by Chris Hechtl
“Oh, yeah,” Razor replied, settling in. He found the closest drone and sent the location to T-Bone's HUD. The pilot turned the craft to line them up with it.
“This time let's try not to get scratched up,” T-Bone growled.
“No promises,” Razor said dubiously as he flipped the targeting reticule down on the jinking drone.
<(>^<)>
“Sir, that's the last of them,” a rating said, turning to the colonel. The rating seemed to cringe a little, expecting his boss's wrath to be severe and possibly terminal.
“What all of them?” Colonel Bericus demanded, eyes wide, resting a heavy hand on the ratings shoulder as he looked over it. “What the hell happened? Metropolis, Gotham, and now this pissant city?”
He only had so many drones. Losing one or two was inevitable; they were prone to fail or run into foul weather or even the occasional lucky shot. But they'd just lost all four drones tasked with recon of this so-called Mega City. He'd lost all four in Metropolis, two to a guy in some sort of blue and red power suit! Now this.
“We got something of a look at the hostile, sir. They've got some sort of modified gunship down there. It's black, and we didn't get enough of a look to figure out what it was.”
“Damn it.”
“Sir, should we commence with the bombardment?”
“Not when we don't have targets. I don't want to explain to the admiral why we hit something we're supposed to be picking up. No, we'll wait. Focus on the other locations since we know Gotham and Metropolis are industrial centers. For now, we'll stick to the primary target and then work our way down the list as planned.”
“Yes, sir,” the rating replied with a nod as the colonel straightened.
<(>^<)>
Razor used his trick missiles to swat the last of the four drones out of the sky. The grapple missile didn't so much as blow it up as it tangled it in a net and armatures to bring it spiraling into the ground where it exploded nicely. Hopefully without hitting anyone he thought, surveying the wreckage. “That takes care of their eyes here,” Razor said smugly.
“Yeah, but it doesn't do much for the ones in space,” T-Bone said, looking up to the dark sky above.
“Don't even think of it. We're a soaped-up attack craft. They've got a full task force, T-Bone, with dozens of fighters!”
“So?” T-Bone demanded.
“So it wouldn't work. We wouldn't stand a chance going toe to toe with a cruiser!”
“Damn it, Razor...”
“Besides, we're rigged for ops here in atmo, not space. The goop guns aren't rated for space. Most likely they'd freeze or melt.”
“Crap,” T-Bone sighed, turning the black jet back to the city in a long bank.
“Yeah, the stuff would seem that way coming out of our fighter. The kinetic energy might help but not much. It might also gum up the gun and blow us up too,” Razor growled.
“Okay, okay, you got me. I give,” T-Bone said.
“About time,” Razor drawled.
“Funny. So, what do we do?” T-Bone asked.
Razor caught sight of a familiar feline in a business suit and glasses standing on the taxiway of the enforcer's helicopter base. “I think we land and have a powwow and try to brainstorm what to do,” he said, tapping his partner on the shoulder to get his attention then pointing down to the ground.
T-Bone saw the feline and snorted. “Right,” he said. He waggled the bird's wings, then bled off some of her excess speed with his flaps and extended wings before he switched her to hover and landed with a slight bump. He flipped the bird's wings back to make room for Feral's troops before he popped the cockpit canopy open.
“T-Bone, we're getting an all-points address. A planetary broadcast from the governor and Planetary Security. They are declaring an emergency,” Razor said. He stiffened as T-Bone started to climb out of the cockpit.
T-Bone stopped and looked at his friend. “What?”
“They said the pirates are … are bombing the cities. They just hit parts of Landing and some of the farm towns with Kinetic strikes.”
“Frack,” T-Bone snarled as he finished climbing out of the fighter.
“Good work you two,” Callie said, nodding to Razor and T-Bone as they came over to her. When another person noticed their landing and nonchalant walk to the deputy mayor, they were joined by Commander Feral.
