by Brian Dorsey
“I know. But you’ll be back out there soon.”
“Who’s on your team?”
“Orion will be our pilot, so obviously Rickover will be there. And—”
“Let me guess, your little pet Martin will be going?”
“Why wouldn’t she?” asked Stone. “She’s—”
“Never mind,” replied Mori. “Who else?”
“Your sister and Magnus volunteered. As did First Sergeant Shara.”
“Another Humani,” interjected Mori.
“Another Humani with experience,” replied Stone, trying to ignore Mori’s dislike for his men. “And I have requested two Ki’etsenko.”
“So everyone but me.”
“Ino’ka, I—”
“I know,” she interrupted. “Just let me be pissed about it.” She let out a frustrated breath. “Who did they give you?”
“Captain Littledove and Sergeant Crowdog.”
“They’re good,” replied Mori. “But all Ki’etsenko are. Thay has just returned from his people…you should contact him.” She paused. “Maybe he can keep your minion in check.”
“I—” He paused. It wasn’t worth the fight. “I’ll contact him.”
“Well,” continued Mori. “I guess that will give me and Octavius some quality time together.”
“Yes. I have let Mrs. Vae know to expect you once you’re out of the rehab facility. General Vae’s wife has agreed to keep him until I return.”
“So he is staying with Humani?” asked Mori with a scowl.
“Where else would he stay?” He paused. “I mean…” His stomach tightened—he hadn’t thought about how Octavius would complicate things. “You need a few more weeks here, then you’ll be training…I just…it’s not that I…”
“Stop,” interjected Mori. “I’m not asking to be his mother—” Now it was Mori who paused. “I didn’t mean I don’t want to be part of—” She sighed. “What I am asking is why doesn’t he stay in the Clan Mother facility while you’re on missions?”
“What?” asked Stone.
“The Clan Mothers facilities are where our children go when their parents are deployed. Clan mothers volunteer their services and ensure the children are taught our traditions and customs—just as their parents would have. Men also volunteer so that the children understand they are always part of the greater Akota family. The position of the Clan Mothers is as honored as that of our best warriors.”
“A group of strangers?” asked Stone.
“Not strangers, Magakisca. Fellow Akota.”
“What is wrong with Vae’s wife watching her? She has two children and volunteered?”
“She’s not Akota,” replied Mori.
“Well neither is Octavious.” He saw the frustration and anger on Mori’s face. “What I mean is he’s not only Akota. Do you expect him to learn nothing of his Humani culture?”
“There is no Humani culture,” growled Mori, another wave of pain shooting through her leg. “It is a fabrication of the Xen to—”
“It was—is—real to me,” interrupted Stone, his own anger growing. “I was made by that culture. Martin was—”
Mori guffawed. “Martin. Of course.”
Stone clinched his jaw. She just wouldn’t let it go. “You’re going to have to realize that even if I fully embrace Akota culture part of me will always be Humani.”
“Why do you insist on holding on to the lie that is Alpha Humana?” She grunted as she repositioned and another wave of pain washed over her.
“Because it’s part of me!” he shot back, almost yelling. “Being Humani seemed to be good enough for you that night on November 14. It was a Humani that rescued you from that prison on—” He stopped.
He’d gone too far and knew it.
“It wasn’t a fucking Humani that saved me!” she shouted as tears began to flow down her cheeks. “It was you! Not a Xen slave…You did those things because at your core you’re Akota…” She took another breath. “Why are we…why is this so hard?”
Stone closed his eyes momentarily to calm himself. “Ino’ka, I didn’t come here to upset you. I—”
“Well, you failed there,” interrupted Mori, looking toward the floor.
“I’m sorry. And I do want Octavius to learn the Akota ways.” He placed his hands on her cheeks, slowly raising her head until their eyes met. “And I can’t think of anyone better to teach him than you.” He rubbed a tear from her cheek. “And I’ll look into these facilities for future missions.” He made sure she was looking into his eyes. “But for this mission, Octavius will stay with the Vaes.”
