Coming Home (Free Fleet Book 2)

by Michael Chatfield

  Chapter Misunderstandings

  Yasu was confused, and not in a way that she could understand very well. First, it had to do with James 'Salchar' Cook. A year ago she would've liked nothing more than to see him fail. They had both been gamers, Yasu a traditionally trained fighter whose father created a popular game that reacted to bodily movement input.

  Yasu had created a squad and risen to the top of the leader boards in short order. Then Salchar and his rabble, who called themselves 'Mecha Tail', had come back onto the scene, better trained and as hungry for the title of Mecha Warriors that came with winning Mecha Assault Two.

  At the title match Yasu's Samurai Revenge and Mecha Tail were about to go head to head when the Syndicate disrupted everyone's lives and literally pulled people from Earth in sealed metal boxes. Yasu had awoken in what would later be termed as a squad pod, with Salchar dropping onto his face.

  For month's Yasu's loathing for the man continued. Yet, while she didn't realize it, she understood that Salchar's ways, which she had found 'dishonourable' in MAT, were the exact kinds of things that the humans who had been 'recruited' needed.

  While she had been focused on her hatred for him, he had looked after everyone. He had built rules, something that people could hold onto, to keep their humanity.

  Wedding fights had come as a shock to her. Those were fights made by the Syndicate, masking themselves as some benevolent policing/military force for the Union of habitable planets and sentient races called the Planetary Defence Force. The purpose of the fights, they later learned, was to get the humans to reproduce. The Syndicate wanted soldiers for their mecha corps as they had grown bored of doing it themselves. There was no profit in it for them.

  Humans as well as the other slave races - Kuruvians and Sarenmenti - were to birth children that would be subjected to systematic brainwashing, making them loyal to the Syndicate no matter what, something that was only guaranteed with kill switches in the slave races.

  Yasu had seen something in Salchar's eyes as he made her stab him so he didn't have to harm her. She saw trust, compassion, and hope.

  The more Yasu interacted with Salchar the more confused she became. She wanted to be around him, but it warred with a now inexplicable anger at him.

  Now she sit in what should be their room and he never slept there. It made her suspicious, and gave her anger meaning.

  She had talked to Salchar on many things. She went to every meeting that he hosted every other day. He'd now promoted her to training commander of the entire fleet.

  But it did nothing more than make her more annoyed that he didn't talk to her in private. There was always someone around. She wanted to figure out what was going on; were they still going out? No? If not then what? She slammed her fist into the table, her anger rising.

  She had finished training with the Armoured Marine Commandos, (AMC) or more commonly Commandos, for the day and was sitting at the large desk in the captains quarters, she watched the view screen on the walls, which made it look as if she was in an observation bubble on the outside of the ship, instead of being buried in the heart of it.

  Even the peaceful sights of space couldn't help her. She made a frustrated noise as she held her head in despair, staring at the desk she sat at. She'd been told that James had left his place on the bridge and hadn't been seen anywhere else. All that was known was that his personal protection detail was standing outside of an unknown persons quarters with James supposedly inside. She had waited patiently for him to come to their wedding bed.

  They'd been married for a year and he'd only slept in the same bed as her once - which she had forced him to - then he had disappeared before she awoke and hadn't talked about it since. He ignored her completely.

  He's with someone else. Takahashi had highlighted to her. She wasn't in total agreeance, but something needed to be done.

  Her door chimed that someone wanted to come in. Quickly she stood up, about to rush to the door, but she stopped herself just as she was about to press the open door on the frame. She composed herself, not sure why she was so giddy to open the door. She would not look like some eager school girl. Damn this man. She thought as she went back to the desk, unconsciously checking herself over and moving her hair out of her face. She looked at the door, projecting the right combination of power, strength, and seemingly uncaring while keeping her femininity.

  She pressed the button on the desk as the door opened, revealing Takahashi. Yasu slumped as her old teacher walked in.

