by Jake Bible
But, Capreze had made a decision years ago to not be that Commander. He commanded by trust, he had to if his own daughter was going to be one of his pilots.
He watched for a few moments then transferred back to internal vids.
I wonder…, he thought.
Capreze switched feeds to Themopolous’s quarters, but the room was empty.
The doctor wasn’t in.
***
“What’d Capreze say?” Themopolous asked, tossing her med kit into the back of the ATV as Mathew fired it up.
“Um, yeah, we haven’t told him yet.”
“What?!?” she yelled. “Why not?”
A sheepish grin spread across Mathew’s face and he avoided the Doctor’s glare. “Well, there may have been some ‘shine involved.”
“Sweet Jeezus! Did Steve drink also?”
“Oh, he drank…”
“Goddamit! What are you waiting for?!? Get us out there! His blood’ll be thinned by the alcohol. It could already be too late.”
Mathew mashed the accelerator.
Hidden in the hangar’s shadows, June watched the ATV speed away.
***
“Doctor?” Capreze called on the com, puzzled as to where she would be at 0200. There was no response.
The Commander scanned Themopolous’s quarters making sure he wasn’t missing anything in the dark room. A quick search told him he wasn’t.
“Doctor? This is Capreze.” Again, no response.
Capreze started to set his tablet down, but thought of something first. He switched on the audio feed.
“Doctor? Doc-,” he quickly stopped, hearing the tiny buzzing of Themopolous’s ear com. He zoomed in on the side table, easily finding the minute com.
Capreze narrowed his eyes and strode from his quarters.
***
“So, you want to tell me what happened?” Themopolous asked as the ATV came to a halt a few feet from Steve’s prone form. Rachel squatted over him, her hands pressed firmly against his thigh.
“Not a clue,” Mathew responded, handing the doctor her med kit as she stepped from the ATV.
“Keep that pressure!” Themopolous ordered Rachel as she moved in to examine Steve. “I need light!”
Mathew sprinted to the ATV and retrieved a halogen. He shone the powerful beam down on Steve’s wound.
“Keep that pressure dammit!” Themopolous yelled as she cut Steve’s blood soaked uniform open.
***
When Capreze checked base stats he knew immediately where he needed to go: the hangar.
He didn’t know what was going on, but his gut told him things were off. When he stepped into the hangar his feelings were confirmed.
“Pilot Lang! What the hell are you doing?!?” he yelled up at June just as she shut her mech’s cockpit. “Godammit!”
The Commander clicked his com. “June, you had better have a good explanation for this!”
Refusing to respond, June finished her start up procedure. Capreze dashed to the initiation console, but he was too late.
June was already moving.
***
“Where’s everybody?” the Rookie asked, blinking blearily at the fire.
“Over there…Steve’s dying,” Jay mumbled, splayed out on the dirt.
“Dying? Shit…should we help?”
“Help? With what?”
“I don’t fucking know. Just thought we should…”
“You go ahead…I ain’t helping with shit.”
The Rookie pushed himself to his feet and staggered away from the fire pit. He could see a bright light shining just a few yards away.
“Hey! Yous guys need some help?”
“No! Just sit down and stay put!” he heard someone yell back at him.
The Rookie swayed. “Gotcha! Sitting down and staying put!”
***
“Alright, careful, careful…” Themopolous commanded as Mathew and Rachel set Steve on the collapsible stretcher retrieved from the ATV. “I said careful!”
“Jeezus Doc, were trying!” Mathew yelled back.
“He’s stable for now, but he needs blood ASAP. If that wound re-opens before I get him in the OR he won’t make it.”
“Yeah, I know Doc! Careful, got it.”
Rachel and Mathew walked Steve to the ATV and carefully set the stretcher down and strapped it securely to the back. They all climbed in and Mathew slowly set out for the base.
“Okay, Mathew now…”
“I know, Doc. Careful…”
***
June wiped the tears from her eyes.
“This is it for me. Everything is over,” she said to herself. “No turning back now.”
