Steel Apocalypse

by Rodney Hartman

  Never fond of small talk, Jake decided to grab the pactar by the horns. “Why am I here, Mister Gegorma? I’m pretty sure you didn’t bring me halfway across the galaxy to reminiscence about my grandfather.”

  Wiping a strand of white hair away from his eyes, Creao Gegorma said, “Direct and to the point. Just like Jacob. All right then, Jake, to be honest, I prefer a man who’s blunt. I brought your Paladin and you here to see what kind of team you are. I want to see if you’ve connected.”

  “My Paladin? What’s Maggie got to do with it?”

  “Oh, yes. Good old Maggie.” He eyed Jake. “I assume she doesn’t remember.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not following you, Mister Gegorma. Doesn’t remember what?”

  A sly smile came over the old man’s face. “That answers my question. If she knew, she’d have told you. The Intergalactic Empire wiped her memory clear when Jacob died. They had to do it.”

  Growing frustrated at the lack of information, Jake spread his hands. “Look, sir, I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about. Why would the Empire go to the trouble of wiping the memory banks of a cat’s tactical computer? How about you just tell me what’s going on instead of beating around the tail of the asteroid?”

  The white-haired man smiled. “All right, Jake. I’ll tell you what I can. Eight hundred years ago, a race of gas-based life forms made contact with the Intergalactic Empire. They—”

  “Gas-based?”

  The elder Gegorma nodded. “That’s right, gas-based.” He touched his chest with his right hand. “They’re not carbon-based like these flesh-and-blood bodies we walk around in. Nevertheless, they’re just as alive as we are. They’re logical creatures and have an affinity for computers. They are similar to computers in a lot of ways, but they are definitely living beings.”

  Jake had dealt with a lot of life forms over the years, but never any made out of gas. “Eight hundred years ago, you say? How come I’ve never heard of them?”

  The old man laughed. “I’d be surprised if you had. There aren’t many of them, at least not compared to other forms of life anyway. They tend to work behind the scenes with most of the higher-level governments in the galaxy. Like I said, they have an affinity for computers and help governments control their parts of the tele-network. They come in very handy for those who have access to them.”

  Leaning back in his chair to give himself time to think, Jake shrugged. “Okay, I’ll take your word for it for now. What’s that got to do with Maggie and me?”

  “It has everything to do with the two of you. Fifty-five years ago, your grandfather and I worked on a secret project for the Intergalactic Empire with the Deloris Armaments Corporation. The company’s CEO at the time was good friends with Jacob. The idea was to see if a super UHAAV could be created using one of the gas-based creatures as the cat’s tactical computer. With our help, Deloris Armaments modified a Paladin to create a prototype that could interface with one of the gas-based entities. To make the system work correctly, the gas-based entity needed to form a connection with the UHAAV’s pilot much the same way as one of the Empire’s wizard scouts links with their battle computers. Jacob’s DNA structure was found to be the best match, so the gas-based entity formed a bond of sorts with your grandfather.”

  Jake shook his head. Too much information was coming too fast. “Maggie’s just a tactical computer for a UHAAV. I’ll admit she can seem almost alive at times, but she’s just a bunch of programming code created to emulate the mannerisms of a human being. She’s good, but she’s still just a computer.”

  Creao Gegorma stared at him long enough that Jake began to have doubts.

  “I mean, isn’t she?”

  “No, she isn’t. Your Maggie is a one-of-a-kind prototype. She’s fully integrated with the special hardware that’s embedded in your Paladin. She’s as much a living being as you or I.”

  Memories of his AI occasionally talking about gas-based and carbon-based life forms came flooding to Jake’s mind. He’d always thought it was just her way of interfacing with him by making something up.

  “I’m not saying you’re right,” Jake said, “and I’m not saying you’re wrong. What I do know is that I still don’t understand what you want from me.”

