by M. D. Cooper
Niki sent an image of her avatar sticking out her tongue.
Niki explained what she knew of the process, of the AIs who had ascended during the Sentience Wars, and the effort that was made to destroy them.
From there, the conversation shifted to how ascending manifested, the pair going over what they knew of Tangel’s journey and what they’d seen her do in Jersey City on Pyra.
Niki replied.
Rika almost giggled at the absurdity of Niki’s statement.
Niki joined Rika in her laughter.
Rika closed her eyes and shut off the three-sixty vision from her helmet.
Despite her words, Rika hadn’t fully convinced herself that the whole situation wasn’t utterly ridiculous. Tangel was an incredible woman who had been through countless trials and tribulations. For Rika to be able to achieve even a sliver of ascension at thirty years of age seemed impossible.
All the same, she had no desire to be sliced up by Constantine’s scientists, so trying anything was preferable to that—no matter how crazy it sounded.
She slowed her breathing, letting herself feel everything around her. Her synthetic skin, the armor latched tightly to it, her mechanical limbs, the pistons, rods, carbon fiber bones within her body. She allowed herself to simply feel every part of herself. As she did, a strange feeling came over her, a feeling she didn’t recall every experiencing before.
It’s almost as though my mind is filling my entire body, pushing at the edges….
The sensation was surreal, but as soon as it came over her, Rika doubted that it had to do with ascension. It was just a trick her mind was playing on her as she calmed down in the wake of the fight on Capeton Command, and her capture.
Still, she felt like, if she tried, she could push her perception of self beyond the physical bounds of her body.
Stars, I feel like someone who’s into magical nonsense. What I really need is an arm with an e-beam tucked into it. Then I could just shoot the shit out of these grav generators and get out. None of this ascension nonsense.
“Hey, get her loaded back into the shuttle,” a voice called out, and Rika’s concentration was broken, visuals from her helmet flooding back into her mind.
“What?” one of the soldiers asked. “Why’d we take her out of the shuttle in the first place?”
“Because you were ordered to, Lieutenant. Now put her back in!”
Rika saw that the new arrival was a major, and as the soldiers began to remove the stays holding her cage to the deck, he approached and stood arms akimbo, staring at her with an unblinking gaze.
“You’ve got guts, mech, I’ll give you that. That might be the closest anyone has gotten to the emperor in some time. He’s not happy about it, but from what I hear, he’s blaming General Garza.”
“I shoulda taken a shot,” Rika muttered.
“You’d be dead if you had,” the major said. “Though I suppose you might wish you were before long.”
Rika didn’t reply, and the man turned and walked out of the bay after another minute of staring.
Ten minutes later, her cage was back in the shuttle, and twenty minutes after that, she heard a muted thrum as the craft took off.
The AI laughed.
Rika pursed her lips, a part of her hoping they would, but another part wishing that she’d not been such an idiot about wanting to take a look at the emperor. If any of her mechs died because of her foolish curiosity, she would never forgive herself.
PLAN OF ATTACK
STELLAR DATE: 05.07.8950 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Fury Lance, Capeton Command, Capeton
REGION: Genevia System, Old Genevia, Nietzschean Empire
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m transporting,” Heather said to the Nietzschean commander operating Capeton Command’s STC. “I have clearance for close approach to CC, I don’t know why you’re fighting me on this!”
Heather pressed the heel of her right hand against her temple, feeling like she was talking to a bulkhead. “Sir, I understand that I can’t transfer, but I need to move onto my close approach vector so I can transfer when your lockdown is cleared up.”
“Sir, please. Capeton Outer Orbital Control is denying all holding orbits, only allowing people to transfer in or out. I’m already low on fuel. If I have to move out to L2, I’m going to have to refuel before I come back in. If that happens, my CO’s gonna chew a hole in my ass so large you could fly my ship through it.”
A few seconds of silence stretched out before the STC commander finally replied.
“Stars, thank you, thank you!” Heather exclaimed. “Captain Mary out.”
