Nivad had a whole new viewer package created for the duration of the conflict, it was cheaper and gave less views, but it allowed more of the masses to gain access to the feeds. People from across Earth and Her Colonies were watching the EMF put Harmony down.
He flicked his personal account out of view, he had already made more money than most planets made in a year.
His best agent in Masoul wasn’t pleased with the operation he’d ordered, but they would carry it out.
Nivad wanted this fight to go smoothly, Harmony outnumbered the EMF in the system by nearly thirty times. There was four and a half million of them on Masoul Actual. Most had been indoctrinated since Harmony took over thirty-five years ago.
All they knew was how to fight and follow orders.
Nivad’s agent was good at getting technical details and was still weeding out who Harper was getting his orders from, but he didn’t have a clue about military matters.
So Nivad was going to have a few military personnel insert themselves into Masoul Actual. It was the task of the Agent to get them sorted out and let them go snooping for information that the carriers would need.
“Ahh Harper, you annoying enigma,” Nivad said as for the first time he saw Harper’s face, the picture wasn’t the best, taken from a recording but with three other views Nivad parsed together to resolve it into a clearer shot.
“Run facial recognition, all systems, excluding Luyten, Earth, and Masoul,” Nivad said.
That was nearly two-billion people it would take a few minutes.
While it ran he looked over the progress reports on the new scout ship that had just completed the blue-print stage. The hull and the heat sink system were new to keep the ship undetectable.
The crew selection was already underway with Wallace working on the project it would be completed as fast as it could be. The ship would head out towards the systems that had been left as an enigma past Luyten.
He would find out what made EMF carriers vanish and why there was a ban against all attempts to colonize the systems over there.
It was too much of a question mark to not look into.
The search pinged a result, Nivad looked up from his surface to the screen that dominated his wall, seeing the face of the same man entering a deep-space freighter some seventy-four years before.
He sent the file off to Dalia, with instructions to find out what he had done before getting on that freighter.
Then he looked to the communications records from the communication system, looking for any and all messages to Osdal. There were three from CEO’s talking about different traders. Nivad copied them to Dalia asking her to have code crackers over them.
In his gut he knew they weren’t the messages he was looking for, which made him curious.
How the hell was Harper talking to his masters if he wasn’t using the FTL systems in Masoul.
He’s using his own somewhere else. The thought made a smile spread across his face as he searched for extra relays in other systems.
He didn’t find any but he didn’t expect to.
The FTL network worked because it was untraceable, stealth satellites fired their messages to the hidden in-system relay which then fired FTL particles at identical receiver-transceiver models in another system which shot out the messages through a similar laser-satellite network.
They were untraceable, but they had to be deployed somewhere and they weren’t going to do that themselves. A ship had to drop them off. The crews that had dropped off the original FTL relays were long dead, Nivad was the only person that knew all of their locations and how to find them again.
He brought up ship manifests searching for ships that had a slow transit and didn’t have a full hold heading to Masoul.
There were hundreds of results, he added in extra search filters until he came to one ship, going from Osdal to Masoul.
He sent a message to Wallace, ordering him to meet him later.
He needed to know where the FTL relay was, who was using and then take it and the entire network connected to it, apart. A perfect job for the scout ships.
Controlling the networks was his best way for knowing what was going on with the people. Information was power, leaving that FTL relay out there was just a problem waiting to happen.
He pressed a button on his desk, connecting him to his secretary.
“Have the Commander of the EMF meet me for lunch at Cafe liberte,” Nivad released the button, ending the call.
He would move more of the sleeper carriers out towards Osdal, they would move in, ready for when Osdal stepped out of line.
For the first time in a long time, Nivad was enjoying his job as spy-master.
It is so much more interesting when people know how to play the game, he thought to himself, a smile that would never be called kind spreading across his lips.
He was looking forward to the reports from his operative in Masoul Actual. It wouldn’t be long before he and the EMF troopers started putting their own plans into motion.
Chapter 29
EMFC Reclaimer
Departing Gas Planet for Shipping Station, Masoul System
11/3240
The higher ups were taking their time in reaching Shipping Station, they could have been there a week ago but they were going slowly and carefully.
Jerome looked at the rest of the platoon which was pushed into the conference room meant for the higher ups.
The seats certainly feel like it, he thought. The chair once again moved to fit his body, it was softer than some of the beds he’d rented on Resolute station a few nights.
Nerva walked into the room, holding honest to god paper information packets, he dropped them in front of Haas who took one and pushed it down the table.
Nerva pressed a button a light buzzing filling the room.
“You’re all going to Masoul Actual instead of Shipping Station,” Nerva started, he held up his hand stopping the noises before they turned into words.
“You will be acting as Harmony fighters, moving to Masoul Actual and working to soften up the forces there. You may have noticed Lieutenant Yu, his second Young and cargo master Duncan,” Nerva said, pointing to each.
“Bobbie please sir,” Duncan said.
Nerva nodded and continued on.
