by JR Handley
Lance paused to reflect on the second loss to resuscitation attrition. Losing cadets was hard, but when they were from the group he worked the closest with it hit Lance especially hard. Knowing there might be more, Lance steeled himself and went into each of the rooms assigned to his squad. Out of them, he found they’d also lost the cadet he’d demoted all those years ago, Cadet Fitzgerald Wyckoff.
I guess it could’ve been worse, Lance thought. 1st Squad only lost three cadets, but to lose our medic and someone with as much potential as Wyckoff had shown is rough. He’d only just decided to take being a Marine seriously.
Once Lance had accounted for his cadets, including the dead, he made the rounds among his squad again. He made a point of having them get out of their armor so it could be looked at by Basil Terloar. Batteries would also need recharging and seals potentially repaired.
This freeze wasn’t an ordinary one. While cryopods were relatively safe, an emergency freeze could cause unintended emotional and functional issues. Realizing the importance of morale, Lance made a point to make a personal connection with each of his cadets.
When Lance got to Foxtrot Fire Team, where Charlotte “Wires” Rochambeau had lost Wyckoff, he paid extra special attention. Wires was too important to lose to a mental lapse, and he’d already seen too many Marines become psychologically unhinged.
Satisfied the health and wellbeing of his squad was as good as it would get, Lance called a staff meeting for Whiskey Company. He tasked Cristal Thorn, the 1st Section Leader, with organizing the rest of the squad into work details. They needed to prepare the barracks and their personal equipment for whatever was coming. Knowing they wouldn’t think of it, Lance also told her to have the unit do some light calisthenics to shake the ice out of their veins.
— Chapter 02 —
Late Morning, Post-Revival Day 1
Whiskey Co. Ready Room, Beta City, Serendine
Yankee & Whiskey Co.’s, 8th BN, 6907th TAC RGT
Lance, Cadet Sergeant Hayley Mason, and Marine Technician Corporal Basil Terloar were the first to arrive at the Whiskey Company Ready Room. Seeing it was empty, Lance turned to the assistant squad leader and Marine technician. They still looked half-frozen, so he began leading them in calisthenics to kill time and jolt them back to life. Xena pinged Lance’s Aimee while the group jogged around the tables in the center of the room.
Lance, you’ve gotta stop letting your humanity be your crutch. You forgot to invite our neighbors! I took the liberty of inviting the staff from Yankee Company to this little shindig. They should be along shortly. Their NCO ranks were hit hard by resuscitation attrition, so I suggest you assert your command. They don’t have the benefit of Hummer backing or me as their AI!
After her pronouncement, one that sounded suspiciously like a call for Lance to lead a military coup, Xena went silent. Somehow, Lance didn’t think the serenity following her advice was inadvertent. Ignoring the antics of his AI, he continued his slow jog around the room.
Hayley and Basil had yet to say a word as their bodies were still recovering from the long freeze. They had just finished jogging and started stretching when personnel started entering the room. Each sergeant nodded toward Lance as they began to take their places around the company table. The large circular table had a built-in podium at the front of it, and Lance eyed it nervously.
When the seasoned Yankee Company sergeant, Senior Veteran Sergeant Caelius Thorn, walked in, Lance pulled him aside for a quick chat.
“Sergeant Thorn, I know this is irregular and that you’re the senior ranking NCO left in the habdisk, but right now I’ve got an upgraded AI which is controlling the network we created before the mutiny. Protocol dictates that I immediately turn command over to the first competent senior authority.”
Thorn nodded as if preparing to take charge, but stopped and flexed his jaw when Lance continued talking.
“I fully plan to do that, but for the sake of our Marines we must first find out exactly where we stand so we hand it over to the right person. If no officers survive, I will turn over command to the senior surviving non-commissioned officer. I hope you understand, and by no means am I disrespecting the value of your many years of service.”
