“Sweet dreams, babe,” Alexis said.
“Thanks, cute butt, love you.”
“You’re using the ‘I love you’ to cover up for calling me cute butt, aren’t you?”
“Maybe, but it is a cute butt.”
“You’re such a guy,” Alexis sighed.
“Ehh, sue me.”
“I love you too. Now get some sleep, this cute butt will be over to see you soon enough.”
“Mmm, now we’re talking,” Tyler laughed, and Alexis could hear that he was already starting to drift into sleep.
Chapter 25
Tower
Earth, Sol System
5/3348
“The Troopers have now secured Westerly Three Complex’s assets. The other gangs have come to them and made peace, securing the Slums under our control. Outposts and forward operating bases have been set up across the Slums in order to provide support,” Wallace told Nivad.
“Good, what about the fleet?”
“They have finished any extra preparations they needed and are ready for the Harmony warships. The fighters have been loaded into their ships and they are currently training with them.”
“And the Troopers that are still on Resolute Station…?” Nivad trailed off.
“They are being moved to Earth. Now that the Slums have been secured there is more room for them to spread out. Ortiz will spread them across Earth with a reaction force of a Carrier staying with the EMFCs, and half of it on Resolute Station to be deployed anywhere.”
“It looks like we are nearly ready,” Nivad said.
“Yes, sir.”
Chapter 26
Citadel
Earth, Sol System
10/3348
Ortiz looked over the faces in the room. In front of him stood some of the hardest bastards that he’d ever had the pleasure of serving beside. For the last fourteen months, they had taken control of the Slums, created a network of informants across Earth, Mars, and the various stations, and inhabited moons and asteroid belts.
They’d fought the gangs of Earth and ripped them apart with ease.
He walked up to the podium, admiring his officers. “Now the shoe is on the other foot, it seems. For the first time in the history of the EMF, we will be defending against an enemy force. We have created our support fire bases, our outposts, laid out the informant network, and prepared ourselves for this minute since we left Fernix. It hasn’t been an easy path, but it will serve as the backbone for the coming conflict.”
Few of them had played politics before, now none of them cared about that. All they wanted to do was defeat Harmony and their Chosen.
“The Harmony Fleet has passed through the Oort cloud. They are continuing on their predicted path. Admiral Hall and his forces are waiting for the Harmony forces to pass their position. Once they are in range, then the admiral will hammer the piss out of them, and he’ll chase the hell out of them back to Earth, harassing them as much as possible. The Orbitals will do everything they can to destroy the Harmony ships. Once they start dropping Chosen, it’s our turn. These ships are nearly a kilometer and a half in length. We don’t know how many Chosen they have aboard, so let’s assume it’s twice what a normal Carrier can hold. We’re going to hit them with everything we have. We think that Mega City will be their target. We will be protecting VIPs and holding them back. The gangs will be given free reign to hit Harmony as they desire. We will hold Earth no matter what,” Ortiz said. “Harmony dies here.”
There was a noise of agreement in the room, and it was hungry and dark. Anyone hearing that who wasn’t a Trooper would have felt cold to their bones.
Ortiz and the others in the room, they knew their hunger, their want to destroy those that had killed their people. There was no payment for that except death.
***
Mark, Tyler, and what was left of the Triple Twos walked out of the briefing. They had talked to the Divisions and units that were spread out around their own and that they could support.
They had trained and prepared for this moment for nearly two years.
“Send word to Jane and George, get the word out that Harmony is coming. Pass on that we will pay for Chosen’ heads,” Mark said as they moved.
They all knew about the Victor Corporation and its reach now. They’d been a bit shocked at the empire that had been created by Jerome and Mark, but they had become a part of it, trusted by the Victors.
“I’ll see to Jane,” Jerome said. It was clear that he enjoyed talking to the people of The Yard. Mark felt that he would leave for it as soon as Nivad upheld his part of the bargain. Mark just had to make sure that they all survived.
Chapter 27
HC Tempest
Oort Cloud, Sol System
10/3348
Peter Quinn looked at the cadre of medical personnel around his chamber.
“We are in Sol,” Peter’s aide said. Peter couldn’t be bothered to remember his name.
“Good.” He waved the people away; his security detail looked alert as ever, even on their own carrier.
Peter stepped out and looked around.
That will be the last time I go into stasis.
He’d been put into cryo-stasis when he’d been shoved out to Housapel to make his name and fortune, now he was back once again.
The security detail moved with him, opening doors and making people get out of the way. Chosen were waking all across the fleet. Peter looked over the racks and racks of Chosen stepping out of their cryo-pods.
An army waiting to crush Nivad and the old order.
Peter stopped in front of Miss Choi’s pod. The medical personnel and her own female bodyguards were there.
She opened her eyes, blinking a few times, and her smile was brilliant as she looked at Peter.
“I believe we’re one step closer, my love.” She held her hand out to him.
“Indeed.” Peter helped her out of her pod, making sure she was stable before continuing on.