“They’re not just here to look pretty, they will be your flight crew to get you to Masoul Actual. They will also be working with you to send us real-time information on the ground. You will be our eyes and ears, we will be doing an orbital drop on Masoul, we want to make sure we take the damn place. It’s estimated that there’s six million people on the planet, that’s nearly twenty-seven times our own forces,” Nerva looked to them all, everyone focused on him.
“We know that there are people that hate Harmony, we want to focus that hatred and turn them against Harmony, help spread their fall by turning them inside out. Your objectives are in the folders as well as how you can contact the operative on the planet. Unless there’s something of military importance, take everything he says as if it was coming from me. He’s been behind enemy lines since this all began and he’s done a hell of a lot for us. If you don’t remember the rest of the objectives on that sheet, remember this. Do anything and everything to gather the most information possible so we can get your fellow troopers and Combat Shuttles on the ground. Then fuck with everything and anything useful to the Harmony forces.” Hard faces nodded around the room, jokes and smiles were gone, all of them focused on the job at hand.
Nerva wasn’t just putting a lot of trust in them, he was putting the lives of two hundred and twenty-three thousand EMF souls at risk. They would succeed or die trying.
“Now let’s get you orientated with the situation on the ground,” Nerva said.
***
Tyler and Alexis wandered to the observatory. Alexis seemed to have something on her mind as they walked in and sat down.
“Something up?’ Tyler asked.
She looked to him, her face serious. Shit, what
did I do now?
“Where do you see us going?” She asked.
Fuck.
“Umm, to Masoul?” He said, her face fought to break out in a smile.
“No, like do you see us as staying like this forever?” She asked.
“Could you get to the point, I’m a little lost,” Tyler asked.
“Do you want to get married?” She asked.
“Well that was not what I was expecting at all,” Tyler said his face creasing into laugh lines as he looked thoughtful. After a few moments she gave him a light punch.
“Sorry, zoned out,” he said with a laugh, getting another punch.
“Jerk,” she accused a nervous smile on her face.
He looked at her, seeing their lives together, the love they shared, the care. They’d fought like hell to survive and always come back to one another. That all fell away as he saw the vulnerability lingering behind those eyes. She was revealing all her weaknesses to him.
He was on a knee holding her hand before he knew what he was doing.
“Wha…”
“I love you, you are the person I lean on and come back to after every fight. Would you fight by my side for the rest of our lives?” Tyler said cutting her off.
Tears sprouted in her eyes as she used her other hand to cover her mouth.
“Be warned I, wait,” Tyler flicked an arm to his side, brandishing one of his blades with it’s ring-handle that slid on like a brass knuckle with the blade pointed up or down. “Will you look at that; I do have a ring!” He grinned and held it up.
She couldn’t help but laugh, the rich noise making his heart dance in his chest and the tension that he didn’t know was in his gut lighten.
She jumped on him, bringing him to the ground smothering him in hugs and kisses.
“Soooooo, yes?” Tyler asked after a pause.
“Yes you dolt,” she laughed, her eyes sparkling as he wrapped his arms around her and never wanted to let go.
***
The entire platoon was messing around; they’d come together in more ways than one. Tyler’s wedding to Alexis would be tomorrow and Jerome for one wasn’t going to miss it.
People talked and joked, eating and pushing the thoughts of what would happen in two days to the back of their minds. They had come together as sections, platoons and companies, all the way through the carrier.
“Fuck I love apple pie,” Dashtund said, on his third helping of the stuff.
“You like anything with sugar in it,” Bale said.
“And you aren’t on your fourth plate of food?” Dashtund shot back.
“Mans got to eat, don’t want to get all scrawny like you,” Bale said with a smile. Bale and Dooks parents must have some similar heritage to have two boys that size. They were muscle bound, strong and damned good at their job. They also ate more than any two other people, except maybe Mark and Tyler.
“How the hell do you put that all away?” Jerome asked Tyler.
“I chew and swallow,” Tyler retorted with a smile, shoveling more food into his face.
“Like the human vacuums around here,” Jerome said, slapping Ohana’s hand sneaking for his pseudo bacon.
“Oi! Mine!” Jerome said, giving her a dirty look but only getting laughs in return. His look transformed into a smile.
“Looks like someone is here for you Sarge,” Mcnara said, using a spoon to point behind him.
Jerome looked, seeing Garcia, they locked eyes and both grinned. She started excusing herself from her table and Jerome looked to his fellows.
“Well it seems that I must be going. See you tomorrow for the big day!” Jerome grinned to the blushing Tyler and Alexis sitting beside one another.
A few people weren’t happy with the arrangement, mostly higher ups, something about military discipline. They should know the number of relationships that went on between the troopers. Everyone was attached in some way.
Getting married was just a very official way of doing things.
If they had an issue, there was a company that would happily back up the two, maybe the division as Major Nerva would be the one presiding over the ceremony in the auditorium.
He left the table to a few catcalls and whistles before they found something else interesting.
“Hey,” Jerome said, feeling a tightness in his chest. He knew he needed to end whatever they had going on before tomorrow so that they didn’t have linger feelings before their drop.
