by JR Handley
Basil paused, Lance suspected, to assuage the commander’s pride. Basil’s thin body was relaxed and confident as he punched a command into his Aimee. A holo-display projected above where he sat at the table. Lance had Xena link the image into the main display in the center of the room, enlarging the glowing blue schematics many times.
“Sir, we go to Level 4 because that’s where the leak is,” Basil answered as he pointed to the location on the holo-display. “If the leak were anywhere else, that would be the high point for the water. We want to use the Micro FCBs because they are uniquely suited for our purposes. These boring machines make passageways by melting rock and letting it re-solidify into a hybrid-concrete material. First, we fix the hole. Then, we can drain the water. If we drain the water before the hole is fixed, we would continually deal with more water rushing in.”
Commander Ronwe spent a few moments suggesting that his City Phase Unit should gain priority so he could get his squadrons ready, but Basil again interjected. Lance mentally cheered for him as Basil stood his ground.
“Sir, with all due respect, the drainage issue is the simplest one. Cadet Sergeant Mason and I already came up with a solution. We will empty one of the lower level habdisks, strip it of useful parts, then scrap it in place. Once we have gathered what we can, we plan to activate the emergency surface protocol built into every model. Instead of having it surface, we’ll reprogram it to bore out and down. The excess water will then fill the channel it built. I can even add programming code to make the disk take the long route,” Basic continued as the display in the center of the room showed the habdisk moving and creating a large space for the water to move. “The city could be drained in under three hours. If we’re lucky, the rock-penetrating sonar will allow us to hook into the Hardit tunnel networks, and accelerate the outflow of water. Say the word, and we’ll get started on the plan, sir.”
Captain GG from the 428th MER smiled at Basil, if the maw full of teeth was a smile, and threw her support behind his suggestion. She also asked Basil for a plan to provide nanites to the Beta City Marines.
“Ma’am, with respect, our highest priority should be unflooding the city. Regardless, the nanites are a done deal. Ten technicians can handle about a regiment of Marines a day. Iced, or newly arriving personnel can be injected as part of the intake procedure. If this answers your questions ma’am, please allow me to continue addressing the flooding,” Basil said directly to Captain GG. The Jotun captain nodded her acknowledgement, and Basil turned to address the room. “If you support my plan to unflood the city, the only real question is how many able bodies I can have to build our new home.”
Basil’s eyes scanned the room and stopped on Field Marshal Marchewka. The confidence Basil radiated dimmed as the large Jotun Field Marshal stared back at him saying nothing. While it had only been a few seconds, Lance watched Basil wait for a response and knew it likely felt longer.
Marchewka nodded to Basil before speaking. “Well done, Marine Tech-Major, well done. You heard me right. You’ve been promoted, and if anyone forgets their place with you, shoot them. As soon as we re-organize and restructure, you will lead our Marine Technician Corps. You will be attached to the Marine Engineers, so we will be in communication down the line. Until then, you and Colonel Gaarjar will organize the city repairs.”
The fear Basil had reflected in his body language was replaced with pride. His chest pushed out and his posture straightened. As Marchewka continued to speak, the once meek Auxie, now Tech-Major, found his mentor. Lance caught the look and smiled back. They both turned their gaze back to Marchewka.
“I imagine the Spacer Technicians would love to assist you in getting things up and running. Once we have a safe city, we will endeavor to find a Navy for our Spacers, no matter how unlikely our chances are. Until our city is safe, the need to rebuild a new city takes priority. It will be an all-hands effort.”
Marchewka stopped speaking and looked around the room. The shaggy-haired Jotun glanced down and punched some information into his Digi-Sheet, and the holographic display in the center of the room shifted back to the TO&E rank structure. This time it was much larger showing many echelons of ranks.
