Fortress Beta City (The Sleeping Legion Book 2)

by JR Handley

  Tranquility System Command Staff, New Order Army

  Once the last of the Hardit spacecraft were out of sight, Zempi called a pack gathering of her small staff. Given the limited number of troops she had, Zempi knew she’d have to make the most of her technological advantage and pick quality officers, over skilled grovelers. With that in mind, the Janissary walked into the Command Bunker.

  When Zempi walked into the pack gathering, the group lowered their heads, ears, and tails in respect. As Zempi strode, towering above them on her hind legs, she unsheathed a three-bladed knife she had acquired from a slaughtered human and threw it. Sub-Commander Jilelin Laris-Calix howled as blood exploded from his toothy mouth. The knife wobbled back and forth in his furry neck as he fell to the ground choking on blood. Zempi continued calmly walking toward the dying Laris-Calix. When she was close enough, she ripped the knife free with her tail, wiped the blade clean on his fur, and placed it back into the sheath on her hip.

  There were collective yelps from the assembled Janissaries. They believed they were beyond the initial leadership purges used by Supreme Commander Tawfiq to establish her dominance. They were wrong. The group’s houndlike ears perked as Zempi began communicating, but they did not dare raise their eyes.

  “You are here because you are qualified Janissary officers. You will lead the New Order to victory and a swift conquest of the Tranquility System. Laris-Calix, the male militia scum, was here because of his skill at groveling at the Supreme Commander’s hairy feet. If he was as skilled at killing enemies of the New Order as he was at licking hindquarters, he would still be breathing, instead of tainting the ground with his blood.”

  Zempi let out a low guttural growl as she finished her sentence, and the pack cowered. Her pointed canines flashed as she smiled at the power she asserted.

  “My personal adjutant, Thebellen Chocie-Forto, will become my number two and is hereby a sub-commander. The rest of you will maintain your current positions. Given the shortage of personnel, I will only have four Proctors, instead of the sacred five. Don’t let the old superstitions sway you, we will be victorious!”

  After a momentary pause, where the pack shouted the ritualistic chant, Zempi reasserted control of the meeting. “On your tablets, you will find a list of the meager regiments left to us by the Supreme Commander. You will also see who graces my Supreme Staff. Memorize it, or you will die for your incompetence.”

  * * *

  TRANQUILITY NEW ORDER ARMY

  SUPREME STAFF

  CO: Commander Zempi Milisyen-Hoia

  Adjutant: Senior Scent Leader Anarene Dalille-Loda

  XO: Sub-Commander Thebellen Chocie-Forto

  1st Proctor: Captain Vendar Crima-Murha

  2nd Proctor: Captain Briza Saktan-Kino

  3rd Proctor: Lieutenant Adin Nocere-Babras

  4th Proctor: Lieutenant Lorven Patu-Yatap

  * * *

  Tired of waiting for the pack to finish reading, Zempi slammed her tail onto the ground before continuing. “Given the vastness of this rock, we will first secure our weak back door – the continent of Serendine. Then we will converge on Detroit City and slaughter the weak human filth.”

  Zempi saw the group’s tails begin to rise with excitement, and she emitted a low growl to refocus them. Upon hearing it, the pack dropped their heads in a placatory gesture while she continued to explain her battle strategy.

  “There should be little resistance on Serendine. While we pile up the emaciated bodies of dead humans, we will search for the weapons smuggled out by our Free Corps conspirators. We need those weapons to bolster our feeble militia. While the humans scurry about in panic, 4th Proctor Lorven Patu-Yatap will harass Detroit to make them think we are all still on the Baylshore Continent. The proctor will do this with a company of our best Janissaries, the Honor Guard, and the 19th and 20th Militia Regiments.”

  The groups clawed hands and feet dug into the ground as their tails began to rise in anticipation. They would savor the slaughter of these soft humans. The mood shifted as Zempi began walking amongst them. They hunkered down, making themselves as small as possible in her presence.

  “We will capture the orbital elevator on Serendine, bypass the empty islands, and converge on Detroit like the Great Death Bringer. We are New Order Janissaries. We don’t need the gods of old because we’re becoming gods. We will become the God of Death and Vengeance and annihilate our enemies.”