  Creao Gegorma drummed his fingers on the table a couple of times. “The Paladin project was a failure, at least as far as the Empire was concerned. It wasn’t that the concept didn’t work, it did, but only as far as Jacob and Maggie were concerned. The gas-based entity you call Maggie connected with Jacob at a level far deeper than the Empire’s techs envisioned. Jacob and Maggie’s connection couldn’t be duplicated by any of the other test subjects. Some of them died in the effort. The program was shut down, and the other test cats were disassembled. Since Maggie was already fully integrated with the Paladin, the Empire’s technicians came to the conclusion they couldn’t remove her without destroying her in the effort. From what the CEO of Deloris Armaments told me at the time, the other gas-based entities working for the Empire threw a fit when they thought the Empire might destroy the Paladin anyway. The end result was that Jacob was allowed to keep the Paladin. I tried to convince him to go into business with me, but he chose the life of a mercenary instead.”

  “And?” Jake asked, beginning to get an inkling of where the man was headed but wanting it spelled out for him to make sure.

  Creao Gegorma shrugged. “I started my business without Jacob and Maggie.” He waved a hand at the rows of books around him. “I’ve done pretty good as you can see, but I know Jacob and me could’ve done better if I’d had your Maggie working for me.”

  Jake stiffened as he remembered some of the things he’d heard about the old man sitting in front of him. Gegorma was definitely no angel. “I’ve been told you’re not a man who takes no for an answer,” he said. “I’m surprised you just didn’t take Maggie for yourself.” He eyed the man across from him, growing wary. “I was told my grandfather was killed by a friend. Did you kill him?”

  The look of shock that came over Creao Gegorma was not what Jake expected. Either he’s really surprised, or he’s one hell of an actor.

  “You think I killed Jacob? Well, I didn’t. He was my best friend. He was murdered by the old CEO of Deloris Armaments. I’ll admit I wanted Maggie, but I knew she was so connected to your grandfather at the DNA level that she’d never work with anyone else. After your grandfather was murdered, the Empire’s technicians wiped her memory hoping they could use her for something else, but the memory-wipe only partially worked. She started to go crazy until your father was brought to her. His DNA was close enough to Jacob’s that Maggie was able to work with him and stay sane, but she was never able to connect to your father the way she had with Jacob. If she had, I would’ve offered your dad a position with my company. Just for old time’s sake. After all, Jacob was my friend.”

  Red warning lights were flashing in Jake’s mind. The old man’s words sounded sincere, but Jake had been around good actors before. He pulled out his biggest card to gauge the man’s reaction. “Maggie told me that Commander Donalis killed my father. He works for you, right?”

  Creao Gegorma laughed. “Commander Donalis is a pirate. He works for no one but himself. I’ll admit I’ve had him do a few jobs for me over the years. I’m a businessman. I’ve been forced to work with a lot of less than desirable people to get where I am today. But what happened to your father on Celon Three wasn’t my doing. When I heard the Balorian pirates were conducting a raid under Commander Donalis on Celon Three and that your father was there, I sent word that neither the Paladin nor your father was to be harmed. I even offered a big reward for their safe return to me.”

  “My dad died.”

  “Yes, he did, and for that I’m truly sorry, Jake. I tried to stop it, but like I said, Commander Donalis is a pirate. He does what he wants. I’m just thankful he didn’t destroy Maggie. He claims he only wanted to disable the Paladin and didn’t intend for your dad to die. From what I’ve been told, it w
as the radiation from your dad’s own tactical nuke mines that killed him. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to excuse Donalis. I’m just saying I tried my best to save your dad’s life.”

  “Why should I believe you?”

  “Why? Because I’m going to try and help you and your family. That is, if you’re as connected to Maggie as I think you are. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

  Jake was ready to get up and leave. The only thing stopping him was the fact that he knew he had nowhere to go. The man owns the planet. The Gegormas control all access to and from Lastreo. I’m at his mercy, and he knows it. “So what happens next?” he asked. “I’m not stupid. If you really wanted to help my family, you would’ve done it a long time ago. It’s not like we’ve been in hiding.”

  Spreading his hands, Creao Gegorma leaned back in his seat. “No you haven’t, Jake. But I’m a businessman. I’ve got people I answer to. I’ve kept an eye on Maggie and you since your father died, looking for any kind of sign that you were connecting. When I got word how the two of you took out the Crosioian troopship on Thrakis by yourselves, I took it as a sign Maggie had formed a link with you.” He smiled. “If that’s true, then we can do business together. Your family and you would never have to worry about credits again.”

