by Isaac Hooke
“And you as well,” Nicolas said. “The last few hours have been… stressful.”
“Should Shaw enter the cockpit?” Tahoe asked Rade. “For the protection of the mech’s armor and inner actuators?”
Rade considered for a moment. “No. The mech makes too big of a target. Especially without environment blending. She’s safer at my side, in the middle of you guys. I suspect we’re going to want Nicolas on point much of the time anyway, because of the cover the mech will provide the rest of you. Jupiters have a lot more armor than standard issue jumpsuits, after all…”
“Very good point,” Tahoe said. “All right then, it’s time to make our way to Bravo.”
“But we just sealed off the stairwell,” Fret said.
“We have an elevator shaft ahead,” Snakeoil said.
“We head to the elevator, then,” Tahoe ordered. “Nicolas, lead the way. As Rage said, your armor will protect us.”
Nicolas took point, his large body filling up most of the hallway ahead of the platoon.
Tahoe glanced at Rade. “You want to stay here? There’s no need for you to come with us. We can breach one of these doors, and you can hide out here until we return.”
“At this point, I’m safest with you, I think,” Rade said. “Also, I don’t want to force you to return this way, not when there might be an easier way out below. Besides, I want to be there when you wipe the smirk off the Paramount Leader’s face. Or the Reborn, as he calls himself these days.”
“According to the map, there’s an armory on the twentieth and fifteenth floors, if you wanted to gear up,” Skullcracker said.
“No,” Rade said. “Armories are usually heavily guarded. We had enough trouble rescuing Nicolas. It’s best to stick to the mission parameters.”
The men approached the elevator area, where a pair of elevator doors awaited. As they arrived, one of the elevators “dinged.”
The platoon members lifted their rifles and aimed between the legs of Nicolas as the doors opened.
Three invisible combat robots became silhouetted, courtesy of the echolocation employed by the platoon, and the team members opened fire. The robots returned fire, striking the armor in Nicolas’ legs, creating bore holes.
The three robots dropped to the ground, their environmental blending blinking on and off. TJ rushed forward to hold the door open.
“You okay, Nicolas?” Rade asked.
“Their lasers tickled,” Nicolas claimed.
“Saving that mech of yours is actually proving rather handy!” Bender said. “Certainly makes for good cannon fodder!”
“Don’t mind him,” Praxter told Nicolas. “It’s just his way of expressing love.”
“Bionic bitch!” Bender replied. “Don’t you be going and putting words in my mouth. The only love in what I said is the love of a good bot ass kickin’! We’ll be using you for cannon fodder next!”
The second door dinged, and the platoon quickly moved into position behind Nicolas. They took out the next group of combat robots in a similar fashion as the previous, with more bore holes appearing in the Jupiter’s armor.
The platoon members dragged the robots out of the two elevators, and while Bender and TJ held the doors open, the men dispersed between the elevators. Well, most of the platoon, including Rade and Shaw, entered the first elevator, because Nicolas was barely able to squeeze inside the second. There was still enough room to fit Skullcracker and TJ inside with the mech, however.
“TJ, Bender, tell me you can hack these elevators,” Tahoe said. “I don’t want them opening on any other floors except the residences.”
“We can hack them,” TJ said.
“Good,” Tahoe said. “Take us to the residence floor where the Paramount Leader keeps his bunker. It’s time for us to make a little visit.”
28
Rade stood beside Shaw, and watched the floor indicator slowly descend. Twenty-five. Twenty-four. Twenty-three.
Twelve was the target floor.
Shaw reached for his hand, and wrapped her fingers around his. He returned her squeeze tightly.
Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve.
Ding.
The platoon members had their rifles pointed squarely in front of them. Rade had raised his own rifle, and aimed it past the silhouettes of the other men in front of him.
The doors slid aside.
No one waited beyond to attack them.
“TJ, Bender, program these elevator doors to remain open,” Tahoe said. “I want an escape route in case things turn sour.”
“It’s done,” TJ said. “The doors will stay open… the elevators will be waiting for our return.”
