by Thomas Davis
“Hold your fire!” Sam snapped. “Don’t kill anything until I say so. Got it?”
Edith rolled her eyes. “Got it.” Just then numerous purple lights began to populate the sky. Arez troop transport ships began to decend down. “Void! Are those reinforcements?”
“Oh no.” Sam’s face went white. “Jake. Chase. Get out of there right now.”
Inside the base Jake could hear a large group of Arez soldiers headed his way as he ran down a corridor. He didn’t slow his stride as he raced diagonally up the wall. The blue lines that accented his Versatile Layer glowed intensely as he made his way up the 30-foot wall and out of their field of vision. He stuck his sword into the wall, close to where it met the ceiling, to hold himself in place. The horde of Arez soldiers crowded the corridor as they jogged in the direction that he came from. Did they know that the Strike Team was here? He ceased his worry. Sam and Edith were more than capable of handling themselves. Right now, Chase was the one who needed his help. The boy was in way over his head and didn’t even realize it.
The Arez grunts kept coming. He needed to get moving but dropping down to the floor and fighting his way through them was not an option. He looked ahead along the wall to see that the rest of this part of the corridor was lined with windows. Damn-it why did it have to be windows, he thought. The last and only time Jake ran across glass was a total accident. He didn’t even realize he was doing it until he felt the sensation of the glass shattering behind him as he ran. He was just trying to save his friend. That desperation pushed him into unconsciously performing the now legendary act. All of his attempts to reproduce that feat had failed.
Now he had to do it again with a life hanging in the balance and unlike last time, he needed to make it across these windows without shattering them. The noise of breaking glass would draw the attention of the passing horde. There was no other way. The longer he waited the more likely it was for Chase to find his target and get himself killed. He adjusted the power output of the VL gear and took a deep breath.
Captain Takeda pulled the sword from the wall as he ran forward. The sudden burst of speed kept him from sliding back down the wall as he detached from it. He gulped as he approached the windows. A crack appeared in the first pane of glass as he stepped onto it. He shifted his weight and pressed forward. It didn’t shatter as he moved on to the next window. He was doing it. His mind was as clear as glass as he continued to run sideways with the fingers of his right hand lightly grazing the ceiling. I’m almost there. Just a few more steps. His right foot came down with slightly to much force as the thought entered into his mind his. The final pane of glass shattered sending shards down into the crowd of passing Arez soldiers.
Several soldiers looked up and spotted Jake then pointed their weapons as he rounded the corner out of the section of the corridor. He glanced back; already running scenarios and countermeasures in his mind. To Jake’s surprise the soldiers lowered their weapons then resumed their trek out of the base interior. Whatever they were running towards was far more important than him.
A scanning device on his right forearm lit up. He was close enough to pick up the energy signature of Chase’s VL gear. He finally knew exactly where the boy was. Jake increased his speed as he continued to run along the wall. Even if the Arez soldiers weren’t gunning for him, it was still best to remain a hard target. “I’m coming kid.”
***
Chase slowly opened his eyes and realized he was pinned beneath the rumble. He was lying on his back. He stared up at the hole in the warehouse roof, conscious of his broken leg. I can’t let it end like this. I have to keep fighting, he thought. He frantically attempted to push the debris from off his chest to get himself free. The Crimson Death slowly stood from the rubble clutching his wounded side. He towered over Chase for a moment watching him struggle. He crouched down over Chase’s chest placing his knees on his arms to restrict his movement. He stared down at him.
“You will never win.” Chase said in a tired angered voice.
“You fought well boy.” The Crimson Death replied. “There is no shame in this defeat.” Chase balled his fist. He didn’t want praise from his mortal enemy he wanted his blood. The Crimson Death wrapped his large left hand around Chase’s neck, “I do not remember your father child,” he tightened his grip. “But I am sure that he died fighting. Bravely.”
