Frontline

by Z H Brown

  Finally, after it seemed the attackers had been driven off, Ansaria got her first look at her saviors. A half-dozen Imperial soldiers had arrived in a heavily armored hover-jeep that had a rocket launcher attached to it. The troops were all bipedal, and all wore gray armor similar to Ansaria’s squad.

  There was a knock on the door, and Ansaria used her telekinesis to move the table out of the way. Without its prop, the heavy, battered door fell over backwards into the room with a metallic thud and in the doorway stood an Imperial soldier in full battle gear, a gray helmet with a black visor and metal plate obscuring the trooper’s face. The new arrival saw Ansaria and gave a salute.

  “Sergeant Ansaria? Private Galla, of His Majesty’s Imperial Army. Lieutenant Goreman regrets not being able to meet you in person, but he hopes you understand.”

  Ansaria laughed at that and returned the salute.

  “I think I can forgive the lieutenant. After all, he sent us this wonderful welcoming committee.”

  “If you and your squad would join me, sergeant, we can RTB before the creatures return.”

  His comment robbed Ansaria of whatever relief and mirth she had at the rescue.

  “Yes, these creatures. I’m hoping you could fill me on just what the hell is going on on this planet?”

  The soldier backed away from the doorway and gestured toward the jeep. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but the LT’s really the person to ask about that.”

  Ansaria debated pressing the point for a moment, but decided against it. Her troops were tired, low on supplies, and on a deadline. She supposed that an explanation could wait- for the moment.

  The return trip to the Brakkan base was taking longer than Ansaria would have liked, though she couldn’t complain as Galla’s troops had given her squad reign of their ATHV. The group traveled tensely through the mist, all weapons at the ready, all eyes peeled for signs of another assault. They followed what appeared to once have been a paved road, the on-foot soldiers stepping around craters and occasionally stumbling over debris from wrecked vehicles, some of them still smoldering The buildings they could barely make out through the mist bore signs of heavy damage, and more than a few had been completely demolished.

  What could have done this, Ansaria wondered silently. If the problem was organic creatures, then the most likely culprits were Amalgabeasts; however, while the awful beasts were dangerous and destructive enough to have done all the obvious damage, Ansaria had never heard anything about an impenetrable fog that blocked long range communication being part of an infestation; besides, if these were simple Amalgabeasts, then there would be no need for Private Galla’s cryptic silence.

  They reached the compound where the planet’s Imperial forces were stationed without incident. As they approached the massive metal gate, Ansaria took note of the two tri-beam laser turrets on each side of it that were trained on the wall of fog that seemed to close up behind them. The gate rumbled down and they proceeded into the main yard. A smattering of soldiers was there, all in battle gear (though only a few actually seemed to be doing anything.) The hover-vehicle pulled into the motor pool and Ansaria’s squad disembarked, while Galla’s troops filed through the door into the base.

  There was a single occupant in the motor pool, a cephalopod-like being, dark purple with sixteen long, dexterous tentacles. However, two of the tentacles were missing their tips, and one had been reduced to a stump a couple inches long. He said something in a warbling language to Private Galla.

  “Just a reload, this time, Quaoral. Thankfully.”

  “Check it out, Critter: someone to talk shop with,” said Ansaria, grinning tiredly at her smallest squad mate.

  Critter chattered in reply.

  “I’m sure he’s just as good a mechanic as you are.”

  Galla led them into the base and down the hall. The garrison resembled Ansaria’s squad’s previous posting but was much bigger, obviously to house a larger number of soldiers. They passed a number of rooms and a lounge area twice the size theirs had been before arriving at the operations center.

  The room inside was lined with terminals and screens, most of them dark and powered down. A central holotable took up the majority of the floor. There was only one occupant in the room, his armor’s insignia identifying him as the mysterious Lieutenant Goreman. Ansaria’s troops filed into the room behind Galla and stood on the opposite side of the table, all of the soldiers snapping a salute. Solemn (to Ansaria’s relief) remained silent, placing his hands behind his back and waiting for the formalities to conclude.

