by Mark Wandrey
"We about ready to-" he broke off when he saw her wiping tears from red eyes. "What's going on? You okay?"
"Nothing, I was just having a girl moment," she stammered. He looked at her with his dark brown eyes full of concern. He was much closer to her height that Christian, not towering over her, and much more muscular as well. Suddenly she felt like a betrayer and tears started running down her cheeks totally unbidden.
"I was afraid this might happen," he said and closed the door behind him.
"What do you mean."
"Well, she said you might get emotional when you found out."
The tears stopped as if a spigot was turned off. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Aaron took a deep breath and started. "Mandi and I have been seeing each other for a while."
"Mandi, and you?"
"Yeah" Did he actually look concerned, almost guilty? In the blink of an eye she went from guilty, to confused, then to angry.
"That bitch..."
"Minu!"
"I'm sorry, you don't want me bad-mouthing who you're fucking?"
"Minu!" he roared. "What has gotten into you?"
"Nothing," she said in a cold rage. "How long?"
"Huh?"
"How long have you been 'seeing' each other?"
"Oh, just a couple times, starting three months ago."
That was before her first date with Christian. Her guilt was washed away in the cold breeze of realization. Her face calmed and she smiled, wiping away tears. The change was enough to make fear appear on Aaron's face. She could see him thinking 'uh oh'. Her calm was much more frightening than her rage. Her father once said “I would rather face a T'Chillen than your mother when she's mad!”
"I'm sorry, I should have told you when it started."
"Why?"
"Well, you know."
"No Aaron, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" He stood there, dumbfounded and not knowing what to say, his mouth hanging open ludicrously. "I told Mandi when I caught her trying to fuck Jacob that I didn't care who she screwed, as long as it wasn't on the job. Why should I care if your the one who's poking her?" Minu turned around, her hands on her hips and heart racing. There was the prototype Shock Rifle resting in its cradle. She snatched it up and turned around. Aaron's eyes bugged out and he took a step back. Minu pushed by him, noticing him tense as they touch, and out the door without a word.
When Minu came out of the control room with the Shock Rifle cradled in her arms Mandi looked like she wanted to scream. The rest of her team craned their necks to see past her, no doubt wondering if Aaron was a smoking crater.
"Do we need to mop up Aaron?" Gregg asked where he was leaning calmly against a firing bench. Alone among them all, he was by far the calmest. Even Pip, who probably knew her the best, looked fearfully at her rage.
"Shut up," she snapped and marched over to him. He shrugged and stopped leaning on the bench to face her. She shoved the gun into his hands with enough force to force to almost double him over. "Just get to work." Minu went to the instrument controls and initiated the preprogrammed test sequence. It was an unmistakable signal. The boss wants to get to work. Aaron stuck his head out of the control room. Everyone ignored him except Mandi who gave him a tentative smile. He scowled and walked confidently to stand next to Gregg.
"Ready to get to work?" Minu asked him.
"Sure," he said and they started prepping the gun.
"Okay," Pip said, having remained silent to that point, "let's commence static discharge tests."
The first battery of tests took an hour and consumed a charged EPC. Anyone watching would have been quietly bored. The Shock Rifles laser system was monitored a dozen ways to test accuracy, beam colmination and power output. Next they ran a series of dry runs on the lasers ability to create a charging tunnel, and finally to actually channel a plasma charge. The second EPC was loaded and the weapon fired as intended for the first time. Gregg was the first to actually use the gun. It was set to its lowest power.
Minu watched through monitors as the gun went through its three stage firing sequence too fast to follow by the naked eyes. Energize, laser discharge, plasma release. Bzzsnaaaap! went the new weapon. Gregg staggered back from the shield they're erected, almost dropping the weapon. Aaron and Pip raced in. Minu was too busy watching the slow motion replay to realize he'd been burned by a plasma backlash. She saw it in agonizing slow motion.