June walked the mech from the hangar, ignoring the figure of Commander Capreze waving for her to stop.
She pushed the sensors to full and scanned the night. She had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do, but she had to leave, had to get away from the base, from Mathew, from everyone.
Ignoring the motor drive she engaged her legs and took off at a full run into the night.
***
Mathew swerved to avoid the mech coming right at them.
“Jeezus fuck!” Mathew yelled. He tapped his com, trying to hail June.
“She’s won’t pick up!” Rachel yelled, having tried her com also. “Where does she think she’s going? We can track her.”
“I don’t know, but she won’t get far. Jethro was working on her mech. It isn’t fully functional.”
Mathew pulled the ATV into the hangar, barely missing Commander Capreze.
Capreze turned his attention from June’s mech onto the ATV. Mathew and Rachel both blanched under his glare.
“Shit,” Rachel said. “Let me handle this.”
“Gladly,” Mathew complied.
***
“Holy fuck! Is that a mech?!?” the Rookie yelled.
“What?!? Where?!?” Jay sat up quickly and looked out towards the pitch-blackness of the wasteland.
“Right there! Coming from the hangar!” The Rookie pointed and Jay turned around.
“Shit! That’s June’s mech. Oh, well, she ain’t going far…” Jay yawned, curling up to the fire.
“Should we do something? Call the Commander?”
“Sure, Rookie, you do that,” Jay laughed sleepily.
“But…” the Rookie trailed off.
“Buts are for asses, boy. Buts are for asses,” Jay slurred before nodding off.
The Rookie watched the shape of the mech fade into the night.
***
“Okay, just listen…” Rachel started, but Capreze ignored her, moving quickly to the stretcher.
“How bad, Doc?” he asked.
“Bad,” she said, jumping from the ATV.
Mathew rushed to the med cart and gurney stationed against the wall, expertly maneuvering both to the ATV.
“Grab that end,” Mathew barked. The Commander’s eyebrows raised but he didn’t hesitate. “One, two, three!”
They lifted the stretcher, placing it on the gurney.
“What’ll you need, Doc?” Capreze asked.
“I’ll need Harlow to assist and anyone that’s O- to be ready to give blood.”
“I’m on it!” Rachel said, heading off to the barracks.
***
“How long are we supposed to stay here for?” the Rookie asked. All he got in response was the sound of Jay’s snores. He kicked out with his boot, connecting with Jay’s thigh.
“Ow! What the fuck?!?” Jay yelled.
“Are they coming back for us?” the Rookie said, irritated.
“Probably not,” Jay responded, rolling over and going back to sleep. The Rookie gave him a shove.
“Hey man, I’m new here. What are we supposed to do?”
“I’m going to sleep. I don’t give a Rancher’s tit what you do. Just throw another log on the fire if you go.”
***
“What?” Harlow groaned as Rachel shook her.
“Steve’s hurt. Themopolous needs you in the OR,” Rachel whispered.
Harlow sat upright and grabbed for her uniform. Rachel handed it to her helping the sleepy pilot get her arms in the sleeves.
“Thanks,” Harlow muttered. “Is there coffee?”
“Shit. No. I’ll do that next and bring a thermos to the infirmary.”
Harlow shook her head, trying to get rid of the fuzziness. “How bad is he?’
“He’s bleeding from his thigh. It won’t stop.”
Harlow’s eyes went wide. “That could be an artery.”
She pushed past Rachel and sprinted from the barracks.
***
“Get some sleep,” Capreze ordered Rachel and Mathew, both starting to protest. “Sleep. Now. We’ll talk about all of this during the briefing.”
The pilots looked from each other to the Commander, Mathew finally shrugging and moving off towards the barracks.
“I’m going to clean up first,” he said looking at his blood and dirt stained uniform.
“Fine idea,” Capreze nodded, watching Rachel.
“I’ll be there in a sec,” Rachel said as Mathew walked off. She turned to her father, but the look on Capreze’s face stopped her words dead.