“This all looks quite industrious,” Choi looked at the pods and the waking soldiers.
“Soon they will secure us our victory and all thoughts of cryo-pods, soldiers, and this wasteful fighting will be behind us. We will rule Earth and Her Colonies with an iron will, ushering in a new age of competition,” Peter promised.
“I can’t wait, though if we might take a moment in your room? I’ve been asleep for too long and I’ve missed you.” Her chest pressed against his arm, her groin against his leg.
To him it had been just hours since they had gone into the cryo-pods, only hours since he had been entertaining her before their deep sleep.
He should’ve been tired after the lack of sleep that he’d had before going into cryo, awake worrying about the smallest of details.
Now, he felt like he could run races by himself.
His eyes drew together in lust, his teeth playing on his lip.
“A true gentleman never leaves his lady with unfulfilled desires.” Peter led her towards his chambers. Victory was a few short months away.
He smiled, thinking about how they'd try to barter and escape his reach.
***
Admiral Hawking was excited. He was a gruff man, and he had been promised riches and his own freighter company if he completed this final task for Minister Quinn.
“Nice and easy, there aren’t any EMF for light years,” Hawking said.
“We’re now connected to the…” the communications officer frowned.
“What is it, girl?” Hawking asked.
“We joined it and then it rejected us almost immediately.” She looked confused.
There was a rumbling through the ship.
“Sir, we have systems shutting down across the ship!” said someone, panicked.
“Shut down the feed and close off our internal systems, they must have uploaded a virus!” Hawking said.
There was a tense forty minutes as things were shut down and the engineers tried to keep their ship going, as techs worked on clearing o
ut computer modules for even a trace of malicious code.
“Make sure that none of the other ships connect to Sol’s communication network,” Hawking ordered.
“Yes, sir, message sent.” The communications officer sounded scared and sorry.
“Take that idiot and chuck her out,” Hawking pointed to the communications officer.
Two Powered Armor Chosen, or PACs, moved to grab her, and she screamed as they tore her way from her console.
“I didn’t mean to do it! I was following orders! Please! I’ll do anything!” The woman screamed as she was hauled out of the command center by the PACs, her screams cut off by the hatch sealing behind her.
“We have no room for fuck-ups. Someone take her position,” Hawking looked around the room before slumping into his seat.
Chapter 28
EMFC Fearless
Venus, Sol System
10/3348
Admiral Hall sipped on his coffee.
“Nothing beats the real stuff,” he sighed. He hadn’t had true coffee since leaving Fernix. He was still rotated with other ship’s captains on the way back to Earth, and not having the home comfort made him rather cranky in the mornings.
He let the smirks and eye-rolls of his crew go by. They’d been together through a lot of things and they’d all got used to one another’s quirks.
“So how’d the hack go?” Hall asked.
“Well, I think the ministry types are all slapping one another on the back, but they aren’t really giving out anything,” Lieutenant Guy said.
“Makes me miss M,” Hall sighed. He missed having Moretti around, he at least gave you a straight answer and he’d helped get the fleet in order in Fernix.
“We were able to get some messages from them, and it looks like they think that they’re the only military force in Sol. They think that their ruse to get us fighting in the sphere worked and there’s no one home,” Guy added.
It was a close thing, us being actually out there. Another thing that we have Moretti to thank for.
“Good, that will make things a lot easier for us when we come and hit them right between the eyes,” Hall said.
Chapter 29
Westerly Complex, Sector Three
Earth, Sol system
11/3348
Mark looked over the new Westerly Three Complex’s compound.
The haphazard walls were gone. Entrenchments, massive reinforced blocks, and weapon turrets dominated the compound. The buildings were larger and better than before.
It had taken time, but there were a good number of people and gangs that had seen what the EMF had done and wanted in.
W3C was the biggest gang in the Slums. The new law and order.
Everything that Quentin had thought of, and more.
The W3C gang members had been trained to EMF standards, to his standards. Those that didn’t cut it were given different positions. The gang was big and they had a lot of places for non-fighters.
Mark didn’t give them EMF weapons or armor, but they had the best of anything in the Slums. The Victor Corporation saw to that.
The Greenhouses were secured and producing at terrific rates. Mark had taken what the W3C had and poured it back into the Greenhouses for the extra taxes they had been taking.
It meant that there was little alcohol, artwork, or anything fancy in the compound - it was utilitarian as hell. The Greenhouses were appeased and happy to once again be treated with respect.
Mark walked into the compound and headed to the cafeteria. The Carriers were gone, but they were still getting supplied with food from Resolute Station. The compound was a central distribution point, and Combat Shuttles rested in the new underground hangar.
Ammunition, weapons, reinforcements… all of it could be moved from the compound, or people could be pulled back to the medical facilities or rotated in for some rest.
“Close the door, will you? They're shooting people down at the bar again,” Mark said as he passed the main hall, hearing the gunshots.
