Metal and Ash (Apex Trilogy)

by Jake Bible

  “Did you open your mouth?” Bisby asked. “Then I’m sure it’s your fault.”

  “A group of living dare to enter the caverns,” One Arm said. “That is their mistake.”

  “Oh, good, so it wasn’t something I did,” Masters said. “That’s a relief. So, One Arm, these living, they wouldn’t happen to be other mech pilots would they?”

  “I have seen them before,” One Arm said. “They come from the Stronghold.”

  An image flashed in Bisby’s head. “It’s Murphy and her team.”

  The mini-mechs started to march, followed by the few full sized mechs that maintained them.

  “Heading out for some fresh air?” Masters called after them. “Not up to talking? I understand that. Always good to get your head in the right space before kicking up the boom-boom.”

  “Can’t you shut up for five seconds?” Bisby growled.

  “I quip therefore I am,” Masters smiled then frowned as One Arm turned and followed the other mechs. “Uh, Biz, where ya going? I was just playin’!”

  “One Arm!” Bisby shouted. “Turn your ass around now!”

  The shock came hard and strong and Bisby’s conscious mind fled the world.

  “Biz!” Masters shouted. “BIZ!”

  ***

  “Hey, folks,” Jethro said over the com. “I can tell by the com chat and your vital signs that you might be heading in to combat.”

  “You’re not going to be talking in our ears the whole time are you?” Murphy asked as she and her team prepared to repel into the crevice. “Because that would be what is technically called ‘distracting’.”

  “Just hang up here with the big guy and stay off our coms,” Sol said. “We got this.”

  The team descended into the darkness below.

  “That was not very nice to say,” Stomper stated. “You were just trying to help.”

  “I know, right?” Jethro said. “I have skills. I can help coordinate. I can tell if maybe their vital signs are spiking too high. I can analyze what their vid cams are seeing and what their sensors are picking up.”

  “You could not do any of that anyway,” Stomper said. “Because of the interference.”

  “True,” Jethro said. “ Good point. Thanks, Stomper, that does make me feel a little better. We should hang more.”

  “I would like to hang more, Jethro,” Stomper said. “But first I must be ready for battle.”

  “Oh, I doubt it will make it all the way up here,” Jethro said. “We are talking about Murphy’s team, Mitch, Harlow and Bisby. I can almost guarantee that the action will stay below.”

  “STOMPER!” Murphy called over the com, her voice broken with static. “PULL US UP! DO IT NOW! NOWNOWNOW!”

  Stomper grabbed the lines and lifted the team into the air. “Are you being pursued?”

  Several RPGS whizzed by Stomper and he ducked low, letting the projectiles fly off and detonate in the valley.

  “Get them in the Hybrid!” Jethro ordered. “I’ll take over from here!”

  Stomper walked the dangling team over to the Hybrid and set them down gently. They all scurried inside the safety of the metal.

  “Get strapped in, people!” Jethro ordered. “I’m eyes, ears and guns. Just do what I say and I’ll get you back to the Stronghold alive!”

  Stomper peered over the edge of the crevice, ducking and dodging RPGs as they came at him.

  “Whatcha see, Stomper?” Jethro asked.

  “Mechs,” Grendetti answered for the mech. “A fuck ton of mechs.”

  “Mechs? What the fuck are you-?” Jethro didn’t finish as Stomper jumped back and an army of mini-mechs climbed out of the crevice, half headed for Stomper the other half for the Hybrid.

  Then the full sized mechs came up.

  “Oh, those mechs,” Jethro said.

  ***

  Masters quickly realized he was all alone. The mechs that were left in the cavern were obviously not operational.

  “So what’s a mech pilot to do when he doesn’t have a mech and isn’t sure where his girlfriend is?” Masters asked out loud. He looked about the cavern, found a broken strut that was just the right size, grabbed it and turned back towards the Great Maker’s lab. “Guess I have to go beat the fuck out of one seriously messed up cyborg with a God complex.”

  Masters slapped the strut against his palm.

  “Ow.”

