Battleframe (The Mindwars Book 1)

by Michael Gilmour

  “Who is it?” Selfia asked.

  “A good friend that I wasn’t sure I’d see again.”

  Whizzbang cocked his head to the side to speak into his comnet pickup, “Happy, boy am I glad to see you.”

  The airwaves crackled for a second and then Happy’s deep voice broke through, “Whizz, you still alive? I thought I’d never see you again after I left you in Freehold.”

  “It looks like we’re both hard to kill targets Haps.”

  Happy and the other four battleframes in the relieving force arrowed towards the scanning tower deck and Whizzbang’s squad. At the last instant, they de-energised their wings and with a few short steps were standing opposite Whizzbang.

  Walking up to Whizzbang in his familiar Rook battleframe, Happy’s dark face split into his characteristic wide smile as he extended his hand warmly and said, “Hey Whizz it looks like you’ve had some fun here. I just wish that we’d been invited to the party a bit earlier.”

  Whizzbang returned the handshake vigorously. “We could have used some extra guns. I must admit that during this past day we’ve had more than our fair share of action.”

  “I can see that” Happy said as he looked across to the mangled corner of the Terrarium and the field covered in Scourge bodies.

  “So how’s Central going? Did they make it through in one piece?”

  “Central was hit and hit bad Whizz. Just as we saw at Freehold, something went crazy with the defence grid. They had no idea that the attack was coming. If it wasn’t for a brilliant defence by General Bardon on the ground and General Alban in the air, Central would have fallen. Franky acted as supreme commander and co-ordinated those two while General Felesh was out in the field somewhere doing what intelligence Generals do. It’s all a bit above my pay grade but what I do know is that Central did not fall.”

  “That’s a relief. I’m not sure what we would have done without them. Have you heard anything from Freehold?”

  “No I haven’t. In fact, on the way inbound to here I experienced a lot of Scourge static so something must be building in that area.”

  Whizzbang nodded in concern, “Did you see anything from the air?”

  Happy shook his head, “No we didn’t. Nothing’s on the comnet either although I still wouldn’t trust it unless I was plugged directly into a scanning tower. Anyway, we may as well get this over and done with then Whizz.”

  Happy straightened up and formally said, “I relieve you of your position at Terrarium.”

  “I so stand relieved.”

  “OK, that’s done. Before you head back to wherever you’re going can you give me any intel on how the Scourge attacked?” asked Happy.

  Whizzbang related the experience of the fight at Terrarium, leaving nothing out that could help Happy’s squad in the event of a Scourge counter attack.

  “So you’ve found that they’re getting smarter as well Whizz.”

  “Frap yes Haps. I can’t put my finger on anything specifically it’s just that the Scourge seem to be getting harder to kill each battle. It could be that we’re now on the receiving end of Elite Scourge units.”

  Bosk strode up to both Happy and Whizzbang and said, “I hate to interrupt you guys but Whizz, it’s a long glide back to Freehold and I’m parched.”

  Happy burst out laughing and said, “The same old Bosk. It’s good to see that some things never change. Both you and I need to sort out who can actually win that drinking contest Bosk.”

  “What contest? It won’t be a contest Haps, I’ll see you under the table any day. Besides, don’t you owe me for that round of drinks the other night?” Bosk replied with a broad grin.

  Happy lightly cuffed Bosk on the back of the head. “I thought that your payment was for the previous week?”

  “What previous week?”

  “C’mon Bosk. Remember the big dance party outside the bar?”

  Laughing Bosk said, “I think that I’d prefer to forget that one. My head still hurts from it. OK, let’s call it even,” and then more sombrely he said, “If we get through this Haps I’ll buy you a drink anytime.”

  “Me too Bosk.”

  Whizz watched on for a minute at the good natured discussion and then raising his voice slightly so that he could be heard by the relieving squad, “Keep frosty and your eyes wide open,” and then to Happy, “Keep safe my friend.”

  “You too Whizz.” Happy turned to Whizzbang’s squad. “Fly high and fly safe.”

