Reggie pulled Frank aside amid the chaos. “Wait. I thought you were…”
“Nope,” Frank said. “You beat me by two days, but I didn’t get my circuits twisted up in some damn glitch. Kenny-boy thinks he’s got it solved. God help us.”
So Frank was a ghost in the game world now too. Armored Souls was growing more haunted by the day.
“C’mon, King,” Pounder99 said. “Let’s get you up to speed.”
The galactic map flared to life. A time-lapse playback showed the progress of the war while Reggie had been out of commission. It was like watching mold grow on a rotten tomato. The Wounded Legion Alliance spread from the edges of Liberty Clan Coalition space and slowly devoured everything in its path. At one point, a huge chunk of the coalition simply vanished, its color reverting to unfilled neutral space.
“What happened there?” Reggie asked.
“D-O-Double-Gs of War disbanded two days ago,” Chase said. “Chief Gangsta SnoopDaddy couldn’t handle losing every day so he quit like a little biatch.”
There were chuckles around the room at SnoopDaddy’s expense.
“We’ve got them on the run, then,” Reggie concluded after a cursory examination of the war’s progression. “Any sign of Napoleon being ready to surrender?”
“Unconditional?” Pounder99 asked. “No. I’ve started receiving daily threats from the little punk-ass, but he’s only offered terms that include returning all his territory.”
“Plus Schet IX and Alcon Prime,” Chase added. “Which we took back a few days ago.”
Reggie spread his arms. “I’m out of the loop. If you boys and girls have any plans in motion, don’t set them aside on my account.”
Lin snorted. “We’ve been toying with them, waiting until you got back. June said it was only a matter of time, so we held off taking their best planet.”
“Too bad about not being able to take capitals,” Pounder99 said, rubbing his chin. “Love to drag that guy out of his bunker, Saddam style.”
Reggie scowled. He was just as happy that home bases were immune from attack. He’d been reduced to a single holding, and that game balance rule was the only reason they were still standing in the Green Zone right now.
“So what’s this best planet of theirs?” Reggie asked, pointing to the galactic map. “You talking about Hrothgar V?”
Pounder99 grinned. “If you don’t mind me asking, any chance you might let Semper Fi have that one when this is all done? Wouldn’t mind moving my base there. Unless you’d rather Hrothgar than Nibelheim.”
Chase held up a finger. “We can move to Nibelheim anytime you like. I held off since it costs another 250,000Cr to make the switch. Figured we weren’t in danger of losing it.”
Reggie shrugged and held out a hand. “You want Hrothgar? It’s yours. Just let me take it so that Freedom Coach Napoleon sees the message with Wounded Legion’s name on it. I’ll trade it to for 1Cr right after that.”
Pounder99 shook the offered hand. “Deal. Now… let’s get ready to wreck some robots.”
Chapter Sixty-Four
Hrothgar V was the middle planet of the system. Pounder99 and Chase had already masterminded the capture of Hrothgar Prime, and Hrothgar II through IX except for the most populous, most prosperous, and most heavily defended planet in Liberty Clan’s possession.
Whiteout winds whipped across the landing site as the whole mobilized complement of Wounded Legion, Semper Fi, Mile High, Boat Doctors, and 21 Gun Salute turned the wintry tundra into a parking lot. At the bottom of the ramp, Reggie paused.
“You know the plan,” Pounder99 said. “They’ll be gunning for you. I don’t want to see you within two kilos of that mountain until we take out the long-range guns.”
Reggie took a long breath. Right. Command Radius be damned. If Napoleon discovered Reggie was on the ground in range of the city’s guns, nothing on Hrothgar would stop him from taking Vortex out.
That was why there were now eight Wolverines assigned to Wounded Legion with identical blue paints jobs acting as decoys.
“Wouldn’t I be better off helping on the initial assault?” Reggie asked. He was in charge of every aspect of this mission except as related to his own safety.