Mori let out an exasperated laugh and looked away.
“But,” he added, turning her back toward him. “I want you to see him as much as you can…and teach him.”
“Sure,” she replied.
“Seriously. I’ll speak with Mrs. Vae; she will not interfere.”
A forced smile came to Mori’s face. “I’ll visit him.”
“Thank you,” he replied. “I have to go brief the others.”
“Fine…but someday,” she replied, placing her hands on his face, “you’re going to need to figure out who you are.”
***
Martin felt everyone’s eyes on her and Shara as they entered the briefing room. As she looked over the group, she paused on each face.
Orion—good…no great pilot. And a bitch.
Orion returned Martin’s gaze for a moment and then with a scowl turned away.
Rickover. Weird…just weird.
Katalya and Magnus—weird and creepy.
Then she turned toward Thay.
Martin formed a forced smile as she stared at the Iroqua warrior. She’d once thought they would someday finish the dance started on that riverbank. But the mission to kill Maxa had changed that. They may never be friends, but as much as she hated to admit it, Thay might have understood her better than anyone.
Thay gave a small nod, acknowledging their gaze.
Next she turned toward the other two Akota Ki’etsenko. “Who are these jerkoffs?”
“These ‘jerkoffs’,” replied Orion, turning back toward Martin. “Are Ki’etsenko and should be shown some respect.”
“Oh, excuse me,” gasped Martin in the Akota language she was quickly learning. “It’s my honor to meet two more noble warriors,” she said in a high, mocking voice as she bowed. “Where’s your makeup, girls?” she added, returning to a deadpan tone.
“I see you haven’t changed,” grumbled Thay stepping next to the two warriors.
“Why would I?” she asked.
“This is Captain Littledove and Sergeant Crowdog,” replied Thay.
Martin took a step toward Thay and the others. “Ladies,” she said as she curtsied.
“This is the Red Wolf so many have spoken of?” asked Crowdog. “Doesn’t look like much to me.”
Martin had grown use to every Ranger seeing her as a potential trophy to mount on their wall. “Wanna see what I got?” asked Martin, gripping her sword.
Crowdog’s body tightened.
Out of the corner of her eye, Martin saw Shara place his hand on his pistol.
“Stop!” shouted Thay, stepping in between Martin and Crowdog. “Now is not the time. We have more important things to do.”
“You’re right,” grumbled Martin, relaxing her stance. Martin smiled at Thay again before looking over his shoulder to wink at Crowdog. “Lucky day,” she said.
“Can we just sit quietly and wait for Stone?” offered Thay.
“No problem,” replied Martin. “We’ll be right over here in the no-makeup section,” she added as she pointed to the opposite wall.
“Fine,” replied Thay.
“Fine,” mocked Martin as her and Shara moved toward the other end of the room.
“They really don’t like you,” declared Shara.
“Apparently I’m not good at making new friends,” said Martin.
“No shit…” replied Shara. “…with all due respect.”
“Fuck off,” retorted Martin.
“And what is that Red Wolf shit?”
“Apparently if you kill enough of them, they give you a name,” she said with a smile turning back toward Crowdog and letting herself fall into a leaning position against the wall.
“This is going to be an interesting mission,” said Shara.
“Just wait—” Martin saw Stone enter the room. “Attention on Deck!”
Standing like an oak, she saw Shara come to attention next to her in her periphery. And every Akota in the room turned in surprise.
“At ease,” ordered Stone. “And you don’t have to do that anymore,” he added.
“But we’re going to, sir,” replied Martin. “Because that’s what the Guard does,” she added with a glance toward Orion. “We respect our leaders.”
“On that note,” replied Stone. “Let’s get started.”
***
Stone didn’t feel like refereeing an argument between Martin and the Akota so he started right into the briefing.
“If successful, this mission could save thousands of lives,” he said as he activated the 3D hologram map of the Port Royal layout. “Has everyone read the threat briefing?”
