by Christi Smit
The fourth member of pack had been jumping around the fight, from pillar to pillar, probably waiting for another opportunity to try and surprise him.
Two of the creatures dashed at him from the sides, trying to split his attention, forcing a gap to open. Christian threw his blade at the one on his right and swung the Anvil shield to his left, the shield connected with its target the same moment the blade split the head of the creature on his right. The creature slumped and slid towards him, killed almost instantly by the blade penetrating its skull. The shield blow had caused the other monster with pincers at the end of its limbs to stagger backwards, giving Christian an opportunity to hurt it even more. He jumped at the horror, his shield raised, bringing it down on its head. It crumpled under the blow, falling to the ground with a wheeze of escaping sounds. Christian followed his shield bash up with a downward punch from his armoured fist, reducing the creature’s head to sludge.
He was almost too busy to notice another creature make its appearance. Christians reap sight highlighted the heavy footfalls of something approaching with accurate pings on his visor.
The new monstrosity came into view a few platforms away, if these other creatures were once children, this one was the daddy. It stood as tall as he did, with two giant scorpion-like tails hovering behind it, attached to its back on muscled limbs. It still looked human enough, save for the obvious mutations. This one had eyes and an almost normal human face. It chattered at the largest of the pack Christian was fighting, and the child monster returned the sound with a bark of what sounded like agreement.
These creatures were smarter than they looked, communicating in primitive means, but communicating enough to coordinate attacks.
The larger beast never had the chance to attack Christian. From behind him a heavy machinegun opened up, reducing the monster to a blood smear on a nearby pillar. Christian was too surprised to move. The largest of the pack was engulfed by a fireball explosion, melting it down to its smallest parts.
The last creature that had been running and jumping around the fight made one last attempt at Christian’s exposed back while his attention was elsewhere. It was caught by the neck in mid-air by an armoured hand, struggling in the Titan’s grasp before it died. The Titan that had caught it used his other hand to rip the head from the small nightmare, ending its misery.
Christian watched the Titan throw the body of the creature over the edge of the platform and walk towards him. Two other Titans jumped onto the platform he was standing on, all three of them converging on him. Another stood on a pillar a distance away, checking his equipment and communicating with someone over his radio.
The largest Titan spoke first, slapping Christian on the back. “Well done Little Bear,” he said with a heavy accent.
“Little B?” Christian tried to ask.
But he was cut off by the Titan wearing enough explosions to flatten the building they were in. “Excuse him. He has a strange name for everyone. I am Xander, or Boom-Boom to Pyoter.” He gestured to the giant Titan next to him. “And yes, I do realize his name for me makes me sound like an infant going potty, but what can you do, look at the size of him.”
Pyoter chuckled and folded his arms. “Da,” is all he said.
“We are leaving Corporal Quinn, grab your shit.” The other Titan on the platform said.
Christian recognized the voice and the mannerism as the Titan spoke. “Nathan?” he asked. “But I am not done here, my training is not complete. I need to finish this.”
“No, we are leaving now. Get ready to move out.” Nathan turned his head to Xander. “We need a door. Make one.”
Xander unclipped a few explosives from his belts and jumped to the platforms leading to the nearest wall.
“Nathan, please.” Christian pleaded.
“No. Move out. That’s an order, brother.”
Christian could say nothing more, when Nathan took that kind of tone it was best not to argue with him.
Chapter Two
Hyperion
“Know this, for the sake of humankind I would sacrifice them all, my entire crew, even though they are part of me and my ship, we would die to keep the rest of our people safe.”
-Captain Willis Gray, Cruiser Hyperion
There was no time for debriefings or questions. Christian’s new squad had exfiltrated him in mere minutes. There were no formal introductions as they left the Labyrinth, he could only listen to the chatter between the squad members, not daring to speak out of place. He had no time to say goodbye to anyone before he left, the squad escorted him to landing pad outside of Beta Facility without speaking to him, only ushering him forward, where a Firefly drop ship waited for them.
The drop ship was a fat-bellied shuttle that looked more like a beetle than anything air worthy, its heavy armour adding to its bulk, it might have looked like a lump of metal but it could out manoeuvre most civilian shuttles in void or atmospheric operations. It was especially handy during combat drops, its nose and side mounted heavy calibre weapons carving bloody lines in the enemy formations, making any landing zone safe before its cargo could disembark. It was the obvious choice and perfect match for Titan deployments.
Christian sat in silence as the ship lifted off, wondering who would speak to him first and explain what the hell was going on.
It was the giant Pyoter that spoke first. “Relax Little Bear. The boss will clear things up for you, and for all of us.”
“Why do you call me that?” Christian asked.
“Because Big Bear is over there, and you are the younger one. I thought it was obvious.”
“But we are the same size, why not just call him bear and call me something else.”
Pyoter nodded to Christian. “Da, he was called Bear, but now you are here,” Pyoter lifted his arms, animating his words with added hand gestures. Something the people from his world did all the time, perhaps thinking that the hand gestures would help the apes they were speaking to understand them better - it did not have the desired effect.