“Just kick off the missions, King,” Pounder99 said firmly. “You’re the inspiration here. I don’t want this to be a vendetta from the get-go. There’s going to be plenty of fighting in the streets. Don’t worry. You’ll get to put some dents in that sword of yours.”
Smiling, Reggie glanced over at Gremlin, towering over him from a few juggernaut-sized paces away. It was good to have Frank back again, even if he was briefly miffed that Reggie was wielding the sword he’d meant for Chase.
“Roger that,” Reggie said. “Mission incoming.”
[Primary Objective: Capture Hrothgar V by Force]
Liberty Clan had taken the Fanatic trait for their subjects. That meant higher numbers of civilians taking up arms to join the fighting and the local governor never surrendering. They’d have to physically remove all threats before the planet would change ownership.
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 0/772]
Most of those would be NPC drones, but the numbers would add up. Napoleon had likely inflated the numbers with a ton of light juggernauts just to disguise his lack of firepower. But there was still the possibility of mercenaries, both on the ground and liable to come in at any moment as reinforcements.
[Secondary Objective: Destroy City Defense Guns 0/44]
It would only take the removal of seventeen for Reggie to have a safe approach from the south. It wasn’t as if Liberty Clan could pick up the stationary guns and relocate them—Reggie was fairly sure, at least.
As he stood watching, the rest of the Wounded Legion Alliance headed for the mountain city of Einarth.
While most of Hrothgar V was desolate mining and resource processing facilities or barren wilderness, Einarth was a wonder to behold. It was a mountain set apart from the surrounding peaks by excavation that had reduced its nearest neighbors to flat bedrock. The city ran in and out of the mountain itself, with as much of the populace living within the mountain as along the carved steps of its exterior.
The vantage Einarth possessed gave it incredible defensive bonuses to range and line of sight. Reggie could only hope that the Piloting bonus he imparted to friendly forces helped them dodge shelling until those gun emplacements could be neutralized.
“So,” Frank said over the platoon radio frequency. “How about them Xenoscythers…”
“Oh my God,” Chase said. “You’ve been watching esports?”
Frank grunted. “Figure I’m a electro-hell resident now. Might as well get to know the local customs. Just like when I was in Korea, I learned to like kimchi.”
Lin intervened before Frank veered too far from his original topic. “‘Scythers will make the finals, but Halon Core is 2:3 against the field to win the whole thing. I’m more interested in how the WarZone 2150 tournament turns out. My friend Rainshaker is in it this year with his clan.”
June contacted Reggie over a closed channel. “How you holding up?”
Though she couldn’t see the gesture, Reggie shrugged. “I’ve been through worse Frank conversations.”
“You know what I mean.”
Reggie gritted his teeth. “I’m. Fine. Better than fine, actually. I don’t have to worry about my body dying back in the real world. Worst happened, and I hardly noticed. Can we please talk about anything else?”
“Esports it is, then,” June relented and closed the private channel.
Frank, Chase, and Lin blabbered on as Reggie watched the battle from the safety of the landing zone.
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 3/772]
[Secondary Objective: Destroy City Defense Guns 1/44]
Zooming and scrolling around the vast mini-map describing Einarth City, he located the destroyed gun. It was among the seventeen that needed removal before Reggie was cleared to enter range
of the city.
Reggie tapped the control panel to bring up ASHARI and shut off his mic. “Am I fine?” he asked the AI. “Are we the same now, you and me?”
“To the former, I am no longer able to connect to the interface that was being used to monitor your physical brain. Thus, I am no longer able to diagnose your current condition except by observed behavior. You seem perturbed, agitated, and anxious, but I can’t ascribe that to anything besides being excluded from the fighting or annoyance that Lt. Mallet keeps reminding you of your deceased status. As for the latter, there are similarities. However, I was created from scratch while you are mimicking a human brain pattern established by Sgt. Reginald King.”
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 4/772]
Reggie drummed his fingers on the console and chimed in on the conversation often enough so that no one worried about him napping on the job.
Eventually the forces under Pounder99’s command made enough headway that Reggie could see his moment coming.
