by Jake Bible
“Just letting you know I’m calling it for the day and coming home.”
“Great. I’ll pass that on.”
***
Capreze was grateful that when he entered the mess he didn’t hear his daughter cursing the world. He took that as a good sign. His happiness soon abated when he noticed that not only was there a lack of cursing, there was a lack of any noise.
He stepped behind the mess line and back into the kitchen proper. It looked like a tornado had hit the place, which was what he expected. What he didn’t expect was his daughter to be missing.
“Rachel? What’s your location?” Capreze asked over the com.
“Can’t talk Papa Bear! Duty calls!” Rachel responded.
***
The switchblade slashed before June could even register the movement. She took a gash to her forearm and another to her right thigh. Stumbling backwards, trying to get away from the madman, she didn’t hear the second come up behind her until he had her about the throat, immobilized.
The first attacker closed in, cutting at her uniform.
“Hold on,” the second said. “We could use that fancy gear.”
The first man smiled, carefully unlatching the equipment straps. Once they hit the ground, though, he began slicing her uniform off.
The second leaned close, licking June’s cheek. “You taste pretty.”
***
The Commander entered the hangar too late. Rachel was already past the bay doors and engaging her motor drive.
“Dammit Baby Girl! Where the hell are you going?” Caprezez demanded to know.
“Bisby is about to engage Red Legs and isn’t waiting for my ass,” Rachel responded over her com. “What’s gotten into you? This is standard backup procedure.”
“I know, but you’re supposed to keep the base Commander informed.”
“Hey, I swung by your office, but you were busy. I figured you needed your snoring and drooling time.”
“You saw that?”
“Yep.”
Capreze chuckled. “Okay. Be careful out there.”
***
Metal began to protest, rivets popping from the hull, as the dead mech ripped the Ranchers’ mangled transport apart. The following undead unfortunate enough to be too close to the carnage were shredded and decapitated from the flying debris.
The dead mech lifted the driver’s limp form, ripping it limb from limb, depositing scraps into its own cockpit maw. The zombie pilot fed ravenously, while overflowing bits and pieces fell to the undead below.
Bisby lowered his binocs, stunned.
They are learning to follow the dead mechs, he thought. Hunting in packs now, with the dead mech’s as their alphas.
***
“Jeezus, Riley! You ever see a body like that on a breeder?” the dirty, grease ball called Chunks exclaimed.
Riley stood over June’s naked, bound form. He’d just finished gagging her to keep her quiet and to keep her teeth from getting a hold of him.
“No, Chunks, can’t say as I have,” Riley sneered, kneeling next to Rachel, cupping an exposed breast. “She must belong to her leader to be this well fed and healthy. Is that it bitch? You the big man’s breeder?”
June glared.
Riley reached between her legs. He smiled.
“Oh, that’s nice. Boss’ll like you”
***
Shiner returned to the coolness of the mesa’s shadows and waited for One’s reports.
He curiously observed a new data path being created within his system and followed it, tapping into his database and also the remaining memory pathways of the zombie pilot.
‘Anticipation’ was the word his searching brought forth. Shiner was unsure how to process this new awareness and that brought back the ‘frustration’.
He smashed his fist into the ground, creating an ATV size crater.
The outburst alerted him to a second new data path. The new search result troubled Shiner even more.
The word was ‘loneliness’.
***
Bisby fired up weapons systems and readied his mech for battle.
“I don’t fucking care how mean you are,” he growled aloud. “You’re fucking dead.”
He decided to flank Red Legs, hoping to take it completely off guard.
As Bisby came around the small hill he found himself in the ruins of some long ago settlement or resort. Half buried cars and transports, concrete and framing protruded from the sand and dirt.
And Red Legs stood in the middle of it. The thing reached down and lifted a massive iron girder with one of its own massive hands.
Bisby charged.
Part Two- Little Friends & Large Foes
Rachel pushed her mech as hard as possible without red-lining systems. She double checked her coordinates, adjusted her heading and pushed harder.