Thorn revealed no emotion and stared at Lance. The ever-serious Thorn replied that he understood and would be watching like a predator waiting to pounce. Lance gulped, knowing Thorn would kill him if he thought he was being disloyal. With this threat looming, Lance nodded his understanding and followed the Yankee Company sergeant to the briefing table.
Taking a moment to clear his mind, Lance began addressing the assembled sergeants from Whiskey and Yankee Company. Lance noticed the group looking from him to Thorn and back again.
“Since we all know each other, we can save the introductions and I’ll jump right into the thick of things. Right before we were frozen, the drugs given to increase combat effectiveness were tampered with by the mutineers. This turned our brother and sister Marines into mindless drones. To combat the effects of these drugs, and because Captain Grigonna became a believer in the new training, she provided Whiskey Company Marines with nanites. This allowed us to resist the drugs. As you know, we were just about to start the Void Training Phase, where mistakes can—”
“Can you still make these nanites?” interrupted Thorn. “It’s imperative all remaining Marines take them since we don’t know what’s waiting outside our habdisk.”
Before he answered, Lance used his Aimee to ask Xena if they could get every Marine protected with the nanites. Xena assured him it could be done, and that the nanite facilities were operational if they could manage to get through the flooded corridors to access the cryogenic storage areas on Levels 10 and 11.
“Sergeant Thorn, it can be done but will require some creativity on our part to pass through the flooded corridors. We need to figure out the flooding situation soon, since food storage is currently flooded. Once we have figured out our unit organization and a chain of command, we can figure out our work priority list. I trust you will bring this up with whoever our new commander is?”
Thorn took a moment to digest the information before he grunted his acceptance.
Knowing time was of the essence, because the flooding was threatening to cause the base to fail at any moment, Lance pushed the briefing forward. “Once every Marine has nanites, they’ll be on their own to figure out how best to use them. Their AIs will assist. Back to how we were all frozen. During the mutiny, Whiskey Company wasn’t affected. We had one of our electronic specialists take what assets we could and lock them out of the base network, adding them to the new one we created. That is why we’re all alive today. To be blunt, General Toma’s orders didn’t apply to us because we’re not a unit of the line, but there were units we saved who should’ve been deployed into his meat grinder.”
The collective body of NCOs looked nervously at one another. Their actions had conflicted with higher orders.
Seeing this, Lance raised his hands and said, “No need to fret like crèchelings, it was my decision, and it’s my head on the block. However, you all need to know the lay of the land. A lot has happened while we were iced.”
Realizing that they needed a moment to process, Lance paused as if to gather his thoughts. Putting both of his hands on the podium in front of him he waited until the assembled group returned their eyes to him.
“During this mutiny, Hardits and Marine mutineers aligned together to overthrow our White Knight overlords. They killed off every loyal Marines they could find. Then they released a poison which killed all of the Jotuns and Trogs left on the planet before they ran to points unknown.”
Thorn broke in, “If the water is contaminated, then we are going to have to figure out a way to keep ourselves hydrated. Solutions?”
“My AI assures me that once the flooded water is drained, Beta City will be safe from any traces of the plague. The filtration systems will handle the rest. If there are any surviving Trogs or Jotuns, as long as they don’t dri
nk the dirty water, they’ll no longer be affected by the plague.”
“What of the Hardit cowards?” Thorn inquired. The grizzled old sergeant seemed to be looking for nails to hammer.
“They could still be in the system, though I doubt they’d wait around for the White Knights to come looking for them,” Lance explained.
Thorn and some of the other NCOs seemed disappointed they wouldn’t get the chance to go Hardit hunting anytime soon. Lance knew they needed to channel their energy in a useful way, here and now.
“That’s what happened before we disconnected and initiated the emergency freeze. Our intentions were to await the return of competent authorities who would assume command of Beta City. It looks like we’ll have to improvise a bit,” said Lance. “If there are no questions, I suggest we all stretch our legs for a moment. Those of us not in combat armor should hit the head. Hey, we all know what cryo freezing does to the insides, no shame in that!”