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 64/772]
[Secondary Objective: Destroy City Defense Guns 18/44]
There were eighteen of the guns taken out, but two weren’t covering Reggie’s approach to the mountain fortress city. One left to go.
“Any day now,” Frank said. “Some of us aren’t getting any older, you know.”
Reggie chuckled. “One to go. I’m as eager as you.”
[Secondary Objective: Destroy City Defense Guns 19/44]
Reggie’s heart raced as he checked the map. He found the last gun emplacement that Pounder99 had warned of. That was it. That was the one that had just gone silent.
“We’re a go!” Reggie shouted over the radio. “Alpha Platoon, move out!”
By the time the five of them made it to the city, the battle was in full swing. Liberty Clan juggernauts and mercenaries held the high ground. Their use of the terrain and the network of tunnels into the mountain made them hell to dislodge. Wounded Legion’s allies were forcing their way up the slopes and switchbacks of the city, tightening the noose like a ratchet around Freedom Coach Napoleon’s neck.
Knowing that he was still at risk in close combat, Reggie positioned himself to best make use of the +5 bonus he was giving everyone within 1,600 meters of him and coordinated using the mini-map. He found some of his Wounded Legion regulars and gave them some direction.
“Spike, Chipz, you’ve got a Liberty Clan Jackal the level above you with a Plasma Launcher,” Reggie radioed out. “He’ll have a clear shot at the next intersection if you don’t pull up.”
Vortex pushed in behind the main mass of friendly troops as they slogged uphill against their foes. The frigid outdoor temperatures were enough to cool all but the hottest of weapon loadouts. Reggie wanted little more than to get into the fray and add his Plasma Launchers to the mix.
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 80/772]
“Welcome to the battle, Commander!” someone radioed out, breaking communications protocol.
“Bonus time!” another shouted.
Reggie didn’t take the time to figure out who was cluttering the radio with pointless chatter. As more and more of the allied troops joined in, he felt the warm glow of helping out the pilots under his command.
“Don’t know where you’re pressing to open those mics,” Reggie scolded jovially. “But the triggers are at your index fingers and thumbs. Less yapping, more zapping.”
“And later, some tapping,” one of the offending pilots radioed back.
“Aw, yeah!” someone else agreed.
Reggie gave up. He went back to micro-managing engagements that looked like they were about to turn sour.
“Peters, hook up with Cyanide Platoon,” Reggie ordered. “They’re down a man and could use a heavy. Plow them a path up to level 4 at Foxtrot-Echo-one-one-five.”
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 118/772]
“Chase, quit looking up and pay attention to your piloting,” Reggie snapped as Chase blundered into a building. Diablo knocked the awning off a café with its knee, and its shoulder shattered a brick facade.
“Incoming!” Chase shouted. “Look up!”
Lin fired her Anti-Matter Projector.
Phoenix[40] Left Leg: Destroyed
Reggie watched the Phoenix coming with no time to move out of its path. He aimed a Plasma Launcher up by reflex.
[Phoenix[40] - 85% To Hit]
The damn thing was on a collision course. He’d hoped for better. But at the last second, Reggie held his fire. A massive arm knocked Vortex stumbling. The last update before the target indicator lost track of the Phoenix showed a 2 percent chance at hitting.
Frank’s sword did far better than that.
Although the Phoenix was a hefty medium, Frank was poised and aimed impeccably to skewer it. The Phoenix took the 21 base damage from Frank’s handcrafted weapon and added an unknown amount extra from its falling momentum. Reggie couldn’t tell exactly because it punched clean through Phoenix[40]’s torso armor and destroyed it.
Checking the wire frame view of Gremlin, Reggie saw the Tiger’s arm reduced to 20/60 hit points and suffering from an actuator failure.
“Thanks for the save,” Reggie said to Frank.
“Bugger it all,” Frank said. “The damn thing’s stuck.”
