The Reclamation and the Lioness

by Robert D. Armstrong

  “What?” I asked.

  “While you were training, I’ve been in communication with our engineers on Titan. In combination with our Legion technicians, we’ve put together something you might like,” Xena said.

  I arched an eyebrow. “Now you have my attention,” I said.

  “Let’s go,” Luther said. We followed him down the corridor for a few minutes until we reached the docks. Two dozen people in formation and at parade rest faced us. They were wearing dark coveralls that were stained with grease.

  As we approached the dock steps, I could hear a throaty engine noise echoing down the tunnel. Luther stared at me as I smiled. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it sounded ferocious.

  We made our way up the dock as everyone looked down the tunnel. I could see four headlamps beaming at us from far in the distance. Something was barreling toward us at an extremely high rate of speed, but the lights were so bright it obscured the vehicle. Whatever it was, the roofline was at least three and a half meters tall.

  I covered my ears as it approached within a hundred meters. “Uh, is that some kind of tank?” I asked, raising my voice so Luther could hear me.

  “Partly,” he replied. Then the sound of the roaring engine subsided as it slowed down and halted beside us. At first glance, it reminded me of a gigantic snowmobile.

  “Whoa,” I mumbled. The cabin appeared larger than that of a military Humvee. It had nine doors, three on each side, and its body was painted with a white and gray camouflage that matched the local terrain. Instead of tires, it had two massive triangular-shaped tank tracks on each side.

  Unlike a Humvee, its body lines were aggressive and bold, like a sports car and tank had a baby. It was part Mad Max with its wielded body armor panels and rugged look, but also part Batman. It appeared efficient, purpose-built, and brooding, like something the Dark Knight might drive in a winter setting.

  Xena turned toward me. “It’s a diesel and battery-powered hybrid. Ripped straight from a tank. Two thousand horsepower and twenty-five hundred foot-pounds of torque. We reached speeds exceeding two-hundred kilometers per hour on the flats,” she said.

  “I love it, but isn’t it a bit loud for military operations? They’ll hear us coming from miles away. Hell, they probably already hear us,” I said.

  “We used the diesel engine for its grand entrance, just for effect. When running the battery, it’s almost completely quiet. It doesn’t use fuel unless you really romp on the accelerator. It has a full charge on the battery, so it’ll be more than enough for our mission,” she replied.

  “Battery-powered? Well, at least it’ll meet emission standards,” I joked, saying it loud enough so only Luther could hear me. He shook his head. I didn’t hear him chuckle, but I imagined him smiling under his mask. He was the only one that would get the reference anyway.

  I caught myself forgetting about all the terrible things in the world around me. It was a welcome but temporary distraction. It reminded me of the time when Luther and I had a black Jeep Wrangler. It was a weekend toy. I had it lifted with big tires and we would take it off road from time to time. We eventually sold it when we moved to the city, but I always wanted to get another one.

  “So, you got all the parts to build this thing from a tank?” I asked.

  “Three Russian tanks and a transport truck. The Legion already had the plans to design the vehicle for transport missions. All they needed was some input from Titan engineers,” Xena said.

  An older man in working coveralls stepped forward. “We started on this thing months ago. Xena, along with Titan engineers, helped us rebuild the engine and custom transmission. We transplanted the rebuilt motor, suped it up, and placed it in a vehicle that’s only sixty-two percent of the weight of the tank.”

  I crossed my arms. “If there’s one thing the Titans are experts at, it’s engineering. I can’t say I’m surprised after what I’ve seen them do. Xena is a testament to their ability,” I said.

  Xena looked down at her body. “I’m not exactly a technological marvel in this android.”

  “Oh, but you are. The fact that you’re here helping us while simultaneously aiding the colony on Titan is amazing. You’re in two places at once,” I said.

  A black man in a fur coat opened the right-side door in the front. He stared at me as he stood on the tank tracks. I noticed one side of his face was badly scarred from burns. “You’re Victoria, right? You’re our driver?” he asked with a South African accent. His voice and disposition were very warm.

