"Spartan."
The General said few words in English, but every one of them there heard the name of the man, and the effect was electric. There was no mention of unit or rank, just the single name, one known thousands of lights years in all directions. Nate barely breathed as he watched the man finally separate from the Byotai leader. The man was a legend; even to the alien races this far from home.
"General Honorius, your reputation precedes you. That fight was something else."
Spartan's eyes drifted, and for a second, Nate thought they crossed his. A spark of something coursed through his body, and he immediately felt another case of imposter syndrome. He was little more than a kid, good at videogames that had lucked into this situation. Now he could see a Byotai General and the Alliance's greatest living warrior. The man's eyes kept on moving and then returned to the Byotai. Nate breathed a sigh of relief.
"General, do you even know how to back down from a fight? You were outnumbered over ten to one."
The Byotai officer waited for the translation from Valdis, and then laughed in his own imitable style. Nate found the man intriguing. He was bigger than he'd expected, and the marks on his face showed a savage history.
"There are few of us left now. So we do whatever we can."
Valdis stayed alongside the General and translated word for word. The young pilots watched in awe as the senior officers shared more than a few jokes before the Byotai General beckoned him to follow him into the ship. They moved away, leaving Nate and his friends silent and confused until they entered the elevator and vanished up inside the ship. Once gone, a gentle hum of conversation returned between the technicians, deck crew, and pilots. All of the senior officers were gone, but the Jackal remained, and every single one of them was intrigued by its unusual design. A number of them showed much more interest in the new arrivals, though, and they were unlike anything Nate had seen.
"That was weird. Why is he here?"
Nate turned back to look at the machines before realising Lieutenant Commander Holder was still there. She waited in silence, her attention locked onto the machines as though she expected them to do something. Nate stepped towards her while the other pilots talked excitedly about the craft and their new arrival.
"Sir. That was Spartan, wasn't it? The Alliance General?"
She turned to him and gave one of her rare smiles.
"Yes, but he's not a general anymore. He has quite a reputation."
Nate considered that for a moment. If an Alliance citizen knew any figure from military history, it would be this one man. He was the great warrior that had fought the impossible battles, and remained alive to tell of it. It also reminded him of his uncle.
"I know," said Nate, "My uncle fought in the Biomech War alongside him."
Lieutenant Commander Holder appeared confused for a moment. She looked at Nate. She was busy thinking about something. His name was not particularly unusual; so he decided spare her the time.
"He fell in the last days of the fight, along with all of his crew."
A look of realisation, followed by a tightening of her brow. Their eyes connected, and he could tell she was uncomfortable.
"Admiral Lewis?"
Nate nodded.
"Yes, Sir. He was the commander of the fleet at the Micaya Shipyards. In the Helios Sector."
Both stopped speaking at the mention of the shipyards. The battle was an infamous one, and neither wanted to say what had happened. Nate knew his uncle had died there, and been awarded the Alliance's greatest medal, the Order of Victory. The unique medal was granted to the two hundred and seventy-three heroes of the war with the Biomechs, and both Spartan and Nate's uncle were recipients. The Lieutenant Commander's face relaxed for a moment.
"Ensign Lewis. Your uncle fought an impossible battle in the war, and his name will never be forgotten. Nor will his shipmates aboard Conqueror. The last stand of his battlecruiser is required reading in the Naval Academy."
"Yes, Sir," said Nate.
He knew it should have been an emotional moment, but he'd barely known the man. He'd lost his family at a young age, and had been reminded of the Lewis family legacy ever since. He looked towards where Spartan had been standing until just a moment ago.
"His service in the Great Uprising, and then in the Biomech War. He must be old by now. I thought he'd been retired a long time ago after what happened."
Lieutenant Commander Holder looked relieved that Nate had shifted the focus of the conversation. Spartan was an enigma; and the more she thought about him, the more she was reminded of some of his more outlandish claims.
"He's not retired, not quite. Don't believe everything you heard about the Black Rift either."
She nodded towards where Spartan and the others had left.
"He lost his entire family in that war. Spartan sacrificed them, and thousands more with his actions. Some believe he was seduced by the enemy, but the facts are clear to most of us now."
"What do you mean?"
"Spartan's actions were all about one thing, to end the war and violence. Millions died in the struggle, but it could have been worse. Earth, Mars, Terra Nova, Kerberos, Prometheus, and the rest all survived the war with little fighting."
"Not the Helion worlds, though."
"True, but we would have been next. And it is not as though we were not involved. Over a hundred ships and more than six hundred thousand dead is a heavy price. Spartan played the long game, and lost everything close to him, even if it meant we won the war."
Nate wasn't sure he entirely agreed, but he couldn't argue against the fact that the war was over, though peace still remained elusive.
"And now he runs the IAB?"
She shook her head.
"No, the IAB is run by Brigadier Black. Major Spartan commands the 1st Battalion."
"So...it's true. He is back, then."
"And what are those things?" Billy asked.