“Biz?”
No answer.
“Biz? Its Rache, do you copy?”
Still no answer. “Hey Jethro? Do you have a lock on Bisby?”
“I have a lock, but not much info. Something’s jamming the signal.”
“What info do you have?”
“Looks like weapons systems are readied, but not active yet. I’d say he’s about to get in the shit.”
“How far off am I?”
“You’re at least an hour if not two.”
“Shit.”
“Don’t worry, Rache. He can handle himself.”
***
Red Legs gripped the iron girder, swinging it like a club. Bisby barely piloted out of the way, crushing husks of burnt out cars as he scrambled out of range.
He switched on his external loudspeakers. “Oh, you wanna play, do ya?” He quickly scanned his surroundings and found his weapon.
Circling right, he forced Red Legs to the left. Bisby ducked and rolled, barely dodging a massive swipe. He came up holding two short clusters of re-bar, one in each mech fist.
“Bitch, you ain’t gonna take me one on one!”
The two death machines closed on each other.
***
“This is Commander Capreze,” Capreze said, answering the secure com that chimed in.
“Capreze? Good to hear your voice. This is First General Powell, UDC Command.”
“General, it’s an honor. Everything alright?”
“Sure, sure. I’m just calling to send my condolences over the loss of Pilot Stanislaw.”
“Thank you, General. He was a great pilot and friend. He’ll be missed by all.”
“Of course, of course…” the General trailed off.
“Is there something else you wanted to discuss, sir?”
“Well, Commander, yes there is… You see the UDC has been working on a retrovirus.”
Capreze listened, his blood running cold.
***
Bisby ducked low, swinging the rebar at Red Legs, trying to take the dead mech out at the knees. Red Legs leapt over the attack, twisting in the air, and brought the girder down right at Bisby’s cockpit. Bisby raised the two clutches of rebar up in an X, blocking Red Legs’ attack.
An alarm sounded, warning of possible hydraulics failure.
Bisby ignored the alarm, putting all his attention on fending off Red Legs as the deader slammed the girder down again and again.
Red Legs roared.
“Fuck you too!” Bisby yelled, finally able to roll away from Red Legs.
***
“Are all of your communication security protocols in place Commander?” General Powell asked.
“Yes, sir. We are clear to speak freely.”
“Good. Now, as I am sure you are aware the UDC has been implementing full inoculation programs in all of the city/states.”
“No, sir, I wasn’t aware.”
“Really? It came to my attention Dr. Lisbon of Foggy Bottom had contacted your Chief Medical Officer regarding the program.”
“I wasn’t informed, sir. I’ll speak with her.”
“Oh, well, it’s of no
real consequence, Capreze. Is Dr. Themopolous available? I’d like her to join in this conversation.”
“I’ll hail her, sir.”
***
Bisby came up firing, his plasma cannon glowing red hot with each successive blast.
Red Legs agilely dodged to the left, taking cover behind some debris. Chunks of ancient concrete and steel filled the air as Bisby followed Red Legs’ movement, trying to aim his blasts ahead of the deader.
“Fucking stand still!” Bisby yelled. And Red Legs did, using the girder to block several of the plasma blasts. The undead machine hurled the warped and melted chunk of metal straight at Bisby.
Bisby brought an arm up to deflect the attack, the collision forcing his mech to stumble backwards.
***
“Themopolous,” the Doctor answered, checking Steve’s vital signs.
“Doctor? I have General Powell on secure com. I hope you have a few minutes for to speak privately?”
Themopolous glanced at the doorway as Harlow came in, sleepily stretching. She motioned at her com ear and Harlow nodded, shooing her away and taking over Steve’s assessment. Dr. Themopolous left the infirmary quickly.
“Of course, sir. I’m almost to my office now.”
“Excellent, Doctor,” the General chimed in. “I have some great news regarding the newly developed retrovirus Dr. Lisbon informed you of.”