  I looked at Luther. “That would be me,” I replied.

  “I’m Zion. Come on in. I’ll give you a quick rundown of how this thing works,” he said.

  “I’m all ears,” I said.

  “Watch your step,” he warned. I leaned toward him as he outstretched his hand from the vehicle. I grabbed hold of it as I stepped from the dock platform and onto the tank tracks. We clambered inside. The floor was a tan grated metal with rubber matting over it.

  There were three rows of worn bench seats. Each one was a faded green color. I imagined they were stripped from a few different jeeps and fitted together. Inside, the space was even larger than I imagined. It would seat at least ten people.

  While it was crude, it seemed practical. I saw where the doors and ceilings had been welded together. Instead of windows, the back doors had sliding metal slots.

  Zion noticed me looking at them. “Those are firing ports. Soldiers and knights can aim and shoot through those,” he said.

  There was a roll cage in the shape on an X that covered the underlining of the roof. “You thought I might flip this thing or what?” I asked, pointing at the ceiling.

  Zion chuckled. “The Engineer said you had experience with off-road vehicles, but this thing is different. It’ll take some adjustments. The area is very mountainous, as you know. A rollover could be fatal without protection.”

  I noticed the driver’s seat was in the middle of the first row. “Go on, get a feel for it,” he said, nodding.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” I replied, reaching out for the steering wheel. I scooted past a gear shifter that extended from the floor. I smiled as I noticed the shifter knob was a silver lion’s head.

  “Nice touch,” I said.

  “We wanted to give it some personality. We found that ornament on an old ceremonial sword’s handle. It was a male lion’s head originally, but I grinded down the mane so it would look like a lioness,” he said.

  “I like it,” I replied. I gripped the black metallic circular wheel. It felt mechanical and raw, like I was connected to the guts of the vehicle through it. I put my hand on the shifter knob and faced forward like I was driving it.

  “How’s the fit?” he asked.

  I grinned. “Like a glove.”

  I could feel him staring at me. “We’ve never had the resources to build an aircraft, but we did the best we could do with this.”

  “I’m impressed,” I said.

  His big brown eyes drifted ahead. “Well, I speak for everyone that worked on this vehicle when I say we appreciate what you did for us. Even though the androids betrayed us, you corralled them here and saved us. I was with my family at the front entrance when you showed up in those ships. I watched as thousands of Mave scrambled toward us. I was ready to die that day, for my family and for the Legion. But I didn’t have to. My mouth dropped as light from the heavens rained down, melting those vile creatures into a black sludge. I’ll never forget when I peeked up into the sky and saw your ships. And as far as I’m concerned, this is the least we could do. Thank you,” he said, staring at me intensely.

  “You’re very welcome,” I said softly.

  “Now, listen, when you turn that steering wheel, I would imagine it’s not as responsive as you’re used to. The steering works by decreasing power to one side of the tank tracks, allowing the other side to pull you in that direction, so when you turn the wheel, there’s a very slight delay,” he said.

  “How much of
a delay?” I asked.

  “Half a second. That’s as low as we could get it,” he replied.

  “Not bad,” I said.

  Behind the steering wheel weren’t many instruments. I could see a switch for the headlights and a heater. There was a small screen with four digital gauges:

  SPEED: 0 KPH

  FUEL: 230 LITERS

  ENGINE TEMP: NORMAL

  BATTERY CHARGE: 99.8%

  “We’ve tested all the gauges and they work fine. If you need to see what’s behind you, just do this,” he said, pressing a red button above the screen. The screen was now a camera with a view behind us. The black and white video feed flickered before stabilizing. “We put that in at the last minute. It could be better, but it works,” he said.

  “Great, that’ll help when I have to parallel park this thing,” I muttered.

  Confused, he looked at me for a moment. “Uh. In the floor, you have a standard clutch, brake, and gas. It’s a four-speed. Most electric motors are just a single speed, but with the diesel engine there in case you need extra power, we ran it all through this gearbox.”

  “Not to mention shifting gears is just more fun,” I said.