After a few moments of silence, Lance left them to their tasking. He was pleased to see they were in good spirits and seemed to be paying close attention to what he was saying. He was also grateful Thorn didn’t attempt to squash his authority in front of everyone.
Because they were still feeling the freeze, Lance hadn’t had a chance to touch bases with Basil and Hayley, who were sitting by themselves talking to each other. They both gave him a sideways glance when he walked over.
“So, Hayley, having fun sitting at the big girls’ table now?” asked Lance.
Hayley arched her eyebrow and glared at Lance.
“I’m having so much fun that I want shove my boot up your frozen ass, but your combat armor recently stuck tubes there. After 35 years of tubes, I’d say your old man glutes deserve a break,” said Hayley.
Realizing she just mouthed off to her sergeant, her face got pale. Lance laughed at the expression on her face.
“Cadet, relax. As my number two, you need to feel free to talk to me. There are limits, but we’ll figure those out later. I’m glad you’re thawed enough to be a smart arse. Think about what you hear in this briefing. If you have any ideas or solutions, feel free to voice them. And yes, in the discussion sections of these meetings you can speak too. Think on it, we can talk later.”
With that, he smacked Hayley in the shoulder before turning toward Basil.
“Are you doing okay?” said Lance. “Your first cryofreeze can be hard, and this one was a kick in the nuts. Regardless, I’m going to need you to in tip-top shape.”
Looking more confident than Lance had ever seen him, Basil replied. “Doing great, Sergeant. I’m concerned that we won’t have everything we need to get our equipment operational. To be honest, not sure what to do with this new rank General Toma gave me.”
Basil stopped talking and lifted his fingers up to the rank insignia on the sleeve of the smartfabric uniform he was wearing. He looked like his brain had run off somewhere before his eyes snapped back up to Lance.
“I didn’t even get to process being a Marine. I never thought it would happen after getting booted as a week one cadet. I’ll try to live up to the position and organize our technicians, as well as any Aux we find who might add value to our fighting Marines. It’s the least I can do to honor General Toma’s last decree.”
Lance clapped Basil on the shoulder. He was surprised at Basil’s newfound maturity.
He’s starting to sound like a Marine, mused Lance. Maybe for the first time.
“Sounds like a solid plan, Tech-Corporal. We can fine-tune things once we’ve figured out the new chain of command.”
Lance headed back to the front of the conference table, gripped the podium, and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “If you’ll retake your places, we’ll resume the briefing.”
While everyone filtered back into the room, Lance scanned his Aimee and communicated with Xena to figure out what assets were available to him and to iron out the plan to save the Marines currently trapped in Beta City. Thorn cleared his throat and Lance looked up from his Aimee to see everyone waiting on him to continue.
“Now that you know what preceded the emergency cryofreeze, I’ll update you on what’s going on above ground. During our 35-year ice time, Beta City was raided by a group of Human Marines calling themselves the ‘Human Legion,’ and they stripped us of some of our supplies.”
“Human Legion? Who are those frakkers?” Thorn asked. As always, the hammer was looking for nails. It also seemed to Lance that Thorn had his fingers on the pulse of the NCOs. If Lance wanted the NCOs on his side, he needed to have Thorn in his corner.
“This group is likely a splinter group of the Free Corps mutineers that initially rebelled and killed our brothers and sisters,” said Lance. “However, we don’t want to assume anything. Too much is unknown at this point regarding that group, which is why we need to have our cargo locked down before we contact them.”
“So they might not be enemies?” Thorn responded.
“They appear to be at war with the Hardits on Tranquility, who have reorganized themselves into the ‘New Order.’ Whatever the disposition of the Human Legion proves to be, it is very clear that the Hardits are our enemies. During this war, several tac-nukes were fired off which initiated the emergency revival protocol for the Beta City habdisks. We have managed to leave all of the crèches and novice barracks frozen. They can be revived when the planet is securely in our hands.”
Suddenly feeling the weight of responsibility bearing down on him, Lance paused to take a drink of water before continuing. Putting the silver canister back down on the podium, he secretly wished it was grok and not water.
