by Mars Dorian
Was it an earthquake?
No, of course not. It was the sound of incoming shell fire.
Ba, ba, bada-boom.
“Sit down, please,” Bloom said.
“Not this time.”
He looked around. The people freaked out and shot up from their seats. Panicked expressions burst from their faces. Offspring units started screaming and ran around. But then everyone froze in mid-action and sat back down as if nothing happened.
“What the—?”
The Evergreens resumed their eating and continued their dinner chat while dust pellets fell from the ceiling with every new rumble. Even the offspring quieted down and continued their spiel.
RX felt Bloom’s icy finger on his hand.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t.”
No more talking time.
No more pretending.
This was time for action.
RX’s first impulse was to run outside and catch a porter, but the vehicle was too slow, and he didn’t want to arrive late and miss all the fun.
“Aida, start up the thrusters and land the APEX in front of the hall.”
“It’s going to make a scene.”
“Doesn’t matter, I’m not going to waste this opportunity.”
“Roger that.”
The AI remote-activated the APEX. RX ran around the table rows and aimed for the entrance when Norma’s deep voice reverberated through the hall.
“Rex.”
The sound was strong enough to stop his sprint. He rotated toward her direction.
“Your colony is under attack.”
“We deal with it on our own terms.”
“Like sitting around and pretending it’s not happening?”
She wanted to add something but RX blasted outside where his beloved APEX initiated the landing sequence.
What a sight.
A metallic angel descending from the heavens.
“I missed you so much, baby.”
RX climbed into the cockpit and strapped himself to the seat. It tilted its angle and welcomed its long-lost pilot.
This feeling.
Connecting his body to the machine and becoming one again.
The Yang returned to his Yin.
“Aida, give me manual control.”
“Roger that.”
The dashboard came alive and blinked its pixel lights. RX’s body shook with excitement.
Playing sex was nothing compared to commanding such a marvelous piece of technology. He couldn’t believe how long he lasted operating without it.
RX lifted his palms and roared the APEX back to the sky—where it belonged. In the far north distance, he saw smoke creeping into the nighttime ceiling.
“Aida, calculate the fastest route to the smoke origin.”
“Marking the path on your screen.”
RX tore through the air.
The adrenaline awakened his battle spirit.
Whatever was attacking the colony, RX felt powerful enough to bomb it back to the dark ages.
38
RX recognized an armored APC approaching the north side of Evergreen, shielded by four tanks. The convoy approached the section where lots of facilities were located. Twenty medium-armored soldiers leaped from the APC’s rear and readied their firearms. RX zoomed into his tactical display and identified smart RPGs and USC Combat Rifles without the branding. He hovered his APEX in mid-air and watched the platoon formation unfold. It looked like they were attacking the closest facility.
But what now?
Aida’s gentle voice hummed.
“How do you want to proceed?”
RX hesitated.
So he was dealing with the USC after all, but how was he supposed to engage?
USC were allies.
To buy more time, RX scanned their assault vehicles. Aida showed him the stats.
“A Twenty Unit US Corps APC with a 20mm Anti-Air sentry. The tanks are second generation universals with custom enhancements. I can’t detect their IDs. The insignia are missing on every vessel.”
RX pondered the situation.
“Can you connect me with them?”
“I can try.”
“Do it.”
This sounded surreal, but RX’s first worry was getting sued for damages. Legally speaking, as a Stryker Solutions™ unit, he was banned from attacking the US Corps under any circumstances. The faction was one of Stryker’s premier clients and therefore untouchable. But was he still a representative of Stryker down here? The military corporation probably declared him MIA by now.
But still, the confusion roared in his mind.
To engage, or not to engage.
That was the question.
RX floated in safe air space and watched an Evergreen facility collapse under the heavy fire from the USC tanks. The soldiers stormed into the sections and targeted the next facility. The sound of heavy gun fire and sparks illuminated the ground, but fortunately not a single Evergreen roamed the area. It looked as if the USC troops attacked a ghost colony.
Aida echoed again.
“I can’t connect with them. They’re either not able to receive my message or they’re declining my efforts.”
Suboptimal.
“How would you like to proceed?” the AI said.
RX tapped his finger on the dashboard.
He didn’t want the USC troops to blow up the colony, but he didn’t want to eliminate his former client, either. For better or worse, he didn’t have to wait for the right decision.
“They’re targeting you.”
“What?”
Lock-on pointers wavered on his HUD.
The APC on the ground rotated its FLAK cannon and launched armor-piercing rounds. RX boosted higher into the air and initiated the evasive maneuver program. The higher he flew, the farther the kinetic rounds missed him.
“Aida, why are they shooting us?”
“I don’t have enough data to answer your question.”
The FLAK couldn’t match his APEX’s speed but now the ground-pounders raised their heavy firearms. Aida displayed their armament.
“I’m detecting eight lock-ons from mobile Anti-Air rocket launchers.”
