Zurkerx- The Empire Shall Grow

by Eric William Haluska

  As they continue to discuss their plans, they remain unaware of what’s underneath the table, the Spider Drone making a dash to an air vent.

  “Did you find the security room yet?” asks Marcus.

  “Not yet, I’m still looking.”

  “Keep looking. Until you disable their system, we won’t be able to approach unseen.”

  The Spider Drone makes its way to the air vent. As it approaches the air vent, the drone’s camera sees a man confusingly looking at it, wondering what the hell it is. Sensing danger, Gadget taps a button, increasing the speed of the drone. The drone, with a speed boost, makes a hasty retreat towards the vents. Believing he’s just seeing things, the man shrugs and continues to survey the room.

  After several minutes of wandering through the vents, the Spider finds a small room filled with computer screens. Believing Gadget has found the security room, the drone creeps out of the vent. In the distance, the drone sees a man sitting in a chair, his right hand holding up his head. The drone looks around and sees that only the man is present.

  Seeing an opportunity, the drone makes its way to the desktop, climbing the leg of the table. Once it gets on the table, it scurries behind the man’s large water bottle. The drone pokes around the bottle, watching the guy. The man appears tired and weary-eyed, fighting the urge to fall asleep.

  Slowly, the drone approaches the half-awake man. The man gazes at the spider, figuring it isn’t much of a threat, an illusion of some sorts. Yet, its presence annoys him. He slowly moves his hand to swat it away. Sensing danger, Gadget presses a button, releasing the Xern gas, which sprays all over the man’s face.

  The effects are almost instantaneous. The man chokes, caught off guard by the sudden release of the chemical as he falls to the ground. He realizes that the government is here and that without him, his comrades will not be alerted to that fact. He pulls out his phone and tries to send an alert, but he drops it, his hands around his throat as he suffocates. The drone records everything, transmitting the video to everyone.

  “Mad Dog, you got this? Target is neutralized.”

  “Copy that. All right, pick your targets. Make sure you don’t miss.”

  The soldiers select their targets, using their eyes and minds to highlight them to inform the other soldiers who their target is. Marcus chooses a poor sap smoking a cigar by the south side of the building, oblivious to what’s to come. He moves the reticle over the Gewerksol’s head. He then takes a deep breath and slowly breathes out.

  “Weapons free.”

  “Roger that.”

  The bullets go flying, striking the Gewerksols and they drop dead. Marcus surveys the land, wondering if anyone else is lurking around. Yet, he sees that all the sentries have been taken out as nobody inside seems on alert.

  “All tangos accounted for?”

  “Aye, sir.”

  “Moving up.”

  Marcus motions the soldiers to move forward as he runs towards the building. Everyone follows suit as they come to the entrance of the building. He then comes to a stop, turning to face the soldiers.

  “All right, I am sending you a message designating which team you are on. If you see a blue light, that’s Team Alpha. You’ll be with me. If you see a yellow light, you are on Team Bravo. You will be with General Fitzcock. Charlie Team will remain on the hilltop providing over-watch.”

  “Go Charlie Team!”

  “Albric, shut up and stay focused,” Gadget says spitefully.

  The soldiers see a color flash before their eyes, signifying where to go.

  “Now, Bravo Team, I want you to head to the front of the building. The rest of you follow me. Joseph, you know what to do?”

  “I know,” says Joseph as he raises his hand, giving a thumb’s up.

  General Joseph Fitzcock is a muscularly built dark-skin man who stands at 5’11’’, tracing his roots to the Wusu Tribe. He has black hair and bright brown eyes that’ll give the deception he has a gentle nature even though there’s nothing calm about him. He is a member of the Krenma and as one of its members, he wields the Zappas Nactbu[49].

  He is renowned as the Empire’s Red Devil because of the blood-colored armor he wears. Despite holding the titles of the Red Devil and General, he prefers to be called Joseph. However, he likes it when newbies or people he hates call him General, given it makes him feel better by the fact they are forced to respect him.