  Eighteen

  “I want video now, Jethro!” Capreze called out as he joined Mathew, Jay, Marin, Rachel, June and Themopolous in the command room. “Every angle you have!”

  “I have all external cams on the Hybrid operating, of course,” Jethro said as several vid screens came up showing various views of the wasteland valley. “Then I also have what Stomper sees.”

  “Hello, everyone,” Stomper said as his cams came online. “I am sorry more of you cannot join in this battle. There will be a lot of action. I believe it will be fun.”

  “Spoken like a mech,” Jay said.

  “Where did they all come from?” Mathew asked.

  “You all have your tablets?” Jethro asked. “Good. Full briefing on what I know about the Great Maker is on there now.”

  They all studied the info between glances at the vid screens. It was hard to take in what Jethro was feeding them while the vids showed wave after wave of mini-mechs converge on Stomper and the Hybrid.

  “They aren’t gonna make it,” Rachel said solemnly. “They don’t have enough firepower.”

  “They have Stomper,” Marin said. “And Jay and I put a lot of work into that Hybrid. It can stand a beating.”

  “But they aren’t mech pilots,” Capreze said. “This kind of warfare is different.”

  “They have experience taking down deaders without tons of metal around them,” June put in. “They’re a lot tougher than you’re giving them credit for.”

  “Right, but fighting mechs, even mini-mechs is-,” Mathew started to say.

  “Guys! Shut the fuck up and watch!” Jethro snapped. “Sure I can process trillions and trillions of streams of data at once, but you’re bugging the fuck out of me!”

  “Look who’s talking now,” Jay mumbled.

  “Numbers?” Capreze asked.

  “I thought just a couple dozen mini-mechs, but it looks like more,” Jethro said. “My count is 41 minis and fifteen full sized.”

  The group stayed very silent.

  “Prayers might help,” Themopolous suggested.

  No one disagreed.

  ***

  Stomper decided to save his ammo and just use brute force. He didn’t want to run his guns empty and need them later. That was what Harlow had taught him. If you could smash the fuck out of your enemy then there was no need to even think of drawing a weapon.

  “I implore you all to think this through,” Stomper bellowed over his loudspeakers. “We are all mechs here.”

  The minis didn’t listen. Ten went right at Stomper, their guns firing at his legs, aimed right for his hydraulics. Stomper leapt into the air and came down hard leaving only three minis operational. He did what his name implied and then there was only one mini, but that guy was less than functional.

  Unfortunately, Harlow’s tactics were for head-on battle. She never thought to teach him about the bait and switch.

  When the full size mechs blasted the backs of his legs, Stomper felt half his hydraulic capabilities go out.

  “Oh, dear,” Stomper said. “This is not good.”

  ***

  “How many are going to get through, Jethro?” Lt. Murphy asked as the team watched RPG after RPG and missile after missile fly at the attacking mechs. “More importantly, how much damage can this thing take when they do get through?”

  “I’ll keep them back,” Jethro said.

  “Anyone else a bit claustrophobic right now?” Kafar asked. “Is it just me? I mean this thing feels like a coffin with legs.”

  “Shut up, Kafar,” Sol ordered. “Keep your shit together.”

  �
��Oh, I got my shit, Sol,” Kafar laughed. “My shit is tight. Just making an observation before I die.”

  “I’m with Kafar on this one,” Grendetti said. “I sure would rather have boots on dirt right now.”

  “Not happening,” Murphy said although she was right there with her men on that one. Even running across the barren valley was more appealing than being trapped in an armed tin can. She should have known that even as a Hybrid, mechs were for pilots. Freedom was how her team worked.

  “I’m giving you one chance, Jethro,” Murphy spoke up. “The first hint this bucket is going down and I’m getting my team out of here.”

  “There’s nowhere to go, Lt,” Jethro replied.

  “That’s why we’re called ‘special’, Jethro,” Murphy said. “We make places to go, we don’t wait for them to appear.”

  “Got that right, Lt,” Grendetti said. “I say we bug the fuck out now.” The first RPGs got through and started to impact against the Hybrid’s armor. “Or we could stick around for a while. I’m good with that.”