Themopolous froze and forced herself not to be sick.
***
Red Legs took immediate advantage of Bisby’s faltering and opened fire. Bisby took a graze to the right shoulder, the smell of scorched metal overpowering his environmental filters, as his mech slammed to the ground. He checked systems and saw he had been lucky, sustaining only minimal damage.
Quickly, Bisby tucked his mech back behind a half buried transport, hoping the shell still had enough structural integrity left to take the onslaught. Red Legs’s blasts began to slow, the concussions weakening.
Bisby checked his scanners and smiled. The deader was losing power.
“Okay,” he said aloud. “No more fucking around!”
***
“I’m ready to proceed, sirs,” Themopolous said, settling into her desk chair, apprehension clawing at her, forcing her to keep her voice even.
“Excellent. I’ll keep this brief as I know you are both busy,” the General said. “At approximately 1700 hours tomorrow a supply train will be arriving with the inoculation for your base personnel.”
“Sir?” Capreze said, stunned.
“Yes, Commander. We have already inoculated all of the city/states and security outposts. Your base is the last on the list. We didn’t want to rush the process, seeing as the mechs are an integral part of our overall survival.”
***
Bisby rolled his mech to the right into a tight crouch. Red Legs circled, trying to get the advantage, its cannons glowing dully.
“Looks like you’re almost out of juice, deader!” Bisby taunted. Red Legs roared.
Bisby sprang, his mech launching into the air, twisting away from the cannon blasts. Three, two, one… The two mechs collided in a ground shaking crunch.
Bisby didn’t lose stride, tucking his mech’s left arm up under Red Legs and lifting it into the air. He brought the right arm down fast, smashing at Red Leg’s cockpit, hoping to crush the zombie pilot inside.
***
“Is there anything I need to have prepared, sir?” Themopolous asked, her voice audibly shaking now.
“No, no, we have everything taken care of. There will be two med techs to administer the inoculations and a small security force to accompany them.”
“I’ll be sure and have accommodations ready, sir,” Capreze said, picking up on Themopolous’ faltering poise, hoping the General hadn’t.
“Not necessary, Commander. They will only be there long enough for the techs to complete their work and for the train to refuel and re-supply.”
“Well, sir, the Doctor and I will have the base ready for them.”
***
Bisby raged as he pounded away at Red Legs’ cockpit hatch, so close he could smell the rot and decay.
The dead mech tried to ward off the blows, but it was no match for Bisby’s close combat skills. For every maneuver it tried to make, Bisby expertly countered, never letting the bludgeoning slack.
After only minutes the dead mech’s power reserves gave up and the giant machine became dead weight. Bisby threw the deader to the ground and shoved his 50mm into the cracked cockpit, ready to vaporize the barely moving zombie pilot.
“Biz?!? Talk to me!” Rachel crackled.
***
“Now, I do need to verify all base personnel will be present,” General Powell said casually.
“Well, no sir. I have a team on a supply run to Foggy Bottom as we speak. They won’t return for a few days.”
“Their names, Commander?”
Capreze hesitated. This wasn’t protocol. There was no need for a First General to be inquiring about the roster; that was why he had an assistant.
“Pilot Masters, General Mechanic Rind and our new Rookie.”
There was a slight pause. “Excellent, Commander. Thank you. I’ll let both of you return to your busy schedules.”
“Thank you, sir.”
***
“Whatcha want Rache?” Bisby asked, exhausted, trigger finger itching to depress and obliterate Red Legs’s zombie pilot.
“What do I want?!? WHAT DO I FUCKING WANT?!?” Rachel exploded. “I want to know that you aren’t deader food! That you are still alive and in one piece! That’s what I fucking want!”
Bisby took a deep breath and removed his finger from the trigger. “Yeah, I’m in one piece. Red Legs is out of commission.” Bisby undid his harness and opened his cockpit. “I’m descending now to retrieve the head for Themopolous.”
