They came apart.
“Fuck you’re hot,” he said, getting a bubbly laugh from her.
“Remind me to thank your ex, she taught you well,” she said pulling him back down and making out again. The lift stopped twice, people getting in and staying to their side of the lift before they got close to the heating and cooling station three.
There was a set of four rooms for people that held watches here. In reality they were places to meet up and screw the night away.
For a few hours Mark and Sylvia forgot where they were, only caring about their desires and wants.
Chapter 24
Tower
Earth, Sol System
10/3240
Nivad held his chin with his hand, studying the various feeds and graphs that covered the wall.
All of the information was regarding the battle that had happened in Masoul was a week in the past. Even the tachyon systems took time to upload and send that much information, all of which had come from the one battle.
Nivad already knew that his rentals and sales of the videos were going to do nothing but climb with a space battle.
His mind wasn’t focused on that, but rather the understanding that Harmony was not going to be an easy enemy to clear from Masoul.
The two carriers had staved off the worst of the Gas planet’s invasion, but there were still thirty thousand Harmony fighters in the gas planet’s floating cities.
The carriers were pulling themselves back together and troopers were preparing to attack the cities in a day.
Casualties had been lower than Nivad was expecting after Reclaimer’s captains fuck-up.
Four thousand troopers had died in total, less than a ninetieth of the Troopers in-system.
The real loss had been the nearly fifty percent Combat Shuttles that were out of the fight. Their crews who hadn’t been cleared for flying because of the cryo-sickness. They had watched as the Combat Shuttles were destroyed on the flight decks of Reclaimer and Fearless.
There were more stored in the carriers holds but it still meant the carriers had thirty percent less lift capacity than usual. Flight crews were cannibalizing hulks to get more flight capable.
An alert jumped the mass of information.
It took a few moments to decode. When it did Nivad felt his mouth widen into a thin smile.
His operative within Harmony’s ranks had made it back to Masoul Actual.
He stood, leaving his office, his bodyguards moving around him. He passed cubicles that held personnel of all kinds, there was a tension in the air.
They understood how Earth and Her colonies worked, losing Masoul was a massive blow. There was freighter already moving towards the system that was being re-routed, billions were already lost in revenue. The estimated costs alone were going to be Trillions when it was all over.
Corporate partnerships who owned systems around Masoul were putting more money into Nivad’s pockets than ever before.
Their well oiled capitalist machine was getting messed up by these religious fanatics. It was Nivad’s job to see that the problem disappeared.
Twelve Carriers had risen to thirty moving towards Masoul. The troopers and their gear already paid for by bribes and favors.
The corporate world had been hit hard, now they were flexing their muscle. Nivad would work the system. He was the bridge between the corporations and the EMF, while everyone else was losing credits. He was making a good profit.
Private military personnel that looked after the tower’s protection opened the doors before Nivad. Unlike the troopers they wore powered armor, not simply armored plates strapped to their body.
He walked into the conference room of the day, it changed on a random basis, only revealed ten minutes before the meeting. Security was paramount and Nivad hadn’t got this far ahead without being more than a little paranoid.
Everyone was standing waiting for him.
He took his seat at the head of the table, there was no one at the bottom.
On his right there was Dalia, the old head of the EMF. He had retired after the destruction of Strike Station, for which he was appropriately blamed. But he was still useful and well connected so Nerva had kept him on.
The new head of the EMF was to Nivad’s left, with the head of the Navy, and Troopers past them. The rest of the seats were taken up by Nivad’s regional heads.
Nivad didn’t make it a point to know who was the current leader of the EMF. They would be changed out within a year or two. Same went for the first minister.
They were monitoring the information coming from their systems, trying to see if there was any connection to Harmony in any of their sectors.
Next to the head of the old EMF head was Paul Xiu, the man in charge of spies in Masoul.
He had proved to be a capable operative, Nivad had made sure to take a closer look into the man. He was hard working and driven, coming from the slums. Nivad needed to watch the man in case he didn’t start eyeing his seat before he was ready to leave his position.
“Paul, how are we looking?” Nivad asked.
“The asteroid claims are secure; it seems a few people from Harmony made their case there. We leaked the videos and information from Masoul across all networks. The miners spaced three hundred people a week later. We have reports from the gas planets of civilians actively attacking the Harmony fighters. It is my belief that we have the troopers fight with them, if they are fighting and dying alongside the troopers it will only drive them to help us clearing Harmony out. If we do the fighting for them, as they saying goes, they won’t have a dog in the fight,” Paul said, holding Nivad’s eyes.
“Good,” Nivad said, nodding. “Have we been able to find Harmony in any other system, the more information we get about them, the more their key players don’t seem to come from Masoul. I want to know where they come from before they have time to hide,” Nivad voice was level and cool. To the untrained ear he might have been discussing the fragrance of whine at nice little gathering.
This room was filled with trained ears, features hardened hearing the message under his actual words. I don’t accept failure.
“Dalia how are we on the public front?” Nivad asked.
“We’re looking the best we ever have. The ‘leaked’ videos of Harmony’s actions are driving people into a frenzy. The fact the videos are real will only help our cause,” Dalia said.
