Promises
Page 1
Promises
Book Four of Murphy’s Lawless
By
Kacey Ezell
PUBLISHED BY: Beyond Terra Press
Copyright © 2020 Kacey Ezell
All Rights Reserved
* * * * *
Get the free Four Horsemen prelude story “Shattered Crucible”
and discover other Chris Kennedy Publishing titles at:
https://chriskennedypublishing.com/
* * * * *
License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
* * * * *
Always to EZ, the hero of my story.
* * * * *
Cover Design by J Caleb Design
* * * * *
Contents
MISSION LOG
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue
About Kacey Ezell
Find out what’s coming from CKP!
The Caine Riordan Universe
Excerpt from Book One of The Psyche of War
Excerpt from Book One of the Revelations Cycle
Excerpt from Book One of the Salvage Title Trilogy
* * * * *
MISSION LOG
UPDATE, MISSION DAY 055
MAJOR R.Y. MURPHY, CO, RECORDING
SUMMARY AO DATA, 55 TAURI B 3 (R’Bak)
LOCAL YEAR: 672 SR (Date coding note: SR stands for “Since Rev.” Origin of “SR” uncertain. Could refer to spaceside locals’ first official recording of years (i.e., revolutions around the local star), the political revolts that compelled the SpinDogs to leave R’Bak, or the founding of their first rotational habitat, or rohab.)
LOCAL DATE: Day 048 (of 369) (Time sync note: Local days are only 18 hours. Consequently, the local year of 369 days is actually only 75 percent the duration of one Earth year.)
EARTH DATE: August 30, 2125 AD
PREOP/STRATEGIC SITREP (approximate):
Increasing competition among powers in the primary system (Jrar) may have prompted several nations on the main planet (Kulsis) to move up the timetable on exploitation of R’Bak during the imminent Searing. First mission arrived in this system (secondary star, Shex) 18 months earlier than on any previous Searing. ELINT and SIGINT both indicate that the OpFor is from Kulsis’ second largest power, which has an entente/détente relationship with the greatest/oldest/traditionalist power.
Due to OpFor’s early arrival at R’Bak, SpinDog and RockHounds (two different branches of the spaceside local population) had neither instituted full cessation of travel nor completed re-concealment of stationary assets. Many were compelled to go into hiding wherever they were, including various resource collection teams on the second planet, V’dyr, and one trade mission concluding business on R’Bak.
MISSION DAY UPDATES
000Ship carrying Lost Soldiers (Dornaani hull Olsloov) arrives in system, scans, discovers SpinDogs on far side of local sun (Shex). Observes, decodes comms. Language is quickly identified as a devolved form of Ktor as it was spoken almost 1,400 years ago (approximation only). Despite linguistic roots, Olsloov command staff deems it unlikely that the SpinDogs would become aggressive or that they have had any recent contact with the Ktoran Sphere.
001Contact made by Olsloov command staff. Purpose: acquire consumables.
002No response, but Spin/Rock ships move to avoid further LoS/lascom messages. Pickets of harvesters/raiders notice movement of the previously undetected Spin/Rock craft, begin maneuvering at extremely high gee (often 2–3, sustained) to effect intercept. Terran cadre analyzes the situation; Olsloov selectively jams OpFor broad-comms. Only transmission completed by OpFor was decrypted as “Investigating local anomaly; stand by for details.” Narrow-beam comms blocked by position of companion star (Shex), which occluded receivers located in the primary (Jrar) system.
003Sensor results from Olsloov indicate that OpFor’s hi-gee maneuvers are consistent with a) intercept of SpinDog craft and b) repositioning to clear transmission coordinates to Jrar. Capt. Mara Lee, USAF, is restored from cryogenic suspension to assist in battlefield support and liaison duty with SpinDog matriarchy.
004Contact established with Spin/Rock leadership using Dornaani translation system to update language from classic Ktor and to crack cyphers. Agreement reached. Compromised Spin/Rock craft adjust course to flee toward prearranged coordinates in outer system. Intercept trajectory for OpFor intersects optimal ambush point for Olsloov and her drones/ROVs. Captain Lee receives partial accelerated training in local language via virtuality immersion.
006OpFor pursuit elements ambushed by Olsloov at edge of outer system. Tech superiority of Olsloov and her deployed assets results in complete elimination of enemy hulls without loss or significant damage. In and near R’Bak orbit, Dornaani ROVs (with direct oversight from Captain Lee) assist Spin/Rock assets to eliminate small number of OpFor hulls (mostly interface transports) and sensors. Dornaani standoff drones eliminate two planetside comm arrays with potential to reach Jrar system.
007Olsloov arrives on-station at R’Bak, conducts close survey for further planetside comm facilities with inter-system capability. None located. AARs generated and shared between Olsloov and Spin/Rock cadres.
008Data sharing and first meetings between Olsloov and Spin/Rock leadership. Mutual support and joint operation agreements reached. Captain Lee is debriefed by Olsloov cadre and resumes accelerated language training via virtuality technology.