  “I’m guessing you’re talking about offering me a job,” Jake said. “Why wait? Make the offer, and I’ll tell you what you can do with it.”

  Instead of being offended, Creao Gegorma laughed. “You know, you really do remind me of Jacob. Same sense of humor and same lack of tack. As I said earlier, I’ve got people to answer to. They’re not as convinced as me. They will be tomorrow. We’ll talk more at the survivors’ party tomorrow night.”

  “I’m not sure—”

  Any sign of humor left the old man’s face. “I said we’d talk tomorrow. I’m a busy man. Just make sure Maggie and you are alive at the end of the day.”

  With that, two burly guards Jake hadn’t seen enter the library walked up and stood on either side of his chair.

  Jake stood. Before he turned to leave, he locked eyes with the elder Gegorma. “Donalis killed my father. If I get him in my sights tomorrow, I’ll kill him.”

  “I’d expect no less. Truth is you’d be doing me a favor if you did. He’s outgrown his usefulness.” His eyes turned cold. “It would be best if you don’t outgrow yours.”

  Chapter 22 – Battle Royale

  _________________

  At 0600 hours, Jake finished up the last of his pre-operation checks inside the Paladin’s cockpit. He glanced out the windscreen at the scenery two-thousand-meters below. In the air around him were dozens of cats of various sizes and models being airlifted by shuttles and space tugs. Tractor beams connected the air transports to the armored vehicles as they carried them to their starting positions for the battle royale. In the distance, Jake noticed one of the twelve-meter-high Krakens being airlifted by four space tugs. Whether it was the Trecorians’ Kraken 51 or one of the other teams’ cats, he wasn’t sure.

  The Paladin lurched, throwing him against his flight harness.

  Jake glanced over at his copilot. “I’m glad I took the time to buckle before our tug got us airborne.”

  Maggie touched the unbuckled shoulder harness on her chair and winked. “It pays to be a hologram when the ride gets bumpy, eh, Tiger? You should try it sometime.” She laughed. “If we’re lucky, maybe they’ll drop a few of the other contestants before the tournament starts and save us the trouble of taking them out ourselves.”

  The cat lurched again as the space tug hit a pocket of turbulence and fell several meters. “I’ll be thankful if they don’t drop us.” He pressed the icon for the cat-to-cat transmitter. “Macron two-two, this is Paladin zero-five. Comm check, over.”

  Only static sounded in the headphones of the flight helmet.

  “You’re one stubborn cuss, do you know that, Jake?” said Maggie. “That’s the fifth time you’ve tried to establish contact since we’ve been airborne. I told you the tournament controllers have disabled all communications equipment. In theory, this is supposed to be an individual effort. I calculate the controllers figure there’s no need for cat-to-cat communications.”

  “I’m not stubborn,” Jake said as he pressed the icon again. “Macron two-two, this is Paladin zero-five. Comm check, over.”

  Laughing, Maggie pushed against the floor with her feet and spun the copilot’s chair 360 degrees. “Creator save me from obstinate pilots. You’ve got to learn to relax. Look at me. I’m cool as an ice bear on Barvia’s outer rings.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re safe inside the cat’s core behind fifty centimeters of brerellium-steel that’s embedded with energized flakes of titanium. Plus, like you said, you’re a hologram. If the space tug’s tractor beam malfunctions, you’ll probably survive. I’m the one who’ll be smashed flatter than a Dorillian pancake.”

  Maggie leaned back in her chair and propped her feet up on the control console. “Yeah, ain’t it nice being me?”

  The cockpit lurched again. This time it wasn’t from turbulence.

  Maggie sat up in her chair. “We’re starting our descent. Looks to me like they’re going to set us down in the urban section of the battle area.”

  Glancing out the windscreen, Jake picked out the four main sectors of the twenty-kilometer by twenty-kilometer battle area. Sure enough, their tug appeared to be making an approach for the center of a set of concrete and steel buildings ranging from five to twenty stories in height. A plaza in front of the highest building appeared to be the tug’s destination.