  ***

  Stomper kicked out and crushed the front frame of a full sized mech. It’s cockpit caved in and the thing toppled over backwards. Alarms blared as Stomper’s pressure gauges began to spike. He could see that he would lose his right knee hydraulics in less than five minutes.

  “I must improvise,” Stomper said. “Do not rely on what I can do, but focus on what the enemy cannot do.”

  Having Harlow for a pilot for the past few months had paid off for the giant mech.

  Three full mechs converged on Stomper from different sides. He knew he couldn’t take all three at once, so he picked the one he perceived to be the strongest and attacked.

  One thing the unlucky mech couldn’t do was leap out of the way of Stomper’s extensive reach. It brought up its guns, but was too late. Stomper gripped the mech in its hand and then turned and tossed it at the mech right behind him. The two machines collided in an explosion of metal and fire.

  “Hot damn!” Jethro shouted. “That’s using your nuts and bolts, man!”

  “I do not believe this is the time for vulgarity, Jethro,” Stomper said as he focused on the third mech.

  “No, that’s not what I meant,” Jethro protested. “Oh, never mind. Just crush that fuck!”

  Stomper attempted to do just that, but the third mech proved to be much faster than anticipated. A quick scan showed the mech’s hydraulics to be bunched and coupled in a way that Stomper had never seen.

  “I am sending analysis back to the Stronghold,” Stomper said as he took an RPG in the mid-section. “Chief Mechanic Jay Rind may be interested in the design of this mech’s leg systems.”

  Academic and engineering interest aside, Stomper realized he had to disable the mech’s mobility or he would not survive long. The thing was fast and was landing too many shots to Stomper’s critical areas.

  Stomper stood to full height and watched the mech leap and land, leap and land. On the next landing, Stomper timed a stomp and the valley floor shook and shuddered. The mech landed on unstable ground and faltered. Stomper didn’t waste time. He scooped up the mech and twisted the thing into two parts, sending both parts flying deep into the wasteland.

  As proud as Stomper was of his tactical analysis, he didn’t have time to gloat, even if his AI was capable, because the next wave of minis hit him low and hard.

  ***

  Far below the battle on the valley floor, Mitch Masters was faced with a dilemma.

  “Promise to stop with the silent treatment,” Masters said as he stood over a pissed off Harlow strapped to a lab table. “That’s all I’m asking.”

  “Goddammit, Mitch!” Harlow spat. “I don’t know where the fucker went! He could be back any second! Stop fucking around!”

  “My gut says that the only thing the Great Maker is great at is running and hiding,” Mitch said. “I’m sure he’s ten caverns away by now.”

  “MITCH!” Harlow roared.

  “No more silent treatment,” Masters said as he casually swung the broken strut back and forth. “Just say it.”

  “I haven’t been giving you the silent treatment,” Harlow hissed. “I have spoken to you every single day.”

  “Oh, I’m not talking about those lips,” Masters grinned.

  “You son of a bitch,” Harlow shouted as she strained at her bonds. “Cut me the fuck loose or I swear you will never, ever, as long as I fucking live, get one fucking glimpse at my pussy again! EVER!”

  “So what youare saying is night sex is cool as long as the light’s off?”

  “Not even if you were the last cock standing, asshole.”

  “Okay, that’s kinda the opposite of what I was talking about,” Masters said. A clang and thump from deep in the cavern made Masters hurry to the table. “Just kidding. Seriously. All just a joke.”

  Harlow had to keep herself from kicking the shit out of Masters as soon as she was freed from the table.

  “You do know I was joking, right?” Masters asked as he watched Harlow arm herself with her two long blades that had been tossed on a scrap pile against the wall. “Oh, Jeezus, I’m so gonna die.”

  “Shut up, you fucking baby,” Harlow said. “I won’t cut your nuts off until we get back to the Stronghold. Too many people would pay to watch. Not gonna waste that opportunity.”

  “What people?” Masters asked as he watched Harlow sprint further into the cavern, headed towards the clang. “Where the fuck are you going? The way out is back that way!”