"Gregg!" she yelled and turned around. Of course the incident was already several seconds old and his wounds were being seen too. Luckily Pip insisted on extra precautions, installing a ten centimeter thick moliplas shield in front of the firing range. Only a half meter round hole was allowed for the gunner to push the barrel through. The laser fired for too short of an interval and the positively charged channel it created did not focus the intense little squirt of plasma. Instead it dissipated into a cloud and superheated the air. Without the shield Gregg might of had his face burned off. Even with the shield his face looked sunburned, and his moliplas goggles were ruined.
"I'm okay," he said, "but Aaron can have the next shot."
"No problem," Aaron said, took the weapon with a swagger. Pip replaced the ruined goggles with a full face shield earning a taunt from Gregg.
“Oh, be a man,” he laughed.
“Drop it,” Minu said and the test continued. Pip and Alijah took a minute to adjust the laser sequence and intensity. The data cable hooked to the prototype relayed the commands and altered the firing sequence. This time there was only a harmless pop of plasma flash, but still no proper discharge.
"I don't think the laser is strong enough," Pip said after two more adjustments.
"The plasma discharge is overpowering it," Alijah agreed, "even with the plasma discharge at the lowest setting."
"Max it out if you have to," Minu said.
"We'll burn out the discharge chamber," Mandi warned.
"It's just a test," Minu reminded them, "we have spares."
They continued to increase the laser power until they got the desired results. After two more shots, as Mandi warned, the laser burned out with a spectacular flash. The team took a short break while Pip installed another. "This is the most powerful I have that will fit the mounts," he said. The gun was now even more awkward looking with an improbably big bulge on the barrel end. "I know, we'll work on it." Strange it might appear, but the new laser did the trick. Gregg reclaimed the gun and it fired perfectly. Bzzsnaapp! Bzzsnaapp!
"Between ten and twelve mega joules at discharge," Alijah said.
"About twenty thousand degrees centigrade at impact," Pip added.
"Good. Okay, next step," Minu ordered.
"Oh God," Mandi moaned and didn't look up from where she was fiddling with another laser discharge chamber, "do we have to?" Minu just looked at Aaron and nodded her head. He shrugged and went to a control panel. At the far end of the range the energy test target descended into the floor. A wire mess rose to take its place, and then a door opened on one side. Slowly, as if it knew what was in store for it, a big pink pig walked in prodded by a squat crab-bot. It's nose worked as it sniffed the bitter ozone and smoke from multiple plasma discharges. "Oh, I can't watch," Mandi complained.
“It's just a damned pig,” Gregg said as he cradled the shockrifle waiting for the go order.
"Do your job," Minu ordered. Mandi groaned but went quiet. Gregg resumed his firing stance. Even though the Shock Rifle was firing reliably, he didn't relinquish his face shield as he prepared to fire. "Single shot, center of mass, power at twenty percent," Minu ordered. "Pip, try and use an optimal laser discharge."
"Hard to estimate with a hairy target," he said.
"Real world test then. Remember, we won't be shooting this at humans."
"Let's pray that never happens," Aaron agreed. Gregg waited for the team to finish programming the weapon, watching its display until it flashed ready.
"Okay, here we go." He showed no hesitation as he raised his weapon and fired. Bz
zaSQUEELsnaap! The pig jumped when the laser hit it and the plasma charge hit the wall instead. Aaron laughed and Minu sighed.
"The laser discharge made the pig jump," Pip noted. The pig was squealing loudly and running back and forth in the improvised cage, a tiny smoking black spot on its flank. It trod on the crab-bot several times, forcing the machine to run up the wall to get out of the way.
"Just shoot the damn pig again," Minu said.
"Poor thing," Mandi cried.
BzzaSQUEELsnaap, BzzaSQUEELsnaap!
"Damn it," Gregg said, "the discharge sequence is too slow. The fucking pig keeps jumping."
"You would too if I kept burning your ass with a laser," Pip said. "Let me try to speed up the ionization sequence."