“Hey yourself,” she said dimpling cutely as they dumped their trays.
“So, mess?” Jerome asked.
“Wanna buy a girl a beer?” Garcia asked.
“Sure,” Jerome grinned and they talked about what had been going on in the last days of their training. Off loading, relaxing, and pushing it behind them. They grabbed beers and sidled over to a cubicle.
“So, this has to be the last time,” Jerome said, finding it hard to meet her eyes.
“Who said anything about anything happening this time?” Garcia joked sipping her beer.
“It’s best for both of us that we clear our minds before we go to Masoul. We don’t need crap getting in the way before we touch down,” Jerome said softly.
“Yes, that might be true, but you’re forgetting one thing,” Garcia said her tone serious but not in a harsh way.
“What?” Jerome said as she took her time drinking.
“Look if we die, do we want to die stopping ourselves from doing something we both like? I think that’s a bit dumb. We all die at sometime, if we find something fun then we should do it. In our case that’s a little more literally, but you get the point,” she said a wicked smile hiding behind her beer bottle.
Jerome laughed and took a drink of his own. She had a point, what the hell was he trying to stop. He liked her, yes she was good in the sac, the best he’d ever had, but more than that, he could talk to her like a friend. They weren’t all over one another like Alexis and Tyler but different people liked different things.
“Alright, then it looks like I have nothing else I can say,” Jerome said, his own brain already working against him.
“Well what if I told you I had a room reserved for us tomorrow night?”
“I’d say, I hope you’ve got a few beers to go along with that,” Jerome said leaning forward.
“Now that’s the Jerome I know,” Garcia said with a grin. “Well that and the bastard that yelled at me, stuck my arm to my side, pumped me with drugs and told me to shut the hell up.”
“Well you were moving around a lot, plus you are loud. In all aspects,” Jerome said, his turn to hide his expression behind his beer, a wicked gleam to his eye.
“Well at least you know what’s going on, and it’s not my fault I’m always so loud,” she growled, leaning into the table.
Jerome laughed.
“Here I was thinking that people were supposed to be quiet in the library.” He got a kick under the table, the foot returning a few moments later and rubbing his leg. He looked to her with raised eyebrows.
“Something wrong?”
“Nothing, I was wondering if you wanted to disturb anyone trying to read a book,” Jerome said, the picture of innocence.
“Maybe,” she purred.
“Good, me too.” Jerome leaned in grabbing her hair and dragging her into a hungry kiss. They left the beers there. They were two Troopers that were going to make the very most of the next two days of freedom before they were put on ice.
Got to enjoy what you have, when you have it. You don’t know when it might all disappear, Jerome thought, for perhaps a millisecond before his brain turned to other things, and he moved faster down towards the library.
Garcia caught up.
“Having any second thoughts?” She purred.
Jerome looked to her, blatantly looking her over.
“Nope, not one, couldn’t understand what I was thinking,” he said, fighting away his thoughts to the contrary, grinning as they burst through the libraries door.
***
Mark watched as Alexis and Tyler came down the aisle of the auditorium, looking embarrassed, anxious and excited as hell. Mark could see the way their hands were white from gripping onto one another.
The Auditorium was nearly filled with people. Most of the Division had come out for the event.
“Well that is a good sight,” Nerva said out of the corner of his mouth to Mark.
“Your damn right Nerva,” Mark said unable to keep a smile from splitting his face wide open.
They finally got to the stage at the centre of the auditorium. Mark was on Alexis’ side and Jerome was on Tyler’s side.
“Alexis Xin will you look after this boy no matter what and try to keep him out of trouble?” Nerva asked.
“Yes, though I can’t guarantee the trouble thing,” she smiled, looking to Tyler who looked like his face would crack with the massive grin across his mug.
“Will you, Tyler Victor, treat this girl right and try to not make her a delinquent like yourself?’ Nerva asked.
“I will try,” Tyler smiled, his eyes only for Alexis.
“Mark,” Nerva said. Mark pulled out two rings.
“Alexis,” Nerva said giving her a ring, she put it on Tyler’s hand. Nerva handed the other to Tyler who did the same to Alexis’ hand.
“Let the records show that on this day, Alexis Xin and Tyler Victor were joined in marriage,” Nerva said, yells came from the watching crowd as they grabbed one another and kissed.
They muttered words to one another, their eyes lost in one another’s gaze.
Mark felt an itch in his eyes as the two looked to the crowd and then Jerome and Mark.
Mark wrapped them both in a massive bear hug. Jerome added himself to the mess. Nerva tapped them on the shoulder with an honest to god smile on his face.
“Get in here Major!” Alexis yelled. Mark and Jerome, not about to let the lady of the day not get her demands pulled the excusing Nerva into the embrace. Mark heard the rolling laughter as he felt Nerva’s arms wrap around them giving them a rough squeeze.
Then the hugging five some came apart and everyone else was there congratulating the two. Mark patted his side pocket.
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