All eyes turned to the group of dark robotic warriors that waited in silence. Billy took a step closer to the first, and nearly fell over backwards when it spoke. The voice had a metallic, artificial ring to it, though there was clearly a living creature behind the words. More than likely, the voice had been pre-recorded to give the machines some semblance of humanity.
"Lieutenant Armstrong, 1st Platoon, 1st Battalion, IAB."
Nate stepped in to stop his friend from falling, and then looked at the machine with the same interest he gave to the Jackal. As his eyes wandered, the machine shifted. The adjustments were subtle and more Human than machine. The single camera mounted in the centre of the head glowed like an angry blue eye and tracked them as they moved about. Matilda arrived at Nate's side and then spoke.
"Lieutenant, are you an autonomous being?"
Billy spoke louder than he intended.
"It's Biomech, I tell you. The IAB is working on secret projects with the Biomechs. That's why their base is on their old World Ship.
The officer shook his head slightly.
"Negative. Virtual presence units. We are regular marines serving aboard Victorious."
The head then shifted so that the eye pointed directly at Billy.
"There are no more functional Biomechs. Only the few rebels remain."
"Uh...Okay," said Billy.
Nate looked at the machines. They were bipedal and almost the same size as a regular Human. The hips and waist were smaller, as was most of the chest. Large angular shoulder plates protected the upper arms, as well as similar sections on the upper legs. The heads were indented on each side around the bulging blue eyes and tiny antenna just visible at the top. What caught all of their eyes were the weapons. In each of their hands were long, deadly looking carbines and rifles. They were of a similar style to the regular weapons but contained coolant units and were bulkier than normal.
"They are crazy," said Nate.
Matilda nodded in firm agreement, keeping her eyes locked onto the soldiers.
"Virtual presence means they can figh
t remotely, without fear of injury, damage, or losses."
The officer's single camera eye looked as though it had just blinked, and then it spoke again, that same odd mechanical voice.
"Our Combat Grunts can operate in hostile environments, or sustain losses in volatile scenarios. Maybe one day all wars can be fought this way."
Nate grinned as he listened.
"So you're basically controlling drones soldiers, just like we do with drone fighters?"
Before the machine could answer, Billy interrupted Nate. As he looked to his friend, he saw who was trying to talk to him and the other pilots. The Lieutenant Commander did not looked impressed.
"Okay, then, Ironclads. You should get ready. You leave in fifteen. Once they've completed their mission, you'll be heading home."
Nate looked back to his friends and was saddened to see Valdis and her companions also there, looking at him. He walked towards her and tried to look relaxed.
"Looks like we're leaving here. It was never going to last forever."
A loud noise made them all turn around, and as before, another Jackal dropship moved into view. There was little to tell this one apart from the first, other than a nasty black mark running along the nose. It moved down to the surface while its turbines slowed to a halt. The doors opened as soon as it touched down, but this time only two crewmen stepped out. Both wore standard issue Naval PDS gear and waited at the entrance. Lieutenant Armstrong nodded to the second Jackal.
"That's your ride."
Matilda and Cassandra moved to the motorised hauler where their gear waited for them, grabbed the kit, and began moving towards the Jackal. Nate started to do the same, and then stopped in front of Valdis. Her armour was in a rougher state than normal, and she'd had no time to clean it up or to prepare for this final meeting. Their eyes met, and Nate noticed a fiery smile on her face. Though armoured, there was still more than enough uncovered flesh to distract him, and he forced his eyes to stay straight and level.
"This was interesting."
It wasn't what he'd wanted to say, but he simply couldn't find the right words. Billy walked past and helpfully leaned in.
"What he means is he likes you...a lot."
Billy then carried on to the Jackal, but not before giving Nate two thumbs-up and a grin.
"Idiot," muttered Nate.
"I agree," said Valdis as she nodded in agreement.
Nate was confused and tried to work out which part she agreed with, while the others continued to grab their kit.
"Yes. The new ship will be interesting. I've never worked aboard one before," said Valdis.
Nate's brow creased with clear confusion.
"Uh...what?"
Valdis laughed.
"Furiosa is staying with the fleet, and we're transferring to Victorious, and they are going right into action. And you know what that means?"
Nate looked confused at the news. They'd been told that they were heading home, and now it seemed as though they might be expected to do more.
"Uh...no?"
The deck elevator pinged, and as the doors slid open, a handful of Alliance Marines, with Valentine at the front entered the open space. They carried their gear in heavy packs on their backs and their weapons slung over their shoulders. Clearly, they would be leaving soon, too. As Nate looked back, he found Valdis right in front, her face just centimetres away. Her skin was pale and soft, marked by the dark lines common to the young of her species. Valdis' eyes lingered over his as she appeared to drink him in through her senses and then smiled, baring her pale and slightly pointed teeth.
"Grab your gear, Star Crusader. We have things to do."
She then moved towards the second waiting Jackal. As Valdis moved closer, the robotic guards separated and created a gap for her to pass inside. The two Naval crew spoke with her, helping load her gear inside before returning to their previous positions. Without pausing, the young Byotai stepped up inside the craft, looked back to Nate, and then slicked her upper lip with a coy expression forming on her face.
