by R. E. Graham
"Wasn't that the fugitives?" one middle aged man asked.
"I couldn't tell" another onlooker said to the confused group of people.
One older woman reached for her communicator in her handbag while a younger man ran for KoP agents he knew were stationed nearby.
Varius had no idea where to go. "Don't die on me Eva."
He wandered aimlessly for several blocks until he saw a familiar sign. The small neon sign that read, "Sheila's Consignment Shop" was lit up down the street. Varius rushed to the store and walked inside. He used his elbow to close the door.
Thankfully it didn't look like any customers were inside. Sheila spotted the pair and rushed right over from behind her counter.
"What happened?" she asked as Varius bolted passed her and headed for the back of the store. Blood drips trailed behind him and the old woman covered her mouth as she began to grip the severity of Eva's injuries.
The Inquisitor tried to be very delicate as he gently laid the ex-inquisitor down on an old couch he found in the back. He used his free hand to swat aside a pile of clothes that were by her feet.
"Va...Varius..." Eva said as she tried to speak.
Sheila said, "I will get my medical box!" as she ran back behind her counter.
Varius took a shirt he found nearby and used it to apply pressure to Eva's stomach. She placed a pale hand on his and looked up at him. He knew what was about to happen, and he hesitated to look into her eyes.
"Varius...I don't have much time."
He swallowed hard and met her fading eyes.
"You can't...become Wrath."
"I won't" he said unconvincingly.
"You have to have faith...I believe you are special too. But you can't...join them." She coughed again, and a small amount of blood shot out of her mouth. "I...would have liked more time with you..."
"Me too" was all he could say as he fought back the emotions that swirled in his head.
"Have faith Varius. I will say hi for you to your family..." Eva said as her life ended and she breathed her last.
Sheila rushed up with a small red box in her hands. She knew she was too late, and tears swelled up in her eyes. "What happened?"
The Inquisitor took a deep breath as he placed his other hand on top of Eva's. He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed her knuckle. With gentle care he lowered her hand and then closed her eyelids.
"Where's my gun?" he asked the store owner with a growl in his voice.
Staying silent, Sheila shuffled off to retrieve the Inquisitor's belongings.
He turned back to his companion and felt deep regret try to overwhelm him internally.
Now is not the time to grieve. Right now, I need to push on. I'm going to kill them. All of them. I am going to make them pay.
Within Varius' mind he could hear Gladriel's voice. "I am so sorry Damien. You must resist your feelings. You are being tempted into losing yourself to your rage."
The Inquisitor shook his head. He stood up and turned around to see Sheila's arms loaded with his gear. Without a word he yanked it from her and began to change out of his civilian clothes.
Sheila wandered over to Eva and began to weep. "Oh darling" she said as she caressed her still face.
The Inquisitor slid on his uniform shirt and began to fix his armor in place. He checked his sidearm for ammo and slid it into his holster.
"I knew her since she was a child. The 'verse will be a much colder place without her..." she said before she began to cry deeply.
Varius didn't say another word to her as he finished dressing. He heard the front door open and quietly drew his pistol. In a flash he spun around the wall he was behind and aimed his firearm square at Liberty.
"Woah, woah, woah!" she said as she put her armored hands in front of her.
The Inquisitor lowered his gun but said nothing.
Knowledge walked around the bronze Keeper and saw the deceased woman.
"I'm sorry Varius" Liberty said when she too saw Eva.
"The Shadow Man got away with Seneca" the blue Keeper said with a disappointed tone. "I intercepted a transmission from Seneca to Legatus Aquilas saying that you attacked him and his men. I believe they are going to retreat to the KoP compound."
The Inquisitor just glared at him, his reflection distorted in the curvature of the Keeper's face plate.
"What are you going to do now?" Knowledge asked.
Varius angrily stormed off for the front door. "If they are at the compound, then I am going to storm the castle."
"How?" Liberty asked her fellow keeper. "He can't just walk in there."
Knowledge looked on as the Inquisitor exited the store. "He's heading for his WarMech. Things are about to get messy Lib. We need to be ready to move when the shooting starts. This time we can't let the Shadow Man escape."
Chapter 34
Cycle: 412 Month: 7 Rotation: 16
Prefecture: Siimon
Planet: Eden
Location: Downtown Lucifer
After he had been spotted by citizens in the shopping district carrying Eva, several KoP teams attempted to apprehend him. Two times he had gotten locked into a shootout and instead of fighting he would disengage as soon as he could and would evade being corralled.
I need to save as much ammo as I can for breaking into the compound.
After what felt like a blur in his mind, the Inquisitor had made it all the way back to the garage he housed his Spade in. He had desperately hoped that it had never been discovered.
Strangely, the small front door of the private garage had been left open. He checked around him but didn't see anything suspicious. Still, he drew his sidearm and entered cautiously.
As he instinctively checked corners and made his way inside, he noticed the repair shop's owner, Mr. Henshin, dead on the floor.
Looks like he was executed. Looks like fresh blood though. They could still be here...
“Marth, check for any life signs in the building.”