“We’ll talk tomorrow,” he said. Rachel nodded and followed Mathew.
***
“I know you’re all tired,” Capreze started the briefing, his gaze hardening on Rachel and Mathew. “But life goes on.”
Mathew started to speak, Capreze held up his hand. “This is my briefing, Pilot Jespers. Hold your questions until I’m done.”
Mathew nodded and glanced at Rachel. She avoided his eyes, choosing to keep hers firmly on her father.
“Now,” Capreze began. “Harlow won’t be joining us since she was in surgery until an hour ago. Which means we are only missing one person. Anyone know where the Rookie is?”
Rachel’s eyes widened and she risked a glance at Mathew.
***
Jay kicked the sleeping Rookie. “I’m pretty sure you’re missing your morning briefing.”
The Rookie groaned, tried to open his eyes, but thought better and sat up with his lids firmly shut. “What time is it?”
“Fuck if I know,” Jay said, unzipping his fly and pissing on the barely smoldering coals in the fire pit. A steam cloud of urine wafted over the Rookie making him gag and fight to keep from vomiting. “But, you better get moving if you plan on living past today.”
The Rookie groaned again, this time opening his eyes and braving the bright agony.
***
“Um, no sir. With all the confusion last night we figured he’d come back with Jay,” Mathew said.
“Quite an assumption. But, that wasn’t your responsibility, Mathew, was it?”
“No, sir, it was mine,” Rachel spoke up.
“Yes, it was pilot. We’ll speak later. Let’s move on.”
Capreze lifted his tablet and scanned the screen. “Steve is going to be fine, but it may be a couple weeks before he’s up to speed. Until then…” Capreze smiled. “Rachel, Mathew, the two of you will be in charge of the kitchen.”
Masters and Bisby sat up. “No!” they yelled in unison.
***
Jay tapped at his tablet and the slight crackling that the Rookie had thought all night was part fire suddenly ceased.
“What was that?” the Rookie asked.
“Security containment field,” Jay answered pointing out small metal rods stationed several yards out. “Anything without an active Reaper chip crosses that field and every single external light on this base goes up. Not to mention auto-cannons, smart mines and a really, really loud alarm. You didn’t think we’d be outside all night without protection, did you?”
“I didn’t really think about it,” the Rookie replied.
“You’re a strange kid, kid,” Jay laughed.
***
“Those two? Cooking? Please, sir, you can’t be serious? Why punish us?” Masters complained.
“If it’s any consolation, I’ll be punishing myself, also,” Capreze said.
“Hey, I’m not that bad of a cook,” Mathew said.
Rachel reached over and patted his hand. “Yes, you are Matty. So am I. Sorry everybody.”
“Okay, we are all going to be shitting our brains out. Got it. Can we move on to the important shit, now? Like who is going to go look for June?”
“That would be Mathew. Unless you have some objections, Pilot Jespers?”
“Um, no, sir,” Mathew responded. “Glad to.”
***
“So… How much trouble are we in?” the Rookie asked with apprehension.
“Us? I’m not in any trouble. You? Well, you are in a world of shit,” Jay laughed. He tapped at his tablet: Rookie with me. Bringing him in. Don’t be too hard on him. Good kid. He sent the message to Capreze and waited.
Within seconds Capreze responded: Figured. Make him sweat, he’s yours today. I want to see you both in my office ASAP.
Jay smiled. “Looks like the Commander has given me your ass for the day. You’re gonna learn how shit really works around here.”
***
Capreze set his tablet aside. “Alright, I’m done holding hands. Bisby, you’re on patrol. Masters, you’re on escort duty.”
“Escort duty, sir?” Masters asked.
“That’s what I said. I need you to shadow Jay and the Rookie to Foggy Bottom. Doctor Themopolous put in a med supply req this morning after surgery. I guess we are dangerously low on essentials.”
Masters nodded.
“Mathew, you need to get out there and find June. Regular reports.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Pilot Capreze,” the Commander turned his gaze on Rachel. “I’m pretty sure you have a kitchen to run. If that isn’t too much responsibility.”