“You're torturing the poor thing!” Mandi cried. The pig now sported a trio of black burns, two on one side and another on it's opposite rump.
"We could lose containment," Alijah warned as they adjusted the gun.
Gregg confirmed the new settings and lowered his face shield, he was game to try again. Bzzsnaap, BANG, thud. The sequence worked fine, and now the walls of the range were decorated with pig entrails. "Shit," Mandi groaned. A long rope of intestines slid from the wall with a plop and she ran for the small bathroom, a hand over her moth and making retching sounds.
"I think we can cut down the plasma charge," Alijah said, looking a little green himself.
"I kinda like the effect," Gregg said. Aaron just shrugged.
“Gun one, pig zero,” Pip agreed. “Looks like a damn pig milkshake!”
Minu could care less, she was busy analyzing the sensor data of the impact and figuring the best way to fine tune the results. "We need to incorporate some sort of sensor," she said as she read on, "the weapon could then scale the impact depending on the target."
"As if there isn't enough bells and whistles already?" Pip asked.
"It's too complicated to make the infantryman perform those sort of adjustments on the spot."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Good." Minu looked down and saw that the crab-bot along with six others were finished clearing away most of the carcass. "Bring in another pig and let’s try fine tuning the charge."
Mandi stepped out of the bathroom just as the gun fired, Aaron pulling the trigger this time. This time the entire pig didn't explode, just its central body cavity. It rolled on the floor, squealing in agony and trailing innards. Mandi didn't make it to the bathroom this time.
"Kinda delicate, isn't she?" Minu asked Aaron. He shrugged and looked sheepish.
Mandi finished throwing up the second time and did her best not to look at the now still pig. "Tell me this, do we have to use live pigs?"
Aaron and Gregg looked at each other, then at Minu before she spoke. "No, I don't suppose so," she said.
"Just makes it more interesting," Gregg said as the crab-bot brought in another pig. Aaron nodded and raised the weapon. Mandi ran for the bathroom again. After the testing was complete the team enjoyed an impromptu barbecue outside the HERT. Roasted pork, cooked to perfection drew many Chosen from the nearby complex. Mandi was nowhere to be found.
Chapter 9
May 21st, 518 AE
Cafeteria, Chosen Headquarters, Steven’s Pass
The cafeteria staff was already gone for the night by the time they finished cleaning up from the exploded pigs and the impromptu barbecue. Minu picked up a tray from the overnight warmer in the cafeteria, a concession the staff made to the twenty-three hour nature of the Chosen's jobs, and went to her room. She didn't admit to the others that she didn't feel like eating pork that night. While not as squeamish as Mandi it was still a disturbing mess.
Halfway through the meal she started reliving in her mind the scene with Aaron and her anger began to return. The emotions were additional baggage she didn't need right then. The initial tests of the Shock Rifle were encouraging and at the same time discouraging with just how much work lay ahead.
Leaving the half-finished meal on her little table Minu grabbed a tablet and looked something up in the Chosen database. A few minutes later she was knocking on a door. Christian answered on the second knock, looking like he was almost ready to go to sleep. "Are you okay?" he asked at the strange look on her face.
"I will be," she said and pushed him none-to-gently backwards. She kicked the door closed and pulled her shirt off and started skinning off her shorts.
"Minu," he choked as he watched her strip, "this doesn't seem like you."
"Do you want to fuck me or not?" she growled. Now naked she came over and kissed him, hard and passionately, grabbing his crotch. She felt his hardness and knew the answer to her question. He undressed quickly as she lay back on his bed and waited, her fingers working between her legs. She saw his eyes get wide at what she was doing and kept on, heedless of her own wanton behavior. Moments later he was crawling on top of her and she sighed with pleasure. In seconds the emotions of the day were washed away with a powerful explosion.
"What brought that on?" he asked a while later as she crowded to one side on the tiny bed of his billet, almost identical to her own.
"Bad day," she said. "I knew you'd just got back from a week off world and wanted to say 'welcome home'."
