“Yeah, looks like the old gang didn’t like Mark dictating terms to them. They hit another outpost we were making in their area. The Troopers were pretty beat up. The gang members left them for dead, stole everything they could get their hands on in ten minutes. Stripped the armor off our Troopers as well.”
“Were they using the Slum guns we bought?” Jerome asked.
“Yeah, good idea using the Slum guns instead of the E-12s and that hardware.”
“Didn’t want some asshole running around with an auto-launcher,” Jerome said. “What do you think Mark’s going to do?”
“He’s talking to Nivad right now. I’m going to take a section or so. I’m going to tell one of the Westerly gang outposts to surrender, if they don’t, then we move in and clear the place out,” Tyler said simply. It might have been his gang at one point, but the EMF was his family now.
“Then what? They’re just going to do it more.”
“Three attacks, they do two more. Mark’s going to talk to them. We’ll be taking both of our Divisions and seeing how they like to fight a real battle. Either they become ours, or we destroy them,” Tyler said simply.
“You get more like your brother every day,” Jerome sighed, walking away from the armories.
“Thanks, bro,” Tyler said smiling.
“Jackass,” Jerome growled.
“Dick,” Tyler fired back.
“Poster boy.”
“Thanks, you think so? I’m trying this new cologne, called I-almost-smell-like-sweaty-ballsack. Basically I take a shower and stick myself in a Powered Armor can. Though it does smell like you went for the full I-am-a-sweaty-ballsack version,” Tyler smiled.
“I hate you at times,” Jerome said, shaking his head.
“Heard you had a new girlfriend,” Tyler provoked.
“How fucking bored are you?” Jerome asked, looking at his major. He quickly looked away from Tyler’s expression. “Never mind, forgot I ever asked.”
“I need you to check on the scouts in the eastern sectors,” Tyler said.
“Why can’t you do it?”
“Cause I got some stupid meeting shit with the dumb twats that work here.”
Someone made a scoffing noise; Jerome guessed it was their best attempt to show their anger.
“You, fuck off,” Jerome said, pointing to the piss-stain that had made the noise.
They looked like they were about to say something as Tyler tapped his pistol.
“Some people, no fucking manners,” Jerome shook his head as piss-stain ran off.
Tyler and Jerome looked at one another for maybe a whole second before they laughed and continued on their walk.
***
“So what do you want?” Mark asked Nivad as they settled into an office that had been cleared out for their use.
“Straight to the point,” Nivad said, studying Mark again. Most people would shirk away from his overt gaze but Mark sat there, clearly thinking of other things that he could be spending his time on.
“How would you like to retire?” Nivad asked.
“Still quite a few years off,” Mark said, but Nivad could read people, and he could see Mark’s interest and maybe a bit of hope.
“What would you say if I offered you retirement after you defeat Harmony?”
“What’s in it for you?”
“Makes me look good and keeps people in line,” Nivad smirked.
“Am I one of those people?”
“Yes,” Nivad said simply.
“Why?” Mark said, sounding tired and almost like he didn’t want to hear the answer, but he needed to.
“You are a war hero, you’re someone that the rest of the EHC can look up to and show that we’re one great entity,” Nivad said.
He is rather interesting, Nivad thought. He had been a fighter, a tool through the screens over the years, but here in front of Nivad, he was a curiosity.
“What about my family?” Mark asked.
“All of the Victors will be offered the same deal.”
“What about the Troopers that survive this? Would they be able to get honorable discharges if they want?” Mark asked.
What angle are you working? Nivad wondered, but nodded. “Yes, but they would need to confirm employment somewhere else, and they would not be given their retirement package,” Nivad said.
“What do we have to do?”
“Nothing, just stay out of the way, maybe attend something here or there.”
“Do you have anything else you would like to discuss?” Mark asked.
“It would be agreeable if you and your Troopers were to take over Westerly Three Complex’s position. I hope that we can attend to our own matters,” Nivad said.