***
Jay and the Rookie walked into the hangar, both glad to get out of the morning sun. Jethro looked up from his work and started laughing.
“Well, don’t you two make a cute couple. Have fun last night?”
“Fuck you, Jethro,” Jay growled.
“Commander told me you two need to skip cleaning up and see him right away.”
“Skip cleaning up?” the Rookie asked, shocked. “Man, I could really use a shower first.”
“That’s tough shit, Rookie,” Jethro said, returning to the circuit board he was working on.
“Come on,” Jay said, walking away.
The Rookie followed, his stomach nauseous.
***
“That’s it. Dismissed,” Capreze said. The pilots quickly got up and left the briefing, glad to get on with the day. Rachel paused by the door.
“Not now, baby girl,” Capreze said, looking down at his tablet. “Go get the kitchen running and I’ll be in the mess later.” He looked up and held Rachel’s gaze. “We’ll talk then.”
Rachel smiled weakly. “Yes, sir.”
Capreze watched her leave and soon followed, heading back to his office. He looked over the Doctor’s supply requisition, knowing she was hiding something. Six Flags was closer and had better medical facilities for trading with.
***
When Capreze entered his office, Jay and the Rookie were already waiting for him.
“Good, glad to see you took this meeting seriously,” Capreze said, locking eyes with the Rookie.
“Sir, I just want to say…”
“Save it.” Capreze sat down. “I sent you a med req. You two are going to Foggy Bottom. Masters is escort.”
“Foggy Bottom? Six Flags is way closer and they…”
“I know,” Capreze interrupted. “Rookie? Go get your gear ready. It’s a five day assignment. Meet Mechanic Rind in the hangar. Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir,” the Rookie said, leaving the office as quickly as possible.
***
Masters leaned in and kissed Harlow softly. She stirred slightly, but didn’t wake. He grabbed his pack and headed out of the barra
cks, nearly colliding with the Rookie.
“Whoa, slow down,” Masters said.
“Sorry, sorry…I need to get packed and get to the hangar,” the Rookie said, the words tumbling out of his mouth. Masters dropped his pack and grabbed the Rookie by the shoulders.
“Calm down, kid. It’s only a supply run. You listen closely to me and Jay and you’ll be just fine.”
The Rookie took a couple of deep breaths. Masters smiled.
“Better?”
The Rookie nodded.
***
Capreze focused on Jay. “Is he worth it?”
Jay took a seat without asking or waiting for leave. “Gut reaction? Yes. Head reaction? He needs a lot of work. But there’s something to this kid. I don’t know what, but he has something to prove.”
“Don’t they all?” Capreze quipped.
“No, this one’s different. I can’t put my finger on it…”
“Well, you’ll have plenty of time on the supply run.”
“About that, why Foggy Bottom?”
“Doc’s request.”
Jay raised an eyebrow. “Since when does that matter?”
“Since I’ve started suspecting she’s up to something.”
“Really?”
“Pay attention.”
“Will Do.”
***
Jethro grabbed the Rookie’s pack and tossed it into the salvage mech’s storage compartment.
“I figured we’d be taking the transport,” the Rookie said, looking up at the modified battle mech. “I didn’t know we’d be traveling by mech.”
“Salvage mech,” Jethro informed. “We take this out on all supply runs. It’s outfitted for storage and retrieval. We’ll probably come across some graveyards out there and we can use the parts.”
“Graveyards?”
“Mechs,” Bisby answered, entering the hangar. “Ours and theirs.”
“Parts don’t grow on trees,” Jethro added.
Bisby climbed into his mech. “Good luck, Rookie. Try not to die.”
***
“Shit!” Rachel cried, pulling her hand from the hot pan.
“Problems already?” Capreze smirked, entering the kitchen.
“I’m no good at this, you know that!” she yelled at her father. Capreze just watched her. “Sorry,” she apologized.
Capreze sighed. “Do I need to say it?”