Chase stared up at the large red man calmly choking him. He still wanted to fight. He had a goal that he couldn’t fail at accomplishing. He had been through too much to let things end like this. The world began to fade. His field of vision grew darker and darker until…
***
Outside Sam and Edith watched as the Arez forces loaded themselves into the transports. The invading forces were leaving Titan. They would later learn that Agatha Park was redeployed for a secret mission. She was sent to Metis, a moon orbiting Jophiel, with a small fleet to lead an assault on the Arez colony there. High Command discovered that the Arez vanguard had over committed to taking Titan and left Metis nearly undefended. Metis was an agricultural moon that fed half of the Arez forces warring in Terran space. The Arez were forced to pull their armada back to Metis to defend their food supply. They couldn’t leave their ground troops on Titan without air support so they had to issue a full retreat. The battle was over for the time being. It was hard to believe standing on the pastel dunes of Titan but the Terran Space Force had just won the day.
***
Jake ran into the warehouse full speed then came to an abrupt halt. He slid a few feet across the floor on his heels due to the sudden change in momentum. His heart sank as he took in the scene. The Crimson Death sat there at the center of the room looming over a body. Chase had lost the battle, as Jake knew he would and Jake was too late to save him. His cybernetic left hand was still but his real left hand, his phantom limb, was trembling.
He was overcome with emotion but he managed it. Jake had learned through trial and error that going off emotion was catastrophic on the battlefield. Now wasn’t the time to grieve or give in to anger. There was still an enemy combatant who needed to be defeated in play. Jake had long ago fashioned a small box within himself. Being a good leader means first being in command of yourself. He filed what he was feeling in the box for the time being. That pain would have to wait. He spoke to the Crimson Death in Arez, “Matumaini Kubwa.”
“You know my name,” The Crimson Death smiled. “I am surprised you can pronounce it properly Ta-keh-dah.”
“I am full of treats… surprises.”
“I suppose you have a plan to defeat me.”
“I have five plans actually.”
“…”
“None of those plans involve taking you in alive.” Jake shrugged his shoulders. “Normally I offer surrender to high value individuals like yourself but you are just too dangerous.”
Matumaini Kubwa smiled. “I am flattered.”
“You reach for the sword and I shoot you between the eyes. You roll away from the sword towards cover and I shoot you in the knee then in the temple. Most of my scenarios play out like this Matumaini. Chase hurt you too badly for you to put up much resistance.”
Matumaini Kubwa slowly stood up. He opened his arms wide like he was preparing to hug an old friend. “Come then Captain. We have played this game for quite some time. Let us end it.”
“I just want you to know that I did not beat you today.” Jake looked down at Chase’s body. “Chase Turner, son of Clifford and Megan Turner, put an end to you this day.”
Matumaini Kubwa grabbed the Charge-Blade from the rubble as he rushed forward at Captain Takeda. Jake pulled his pistol from its holster and fired three shots from the hip. The first two shots from the laser pistol struck Matumaini in the knees. As the large Arez warrior fell forward the last shot landed between his eyes. He collapsed facedown onto the floor with a loud thud. Jake spun his pistol around his finger then jammed it hard back into his holster.
He gradually approached Chase. Jake sat down next to t
he young man’s remains on the pile of rubble. He allowed himself a moment of sadness. He brushed the fingers of his right hand down Chase’s face and closed the boy’s open eyes. “You did it, Chase. It cost you everything but you accomplished your mission son.”
17. Elegy
The battle at Cody Outpost had long ended. That night Samantha Hawkins sat on her bunk alone in a dimly lit barrack. Gus was curled up on her lap and she gently pet his fur while she stared at the floor. She was in a trancelike state. Chase’s death at Cody Outpost tugged at her. She had lost teammates in the line of duty but this felt different somehow. Chase was so young, like a little brother, and she had suggested him for the team. She knew otherwise but, in her heart, Sam couldn’t shake the feeling that his death was her fault. That she didn’t recognize that he wasn’t ready and put him in harm’s way.