009Transfer of volatiles and other consumables to Olsloov commences. Captain Lee completes accelerated language training.
010Data packets for tech sharing and replication of 20th century Earth weapons and systems relayed to and declared operational by Spin/Rock automated production facilities. Examples of each system are provided from legacy examples carried aboard Olsloov. Legacy examples include helicopters, weapons, ammunition, simple electronics. Captain Lee commences training of first class of SpinDog rotary wing pilots.
013Major RY Murphy restored from cryogenic suspension. Debrief commences.
014Major Murphy debrief ends. Light company of Lost Soldiers detached for R’Bak ops is revived.
015R’Bak ops contingent (Lost Soldiers) commences accelerated language training aboard Olsloov. Olsloov and seeded (permanent) microsat net detect upswing in movement by advanced vehicles on surface of R’Bak.
016First planetside training sorties of SpinDog RWP pilots led by Captain Lee. Planetside movement increase is confirmed as OpFor activity. Spin/Rock intel assessment is that they are gathering resources to secure optimum construction site for transmitter capable of reaching Jrar system.
017Guildmother/Matriarch of leading Spin/Rock Family reported to Olsloov as MIA planetside on R’Bak while conducting undisclosed SAR ops in north polar extents. Capt. Lee is cleared for, and tasked to, effect recovery of Guildmother/Matriarch, attached personnel, and others requiring rescue.
018Capt. Lee’s recovery mission achieves objective while sustaining moderate casualties, but Guildmother/Matriarch had been mortally wounded prior to her arrival in AO.
019Olsloov cadre, Lo
st Soldier CO Murphy, and SpinDog leadership agrees to conops of joint contact and recruitment mission to R’Bak. Objective: gather sufficient indigenous forces and commandeer cached Kulsis equipment to disrupt and prevent OpFor construction of dirtside inter-system comm array. Spaceside requirements articulated; assets identified. Preps begin. Construction of improvised meteoritic assault capsules commences, with limited assistance from Dornaani and contemporary Terrans. Mission leadership selected and briefed. Training commences.
021Lost Soldier R’Bak detachment completes language training, skills assessment, physical readiness conditioning, and is officially stood up as an active unit. Designation pending.
022Olsloov completes replenishment activities, prepares for departure. Training for joint mission to R’Bak concludes. Objectives and targets updated. Final briefing.
023Olsloov departs.
024Mission dropship commences op with tug boost toward R’Bak along retrograde orbital track.
028Orbital insertion successful. Joint mission under command of Lt. Harold Tapper confirmed as maneuvering to establish contacts with Sarmatchani nomads.
036SpinDog transport shuttles conduct high angle insertion to R’Bak north polar regions, followed by subsonic overland NOE flight to convey task force under Cpt. Hubert Moorefield to border of Hamain desert region in northern hemisphere. Cpt. Moorefield establishes and assumes command of Camp Stark FOB, proximal to anticipated rendezvous point with Lt. H. Tapper.
045Lt. H. Tapper coordinates and conducts successful Sarmatchani strike against elements of J’Stull satrapy. Mission-critical Kulsian vehicle cache, along with relevant operational supplies, taken and being convoyed to elements from Camp Stark.
046Seized vehicles and supplies are transferred to Cpt. Moorefield, CO Camp Stark, at rendezvous point. J’Stull pursuit/attack repulsed after suffering heavy losses. Abandoned and reclaimable equipment includes APCs, light ACVs, and company-level personal gear, including Kulsian small arms. Note: otherwise unbreakable draught creatures (whinaalani) allow themselves to be ridden by our personnel. Casualties: 11 WIA, 1 WIA/ND (“non-deployable”), 4 KIA.
055Counter-intelligence operation carried out by Chalmers and Jackson interdicted J’Stull attempt at covert interception of strike assets en route to main objective from Camp Stark. (See Tab #1 in classified addenda.)
* * * * *
Prologue
Reminders of home are a double-edged sword.
For some reason, that thought popped into Mara’s head, fully formed and apropos of nothing as the song on her Walkman flipped from her usual hard-driving classic rock to a poppy, groovy number by Deee-Lite. Her son had loved the song, though he’d innocently missed all the innuendos involved in the lyrics. That’s how it worked when you were only four.
“Captain Mara Lee?”
Grateful for the distraction, Mara hit the pause button on the Walkman and pulled the headphones off. She levered herself up on her bunk and looked toward the figure silhouetted in the doorway.
“Yeah?”
“Major Murphy’s compliments, and he wishes to speak with you.”
A chorus of oohs arose from the other women in the bunk bay, and Mara snorted and grinned, despite the melancholy direction her thoughts had started to take. She got to her feet and lifted both middle fingers in response, laughing along with the others as they rolled over and went back to whatever they’d been doing. Mara shoved her feet into her boots and tied them quickly before walking toward the hatch, twisting her hair up into a bun as she went.
“Any idea what he wants?” she asked.