“Be careful.”
Bisby snorted and climbed down his mech.
***
Capreze strode from his office. “Themopolous? What’s your location?”
“I’m in my office. I was about to return to the infirmary,” she answered over the com.
“Stay put. I’m coming to you.”
“Of course, sir. Is this about the inoculations?”
“You’re Goddamn right it’s about the inoculations!” Capreze shouted. “I’m almost to your office and we are going to get a few things straight before that train arrives. Let Harlow know you may be a while before you return. Copy that?”
There was silence on Themopolous’s end.
“Doctor? Did you copy that?”
“Yes, sir, I copy. I’ll alert Pilot Harlow.”
***
Mathew dozed briefly, his motor drive set to auto and course plotted. A proximity alarm sounded and roused him from his nap.
Instantly he was alert and checking all systems. A quick scan showed a transport and what were possibly three ATVs about six miles out. He couldn’t quite tell what they were doing, but further readings confirmed the presence of a few dozen zombies.
“What the…?”
He disengaged the motor drive and took control of his mech, adjusting his course towards the source of the readings.
“Let’s see what we got going on over here,” he muttered to himself.
***
Bisby pried open the dead mech’s cockpit with a short shovel. The zombie pilot squirmed in its harness, its rotted teeth gnashing and grinding, its yellow, dead eyes never leaving Bisby’s.
Bisby stared down at the abomination. “You poor, sad sack of shit.” He thrust the shovel blade down into the zombie’s throat and through its neck, severing the head.
He stood there for several minutes, just looking at the decapitated zombie. “Who did you used to be?”
“How’s your progress, Biz?” Rachel interrupted.
“Progressing fine, Mom.” Bisby slipped on heavy, rubber gloves and bent down to retrieve the head.
***
“You want to fucking t
ell me why I learn from a First General that my own Chief Medical Officer has known about retrovirus inoculations, but decided not to fucking tell me?!?” Capreze screamed, exploding into Themopolous’ office. “If it was to make me look like a fucking asshole, then you fucking succeeded!”
“Sir, it’s not what you think,” Themopolous said quietly.
“Not what I think?!? How do you fucking know what I think?!? I don’t even know what I fucking think right now!”
Capreze stood there, chest heaving, his hands planted on his hips. Themopolous refused to make eye contact.
***
“Rache? Head’s retrieved. CPU and hard drive also. All ready for Themopolous. Where you at?” Bisby said, strapping back into his harness.
“I’m still a few miles off. Head towards me, we should meet up in about 30 minutes.”
“Gotcha on my scope. See ya in a few.” Bisby took one last look at the dead mech that was Red Legs. “You always seemed tougher than that. Guess I’m just the better mech.”
Bisby started to walk his mech away from the scene, but blaring claxons stopped him.
Hundreds of zombies swarmed from out of nowhere, heading straight for Bisby.
***
Capreze glared at the doctor. “Fucking look at me when I’m talking to you?”
Themopolous forced herself to meet the Commander’s eyes. She studied his face for a moment and realization dawned on her. “You really don’t know anything about this, do you?”
“Have I been talking to my self? For a doctor, you’re a fucking idiot!”
“So you have no clue that the inoculation is just a smoke screen?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Nanotech,” Themopolous stated flatly.
Capreze’s confidence faltered. “What are you saying?”
“The UDC is injecting nanobots into every single person within their authority.”
***
Mathew watched the ATVs surround the fifty or so zombies, driving them towards the large transport.
“Fucking Ranchers,” he muttered as he lowered his binocs and slowly crawled backwards down the low rise to his mech.
He was up, strapped in and hailing Jethro within a minute.
“Whatcha need Matty?’
“Get me Capreze.”
“No ‘please’?”
“What is with you today Jethro? Daddy Jay not around to rebel against so you have to act out towards me? Am I your surrogate brother?”