T-Bone turned and studied the other man. The flight suit the Swatcat was wearing was far more than it appeared. The helmet and shielded visor had a fully functional HUD that took in the various feeds from the cameras and sensors Jake had worked into the helmets and their suits.
In other words, he could see if the commander was coming alone and if he was coming armed. Which of course he was, but the weapon was in his holster.
“Rajestan has called a planetary-wide emergency and for every city and town to evacuate,” the commander said. “The problem is, where do we evacuate to?” he demanded. He waved his hand and baton to the area around them.
“Right,” Razor sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he thought about the problem. “Some people can go into the swamps, but it's dangerous there. I'm betting the old hands can keep up. The new people though …”
“The farms around can't support many. It'd be nice if the mountains were closer,” T-Bone said. “The freeways will be clogged with people trying to get away soon. It'll be chaos.”
“Don't remind me,” the commander growled. “I'm already calling everyone in. That includes you two yahoos,” he said, pointing a finger at the two pilots.
“Us? Fraid not, Commander. We don't work for you, remember?” Razor said, now clearly amused.
Callie hid a grimace and shook her head. Her tail swished.
“Oh, yes you do,” the commander said.
“Now look …,” T-Bone said, starting to get annoyed.
“You two are some piece of work if you thought I didn't know who you are,” the commander said eying them severely. Chance swallowed, clearly taken off balance. He took an involuntary step backwards as the commander tucked his fists behind his back with his baton. “Didn't it ever occur to you dummies that I'd recognize your handles and smell at the very least?” the commander growled.
Chance felt like kicking himself. He looked over to Jake who was rubbing the back of his head in amused chagrin. “To tell you the truth, Commander, we've been a bit distracted with all the stuff going on and that sort of fell through the cracks,” he admitted.
“Right,” the commander drawled.
“You've known all along?” Callie asked, looking at the commander.
He turned to her. “Of course, Miss Briggs. You hired me from the GCPD, remember?” He turned to T-Bone and tapped the other cat's chest with the brass tip of his baton. “Some investigator I'd be if I didn't recognize them,” he growled.
“But that means you've been helping them? But why the rants?” Callie asked. “I mean Jake and Chance …”
It was T-Bone's turn to rub the back of his helmet in chagrin. Apparently Callie had known all along as well.
“I had to do that to keep them in line and to play against anything they did in case it blew up in their faces. Like a couple of the charges of excessive force levied against them,” the commander said. He shrugged. “I'm glad you two got the grant from Waynetech to help you out. Jake's insider edge there helped you undoubtedly.”
“It wasn't just that, though it did help. All the other stuff has been a big help,” T-Bone/Chance admitted.
“True,” Callie said with a nod.
Jake snapped his fingers. “That explains why our access was never revoked. Why you let us work in the scrap yard and maintenance and didn't say anything!” He stared in surprise at the commander.
Chance nodded. “Right, and why we could get in and out, why you never went after us...”
The commander grimaced. “You two jokers might think you are hot shit and I admit, you are good pilots but I didn't do it for you. I did it for the city. I'd love to lo
ck your insubordinate keisters in a small cell and throw away the key. Get that through your head now; I don't like you. But I figured like Gordon and the Bat, as long as you kept your noses clean and didn't kill anyone I was willing to play along with your farce,” he growled.
Both Swatcats nodded in unison as they subtly came to attention. “Yes, sir.”
“But enough of that. We've got a city to protect. “Razor,”” he turned to the smaller Swatcat and offered him a crocked smile. “You found the first rail gun and the two laser batteries. I know you worked with Greenwich to get them sorted out just in case they were ever needed. Can you hook them up to the city grid? We'll need to cover the city. And how do we do that against a kinetic strike?”
