by JR Handley
Locking his rifle to his back, Lance unsheathed his obsidian sword and raised it. Amplifying his voice to thunder above the incoming sabots, he screamed the 6907th’s war cry.
“Forward – to victory!”
Xena highlighted the safest route in his helmet reticle as he sprinted toward the barricaded Hardits. Praying her calculations were correct and ignoring the sabots knocking dirt into the air around him, Lance thundered into the smoke and closed in on the barricades where the cowards hid.
Eager to prove herself to her new commander, Senior Sergeant Whitefield from 4th Squad ordered her Marines to follow Lance as he charged. Knowing they would be charging into the fatal funnel of the tunnel entry, First Sergeant Thorn ordered 1st Squad to provide cover fire. He shouted for the other three companies in the battalion stand by to serve as a mobile reserve to exploit the breach he hoped his commander would make.
Lance’s first sword swing cut off two tails that were firing blindly over a barricade. The weapons they were grasping fell as Lance used his forward momentum to vault over the barricade. Seeking a quick victory, Lance began expertly swinging his blade. Blood and visceral gore went flying in every direction as Lance removed heads, arms, and tails. The blinded and choking Hardits were helpless against his onslaught. Taking a moment to look back, Lance saw that his charge had punched a gaping hole in the line. Whitfield and her squad carved the hole into a breach as they followed behind him.
Lance knew the Hardits were in a panic, and he moved to profit from the chaos. The muscles in his arm burned as he cut down two more oblivious Hardits. His breathing came fast and ragged, but his determination was as strong as ever. Victory was in reach.
Painfully shifting his grip to cut the head from a Hardit facing away from him, a wall of deafening pain lifted him from the ground. His momentum halted with an excruciating thud. With his back to a newfound wall, Lance fell to his side and coughed. Blinking, he watched Hardit and Marine bodies fall to the ground around him. Desperately trying to breath, his chest tightened as his vision closed into blackness.
Not sure how long he had been out, Lance awoke to a dull ringing in his ears. Someone shouted something before he faded back out. Lance dreamt he was lying in the rain. Warm drops landed on his face washing away his worries. With an aching jerk, his eyes opened. The light caused his brain to thump with the beat of his heart.
He was on his back, and he couldn’t move. The blurry overhead slowly morphed into the ceiling of a passageway inside Beta City. Lance did a quick mental inventory.
Hands, arms, fingers, legs, toes… my meat stick better still be there.
Xena rang in his ears so loud he almost threw up.
You are whole – you idiot. Who charges a barricaded enemy, anyways? I’ll never understand the human male ego.
“Don’t you die. You idiot,” said a distinctly feminine voice before she leaned in and pulled his helmet off. The instant his helmet was gone she connected her warm lips to his. Lance, thinking this was the grasp of an angel, slipped his tongue into the mix. Suddenly, the angel broke contact with him.
Lance observed two armored blobs come into shape. Thorn grasped Hayley like a toy by the back of her combat armor and pushed her down the hallway. Shouting something about her age and it being inappropriate to take advantage of a wounded man, Thorn pulled off his blood covered helmet and looked down at him. While Lance didn’t know his own father, Thorn’s disapproving glare sure felt fatherly. Lance closed his eyes and sighed.
Thorn cleared his throat and stepped toward Lance. Speaking slowly, Thorn briefed him.
“Sir, Beta City is now secure. The other battalions reported in and have subdued their sectors. They took light casualties. Most of the Hardits were concentrated here, so this was the site of the fiercest fighting.”
Thorn took a knee next to Lance as he continued talking. His hands wiped bits of gore off Lance’s armor as he spoke.
“The explosion which wounded you was detonated by a dying Hardit wearing a sapper vest. That frakker took a heavy toll on Whiskey Company, but it also killed most of the remaining Hardit Militia. Ultimately, 4th Squad, Whiskey Company is lost – including Senior Sergeant Whitfield. Only three Marines from 4th survived. Those lucky buggers were wounded in the initial firefight and missed out on your foolhardy charge. Other squads took casualties, but thankfully, few fatalities.”