Martin raised her hand.
“Major,” said Stone, acknowledging her.
“Sir. So…how are we getting in…and more importantly, how are we getting out? I’m guessing they’re locked down tighter than a First Family virgin.”
“From what we can tell, access to the polis are still pretty open,” replied Stone.
“The Association still needs to make money so they’ll keep everything but the administrative polis open,” added Orion.
“And the admin polis is going to be the problem,” continued Stone.
“They’ll have the maintenance areas more secure, won’t they?” asked Katalya.
“Probably,” replied Stone. “We used that option the last time we were there.”
“Then what’s your plan, Marshal Stone,” asked Sergeant Crowdog.
“A little subtlety, a big diversion, and some really big math,” answered Stone.
“Well that doesn’t sound complicated at all,” said Shara to Martin, just loud enough for Stone to hear.
“It’s not,” interrupted Rickover, hearing Shara as well. “Stone has discussed the plan with me.”
Everyone turned toward Rickover and then Stone.
“Did I mention the math part?” added Stone, trying to defend why he’d spoken to Rickover before the others. “Orion, do you remember the atmo jump on Kilo 2?”
“That was awesome,” replied Orion. “Wait—do you want me to try that again?”
“Yes,” replied Stone. “But this time I want you to jump from the docks at the market polis to the security area leading to the administrative polis and then from there to the Association Council Hall.”
“Two fucking atmo jumps of just a few kilometers? No fucking—” She paused. “Rickover, what the hell did you tell him?”
“I just told him it was theoretically possible to make short range atmo jumps with an acceptable risk.”
“And what is acceptable?” asked Martin.
“Seventy-three percent chance of success,” answered Rickover.
“And the other twenty-seven percent outcomes?” asked Martin again.
“Not successful,” replied Rickover.
Murmurs passed over the small group.
“So what’s your plan, Stone,” asked Thay, redirecting the group.
“We have to be fast for this to work so I had Rickover look over the data and do the math to see if it was possible,” continued Stone. “We dock in the market polis and Katalya and Magnus exit and move toward the security access on the opposite end of the polis. No uniforms or weapons.”
“What about these?” asked Magnus, displaying his canines.
“Those you can take,” replied Stone with a smile. “Once you’re within 100 meters of the security zone, drop a nav beacon and get out of the way.”
“We can use the beacon and the software I’m designing to make a more precise jump code so—”
“You do realize that once I leave the docks, I’ll need to get above the highest structure and still be below the atmospheric barrier then go to full power at a hover to make this happen?” asked Orion.
“Yes,” replied Rickover. “You should have about ten meters to be clear.”
“Oh, that much,” replied Orion.
“That’s part of the calculus that goes into the 73 percent,” replied Rickover. “We already discussed that.”
Orion raised her hands in the air and leaned back in her chair. “My bad, please continue.”
“Thank you,” said Rickover. “Once the first jump is complete.”
“First,” guffawed Orion. “Never mind…keep going.”
“Once the first jump is complete, we will blast through the door using the ship’s guns and then pickup Katalya and Magnus.”
“Why do we have to blast through the doors?” asked Shara.
“The walls extend to the atmospheric barrier,” answered Orion.
“Will taking out the wall affect the barrier stability?” asked Martin. “I’d rather not do this in atmo-suits.”
“Again, part of the 73 percent,” replied Rickover, frustrated at the need to repeat himself. “I already said I calculated the risks.”
“Go on, weird math guy,” said Martin.
“Yes,” continued Rickover. “Once through, we’ll do a jump directly to the Association Council Hall.”
“That’s like sixty kilometers,” said Orion. “I can make that at full atmo speed in less than two minutes.”
“But we can jump there in a few seconds,” interjected Stone.
“Okay,” said Orion, “you know I’m up for just about anything but do you know what a short range jump at atmo like these are going to feel like?”
“Probably like getting punched in the gut,” replied Stone.