The STC responded to the signoff, and Heather straightened, blowing out a long breath and catching Chief Ona’s eye.
“You should have gone into vids and sims,” Ona said. “You’re one hell of a bullshitter.”
“Years of military experience put to good use,” Heather replied, thinking of all the pranks she’d pulled under her superiors’ noses in the past. “You got the vector?”
“Locked and loaded.” Ona gestured at her holodisplay. “Shall I bring us in?”
Heather nodded. “Make it so, Chief.”
Ona initiated the burns, and the captain turned to the main holotank where Chase stood, arms crossed and a scowl on his brow as he looked at the mess of ships moving around Capeton. Silva and Barne were next to him, similar expressions on their faces, though they were also casting worried looks in his direction.
“The Belgara is breaking orbit from Capeton,” he said as Heather approached. “Looks like they’re going to Belgium.”
“Good, that’s good,” she said, and Silva nodded in agreement.
“Beats the hell out of an outsystem vector,” Barne added.
“Sure,” Chase nodded. “I’m going to keep telling myself that, too. If I knew Tangel was coming for Rika, I’d b
e fine, but Alliance Command at Khardine just got back to us. No one knows where she is.”
Heather felt her blood pressure rise. “Shit…the field marshal is missing? That can’t be good.”
“I got the impression that everyone over there is worried, but not so much that they’re scrapping ops.” Chase glanced at Heather with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Admiral Carson’s fleet is still queued up, ready to roll.”
She nodded soberly and put a hand on his shoulder. “Chase, you have to go after her, then. I’ll manage things up here.”
“Heather, I—”
“Captain Heather, everyone,” Colonel Borden’s voice came from behind them, and the pair turned to see the ISF Marine striding onto the bridge. “I just got word about Tangel. We need to go after Rika ourselves.”
“I was just saying that to Chase,” Heather replied.
Chase nodded. “OK…I just didn’t want it to seem like I was playing favorites.”
“It’s not favorites,” Leslie said as she followed Borden onto the bridge, all but running toward the group at the holotank. “There’s not a single Marauder that would accuse you of it, either.”
“Hell no,” Chief Garth called out for emphasis. “You need to get the colonel.”
“Agreed,” Silva said as she surveyed the group. “However, the Fury Lance needs to stay here so Piper can do his thing. Chase, if you catch a shuttle to the Undaunted, Ferris can take your team down. We’ll need to bring over more dropships, though, he—”
“We don’t need more dropships,” Colonel Borden laughed as he folded his arms across his chest. “We have a Starcrusher.”
“What?” Chase asked. “That’s on the Lance, and we don’t have time to transfer it.”
“It’s not,” Heather shook her head. “Bondo’s building two new ones on the Lance, so to make room, they moved the original over to Ferris’s ship.”
“Well I’ll be,” Chase muttered. “Sounds like we have a plan.”
“No. You have the beginnings of a plan,” Barne grunted. “M Company’s First Platoon—barring Shoshin’s team—is aboard the Lance. Take them in the dropships, and Borden’s Marines can ride in the Starcrusher. Bring the ship in close and fast and smash through their orbital defenses.”
“Piledriver,” Silva said with a grin. “I like it. Wish like hell I could go down with you.”
“Next time.” Borden placed a hand on her shoulder, and Heather couldn’t help but notice that he squeezed it gently before letting go.
“You sure?” Chase asked, looking from Silva to Barne. “You’re Hammerfall and Basilisk. You should be there too.”
“Chase,” Barne grunted, gesturing at the holotank. “Since the CO is gone, Silva and I have to manage the assault on Capeton Command to get Kelly’s team off safely—plus a thousand other things.”
“Right,” Silva elbowed Barne. “I’m heading over to make sure we get our boys and girls home. I’m not leaving Kelly behind again.”
A minute later, only Barne, Garth, and Ona remained with Heather on the bridge.
“Damn…just like that,” Barne muttered.
Heather snorted. “I think what you mean is ‘Aaaahhh, peace and quiet’.”