  The lieutenant was wearing his combat armor like all the others, though he had removed his helmet. His skin was reddish pink and somewhat spotted, with a hairless head and a rather large nose dominating his face. Ansaria winced as the Lieutenant turned to meet her gaze and she saw that a quarter of his skull, from his upper right cheek to his forehead and stretching over the top of his head had been badly burned. His right eye was milky white, while his right ear had been burned off entirely. The charred flesh was seared black and cracking all over.

  Goreman returned the salute.

  “At ease. Galla, well done; you and your boys are done for the day. Dismissed.”

  “Sir!” Galla saluted, then turned and exited the room, the sliding door sealing behind him.

  “As for you sergeant, you, your squad and I are due for a talk.”

  “Yes, sir. If I may, sir, I would first ask that you enlighten us as to just what sort of hell we walked into- sir.”

  Goreman smiled briefly before wincing. He almost brought his hand up to his ruined flesh, but resisted the urge.

  “Very well sergeant. Here are the facts: for those of you who don’t know, Brakka is the civilian R&D capital of the Empire. Over a dozen of the largest and wealthiest companies employ facilities here, all working on cutting-edge technology. Nineteen days ago, at fifteen-hundred standard time, we lost contact with the Hoto facility on Tomoyuki Island. Shortly after that, this damnable fog began rolling in from the sea. Once the fog completely covered the city, long range communication capabilities were lost.

  “A squad was dispatched to investigate the island, while we worked to somehow round up the civilians and get them into the compound. Less than two hours after the fog appeared, the first attacks began. The buildings on the waterfront were hit first, the flying creatures strafing the structures and attacking people in the streets. Our forces were barely able to fight back; they were being picked off one by one. We had to pull back with what civilians we had or everyone would have died.

  “People tried to flee in personal shuttles, but the beasts swarmed any ship that was able to lift off. We set up a broadcast telling people to head to the base, but with the communication situation, not many people heard it. With no way off world and communications down, we decided to hunker down here and wait for the next arriving ship to get word back, somehow. We’ve been besieged ever since. We’ve launch scouting or salvaging ops, but other than that….”

  As the lieutenant gave his testimony, he seemed to deflate a bit, leaning over the table and gripping the edges hard. It looked like sharing these events was bringing some of Goreman’s own pain to the surface, though he never let it show otherwise.

  “And you have no idea what these things are, sir?”

  “None. Of the six types we’ve encountered, not a single one is in the database.”

  “Whoa! Back up, LT!” said Slog suddenly. “What’s this about ‘six types’?”

  “Yes, two aerial types; three land creatures and an aquatic specimen.”

  “Show us,” said Ansaria.

  The specimens were laid out on six lab tables. They’d all been kept on ice, and aside from battle damage and autopsy scars appeared intact. The first one was a large, leathery, flying reptile, its flesh a deep red. It had a long, sharp beak, and with its equally long head crest was technically taller than Ansaria.

  Next to it was a giant winged insect, its body as thick around as Slog. Its large, compound eyes
were ebony black, while its body was covered in fine gray hairs. Its wings had patterns of black, gray and yellow that looked strangely beautiful on a creature of destruction.

  The third creature was four meters long from snout to tail, with heavy limbs, sharp claws, and a back with a massive shell covered in wicked spikes. It had a crown of horns on its head and a mouth full of sharp teeth. The dark brown shell contrasted with the dusty yellow of its skin.

  The fourth creature was similar, though smaller and more streamlined. It was a little over ten feet long from end to end with charcoal gray skin. It had shorter limbs and sharp, blunt claws. A large horn dominated its forehead while a much smaller horn grew directly above it.

  The fifth creature was massive and primate-like. Its limbs were long and muscular, though one of its arms had apparently been blown off. The creature’s fur was thick and dark, its exposed skin just a few shades lighter.