“I would have preferred something more...more unique.”
“Little Bear is unique,” Pyoter chuckled and looked at the rest of the squad, looking for support from the others.
“At least it’s better than mine,” Xander chipped in. He sat next to Pyoter - with a seat between them, because of Pyoter’s size that was what past as being next to him - counting the explosives hanging from his armour. “Ladies would at least be interested in where yours came from, the story behind it, mine just makes them giggle and walk away.” He had finished counting, resting his hands on his knees as the drop ship went through turbulence during its climb to the heavens. “Impossible to get laid with a name like mine, and he always has to lead with my name during introductions with the fairer sex. Such a big bastard you are Pyoter, and I am not referring to your size.”
The Titan that had not said a word to Christian since the Labyrinth added his own comments to the discussion, the sergeant stripes sparkled on his right shoulder, the light of the ship’s interior bouncing off of them. “I don’t know why you are complaining, you all were blessed with regular names at birth, and I am the one that has to suffer every day.”
“Oh shit, here we go again.” Nathan was standing in the doorway leading to the cockpit of the ship, listening to the squad’s conversation with a smile on his face. “I told you I would shoot you if you started this again.”
“What? Why? The FNG hasn’t heard it yet, you can shoot me later.” Rivers, as he was called by the rest of the squad, sat a few seats away close to the ramp of the drop ship. His helmet turned towards Christian. “Ask me my full name mate.” He was waiting for the question so he could launch into a lengthy re-telling of his father and his naming conventions, luckily he would have to cut it short, Nathan’s irritation forcing the shorter version.
“Don’t do it kid,” Xander pleaded.
Christian was curious now, so he stepped into the trap voluntarily. “What is your full name Sergeant Rivers?”
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“My name, my full name, is Argyle Reece Stacey Elliot Rivers,” he said, adding emphasis to every name, letting them sink in better for some reason. “The second,” he added. “When I was older my Ma informed me that my Pa was drunk out of his mind the night I was born. He was a funny one.”
“I don’t get it.” Christian could not see the joke in his name.
“Think about it, you will see it eventually.”
The rest of the squad broke out in laughter. Pyoter slapped Christian on the knee, obviously understanding the joke better than he did.
Christian just nervously laughed with the rest of them, he was pretty sure that they were all on something.
Rivers whistled, cutting off the laughter with his ear screeching mouth acoustics, pointing through a small armoured window between Pyoter and Xander, partially obscured by the first’s bulk. “There she is.”
Christian followed his pointed finger and saw the cruiser he was going to call home from now on.
He just swallowed at the sight of her. Astonished at how pristine she still looked, being almost three-hundred years old.
Nathan held his right hand to his helmet, listening to something over the drone of the ship’s void engines. “Captain Locke is waiting for us, no more jokes. Corporal Quinn, you will be first in line. Form up.”
Christian released the locking mechanism of the seats restraint, standing as he disengaged his helmet from its neck seals, holding it under his left arm as ceremony upon meeting a senior officer required.
This was it, he thought.
The first few steps down the loading ramp of the drop ship was nerve racking, the entire docking bay of the Hyperion was frantic with activity. Christian guessed that his sudden removal from his trails was part of the preparation of whatever was happening. Everywhere workers loaded crates onto loaders, disappearing into storage areas and re-emerging again to gather more crates.
“Those crates contain our supplies, you will get a taste of our five star mess halls very soon,” Nathan said, noticing Christian’s focus wandering. “Make sure you get your supply of toilet paper, the first few weeks are rough on your system.”
“My system is still not use to it. Can’t even remember what real food tastes like, probably won’t even be able to tell the difference between shit and honey glazed ham these days. These protein-based foods kill your taste buds.” Rivers added while they were walking towards a doorway leading out of the docking bay.
“I will try and remember that,” Christian said.
“You could always try the lower decks, lots of rats down there.” Nathan did not turn to look at Rivers as he spoke, he picked up the pace, passing Christian at the head of the column of Titans.
Christian wondered why the workers and engineers on the deck just ignored them. The people he had passed in the corridors of Beta facility during his extraction looked at him like slack-jawed puppies. Their wonderment was clear in their facial expressions. Titans were something to see, something to witness and tell your grandchildren about.
On the Hyperion they might as well have been part of the crew or invisible. Everyone was busying themselves with their appointed duties. Perhaps that was why the Titans went almost unnoticed on their path to leave the docking bay.
The squad reached the door leading out of the bay, Nathan opened it with a metal on metal screech, shepherding everyone through it.
The room on the other side of the door was an empty room of bare metal, no furniture could be seen anywhere, a single door opposite the other door they had entered from led to the bowels of the Hyperion. The room was only used for mustering troop in, here leaders and senior officers could convey their orders before departure or debrief their troops once missions were completed.