“I stay out of your life and you watch mine to make sure I’m not being an idiot and going against the corporations,” Mark confirmed.
“I think we have an agreement.”
“I’ve fought for the corporations long enough, as long as I’m out of the way then they’re happy. Mess up the balance and everyone’s pissed. It might not be a nice balance, but it works,” Mark said.
“Certainly,” Nivad smiled.
“If you will excuse me, I’ll see that the Westerly gang is fixed,” Mark said with finality, standing.
“It’s good that we had the chance to clear the air. I will make sure that the EMF’s obstacles are removed from their path,” Nivad said, holding out a hand to Mark.
They shook.
“Thank you Mister Selvra,” Mark said sincerely.
Chapter 20
Westerly Complex, Sector Three
Earth, Sol System
2/3348
Tyler looked at the boy in front of him.
When in the hell did twenty count as boy?
“You sure about this?” Tyler asked.
“Yes, Pulonia wants Diablo to meet her and then her men will, well…” George said trailing off into silence.
“Kill him,” Dashtund said.
“Yeah,” George said, uncomfortable.
“Strike three,” Dashtund looked to Tyler.
“’Bout time, I hate this fucking about.” Tyler nodded to George. “Make sure that your people are ready, I’ll contact you.”
“Sir,” George said, standing and leaving.
Tyler stood, pulling his goggles and mask on. Dashtund and half the section that was their protection detail also stood. The patrons looked away; none of them would say a thing.
A Trooper opened the door and Tyler walked out. The scouts outside hid on rooftops or in alleyways, you wouldn’t even know that they were there.
As Tyler moved out, someone fired at them and reactions took over. Dusters were thrown away as Troopers returned fire. They weren’t using Slum weaponry, they had Powered Armor killing weapons.
Tyler ripped off his stupid coverings and pulled on his helmet, and tactical information overlaid his view as he pulled his E-12 around.
He fired on the gang members, and in seconds the attackers were dead, hundreds of rounds ripping into their cover.
“Transport coming in,” Dashtund said, his duster on the ground as his armor plates were revealed. People had cleared the area in a hurry.
A Combat Shuttle descended out of the heavens, its engines blowing rust dust out of its path, and Troopers piled into the cargo hold.
Chapter 21
Citadel
Earth, Sol System
2/3348
Jerome looked up from the table, and Ortiz and all of Tyler and Mark’s officers turned as Tyler walked into the conference room that had become the Troopers’ command center.
“I miss anything?” Tyler asked, rust dust falling off him.
“We’re going in tonight,” Mark said.
“Third strike?” Tyler asked.
“Third strike,” Mark confirmed.
“We will go with the plan that we’ve already worked up. Tyler, your division will secure the perimeter. Mark’s will secure the compound. Powered Armor is authorized. S
hultz has his Force preparing, so they’ll be our eyes and ears in the Slums,” Ortiz said.
“Let’s go take over a gang,” Essa said.
“Fuck, they said that I would learn going out into the universe, but here I am taking over a gang,” Dashtund said.
Mark smiled but looked at the map. He’d never thought that he would have to do this, but the Westerly gang had gone too far and tried to kill his people.
The universe might have changed, but Mark’s people… he trusted them like gravity.
Jerome clapped a hand on Mark’s shoulder. “Time to suit up.”
“Yeah,” Mark said, standing as if the very act aged him.
Chapter 22
Combat Shuttle Four-Two-Seven
Earth, Sol System
2/3348
“Move in,” Mark said in Yu’s headset. He looked at Young and applied more thrust, banking towards the target compound.
“Good to go,” Young said.
“Locked and loaded,” Bobbie confirmed.
“Three minutes to target,” Yu heard Powered Armor standing as Repulsors were cocked.
“Ready to bring the pain,” Second Lieutenant Fali said.
