Ghost Soldiers

by Michael G. Thomas

  "Khan, it's time to find that thing and end this. Understood?"

  Khan clamped shut his visor and roared.

  "Not a problem, Spartan."

  He scraped the blades on his left arm against the wall. The metal left white imprints on the pulsing surface, like ripples in water.

  "It's payback time."

  * * *

  Spartan arrived at the blast door to the canteen area to find it had been transformed. Last time he had seen the place, it had been a vast open space, with only a handful of bodies scattered about. Now there were chunks of metal and at least six bizarre mechanical contraptions, each smashed by heavy weaponry. The blast door was shut, and he could see parts of it had been welded quite recently, presumably to repair combat damage. It was the route they had entered through, and now it was blocked shut with nothing but the bodies of three machines, similar to those they had found elsewhere inside the ship. Spartan reached forward and banged his metal fist on the frame.

  "Open up."

  "Who is it?" yelled back Lieutenant Armstrong.

  "Spartan."

  The sounds on the other side faded, and then came the grinding of metal and hammering sounds. The door slid open to reveal a veritable bastion inside. Lieutenant Armstrong looked stunned to see them.

  "I heard your voice, but even then I thought it was a trick. We thought you'd been killed. You went dark over twenty hours ago."

  Sergeant Tyler stepped passed Spartan and stopped in front of his platoon's officer.

  "Lieutenant, how is my platoon?"

  The man wiped sweat from his face and managed to open up a barely healed cut across his cheek.

  "Multiple injuries, three of them serious. They hit the blast door while we were making modifications. I lost a SAAR robot and several weapons getting everybody back, but we held. Six machines breached, three were destroyed right here, the rest blasted with thermite as they escaped."

  He pointed to the broken pieces of machinery that lay strewn on the ground. As before, the light pulsing of energy seemed to coalesce around one of the machines, but not the others. Spartan lifted his left arm and blasted the remains with his arm-mounted coilguns, sending fragments of metal in all directions.

  "When you see that happen, make sure you blast it. Somehow the entity is using this to repair itself. Don't ask me how."

  He looked back at the blast doors and watched as a group of marines blocked it back up. Four SAAR robots trundled back into position, and they were carefully deployed in a loose line at the points of ingress to the cruiser. It was a bastion within a ship, something as unusual as it was familiar to Spartan.

  Listen, here they come.

  Spartan could then hear the sound of gunfire through the sound system of the Maverick suit. Even better, the onboard computer had isolated and identified which weapons were firing, and that confirmed to him that it was his people. The sounds were followed shortly by additional dull vibrations through the cruiser. It was a battle, but it was too far away for him to be able to immediately intervene. At the moment it seemed the only area being attacked was where 3rd Platoon was positioned at the bow of the cruiser, but to send too many to assist could leave his route back to the landing bay unprotected. He was only just back, but he knew he had to take charge of the fight. A quick decision was all it took to activate the command network.

  "This is Spartan. I am back in command. All squads prepare for battle."

  Spartan's stomach tensed, the same way it did before every battle, and as far back as he could remember. Even those decades ago when he'd been trapped on the Bright Horizon, an interplanetary transport filled with dead and dying. Back then he had been nothing more than a boy; away with his parents on a journey to a destination they never reached. The entire event had been wiped from his memory, with just fragments revealed accidentally during the last hours of the battle at the Black Rift.

  Lieutenant Anne Lee had been attacked, but with the networked combat modes disabled on their armour, it was difficult to see exactly what was going on. Spartan could even feel the movement through the thick plating of his Maverick armour, each tremor amplified by the sensory package embedded in the system.

  "Major, I've never seen anything like it. It has joined its own...we need..."

  A screaming cry echoed over the communications channel and was then replaced by shouting and gunfire. Spartan activated his weapons and looked to the marines nearby. They were all in good positions, covering bulkheads or furniture nearby.

  "The enemy is here, and it is not planning on letting us leave. Defend your positions. Not one step back!"

  The orders were simple with no specifics, but Khan felt a chill in his body. Though he hadn't been there, he had heard of the last stand on Spascia, where the Alliance of humanity, Helions, Khreenk, and others had fought around the ruined city and mountain fortress. Of more significance, he recalled the now famous order issued by Gun in the last days of the fighting. The 'No step back' order had become something of a legend, one that every history book concerning the war always listed.

  "Khan, are you ready?"

  The seasoned warrior activated his weapons in reply. The men and women of the IAB had done their job well, and neither felt it appropriate in trying to micromanage that which had been planned so well. The platoon officers were all well trained and the results were clear to see.

  "These are some of the best marines I've ever come across, quick thinking, tough, and resourceful. We cannot let them down."

  A low-pitched pulse echoed through the ship, and immediately caught the attention of those in the fortified canteen.

  "That doesn't sound good," said Khan.

  Both of them looked down and noticed the pattern of white and blue shifting on the floor. It was as though the ship was itself a living thing, with power circulating like blood through a living host. The patterns moved, the lighter colours heading for the doors, even the locked one. Khan moved his attention from Spartan and back to the doorway. It pulsed white and then broke apart as though made from ice.