  Chapter 19

  Return to Freehold

  As Whizzbang kicked in his jump jets to fly up to the rock above the Terrarium he glanced down at Happy positioning his squad into a defensive perimeter around the scanning tower. “He’ll be fine,” he thought to himself.

  Once he reached the top of the rock, Whizzbang took a minute to take in the view all the way down to the ocean. Selfia, Acheron and Bosk joined alongside him beside the glider launcher he had just dropped.

  Whizzbang said simply, “It’s a beautiful view.”

  Selfia answered, “I sometimes forget to stop take the time just to look how stunning Alpha Three is.”

  Acheron grunted in agreement beside her.

  Bosk said, “I agree that’s it’s a great view but right now a glass of just about anything at Folly’s would be even more beautiful.”

  The three other pilots laughed and Whizzbang said, “You got that right Bosk.”

  The sun was setting and it would not be long until it was dark so without another word Whizzbang stepped onto the spinning platform, shot into the air and headed northwards towards Freehold. It was going to take one more glide from the outpost that they had recently liberated to reach Freehold but with any luck they should be catching up with the others within the next hour. Looking down at the jungle far below, Whizzbang reflected that it all appeared so quiet and peaceful, a sharp contrast to the mayhem earlier in the day.

  After landing at the outpost, Whizzbang greeted the militia Captain who expressed concern that he had been unable to contact Freehold for the past eight hours. With that ominous news, the four of them quickly re-launched for the final leg of their journey. From their altitude, they could see the signs of a recent large battle in the terrain below. Scorch marks, burned trees, ruined piles where buildings once stood and abandoned damaged equipment littered the landscape far below.

  Over the noise of the wind, whistling around their frames Bosk said, “And I thought that we had it bad.”

  Acheron replied, “The battle’s always worse on other side of the fence.”

  “You can see that the combat went right up to the very edges of Freehold from up here,” Selfia joined in.

  With a concerned voice and a furrowed brow Whizzbang said, “It was a big one all right. We must have been fighting the edge of the main force all the way to the Terrarium.”

  “Look at the size of that burnt out artillery piece!” exclaimed Bosk.

  The remnants of a huge black canon jutted out of the sand on the southern outskirts of the town. Rather than a traditional barrel, the Scourge artillery piece tapered to a jagged point from which it would launch massive balls of plasma at its target. Whizzbang coughed and his eyes watered as the stench of melted war machinery and spent munitions rose up towards them as they passed overhead.

  “I’ve heard about those big Scourge guns but I’ve never seen one,” replied Acheron.

  Wiping his eyes to clear his vision Whizzbang ordered, “Form up on my wing. We’re nearly there”

  The three squad members pulled in beside Whizzbang to form a V-formation. As the steps rising to the top levels of Freehold rushed towards them, Whizzbang’s squad de-energised their wings at the last second and gently touched down. In unison, they kicked in their jets to head for the tellurite nano-printers and repairs.

  Reaching the top level the noise from the crowds of battleframe pilots was deafening. Drills whined as technicians serviced frames for minor repairs, jump jets screamed overhead and mechanics yelled at apprentices to move fa
ster. Compared to the stillness and serenity of when he had first materialised almost a day ago it was now a seething mass of confusion and chaos as people raced back and forth on errands of the utmost urgency. Crowds of desperate pilots jostled and pushed each other as they tried to exert their influence to be the next to use the nano-printers.

  The nano-printers were overloaded with ‘top priority’ requests for urgent battleframe and weapon components that the built in nanites, technicians or mechanics could not easily repair. A battleframe just did not have sufficient computing power to control the nanites to repair all its components. A tellurite shortage made it completely impossible to manufacture complete battleframes.

  Pilots demanded everything from new gun barrels through to ammo clips and energisers. They were all short on even the most basic of commodities. The nearest battleframe terminals was surrounded by pilots that had just been in combat as half of them had severe structural damage to their exoskeletons and a number of them no longer had their armour or jump jets operating. If they had the tellurite then their own battleframe nanites may have been able to conduct some of the repairs. However, the battleframes had seen such intense combat that they were completed depleted of tellurite energy.