After helping Gremlin free its sword from the fallen Phoenix, Reggie followed the dwindling advance up the mountainside. Einarth City was built with the most valuable targets higher up. But Reggie’s main goal was to make his way to the peak to eliminate the intermittent rain of suicide jumpers that tried to take him out personally.
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 255/772]
Reggie tried a new tactic as he watched the number of juggernauts on both sides shrinking. “Napoleon,” he radioed out. “Let’s finish this. You and me.”
“Reggie, that was an open channel,” Chase blurted on a private frequency. “Everyone heard that on both sides.”
“C’mon, little man,” Reggie continued, well aware that he was being heard by every pilot on the planet. “You’re losing. Let’s show the server how a it’s done. Meet me at the summit.”
“Nice,” June said over the Alpha Platoon frequency. “Play on his ego to lure Napoleon into a trap.”
“It’s not a trap,” Reggie said. “It’s an ancient tradition. I don’t expect Pounder99 to give this place up if I lose. Not my place to bargain away a planet on my own prowess. I just want a chance to get my giant robotic hands on that guy’s throat before this is over.”
“Roger that,” Frank said. “I’d also approve giving a giant robotic wedgie if you can figure out how.”
Alpha Platoon continued up the mountainside. Semper Fi and Mile High troops parted to let them through after hearing Reggie’s challenge.
“Am I talking to myself?” Reggie radioed out to everyone. “Planet’s lost, kid. Take a shot at me if you want to salvage some pride.”
Napoleon came on, voice only, over Reggie’s radio. “You’ve got some nerve, King! Pretending like you’ve got honor after your attacks dogs tore my freedom empire to shreds. Not responding to any of my requests for a peace deal.”
“I was kind of dead,” Reggie replied bluntly.
“Don’t give me that bullshit,” Napoleon fired back. “Timer’s three hours. It’s been a week.”
“You want a piece of me?” Reggie asked. “Come and get it.”
Chase called on the Alpha Platoon channel. “Reg, you gonna make this into one of those Old West shootouts where everyone else is supposed to just let you two blast at each other until only one is standing?”
“Stand down,” Reggie ordered. He saw a Lion approaching the summit, separating itself from the other Liberty Clan forces. “Let that Lion up here, and don’t interfere unless I give the order.”
[Secondary Objective: Destroy Enemy Juggernauts 310/772]
The battle was half over, at least by enemy count. Un
less they ran and hid, playing hide-and-seek inside the mountain, the last enemy units would go down much quicker than the first.
Reggie made a quick check of the Wounded Legion Alliance as the Lion climbed the mountain from the far side. There were still over seven hundred friendly juggernauts. This wasn’t going to cost them the battle if Reggie lost. He could afford to vent his frustrations on Freedom Coach Napoleon.
The Lion came up the switchback road that led to the summit from the northwest. It was a garish mishmosh of colors. One arm was red, the other green. One leg was blue while the other was yellow. If Reggie wasn’t familiar with the Armored Souls juggernaut customizer, he’d have sworn it was pulled together from a junkyard collection of scraps.
The instant the Lion came over the rise, Napoleon fired a Mass Driver at Vortex. Just like that, Vortex’s left arm was down to 8/20 hit points.
“First blood!” Napoleon taunted.
“Love that movie,” Reggie retorted. But wordplay was for cheesy action flicks when there was fighting to be done. Knowing that another shot from that Mass Driver could take out his arm, he charged the Lion, taking aim with a Plasma Launcher as much for cover fire as for the damage it would inflict.
[Lion[1] - 90% To Hit]
Reggie wished it was due to his stellar aim and not the fact that he was rushing in at point-blank range that was responsible for the nearly guaranteed hit. But getting closer also meant that Napoleon’s Mass Driver would be outside its optimal range, making his chance to hit drastically lower.
Lion[1] Torso: 93/100
This wasn’t a fight that was going to be won trading shots. As Vortex closed in, Reggie drew the Ninjato from its back.
150m
100m
50m
“You bring it, little man!” Napoleon jeered, leveling his Mass Driver for a close-up shot. “Got your next meal right here!”
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