“As it stands, we need to assess what assets we have at our disposal. After that, we contact the other secured habdisks so we can rebuild a chain of command. My AI indicates the passageways between the habdisks are all flooded, except for the top three. Our passive sensors say those clear levels belong to ill-disciplined Hardit troops. The monkeys are likely some sort of reserve or militia force.”
Thorn’s grey eyes lit up.
“So we will get to kill some Hardits. That’s the first good news you’ve given us.”
The group busted into laughter and Lance joined them in the revelry. When it died down, he continued.
“The bad news is the base likely can’t be returned to any sort of active status even after we take out the Hardit trash. Good news, it can be made functional enough for us to strip it and rebuild a better Beta City. Our technicians and our engineers, if any survived, can rebuild the machines that bore the City Phase Units and we will have a solo tower subterranean city at our disposal. If we’re lucky, some unfortunate officer survived the freeze and can worry about that!”
A nervous laugh permeated the room. The chuckle sounded awkward and juvenile, and it took Lance a second to realize that it was his own. He took a calming breath and continued his brief with more confidence.
“While we take stock of our assets, I’ll be contacting the other surviving disks and determine what resources they have. Then we can turn this mess over to the first legitimate authority we can find. We will be fending for ourselves with no clear orders, so unity from the NCO corps must be absolute and ironclad. When I hear from the other disks, I’ll notify you all. Our next briefing will have digital representation from the other habdisks. Hopefully, some of the senior leadership survived. This mess can be their problem, and we’ll just do whatever they tell us. That’s if the door seals don’t bust and flood us out.”
The last comment caused everyone to start laughing nervously. After the chuckling died down, the Marines covered some minor housekeeping issues. True to NCO nature, they stressed the importance of hydration, physical training, and equipment preparation. Finished, everyone stood up and began filing out to find their individual commands. As Yankee Company exited, Lance motioned to Thorn. When it was just the two of them, Lance began.
“We don’t have much time, but I will contact you once the other squad leaders in Whiskey determine
which sergeant has seniority to temporarily fill Sergeant Keita’s position. At which point, the two of you can create a plan as to how to handle the other habdisks in—”
Thorn startled Lance by breaking into laughter. “You don’t get it do you, Scipio?” After Lance shook his head in the negative, Thorn continued. “Whiskey Company idolizes you after what happened at the Battle of Old Akoni City. They already look at you as their ‘temporary’ leader, but I’ll await the call none-the-less. Delegating leadership lets me focus on more important things. Just don’t get yourself killed.”
Thorn chuckled as he walked out of the room.
— Chapter 03 —
Late Morning, Post-Revival Day 1
1st SQD’s Sergeants Quarters, Beta City, Serendine
Whiskey Co., 8th BN, 6907th TAC RGT
After the meeting ended with Sergeant Thorn, Lance went around his squad checking in before returning to his quarters. Sitting down at his desk he scrolled through his Aimee gathering information as he planned and considered different options. The sound of his door opening pulled him from his planning. Three Whiskey Company squad leaders stood in the doorway of his personal office. Standing up, he waved for them to come in and asked Xena for an update on the other habdisks as they approached. Lance was hoping Xena had uncovered some intelligence about the outside world.
Lance, I’ve uploaded an update from the other habdisks to your Aimee. I’ve taken the liberty to add—
She never got to finish her sentence as Lance cut her off by slamming a balled fist onto his desk. He was sick of her tendency to take liberties, rather than seek his authorization. He was still muttering to himself and receiving odd looks from the other three squad leaders when Xena tried again.
Seriously, old man, you need to spend some time doing the horizontal rack dance because you’re too uptight. Relax, deep breaths, come on.
Lance felt his face getting hot. Realizing the other NCOs were all staring at him, and irritated that Xena was right about calming down, he took a deep breath, held it, and pushed it out. “Take a seat, I’ll be with you in just a second. I’m getting an update on our situation.”