Nathan closed the door behind the squad, stepping in as he did so. The door gave another screech as its locking mechanism turned the gears, securing it in place.
The door on the opposite wall opened as soon as the other one closed, the Wolves formed up in a line, Christian at the one end, Nathan at the other, arranged in line by rank.
Captain Gabriel Locke stepped through the open door, his armour’s newly painted finish almost glowing in the light of the mustering room. The squad’s signature insignia was painted in vivid green and grey on his right bicep. A snarling wolf on the field of green stared at Christian as he watched his new commander in silence.
The decking beneath the captain gave a dull clang with every step he took, lending weight to his already formidable presence.
Captain Locke greeted his squad with a nod, not removing his helmet to speak to them. “Quick work Wolves, don’t get too comfortable, we have to train the FNG ourselves before mission start.” Locke walked down the line, patting Pyoter and Rivers on the arm in greeting.
Christian stared straight out in front of him, trying to not let the Captain’s aura get to him. It was more difficult than anyone could imagine. A living legend only a few feet away from him, a man he had read about in war journals, his epic tails of battle painting a picture of a demigod.
“Relax, Little Bear.” Locke stopped in front of Christian. “That’s right, Nathan already informed me about your love for your new nickname.”
“Yes sir!” Christian replied.
“Loud isn’t he?” He directed the question at Rivers, who was standing next to Christian.
“I am already drawing up plans for a silencer for his helmet, Captain.” Rivers replied with a smug tone.
“Let’s keep that one as a last resort Sergeant.” Locke looked back at Christian. Looking him up and down, no doubt sizing him up. “Corporal Quinn, report to B deck, your armour looks out of place without the proper colours on it. Xander, meet up with him after designation and show him his quarters, understood?”
“Yes sir!” Xander replied.
“Once you are done settling in report to the armoury. The squad will meet you there.”
Christian just nodded, not daring to speak too loud again.
“Very good Little Bear, very good. Squad dismissed.” Locke turned to Nathan, removing his helmet with a hiss. “Nathan. A word please.”
Christian could only see the back of his new captain’s head before he left the room for B deck.
A few systems distant, a cargo vessel drifted in the void. It drifted without any destination, its engines silent, and its reactor dormant. The vessel was a large cargo hauler used by P-SEP to transport resources from sector to sector. During missions its cargo varied, transporting anything from livestock to machine parts needed for military production.
This one, however, was en route to New Horizon, its mission and route through the sectors top secret to anyone not involved in the Titan Project. Cargo bays able to hold thousands of tons of materials were now empty, all of it vanishing when the vessel itself went silent. Rebel ambush was the obvious explanation for the vessel’s sudden disappearance from P-SEP’s tracking systems.
P-SEP’s assumption was wrong; there were no rebels ships reported in its vicinity, no shots were fired on any enemies.
The Fateful Moment had not been boarded by any hostile. It was not ambushed or attacked. Its crew was merely erased, without mercy, without a reason except to keep a secret, executed like criminals, tied up and shot one by one like scum, and then ejected into the void like garbage. None of them deserved to die like that, but their deaths served a very important purpose, a purpose that would remain hidden from the galaxy until the time was right.
Even though their deaths had served a purpose to someone, they did not know it before they died, no-one telling them why they had to die. The crew’s brutal murders were lost to the silence of the void. Their deaths only a footnote at the end of an after action report. Simply vanishing without any last words, leaving only their meagre personal belongings behind, and blood smears on the decking of the Fateful Moment.
It continued drifting, going nowhere, its desolate and cold corridors the only witnesses to what really happened. It was waiting to be dis
covered, an invisible hand guiding it, hoping that something or someone would find it, maybe even reveal its secrets.
The vessel’s name was fitting, for whoever found the vessel first, would be led down a treacherous path, culminating in one Fateful Moment that would change the galaxy forever.
Christian looked around his new quarters. There was no space to remove his suit, not that he wanted to, he was just calculating the quarter’s dimensions, reasoning that his suit would be removed in another section of the ship after an operation. He would have to find that out later, for now he had only a few minutes to himself before he had to report to the armoury with the rest of his new squad.
His suit had a new tint to it, almost the same as before but it seemed to glow slightly, catching the light and refracting it at odd angles, matching the rest of the Wolves’ armour.
The snarling wolf on his right bicep filled him with pride, he did not catch the name of the man painting it on his arm, but the man was obviously skilled, it would be a great dishonour to let anything damage or ruin this piece of art. He looked at his left bicep, staring at his personal insignia painted there.
All regular soldiers wore a personal family identifier on their military fatigues, making them feel as if they were a unique and an important piece in the military machine. Everyone wore their family insignia with honour, proud to represent their forefathers in the struggle against the Beast. Some insignias had more weight to them, certain families more distinguished than others.
The Titans were allowed to wear any insignia identifying them on their left bicep, family insignias were not enforced by Command. Christian had to think when the artist had asked him what he wanted there, it took him only a few moments but he had chosen something that meant something to him.
