower," Shadow-Walker said, frustrated.
"Or six achilles," Valiic pointed out.
"There's no way Sizar will send them," Shadow countered.
"Let's see," I said. I called over the intercom, "Sizar, come in."
"Sizar speaking."
"Do you have the Tempest of Titans above the enemy base yet?"
"Affirmative. We're orbiting above it in space, waiting for the shield to drop."
"Would you happen to have an achilles squad available on board the Tempest of Titans?"
"What could you possibly require achilles for?"
"Our vehicles are toast. We're down to five soldiers, and I spot over a hundred enemies between us and the shield tower."
"Achilles are a last resort. Are you at that point?"
"I wouldn't request achilles if we weren't, sir."
"Very well. Activate your beacon and hold tight. I'm sending the 118. Sizar out." As he finished, I turned on my beacon.
"Did he say the 118?" Uslar asked. "That's the second best achilles squad!"
A minute later, balls of fire entered the atmosphere, dropping down to my position.
"Step back, guys." I motioned with my hands.
Valiic stepped back, and the rest of us followed. As fast as an asteroid, the drop pods fell to the surface. Fire surrounded the pods like a meteor and ceased the moment the thrusters lit up. From an insane incoming speed, the pods decelerated rapidly until they were going just fast enough to embed themselves in the surface, splashing rocks and dust away likes waves.
Once the pods cooled down, the doors blew open, hurling themselves meters away from the pods. Then the achilles hopped out. One maelkii, two dor'o, two qwayk, and a human walked toward us. For a split second, their signature chrome achilles armor reflected the rays of sunlight back in our eyes. The armor was made using the lightweight, bullet resistant metal, veridium. This metal was second in value only to the metal a maelkii's shield is made from, forcidion - known as the most indestructible material in the universe. After they'd put a few meters between them and the pods, the pods exploded, destroying any chance the enemy had at using that tech.
"I'm Captain Killemn," spoke the maelkii man leading the way.
"I'm Captain Stone, but James will do." I shook his hand.
"Well, James. I hear you asked for our assistance. Couldn't handle it yourself?" He crossed his arms and gazed down at me with an arrogant grin.
"Only if you think you can handle it," I mocked.
He looked around at his squad members, catching their reactions. "You hear that, troopers? He thinks we aren't up to it. Let me tell you this, James: I don't know who you are, or care for that matter. We're here only because your sorry asses decided it was a better idea to wait with your panties tied around your legs than handle business."
I'd heard the achilles had a superiority complex, but this seemed a step above overboard. "You know, it's just dandy to see you guys off your asses for a change. While we legionnaires crawl through the mud and shivf of war, you lethargic stodges hang high in a star cruiser, growing soft."
"Mind your status, James. Achilles outclass legionnaires every time," he snarled, just centimeters away from me. He looked down at me, straight into my eyes.
I didn't blink. "Care to put that theory to the test?"
"Righty now, put your junk away, both of you," Shadow-Walker said, stepping in. "We have a mission to accomplish. You know… the one that involves the massive war zone of vehicles battling over there." He pointed in the direction of the battling at the front of the enemy base. "Like… this is literally the worst time to fight."
After a few seconds, Captain Killemn snickered and backed off. "Well James, what are we here for?"
"You see that tower over there?" I pointed at the shield tower. "It's the tallest one with the shield flowing from the top."
"Yes, I'm not blind." He and his squad turned their attention back to me.
"We have to roll the ball of ideas and find a way to disable it. As you can see, we're a bit short-staffed to complete this task."
"That's the understatement of the galaxy," Shadow-Walker added. "There are probably hundreds of troops patrolling behind that star cruiser."
"Even with us, this isn't going to be easy, Captain," one of the achilles spoke.
"Under the circumstances, I say we could benefit from more intelligence. What do you think, Stone?" Captain Killemn asked.
"Of course. I was about to suggest that," I lied.
"No, you weren't," Shadow-Walker caught my lie.
"Well, then, gather around," Captain Killemn instructed. He pulled out a tiny drone from one of his pouches. "This should handle our needs just fine."