  Two Mavericks moved in on each side of the frame. Four IAB marines stayed back, but trained their weapon on the opening. Sergeant Tyler, now beside his lieutenant had fallen right back into his role.

  "Marines, to your positions. Keep your heads down and your sights low."

  He seemed agitated, perhaps even a little apprehensive. A single marine moved into the gap with a SAAR robot at his side. A pair of engineers followed with welding gear and repair patches that could extend and fill the breach. Khan pointed into the blackness, using his armour's built-in lamps to give the man light.

  "Secure that breach, fast!"

  He then looked to Spartan.

  "Whatever's out there, followed us."

  "Yeah, and it intends on finishing us off, once and for all."

  Khan chuckled.

  "Big mistake!"

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  During the Great Uprising, the fiery world of Prometheus had been a secret research and manufacturing complex. In the decades since that violent war, the facilities at Prometheus have been enlarged to include dozens of automated factories, as well as some of the most efficient shipyards in the Alliance. Citizens of the Alliance work side by side to produce some of the best weapons, armour, and equipment ever seen. Even more incredible is that the garrison for this Alliance world is made up from the synthetic warriors created there originally. The Red Watch was the toughest and most deadly infantry unit in the Alliance, and only a fool would consider attacking it.

  The Fires of Prometheus

  Unidentified Derelict, Sector Sixteen, T’Karan

  Spartan checked the status of his weapons and then called out on the company channel. It was still open and hadn't been breached, at least as far as he could tell. He gave simple hand signals, something that worked better than speaking when under pressure, and even better when the tactical network was down. The marines responded instantly and fanned out, creating a strong layered defence through this e
ntire section of the ship. Overlapping arcs of fire from behind the barricades covered even the secured doors.

  "All units, we are under heavy attack. Remember your training and listen to your officers. Dig in and hold your positions. There is nowhere for us to retreat. We will hold this position, no matter what comes at us."

  As soon as the marine reached the blackness of the doorway, something reached out and plucked him off his feet. He vanished, screaming off into the distance and well out of view. A triple blast of energy from a plasma based weapon crashed into the SAAR robot before its turret-mounted weapon could even begin scanning for possible targets. Spartan extended his right arm and took aim with the pair of coilguns.

  "Protect the breach, now!"

  Khan took three steps closer, looked into the darkness, and then lurched back. Three gunshots blasted his armour, leaving burning hot projectiles embedded in his plating. A Maverick marine would probably have been looking for cover, and an IAB marine would quite simply be dead already, but not Khan. It served little more than to anger him.

  "Fire!" Khan shouted.

  More marines moved around him as he steadied himself, and then returned fire with the powerful L56 Mark III assault gun. This shoulder-mounted coilgun was the same piece of equipment mounted on armoured vehicles, and also on some JAS armour. It featured five short barrels, each fed by a pair of ammunition feeds leading directly into the armour. Like the weapons on the Maverick suits, this was also fitted to a rotating gimbal. The magnetically launched hardened slugs slammed into shapes as they surged through the breached opening and threw themselves at the three Mavericks.

  "Drop 'em!" shouted Spartan.

  Spartan braced himself; at the same time lifted both of his arms and pointed them at the gap. He was forced to pause for a second as his field of view was filled with the shapes of marines and machines, but then he had a clear target. The muzzles of the paired coilguns blasted away, filling that gap with death.

  "Weapons free."

  Dozens of guns opened up, adding their own distinctive damage to the unique materials used inside this ship. The XC1 carbine left small patches of burnt and corroded wall, and the coilguns ripped off chunks the size of a marble. The arched doorway took the brunt of the fire, the majority of the rounds striking off into the darkness beyond. Those that missed the centre target struck the edge of the frame, quickly turning the edges to mush.

  Khan continued to stagger back, but even though he'd been knocked off balance, that would do nothing to keep him out of the fight. For a second it appeared he might stumble, but as he slid back, his weapons were firing almost continually. So much ammunition was being expended that the coolant unit built into the gun's system began to steam; yet he refused to back down.

  "Hold the line, no matter the cost!"

  As he fired, he could see more shapes moving around them, except these were showing as above and below their current position. Until now the armour hadn't detected them, and now they were too close for him to respond.

  You fool, they've spent hours cutting their way through the decks above and below. Screw the vents and shafts; they are coming in. You've been outflanked!

  "Watch the floor and ceiling!"

  A panel above him and Khan smashed open and out dropped a robotic fighting machine. It was as big as a man and landed in front of Spartan.

  "Out of my way!"

  With a swing that came from the waist and shoulder, Spartan slammed his fist into the machine. The heavy impact sent it more than a metre away, yet even as its feet hit the ground, it began to right itself. Khan grabbed it and tore off a limb with his hands. He then struck it in the chest and took aim with his shoulder-mounted cannon. The gunfire was ferocious, with flames stretching from the barrel muzzles out to the thing.

  More shapes hurtled through the doorway, but they stood no chance against the gunfire. A squad of marines moved in to support Spartan. The others fell back, giving them the space to manoeuvre and to keep away from the machines. The lighting faded and turned to dark blue, leaving the only source of light to that provided by the marines and their suits. In a corridor it would have been fine, but inside here, the spacious communal area concealed dozens of hiding places and points where little light would reach.