  As they pushed their way through the surging mass of humanity and battleframes, Whizzbang’s squad reached the top of the stairs leading down to the courtyard holding the liberty torch. Rather than blazing in the darkness as a symbol of freedom the torch, now appeared to be almost feeble. Any light from its flickering flame cast chaotic shifting shadows that danced in a manner that added a sense of foreboding to the unfolding scene below.

  “Oh my gosh…” Selfia trailed off.

  The three of them stared at the sight before them and stopped dead, unable to move as the enormity of the disaster struck them with full force.

  Bosk quietly said, “I don’t think I need that drink anymore.”

  While the upper deck was a complete mess of confusion, nothing could prepare Whizzbang and his squad for the site of the courtyard below. Lying in row after row were bodies. Some with sheets pulled up over their heads and many without, one mangled corpse after another, all laying perfectly still. Some were burned beyond recognition while others were missing limbs, torsos or just stared with wide open accusing eyes at nothing in particular.

  The stench of death amply combined with the groans of the dying lying on stretchers at the far end of the paved open area. Despite the best available pain meds, wounded bodies twitched feebly in a futile attempt to remind themselves they were still alive. Moans, screams and retching came from broken bodies all across the courtyard as once proud members of the Concord came face to face with their own mortality.

  A number of pilots were lying with their backs propped up against the wall staring vacantly into space. Their bodies were intact but their minds were continuing to suffer the aftereffects of an eport. Whizzbang watched in compassion as a tear trickled down the cheek of a pilot on the far left while the pilot next to him mumbled nonsense words to himself.

  A trail of fresh red blood smeared the ground beside an abandoned body. Blood flowed freely in rivulets across the paving and a spray from a severed artery decorated a wall in crimson. Feeling sick to the core of his being, Whizzbang thought that he had recognised a few of the battleframe pilot’s colours on a number of the dead. They were his friends and now they were gone.

  “Oh please no…” Whizzbang muttered as he thumbed the local comnet channel. High-strung voices swamped the channel; crying out for medics, demanding repairs, requesting assistance and even a scream followed by the screech of an eport. All the voices sounded desperate. All the voices were terrified. The comnet mirrored the chaos surrounding him and the sensory overload was almost overwhelming.

  Whizzbang selected the local comnet to filter out all but his friends and with a trembling voice said, “Whizzbang calling Pyro, Kheldar, DG or Elzetro”

  Nothing but static greeted his request so again he said, “Whizzbang calling Pyro, Kheldar, DG or Elzetro. Come on guys, are you there?”

  Bosk reached over, put a hand on Whizzbang’s shoulder and said softly, “They’ll be OK. We’d know it if they were gone.”

  Just then a burst of static erupted in Whizzbang’s earpiece followed by a relieved voice, “Whizz is that you?”

  Whizzbang’s eyes welled up with tears and a lump caught in his throat as he said, “Pyro! Pyro, son, are you OK?”

  “Dad, its sure good to hear your voice. I wasn’t sure if you’d made it,” an equally distraught Pyro answered.

  Bosk jumped in and with a trembling voice asked, “Is Elzetro with you?”

  “Hey Uncle Bosk it’s great to hear you! Yes, Elzetro is with me although his comnet is out and he’s in the middle of fixing it. Hang on a second,” Pyro replied.

  “Dad, Dad is that really you?” a relieved voice came over the comnet.

  “Elzetro, it’s really me son,” replied Bosk jubilantly.

  Selfia and Acheron looked from Whizzbang to Bosk and then back to each other. They now understood why their two friends had to get back to Freehold so urgently and were prepared to defy Concord Central. Their two sons were here and in the middle of the fighting.

  Pyro’s voice came across the comnet again, “We’ve got Kheldar and DG with us as well. We’re all pretty beat up but nothing’s broken.”

  “Pyro, where are you guys?” asked Whizzbang

  “You know the big chunk of rock behind Freehold? We’ve been camped out on top while we sorted out what the heck was going on Dad. We all could really use some maintenance on our frames but Elzetro has fixed everything that has caused any serious problems. Dad, Elzetro may be an apprentice mechanic but he really knows his stuff.”