“Fucking-A.” Yu watched his screens; a Regiment’s worth of Powered Armor was coming in on Combat Shuttles. Symbols converged around the target compound. Powered Armor was already walking out of the various stores around the place.
“Support, this is Wolf Regiment, need a door,” someone said, a marker showing on the map.
“Wolf Regiment this is Four-Two-Seven, we see the target one door coming up,” Young said calmly as a missile raced out of its tube.
Gang members that had been firing at Troopers from the walls ran for wherever they thought there was better cover.
Other missiles hammered the walls. Sheet metal and rust brick walls blew out, making Powered Armor-sized holes in the compound’s protective walls.
Yu banked the shuttle, cutting off his speed as his engines brought him into a hover above the compound’s buildings.
Wind whipped through the cargo hold as Yu felt the Troopers jumping out the rear. He could hear someone shouting at the Westerly gang to surrender on demand.
“Good,” Bobbie said, and the auto-turret below the nose of the craft fired as Yu put some power into the Combat Shuttle’s engines, taking them out of a hover and sending them away from the compound.
The cargo ramp closed. Bobbie and Young worked the auto-turrets, providing support as Yu flew a path around the compound.
It wasn’t long until the auto-turrets went quiet, there was too much risk of hitting Troopers instead of Westerly gang members that were fighting back.
“The hell’s that?” Yu asked, pointing to the new symbol on his screen.
“Oh, that’s prisoners,” Young said.
“Oh,” Yu said, they never usually took prisoners. They were Troopers, raining pain and death on any that opposed them. There were no prisoners, there were just combatants and dead combatants.
Chapter 23
Westerly Complex, Sector Three
Earth, Sol System
2/3348
Mark walked through the main gate of the compound. Inside it looked like hell, and the walls were pitted from being shot up. Windows and doorways had been pulled apart by Troopers smashing through them in their Powered Armor.
There were Westerly gang members all over the place, their faces covered in the rust dust as Troopers watched over them.
Mark looked over the Troopers and the markings.
“Impressive,” Dominguez said.
“Yeah, we got a good bunch,” Mark said. “Not a single person dead.”
“Well, on our side,” Dominguez amended.
“The only side that counts. After this we’ll find out if we’ve got some new meat. Till then, it’s just us,” Mark said.
“Same old,” Dominguez agreed as they walked to the elevator in the main building, riding it up to the tenth floor.
There were bodies all over the place. Walls were charred and torn up from Repulsor fire. Casings littered the hall as Mark moved through it all. He walked through a low doorway, ripping it apart even more as he stepped into the main office.
Richter’s office, he thought, looking around the room. He had been brought here the very first day he joined the W3C. He’d been here once a week or more thereafter, as he got told off or was taught something new. It was here that he had been given his very first augments. He turned to the conference room. It had been turned into some kind of living area.
It was so similar but different.
Sitting at the desk was a naked woman, eyeing everyone with scorn.
There was a group of people huddled in the corner, fear written throughout their body language.
“Yule, what’s going on?” Mark asked.
“This lot are slaves, bodies, thugs… though a few of them surrendered.” A tag appeared in Mark’s vision. “And that is Pulonia, previous leader of the Westerly Three Complex Gang.”
Mark looked at the woman.
“I’ll fucking kill you all. I’ll make you wish you had never heard my name! I’ll turn you into slaves - you’ll beg for death!” Pulonia shrieked.
Mark rolled his eyes, raising his Repulsor and shooting her. There wasn’t much left of Pulonia. “Some people just don’t know when to shut the fuck up,” Mark said, opening his helmet.
“Ruined the wall,” Dominguez complained.
“Good thing we’re going to gut it,” Mark said, looking at the slaves who whimpered and avoided his gaze. “You lot are free to go, take anything from the bodies in here or in the halls. Though I want you to pass on a message.”
Eyes looked up at him hopefully; if he wanted to send a message some must survive.