  The pack exploded into a frenzy and began raking the floor with their claws and beating the ground with their hair-covered tails. Over it all, Zempi howled. The ferocity of the roar silenced them all.

  “Once we conquer Serendine and capture the orbital elevator, we will return to a weakened Detroit City. By the time our main force arrives, armed with newly acquired weapons and full bellies, the 4th Procter will have softened those frail and starving humans. It will be a massacre. Now you know my plan. Contact whatever senior officer is on Serendine and have them use the lower tunnels to investigate Beta City in advance of our arrival. I want our forces ready to move by sunset.”

  — Chapter 14 —

  Early Morning, Post-Revival Day 2

  Habdisk 612 Mess Hall, Beta City, Serendine

  Yankee & Whiskey Co., 8th BN, 6907th TAC RGT

  Waking up, having racked out after a long and eventful first day, Lance started dressing. Once he donned his nanite-infused, smartfabric uniform, complete with the rank insignia of a Marine Captain, he left to have breakfast with his company. The mess hall was a sprawling grid of long tables with swivel chairs and Lance wandered around for a while before he spotted Caelius Thorn. Nodding to the newly re-designated First Sergeant, he dropped the steel tray on the table and sat down to eat.

  “Good morning, sir! It’s nice seeing the double bars of a Marine captain on human shoulders! I trust your newly re-organized command sits well with you?”

  Startled by Thorn’s gusto, Lance looked up at the smiling old Marine. His salt and pepper hair made him look fatherly as he grinned and motioned toward Lance’s rank insignia.

  “Good morning, First Sergeant. First Sergeant Thorn has a nice ring to it, infinitely less confusing than millions of ‘Senior Sergeants’ and ‘Senior Veteran Sergeants’ being used to distinguish the millions of Marines with the same rank in vastly different positions.”

  “I’ll miss those old ranks,” Thorn replied. The old sergeant obviously didn’t like change, but as a Marine, he would adapt.

  “Come on, First Sergeant, our ranks have caught up with our titles. As for my chain of command, I still need to shore up the holes created by resuscitation attrition. If they offer, are you going to accept a commission?”

  Thorn smiled and took a big swig of his coffee before responding.

  “Hell no, I won’t. Hard enough adjusting to this new rank system, I’m not trying to relearn how to be a Marine. I’ll leave the commissions to those Marines young enough to adapt! Now, I’ve got to see to my company while we wait for our command structure to be addressed.”

  Lance poked at the processed ration bar on his tray as Thorn departed. He wished they had something other than bland food and synthetic coffee. His head jerked up as he saw his squad leaders enter the mess hall together. He watched as they scanned the room, clearly looking for someone. Figuring it was him they were looking for, he waved his hand at them and waited as they marched over to his table.

  Lance leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms sarcastically as the group marched toward him in perfect step. Once they arrived, they saluted and shouted in unison the greeting of the day, holding their salute and waiting for him to return it. Everyone in the mess hall turned to see the source of the ruckus. Sighing, Lance jumped to attention and returned their salute before telling them to sit down and stop being ridiculous.

  “Where’s your food?” Lance said as the Marines sat down across from him.

  The group had skipped picking up their processed garbage to take advantage of embarrassing their newly min
ted captain. Looking over their shoulders, Lance saw Sergeant Hayley Mason. He waved her over.

  Hayley snapped to attention when she arrived at the table, rendered a salute, and shouted the greeting of the day. After standing to return the salute, Lance gave his Aide-de-Camp instruction.

  “Staff Sergeant Mason, your first official act as my assistant is to go get my squad leaders breakfast. I want you back here yesterday with everyone’s food. Don’t forget yourself, as scrawny as you are you should probably be on double rations!”

  The three Whiskey Company squad leaders laughed at the stunned look on Hayley’s face. The early morning hour, paired with a sudden promotion and obligatory hazing, had startled her beyond words. Regaining her composure, she snapped into action by ordering four of the junior Marines near her to get food to the table where the sergeants were sitting. Trays and cups of coffee hit the table before Lance could start his impromptu staff meeting, and Hayley sat down to eat looking pleased.