“Yes, sir,” someone said, grabbing the doors and hauling them shut as Mark continued into the real compound.
“Dashtund, what are you doing?” Mark cocked his head at the captain who was lying down on a mess table.
“Checking,” Dashtund said.
“Checking what,” Mark asked.
“Ceiling’s still there,” Dashtund made it sound obvious.
“There’s an idiot born every minute,” Mark muttered.
“You must get around a lot, boss.”
“Stop listening!” Mark protested.
“Stop talking,” Dashtund smiled, having fun.
“I would beat you with this tray, but I like food too much.” Mark put the tray down as food was shovelled onto it.
Mark knew that Dashtund was just being antsy. He wouldn’t have got to his rank if he was so outspoken with most other officers.
Mark knew he was a good Trooper and leader, but he had a mouth on him when he got nervous.
“What’s new, people?” Mark sat down at the table. Alexis, Liu, Ko, Nguyen, Whyte, and Kim were hanging around the table eating or shooting the shit.
“The techs are nearly finished with the real compound,” Whyte said through a mouthful of spaghetti.
“Good.” Mark started on his food.
The compound above them was for their day-to-day activities. Training, eating, and, if they were under siege, they moved into the collection of bunkers underneath.
“The Westerlies are looking good, got a few vibra-blades, and Tyler’s got some good candidates with the higher powered rifles.” Ko didn’t look up from what he was doing on his implants.
“Jerome’s off talking to Esamai; seems she came down for a bit.”
Alexis and Mark shared a look. No one’s going to come to Earth, unless they’re ordered to, or they want to.
“My idea’s working!” Dashtund pushed himself up.
Mark smiled and ate his food. People loved to watch something, anything. The problem was that there was nothing to watch, just the markets, news, and gossip.
The Troopers watched movies, shows, and all kinds of entertainment while they were on the Carriers. Dashtund had taken that idea and put it into the bars and the other places that the Westerlies owned, and people had flooded their bars and new theatres.
Dashtund was looking to make new movies. Mark was looking to provide clubs and music. He liked old rock music, just sitting there and listening to it.
He knew people liked dancing, but they were always listening to the same songs. He was going to get people to make music, he’d pay them for it and open up a few clubs that no other gang could compete with.
No drugs, no slavery, and violence would only be needed to kick people out.
They still needed to pay back the Greenhouses and pay those that were joining them. The Victor Corporation couldn’t do it all or they’d eventually go broke.
Mark’s mind turned to business, real business, as he looked at them.
“Hall’s going to hit them in two days,” Mark looked at them. People nodded and sighed; the steely glint that entered a veteran’s eyes when they knew they’d be in the shit was there.
They sat up straighter, as if they were going to be fighting the very next day.
“We’ve trained and prepped. We’re the hunted instead of the hunters this time, but I know I speak for Ortiz and Tyler when I say we’re ready.” Mark let that settle into their minds.
“One last battle,” said Alexis leaning on the table.
“One last battle,” Mark agreed, smiling.
“Can’t believe the first time we met you nearly shot me,” Alexis said.
“I was going to shoot you, good thing you didn’t look back,” Mark said.
“Yeah,” Alexis smiled, in her own thoughts.
It’s been two hundred and twelve years since we left Earth for Sacremon. And, it feels like it.
Earth might not be home yet, but Mark had promised that he’d make it int
o one for his people.
Chapter 30
EMFC Fearless
Venus, Sol System
11/3348
“Flush Fighters and Combat Shuttles.” Admiral Hall didn’t dare to look away from his tactical plot showing the Harmony ships heading towards Earth.
Looks like they’re good and confident with the pace that they’re setting.
“Bring us out of Venus’s orbit, nice and easy,” Hall said.
“Coming around.” Yeltsin sounded nervous as the fleet moved as one.
“They should be seeing us in a few minutes,” Rasalov said.
“Celik?” Hall knew the status of the weapons, but his nerves were making him cautious.
“Missile batteries are prepped, rail-cannons loaded,” Celik confirmed.
“Well, let’s see what happens.” Hall tried to project confidence and ease, but felt like he was being torn up inside by his anxiety.
“All missile batteries, on my signal,” Hall said.
“Ready,” Celik called out, communicating to the entire fleet.
“Fire,” Hall said.
Missiles pumped out of the Carriers, one after another, creating sheets of missiles.
“Harmony fleet has detected us,” Rasalov said. “No fighters moving out yet.”
“All of their systems are on missile defense,” Celik added.
Hall watched and listened to the wave of information, and the Carrier’s missile bays went silent as the last allotted missile was spent. They would get just one more opportunity to use them.
The Trooper’s quarters had been removed to triple the missile capacity of the Carriers. Hall kept the remaining third in reserve, hoping that his fleet would survive long enough to use them.
The Harmony close-in defense systems were cutting down scores of the missiles, but there were thousands. Unfortunately, these Harmony ships looked to have the same precision as the fleet in Fernix. They were working together to take down the threats that were inundating their space.
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