Starkindler (MechaVerse Series Book 1)

by Jeremy Cunkle

  In the few seconds that the fighting lasted, the PDF formation slowed down in an attempt to return fire on their fatally exposed flank, expecting to be the ones performing an ambush within mere moments, not defending themselves from an onslaught they were entirely unprepared for. As one, the remaining Mech armor turned to engage Starkindler, the loss of what remained of their momentum proved fatal over the next few moments. By the time the few remaining pilots completed their turn to lock onto Starkindler, the rocket drone activated. Equipped with three dozen of the four-inch rockets, the drone chain fired every single one of the small rockets it was equipped with into the PDF Mech units’ weak back plating.

  Within a few brief moments, Mikkhael and Aurora verified the combat superiority of Starkindler in a tidal wave of complete destruction. Seeing the complete destruction of the pursuit force and judging them to no longer be a threat, they headed after the StormCrow faction that had stopped in disbelief as they watched the battle unfold. It took Mikkhael a moment to realize that the rebel squadron leader had been trying to contact him for some time. He opened the frequency and immediately received an earful. “What the hell was that? Hello! Unknown pilot identify yourself!”

  He could not decide how to reply, so he ignored the feed again while he checked the status of the assault group caught in the pass. Seeing that they were making their way out of the pass slowly, with their numbers also heavily reduced, they were in no shape to mount a pursuit. For the time being, Aurora marked the entire group as a non-threat but would continue to monitor them until they left the theatre of conflict. There was still no sign of any Chimera transports returning to pick up the shattered pieces of the remaining assault forces, and after the pass collapsed on them, they were too damaged to pursue the Rebels.

  Together with Aurora’s help, Starkindler had destroyed just over eighteen Mech armor in mere moments, and the remaining units were not eager to pursue. He acknowledged their prudence with his first small grin in weeks, finally turning back to his com-line.

  “I’m the pilot who just saved your asses, and I need a base to operate from temporarily where I can rest and refit my machine, and I’ll be following you home. Thanks.” He reducing his shielding and thruster output as well as powering down the weapons. His actions elicited a verbal warning from Aurora about the prudence of such actions in the middle of the potentially hostile Rebels, which he also ignored. He watched as the external temperature gauges showed Starkindler instantly go dark to the other MARS units’ sensors as the active camouflage engaged. He continued to check Starkindler’s systems and armor, and was more than a little surprised to see that they had come through that fight entirely unscathed aside from a few scorch marks amongst the heat absorbing foam.

  The Rebel squadron leader who Aurora identified as Xilan replied as expected. “Like hell we will! We don’t know the first thing about you. It was probably you who tipped the bastard’s off!”

  The tirade was bound to continue when Mikkhael deactivated the active camouflage system right next to the Rebel leader, the overt threat of Starkindler suddenly appearing next to the Rebel without his having even been able to realize the giant Mech armor had even moved would have unnerved anyone. “You do not have a choice in the matter. You cannot outrun me, you cannot outgun me, and I require your help.”

  He let them argue on their personal com lines for a few minutes while he pretended that Aurora had not finished hacking their encrypted frequencies and that he could not tell what was said. He relaxed, letting Aurora take control of Starkindler as his hands shook. In his mind, he replayed step by step the events of the battle in his head, looking for mistakes or what else he could have done to derive a better outcome. Aurora left him to his thoughts; together they ignored the Rebels, waiting for them to finish arguing amongst themselves.

  Eventually the Rebels moved out, arguing internally almost the entire way back to the carved out mountain that served as their base, but they never tried to stop Mikkhael from following, knowing the futility of the action. Hours before arriving, a single mountain crowning the top of the Tharsis Bulge slowly grew into focus until it completely dominated the outside view.

  Aurora volunteered some tour guide information for him. “Olympus Mons has been dormant for thousands of years if not longer, is three times the height of Everest back on Earth, and sits on top of the strange plateau formation that is the Tharsis Bulge. Inside of that fascinating continent sized geological formation, the StormCrow brigade could hide within its rock walls anywhere they wanted with complete impunity. Obvious and subtle at the same time, a fitting choice.”

  When they started to get close, Aurora detected the bases proximity from the jamming effect and dead space her sensors picked up. She alerted Mikkhael who regretfully returned from his musings. He knew without being told that what happened next would be as equally important to their destiny as the recent battle.

  He reassumed piloting, following the Rebels to a well-hidden entrance tucked deftly within one of the plateau folds, surrounded by well disguised automated defense turrets protected within hardened positions that were currently activate and were now trained on the approaching Starkindler. Additionally, more than a dozen MARS units crouched behind well-prepared defensive positions; also with their weapons trained on him. The Rebel squadron he had followed to the mountain spread out away from him without a command needed; giving their allies a clear line of fire should they choose to engage and destroy Starkindler.