  “We’ve got holes in our chain of command we need to fill. I intend to promote from within. We are clearly learning this on the fly, but we will figure it out together. As squad leaders, your new rank is that of ‘Senior Sergeant,’ so congratulations on your new ranks,” Lance said as he turned his icy blue eyes toward Mayer. “Senior Sergeant Isabella Mayer, I would like to formally promote you to the vacant First Sergeant position within the company. You acquitted yourself well at the Cadet Combat Training Exercise and proved your leadership potential. I would love for you to be my new First Sergeant. Do you accept?”

  Isabella looked shocked, and blushed as she thanked him for her promotion. Lance tapped her shoulder and Xena adjusted the nanites in her smartfabric uniform to reflect the new rank. After everyone calmed down, Isabella frowned. Her eyes looked over to Tendaji Conteh before she addressed Lance in a hushed tone.

  “Sir, Tendaji Conteh and I have been in a sexual relationship. With death our only companion, we’ve decided to make a lifelong commitment to each other. I’m not sure what to call it, this is uncharted territory for us, life mates maybe? Normally our Jotun officers would frown upon this, but none of them are here to stop us. Regardless, it could appear unethical to our subordinates for him to work for me during the day and under me at night. I guess I’ll have to pass on the–”

  “First Sergeant, we can address this during the big personnel reshuffle that’s coming. Until then, move your arse into the quarters formerly known as the Company Senior Sergeant Quarters. There is plenty of room in there for Conteh to unofficially move in, just use your better judgement. Life mate, huh?”

  Lance glanced over at Tendaji, who let out a giant breath before taking a massive gulp of his coffee. Lance’s mind drifted back to his time with Aura on the Grendel. There were going to be many implications of what life after the White Knights could mean, but he didn’t dwell on the idea because he wasn’t convinced that any such allegiance would pan out. Realizing everyone was staring at him, he looked to Okeke.

  “Senior Sergeant Okeke, how do you feel about a commission as my executive officer? Your willingness to listen to your subordinates at the CCTE is exactly what I’d like in an XO.”

  Lance expected some minor reluctance, but Okeke looked appalled at the idea. Okeke realized his face was betraying his emotions and spoke up.

  “Sir, I just isn’t the kiongozi type. They offer me Sergeant Major of the World, I’ll take it. But officer? Blah, not I. Nothing personal, your new officership an’ all.”

  After glancing at Tendaji Conteh, who still hadn’t broken eye-contact with his food after Isabella’s confession, Lance realized he’d refuse promotion as well.

  “Are any of your Marines ready for promotion? I don’t want any conflict of interest, so do you have any recommendations from 1st Squad? It wouldn’t look good if I started promoting my old squad,” Lance asked. He knew most of his former cadets were green, but one or two had potential.

  They all answered in the negative about the former cadets, but agreed Wires and Cristal Thorn deserved promotion. Lance smiled, because he couldn’t agree more.

  “Okay, we will promote Wires to the XO vacancy and stick a pin in the rest of the promotions. We’re losing Basil to the new Tech Corps, so a replacement Mar-Tech is getting pulled from the thousands of Auxies in the NTU. Remember, move our trained riflemen up to fill grenadier and automatic riflemen slots since the backfill Marines won’t be familiar with our tactics. Ping Xena if you need my assistance. Since we will be moving to the new city, we can all remain in our current barracks assignments for now.”

  As his staff sat silently, Lance realized they probably needed some time to talk amongst themselves without their captain present. It didn’t feel good to be outside of the NCO circle. He took a long swill of his tepid coffee, gathered his tray, and headed for the tray conveyer belt. Depositing his tray, he turned to exit the mess hall. Hayley ran up behind him and asked what she should do now.

  “Go ahead and interface your AI with Xena. You’re attached to my hip now, and this will give us constant comms. Please invite Tech-Major Terloar to meet me in my quarters, I’ll be there as soon as I finish speaking with First Sergeant Thorn. Him and I have some business to discuss. For now, you’re on your own until I call on you or send you instruction. Dismissed.”

