by Will Crudge
Now that’s one bad bitch! I think to myself! “Jonathan, hail Colonel Elders.”
“Sending now.” He replies.
WRECKING CREW
Being back on the Intimidator, the whole team is gathered into the main entrance foyer. We’re eagerly awaiting our final docking hook up with the estranged sloop, Foehammer. I still have no clue where they were, or what the hell they were doing, but I’m just grateful they’re alive.
The GBE and Crimson commandos are all dressed down to their sub armor layers, as I asked them to. Our three UAHC Soldiers, David, Kelley, and Jefe, are in their dress uniforms. Ives and Turnbuckle are dressed down in military style fitness apparel, while the fighter ground crew are lounging in their flame resistant jumpsuits.
I wanted the crew to appear at ease. None of us has any clue what they’ve been through, so I felt that creating a light atmosphere may help Kara and her skeleton crew to feel welcomed.
Kara’s ship only has four elite UAHC Soldiers, called ‘Fisters’, and a ship’s AI, named Steve. From what I’ve been told about the Fisters, is that they are uniquely – aggressive – when compared to the typical disposition of their peers. They may not like rubbing shoulders with Crimson troops, especially since they’ve faced off against them in combat, so this encounter can’t be allowed to escalate.
I take note that Jack and Shade enter the foyer, as well. Despite the friction between the former Crimson Agent and Captain Frick, they’ve reconciled quite a bit after fighting along-side each other. Combat has a strange way of bringing us together, I suppose.
Marbles taps me on the shoulder. I turn to see what he wants. “The LRF NAV’s are stoked to know that the Skull-Crusher is in one piece.” He says.
“I would be to! They’ve probably known each other since before they achieved sentience.” I say with a half-smile.
“From what Doom has told me, Crusher saved their asses somehow. Apparently, he’s become extremely adept to repairing and upgrading UAHC warships.”
“So, I’ve been told.” I say with a nod. “The Foehammer’s former flagship started life as a heavy cruiser with the ability to be converted to a dreadnaught. Crusher got into the ship’s systems, and unilaterally converted it to a battleship. Supposedly, the Hailstorm is the most badass human ship!”
“Well, there are the juggernauts, though…” Marbles says, as he intentionally leaves his sentence hanging.
“True.” I say flatly. “But as of yet, they’ve only been used to transport smaller fleets of warships, and have yet to engage an enemy directly. I have no idea how combat effective they really are. Being the size of a small planet, and having next gen FTL doesn’t mean they’re built for brawling.”
I hear the airlock cycle, and our conversation ends. The hissing and squealing of pressure equalization fills the foyer with ear piercing noise, but then it dies down a moment later. The hatch opens, and a woman steps out into the open. She has silky dark hair, and is wearing UAHC standard issue sub armor. She steps into the open, and four bodies follow her in.
“Welcome to the UAHC Intimidator, Colonel Elders!” I say, as I approach and extend my hand. She ignores my gesture, and goes in for a hug. It caught me by surprise, but I roll with it and hug her back.
“Thank you for coming to find us!” She says with a crack in her voice. I feel her emotions course through my spine, and I can tell she’s been through a tough ordeal.
We separate from our embrace, and I look her in the eye with an empathetic smile. “It’s you who deserves my thanks, Kara!” I say as a point of fact. “I don’t know how many pirates it would have taken to kick my ass… but I know how many they were going to use!” I begin to chuckle.
She grins from ear to ear, and shakes her head. “I would have never been there if I didn’t sense your presence!”
I blink wildly. Her words don’t make sense to me. “You’ll have to explain that part to me!” I say with an incredulous tone.
“All in due time!” She nods.
I barely noticed the two men, and two women that are standing behind her. I lean to one side to look around Kara, and try to get a better look at them. Kara seems to notice what I’m doing, and she steps to the side.
“Please allow me to introduce my skeleton crew!” Kara says. “First, we have Sergeant Gail. She’s the team leader.” She points out a tough looking chic with short red hair. I recognize her immediately. She saved my as at Titan.
“It’s great to see you again!” I say cheerfully. I embrace her warmly, and then step back once more.
“You too, War Master?” Gail says apprehensively, as she looks my armor up and down. “Congratulations!” She adds.
“Thank you!” I say, and then I look to the man next to Gail. He’s got sharp features, and corporal stripes on his status display.
Kara chimes in. “This is Gail’s right-hand-man, Corporal Thomas.”
I shake his hand, and he nods silently. I move on to the next Soldier, a young woman with longer blondish hair.
“This is Lance Corporal Lisa, the team’s laser and optics operator.” Kara says. I shake her hand as well. Then I turn to the last Soldier standing there. He’s a younger man than Thomas, but not by much.
“Lastly, we have PFC Todd. He’s the team’s coms operator, known as an RTO.” Hand shaking commences, and then I turn to Kara.
“I’m sure you’ll be eager to see a few familiar faces, won’t you?” I say with a wink.