“No, ma’am,” the young man said, his accent crisp and British. He wore a khaki uniform and the insignia of a WWII-era commando. He was stiff, and seemed not entirely comfortable looking directly at her. Mara glanced down at her own attire and realized her sand-colored flight suit was unzipped nearly to her waist. She let out a tiny sigh and zipped it to the level of her nametag.
She’d been relaxing! Why did it suddenly feel like she’d done something wrong? A discontented mulishness trickled into her mind, and she fought to keep her facial expression pleasant, though, realistically, the best she could probably hope for was “neutral.” She’d always had a wicked case of “Resting Bitch Face.” Murphy never seemed to care, at least. She supposed that was a silver lining of sorts.
Mara followed the young Tommy to the section of the station Murphy had claimed for his headquarters.
Tommy rapped his knuckles on the door frame as the hatch slid open. He slipped inside. Mara heard the murmur of voices, but since she was standing back from the opening, she couldn’t make out distinct words, other than Tommy’s clipped, “Yes, sir.”
The young soldier stepped back out and turned to her. “You’re to go right in, ma’am.” He said it in that strange Brit way that made it sound like “mum.”
“Thank you,” she replied, resisting the urge to be sarcastic or otherwise snarky. Tommy couldn’t help what decade he’d been born in any more than she could. She flashed him a smile he probably didn’t see—given that he was still avoiding eye contact—and slid past him into the boss’ office.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” she asked.
“Bruce. Yes. Please come in. Have a seat.” Murphy gestured to the cluster of chairs and a small table that dominated one corner of the room. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, sir,” she said. “Thank you.” His use of her callsign indicated this wasn’t the most formal of meetings, but Mara still had no clue why he’d called her in. So, she sat, but lightly, balancing on the edge of her chair.
“How is the mission prep coming, Captain?”
Mara let out a breath and dutifully took him through the primary and contingency plans she and her fellow crews had worked up over the past few weeks. She was careful, thorough, and detailed, and damn sure she didn’t miss anything as she filled him in.
Murphy nodded thoughtfully, his eyes on the tabletop. Then he raised them so they were boring straight into her own.
“That sounds very promising. But it all hinges on one detail you’ve assumed in your report. Namely, that all the SpinDogs will show up to play their part.” He leaned back in his chair, his eyes unblinking as he waited for her response.
“They’ll be there, sir.” Mara fought not to fidget under his intense regard, looking directly into her commander’s eyes. “I can promise you that.” She could, too. She knew it as sure as she knew her own name.
“Promise. The biggest two-syllable word in the English language.” He still did not blink. “Strange word, too. Such a straightforward definition in the dictionary, and yet it always seems to have caveats and limitations connected to it. Like the promises made when people get married. Sometimes all the vows and oaths are kept, and no one gets surprised or hurt. But sometimes the words mean different things to different people, and they don’t realize it. Some people make promises knowing they’ll break them, or they already have—and there’s always the escape clause. Because it’s kind of hard to know just what ‘until death do us part’ means when, just a few months later, a couple can sign some papers and get a divorce.”
Finally, he smiled. “So, tell me, Bruce, how’s our marriage to the SpinDogs? Specifically, how’s that final oath? ‘Til death do us part?”
Mara saw the smile, saw the way it didn’t quite reach all the way to his eyes. She took a deep breath and straightened her spine.
“Sir,” she said slowly, careful to shade her tone with respect, “you made me their liaison. You’re asking me if we have a good relationship with them? Is that right? If they’ll fight beside us? I’m telling you they will, but from the way you’re asking the question, it sounds like you don’t quite believe me. Or maybe you want proof? Is that it?”
His smile became slightly brittle. “I don’t have a degree in theology, but I’m pretty sure that since a promise is a matter of free will, not even God could prove whether or not a person is going to keep it.” He leaned forward. “And, as
impressed as I am with your abilities, Bruce, I don’t think walking on water is likely to be one of them.
“However, you clearly believe that you know what the SpinDogs mean when they promise to be by our side in the coming shitstorm. So much so that you are clearly willing to risk your life on that understanding and their oath keeping. Even though you’ve only known them for a month or two.”
The remaining fragments of his smile disappeared. “I’ve watched you, Bruce. You don’t trust easily. Which I consider to be a good thing, particularly in this situation. And yet, you trust the SpinDogs more than you trust the majority of us. So no, I’m not asking for proof that they’re going to do what they say; I’m asking why you are so certain they will.”
He leaned back again. His expression was disturbingly neutral. “Maybe it’s time to tell me what really happened at the end of that training assignment. The whole truth, and nothing but the truth…so help you God.”
Mara froze and willed her face to stay blank, her eyes to be unwavering while her thoughts whirled and spilled over each other in a chaotic jumble. After an interminable moment, she inhaled slowly through her nose and forced herself to speak.
“All right,” she said. “You’re right, sir. There is more to the story than what’s in my report. But it’s not military details. It’s…personal.”
He didn’t move. He just waited with that penetrating gaze for her to begin.
* * * * *