Thorn stood up and walked out of view for a second. Returning to Lance’s side clutching his blood coated sword, Thorn began carefully cleaning the blade as he continued talking.
“Field Marshal Marchewka was notified of our progress and sends his congratulations. I believe he’ll have a few choice words with you about your charging into the fray like some halfcocked corporal, but otherwise he seemed pleased. He has already ordered the engineers to sanitize levels one through three and to use the bilges to pump out the water from level four. I’m told they’ve already got plans to have it all done by tomorrow, though I doubt it will take that long.”
Thorn roughly placed Lance’s sword on his chest before continuing.
“Finally, the Spacers rode the orbital elevator where they are to meet up with Field Marshal Nhlappo’s Marines. She sent her Naval Attaché, Commander Magnetizer – drenting strange, that Spacer – to investigate the possibilities of salvaging the Indomitable, or any of the vessels in orbit.”
Knowing he couldn’t spend the campaign on his back, Lance slowly and painfully sat up.
“Alright, today we take a few hours off to prepare for the battle to come. Have the regiment secure their gear and be waiting for my call. Arrange for a meeting in several hours with the engineers. We need them ready to start building our new home. I’ll message Marchewka about setting up a battle planning session as soon as I recover. Now, get me to my quarters so I can sleep it off and let my nanites do their job.”
— Chapter 44 —
Mid-Morning, Post-Revival Day 5
Level 12 Cryopod Chamber, Beta City, Serendine
Human Legion Integrated Command, Tranquility System
Lance spent more than a few hours in his rack after suffering what Xena described as a needed knock to the head. Not letting the time go to waste, Lance used his injuries to his benefit. From his back, playing his injury up slightly, he convinced three former Whiskey Company squad leaders to finally accept officerships. The three were now battalion commanders in the 6907th TAC Regiment, giving Lance the comfort of knowing the loyalties of his subordinate command officers.
In recognition of his involvement in Beta City, his regiment had been given priority when it came to being brought back up to combat strength. Most of his Marines were eating, sleeping, or performing maintenance on their equipment while the nanites sped their recovery and soothed any mental trauma. A dinging noise coming from his Aimee caused Lance to groan as he pulled a pillow over his face. Pulling the pillow away, he looked to see that it was Field Marshal Grigonna.
“Colonel Scipio here, how can I help you today, Field Marshal?” he said in an almost disinterested voice as he fought off the lethargy.
Grigonna’s distorted voice crackled over the communications system. “Colonel Scipio, report to the Level 12 Cryopod Revival Chamber with Major Meadow Trevino. It is my understanding that you two are currently the eldest Marines on the continent, in terms of training. We’ve got a human warrior in cryo that isn’t a Marine, and we’d like your thoughts. I’m aware of the incident in the flooded city, so kindly remind the young major that she’s to keep a civil tongue in her throat, or I’ll rip it out.”
Not waiting for a reply, Grigonna cut the comms line. Lance pinged Trevino to get into her best uniform and meet him in his office. Once the message was sent he pulled the pillow back over his face and let out a yawn.
I’d kill the entire New Order myself to get a couple days of sleep, Lance lamented.
A moment passed before he heard three bangs on his door. Pulling the pillow away, he saw Trevino standing there looking confused. Her uniform
was pristine.
“Sir… you called for me?”
Realizing he had fallen asleep, Lance lurched out of his rack. Pain radiated from his shoulder and ribs as he began throwing on his uniform.
“Did you tell Lieutenant Colonel Isabella Mayer you were coming with me?”
“Yes, sir, my CO is aware. What is it you–”
“Field Marshal Grigonna said she was going to rip your throat out if you smarted off in her presence.”
Trevino’s face twisted into an even more confused expression. “Colonel Scipio, what’s going on? Why are we going to see the field marshal?”
Lance cinched down his web vest and winced in pain. He explained the situation as he pulled his boots on. After asking the shocked Trevino if his uniform didn’t look like total garbage, Lance walked and Trevino limped to the cryo chamber.