David, Kelley, and Jefe walk out of the crowd of looming commandos, and approach their commanding officer with open arms. Smiles abound, and they all proceed to exchange warm greetings. Even the stone-faced Fisters join in.
“I’ll need my love too, dear!” Shade, the mighty grandma panther appears out of nowhere, and approaches Kara. Kara’s eyes light up, and she reaches down to embrace the massive cat.
“I can’t believe you all came!” Kara says with tears in her eyes.
“Believe it, dear!” Shade says, as she closes her eyes to enjoy the warm embrace of Kara’s arms.
An hour later…
Kara and I sit alone in the CIC. All the others have gone off to their assigned posts, or gone down to the brig to finish debriefing the captives. I’ve elected to dress down to some simple lose fitting clothing, and Kara has changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top.
Kara kicks her bare feet up on the arm rest of the command chair, and just listens to me blab about our mission. I eventually arrive to the point of the story where she saved my ass, and I trail off.
“Darius was smart to send you!” She says. “I sense something in you… something that can’t be taught in a training temple, I suppose. I’ve only got a smidgeon of your genetics, so I wouldn’t know for sure, but I can tell you’ve walked a separate path than the rest of your kind.”
She’s a sharp one. She probably didn’t know too much about me before she disappeared into the black, so I assume she’s speaking from intuition.
“My path was very different, but that’s a story for another time.” I say with a more serious tone. “What interests me, is what path you’ve taken, as of late!”
Kara curls her lips back. I get the sensation that her story is going to be one for the record books.
I hate it when I’m right!
She goes on to explain that they had taken some damage from their blind jump, and it had taken a herculean effort to come back out into normal space.
By the time they’d gotten their primary systems back on line, they realized they were in uncharted space… Uncharted, but not unaccompanied…
Before she can get down to the meat of her story, the CIC blast door slides open abruptly. The CIC stays dimly lit, as a rule. It makes the displays more prominent, and keeps the command crew focused on task. But that means the well-lit corridor beyond tends to blind you when the door opens.
I see a bulky shadow standing in the threshold, and it silently comes into the CIC. My superior vision helps me focus on the form quickly, and before I
know it, I’m standing with my fists drawn.
The Mwargoth seems to hover silently, and stares at me with its life-less eyes. Kara’s face fills my field of vision, and she pushes my fists down with her palms.
“No, Kat!” She shouts. “He’s here to help us! All of us!” She says sternly. I glare into her eyes, and something inside me resonates her words with my own sense of truth.
I step back slowly. Kara waits for a moment, and then steps back. The creature hadn’t moved. Its squid-like tentacles dangle loosely, and I can only guess it means it’s assuming a non-threatening posture.
“Why is this – thing - on my ship?” I say coldly while I shoot a look of utter distain at the monster.
“His name is Epilates… And he’s humanity’s best hope for survival!” Kara says with reverence.
At this point you may be wondering what I’m wondering. I look it up and down. Thoughts and questions fill my mind, and I almost feel the need to stretch my awareness into interdimensional space to satisfy my deepest query…
Does this thing have a penis?
The End
AFTERWORD
This series has been a labor of love. Normally, shorter books in the sci-fi genre are not the best sellers, but I persevered none-the-less. My goal was to ultimately tell Katherine’s story will a light-hearted tone, and lots of witty banter.
Did I succeed?
That’s for you, the reader, to decide. However, I am thrilled to go back through these pages, and smile. The first person perspective is very enjoyable for a writer to explore, but it comes with unique challenges.
I had to incorporate the near-linear events of the War for Humanity saga, which was decidedly not first person. Hopefully, I pulled it off, and you’ve enjoyed this series. I suppose if you’re reading this afterword, than you have… Or you’ve at least stuck with my insanity, and will give me a harsh review!
I look forward to expanding this universe in the future, and I have a lot in store for 2019! The coming year will see the release of the follow-up saga, The Mwargoth War.
Who knows? I may even go back to the drawing board, and do some origins stuff.
The Mighty Kaylen may tell his tale, as well!
-Will Crudge, Pendleton 2018.
THE BOOKS OF HUMANITY WEAPON
War for Humanity
- Book 1: Sovereign Protocol: A Soldier’s Rise
- Book 2: The Battle of Tangine
- Book 3: United Front
- Kara’s Flight – Saga Companion Story #1
- Broadsword – Saga Companion Story #2
-Omnibus: Extended Edition (All five books in one! Save BIG!)
War Master Candidate
- Book 1: Katherine: The Monster Within
- Book 2: Katherine: Forged in Exile
- Book 3: Katherine: I Am Vengeance
- Book 4: Katherine: A Woman At War
- Book 5: Katherine: War Master
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Will Crudge is a long-time military vet, and a devoted family man.
He shares his home with his beloved wife, his amazing daughters, a cat, and a dog. He also shares headspace with his insanity. Although most people suffer from mental illness, but Will enjoys every minute of it!