“Initiate ADAM.”
“Roger that.”
The Area Defense Anti-Munitions system beamed a 30 kilowatt fiber laser against the small-to-medium short-range rockets. All eight of them exploded in mid-air before they could reach the APEX. A cute little firework display unleashed in front of RX’s cockpit’s vision. The only thing missing was popcorn and ebola coke.
RX grinned.
What a joke.
These ground units stood no chance against his air superiority. He could have wiped out all of them with the beam and his rockets, but he didn’t want to. He had to know why they attacked him and the colony. RX lowered the altitude of his craft and neared the rocket launching soldiers from a diagonal attack angle. The ground troops set loose a new batch of projectiles which detonated twenty meters away thanks to his point-defense lasers. RX manually targeted the units and shot kinetic volleys a few meters in front of their boots.
“Let’s hope they understand the definition of warning shots.”
Apparently, they didn’t.
Two units launched rockets at his direction and retreated to their APC. The tanks opened fire now, but their anti-armor shells were made for ground units and thus way too slow for the APEX’s air maneuverability.
“What do you suggest?” Aida said.
RX rose into the air and easily avoided the incoming FLAK fire and tank shells from the armored vehicles.
“I don’t want to hurt them yet. I wish I could make them understand that I’m on their side.”
He assessed his situation.
Killing was not an option, but immobilizing was.
“Let’s fry their systems.”
“Beam is operational in twenty-two seconds.”
“That’s too long. Activate the mass driver.”
RX zigzagged back to the ground. He unleashed two volleys of armor-piercing shots that tore the stationary FLAK turrets apart. The steel exploded into shrapnels. RX switch-targeted the road wheels and pounded them with his HV armor-piercing shells. The APC came to a screeching still stand. The soldiers launched from the rear and opened fire again. With no more rockets at their disposal, they fired their standard-issued combat rifles. The bullets bounced off the APEX’s armor like pellets.
RX spoke through the loud speakers.
“USC soldiers, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to know who’s in charge. This is a misunderstanding. I repeat—”
Didn’t matter.
The soldiers answered with their firearms.
Unleashing one wave of bullets after another, tickling the APEX’s armor plates. It was like fighting ants.
“Aida, is the BEAM operational again?”
“Yes.”
Even though their armor and weaponry was second generation, it was still ripe with electronics—perfect fodder for his high-frequency beam. RX targeted every single ground unit and fried the systems in their armor. The men shook up as the sparks ripped through the crocks of their plates. They collapsed to the ground and hit the grass with their visors.
A ballet of defeat.
Beautiful.
The remaining tanks ceased fire and rolled away at full throttle.
RX landed the APEX thirty meters next to the collapsed soldiers on the grass, snatched his combat rifle from his cockpit’s clapper and jumped on the ground. He trained the firearm at the shivering soldiers and walked up the nearest shaker.
“Sorry guys, but you left me no other choice.”
They were going to survive, all of them.
RX carefully neared one soldier when he noticed one priming a grenade.
“What the—?”
The soldier was too weak to throw the armed device, so it detonated in his hand. RX jumped back as the shockwave threw him through the air. He hit the ground with his back and felt a soaring pain numbing his left leg and arm. The adrenaline pumped into his system and mitigated the ache. It became manageable. RX pushed himself from the hard grass, collected his rifle and ran back to the soldiers. Four were torn apart by the explosion, two leaked a crimson lake and one struggled to get back up. He crawled away and moaned in pain. RX breathed in.
“Oh no, I’m not letting you get away that easily.”
He darted toward the creeping soldier. His face shield was half-way blown apart and revealed his pale skin.
“What’s the matter with you? Why were you attacking me?”
The soldier spilled blood from his lips. Even without a body scan, RX could tell the man was suffering from severe internal injuries.
“I’m an APEX pilot from Stryker. Identify yourself.”
The soldier snapped a grenade from his ammo belt, but RX caught his grip and tossed the cylinder-shaped device away. The soldier tumbled to the ground and spat blood.
“Kill me now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Why were you attacking me?”
The soldier grunted and spat more bloody fluids. RX realized he was too badly injured for the interrogation and dragged the man across the field. Schlepped him to his cockpit and let Aida scan the body onboard.
“I’m counting six shrapnel that penetrated his armor and entered his heart area and stomach lining.”
“Suboptimal. We have to bring him back to the colony’s center.”
The soldier grabbed RX’s collar with fading strength.
“No, please, don’t. Just let me die.”
RX ignored the man’s manic stare and launched the APEX back into the air. He left Aida in charge of the piloting and ordered her to fly to the plaza near the common hall in Evergreen. In mid-flight, he addressed the bleeding soldier again. Too bad he didn’t carry any more painkillers—the ache cramped the wounded man’s face. His eyes glowed with desperation. RX’s voice remained calm and collected.
“Why were you attacking Evergreen?”
“I’m tellin’ you nothin’…”
“Who’s your US Corps commander?”