Nivad had seen the videos, they were brutal and nasty, nothing he hadn’t done a few dozen times before. Though they openly displayed violence brought down on their fellow man. Implied violence was a much more useful tool than outright fear.
“Kim?” Nivad said looking to the new head of the EMF.
“Recruitment is up across the board. The new training is being taken up by the lower ranks like you asked,” Kim said, she didn’t sound happy about having the people of the EMF trained by the veterans and lower ranks. It made them deadlier and less controllable.
Nivad didn’t care if they were hard to control, as long as he could point them in the direction of Harmony and they yielded results.
“I saw that Fearless and Reclaimer are down on the number of combat effective shuttles, will the carriers heading to the system be able to make up for this lack?” Nivad asked, his eyes coming to rest on the Navy head who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Kim looked to the man as well, making it clear for him to talk.
“It will take three carrier’s, extra shuttles, and parts to get the two carriers up to strength,” the man said, Nivad hadn’t taken the time to look up the man’s name, just another auxiliary whose function was to carry out Nivad’s orders.
“How long will that take?” Nivad asked.
“The first carrier will reach the system in five years, second seven, third eight. I provide the schedule for you with the timetables of all carriers if you are interested?” The man asked.
Nivad waved for the man to go on. His eyes unfocused, his right hand pinching something in his view and thro
wing it to Nivad.
Nivad saw the incoming message, it passed through his firewalls and checks before he opened it up.
“Make sure everyone has a copy,” Nivad said.
The man pinched and threw the information onto the table. People pinched the air above the table, and released it at their head, accepting the information.
“We also have the election coming up for President,” Dalia said.
“Very well, run the calculations and get me candidates. I think having one that is pressing for us to war against these savages will suffice,” Nivad said, elections were just another way Nivad balanced the interests of Earth and Her Colonies.
Private citizens didn’t even vote anymore; their votes were still accepted but then they thrown out. Earth and Her Colonies were a massive system, letting it rely on democracy was pure stupidity in Nivad’s eyes.
He kept the system running and the powerful corporations balanced. He was the most powerful person in known space not because he knew everyone’s secrets, which was a useful commodity in and of itself. No it was because he was in-between for all corporations.
When two companies needed to talk about a merger but didn’t want it getting to their competition, they talked to Nivad. Two of them were having issues, Nivad waded in and declared what they would do. He had the might of the EMF behind him, and those secrets hung over all their heads, his sword of Damocles.
“Yes sir,” Dalia said, making notes.
“Any other points that might be useful?” Nivad looked around, a private message arrived from Wallace. If Dalia was his right hand, then Wallace was his left.
Nivad didn’t even unfocus his eyes, that was a sure sign someone was using their implants. It was hard to read and look around at the same time. But it was a skill Nivad had mastered long ago.
“Good, then this meeting is over.” Nivad stood, the rest of the table rising with him.
He stalked out, the security guards behind his seat and at the door falling in around him and opening the door.
It didn’t take him long to get back to his office, Wallace was admitted a few moments later, the door locking behind him and a faint buzz filling the air as sound cancelling devices went to work.
“When we last talked it was about setting up new colonies in the systems around Luyten. What do you have for me,” Nivad asked.
“We already tried it once,” Wallace said his voice completely monotone, as bland as the man’s appearance.
Nivad waved for him to continue, moving to a liquor cabinet, grabbing two glasses, some ice and expensive bourbon.
“From all the information I was able to pull up, the majority of the systems have been surveyed, cities were planned out and all of the systems within three parsecs are ready to be inhabited. One of the survey ships went beyond and checked other systems. Most of the information has been wiped from the records.” Nivad passed the man a glass, holding onto one himself and grabbing a cigarette from a box on his desk. He lit it and sat down. Wallace took a sip while Nivad nursed his own drink.
“I went and checked the dates against the EMF’s records, three carriers went somewhere, and they didn’t come back,” Wallace said, holding Nivad’s eyes as he exhaled smoke and took another drink, his mind thinking.
“So the systems are ready for colonization, but something past three parsecs warranted a visit from no less than three carriers and not one of them returned,” Nivad said.
“Correct, it co-insides with the EMF’s period of mass recruitment nearly six hundred years ago. When the EMF went from private contractors to an institution controlled by Earth and Her Colonies governing body, they were recruited directly from Earth’s population. The EMF quadrupled in size in twelve years, carrier contracts were written up and forty were planned to be built. Strike Station was also built around that time. Not to be the strategic control point of the sphere, but to be a fallback position. Whatever that survey vessel found. I doubt it was friendly,” Wallace said.
There were too many holes, not enough information, it irked Nivad as he sipped his drink. Wallace did the same, waiting for his new orders.
“We need information. I want you to make a new survey ship, it’s purpose will to be find out what happened to the three EMF carriers.” Nivad took a drag, releasing it slowly, adding to the smoky quality of his office.
“I don’t want anyone knowing what you’re doing and I don’t want whatever’s out there knowing it was in-system,” Nivad finished, fixing him with a look.
“I’ll see to it,” Walalce said, standing and finishing off the bourbon in a gulp.