  He smiled. “I concur.”

  Luther stepped onto the tank track. He ducked his head down inside the cabin. “What do you think?” he asked me.

  I smirked. “It’s right up my alley.”

  “I wondered if this would remind you of our off-road adventures,” he said.

  He stared into my eyes. He knew I loved driving my jeep, even though we only had it for a short while.

  “But to be honest, I won’t really know until I drive it, though,” I replied.

  Luther turned toward the dock. “Everyone, load up,” he said.

  Zion looked at me. “Well, that’s my cue. My work is done. If you have any questions, Xena will be with you and she’s familiar with the vehicle’s operation,” he said, grinning. I nodded as he climbed out of the vehicle.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  He dipped his head back inside. “Oh, one last thing. Watch out for that takeoff speed.”

  “Oh. Okay. Got it,” I said.

  Leo and Luther sat up front with me while Xena got in the back seat close to the machine-gun turret. I could see her through a small rearview mirror above the forward glass.

  I looked up and saw Corporal Dinu and four soldiers heading our way. They were heavily armed with long rifles. Two of them were carrying a large green crate that I assumed was ammunition. There was also a woman behind them. I looked closer and noticed it was Neona. She had her dark hair pulled back tightly in a ponytail.

  I observed a faint white glow in her pupils as she held her head high. She was wearing eye makeup that was very dark in color. I found this odd, considering it only made her white pupils more pronounced. I wondered why she would want to draw attention to them—or perhaps she didn’t realize it.

  I was surprised she was with us. I looked at Luther as he followed her with his eyes. “Knight Neona, you’re in the back seat with Xena,” Luther said.

  She glanced at us in the front seat. “Understood,” she mumbled. She sounded disinterested.

  I watched her in the rearview as she clambered inside. She met eyes with Xena and looked her up and down before inspecting the interior of the vehicle.

  “So this is what you’ve been building in the last month?” Neona asked Xena as Corporal Dinu and his soldiers loaded up.

  “Yes. The mechanics called it the Mauler. It’s our all-purpose terrain vehicle,” Xena replied.

  Neona stared forward without saying a word.

  “That’s everyone, sire. All present and accounted for,” Corporal Dinu said.

  I looked back at the dock and noticed Knight Renheart. He appeared to have made a full recovery. He was facing us and had his arms crossed as he took a long look at the Mauler. “It looks quite capable, my lord,” he said.

  Luther nodded. “I’ll be in communication with you, but we shouldn’t be gone long,” he said.

  “For the Legion,” Renheart said, clenching his fist to his heart. All of us repeated the saying before I turned on the engine.

  I checked my surroundings before easing off the clutch and applying the gas. It was always an exciting time to familiarize myself with a new vehicle or aircraft. I knew it was only a matter of time before I mastered it, like breaking in a new steed and learning all its small intricacies.

  I allowed the Mauler to creep forward. I gave it more power and it awkwardly lunged forward. I smiled, noticing everyone grab hold of whatever they could as I let off the throttle. The tank tracks seemed to dig into the ground and catapult it forward like a racecar on drag radials.

  “Sorry about that,” I said, surprised by the incredible torque despite my attempt to slowly accelerate.

  “Have you driven this before?” Neona asked.

  “Nope,” I responded.

  It seemed everyone except Xena and Luther were wide-eyed, clenching their butt cheeks like airline passengers who were just informed of an engine failure. They didn’t know what to expect.

  Once I picked up some speed, it was controllable. We stabilized and headed safely down the tunnel at fifty kilometers per hour. There was plenty of room on each side of the tunnel as I straddled the railroad tracks.

  We approached several railroad workers in hard hats as I slowed down. “Push forward. They know you’re coming,” Luther said as they stood on the sides of the tunnel.

  They stared at us in awe as we steamed past them. One guy removed his hard hat to get a better look. “Go get ’em!” he yelled, hoisting his hat into the air. I recognized his thick, southern accent as I looked at him more closely. It was Dom, the railroad worker that assisted us after the Elders were killed. I had forgotten about him completely. So many had died, maybe I thought he had too.