“Tell the gangs that we control Westerly Three now. Tell the slavers that they have two months to release their people, or I will be coming for them. The Slums are now under Earth’s Military Forces’ control,” Mark looked at them, hoping that they would remember that. “Pass it far and wide, now go.”
They moved slowly at first and then started sprinting away, their thin and beaten bodies hunched as if they expected to be shot on their way out.
“Tyler, we’re secure here, time to hit the outposts,” Mark said, turning and leaving the room, his helmet closing.
“Moving,” Tyler replied.
“Sir, what do you want us to do?” Yule asked.
“Get all of the gang members together, strip them of weapons and such. I want to talk to them when I get back. Get some techs around here. It’s time we turned this into a real Forward Base. Move the mobile support guns in,” Mark said as he walked.
***
Tyler dropped the first guard. Seconds later, Troopers in Powered Armor were jumping over the ten-foot fence. He watched the symbols as Troopers moved quickly to secure the outpost.
They had control of the compound, all of the Greenhouses were secure, and they were quickly snapping up outposts, which were basically small copies of the compound. They were blocks or collections of buildings with some kind of perimeter.
Tyler wanted to be in the middle of it, telling his Troopers what to do and closing with the enemy. Instead, he was watching it through his helmet and scope. “Fuck, this major thing kind of sucks.”
“Yeah this division sergeant major thing’s not that fun, either. Just have to listen to the major bitching all the time,” Jerome said.
“You know what I mean,” Tyler said.
“Yeah, but soon enough we’ll have all the action we could want and more. This, this is securing our rear and our future,” Jerome reasoned.
“Yeah.” Tyler tracked a runner, his gun barked and they dove into the dirt. Tyler watched them, they weren’t moving any more.
Chapter 24
Westerly Complex, Sector Three
Earth, Sol System
3/3348
Alexis woke to an alarm. It had been three weeks since they had taken the W3C compou
nd.
The whole place was being ripped apart and rebuilt. It would offer fire support to anything within a few hundred kilometers and have defenses that would make the camps on Fernix look like sand castles.
She stood up, pulling out the charging cable hooked to her Powered Armor.
A gang was attacking the compound; they probably thought that they were weak from just taking the place.
She checked her support assets, the Troopers on the walls were holding them back easily, their Repulsors ripping the attackers apart.
“Combat Shuttle Seven-Three-Five, I’ve got some targets, cleared weapons hot,” she said.
“Understood, coming in.”
Alexis didn’t have to wait long. Five minutes later she heard the heavy fire of a Combat Shuttle’s auto-cannons and their buzz-saw auto-turrets.
The sounds of other weapons were drowned out. The Combat Shuttle’s weapons stopped as they disappeared up into the clouds of rust.
“Permission to hunt down those running?” Another Combat Shuttle asked.
“Permission granted,” Alexis said, and she saw three more Combat Shuttles diving in and raking those that were running for their lives.
Alexis was sending a message, don’t fuck with Troopers. It might take some time to settle in, but it needed to be clear.
“Since you’re up, want to join me for lunch?” Tyler asked.
“Trying to distract me?” she yawned.
“Maybe a little, and trying to get you out of that Powered Armor,” Tyler teased.
“Maybe I’ll let you.” Alexis checked her Troopers’ positions, biting her lip. It had been too long since they’d had some alone time.
“My room’s here still, definitely worth checking out,” Tyler said.
“Better than the cell I was stuck in?” Alexis quipped.
“I’d say so,” Tyler laughed.
“Does it have a shower?”
“Yes, and it will have food as well, breakfast in bed once you finish your watch.”
“How did I get so lucky with you?” Alexis smiled.
“I’m a sucker for a girl in prison,” Tyler admitted.
“Remind me to never take you to a prison.”
“Hey, I’m a one girl kind of guy, now hurry that cute butt up and go finish off your watch. I’m going to take a nap, wake me up when you get here.”
Earth (Harmony War Book 5) Page 7