“Deploy!” Tahoe ordered.
The men entered the hallway and assumed a defensive position. Rade and Shaw remained inside, but Rade peered out, aiming down his rifle sights.
The way forward was littered with the wreckages of Sino Korean combat robots.
“Bravo has been busy,” Bender commented.
“Move out,” Tahoe said.
Rade and Shaw quickly took their previous position amid the men and Alpha advanced with Nicolas on point to provide protection. Like on the other floor, the mech filled up almost the entire breadth of the hall.
Rade heard the sounds of laser and plasma fire coming from up ahead.
“There are enemy combat robots stationed inside the entranceways of different residences ahead,” Nicolas said. “Including the bunker. Bravo is inside the stairwell close to the bunker, dispersed between the twelfth and thirteenth floors.”
Rade glanced at his overhead map, and saw red dots appearing inside different doorways ahead. Inside the stairwell, the blue dots of Bravo platoon appeared.
“Bravo, we’re here to back you up,” Tahoe sent.
“You came from the elevators?” Chief Rowlock transmitted.
“That’s right,” Tahoe said.
“We’re pinned in the stairwell near the bunker,” Rowlock continued. “With enemies hemming us in from both floors. Be advised, the HVT fled the bunker to the thirteenth floor.” HVT stood for High-Value Target. “Most likely he’s fleeing to the closest landing pad. If you can, return to the elevators, and cut him off.”
“Will do,” Tahoe said. He turned around. “It’s up to us now!”
The platoon retreated to the elevators, with Nicolas bringing up the rear. Some of the SK combat robots had spotted Alpha by then, and opened fire; the Jupiter shielded the MOTHs as some of them returned fire between the mech’s legs.
They reached the elevators and piled inside. TJ and Bender sealed the doors and programmed the elevators to take them to the next floor.
The doors opened. This time the echolocators highlighted four combat robots waiting in the hall beyond. Both sides exchanged fire, and the combat robots went down.
“Fuck!” Bender said. He dropped his rifle, which was smoking. “Bastards.”
TJ and Lui moved forward to peer past the edges of the elevator. Tahoe tossed Bender a spare rifle.
“I took damage, too,” Praxter said. “They thought I was a real man, luckily, and targeted a non-critical component.” The Artificial turned around. His visor was riddled with bore holes, as was the face beyond.
“That’s ghastly,” Bomb said.
“They targeted a non-critical component, all right,” Bender said. “Your useless brain!”
“Actually, my AI core is in my chest,” Praxter said. “Certainly, there are camera feeds and so forth running through my head cavity, but those were not hit.”
“Looking at him talk with holes riddling his face like that brings new meaning to the phrase uncanny valley,” Snakeoil said. “But don’t worry bro, we still love you.”
“No we don’t!” Bender said. “Never did in the first place!”
“Anything?” Tahoe asked TJ and Lui.
“Quiet out there,” Lui said.
“Nicolas, clear the hallway,” Tahoe ordered.
Nicolas emerged into the hallway. “There are
no further enemies.”
“Then let’s get to the landing pad,” Tahoe said. “I’m marking off the route.”
The platoon encountered more resistance along the way, but Nicolas afforded them cover, and they made short work of their attackers. As they turned onto the hallway that led to the hangar bay, they were met by a pair of robots of a design they’d never encountered before: two turrets protruded from a dog-like, headless body.
When portions of Nicolas began to dissolve, Rade realized the enemy units had to be Nemesis, and those turrets on their backs were energy cannons.
“Doggies!” Bender shouted gleefully.
The platoon quickly returned fire before the mech was shot up too badly, and downed the enemy.
“Nicolas, are you all right?” Rade asked, pulling up the Jupiter’s damage report. He had sustained significant damage to the servomotors of one leg.
“I appear to have developed a limp,” Nicolas said, as he attempted to walk forward. “It will not negatively impact my speed.”
“Keep going, then!” Tahoe ordered. “We’re almost at the hangar.”
Nicolas continued to lead the way, moving almost as fast as before.