  “Good to hear son. He’s always been a lot cleverer than many people give him credit for. What do you need?”

  Pyro passed on a list of items that would really help them out in getting properly operational.

  Whizzbang said, “CT Pyro. We’ll see if we can get the spare parts printed off and head on up. It may take a little while as it’s absolute bedlam down here. Whatever you do sit tight and don’t move.”

  “CT Dad, see you soon.”

  Whizzbang looked up into Bosk’s eyes that mirrored his own relief that their sons and friends were alive. While life continued, there would always be hope. So in the midst of the chaos, death and dying Whizzbang, Bosk and their new friends did what they did best. They brought hope and order to those around them.

  Pushing their way through the stench of sweating bodies and cauterised flesh the four hardened veterans reached the central battleframe terminal at the top of the stairs. That is when Whizzbang did the unthinkable. Bending down he wrapped his armoured hand around the terminal’s massive power adaptor and yanked it from its receptacle. The lights on the console faded to blackness as its pleasant hum spun down and fell silent. His action received everyone’s instant attention and most of it was not very good.

  “What in the frap do you think you’re doing?” yelled a voice from the hulking Rex frame who had just been disconnected from the terminal. The stench of his breath was second only to the noxious fumes from the cigar hanging out of his mouth.

  The press of the crowd surged forward, pushing the four of them back against the console and leading the charge was the growling Rex. A few frames suggested tossing them over the top and down the stairs and there were nods of agreement from others in the crowd. Things were on the verge of getting out of hand and a riot was likely.

  In his deepest, loudest military parade voice Whizzbang yelled authoritatively, “Halt!” It did help that at that precise moment Bosk decided to emphasize the command by pointing his Charge rifle into the air and letting off a burst.

  The crowd and even the Rex paused and that was the only hesitation that Whizzbang needed, “Pilots, technicians, mechanics and medics of the Concord, I’m Squad Leader Whizzbang. Some of you know me and given time, there are others I’m looking forward to get
ting to know.”

  Taking a deep breath Whizzbang continued pushing his voice out over the crowd. “My squad and I have just returned from fighting Scourge as far south as the Terrarium. All the sectors between here and there are now back into Concord hands.” Glancing across at Acheron and Selfia he continued, “I’ve been rescued by new friends” and indicating Bosk, “and rescued my oldest friend. In all that time I wondered if my son was alive and tonight I have heard his voice over the local!”

  “My brothers, my sisters, my friends, in order to stand against the Scourge we need to stand as one family, one body, united together. Fighting over resources just allows the enemy to have a victory when they’ve had none!”

  Pointing at the grizzly scene of the bodies lying on the paving below Whizzbang continued in a more tempered voice, “What would they say of our conduct now? What would they think if they saw us fighting one another when we should be protecting each other? What would the fallen say to you if they knew that you squabbled like Spyderlynx over their corpses? What would the wounded say to you when they find out that that they’ve bled in vain?”

  “Have you checked your wrist-comp lately? Your brothers and sisters are still eporting into Freehold or dying in the dirt and mud of Alpha Three on the end of a Scourge blaster.”

  One at a time and then in groups, Concord personnel hung their heads in shame as Whizzbang’s words struck home. In the midst of the chaos, they had forgotten who they were and in the desperation of the moment, they needed someone to awaken them from their stupor.

  Planting his finger on the Rex’s chest Whizzbang yelled, “Pilot, what’s your call-sign?”

  “Tiny, sir,” came the answer in a gravelly voice that sounded more like rock than human.

  While indicating Selfia and Acheron Whizzbang put his face right up to Tiny’s and yelled at the top of his voice, “Tiny, I need you to work with Selfia and Acheron! Can I count on your support Tiny?”

  Years of training kicked in and Tiny replied, “Yes sir!”

  “Acheron and Selfia, I need you to triage which frames can be made whole and which ones will require more extensive work. Divide the frames between the garages, technicians, mechanics and nano-printers. Tiny, you are to ensure that ONLY, and I repeat for all, that ONLY those tagged battleframes for a resource can get access to that resource. Is this clear Tiny?”