“It’s not on you dumb-ass,” a voice said from the next bunk. Sam snapped out of her daze. She had thought she was alone. Edith sat up in the bed next to her. “It’s not like you to mope.”
“You’ve been here the whole time?”
“Yeah,” Edith rubbed her eyes. “I was trying to get some damn sleep but I can’t with you ‘saddening up’ the atmosphere.” Sam didn’t respond. Edith stood up on her bunk, stepped across the gap onto Sam’s bed, and then sat down next to Sam cross-legged. Edith was wearing a black tank top and her bloomers. She placed her head on Sam’s shoulder and exhaled. “Don’t get any ideas Princess. I’m still into blokes,” Edith grinned.
“By Valhalla, you are such an ass,” Sam slightly smiled.
“Yep, David keeps trying to take my crown but he’ll never have what it takes.” Edith rubbed Sam’s back with her left hand to comfort her.
“You’re being nicer than usual.” Sam said.
“I liked him too,” Edith exhaled. “He was sweet.”
“He had a good heart.”
“Plus I didn’t even get the chance to take him for a test drive.”
“Geez Edith.”
“What?” Edith wrapped her arms around Sam’s shoulders and giggled. “He was quite a looker.”
“Wait. I thought there was something going on with you and the Captain or am I just seeing things?”
“No, are you crazy?” Edith got a devilish grin on her face. “That’s just exercise.”
“You’re so gross Short Stack.” Sam shook her head.
“Whatever. You’re just not getting enough exercise Princess.”
Gus poked his head up from Sam’s lap then started licking Edith’s face. “No. No kisses you little beast,” Edith moved her head to avoid further licks. She gently pushed the overly affectionate dog down onto the floor. “Stay. Stay.”
Sam placed her hand on Edith’s elbow and quietly sighed as she stared off.
“The kid had a lot of pain in him.” Edith got serious for a moment, “in the end he got what he was after.”
“He made his choice.” Sam said darkly.
“I… I know I don’t say it much but,” Edith wasn’t one to express herself in any way that didn’t involve sarcasm. Opening up like this, even to the people she cared about the most, was hard for her. “You’re great at what you do Samantha Hawkins. The team would be a mess without you.”
“Wow,” Sam was shocked to hear such kind words from Edith without immediately being followed by a joke or an insult. “Thank you. Edi.”
“It’s nothing. Now I’m gonna crawl back into my bunk before you propose to me.”
“Yep, there’s the Edith Fafnir I know so well.”
Edith chuckled then kissed Sam on the forehead before returning to her own bed. “Try to get some sleep Cupcake.”
“Wait a minute?” Sam asked. “Aren’t you the one who normally sleeps all day and roams around all night?”
“I’m too tired right now,” Edith pulled her blanket up over her head. She pulled at the covering wrapping it around her until she resembled a cocoon. Within her blanket her eyes remained open. She was feeling the same sadness that Sam expressed.
Sam lay back onto her bunk and folded her arms behind her head on top of her pillow. After a few failed attempts, Gus managed to jump back up onto Sam’s bed. The beagle curled up next to her and put its head on her lap. Sam stroked the golden fur on the dog’s head with her right hand until she eventually drifted off to sleep.
18. Military Parade
Bethlehem colony
It had been over a week since the victory of the Terran Forces on Titan. A celebratory parade had been scheduled to take place in Bethlehem Colony. Governor Fisher personally saw to the organization of the grand spectacle herself. This was a major victory in the war against the Arez and the military wanted to flaunt its’ might before the citizenry. Officials from the other 11 remaining colonies would be flying in to attend the ceremony. Everything needed to be perfect and Catherine ensured it would be so. People from all over the station were gathered on Spencer Boulevard, the main street of the station, to partake in the festivities. Soldiers in ceremonial uniform marched alongside impressive looking machines of war as bombastic music played.