"That was a little more than a welcome, more like unarmed combat."
"Oh, you're well-armed," she giggled. He squeezed her around the waist and laughed. "How did it go out there?"
"We ran into a Rasa scout group and had it out."
Minu rolled over to face him, concern on her face. For the first time she noticed the bruises on his arms and a couple quick healing bandages on his chest. The euphoria she'd felt a few minutes ago curled up like a burnt piece of paper and blew away. "Did you all get back?"
"Sure, no problem. A few nicks and scrapes on both sides though. Neither side were out for a real fight, just squabbling over some good loot."
Minu felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry I came in here an jumped you like that."
"Did it look like I tried to stop you?" She grinned sheepishly. "I've been missing you all week. My team are good guys, but not as much fun to bunk with as you."
"I bet," she said.
"How’s the weapons research coming?"
"We're making good progress. Had some solid tests this afternoon on a new system."
"Really? Tell me about it."
For another hour they cuddled and she told him about the Shock Rifle. She hoped he'd get interested in more of what she’d came for, but he was drifting off despite his curiosity and her naked body pressed against him. He'd obviously been tired after getting back home, and she'd claimed the last of his endurance.
Minu carefully disengaged herself from him and dressed. Christian began to softly snore as she pulled her shirt over her head and by the time she had her shoes on he was deeply asleep. She leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead. He smiled without waking up and she let herself out and headed to her own room.
***
May 23rd, 518 AE
Chosen Headquarters, Steven’s Pass
Minu’s communicator buzzed and she snatched it up, hoping it was Christian. Light was spilling in through her window at an angle to suggest early morning for that time of year. "Chosen Alma here."
"I need to see you in my office." The voice spoke of age and tiredness.
"Bjorn?" The man grunted in reply. "Sure, when?"
"Ten minutes, if possible."
Minu said she would be there and jumped from bed, still struggling from her clothes as she slid into her billet's tiny shower. She was clean and out before the water was entirely hot. Her hair, now down to her shoulders, only got a quick toweling before she threw on a uniform jumpsuit and pulled her boots over bare feet. She'd been too busy and hence neglecting to do her laundry. There wasn’t a clean pair of socks in sight. Ten minutes precisely from the call she was walking through the outer entrance to his office.
It was early enough in the day that his young receptionist wasn't on duty. She walked
up to the inner door and knocked smartly. "Come in," said a feminine voice. She opened the door and entered.
"Thanks for coming so quickly," Bjorn said, standing near the door instead of behind his desk. He was stoop shouldered and looking a hundred years old. The desk was occupied by a much younger woman in Chosen uniform who Minu had never seen before. Two gold stars stood out on her sleeve, speaking volumes to the situation.
"No problem, sir. What is happening here?"
"I'm retiring," he said dejectedly. "It is time for a change."
"Retiring, or being forced out?"
"Now now," the woman behind the desk rose to come around. "Change can be a good thing, young lady." Minu glanced around, taking in how the office was subtly changed. Gone were the haphazard piles of technology and experiments, replaced by a Spartan working environment. Several desktop model computers sat at ideal working distances for the desk. A pair of carved marble bookends portraying some mythical figures struggling to hold the books up contained volume after volume of hard copy novels. Minu wished she could see some of the books to help her understand who this new person was. A single photo frame rested on the desk, likewise facing away from her. Minu bristled at being called a young lady, and by another female Chosen at that!
"Change can also be premature and ill conceived."
"It's not necessary, Minu," Bjorn said and held up a hand.
"Not necessary to stand up for a Chosen who has been exemplary in his lifetime of performance in his duty to the Tog and Bellatrix? In my opinion it isn’t only necessary, honor demands it."
Bjorn smiled forlornly as the new two star commander came over. "This is Chosen Jasmine Osgood, she is now in command of Science."
"Wasn't it tradition that a member of the science branch be in command of that section?" Minu asked, unwilling to let it go.