  The last specimen was a blood-red, mammoth crustacean, with claws as long as Ansaria’s whole arm. Some of its legs were missing and there was a hole through its mouth and out the back of its head.

  “As I said, the aerial creatures were the first to appear. Three days later, subject types three and four appeared. They’re burrowing creatures, and damn near tough enough to chew through the prefab’s floors. Subject five appeared a few days later, and they are able to scale the walls. That’s why we’ve got troops on interior perimeter duty. The shellfish was encountered by a scouting party on the waterfront.”

  Ansaria and her squad stood there, taking all the information in. Obviously, things were even worse than they’d initially thought.

  “How do the land specimens get here form the island?” asked Alvara.

  “We’ve seen a few making landfall, and apparently they just swim over. We’ve never seen any sign of watercraft or dropships.”

  Ansaria turned away from the lab.

  “I must be honest with you, lieutenant; I’m not sure what I and my squad can do to help you. We’re damn good in a fight, but I doubt even we could lift a siege single-handedly.”

  “Well, before we start planning your victory strategy, I believe you have a story of your own to tell me.”

  Ansaria composed herself before answering. She was acutely aware that Solemn was with them, so she had to make sure there were no holes in her story.

  “My squad and I are on a special mission vital to the Empire. Due to damage sustained in battle; we were forced to make an emergency landing on Myrthal in order to repair our ship. Solemn here,” she gestured at the blue-and-white bot. “is governor of Myrthal and has business here on Brakka. We agreed to aid him, in return for him getting us back on our mission.”

  Goreman stroked his chin thoughtfully as he mulled over Ansaria’s words.

  “And what brings Governor Solemn to Brakka, exactly?”

  “I am on the verge of a breakthrough that could change the very idea of mortality itself. A vital piece of my experiment was developed here and I’ve come to retrieve it.”

  “This ‘vital piece’ wouldn’t have been developed by Hoto, would it?”

  “No, lieutenant, my work has nothing to do with these events. The technology was developed by the Psionics Corporation.”

  This seemed to satisfy the lieutenant. He nodded and led them out of the lab and down the hall.

  “Psionics is on the north edge of town. We haven’t sent any scouts out that way since the initial evacuation. We know the beasts have been bent on destruction, and have attacked even empty structures. I don’t know for certain if the facility is still there, but it’s a possibility.”

  He led the squad into his private office. He sat down in his chair with a sigh and regarded the assembled group before speaking.

  “Here’s what I’m thinking: you guys need to get that part from Psionics, but it won’t do you any good if you’re trapped on Brakka, will it?”

  “Indeed,” said Solemn tersely.

  “So since the lot of you are stuck here with us, you’ve got little choice but to help us put an end to this nightmare before you can continue your mission.”

  Ansaria agreed with the lieutenant, but the x-factor was Solemn. The governor’s dedication to completing his experiment might not permit any further delays, and in the end he was the one that would have to make the call. She took a breath and turned to him, but before she could speak he stepped forward.

  “Your logic is sound, Lieutenant. We shall assist you in ending this predicament, but I must insist on retrieving my component first; not only is it the reason that we are here, but it will also better enable me to help free your planet.”

  Goreman leaned back and regarded the Governor with an imperceptible look on his face.

  “If it means improving the odds of saving what’s left of my people, then very well. I’ll assign a squad to assist you - after you’ve gotten some R and R and visited the armory. Now, dismissed.”

  Ansaria’s squad saluted, none eager to jump right back into battle. “Yes, sir!”

  Ansaria awoke a few hours later, her stomach empty and growling. She exited the room she’d been given and headed for the mess hall.

  As with the rest of the base, the mess was identical to the one her squad had dined in, just larger to accommodate more troops. The eating area was sparsely occupied, with a handful of soldiers enjoying a meal. Most of them sat either in pairs or with their own squads.

  Since Ansaria didn’t recognize anyone, she took her tray and found an unoccupied out-of-the-way table. She’d just taken her first bite when someone dropped into the seat opposite her.