We all gathered around, and he tossed the drone to the dirt and rocks. He pulled up the controls on his cyberwatch and enlarged the hologram so we could all see the image, then proceeded to drive the drone toward the base.
"Take it to the right side of their star cruiser. If we can formulate a strategy on this side, we can reach the tower faster," I commented.
Taking my suggestion, he drove the drone around the star cruiser. After turning around the ship, we saw a few hundred Destroyers and Pursuers.
"We could maneuver through these vehicles, using them as cover. It would be a great starting point," one of the achilles suggested.
"Not if the enemy is carrying mortar launchers. The plasma explosion could set off a chain reaction from the vehicles," Uslar retorted.
"I disagree. The Destroyers are stationed too far apart from each other for that to happen," Valiic countered.
"How about we look a bit farther before we make our decision?" I suggested.
"Agreed." Killemn nodded.
He powered the drone through the vehicles. Dytircs and lycargans swarmed the area just past the vehicles. Many of them were performing preparation tasks on the star cruiser, while others hopped in a vehicle and drove out toward our frontal assault. Meanwhile, patrol units circled the base. Far off, away from most of the troops, thrown-together barracks occupied a significant area of the base. The buildings weren't much more than wooden shacks held together with scrap metal and cloth. Barricades were spread around the base for cover, but most were placed in the direction of the frontal assault and stationed by guards with heavy turrets and artillery. The area between the stationed vehicles and shield tower was an unused, open space.
"You see that? We're going to have a hell of a time trying to cross that open field unseen. How are we supposed to get to that tower with that many enemies?" Shadow-Walker questioned.
"Well, we can force the snake to bite. I say we go in loud and strong," I suggested.
"I see where you're going with this, James. Instead of trying to sneak past the enemies, we could use chaos to hide our presence," Killemn agreed.
"Then we need a way to hide our numbers… a way to make our unit seem larger than it really is," Uslar offered some input.
"Nothing says chaos like a good explosion," Shadow-Walker perked up.
"Too bad our explosives expert isn't with us." Valiic was talking about Captain Landis. "You wouldn't happen to have a substitute, would you?" he asked Killemn.
"I could handle that," an achilles said, raising his hand.
"Very well. All we need now is a place to explode," I concluded.
"Those wooden barracks would do," Killemn suggested.
"On top of that, we should bombard them with all our grenades to further feed the chaos," Uslar added.
"Great, that would work," the same achilles said.
"So that part of the plan is settled. What next?" Uslar asked.
I jumped in. "Once the explosion opens the flood gates, the dytircs and lycargans will be in a frenzy. My squad and I… we could set up at the vehicles… all spread out. Valiic and Narrisa could hold up closer to the enemies, while Uslar and I plant ourselves farther back, and like magic, our unit of eleven appears to be a unit of a hundred."
"Under the tip of the star cruiser, I could hide myself and provide supporting fire with Silent Dagger."
"Silent Dagger?" one of the achilles asked.
"Yeah. My scout rifle. Plus, I'll be able to see most of the base," Shadow-Walker added.
"Now we're getting somewhere. While you guys grab their attention, we'll bolt for the tower," Killemn concluded. "Then… ka-boom." He mimicked an explosion with his hands.
"And with that, our plan is wrapped up nicely with a bow." I checked for confirmation from each member.
"Then let's not stand on ceremony."
Killemn placed on his veridium-based helmet, as did his achilles. With that, all eleven of us headed down the loose rocks and inside the shield. Once we arrived at the vehicles, my squad took their positions and one of the achilles fired a rocket at the barracks. The rocket signaled our attack. Instantly, I tossed out two frag grenades. Hell's gate opened wide, and the devil walked through. The barracks exploded, starting a blazing, wild fire. Following that, frag grenades exploded, qwayk riot grenades let loose a barrage of lasers, and dor'o suicide grenades covered the field with sparks that hovered in the air, only to detonate based on proximity. It was hell handed on a plate for our foes to enjoy.