They encountered no more resistance the rest of the way to the hangar bay that bordered the landing pad. Nicolas entered first, with TJ and Lui following close behind.
“The place is destroyed,” TJ said.
Rade switched to TJ’s viewpoint, and saw that several large blast craters had razed the hangar bay. The two doors leading outside had been torn open, and beyond, the landing bay was almost entirely broken away, with only a small section near the exterior hanging out into space. There were no shuttles out there, and the two shuttles inside the bay were destroyed.
“Looks like the United Systems decided to start targeting all landing pads,” Snakeoil said.
“Probably a good idea,” Skullcracker added.
“But if this landing pad and its adjoining bay are destroyed, then where’s the HVT?” Lui asked.
“Sweep the room,” Tahoe ordered.
The team members moved out, and examined the debris around them, their echolocation remaining active.
When they had cleared the bay, Lui turned toward Tahoe, and shrugged. “Nothing here.”
“I’d suggest checking outside, on the exterior walls next to the ruins of the landing pad,” Rade said.
“TJ, Lui, do it,” Tahoe ordered.
The pair approached the landing pad, and split apart, to gaze out along the surface of the pyramid on the left and right sides. Their squawkers continued sounding. Rade still had TJ’s viewpoint available, and through it he saw that even though it was night, numerous lights embedded in the pyramid lit the surface.
“Defense turrets have been taken out all along this area,” Lui said. “Along with other landing pads.”
“Got tangos, crawling along the left side of the exterior,” TJ said. “I believe six are robots—four SK combat robots, and two Nemesis doggies, judging from the profiles. And the remaining two are human. Or human-shaped.”
“Switch to snipe mode,” Tahoe said. “Eliminate the support troops. Leave the humans.”
The other platoon members rushed forward; some knelt on one knee, others remained standing.
Rade glanced at his overhead map, and watched as the four Sino Korean combat robots fell, and one of the Nemesis doggies. However, the remaining doggy turned toward the exterior, and fired its energy cannon in rapid succession, forming a hole. The three survivors piled into the opening and dropped from view.
“Lost them!” TJ said.
“Follow!” Tahoe said. “Employ jetpacks! Skullcracker, Lui, stay here with Rage, Shaw and Nicolas.” He looked at Rade. “We’ll be right back!”
The platoon members used their jetpacks and scrambled outside. They moved quickly across the exterior of the pyramid, heading toward the opening. When they entered, they quickly vanished from comm range.
“So, they abandoned us after all,” Shaw said.
Rade shrugged, and walked deeper into the hangar bay to sit on a ruined shuttle wing with Shaw. Skullcracker took up a position at the entrance to the bay, while Lui and Nicolas remained near the hangar bay doors, watching either side beyond.
Movement came from the ruins of the shuttle beside him, and Cynthia broke free with a loud crash as fuselage fragments tumbled away from her on either side. She wielded a handgun of some kind, which she pointed directly at Rade.
He raised his hands, stunned. As did Shaw beside him.
“Lui!” Skullcracker shouted. He aimed his rifle at Cynthia.
Lui spun around, and targeted Cynthia as well. Nicolas merely turned helplessly to watch.
“Order your men to drop their weapons and kick them to me,” Cynthia said.
When Rade didn’t obey, Cynthia shifted her aim to Shaw.
“Do it,” Rade said.
The men dropped their rifles and kicked them across the hangar.
“Drop yours, too,” Cynthia said.
Rade lowered the plasma rifle from his shoulder by its strap, and let it clatter to the floor nearby.
The Paramount Leader emerged from the debris beside her, dressed in black, with his hood lowered. He picked up the rifles Skullcracker and Lui had kicked over, and pointed one each at the two platoon members.
“You should have stayed hidden,” Rade told Cynthia. “We would have never known you were here.”
Cynthia shrugged. “And wait for the United Systems to deploy their search bots to dig through the rubble? I don’t think so. We’re going to escape right now. And we’re taking the two of you as hostages.”
“We won’t make very good hostages,” Rade said. “We’re not really all that valuable, in the overall scheme of things.”