  He used to be the third best among the Krenma until Indra Krogger committed suicide, jumping off a cliff. Before his suicide, he was caught stealing highly classified information, intelligence he was going to give to the Gewerksma. It’s unknown why he would aid and assist an organization that calls for the overthrow of the government, although some believe he rejected the teachings of Einnerism, having bought into the lies that Demokrists preach. Now the Red Devil is number two, with number three being General Scarlet Junimen, known as the Black Widow.

  Bravo Team moves along the side of the building, heading to the front. Alpha Team surrounds the back door, getting into a defensive position. A soldier reaches for the handle of the door, opening it slowly; expecting to see someone. He looks through the crack of the door and sees no one. He slowly swings the door open, entering as he takes a few steps before stopping.

  “All clear,” the soldier whispers.

  He motions to Alpha Team to move in. He strolls in first, followed by the rest of Alpha Team as they stack up behind him. Slowly, they walk and, in the distance, see what appears to be a hallway, with the option of going either left or right.

  As they near the hallway, Marcus comes to a stop, leaning against the wall. Another soldier joins him on the opposite side. Both men nod at each other as they pop around the corner, their guns pointing forward, looking for enemies.

  Seeing that it’s clear, both men motion to the others to move up. They all group together wondering what their next move will be. They then receive a message with half getting a red light, the other half getting a green light.

  “For those that receive a green light, follow me right; red light break left. Report anything you find.”

  “Roger that.”

  The soldiers nod as they get into their designated groups. As they part ways, shots ring out, the sirens ringing loudly. Marcus shakes his head.

  “It looks like he blew our cover already,” he says with a small grin.

  With the wave of his hand, Marcus directs the individuals who got a green light to continue on their course. They do as they are told, strolling away from the gunshots. He then motions to the remaining soldiers to follow him, heading to the source of the shots. As they jog down the hallway, the shots grow louder. They are heading in the right direction and he knows that they’ll soon be engaging the enemy.

  As they get closer, Marcus sees an old rusted metal door. He shuffles towards it, leaning on the wall to its left. The gunfight is on the other side of that door, a fight that is likely unavoidable.

  He reaches for the doorknob and stealthily opens the door and peeps around the corner. He sees that the firefight is in full swing. There is an abundance of large wooden boxes that once held appliances. They now store arms and ammunitions used for terrorist attacks across Zentari, making this not an ideal place to have a gunfight. Marcus turns towards the soldiers.

  “Provide cover fire! Use any cover to your advantage.”

  He then swings the door open. He runs behind some wooden crates as everyone else storms in. They take shelter behind anything they can find as they watch the chaotic scene unfold. They can see several Gewerksols on a balcony engaging Bravo Team.

  But they have the element of surprise, a benefit they plan on using to their advantage. As they get ready to engage the enemy, a Gewerksol runs onto the balcony, carrying an RPG as she slides into cover. She then pops her head above, looking for enemies. She can see several soldiers taking cover behind some crates, likely the enemy preparing an ambush. Seeing an opportunity, she pops up and takes aim as she squeezes the trigger.


  “RPG!”

  The rocket zips over the heads of the soldiers, striking several crates behind them. Explosions erupt as a chain reaction of ammunition and rockets goes off. Marcus jumps a little, ducking as explosions ring in his ears.

  As he hides, he looks up and sees one of his soldiers is pinned. There is some cover ahead that will provide a better tactical advantage for him, but he’s unable to make it there without being peppered by bullets. He slowly lifts his head and spots three Gewerksols on the balcony, shooting at the soldier.

  He then turns his attention towards the soldier, who is now looking at him. He’s horrified, afraid to move. Yet, his fear slowly abates as he reads Marcus’ face. He can tell that Marcus will give him covering fire, a chance to get to better cover.

  Once he realizes what he has to do, the soldier nods as he gets ready to make a run for it. Marcus then lifts up his gun and fires a few shots at the Gewerksols, surprising them. Caught off guard, they divert their attention towards him. As they unleash hell onto Marcus, the soldier runs towards the boxes, his presence not noticed.