“Try having your stomach punched out of your body and landing about—I don’t know—sixty kilometers away.”
“But can it be done?” asked Stone.
Orion raised her hands in the air again. “If Rickover says the math works then I can do it. You bastards just better not eat anything before because I don’t want your lunch all over the ship.”
“Good to know,” replied Stone. “No eating before.” He changed the 3D image to an orbital map. “Admiral Crow will help us out with a diversion that should draw off some of their forces. Five battleships will jump into Port Royal’s orbit; that will be our signal. They are going to go after some of the batteries outside of the polis boundaries. Two carriers will also jump to make them think a landing may occur. Hopefully that will keep most of their defense forces busy long enough for us to get a head start. He won’t stay on station very long, but it should be enough. Once we’re at the Hall, we’ll go in with two teams and sweep the building.”
“Is this a search and destroy op?” asked Littledove.
“If we can take any Council members, we will,” answered Stone. “But our primary goal is to put an end to their control of Port Royal. If we have to take them out, that’s we do.”
“Do you think we’ll get all thirteen of them?” asked Thay. “Won’t some be at their residences or someplace else?”
“That’s a possibility but our intel tells us there is a high probability of most of the members being there.”
“If one or two are not?” asked Martin.
“Hopefully they’re all there,” replied Stone. “If members are unaccounted for and data is missing, word will get back to the Xen and Humani that the Association is a security risk. Once that happens, the Xen, and definitely Astra Varus, will lose faith in them.” He paused, contemplating Astra’s response to losing her most valuable connection in the Dark Zone. “She might even finish off the rest of the survivors herself.”
“So how do we know who the council members are?” asked Katalya.
/> “We have positive IDs on seven of them…their info will be uploaded to your mission files. The rest…just look for someone hiding behind the guys with guns.”
“And how long do we have to pull this off?” asked Orion. “While you guys are playing scavenger hunt, I’ll be fighting off ground and air-to-air fire.”
“About ten to fifteen minutes,” replied Stone.
“Oh, that’s all,” laughed Martin. “That will be about five to ten minutes too long for a transport or an alpha.”
“Hopefully Admiral Crow’s diversion will help…but I think you should be okay with the ship we are giving you.”
“What do you mean?” asked Orion, her interest peaked.
“Well,” interjected Rickover. “Always wanted to design a ship and since the Shirt-Wearers are supporting this, they gave me all the resources I need,” he continued as he stood and changed the image of the orbital map to one of a ship. “Introducing Hydra II.”
“What is that?” asked Orion. “It looks like a flying box.”
“Hydra II,” continued Rickover, “is being designed as a special operations insertion craft. If you notice the normal mode exterior structure, you’ll see it looks very plain—similar to typical freighter and passenger craft used by mid-to-upper lever companies and organizations in the Dark Zone.”
“Looks like a storage container,” added Martin.
“You want me to fly this?” huffed Orion. “And you have the balls to call this flying brick Hydra II?”
“If you will wait,” grumbled Rickover. “As I said, this is the normal mode—designed to not draw attention. But when Hydra II is shifted to combat mode…”
Rickover selected a button and the image of the ship transformed as two swept wings extended from the blocked frame and two external engines extended from the aft end, enclosed by armored plating.
“Shit,” declared Orion as the ship continued to morph.
“Now,” continued Rickover, “in normal mode the weapons systems, combat electronics, search and fire control sensors, and self-defense systems are secured and undetectable to external scans until combat mode is selected. When this is done, the superstructure is reconfigured to support high speed combat in both space and atmospheric environments. Armament includes four plasma cannons, two 30 mm rotary guns, four self-defense pods—each carrying six tubes of Viper anti-missile and aircraft weapons. Its search and fire control systems are the same as our Type IV Foxtrot fighters. Propulsion systems include two small modular reactors, four solid state emergency and auxiliary power supplies with one standard week of backup power, and a solar sail for tertiary power.”