When the two of them finally reached the hidden cryopod revival chamber Basil had discovered during the draining project, Lance felt his heart drop into his stomach. Grigonna hadn’t mentioned all the field marshals would be there. Looking down at his scuffed boots, he sighed. At least only a single Mar-Tech and Trevino would be present to witness the potential chastising.
Closing the distance, Lance saluted and reported in. Giving him half-salutes, the three field marshals stood and stared at a bizarre looking cryopod glowing in front of them. Feeling himself instantly being taken in by intrigue, Lance walked over to inspect it closer. Instead of aged white ceramic, it had glowing white tubes running along it and was built from riveted black metal.
When he raised a questioning eye to his commanders, Nhlappo shrugged while the two Jotuns waved their eight collective hands around awkwardly. Lance took it as a Jotun shrug.
“Colonel Scipio, can your AI translate this cryopod’s coding? Ours do not have the capability,” said Nhlappo.
“Roger that, Field Marshal. I can have Xena upgrade your units as well if you would like,” said Lance.
The field marshals agreed to the upgrade while Xena set to her tasking. After about thirty seconds, Nhlappo turned to Lance.
“I’m curious about Xena’s capabilities. You speak as if she can crack into any system. Is this AI really that power–”
Xena’s voice cut Nhlappo off as it echoed over the speakers in the space. Simultaneously, the screens on the field marshal’s Aimees flashed bright green twice.
Field Marshals, I have updated your AIs. Regarding the human in Cryopod Number 011-20160503-09-0029, I easily navigated the coding, and his name is Kaden Roy. He held the rank of paladin and commanded the 3rd Agema, 4th Peltast, 9th Katwa Phalanxes. These units list their specialty as light infantry. This classifies him as a qualified soldier of the void. Records indicate he is from an unknown system. A Planet Beatro in the Lapen System. He was frozen the year before Colonel Scipio fought at the Battle of QEP 16. In the 161 years since he was iced, he somehow became separated from Beatro. Logic dictates that there is likely a reason why the White Knight lackeys scrubbed him from the universal database. Shall I proceed in thawing him?
Everyone, except the scowling Nhlappo, vocalized their satisfaction with the data Xena mined from his records. While Xena initiated revival protocols, the field marshals planned during the standard fifteen-minute wait.
Grigonna suggested that if Kaden proved viable, that he’d be a candidate to fill the XO position for Echo Company, 8th Battalion. The former officer had died leading the charge against the Hardit Militia during the Battle for the Sally Ports. The deceased Lieutenant Connor Davey, and the rest of his unit, played a pivotal role in winning the day.
Lance agreed to take Kaden and incorporate his knowledge into his regiment. A clicking noise followed by the sound of an ice breaking pulled everyone’s attention to the cryopod. Cool, white mist rushed out as it opened. Looking in, they found themselves staring at one of the palest humans any of them had ever seen. His almost white hair looked even more reminiscent of a wintery tundra than his pale skin. Kaden’s eyes fluttered open as he sought to reorient himself.
Kaden spoke, but his first few sentences took a while to filter through the translation devices.
“Hvar er ég? Hver ertu? Hvar er phalanx minn?”
After repeating the question, each attempt more frantic than the last, the upgraded nanites ability to communicate with each other kicked in.
“Where am I? Who are you? Where is my phalanx?” said Kaden.
Lance figured Kaden’s sight must have just returned, because when he saw the Jotun officers, his hands raised in front of him. Unable to make fists, Kaden held his frozen arms out in an aggressive stance. The dark purple and pink scars covering his alabaster skin, paired with his naked and aggressive stance, made Lance smile at the absurdity of the situation. Nhlappo, on the other hand, didn’t look amused as she stepped forward.
“Mind your tongue, Marine. You’re in Beta City on Tranquility-4 in the Tranquility System. I understand you might’ve been an officer in your old unit, but now you’re only as much as we say you can be. Since we don’t know where the Lapen System is, this is your new home. Welcome to the Marine Corps, the proud fighting department of the Human Legion. Now, tell me about–”
“I’m not Marine, I’m a soldier of the emptiness, damn it!” said Kaden as he waved a frozen hand at each one of them. “Now, find my Agemi, we must start our wake-up protocol.”