  “So, how are you enjoying Brakka so far?”

  She couldn’t place his orange-toned face because of the helmet he’d been wearing when they met, but she recognized the voice.

  “Galla?” she asked.

  The soldier opposite her grinned. He was a thin fellow with sharp features, eyes that were both young and old, and brown hair that was a tall, puffy mass. He looked like he’d barely become an adult, regardless of his species.

  “Can’t fool you, can I, Sarge?” he said.

  “You don’t make it to squad leader with your eyes shut and your fingers in your ears,” said Ansaria.

  Galla laughed.

  “True enough. I’m sure the LT would agree.”

  Ansaria took a couple bites before speaking again.

  “Well, I suppose Brakka has been welcoming enough, especially compared to some of the other places we’ve been recently.”

  “You should’ve seen it before the monster apocalypse. The whole town is surrounded by green hills, and you could see the ocean sparkling all the way from the base.”

  “Sounds like a much better posting than the one I was stuck at. How long have you been in the army?”

  “Oh, about twelve days now.”

  Ansaria had been in the middle of chewing, but at his response she stopped to look at him before hastily swallowing.

  “Care to explain that?”

  Galla laughed again.

  “My aunt works for Outer Systems Limited. When I finished with school, she got me a job here at her company’s facility as an intern. Nothin’ major; mainly playing courier. I’d barely settled in when all this started. The initial attack killed a lot of the soldiers stationed here, so the old LT conscripted whatever security services had survived the attack and asked for volunteers. I figured I could either sit in the holding area with the other folks, or I could do something to help. So, I chose the latter, and it seems to have worked out.”

  Something about his story stuck out to Ansaria, but it took her a moment to figure it out. “Wait, you said ‘the old LT’. Goreman hasn’t been in charge from the start?”

  “The previous lieutenant was an older guy; a cyborg. He was caught in an ambush a couple days after I joined up. Goreman was the most senior surviving officer, along with another one, Kiryu, and he took over. Didn’t seem like he wanted the job, but he’s kept us alive so far.”

  “Did your aun
t make it out OK?” asked Ansaria.

  “Oh yeah, she’s fine. She’s with the other civilians in the refugee area set up out back. It’s not the greatest accommodations, but it’s better than being eaten by one of those monsters.”

  Galla, who had been ignoring his food so far, finally began to dig in. After a few rather large bites, he asked his own question.

  “So Sarge, what brings you and yours to such a charming locale?”

  Ansaria toyed with her food before answering. “We’re on an important mission for the Empire, and that’s all I can say about that, I’m afraid. As for what we’re doing here specifically, we got….sidetracked into helping a colonial governor with a project of his in exchange for a Z-engine equipped ship.”

  “What kind of project?”

  Ansaria checked over her shoulder. “Governor Solemn has discovered a way to ‘push us all into the next level of evolution’. He needs a gizmo that was being developed here on Brakka to finish his experiment. Once we find it, we can get the ship we need and be on our way…after we solve this fog problem, of course.”

  Ansaria looked down and discovered that she had finished her meal. “And the first step in that is heading to the armory.” She stood up with her tray. “Thanks for the chat, Galla. Hope to see you around.”

  As Ansaria was walking away, Galla called out: “Don’t worry, you will. It’s a small base!”

  Ansaria arrived at the armory to find her squad already there. Alvara was practically drooling over a sniper rifle mounted on the wall and Slog was talking excitedly with the weapons specialist while Critter was on the table between them. Tread was involved in his TIG, scrolling through the armory’s inventory.

  The weapons specialist was a large being as tall as Ansaria. His limbs were thick, with his arms reaching all the way to the floor while his legs were short and stubby. His skin was a rich purple and he had two beady eyes above a razor thin mouth on his torso. He caught sight of Ansaria and broke away from his conversation to salute her.

  “Welcome to the armory, sergeant. I was just having a conversation with your squad member about his choice of weapons.”