Edith and Jake waited in a room, overlooking Spencer Boulevard, for the other Strike Team members. They were wearing their dark blue ceremonial officer uniforms, which entailed a Peaked cap with 12 stars along the band that met a phoenix emblem within a reef at the center. The uniform included a long coat decorated with medals on the chest. Jake had on creased slacks tucked into calf high leather boots while Edith had on a military skirt.
They shared an awkward silence, as they were prone to do after spending the night together. They had an inconvenient attraction to one another that neither of them had the emotional awareness to deal with whenever they gave into it. They cared for each other but they were both too stubborn to admit it to themselves and they didn’t know how to express it.
They were tempted to actually speak to one another before the door slid open and Agatha Park wandered into the room wearing her all white Navy officer’s uniform. Her formal jacket was tossed over her shoulder and she had on a tank top showing off the many tattoos on her arms and shoulder blades. The artwork was in the simplistic Colonial Traditional style and most of her tattoos were of classic star ships. Agatha was slightly taller than Edith. She had tan skin and shoulder length black hair pulled back into ponytail beneath her hat.
“Dizzy!” Edith and Jake both said simultaneously, relieved they were being spared from having to sort through the complicated feelings they had for each other.
“Hey guys.” Agatha muttered as she walked towards the large window. She bumped into the coffee table along the way. Agatha had little awareness of her surrounds when she was preoccupied. She pressed her hands and forehead to the glass then smiled as she watched the latest prototype ships that were being paraded down the street. “The new Infiltrator class light vessels, I can’t wait to take those for a spin.”
Edith crossed her arms, “Good to see you too Agi.”
“No. I just ate like 30 minutes ago.” Agatha didn’t pick up on the sarcasm or even hear exactly what Edith said.
Just then David burst into the room, “Thank Valhalla I beat her here.”
“Sam?” Jake asked.
David rubbed his robotic hands together and took up a position with a perfect view of the door. “Of course. It builds team morale if we all point and laugh at her at the same time.”
“You know she’s going to kill you right?”
“Good thing I can just download into another Frame. It’s not every day that we’re all required to get duded up like this.” The door slid open once more. Sam Hawkins entered the room with a very sour expression on her face. The uniform she wore was identical to Edith’s the only difference being far more medals pinned to her jacket. The sour expression resulted from the fact that the formal female officer’s uniform required her to wear a skirt, which she hated. “Looking good Hawkins,” David snickered.
“Really not in the mood Chrome Dome.” She said as she wal
ked past and took a seat near the window.
Agatha shot a quick look in Sam’s direction, “I think you look really nice Hawkins.
“Thanks.” Sam politely replied as she crossed her arms and pouted. “I still think it’s ridiculous to force someone to wear a dress.”
Edith laughed and piped up. “Well it’s called a uniform for a reason Princess. Besides… I like to show off my gams.”
Sam took notice of Jake’s posture and disposition, “What’s on your mind Cap?”
“What?”
“You’re doing that thing where you’re all quiet and you’ve touched the bridge of your nose twice since I entered the room.” Part of being a good second in command for Sam was being tuned into the Captain’s frequency. He was a difficult person to understand but Sam was well versed in the language of Jake Takeda. “You should get it off your chest before we leave.
Jake took a deep breath to calm his nervousness. “Listen guys, gals. I’m may say something when they ask me to speak.”
“Obviously.” David and Edith said in unison. They were practically tripping over each other in a race to be the first one to make a sarcastic remark.
“I’m may say something that might be a bit controversial. Something that may cause trouble for all of us.”
David put his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “You know I always got your back.”
Edith rolled her eyes and grinned. “I’m just here to shoot things. If your little speech doesn’t get in the way of that, I really don’t give a crap.” As always that was her way of being supportive.
“I trust you Captain.” Agatha said while still gazing out of the window. “You’ve always done right by us.”
Jake looked to Sam who was sitting on a chair near the window. She was the most practical member of the group and the most likely to object to his plan if she thought it would compromise the team. “Sam?”