“Ungh,” the soldier said.
Probably not the commander’s name. RX looked at his HUD and checked the route. Halfway there. He shifted his attention back to the injured soldier.
“Then why did you attack me?”
“You work for…her…”
“Her? Who?”
“Norma.”
That name stung like a hornet missile, although it didn’t surprise RX in the least. Norma was in charge after all, that treacherous hag. He’d deal with her once the soldier was safe.
“Didn’t you see the logo on my rear? You do know Stryker Solutions and the US Corps is allies—I can show you the contracts and treaty.”
“Stryker?”
The bleeding soldier pronounced the name like a loanword from the hinterland colonies. Maybe he was hallucinating by now.
“We saw your strange spacecraft…we have never seen something like that before…we thought you were one of…”
“One of what? What do you mean? I’m controlling a standard issue APEX.”
“What’s an APEX?”
The soldier’s bewilderment seemed genuine.
“What are the US Corps doing on this planet?”
The soldier dribbled more blood. He was beyond a conversation now. RX disarmed his voice.
“Don’t worry, we get you medical assistance.”
“Please, don’t bring me back to the colony.”
“Why, what’s the matter with Evergreen?”
The soldier jolted up and pulled at RX’s collar. He averted his crazy stare and wheezed like a dying animal.
“It’s…”
And then more coughing. The blood bubbled over the man’s face and trickled down the broken armor. The sight wasn’t pretty.
“Aida, how long?”
“We’re landing.”
RX peered through the transparmor of his cockpit. The APEX sank to the plaza in front of the hexagon building. RX dragged the wounded soldier from the cockpit and noticed Norma marching outside. A dozen of Evergreens walked in line and shared the same facial expression.
Blank bewilderment.
“Just what are you doing?” Norma said.
Enough attitude to piss off a platoon.
“I need your help. The man’s dying.”
She ignored him.
“I told you NOT to interfere with our matters. You have no right to—“
Not that spiel again.
RX shouted.
“The man is dying. He needs immediate medical attention.”
For the first time, Norma lowered her acid glance and acknowledged the wounded USC soldier.
“Fine. Help is on the way.”
“What?”
An ambulance vehicle halted in front of the plaza few minutes later. RX and Norma carried the bleeding soldier inside and strapped him to the bio-mechanical stretcher embedded into the vehicle. Evergreens began treating the wounded US Corps soldier and shut the rear door. The vehicle blasted off and curved around the corner. Norma turned her attention back to RX.
“He’s taken care of. They bring him to our medstation, don’t worry anymore.”
RX wiped the sweat from his face and sighed.
It wasn’t over yet.
“Norma. An unidentified US Corps convoy targeted a bunch of your facilities in the north-eastern section. They came with a heavily-armored personnel carrier, tanks and highly-equipped soldiers.”
She watched him in quiet intensity.
RX was tired of playing games.
Tired of the conflict denial.
“Are you still trying to tell me there’s nothing, NO-THING going on here?”
She pursed her lips, lowered her voice and said,
“We need to talk.”
RX nodded.
About time.
39
Norma dragged RX into a random vacant house and sat down in the living room.
Hardtalk time.
She clutched a mug and sipped some transparent liquid thicker than water. RX was too wired to even hold a cup. He burned Norma with his stare and itched for real answers. He was about to ignite the conversation when the elderly woman let it all out.
Flooded gateway style.
“The truth is there’s a USC colony about twenty-five kilometers north-east of Evergreen.”
Boom.
RX was taken by surprise, at least for a nanosecond. Norma continued.
“The USC, or US Corps as you call them, arrived on this planet many years ago and established a military colony near ours. Needless to say, we’ve been in a complicated relationship ever since. Over the last year, they tried to invade Evergreen and seize control over it.”
“Why are they attacking you?”
Norma held eye contact without flinching.
“In case you haven’t noticed, my dear Rex, but the USC is a dominating faction that expands by colonizing through military force.”
Pause.
“When they discovered the perfect society we built ourselves, they couldn’t just leave us alone. They wanted to annex us, by force, if necessary.”
She deflected her glance and fumbled with her mug.
“They have been pestering us ever since.”
“I can’t believe the USC would just invade a peaceful colony.”
“Come on, Rex, you’ve worked for the military, you know what they are like."
RX listened to her words carefully. He tried to find inconsistencies in her body language and voice.
“They have APCs, heavily-armed troops and tanks. How could you possibly defend yourself against them?”
“To be honest, they’ve never been that aggressive before. Over the last years, we’ve had many peaceful talks that unfortunately amounted to nothing. The USC intimidated us numerous times by rolling out their vehicles near our borders, but they had never attacked us. Until now.”
“So, why now?”
“I don’t know. I’m not from the military.”
She paused.
“But we are afraid. Our society is not built for warfare. The next time they attack, we’re done for.”
She opened her eyes. Curiosity oozed from them.