Nivad nodded.
Wallace inclined his head, turned and left.
Masoul had opened more than one bag of secrets and Nivad would find out just what that meant one way or another.
Chapter 25
Combat Shuttle one-four-nine and Extractor Thirteen
Gas Planet, Masoul System
10/3240
The mission sounded simple.
Fuck, when doesn’t it sound simple? Less to fuck up. Jerome thought as he secured his E-12 to his stomach and brought his harness around his armored plates.
A good shake made sure that it was sealed. He looked to his weapons detachment, Huang, Dooks, Sasaki, Ishida and Kojo were, strapped and packed with repulsors, breaching charges and all kinds of destructive goodies.
Tyler had taken command of two section after Alvarez had caught a round. Evans, Ma, Smith and Sal hadn’t made it either. Jerome had lost Kauv and Ohana, Sergeant Haas had become second-lieutenant Haas, his section had only lost Bale.
They were hurting but there was no time to stop and properly grieve, they pushed it down and away. They needed to focus on the here and now. Which was getting stuffed into the back of a Combat Shuttle that was more holes than armor and attacking Gas Planet’s Extractor.
There were thirty thousand Harmony fighters with nowhere to go. Sure the locals were helping the EMF out in a rare display of togetherness.
Jerome saw how having the population on your side could be helpful in war, instead of being constantly against it.
No one was stupid enough to think that this was going to be easy.
A burly cargo hold master ran a trained eye over the harnesses as they closed the Combat Shuttle’s rear hatch.
“Welcome to Combat Shuttle one-four-nine, my name is Lieutenant Yu. Gas planet’s atmosphere is going to be rough. Shouldn’t be expecting any hostile fire. But we all know how that shit goes right out the air lock when we’re actually getting close to the target. Jack into the sensors if you want to, we should be moving in five minutes,” Lieutenant Yu cut the channel. Jerome opened up the sensor feed, most Combat Shuttle pilots didn’t let troopers use them as they thought it slowed down their systems.
Reclaimer troopers and Combat Shuttle crews had become a lot closer than on other carriers.
Jerome looked at the other Combat Shuttles across the flight deck, the majority had battle damage of some kind marring their armored surfaces, still they were ready to go, the blue lights of their engines lighting the atmosphere free flight deck.
“Cleared for launch,” Yu reported as the first rank of shuttles rose from the flight deck and headed out of the mangled doors towards Gas Planet rotating just outside of Reclaimer.
Their row of shuttles picked up moments after the first had exited the flight deck. They moved forward, their thrust pushing them out of the carrier and angling towards Gas Planet.
“Well ain’t that a sight,” Tyler said on a private channel.
Jerome knew the other man was missing Alexis and Mark. Hell Jerome missed Garcia, but they didn’t have the kind of relationship Tyler and Alexis had.
Jerome and Garcia used one another to relieve their urges, to clear their head for battle.
Jerome was scared for what would happen if either one of them died.
He could hope it wouldn’t happen, but Earth and being a Trooper had shown him how fragile life was.
One second
you’re alive, next you’re a mess of brain matter and blood.
“Yeah, kind of weird,” Jerome said, looking at the swirling and shimmering colors of the gas planet. Ribbons of different gasses were layered on one another, dictated by their densities and the planet’s gravitational pull.
Down there, massive electro-static storms could destroy even an Earth Military Force Carrier.
And some fucker decided to build extractors down there, Jerome sighed as the shuttle started shaking as it entered Gas Planet’s atmosphere.
Jerome looked to the scanners, Fearless and Reclaimer were close to one another. Fearless’ forces were moving to the stations in orbit, clearing out any Harmony forces there. Their secondary mission was to clear the massive drifting freighter.
Word had come from higher, they wanted the massive carrier intact. Some CEO was probably hoping they didn’t lose the billions of credits it took to build one of the things.
“We’re seeing something that is only in three other systems and you say ‘Yeah, kind of weird,’” Tyler said.
“What you want me to say, oooh, look it’s shiny,” Jerome said.
Tyler laughed, “you’re one uncultured dude.”
“Fuck man, I’m just here to go to different places, and say hello, E-12 first,” Jerome said, slapping his rifle.
Turbulence made them lurch wildly. Someone made a deposit into the puke trough, it looked like Ishida people whooped and cheered, the puker still bent over incase more followed.
Jerome chewed his gum violently, he knew Tyler was doing the same, it was a trick they’d taken from Mark and other veterans. It wouldn't be good if newly minted Sergeants were puking everywhere.
“Fuck, this is worse than Sacremon,” Tyler growled.
“Don’t you fucking curse me now Tyler Victor,” Jerome growled between angry chewing.
Tyler grunted as the turbulence picked up again.
“Sorry about this boys and girls, seems whoever made this planet’s atmosphere is a right fuck up,” Lieutenant Yu said through gritted teeth. “Ten minutes!” he called out, cutting the channel.
“Gear check! Remember we’re doing air-lock entry so I want those harnesses off as soon as possible,” Jerome said.
Masoul (Harmony War Series Book 2) Page 17