  ~

  Gregori flinches. Explosions and gunshots ring throughout the entire complex. The guards, fearing for the safety of everyone in the room, corral everyone inside. Five guards leave the room to investigate as the others lock the door behind them.

  Gregori stares at the door emotionlessly, awaiting the inevitable boom that will come from government forces breaching in. He knew it was only a matter of time before the government would capture him. As he awaits his likely death, the clock in the background ticks slowly as if time slows down.

  ~

  The six soldiers continue in the opposite direction of the intensifying gunfight. They advance slowly, checking every corner and every hallway they come across. Yet, they remain unaware that they are heading towards the conference room, towards the unsuspecting five guards who are securing the area, roaming down the hallway slowly, their guns pointing straight ahead.

  As they slowly walk forward, the soldiers approach the entrance of the hallway. One of the soldiers halts her comrades as she peeks around the corner, spotting the enemy. The Gewerksols then come to a stop, wondering who’s popping their head around the corner. Believing it’s the enemy, they open fire, hoping to scare the enemy.

  But instead of running, the soldier jumps out and reaches into her pocket, surprising her comrades. However, they shouldn’t be surprised given that’s what Sergeant Hanna Qauti does. Hanna is a brilliant blond-haired woman who takes no crap from anybody unless she knows she’ll be outclassed, in which case, she’ll run away, using her charming personality to persuade others to finish her fight. Yet, while her brilliance is exceptional, she never plans for anything, especially if a situation is in dire straits.

  As bullets continue to pass her, she pulls a flashbang grenade from her pouch, tossing it down the hallway, and it rolls across the floor. The five guards see the device approaching them and flinch for a second, expecting the worst. The flashbang then detonates, releasing multiple small pellets. These pellets are mini flashbangs that detonate within a couple of seconds from the initial explosion. This causes more disorientation and confusion among those affected, making it easier to finish them off. The Gewerksols not only don’t expect a fiery soldier to challenge them outright; they don’t expect to be blinded either.

  As they shield their eyes from the blinding light, Hanna takes aim, pulling the trigger. One by one, the five guards fall to the ground, not able to recover from the gutsy attack. By the time the other soldiers get around the corner, they see that Hanna has eliminated everyone in the hallway. They lower their firearms, amazed by what she has accomplished.

  As they stare with awe, she walks forward, spotting a set of heavy wooden doors in the distance. She reaches the doors and turns around, revealing a big grin across her face.

  “Excellent work boys,” she says proudly. “Thanks to me, we have fewer Gewerksols to worry about.”

  “Pffs, you almost died out there. Your recklessness does show-”

  “Shut up and get the door open already,” she says sternly.

  ~

  Marcus ducks, hiding from the flurry of bullets that pounds his position. The three Gewerksols are throwing all they’ve got at the soldier who fired at them. Their full attention is focused on him; they are now forgetful of the soldier they were originally shooting at. That soldier has made it to cover, to safety but now, he sees Marcus is in trouble. Slowly, he peeks his head over, looking at the balcony.

  He can see that the Gewerksols no longer acknowledge him. Sensing an opportunity, he pops up and takes a few shots, striking two of the Gewerksols and they fall to the ground. The remaining Gewerksol turns around, shocked to see her comrades are dead. Sensing imminent danger, she ducks and reloads her weapon.

  After reloading her weapon, she pops her head up, looking for the enemy. She can see a soldier on the other side, likely the same soldier who killed her friends. Infuriated and seeking vengeance, she stands up and takes aim.

  As she’s about to pull the trigger, a bullet rips through her breast, striking her heart, Marcus delivering the fatal blow. She falls to the ground, never knowing what hit her.

  He then looks around and runs up to the soldier, taking cover alongside him. He looks around to see if there are any other Gewerksols in the area. He doesn’t see any. He notices that it is quiet; too quiet. He then sees Bravo Team come out of cover. Regrouping with Marcus, they too are taken aback by the silence.