  Mikkhael sighed as a series of warning displays activated within the cockpit, showing that he was being painted with active radar as well as laser guided weapons. He flipped a series of switches on a dedicated console for shutting Starkindler down, then set about deactivating the shielding completely, allowing the energy contained within the shields too naturally dissipate. Next, he let the electro-magnets of the cannons release their stored energy by air venting their heat in a way that was noticeable to the Rebels. This caused them to stir nervously, but they held their fire and continued watching. He then ordered Aurora to drop the reactor output to a completely passive level. She was programmed to offer input, even be able to resist anything he said until the point of a direct verbal command. He left her no room for refusal knowing the sensitivity of the situation.

  Mikkhael looked around slowly, using the external cameras on the outside of Starkindler to view where they were. Visually, he could barely make out the well concealed positions of the defenders. He nodded in grudging approval of the Rebels current tactical advantage. He was nearly surrounded, sandwiched tightly in between three squads of MARS units, most of which were in elevated positions that had been prepared with combat in mind as well as supported by the automated defense turrets. There was little chance he could escape if things went tits up. The situation called for diplomacy, something that was one of his major weaknesses.

  Both sides stayed silent on their intercoms, taking time to size up one another. A few tense moments passed before a small rover appeared exiting from a small door next to an air lock for the Rebel MARS units to pass into and out of the base. The rover drove approximately halfway between the Rebel pilots and Starkindler where the driver then halted. Out of the Rover, eight heavily armed men piled out in powered armor suits. The guards moved to surround an older man wearing only a light military style atmospheric suit bedecked by a single star who waved them off. The military man approached Starkindler slowly.

  Aurora focused the cameras on the lone figure staring down the largest Mech armor every created, activating the external microphones, and then amplified what he said. The audio came through crystal clear to Mikkhael even though he was encased in several feet of solid metal.

  “Identify yourself and what you want from us, after you step outside the Mech,” the military man said. The timbre of his voice held the iron of command in it.

  From within the colossal Mech, Mikkhael chose each word carefully. “I am the pilot of Starkindler; that will have to suffice for the time being. I will remain in
side my armor where I can negotiate from a position of superiority; and I need all the oxygen present within should you deny me succor. You will simply have to understand.”

  The Rebel MARS units stirred angrily at the claim of superiority, as Starkindler stood naked and defenseless in front of them. He winced. Yes, for certain, after a nearly solitary last few years, diplomacy was not his forte. The laser sights of their weapons and radar beams stirred like bees gathering in a swarm before they struck. The number of warnings Aurora displayed showing him as an acquired target increased dramatically. A few pilots directly issued challenges to his reply on open frequencies.

  Through it all, Mikkhael watched anxiously as even the soldiers in the powered armor suits snickered. Even though his unit was powered down, his hands remained on the triggers, prepared to react in a moment’s notice. Aurora heard everything, passing their responses along through the microphones, filtering nothing. Her passive-aggressive anger at being forced to sit defenseless in front of the currently hostile Rebels while he taunted them rankled the deepest levels of her programming.

  The leader of the Rebel MARS units guarding the entrance was the one to issue the most brazen challenge. “Look at you sitting there all pretty in your fancy suit without shields activated or weapons charged, completely surrounded, and talking about being superior. We should cut you out of there and see what you say then!”

  Mikkhael knew it was the underlings’ job to say what the commander of the base could not; he was simply fulfilling his role as they all were. If he rose to the challenge, his credibility would be lost, but to ignore the challenge would also have the same effect. So, he tried a different approach.

  “You heard from each of the pilots individually when they reported in of my capabilities. It does not say much for you if you do not trust your fellow pilots enough to believe them, and maybe my stay will only be temporary if that is indeed the case; it does not change the fact that you have facilities that I require access to in the short term. If you wish to challenge me then do so now, but I will not hold back.”

  The Rebel Mech pilot was clearly enraged, as Mikkhael knew he would be. His MARS unit began to crouch in preparation for a leap from the carved defensive ledge in order to close the distance between them in a single jump. Mikkhael had been waiting for the challenge, reacting immediately when the critical moment presented itself.

  Before events could spiral out of control, the commander barked “Stop!” on the open frequency with a force that belied his years and size. The Rebel pilot’s MARS unit froze dead still. In the few seconds of action, Aurora fired Starkindler’s reactor to full output. The roar of the engines reverberated off the surrounding canyon walls as if the mountain itself was breathing rapidly in anticipation of blood about to be shed. The energy shields instantaneously charged, and the main cannons of both arms trained on the rebel MARS unit, electro magnets purring whispers of sweet release from the ethereal thing known as life. It was clear to all that the rebel pilot would have been killed before even beginning the jump, let alone being able to finish the leap and engage Starkindler. The Rebel had lost even before the fight had begun.

  “Stand down, both of you.” The commander said as he faced Starkindler. It was not a question.

  Mikkhael complied, resuming his units’ previous posture after once again deactivating the shields and weapons. The roar of the reactor and engines abated as the output dropped to a passive level, replaced once again by a silence all the more out of place by the recent promise of barely controlled violence.