  ***

  Nothing illuminated the cavern as the Great Maker sprinted around bend after bend, his eyes seeing all. He counted his way, knowing the maze of twists and turns like the back of his metal framed hand. His destination was just in reach.

  “MAKER!” Harlow yelled from way back in the cavern. “I’M COMING FOR YOU!”

  “You’ll never make it,” the Great Maker snarled as he came to his proudest creation. “Not in a million years.”

  Couplers were disconnected and geothermal steam hissed throughout the cavern. Quick tests showed hydraulic levels and vital fluids to be optimal. The smell of rotten death was everywhere and the Great Maker breathed deeply, savoring the aroma of his creation.

  He climbed aboard into the central space designed just for him. He had known the day would come when Capreze’s people would find him. They were vermin of the wasteland and all vermin found a way in eventually.

  As the Great Maker settled himself into the pilot’s space, hose threaded out and twisted into ports in his legs and arms. Bolts whirred their way into the tips of his fingers as cables stretched and connected. His entire head was encompassed in metal, connectors pressing into his red eyes, finalizing the integration with the machine.

  The one story, eight-legged machine crawled its way out of the cavern, stretching its legs and gaining height as the cavern widened around it.

  ***

  Harlow skidded to a stop and held her hand back. Masters nearly impaled himself on the blade she held, but stopped in time.

  “May want to give a heads up,” Masters said. “Little dark in here you know.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Mitch,” Harlow whispered.

  “Is this how it’s gonna be from now on?” Masters asked. “Because you have to know how sorry I am. Seriously, I-.”

  “Shhhh!” Harlow scolded. “Listen!”

  A clanging sound echoed through the cavern’s serpentine path and Harlow took off after it.

  Masters sighed and struggled to keep up with her. “Jeezus, does she have fucking night vision?”

  ***

  “Fuck you!” Bisby shouted as One Arm closed on the Hybrid. “I’m not letting you take down my people!”

  “There is no way to stop me,” One Arm replied. “I have command of all systems. You are not strong enough to override my AI.”

  “Hey, Biz,” Jethro said over the com. “How’s things?”

  “Bite my dick, Jethro,” Bisby said. “Not the time.”

/>   “Well, I think it is the time,” Jethro said. “There is a way to override the AI.”

  “I will fry his cerebral cortex before he can even try,” One Arm stated.

  “Yeah, I don’t think so,” Jethro said.

  One Arm was only paces from the Hybrid. The mech lifted his arm, ready to slam the new machine into the dirt, as the Hybrid was too busy with the mini-mechs surrounding it to see the danger.

  “Hey, Stomper? Got a second?” Jethro called out.

  “Not at this particular moment,” Stomper replied as he danced and dodged about the mini-mechs attacking it. The smaller mechs were like scavengers fighting for their piece of meat. There was no coordinated attack, just pure, violent chaos.

  “I just need you to tell Biz how Masters overrode your AI,” Jethro said. “Any pointers would be helpful.”

  “He was Mitch Mother Fucking Masters,” Stomper said. “That was all he needed.”

  “You got that, Biz?” Jethro said. “You can do it.”

  “My AI will be fully operational in minutes,” One Arm said. “At that time you will not be able to stop me. I will burn your brain from your skull.”

  Bisby concentrated, but it was like pressing his balls against a wall of needle sharp nails. The pain was excruciating and threatened to knock him into unconsciousness.

  “No go, Jethro,” Bisby said, gasping for air. “This fucker is too strong.”

  “Okay, well I tried, Biz,” Jethro said. “It was good knowing you. We’ll be sure to keep the fact you gave up off your memorial plaque.”

  “Fuck you,” Bisby snarled. “Your bullshit psychology is not helping.”

  “No, no, of course not,” Jethro said. “There is nothing that can help. The metal won, Biz. You got taken down from the inside by a deader. I am sorry.”

  Bisby knew exactly what Jethro was doing. It was so blatantly childish. But being taken down by a deader? Images of Stanislaw being eaten by the very machine Bisby was in pushed to the front of his mind. Thoughts of all the destruction the deader had wrought on survivor pockets across the wasteland. He couldn’t just roll over.