“Well, Commander, I was thinking about that,” Jake said slowly, still adjusting to the commander knowing their identity. His mention of the Bat meant the GCPD knew a lot more going on at Waynetech then some there knew, or did they? He wasn't sure anymore. He shook his head again, doing his best to rid himself of such distracting thoughts for the moment. “We'll have to set them up in a triangle around the city, covering the entry ports as best we can. We've got a couple small fusion reactors; we can rig them up to help out. But they won't stop a KEW strike. Nothing can short of a massive plasma round or a planetary shield, both of which we unfortunately don't have.”
Chance grimaced. “Can we get Professor Sackle to whip up an energy shield big enough? We've got some in our bird but not big enough.”
“In time … which we have in short supply. The Pirates have limited numbers. They are hitting the big cities since they are concentrated sites of goods and people. I recommend we relocate the people as much as possible and hide the valuables.”
“Let's rethink part of that Razor,” Callie Briggs said, coming over to them. He turned to her. “I think we should advertise what we've got.”
“Are you insane?” the commander demanded, eyes bugging out.
“Here me out, Commander. If they know what we've got and if they want it, they'll be less inclined to bomb us, correct?” she asked.
The commander reluctantly nodded. He crossed his arms, a sure sign he didn't like the idea though.
“We could use this I suppose,” Jake murmured thoughtfully. “A part of our problem is early warning. If you can get Professor Greenwich or Sackle or both to whip something up, maybe in conjunction with the airport's radar arrays, we might get some intercept time.”
“You two are going to have to fight with all you've got. The gloves come off,” the commander said. “Figuratively speaking of course.”
“Right,” Chance growled, clenching his gloved fist. “I'd love to get my hands and claws on them,” he growled, punching his right fist into his left hand.
“Stand in line,” the commander growled. “You two are hereby reinstated. We'll keep your identities secret of course.”
“Good,” Callie said with a nod. She eyed Jake. “Though I wouldn't mind the occasional call from time to time,” she murmured.
“You too?” Jake asked in an Et Tu voice. She flicked her ears in humor. “Right,” he sighed heavily. “I guess it's been one of those days, buddy,” he said, looking at Chance.
“Everyone has them in their life. Picking themselves up and knowing where to go from here though,” Chance said as he shrugged.
“That's the next part,” Callie said. “We entice them here. They have limited numbers. We chew them up, but let them get a small prize each time. If we …,” she held up a restraining hand again as the commander opened his mouth to object. “Hang on, let me finish,” she scolded. “If we shut them down cold turkey, they will be liable to pull back and then just pound us while they go on to softer targets. Correct?”
“Yes,” Jake replied with a nod. “Like Waynetech, Powers, Lexcorp and the others,” he said.
“They'll be here for that gear, plus the biochemical companies here and the pharmaceutical ones as well,” Callie mused. “I bet they'll burn the rest. Loot what they want and then burn.”
“Something like that. We won't know for certain until they show up though,” the commander warned.
“Yes. Yes, I know. One thing we can be assured of, if they get their hands on any Neo or nonhuman they will kill them. Possibly torture them first,” Callie said. “So, don't let yourselves get caught fellas,” she urged.
“Or you either Miss Briggs,” Chance replied with a tight nod.
<(>^<)>
“They've got good air defenses down there. Enough to make me wonder what they are so eager to protect, sir,” the colonel said in his briefing to the admiral.
“But you aren't ready to send troops down?”
“I don't want to dilute them. We've got too many irons as it is, sir. We're getting some native support but not as much as we'd hoped,” the colonel replied. “And the Neo population has apparently exploded since the plague.”
“Vermin,” Commander Roshou growled.
“Not necessarily,” the admiral reproached.
“Sharp toothed vermin,” the colonel grumbled.
“Casualties?” the admiral asked.
The colonel grimaced. “Above expected parameters. Ten percent and climbing. Their resistance is stiffening. I've had to send in reserves twice, and as you know, my people have had to call for fire support multiple times in Metropolis,” he said.