“By Tyndall, the blessed goddess of honor, I just promoted two more Marines! Congratulations Colonel Gaarjar, Captain Scipio, Tech-Major Terloar, and everyone else. By the Great Mother, let’s promote hundreds more. As of this moment, all cadets are hereby promoted to full Marine status,” –Marchewka pressed a button on his Digi-Sheet and all of the cadets ranks shifted on the holo-display– “but they’ll tentatively keep the equivalent ranks they had as cadets. Understand that a massive reorganization is coming. Let this motivate the rest of you. The sky is the limit of your career now, Marines – dismissed!”
* * *
HUMAN MARINE CORPS
WHISKEY COMPANY, 8th BATTALION, 6907th TAC REGIMENT
Commanding Officer: Captain Lance Scipio
Aide-de-Camp: Staff Sergeant Hayley Mason
Executive Officer: Lieutenant Charlotte Rochambeau
First Sergeant: First Sergeant Caelius Thorn
1st Squad Leader: Senior Sergeant Cristal Thorn
2nd Squad Leader: Senior Sergeant Mosi Okeke
3rd Squad Leader: Senior Sergeant Tendaji Conteh
4th Squad Leader: Senior Sergeant Belle Whitfield
— Chapter 11 —
Early Evening, Post-Revival Day 1
Spaceport, Auxiliary Slave Pen 24, Baylshore
Staff of the Supreme Leader, New Order Army
Senior Scent Leader Zempi Milisyen-Hoia had just finished passing orders to her subordinate scent leaders when she was interrupted. Despite being a Janissary, Zempi had the size and characteristics of a female Hardit. She used this to her advantage, while cursing the idea of not being pure and genderless. Zempi’s muscular, hair-covered frame turned and bowed, reluctantly dropping her tail in the ritualized groveling expected before the Supreme Commander of the New Order. Zempi served as the Adjutant to the Supreme Leader, Tawfiq Woomer-Calix, but the Janissary had ambitions far above her current station.
Zempi, like the rest of her species, was a quadrupedal creature looking like a cross between a monkey and a wolf. Her long hairy tail, which she used as a weapon, now touched the ground as she bowed. While many in the Hardit Militia had been content to use their tails to grip weapons and kill from a distance, Zempi preferred to get up close and personal. She further separated herself from her Militia brethren by walking upright on her two lower appendages. Short by human standards, and covered in fur, her three eyes were set in a triangle high above her tooth-filled snout.
After inspecting the various Janissaries, Supreme Commander Tawfiq stopped in front of her Adjutant and motioned for her to stand.
“Normally I would revel at your acceptance of my command, but today is a momentous day. Today, I fulfill the destiny of our people and create a true empire free of outsiders. We will depart momentarily on a mission of conquest. Our superior technology will allow us to catch up with the fleeing human nefnasts and obliterate them. You, Senior Scent Leader, will not be going with us. You will stay and pacify the Tranquility System. In keeping with this role in the New Order, I will confer the rank of Commander and leave you enough troops to complete the conquest of the system. Upon the successful completion of the mission, annex the surrounding areas until this region of space is mine.”
Stunned at her promotion and chance to seize her rightful role at the head of a Hardit Empire, Zempi said nothing. The lack of response caused Supreme Commander Tawfiq to growl and bare her teeth as her three eyes pierced into her subordinate.
“I will not fail,” Zempi responded after the long pause. She flexed her muscular body and stood upright before shouting the New Order Battle cry.
“One Scent! One People! One Galaxy!”
Snarling her satisfaction, Tawfiq turned and gave the order to her army to board the waiting craft. Turning, the Supreme Leader walked up the ramp of her command cr
aft.
As the shuttles took off, Zempi stood back and marveled at the craft. Hardit in design, it was boxy and functional. What the craft lacked in size, it made up for in performance. It was capable of carrying a platoon of Janissaries, without losing combat effectiveness. Each of these Conquest Class Crafts could achieve planetary re-entry and interstellar travel, and they would be the initial backbone of the New Order Interstellar Empire.
Once the ramp sealed, Zempi and her remaining Janissaries took cover from the back blast. The sound of the engine roar getting ever fainter told her that she was finally in command of the system. She wasted no time. There could be no rest until all humans were eradicated from Tranquility.