  "I see he is not here." His voice was dark and annoyed.

  "No." She didn't want to say anything more to set him off as she knew defending James would.

  “Yasu, you must find this wench he is holding as a concubine and remove her. It is improper for a man and wife to have a middling in their relationship!" His voice settled into the old tone she remembered from her lessons that seemed to be a lifetime ago.

  "You need to confront him.” Her anger simmered as she looked away. The look of disappointment in his eyes made her want to lash out.

  She looked at the scene around the room, but it only made her think of James and the possiblity that he'd found some other woman to warm his bed.

  She remembered the red eyes and tougher skin that she had cursed on him for eternity when he'd battled Krom. Is he doing this out of spite?

  “You dishonour your name the longer you don't do anything. He might even give her a child behind your back,” Takahashi said.

  She tried to clear her thoughts but the feelings of betrayal filled her. Is that what I'm feeling? How can't I know my own thoughts!?” She pushed the chair beside her away angrily, turning to Takahashi.

  “Look at what a fool he's made you appear.” His was tone sad.

  "We will talk, and you will be silent," she growled, fire filling her.

  He nodded, getting out of her way.

  She moved in her mecha; it was still sweaty from her training just a few minutes earlier. Though none of the fatigue from fighting weighed on her, anger gave her new energy.

  She left Takahashi in her wake as the Sato sisters lounged around her door. A look made them stay there as only Takahashi followed.

  They didn't say anything as they rode in the lift or when finding the door with Janice and Dave sitting outside. Janice and Yasu had become quick friends, and Dave was a nice man, gentle and kind. Though he knew his detail and he was as ready as any of James' protection detail to pull the trigger if need be.

  They greeted her as she walked up to them.

  "I'm here to see James."

  "He’s, uhh, asleep I think," Dave said. Yasu looked to Janice who nodded. Well, it looked like Janice wasn't as good of a friend as she thought. Yasu winced inside as the woman she thought was her friend covered up for her husband’s infidelity. Yet, at the same time, she felt respect towards the two of them who would not disrupt their leaders privacy for anything.

  Her retort was stopped in her throat as she felt her mecha lock up. Someone had pressed her maintenance switch, locking up her mecha. Takahashi! She thought as she saw Takahashi punch Dave in the face, a kick sending Janice down the hall before they could react.

  Takahashi's blade cut through the hatches locking bolts. His boot followed quickly after as he rolled into the room.

  Rounds spat from the room, hitting his visor as he continued forwards.

  Chapter Rude Awakening

  They'd killed Janice and Dave and they were coming for him. I rolled off of my bed, now fully awake as my hatch slammed into the cot I’d been sleeping in seconds earlier. I snapped off quick, precise shots with my ever-present rail pistol, changing from visor to joints as I reloaded. Whoever my assailant was, they were good. The
y continued no matter where I shot them.

  I dove to my desk. It didn’t just hold my spare battle suits. I unlimbered the plasma cannon underneath it. A plasmid sword raked off of the ceiling and walls, landing where I'd been.

  "You do not deserve to lead!" he said as I turned to face him.

  The mecha user must've seen the plasma rifle as he pulled the hatch from the floor.

  Angered and not thinking clearly, I fired as my room became an inferno. The battle suits cooling system kicked into overgear as the hood covered my face, but not before I caught some super heated metal. Air recyclers worked to the max but I could still smell burning skin as pain from burns across my body registered. I was used to pain at this point as I continued firing at the hatch. The mecha jumped outside and I followed him, my shots missing as the fire dousing system came online.

  I saw movement outside my door, My hearing was apparently gone as I couldn't hear anything. I rounded the door, seeing my attacker being tackled by Dave. Janice was shortly behind him, covering a mecha that was on the ground in its maintenance lockout.

  My head covering retracted as ship recycled air was pushed into my face.