With gun up, Varius proceeded while trying to remain aware of every sound around him. He reached the bay door to enter the garage and saw two more bodies on the ground, blood everywhere.
He continued to check his corners and to remain alert as he approached the bodies. One was a man, the other a woman, both inquisitors and both were killed brutally.
"They were trying to steal your mech" a voice said out of the silence startling the Inquisitor.
Looking up with his gun aimed ahead of him he saw Envy lounging on top of his Spade. "I couldn't allow them to interfere with what you're about to do, so I killed them for you."
Varius' eyes burned with fury at the sight of the Vice.
"I understand you are angry, and rightfully so. Yet again someone you cared about was stripped away from you." Envy jumped to the ground and stood up tall. The remnants of what once were wings stretched out a little before they went back into place. "I know what it is like to have something you care about torn away from you. Unlike me, I am giving you a choice to right the wrongs you have endured."
The Inquisitor slowly lowered his firearm and relaxed his posture some.
"The Shadow Man and Seneca will both be at the compound. You already know this. What you don't know though..." he paused for dramatic effect. "...is that the Shadow Man is the one who killed your family."
Varius' anger boiled intensely in his body. Envy smirked as he could smell the emotion washing over the man before him. The Vice reached into his tattered cloak and pulled out an amulet on a blacken chain.
"Right now, you can make the choice to become Wrath and be bestowed with incredible power. Power that you can use to bring justice to your family and to Eva."
The Inquisitor stared at the amulet as it began to glow. Everything in his body wanted him to reach out and take it. To harness any resource possible to crush those responsible for the pain in his life. But the nagging memory in his mind of Eva telling him to have faith kept him from reaching out.
Without a word
he walked away and headed for the metal steps that led up to the Spade's torso. As he neared the war machine, Marth automatically opened the cockpit.
"Do what you must Damien. But know that you can still choose to accept my offer. I will be watching for your victory" Envy called up to the man as he entered the cockpit and sealed it shut.
Once inside, Marth began to synchronize with his remnant self that monitored the WarMech's systems when not in use. As the mech's engine fired up and the multitude of systems kicked on the main monitors in front of Varius turned on. Envy stood below with arms crossed.
"Engine activated. Weapons on standby. All systems operational" the AI said. As it spoke it manipulated the repair shop's systems and had the external supports moved, clearing a path for the Spade to exit.
The Inquisitor flicked a switch to his right.
"Weapons live" Marth responded.
"Open the doors" Varius said aloud to his AI.
The large metal bay door began to slide upwards and rolled itself up.
Envy took a step to the side as the Spade began to stomp its way out of the bay and out onto the street. He allowed himself a sinister grin as he watched the deadly WarMech head straight towards trouble.
Chapter 35
Cycle: 412 Month: 7 Rotation: 16
Prefecture: Siimon
Planet: Eden
Location: Downtown Lucifer
The ground beneath the black armored Spade shook with each monstrous step. While there were plenty of WarMechs designed by the nations of humankind, the Spade was made for one purpose, to destroy other WarMechs. Varius had been asked by plenty of other inquisitors why he chose the Spade when an inquisitor would rarely encounter enemy mechs in the field. He liked to respond with, "I don't only prepare for what is likely." Now his strange decision looked more like wisdom in light of the coming battle.
Eden's citizens could recognize the emblem of the inquisitor's order on the WarMech's chest, but they still made sure to give it plenty of clearance as it jogged down the road.
"Inquisitor, there are Keepers of Peace patrol forces on their way to intercept us" Marth said through the internal speakers within the cockpit.
"Do you detect any of their mechs?"
"Negative. Only patrol units in vehicles. I expect small arms fire at worst."
"Then they are of no concern to us" Varius said as he gripped his two joysticks tighter.
Two KoP patrol vehicles with strobing lights blocked his path in the intersection up ahead. Agents had gotten on either side while the commanding officer gripped a microphone that was patched through his vehicles loud system.
"Unidentified WarMech, you are to power down and exit immediately."
Varius throttled up to the WarMech's full speed. The agents narrowly dodged to the side as their large vehicles were crushed beneath the Spade's heavy feet. Shards of glass exploded outward from the pressure of the carnage.
Up ahead was the intersection that led straight to the compound. One of the oncoming drivers noticed the menacing WarMech and slammed on her brakes. This caused a collision when the hovercar behind her smashed into her vehicle’s rear bumper. Varius continued to run right up to the accident then triggered his jumper pack on his Spade's back launching the heavy assault WarMech up into the air and over the chaotic scene below. It's knees automatically flexed in anticipation of the jolt of the weight of the deadly machine suddenly impacting the ground.
Long ago, WarMechs were slow moving graceless machines of war. They were more like walking tanks than anything else. Advancements in technology had helped shape them now more into a more complex piece of equipment that could interact with its environment in a much different way than previously possible. Nowadays the more time a pilot interacted with their mech's on-board artificial intelligence, whether actual deployments or in simulations, the more the mech became more fluid in its motions and capabilities.