  — Chapter 15 —

  Morning, Post-Revival Day 2

  Yankee Co. First Sergeant’s Quarters, Beta City, Serendine

  Whiskey Co., 8th BN, 6907th TAC RGT

  Marching with as much self-restraint as he could, knowing that running would look undignified, Lance closed the distance to Thorn’s quarters in Yankee Company. Knocking, he heard the baritone voice of Thorn ordering whoever was at the door to enter. The metal door hissed open as Lance walked into the Digi-Pic filled room. Glancing up from his Aimee, Thorn saw Lance and jumped to attention. The old sergeant saluted as crisply as he had during his cadet years.

  “Sir, welcome to my humble quarters. How might Yankee Company help you today?”

  There were equal parts of sarcasm and pride in Thorns voice, and this caused Lance to grin before replying.

  “Roger that, First Sergeant, roger that. I need some advice.”

  Dropping down into the chair in front of Thorn’s desk, Lance proceeded to fill him in on the coupling of Conteh and Mayer. He mentioned his need for a veteran NCO to serve as his first sergeant, tempered with his reluctance to have lovers working for each other in his chain of command. When he looked up, Lance was stunned at the amusement in Thorn’s grey eyes.

  “What’s so frakking funny?” asked Lance.

  Thorn smirked and stood, tucking his arms behind his back as he looked down at Lance. The deep lines and scars on his leathered face made him seem fatherly as he began speaking.

  “Captain, the answer is so easy that I have trouble believing you didn’t think of it. Just transfer First Sergeant Mayer to another company in the battalion. Have your AI send your next level commander a request for permission. The 8th Battalion commander slot is open, so that means contacting Colonel Grigonna. You might also ask for permission to promote someone into the XO slot. I’ll go get us some coffee, grab a seat and get your AI ready to earn her pay!”

  As Thorn left, Xena chimed into the conversation through Lance’s Aimee.

  Earn my pay? He’d be dead without me. Men! Ugh, give me a lovely lady to work with any day! I wrote the letter to your regimental commander. I expect an answer back any moment now. Until then, relax and drink some of the swill Thorn is bringing over while I do all the work… as usual.

  Right as Xena shut up, and Lance was lowering the volume of his Aimee, Thorn walked into the room with two steaming mugs of what passed as Marine Corps coffee. Lance took his cup, and thanked the Thorn for his consideration and advice. As he sipped the hot, bitter brew, he half-jokingly muttered that officers should get higher quality liquid caffeine. When Thorn again laughed at him, Lance looked up in frustration.

  “I’m really not liking the
constant laugh-festival at my expense.”

  “Sir, the officers did have better stuff. They were Jotun though, so the good stuff was designed for their physiology, not ours. I’m afraid you’re stuck drinking the swill with the rest of us. Maybe now we can finally start making more human-centric consumables given we are a more human detachment of Human Marine Corps? And if we join this Legion, well then, who knows.”

  Lance was pulled from thoughts of more palatable food when Xena alerted him to a private message from his regimental commander.

  * * *

  Captain Scipio,

  You’re an officer, a company commander, and have my full trust in your ability to promote from within. Given the important role that Field Marshal Marchewka and the Hummers think you’re going to play, feel free to pull from Yankee Company to fill the holes in your line. If we receive these supposed reinforcements Field Marshal Nhlappo alluded to, we can adjust fire with the rest of the regiment. Additionally, given our potential status as free beings, I support the committed coupling of Marines if it stays outside the chain of command. I regret that your squad leaders refused commissions; they’re certainly qualified. I’ve made a note to work on that.

  Until such a time as things change, make any promotions you see fit. The only staffing decision I’m imposing are the lateral transfers of First Sergeants Thorn and Mayer. Having averted any fraternization issues, simply update me with the new TO&E when it’s done. Once the hole on Level 4 is repaired, Whiskey Company will assist the engineers in stripping the habdisk being utilized to drain Beta City. With the re-organization, you will lose Tech-Major Terloar. He will be transferring out of the regiment. I’ll let you know where your friend is going when I hear more. Now, stop bugging me and get to work!