The field marshals stared open mouthed, Lance stifled a laugh, and Major Trevino stepped forward before he could stop her.
“You’ve been revived on Tranquility in the middle of a great civil war among the White Knights. They’re at war with themselves, abandoning whole star systems to fend for themselves. We’ve chosen to fight for our own freedom, rather than die from outside encroachment. That freedom can be yours, should you join us. I don’t know where your home or your people are, but fight with us, and we will find them and free them as well.”
Kaden, too young to have risen to a position commanding 256 human warriors without extreme battlefield heroics, wasn’t ready to give in yet. He continued to protest his status as a soldier when he was cut off by Nhlappo.
“Enough! You’re in the Human Legion Marine Corps, now!”
After looking lost, moments turning into uncomfortable silence, Kaden demonstrated some of the character traits that likely earned him a command position.
“Kraken Marine? Fine. Frakk me, I think my penis fell to just four inches, and my IQ is down to single-digit range,” Kaden said as he stared into the empty space above Meadow’s head.
Nodding her satisfaction at Kaden’s acceptance of his new status, Nhlappo plowed ahead with questions. She asked about his training, combat experience, and planet of origin. While there was little doubt about his history and experience, Kaden didn’t bother to speak in the respectful tones the field marshals were accustomed to hearing. Between Kaden and Xena, Lance knew he was going to have his hands full.
After Nhlappo had exhausted her patience, she told Kaden of his provisional status as the executive officer of a Marine Infantry Company and the lieutenant rank that came with it.
“Major Trevino, escort him to his temporary quarters. Get his gear tuned up and brief him more on what’s going on,” said Nhlappo. She turned her angry, grey eyes to Kaden. “Lieutenant Roy, do anything stupid and this Kraken Marine will stomp you into the ground.”
Nhlappo let out a heavy sigh as the two walked out of the room. Running her hands over her stubble covered head, she looked to Lance.
“Colonel Scipio, do what you can to find out about his home.”
“Will do, Field Marshal. It should be… educational.”
Xena came through the speakers and brought them all back on task. She mentioned they had one last special revival before they could commence planning their war against the New Order. When the field marshals grunted their approval, Xena continued.
We’ve found a senior Sangurian in Cryopod Number 004-20040730-1209-1506 that shows promise. His name is Folta ip Daiyna, of the Hid
den Dale Clan, and he is a clan chief of one of the twelve senior clans. He holds a middle level position on the Clan Council. He was a part of the rebellion against the White Knights and was iced after the genocide of his species started.
While Xena spoke, Lance prayed this Sangurian wasn’t as non-compliant as Kaden. He also worried about the fierce reputation of the species. Horror stories from his youth echoed in his head as he shifted his sword on his back. In the short walk to the cryopod, he prepared for the worst – close quarters combat with a creature biologically adapted to slaughtering others with its teeth and claws. Xena spoke while the group walked the expansive cryochamber.
Logic dictates that he’ll be willing to join any organization which is fighting against the White Knights. I’ve taken the liberty to pre-program his nanites based off the records I uncovered about their species. They likely already have nanites, so these will update any existing ones. Shall I revive Clan Chief Folta?
The field marshals told Xena to carry on, and fifteen minutes later, the universe had its first Sangurian breathing air in three centuries. Their collective eyes focused on the long eared Sangurian. Folta gasped for air, and his furry eyelids rapidly fluttered. Astonishingly, he appeared to experience none of the temporary blindness which plagued humanity after long periods on ice. Lance noticed the field marshals had all moved their hands closer to their weapons as Folta continued to awaken. When Folta started to sit up, he craned his head to the right and caught sight of Field Marshal Grigonna and Marchewka. The Sangurian’s long, rabbit-like ears perked straight up, and he began adamantly speaking and gesturing to everyone present.
After a few moments, Xena’s translation software began to take effect. Folta’s repetitive demands became clearer.
“Why am I breathing? I demand an honorable death that can be added to your elders with the rest of the people.”