  A great light blue pulse appeared, and then black lines spread along the floor. It seemed to be another pattern, until a metallic arm pushed up from the black line.

  "Watch the floor! They're coming through!" Sergeant Tyler shouted.

  Two panels ripped open and out climbed more of the machines. One grabbed the Sergeant’s leg and with a sickening sound snapped the bones in one movement. He screamed in pain while aiming his carbine at the chest of the nearest.

  "Help him!" Spartan hollered.

  Another machine blocked his path, and he barged the thing, pinning it to the wall. At the same time, Sergeant Tyler fired at his assailant, and the magnetically shielded rounds of super-heated plasma burned through its carapace with ease. Sparks and chunks of burnt metal flew off, and still he continued to fire. Every shot blew out chunks of metal like the corrupted flesh of a long-dead body.

  Khan grabbed the man with one arm and yanked him from the ground while simultaneously blasting those coming from below.

  "Come with me!"

  It was far from subtle, and the Sergeant groaned in pain as he was hurled away from the fight. Khan, Spartan, and the other Mavericks had formed up into a loose line in the middle of the communal area. Spartan used that brief moment to look throughout the rest of the cavernous interior. Another dozen marines moved in, but it was a scattered mess as machines appeared from all around. Even so, the marines refused to back down, some standing, others kneeling, and just as many taking cover behind the dust-covered barricades sheltering the long dead remains of Byotai soldiers.

  "Drive them out!"

  More panels opened up, the suits’ sensors barely detecting the shapes above them. More of the things dropped down amongst them, swinging their arms and blasting with powerful guns. Spartan spotted one fire a shot at an IAB marine that removed the head in a single burst. He targeted the machine and tore it to pieces with gunfire from the HEC-1 cannon.

  "Hold your positions!"

  Something bright blue flashed behind, and then marines began shouting. One screamed and Spartan spun around. In the centre of the area was the machine, and this time it was bathed in the lights of dozens of marines. The form was still partially obscured by the pulsing distortions covering it from head to toe, but he could see it had fused the armour and weaponry from the destroyed Maverick suits and Grunts to make itself even larger and more powerful.

  It was distracting us. The Grunts were to keep us busy, nothing more, all so it could drop in when we were at our weakest. Clever, very clever!

  For all the machine’s intelligence, there was nothing it could do about the raw, violent nature of Spartan. Over the years he'd fought as a gladiator on the illegal fighting circuit, joined the Marine Corps, and even covertly commanded the Biomechs into battle. Nothing frightened him anymore, and with his family gone, there was nothing more to him than his comrades nearby, and the mission.

  "Kill it, end this, now!"

  Khan attempted to join him, but a pair of machine-controlled Grunts dropped down from another breached ceiling panel. He blasted one, but the second hit him in the chest, and the two collapsed into a heap on the ground. Spartan kicked the Grunt hard with his left leg, laughing as he watched his metal limb snap the Grunt's left arm with one quick movement.

  "I've got this one. Finish the beast!" Khan shouted.

  Spartan spun about as quickly as the Maverick armour would allow him. Three IAB marines were right next to the creature and all were striking it hard with their carbines. A single Maverick punched away with its hammer fists. To Spartan surprise, the physical attacks seemed to be having an effect. Each blow sent dark blue shudders through its form.

  Now!

  Being this close, and inside the Maverick armour, g
ave him a feeling of both power and fear. The armour amplified his strength to incredible levels, but he was also inside and vulnerable. As always, he didn't hesitate and rushed at the creature, sending every ounce of power from his muscles to the legs.

  Kill it now, and this fight is over.

  Spartan opened fire with his arm-mounted guns, but a Grunt jumped in his path and absorbed most of the fire before he could make a difference. Spartan was at the Grunt in just a few more steps and blasted the machine apart with his HEC cannon. He barely slowed down as he threw the shattered carcase to one side and kept going for the creature. He took aim with his cannon, but the Maverick was in the way, still smashing its fists into the thing. A piece the size of a man's head broke off and hit the ground, but the creature dropped to one knee and pushed one of its articulated arms onto the floor. The surface pulsed with energy, and the broken section rebuilt itself before his eyes.

  What the hell is that thing?

  He was close now, no more than three metres away, when the Maverick opened fired with its own HEC-1 cannon. The overloaded blast hit the creature with incredible force. Blue and while light pulsed around the creature as though it had just been hit with a massive surge of energy. Spartan covered another metre, anticipating the creature falling or being knocked back by the gunfire, but instead of hurting it, the energy from the plasma-based weaponry appeared to be having the opposite effect.

  Spartan kicked down and leapt up high, his hammer arms activated and ready to strike. He flexed his muscles, preparing for the killing blow. At that moment another shot hit it in the chest, and the entire body of the creature increased into a bright white shape until it unleashed the pent up energy in a devastating blast of raw power. Spartan made contact with the entity at the same time as the energy coalesced into a bright blue lance of energy that flashed out towards the group.