  Suddenly, a man pops around the corner, pointing his gun at the soldiers. Caught off guard, they point their guns at the deranged man.

  “Drop your weapon now!”

  “Drop your weapon!”

  Both sides yell at each other, hoping one will concede. Yet, the Red Skulls feel intimidated by the man’s sharp green eyes as he fearlessly stares at them. He is trying to stare them down.

  Then darkness hits him as a bullet passes through his head, and he falls to the ground. A darker-skinned man comes around the corner, smiling joyfully.

  “I see you were in a hurry, Joseph,” says Marcus as Joseph approaches.

  “You should know me by now, Marcus. I don’t like to wait.”

  “But patience is vital, especially in critical missions. Your shenanigans could have compromised us, alerting nearby Gewerksols that could be making their way as we speak. There is something called stealth; you should try and learn it one day.”

  “Hmph! If you haven’t noticed, there aren’t any more of those goons roaming around. Not to mention, our backup forces will deal with them if they dare to send reinforcements.”

  “Eh, typical Joseph,” he says as he shakes his head. “Squawker, this is Mad Dog. Status report?”

  “I think we found where their leaders are hiding, Mad Dog,” says Hanna. “There’s some thick dual doors here, I think they’re hiding behind them.”

  “Supreme Commander, her recklessness almost got her killed again. When will she learn?”

  “Shut up, morons! I singlehandedly stopped them all and I’m perfectly fine! You need to learn some respect-”

  “Enough, Sergeant! Do I need to remind you how many times those so-called morons have saved your life? They are quite fascinating stories to tell, you know.”

  Silence falls across the intercoms, leaving a blushed Hanna speechless. She is all too aware of the fact that she has been saved on multiple occasions. On one occasion, she attacked the Commander of The Regiment[50], mistaking him for a Gewerksma Vorh. This stupid mistake almost cost her life as she was captured and was about to be executed. But she was saved by Marcus when he revealed she was a Red Skull, prompting her release, although the Commander wanted her punished for her asinine mistake.

  “He’s right you know-”

  “Shut up-”

  “If you have any explosives, prep them, but wait until we arrive. Understand, Squawker?

  “Understood, Supreme Commander,” she says, offended.

 
“Good, and Gadget, have you hacked into their systems?”

  “Don’t worry, I have already begun uploading the information.”

  Gadget looks down at his tablet. He has been collecting an abundance of information, including hideout locations, weapon stashes, and recruitment techniques. In fact, there is so much information to the point where Gadget is beginning to believe they can take down the Gewerksma in a matter of weeks.

  “I think it’s time for them to pick the fields,” Joseph says aloud.

  Marcus nods in agreement.

  “Sparrow-One, this is Red Devil. The field is ripe for picking.”

  “Roger that Red Devil. Sparrow-One is prepping. ETA twenty minutes.”

  “Copy that.”

  Several miles away, five Imperial Jax VTOLs[51] prepare to take off from a military base in Zok. There are two .50 caliber mini-guns, one on each side with a third mini-gun by the loading ramp. In addition to the firepower these transport vehicles carry, they can carry 25 troops and a lightly armored vehicle. Their purpose is to act as an emergency force in the event Marcus is overwhelmed. Yet, Marcus believes the additional forces aren’t needed. Still, they are on standby.

  “All right, let’s move out. We need to get to Squawker ASAP. Joseph, you’ll be with me. The rest of you stay here. Investigate and secure the area. We don’t want any surprises now.”

  The soldiers nod as Marcus takes off running, followed immediately by Joseph. The two men stay next to each other, ready to assist one another if one of them were imperiled.

  ~

  In a dark hallway hides a lone Gewerksol. He is shaking, sweat dripping from his head. In his trembling hands is a large knife, its edge sharpened on both sides. He plans on stabbing any government soldier who comes by, wanting to kill as many as he can. While he knows he’s going to die, he wants to be remembered as a martyr, a hero who made a difference. He hears footsteps.