We opened fire, and the achilles dashed toward the shield tower, firing their side arms into the crowd. The weight of the distinctive armor slowed them down; however, its extreme bullet resistant material made up for its weight. The enemy was disoriented, and we picked off one after another. After a few seconds, most of the dytircs and lycargans started firing in our direction, taking cover at the same time. Luckily, our aggressive strategy paid off. The achilles seemed to go unnoticed. For the few dytircs or lycargans that did open fire at the achilles, we took them out, prioritizing the enemies trying to set up heavy weaponry.
Clocking in at a tad under a minute, the achilles arrived at the tower and fought their way inside. Two even used a jet pack mounted to the back of their armor to shortcut their way to the second floor. We continued to hold off the enemy until the shield was deactivated.
"Commander Sizar. The shield is down. You're clear to fire in three minutes," I reported as the shield fell.
"Make sure you're out by that time. Do you copy?" He asked.
"I do, sir."
Once the shield fell, the remaining enemy troops fled to nearby Haulers. Their Haulers could fit forty troops each and were around fifty meters long and twenty tall. That was just big enough to support slip space technology, making them great transportation vessels; in other words, I saw my opportunity. Without hesitation, I rushed to the nearest one. I was on board in under a minute. Three soldiers had already made it to this particular Hauler, and none of them noticed me. Using my pistol, I shot two in the back of their heads and put the barrel to the third's head.
"Here's what I want you to do. First things first, toss your compadres here out of this starship. Are we understanding one another?"
He nodded his head before picking up one of the dead troops. Slouching down in shame, the lycargan carried the body to the back. After tossing the first, we repeated the same steps until the second was out. By this time, my squad had caught up to me.
"James, what is going on here?" Valiic asked, confused. "We need to leave."
"Yes… you do. Go!"
"Not without my brother."
With my gun still pointed at the remaining lycargan, I responded, "Look. I'm going to complete my mission."
"Here's what I think: You're going to rescue Landis. Feel free to correct that assessment." Valiic saw right through me.
"I am," I admitted. "Then I'll hunt and kill Steion like the animal he is."
"James, has our time together in training taught you nothing about me? I will always be there to back you up, just as you would me." Without another word, he stepped on board. Narrisa gave me an approving nod as she followed her cohinla.
Next, Shadow-Walker jumped aboard and joked, "Hey, they won't court martial all of us, right?"
"No, just you." Uslar tapped Shadow-Walker on the shoulder as Uslar jumped in. As he passed me, he whispered, "For the record, I disagree with this. It's reckless and against protocol. I'm going for only one reason: To be the one person here in his right mind."
"Noted," I responded as he entered. "Achilles, are you clear from the base?" I asked over the intercom.
"Just about. Where are you? We have less than a minute left before the bombs drop," Killemn said.
"We have another mission to take care of. We have our own way out." I walked back in the control room, pushing the lycargan to the pilot's seat.
"Copy that. Good luck," Killemn said.
With the gun to the lycargan's head, I commanded, "Get us into orbit."
"Right away." He started the Hauler, and we took off.
Uslar walked up behind me. "We can't use this ship to travel through the whole Ju-Sana System, much less reach the Draynought System. It doesn't have enough fuel to make it that far."
From across the room, Shadow-Walker joined the conversation, "I know someone who can get us there. Hondora, is that close?"
Uslar answered, "It's in the next solar system over. We can be there in a few hours."
"You hear that, bowlhead. Take us there," I commanded the lycargan.
"Your wish is my command." His sarcastic tone was apparent.
"Who is this person you know?" I asked Shadow-Walker.
"She's a mercenary. If she's available, she'll likely be at Kemmer's Bar. I gotta warn you. She's expensive, but she's worth ever jemn."
"How do you know her?"
"Once upon a time, I was a mercenary like her. At least until the war started. Kemmer's Bar has typically been a prime place for mercenary hire." He turned to the lycargan. "Do you know where Kemmer's bar is?"
"No."
Shadow-Walker turned back to me and spoke. "I'll direct him to the bar. You don't have to watch him anymore."
I patted him on the back and headed to the rear of the Hauler.