* * * * *
the SMI called back, barely visible to Kelly in the smoke that filled the passage that ran in front of the secure datastore.
No sooner had Kelly replied, than she saw a pair of Niets move into the end of the passage she was covering. They were each holding heavy CFT shields as they leapfrogged down the corridor.
She leant out of the alcove she was crouched in and took stock of their movement, looking for a time when something vital was exposed.
Damn…they’re careful bastards.
Unlike Keli, she was already out of grenades, and with the smoke filling the corridor, she’d only make it a few meters before they picked up on her movement.
Her gaze rose to the pipes that ran along the passage. Unfortunately, none carried anything volatile that she could rupture and spray down on the Niets.
But what if I get up there?
Kelly decided it was worth a shot. She might be able to get close enough to fire over the Niets’ shields, or maybe drop down behind them and take them out the old-fashioned way.
A series of dull whumps came from the far end of the corridor, and Keli reported in,
Keli didn’t reply, but Kelly knew she’d follow orders when the time came.
Pushing the fear of imminent death from her mind with a callous laugh, Kelly activated her stealth and leapt up to the pipes. She clamped her feet and right hand on them, carefully working her way toward the two heavily armored Niets who were still leapfrogging their way down the passage.
She was almost far enough to get a good angle with her GNR, when one of the soldiers looked up and cocked his head.
Aw fuck.
She took aim and fired, but the Niet ducked down before she could hit him. His partner slid his weapon through his firing slot and was taking aim at Kelly as she scurried back, when suddenly a bloody fountain erupted from behind the Niet’s CFT shield, followed by another spray of gore from behind the second one.
A ragged sigh of relief came from Kelly as Shoshin came around the corner, a trail of smoke coming from the RPG launcher on his shoulder.
A moment later, Chief Lara appeared, and Kelly coughed in surprise; she’d completely forgotten about the woman.
Shoshin explained.
INSPECTION
STELLAR DATE: 05.07.8950 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Mount Genevia, Belgium
REGION: Genevia System, Old Genevia, Nietzschean Empire
Rika was certain that the shuttle had landed in an underground bay of some sort. There wasn’t anything definitive to give her that impression, it was just the feeling she had of a crushing weight over her.
Or that’s just a reaction to my situation in general.
The Nietzschean soldiers moved her cage off the shuttle and down a long series of tunnels, until they finally placed it in a room that looked like a workshop of sorts. Once they set her down, the Niets left, not even giving her a second look. Rika had nothing else to do, and spent her time surveying the room.
Judging by the med pods, grow-tubes, and fabrication machines that filled the space, whoever worked there was heavily into mods. A pair of ridiculously
long legs were laying on a nearby table, and Rika stared at them for a moment, wondering how a person would fit through most doorways while wearing them.
Niki commented.
Just then, a voice came from the doorway. “Well, isn’t this a lovely surprise.”
Rika turned her attention to see a slender woman standing on the threshold. She was clothed in a white skinsheath, which wouldn’t have been noteworthy if it weren’t for the fact that she had six arms, all of which were held in front of her, clapping softly. The woman also had oversized facial features, which were currently contorted into a caricature of delight.
“It sure was a surprise for me,” Rika said. “Though not particularly lovely.”
“I can imagine,” the woman said, nodding sagely as she stilled her hands. “Emperor Constantine has directed me to start on you as quickly as possible. Apparently, General Garza is quite interested in having his people look at you as well.”
“I’m Rika, by the way. You are?”
“Why, my dear Rika, I’m your maker.”
“Funny, I recall a lot of the people who were involved in bolting me together, and I really think I’d remember you. Do you have a name?”
“Danella…” The woman in white drew out the word. “And I wasn’t involved in your particular mechanization, but I was one of the progenitors of the program. Those were desperate times, you see, and few have my skill when it comes to blending organic and machine. I took what those ham-handed fools started and refined it, creating the pinnacle of the program, my beautiful SMIs.”
“Sounds like you were a real patriot,” Rika replied, not bothering to keep the sour note from her voice.