  The two attackers didn’t struggle as I felt them looking at me. I lowered my plasma rifle, the barrel still smoking as it returned to normal temperatures. I woke my implants up which overlaid a HUD on my surroundings, showing me the IFF of my attackers.

  "I should've fucking known," I hissed, anger coursing through me.

  "Commander, are you okay?" Krom asked as he crashed out of his room; I could hear his footfalls. Calerd and Shreesht were right behind him, their weapons raised and ready.

  "Yes, Krom, secure them," I said as Dave and Janice, with Shreesht and Calerds help, locked out the mechas.

  "Dave, bring him here and take off his helmet. Janice, if you please, do the same to my dear wife," I ground out, anger in every word.

  Dave ripped the helmet off of Takahashi, throwing it in a pile of weaponry down the corridor.

  I stared at my attackers, I couldn’t think of them as anything but. Janice removed Yasu’s helmet none to gently as well.

  "James there's been a-" Yasu said immediately as she found herself able to talk and be heard.

  "Misunderstanding? That's what you're about to say right?" I looked at her face, not letting her answer. "Thought so, but there isn't much to misinterpret when my wife's subordinate comes into my room after disabling my guards and tries to kill me with his sword while saying I don't have the right to lead,” I said, my fist tightening and releasing in anger.

  "I thought you had a mistress," she said, her eyes looking lost.

  "Me have a mistress, DO YOU THINK ME THAT LOW!" I demanded. Lack of sleep, adrenaline, and anger filling me. I took a breath, anger still boiling within me as I talked.

  "I actually believe in marriage. I think it's fantastic. Look at Dave and Janice here. Though some marriages are shit, like yours and mine, don't worry - as soon as we get back to Earth we can have it annulled burnt and then thrown into the sun. Till then, though, you are my wife, and unfortunately you will be my first wife for the rest of my life and neither me or you can damned well change that however much I am wishing I could do so right now!" I turned, slamming my fist into a wall. The pain giving me clarity as I looked at the wall, not looking at Yasu in the case I might see the sadness there.

  "You will both be charged with attempting to assassinate a fleet officer, stealing mecha units, damaging mecha units without reason, damage of a fleet vessel, impersonating fleet personnel. You are stripped of all ranks and titles. I looked at my little room for a second. Then I turned back to see Takahashi’s face.

  “What?” I asked, a smile on his face.

  “She will never be one with you, you are weak and dishonourable. You have proved your inability to lead, I have shown the fleet that you are nothing but a boy playing commander.” I felt everyone tense, especially Yasu. A cold smile crossed my face.

  “Another person once said that, and you know what, she’s going to the brig with you. I wonder how it works that my dishonourable and weak ass keeps surviving.” I turned as if to walk away, holding a finger in thought and turning back to him.

  “Wait, did I ever try to kill someone in their sleep?” I walked towards him, my voice becoming louder and heated.

  “Or barge into their personal affairs instead of ask them what was going on? Have I not fought battles as you have?” I was bare inches from Takahashi's face. He looked away as if I was some cur.

  “Look at me.” My voice was like liquid nitrogen as he did so.

  "I am commander of this fleet and I don't care what you or anyone else cares to fucking say, I will sacrifice myself right here and now if I could save everyone from death and stop the Syndicate or anyone from bothering us. We both know that isn't going to fucking happen, and I know my people feel the same way, or they should get out of this fleet. I am new to this. I have a hard time figuring things out but everyone is new to this and I need officers I can rely on. How can I rely on those officers if one of my battalion commanders of ten thousand of my Commandos attacks me when I'm sleeping?" His eyes went wider at this a question.

  "Something that you will not be seeing for a long time," I grated. He held my gaze as I saw them lose their glow.

  "You have lost my faith, Stone Warrior." With a jerk of my head Krom took him away, another nod sending Shreesht with him. A Sarenmenti of my protection detail was waiting now as Janice and Dave watched Yasu, their faces emotionless.