“Yes, that blue and red flash is a handful,” the admiral grumbled. “Pity we can't get our hands on that suit and put it to proper use,” he said. “And I know the eggheads back home would love to get their hands on it to replicate it,” he said.
“Yes, sir. We know it is piloted by a human. He's fighting for the wrong side,” the colonel said.
“He's defending the home he knows,” the admiral retorted. “Sorry, playing devil's advocate here. Anything on some of the primary list?”
“We've gotten some good hits and leads. Nothing concrete though. The cities are primary targets because they are concentrated sources of material and people. Intelligence is on the ground, and we're still processing what we have and integrating it to get a proper picture,” the major said.
“Understood. Expedite that. We need a picture, any picture. We can clear up the niggling little details later if we must,” the admiral said.
The colonel nodded in agreement.
<(>^<)>
Solimaxara shook his head as he watched a television commercial. He'd been bewildered when his assistant had told him that the companies in Mega City were running new commercials. “What's his game?” he asked softly, looking at the lieutenant governor and then to their aides and assistants.
They had tried to negotiate with the pirates. They'd tried to run talks to stall for time while the navy got its foot out of its ass and sent some help—if they even knew they needed it, which everyone knew was highly doubtful.
Either way they had to deal with the pirates since the militia was getting torn to shreds.
“That blithering idiot Manx is going to blow it,” the lieutenant governor snarled. “Putting up such a stiff defense and advertising what they have is going to call the pirates right down on their heads.”
“He might. He's always been something of a figurehead, just like the current administration. I think it is time cooler heads came out to take the lead since they are running for cover.”
“Sir? What about the risk?”
“I think we can minimize that. The pirates are after loot primarily, the call to arms is just to divide us. If we get their assurances, we will have to make a show of trusting them while we hand over most of what they want. Unwonted destruction is just a show to cow the population into giving them what they want. It is in the end wasteful and self-defeating since it destroys the very things they came here to take in the first place.”
“And if they take it and kill us anyway?” his assistant asked, aghast at to where the plan was leading.
“Then they will show their true colors,” Solimaxara said with an indifferent shrug.
> “And you'll be dead, sir.”
“That is certainly a risk I'll have to consider carefully,” the red Neocat said with a heavy sigh. “But without risk there can be no rewards, right?”
“Yes, sir,” the assistant said, making a mental note to be as far away from the deal as possible when the pirates arrived.
“Manx is right though. We have word that they are looking for something, someone. His shrewd guess has pointed to a likely source, the water dwelling genies and aliens.”
“What do they want them for, sir?”
“Does it matter?” the red cat asked, grooming his shoulder. “Better they than our people,” he said, indifferent that he had at one time put them under his own fold. He'd had dealings with their leader Mara but she politely refused to bend to his will on occasion. This would be her payment for not doing so he thought.
“I'm not thrilled about selling out a portion of our own population,” the lieutenant governor mused. If word gets out …”
“We'll deal with it. Better some fall than all. The good of the many outweigh the needs of the few and all that,” the red Neocat said dismissively. “I'll handle it to keep your hands clean if you prefer.”
“Okay,” the lieutenant governor replied with a nod. He had no intention of going face-to-face with the pirates if he could help it. If the red Neocat, who was supposed to be shot on sight, had the stupidity to do it, let him he thought.
<(>^<)>
“We've got incoming: three shuttles and a KEW strike. Looks like they are aiming for around the airport,” the sergeant said.
“How many strikes?”
“Six,” the sergeant said. “Three shuttles,” he repeated.
“Get the guns on those KEW strikes. We've got how long?”
“Less than a minute, sir. They are casual drops.”
“Frack. The Swatcats?” Lieutenant Feral asked, leaning forward.
“On it,” Razor said over the open communication's link.
“Listening in, Razor?” the lieutenant asked coyly, smiling ever so slightly.
“How do you think we've been dialed in? Yeah, and we were up for a patrol flight. I think we can take out two of the KEWs, maybe three. The rest are going to hit.”