— Chapter 12 —
Early Evening, Post-Revival Day 1
Command & Control Bunker, New Detroit City, Baylshore
Headquarters, New Detroit Regional Army
Field Marshal Nhlappo stood in her makeshift headquarters and looked at the assembled staff sitting before her in their broken and battered chairs. The burden of leadership, and the perceived failure to negotiate the alliance, weighed on her as she prepared to brief her Marines. Behind her anguish, there was a glimmer of hope. The promise of technology this Sergeant Scipio had mentioned, if true, could turn the tide of their war with the Hardits and solidify their claim on both the planet and the system.
She planned to omit some minor details from the brief. Mainly, Marchewka’s doubt of her leadership qualifications, and the fact she had been disrespectfully cut off by a sergeant. Walking behind the dilapidated desk at the head of the room, she leaned forward and put both of her hands on it before speaking.
“These Beta City Marines won’t join the Legion unconditionally. They are led by a Jotun commander, and I feel they would be an asset,” Nhlappo explained as she sat down at the desk. “They also claim to know of, and possess, lost technology and tactics that will allow us to wipe these Hardit frakkers off the map. In exchange for information and a potential alliance, they want Marines to bolster their numbers. They are doubtful of our motivations, as we would be in their place. I’m inclined to agree to these conditions, but first, I need more information.”
Nhlappo ordered her logistics officer to research the ancient city of Kalino in hopes of uncovering some more insight into Scipio’s claims. While Major Jackie Murphy began scouring the records for ancient cities, Nhlappo explained how it would be beneficial to outsource some of their recently defrosted Marines. Their inability to control, feed, and hydrate them being her primary motivation. She didn’t pull them from ice to watch them slowly starve to death.
She turned to Sergeant Major Paco Ortiz and ordered him to prepare several of their shuttles to head over to Beta City for a face-to-face meeting. As a show of faith, Nhlappo wanted the shuttle to contain all the relevant intelligence they had. To prove their strength, she also ordered Ortiz to include the assets in the system that they conquered before landing on the planet. Grunting his understanding, the old Marine began tapping buttons on his Aimee as he lumbered away.
While Ortiz prepped, Nhlappo finished updating her staff. When she finished, she looked to Spartika.
“Lieutenant General Spartika, the continent is under your watch until I return back from these negotiations. Make no command decisions until–”
“Why don’t we simply take this technology? These ‘negotiations’ make us appear weak, and for all you know they are setting a trap. Don’t think I will send Marines into the grinder in a gamble to rescue you, Field Marshal.”
Standing with a jerk, Nhlappo slammed her unarmored fists onto the desk she was seated at causing one leg to break and the desk to tilt precariously. The holo-display and lights flickered. Taking a breath and regaining her calm, she looked at Spartika then to everyone else in the room.
“We need more allies, not enemies.” Looking directly at Spartika she added, “If it is a trap, I wouldn’t expect you to send a rescue party, Spartika. Not given your history.”
Glazing over the squabble between their commander and XO, Nhlappo’s staff echoed agreement about needing allies. She wondered if their agreement was simply adherence to her command, genuine, or if they were just looking to de-escalate the situation. Captain Ishmael Kogan, the diplomacy officer, cut in with his smooth and calming voice.
“Field Marshal, might I suggest not giving them reinforcements until after they’ve followed through on their end? I know we have to solve our critical food shortage, but we don’t need to solve our problems by making potential enemies stronger.”
“What do you recommend the threshold for sharing information and Marines should be, Captain?” Nhlappo responded.
“There are three things I would establish, Field Marshal. Can they prove they have, or can locate, this superior White Knight technology? Are the organized? Seeing how they mitigate the flooding mentioned in the reports from the last Tranquility Campaign will be a satisfactory indicator of their mechanical prowess and organization skills. Lastly, figure out how in Horden’s Hairy Fanny they broke our comms line. These three things should tell us if they can be trusted, and frankly, if they are even worth allying with,” said Kogan. “Further, bring along enough of your staff to get as many viewpoints and opinions as possible.”