Varius had ridden with Marth since he was promoted to be a pilot, even before he was a full inquisitor in the order. The two had been on many missions together and had interacted extensively through his time as an inquisitor.
"Marth, pull up the deployment of the KoP forces and be as detailed as you can."
"Yes Inquisitor."
Using the satellites positioned above the planet's atmosphere and data from the KoPs own system, Marth was able to display the requested information. The small radar screen to his right changed to a holographic image of the compound up ahead and showed a pair of Sentrys guarding the main compound along with two Sierras. A pair of Enforcers were stationed at the front gate along with a large deployment of foot troops and vehicle support. A squad of four VTOL aircraft were just taking off and were positioning themselves as air support above the base. While in the middle of the compound stood a lone Enforcer.
I bet that one is Legatus Aquilas.
Outside of the compound on both the right and left was a team of one Sierra with one Sentry. Additionally, ahead of him was a team of three Sierras and one Sentry. All three of the teams were advancing straight for him.
This seems like quite a lot of firepower to be just stationed here at one compound. Must be because they were gearing up for martial law.
Despite the Spade being within long range of the KoP forces, no one had opened fire.
They probably don't want to instigate any more citizen uprisings by hitting civilians.
He slowed his Spade down and came to a stop. The three teams of mechs outside the compound continued to advance.
"I count a total of twelve WarMechs with standard Keepers of Peace armaments, four VTOLs, eight armored track vehicles and one hundred and six armed agents" Marth said. "The likelihood of successfully engaging this many opponents is dangerously low. I suggest an alternative to attacking them head on."
"Nah" Varius said to the AI as he hit a button on a keypad to his right allowing him to speak through his external speakers. "I am Inquisitor Damien Varius. It has come to my attention that you are harboring a group of rogue Republic inquisitors along with Director Deetrich Seneca, and a known fugitive of the law. Power down your WarMechs and bring the traitors to me."
"Incoming transmission from Legatus Aquilas."
"Patch him through" Varius said as he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. His blood still boiled from his earlier anger.
The small screen on his right flashed and then shown the image of Tye Aquilas inside the cockpit of his WarMech. "Inquisitor Varius, what is the meaning of this madness?"
"I have information that you are harboring felons within your compound. I am requesting that you hand them over now."
"Or what?"
"Or I will destroy everyone in my path and I will take them from you."
The Legatus was taken back by the other man's stern confidence. "I was told by Director Seneca that you attacked his team only a short time ago. However, this does not change that you have already killed several of my people. For that, I cannot forgive you. Justice is on my side, and I will get my revenge."
"Have it your way."
Varius killed the connection and the screen went blank.
The teams of white KoP WarMechs continued to approach closer to him.
"Incoming transmission" Marth said coldly.
"Who is it from?"
"It appears to be from the Keeper of Knowledge."
"Put him through."
The image of the blue Keeper in his armor filled the small screen. It looked like Knowledge was sitting in some small room, but it was very dark around the Keeper and frankly he didn't care enough to examine it in depth as he kept his gaze at the ever advancing team of mechs.
"Inquisitor, what are you planning?"
"I am going to break into the compound and kill Seneca and the Shadow Man."
"How do you know the Shadow Man is there?"
"Envy told me."
"That sounds like a trap Varius."
The Inquisitor shrugged as he kept his focus on the road in front of him.
"Even if it is, I am not going to allow them to get away."
Knowledge nodded to himself. "Then we are going to help you."
"How?" Varius asked amusingly.
"Do you think you are the only one smart enough to prepare for a big fight?"
"Two WarMech signatures detected" Marth said above the chatter.
Varius looked to his display screen that showed the AI's radar and saw two icons deep in the city. One was identified as a Hunter and the other as a Spade.
He looked over at Knowledge who simply waved then the connection was cut.
Alright, so maybe this will work.
Chapter 36
Cycle: 412 Month: 7 Rotation: 16
Prefecture: Siimon
Planet: Eden
Location: Downtown Lucifer
As the KoP forces detected the Keepers WarMechs the advancing teams stopped. Varius could see the sunlight gleaming off of the all-white Sierras down the street from his position. Liberty and Knowledge had remained in place after they activated their mechs engines. Everything was now at a standstill.
"It is Legatus Aquilas again, Inquisitor" the AI announced.
The Inquisitor thought for a moment if he should even answer, but then decided against it. He reached over and manually allowed the transmission to connect to his mech.
When Aquilas again filled his side monitor, gone was the cool arrogance he exhibited moments ago. "Inquisitor, whose are these mechs we are detecting?"
"They are with me. Power down your forces and bring out the traitors before any blood is shed."
"You would really risk waging a battle within the city? Thousands of lives could be at stake right here and now" Aquilas said with a bit of shock in his voice.
"Justice must be served Legatus. Hand them over or know that you too are gambling your own life."
Marth cut in. "New WarMech detected in the compound."
Varius looked to his right and confirmed Marth's alert with his own eyes. A new Sierra positioned itself up by Aquilas' Enforcer. He zoomed in with his Spade's optics to see the all black mech was an obvious contrast to the glistening white of the Enforcer.