“But you’re valuable to your men,” the Paramount Leader said. “And that’s all that matters here.” He glanced at Skullcracker. “Come on then, get away from the entrance. Join your friends.”
Skullcracker reluctantly left the entrance, and moved toward Lui.
“Lead the way,” Cynthia beckoned at Rade and Shaw.
Rade sent quick mental instructions to Shaw and Nicolas, and both confirmed their receipt.
Rade stood up. He walked toward the entrance. Shaw remained seated.
“You too,” Cynthia said.
But Shaw ignored her.
Rade swung about to head toward the Paramount Leader. The man lifted both rifles, and aimed them directly at Rade.
“What are you doing?” the Paramount Leader said.
“You do know, that the triggers of both rifles disabled the moment you touched them, right?” Rade said.
The Paramount Leader tried to fire, but the weapons didn’t engage.
Rade smiled.
Cynthia swung her pistol toward Rade, but then Shaw jumped her. The pair wrestled on the ground. Shaw managed to slam the weapon out of Cynthia’s hands, but she couldn’t yet reach it, not while she scraped with Cynthia.
Rade continued walking toward the Paramount Leader.
“You can’t best me in a fight,” the Paramount Leader said.
“No,” Rade said. “But he can.” Rade nodded toward Nicolas, who had taken up a position in front of the entrance. “Go for it. Make a run for it.”
Cynthia got in a good hit on Shaw, and managed to break free of her. She ran for the pistol.
But Skullcracker was already there, and he scooped it up. He aimed it at Cynthia.
“The trigger is disabled in your hands, like your weapons are in our…” Cynthia said.
Skullcracker casually held the pistol upward, and fired a plasma bolt that created a blast crater in the ceiling. “Nope. This is a civilian model.” He lowered the pistol to target Cynthia once more.
The Paramount Leader broke into a run. He raced for the hangar bay.
Skullcracker shifted his aim from Cynthia to the retreating Artificial.
“Should I take the shot?” Skullcracker asked.
“Do it,” Rade replied.
“No!” Cynthia said.
Skullcracker fired, but Cynthia was already leaping into the path of the pistol, and the plasma beam tore into her instead of the Paramount Leader. She dropped.
Skullcracker targeted the Paramount Leader, but the weapon didn’t fire. “Has a thirty second recharge.”
Lui started running toward the Paramount Leader, intending to tackle him.
“Rade,” Shaw said.
She kicked his plasma rifle to him.
Rade scooped it up from the floor and tracked the fleeing Artificial, leading the target.
Lui reached the Paramount Leader; though Lui’s exoskeleton boosted his strength, he was still no match for the particular model of Artificial that the alien inhabited, and the Paramount Leader slammed him aside.
Rade squeezed the trigger.
It fired a more powerful plasma bolt than that produced by the pistol, and it struck the Paramount Leader squarely in the chest cavity, where the AI core was located, and carved a big hole. The Paramount Leader dropped like rag doll a few meters from the landing pad outside.
“No,” Cynthia said from the floor. Her breathing was slow, ragged. “My… son.”
Rade slung his rifle over his shoulder, and went to her. “I have a medkit.”
Cynthia lay back. “Help him, first.”
“There’s nothing I can do for him,” Rade said. “His AI core is gone. I’m sorry.”
Rade retrieved the quick clot gauze, and ripped open her bodice. He quickly applied the gauze to the wound in her chest. “We’re going to get you to a United Systems medic.” He looked at her, but her eyes had already glazed over.
She was gone.
Rade stood.
Lui retrieved his rifle from the fallen Paramount Leader, and tossed the second one to Skullcracker. “Someone ought to let Cyclone know he’s hunting a decoy. We’ve completed the mission.”
“I’m sure we’ll hear from him shortly,” Rade said.
Skullcracker gave the plasma pistol to Shaw so that all the humans were armed. Nicolas remained near the opening to the hangar bay.
“I’ve got more robots incoming,” Nicolas said. “Nemesis.”
29