Dropping back into the chair Nhlappo ran a hand over the stubble on her bald head.
“That is perfectly reasonable Captain, help organize and make it happen. Speaking of the breach in comms, Captain Voleikov, lock your shite down tighter. I’ll tolerate no more breaches like that – figure it out.”
Captain Voleikov assured her that he had his best people on the issue, but they were disadvantaged by weaker model AIs. He requested she acquire one of the more advanced AIs from Beta City, which could be incorporated into their system to bulk it up.
Captain Vardon Taylor, the supply officer, joined in the conversation seconds after Voleikov quit speaking. He was sitting in a salvaged chair that looked like it was pulled from a bonfire.
“Field Marshal, we’ve raided and stripped the subterranean areas of Old Detroit City, and we are still critically low on AIs for our new Marines. Many of the older generations of Marines were frozen without an AI, which is causing a severe strain on our resources. Most of all, we need an urgent solution to the critical lack of food supplies,” Taylor continued. “I accept we had to revive all our icers to avoid the Hardit cyber-infection corrupting their cryo-pods, but I suddenly have a million additional mouths to feed and an infrastructure equipped to feed tens of thousands.”
Nhlappo leaned on the table and nearly fell as it wobbled. Pushing it forward with a kick, she stood up and began pacing while Taylor continued speaking.
“We’ve woken a million soldiers only to watch them starve. It’s leading to unrest. There’s a few Marines who seem to be instigating this further. I have our security officer tracking down rumors, trying to locate these malcontents. Much of this would be solved with food, military equipment, replacement parts, and sabots. Finally, we have a water shortage, but we’ve built a machine to filter the water. We need to ration it until we can build up a reserve.”
Taylor leaned back in his chair and rubbed his legs nervously. It was obvious he was preparing for a potential outburst from the frustrated Field Marshal.
“All right, we will give the newer-era Marines the AIs first since they better integrate with them and are consequently more dependent on them. We will then trickle down any excess to the rest of our Marines. I’m going to reassign Commander Tizer to come up with solutions to the food issue. If I can do so without appearing weak, I will bring up this supply shortage with our allies,” Nhlappo said before stopping mid-step.
Looking down at her Aimee, she began typing information as she walked to the battered desk. Pressing a few commands into the desks keypad, the holo-display revealed building schematics and a large map.
“I also want a series of raids, scavenging, and foraging done in my absence. Target the Alabama Depot and the food processing fac
ility close by” –the locations lit up red on the floating holographic display– “as they will likely have food stores. Additionally, organize hunting, fishing, and foraging parties.”
The group looked at the display and started typing information into their Aimees. Nhlappo walked away from the table and continued pacing.
“As for the Marines in Beta City, their technology might save us. I’ll request a few of their personnel return with us to provide training on these new tactics and equipment. While we are gone, General Spartika will continue defending our base and raiding the ruined husk of Old Detroit City for supplies. Finally, continue to follow the Retrieval Protocol when we lose Marines, so our supplies aren’t wasted due to sentimentality and superstition. Stay alert, the Hardits have been quiet, but that could change at any moment.”
Nhlappo opened her mouth to dismiss them when Corporal Sokolov rushed into the bunker, flushed and out of breath.
“Captain Voleikov, Field Marshal, several unknown craft have taken off from our continent. They’ve broken orbit and appear to be heading out of the system. Our satellites indicate these ships don’t match anything we’ve ever seen. They appear to be about four times as big as a Stork. I’m not sure how they’ll fare in interstellar travel, but they’re going for it. They’re also using power sources we’ve never seen before.”
The chairs in the bunker toppled to the ground as all of the officers jumped up to do their part in the investigation of these strange signals.
— Chapter 13 —
Early Evening, Post-Revival Day 1
Command Bunker, Auxiliary Slave Pen 24, Baylshore