  Deciding that the charade had been acted out enough; Mikkhael felt that it was time to give the commander what he needed in order to allow him passage into the mountain stronghold. “I am from Earth, and have only just arrived a few days ago planet side. I will not tell you my name right now; simply that I am here to fight the PDF and that I require allies in order to accomplish that task. I also need a base from which to operate for the time being. Our goals and enemies are the same.”

  The base commander nodded while Mikkhael spoke, as if expecting the statement all along. “That is a remarkable claim coming from a remarkable machine, but I have yet to meet the pilot from whom all judgments must be made. I offer you temporary sanctuary; we will have to come to terms later. In the meantime, there will be moderate restrictions such as being escorted anywhere you go at all times, and you will not be able to leave the mountain without permission.” The base commander did not wait for a reply; instead, he waved a hand signal to the cameras overseeing the door. The ground rumbled as a massive set of hydraulic doors opened into an oversized airlock.

  The commander returned to the rover without waiting for a reply. Two of the closest Rebel MARS units following the rover into the gaping maw; and then the tedious process of a small army moving through an airlock system began. When it was finally Starkindler’s turn to shuffle through the airlock system, Mikkhael found himself flanked on either side by Xilan, the squadron leader of the StormCrow Brigade whose ass hours earlier he saved, as well as a female squad member he assumed would be the second in charge, a not uncommon circumstance to find within the Rebel ranks. Their squadron assumed escort duty because they were the ones that Mikkhael saved, overpowered, and then followed back to the mountain, and they would bear responsibly for his actions. They were also the most willing to shoot him should he try anything unfriendly because he had dishonored them.

  Mikkhael approached the airlock skeptically. It did not look anywhere near large enough to accommodate Starkindler. He ducked the colossal unit down onto its haunches, shuffling clumsily in order to pass through the sequence of gates. The transition from the hostile open Martian air into the smooth machine-cut cavern that housed the maintenance bay of a large number of rebel MARS units was therefore that much more awkward, and extraordinary once accomplished.

  As the huge Mech armor entered the hangar, the common Rebel workers quickly gathered around their assigned MARS units as if an excuse was needed to be present in the hangar to witness the strangers’ arrival. The laymen dropped all pretense of pretending to work, staring in amazement as the oversized machine passed through the last air lock. Starkindler was able to just barely stand straight in the hangar, bearing down over the smaller rebel MARS units that stood idly nearby in their respective service bays.

  Mikkhael waited for the Rebel MARS units to finish moving to their assigned bays before he slowly walked Starkindler over to an empty space that had been hastily cleared for their arrival; the oversized machine could not be accommodated by one of the standard service bays without modifications being made. He scanned the surroundings, panning the external cameras focus across every bit of the hangar he could while he slowly moved into position, memorizing the smallest details as quickly as possible.

  The Rebel hangar stretched deep into the base of the mountain, servicing and housing a total of twenty-six MARS units. However, many of the bays sat empty, even with the returning squadron being accompanied by other members of the defensive garrison. Mikkhael supposed the empty spaces could be for additional MARS units that were acting as sentries elsewhere around the mountain, or even a separate patrol from the one he had encountered, but he doubted the notion. His gut instinct told him they had been empty for some time.

  Many of the MARS units located in the hangar were undergoing various stages of repair, requiring much more than simple maintenance, reinforcing his suspicions; the StormCrows had seen serious battle recently, but their main base had not been attacked. In spite of their disadvantages, they continued to take the fight to their enemy. He felt reassured that he had found the right group to join.

  An armed delegation quickly assembled at Starkindler’s feet as Mikkhael finalized the shutdown sequence. He discussed a quick course of action with Aurora during the process, prolonging the inevitable. Despite his best efforts, self-doubt crept in. He waited a little longer, making the point obvious to those below that they were waiting on him, not the other way around. Seconds before Starkindler po
wered off entirely, he loosed a ragged sigh and opened the hatch. He had finally arrived; he vowed he would see this thing through to the very end.

  He hesitated just inside the cockpit, realizing that to step out would provide the Rebels a silhouette to shoot in case anyone had orders to stage a last-minute betrayal. When no shot occurred, Mikkhael stepped out and placed his foot into a stirrup fitted to a hydraulic pulley that lowered him to ground level. He gripped the guide wire tightly, supporting his weight with the cable more than he would have liked. His legs shook from days of sitting combined with the lack of sleep. His nerves were completely shot from the stress of everything he was attempting, but he could not afford to show weakness at this stage or the momentum would shift at this delicate moment out of his favor.

  Mikkhael chose to remain encased in his full environmental suit. Armed guards stood ready, also wearing fully pressurized combat suits, their polarized helmets hiding their faces as they greeted him with weapons ready to use but not pointed directly at him. He sardonically assumed the Rebel squad who he followed back comprised his honor guard.

  The tallest of the escorts approached, and as he spoke, Mikkhael recognized his voice as Xilan, the squad leader. “My orders are to escort you to a room where you will be given refreshments and a chance to rest if needed. You will meet with the Commander at his convenience, until then you are under our supervision and are to remain inside of the room. Any funny business, or anything out of place, and I get to blow your hotshot brains all over the wall and pilot your Mech. Clear?”