  "Calerd, get my armour out of the closet if you will." I signalled to the Avar who nodded, walking into the disaster that was my room and unhooking my mecha and its power cradle. “Dave will you please help Janice get Yasu out of her armour.”

  They did so rapidly.

  "Dave, please retrieve the weaponry from my room and bag it."

  He did so as Calerd exited my closet with my mecha and its cradle.

  "You wanted to know where I was sleeping with my supposed concubine? Well, I guess you can enjoy the comforts I did in an attempt to allow you to be free and not impose our marriage upon you. See, the reason I didn't sleep in the captains quarters was to give you room and to not pressure you, out of respect. Which you, like Takahashi, have lost. Janice, Dave, take her. I’ll take my weapons.”

  Dave gave me a bag of the various weapons I’d had in my quarters as Yasu talked.

  "James can we just talk?"

  "I was always here for you to talk to, but then you tried to cleave me with a sword. Once you fool me, twice and I'm the fool, three times I'm a dead fool. I trust in my weapons and in my people.” I nodded my head to Dave and Janice who guided Yasu away, her body language dejected as she went willingly. I walked to the lift with Calerd carrying my mecha in its charging cradle.

  I came out of the lift and saw the Sato sisters by the captains quarters door.

  I held the massive plasma rifle up, ready to drop it and level it with them.

  "I ain't in the mood girls, Yasu and Takahashi already took one crack at me today. So I have little patience, so you're going to report to the Bachelor Battalion and be integrated into that unit. Or we can fight it out." I let a savage grin cross my features, they could tell how much I was spoiling for a fight to let off my aggression.

  "Yes, Commander, we-"

  "Will take the-"

  "First option," they said in a singsong manner between them.

  "Thank you, ladies," I said and walked right past them and to the captains quarters hatch. I think my confidence as I came so close to them without flinching or caring made them really evaluate. I had already planned for them to attack me here, but the attack I expected didn’t come. After a few moments, they walked away, taking the lift to the AMC areas of the ship as I accessed my new quarters.

  I spent the next few hours unloading the small armoury that had been in my quarters from the bag Dave had collected, placing them around my new quarters as Calerd put my cradle and mecha in its new spot and
waited in my room with his own plasma rifle trained on the door. If anyone came in uninvited they wouldn’t be doing much of anything else.

  I took a shower, some Wake Ups, and donned a new battle suit Dave had grabbed for me. I walked out feeling worse than I had when I'd gone to sleep, finding four of my protection detail inside my room.

  "Sir, we should visit medical first about your injuries," Krom said in a way that brooked no argument.

  "When did you become my babysitter?"

  "Since I first saw you." This got a rough exhale from me in lieu of a laugh.

  "The first time we saw one another we were fighting one another, to the death if I remember."

  "Yes, sometimes one must teach the other how to survive better."

  I grinned, Krom sharing it with me as I waved my hand.

  "Alright, to the med bay then."

  A lot of prodding and poking later, as well as a bunch of bandages - personally I think the medical staff was just a bit bored; I came out looking like a mummy when I left. I returned to the bridge.

  "CFF on deck!" Rick said, affecting a slight muffling sound to his speech as he grinned. I shook my head. Of course Rick would be the one to make a joke of it. I couldn't help but feel a little better with my second in commands antics. At least he hadn't used my full title.

  Officially, my title was Commander of the Free Fleet, but the thing was just too damned long. So CFF worked. Rick and Henry had come up with it, and being my military experts I was not allowed to say no, as they had put it.

  I walked to my chair as if I didn't notice all of the stares. It wasn't like they hadn't seen my face covered in scars before. Though it was annoying to have them back, it did add a fearsome looking appearance that I’d lost from being ‘awakened’.

  Rick came over once I was settled in.

  "Are you good, sir?"

  "Been better but I have other things to worry about than my personal matters. This fleet and our destination being one."

  "Well, we've begun braking," he said immediately, changing to work as to take my mind off of my personal matters. The man knew me well.