"Coming?"
CHAPTER SIX
Alliance Assault Carrier 'ANS Victorious', 10th Quadrant
27 December 2472
Nate waited in silence as the Jackal covered the short distance between Furiosa and the small Alliance fleet. In the fast spacecraft, the force of its four engines pushed them back into their seats. With no gravity inside the Jackal, it was imperative the passengers were strapped in tight via their harnesses. As Nate sat there, he already started to feel a little lost. They'd not been on Furiosa long, but it had become their new home. This was now their third ship in a matter of weeks, and it was starting to feel they'd never find somewhere to settle down in.
"Welcome to Victorious," said a new voice.
Nate looked to Billy who looked excited, as he always did with something new. Nate was just happy they'd been kept together, and the fact they were all heading towards the same carrier merely the icing on the cake for him. Cassandra indicated towards the front of the craft.
"It's the pilot."
Billy laughed.
"Who else would it be?"
Matilda seemed unimpressed at his sarcasm and grumbled at him, "Idiot."
"That's enough," said Holder, "We'll be there soon, and we need to make a good impression. This is no ordinary ship, and definitely no ordinary crew."
On went the Jackal, its engines pulsing with power. All of them had travelled aboard Maulers before, but this thing was substantially faster and more agile, albeit in a much smaller craft. Billy tapped his foot on the floor, and Nate looked down to see circular indentations on the floor.
"What are they?"
Billy made an odd noise, but seemed to have little idea. Several rows over, Private Valentine heard them talking and raised her voice so they might hear her.
"They are for the launch cylinders. Just hope they don't activate them by mistake!"
Nate and Billy shared a look of horror as the small cadre of marines laughed to themselves. Nate turned his head and saw Valentine mouth a silent ‘sorry’ to him, before looking back to her squad.
They were heading towards the portside flank of the massive Alliance warship. But with no windows, and no authorised access to the external cameras, none of the passengers could see what was happening. Nate and the others waited there as they finally reached Victorious, and then transferred through the airlock system and somewhere deep inside the bowels of the ship. They were all in the same craft, the marines at one side, and the pilots bunched together around Lieutenant Commander Holder. Now they were actually under the control of the warship, Billy felt comfortable enough to ask the question.
"Sir. Do we know the mission?"
She looked at Billy and shook her head. There were only a few years between them, but next to the twenty-six year old officer, he felt like a child. He'd spent years playing games and had never worked his way through the military programme. Saffron Holder was a professional, and had worked up from the bottom until making it to a fighter pilot.
"Wait till we're aboard. We'll know more then. They're keeping this close to their chests."
Commander Higgins was seated just a few positions over and facing towards them. He listened patiently to every word, absorbing their hopes and fears while saying nothing in return. Like the Lieutenant Commander, he'd worked his way up to pilot, and that had been his role until recently. Injuries during their escape from the failed disintegrating Byotai Empire made the rigors of fighter combat almost impossible. Now he used his expertise to help manage the mixed fighter squadron with positive results. He waited until they finished talking, and then spoke up.
"All any of us knows right now is that we're joining this fleet, spearheaded by the IAB."
"Which unit are we joining?" Matilda asked.
Commander Higgins ignored her interruption for now.
"The Ironclads have not been disbanded. We're joining Victorious as passengers for the duration, but I'm sure we can demonstrate our u
ses."
That news surprised every one of them, except for the Lieutenant Commander. Nate thought back to when they were told that Furiosa's squadrons were being deactivated. It was subtle, if a rather ambiguous statement.
"Sir," he began, "There are not many of us left, and we have no spacecraft. Isn't that a problem? What can we offer a unit like this?"
Commander Higgins acted surprised, perhaps even disappointed by the question.
"Perhaps. And there are nine of us for the Squadron, including the two of us."
Matilda fidgeted for the second time, and Commander Higgins noticed her desperate attempts to ask a question. She was usually much more capable of keeping her emotions under control, but on this one occasion she simply couldn't manage.
"Where did Victorious come from? I thought they were on the way home before we even arrived in this sector? They've been gone for days already."
"True," replied the Commander, "If you recall, when we first arrived here, we ran direct into a major space battle with General Makos in retreat. The battle for Karnak might have been won, but the fight in space was far from over."
"They left?" asked Billy.
Commander Higgins nodded.
"The fighting on Karnak wasn't supposed to have any Alliance support. Against orders, the IAB came here and ended the war in a final battle at the capital. The IAB were already well gone by then, ferrying the wounded back home. You saw Spartan. He sustained multiple injuries in the fighting. That's why he was struggling to walk."
Lieutenant Commander Holder seemed intrigued by this.
"I heard they were heading back for a major dressing down. The operation was against orders. They could be court-martialled for this."
"And technically it could be considered an act of war," added Matilda, "We're not at war with the Star Empire."
Star Crusader: Battle Fleet Victorious Page 10