  “Weapons are online,” said Maggie, sounding dead serious. “We’ve got thirty phase rounds in the 75mm we’re carrying in my right claw. Tilley replaced the left gun appendage with another claw carrying a 20 megawatt plasma beam rifle. The isotopic battery for it only gives you thirty seconds of burn time, so don’t go using it all up at once. Between our two shoulder missile pods, we’ve got sixteen anti-armor rockets. Then of course, there are the two 30 megawatt plasma cannons on either side of the cockpit. They run off our engine, so try to use them instead of our two claw weapons…uh, without burning out their barrels, of course.”

  Jake barely paid attention to his AI. He’d gotten to the maintenance hangar at 0300 hours to help Tilley and Jason set up the weapons on the Paladin. Besides the weapons Maggie mentioned, he knew he also had the plasma rifle array under the windscreen in the unlikely event they ran into infantry.

  As the space tug continued its descent, Jake took a moment to glance at the sections of the battle area. It was divided into four distinct areas with the urban section being in the north. To the south was the swamp.

  Jake nodded at the southern section. “I pity the poor slobs that get stuck in that mud hole. I got my fill of swamps during the fight on Thrakis.”

  “You and me both,” said Maggie. She gestured to the west, which was a harbor complete with cargo ships, docks, warehouses, bridges, and a three-by-three kilometer expanse of open water. “I doubt the bay area would be much better, but at least we’d be able to walk on the bottom of the harbor without the Paladin’s footpads getting stuck in the mud.”

  “Maybe, but there’s liable to be stuff we don’t know about beneath those waves.” He pointed to the east. “I wish we’d drawn the industrial section. The tallest factory is only three stories tall. We’re light enough to walk across one of those roofs if we used the ion thrusters in our legs to take up some of the weight. None of the bigger cats could follow us across rooftops.”

  Maggie laughed. “They wouldn’t have to. A Kraken or Leviathan’s got enough firepower to blow the whole building to bits, roof and all. Personally, I think we lucked out getting the urban section. By the way, we’re at three hundred meters. We should be touching down in fifteen seconds.”

  Looking out the windscreen one final time, Jake noticed four space tugs carrying a white-and-black-camouflaged Kraken coming in on short final for the same plaza where the Paladin was headed. Increas
ing the windscreen’s magnification, he could just make out an insignia of a skull with crossbones on the heavy cat’s chest.

  “It’s one of the Balorians,” said Maggie, confirming what Jake already knew. “I also see one of the pirates’ Long Cats coming in for landing a block behind the Kraken. There’s going to be hell to pay if that eight-legged Kraken catches us in the plaza all by our lonesome.”

  Jake switched on the tactical hologram located between the pilot and copilot’s chairs. An image of the buildings and the plaza appeared, complete with miniature versions of the Kraken, Long Cat, and Paladin.

  “How far to the top of the building we’re passing over now?” Jake said.

  “Thirty meters, but if you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, it would be more logical to—”

  “Activate full stealth mode,” Jake ordered as he grabbed the pilot’s control stick and punched the emergency release switch for the tug’s tractor beam.

  As his stomach rose in his throat, he triggered the ion thrusters in the cat’s legs. His stomach returned to its rightful position as the Paladin’s rate of descent slowed.

  Even with the ion thrusters at full blast, the Paladin hit hard. Down to both knees it went.

  Jake bent the articulated cockpit to the cat’s chest and rolled onto the Paladin’s back to take up some of the forward momentum. Coming out of the roll, he raised the Paladin to its feet. The cat leaned to one side at a fifteen-degree angle.

  “Our right footpad broke through the building’s roof,” said Maggie. “Maybe next time you’ll listen to me when I try to tell you something isn’t logical.”

  Jake increased the right ion thruster in an attempt to get the trapped footpad out of the hole. No luck.

  “You’ve got sixty-two seconds of ion thruster left,” said Maggie. “If we’re still on this roof when we run out of ion energy, I calculate we’ll crash through every floor all the way to the ground. Now do you see why it pays not to be illogical at times?”