  As we neared the exit, I noticed the gate sentries standing in formation on both sides. They stared ahead, completely still, holding their fists at their chests. We pushed through the gate and onto the only flat spot near the entrance. Everything else around us was mountainous. “Stop here for a moment,” Luther said.

  “Okay.”

  It was snowing heavily, obscuring distant objects. The thick snow clouds were hanging low and the sun wasn’t visible, giving the landscape a drab, gray look. Leo and Luther were discussing the route as I scanned my surroundings.

  Luther pointed to the west. “This way. It’s not as steep.”

  “Alright. Everyone, buckle up,” I said, strapping myself in. I eased forward on a rocky path that descended on a thirty-degree decline. I was somewhat nervous, considering the vehicle’s power, so I let gravity do the work for me. We crept downward about a dozen meters onto the ground. “Easy enough,” I said.

  As we leveled out, I accelerated toward a sea of rolling snow drifts.

  “It’s the only way. We’ll have to go through this thick snow. The only other option is climbing mountains,” Luther said.

  “I’ve never seen drifts this large before,” I said.

  “We’re in blizzard season. High winds created them,” Leo said.

  “Captain, the Mauler can easily tackle these obstacles ahead, but we’ll need to maintain at least forty-five kilometers per hour. It will be a bumpy ride—”

  “Whoa!” Dinu yelled. The front of the vehicle rose up twenty degrees as I smacked into a snow drift. Then it came down, crashing through the snow. “Holy shit,” Neona said. Huge trails of snow were tossed behind us as I shifted through the gears and plowed through the snow.

  I noticed a smile on Corporal Dinu’s face in the rearview mirror as I slammed into another hill. It wasn’t much different than the open seas, like large waves rocking a boat.

  “I hope you have your sea legs. I can’t slow down,” I said. Then the door behind me flung open as one of Dinu’s soldiers vomited. The soldiers laughed at him as he shut the door and wiped his mouth.

  “Damn, Torres. We haven’t been gone ten minu
tes and you’ve already puked. Do you need to go back and stand guard?” Dinu asked.

  Torres coughed. “No, sir,” he replied. I glanced at Torres. He was a young guy, no older than twenty-two, and had pale skin and dark eyes and hair. His long face was very gaunt. I wondered if he was a newly recruited soldier fresh out of the training course.

  The wind picked up, whistling as it penetrated the cabin in several places. I imagined that the Mauler wasn’t afforded the luxury of airtight craftsmanship. The wind noise reminded me of driving on the freeway with a window cracked open. It wasn’t any less annoying in this case.

  The snow picked up, pelting the front glass. I could barely see fifty meters in front of me even with the headlamps beaming ahead. I drove for about twenty minutes until we reached a pine forest. “Follow this tree line all the way down,” Luther instructed. The snow drifts weren’t as intense here. I assumed it was because the trees provide a wind shield.

  Ahead, several structures came into view. “Is that?” I asked.

  “Yes. This is this same town where we found the android king and the people of the Boar underground,” Leo said.

  “It just looks different from this angle,” I said.

  “We’re going to cut through the town to save time, but stay on the outermost road, over here.” Luther pointed toward a rundown neighborhood area.

  “It’s a lot different without the threat of Mave running around,” Dinu said. I glanced back at Neona as her white eyes peered into the town. She seemed to be in deep thought.

  I weaved back and forth through the streets, dodging abandoned cars and other obstacles. Every few seconds I could hear the tracks crunching materials under the snow—glass, wood, and bone, I assumed.

  The snow began to let up. Leo leaned forward, staring at one of the cars ahead. “Contact,” he said.

  “Wanderers. Slow down,” Luther said. Xena shot through the roof hatch and manned the mounted chain gun.

  “Hold your fire,” Luther ordered. There were two men behind a snow-covered car. The trunk was open. One of them had a rifle slung over his shoulder. They hurried to the opposite side of the car to take cover. They peeked around the car and watched us as I slowed down.