They wanted one thing more than to get a chance at the guards, and that was their freedom. As far as the two of them were concerned, this was close enough to getting it. Rossman approached the door and pressed the push-to-talk button beside the thick steel exit.
“Open up,” he ordered.
The door slid open, and the guard who’d beaten both of them was standing before them. His eyes lit up at the sight of them free from their cells.
“These men are under my command.”
“Sir, these are prisoners of…”
“No,” he interrupted, taking a step closer to the guard, who looked at the line of medal on his chest and rank on his shoulders.
“I am drafting these Marines as a Penal Company, which is a power authorised to me by the Empire. I didn’t come here to argue. I need fighting men. Or would you like to volunteer to take one of their places, and come with me to fight on Rhamprox?”
The guard stuttered but quickly backed down at the prospect of such a posting.
“That’s what I thought. And I’ll be back. If the Empire won’t send me fresh troops, then I will scrape the dregs from this hellhole, do you understand me?”
“Yes, Sir,” he replied sheepishly. He stepped aside and accompanied them out.
They were led out through the prison. Those behind bars shouted and called in support as they saw the two prisoners being led to their freedom. Nobody could know for sure that was the case, but rumours spread quickly. Lee smile, realising it actually was happening. He’d resigned himself to the fact he was going to be in there for a long time. He’d been given a long sentence, and he didn’t expect to even make it out alive at the rate he was going.
The guard led them to processing where they signed a single form.
For all the procedure it takes to get here, it sure is quick to get out.
“I’ll be seeing you soon,” said Rossman to the guard with a wry grin on his face.
He was making sure the guard knew who was boss, and Lee and Nelson were sure to get a kick out of it, even if they did their best to hide it. Neither man wanted to risk losing this one chance they had to get out of there. A large blast door opened ahead of them, and they were led out into a large hangar that was open at the far end. The cool if acrid air of the surface wafted in. Lee paused for a moment, taking it all in.
“What is it?” Rossman asked.
“This is really happening?”
“Once we’re free and clear of this place, it is.”
King could see tell from the Colonel’s tone and expression he really was overstepping his authority here, a clear reminder they didn’t want to hang about any longer than they had to.
“I ain’t going back,” said Nelson firmly as they quickly followed the Colonel onto his shuttle. It felt more like they were escaping than being set free. But they didn’t care how or why it was happening, only that they could leave the dreadful prison world. They jumped into the seats with the Colonel taking the pilot’s console. Several guards were amassed at the doorway they’d just come through. Something was going on as they talked among themselves, and one used a communication console on the wall.
“This doesn’t look good,” said Lee.
“Come on, come on,” growled Nelson.
Rossman fired up the engines and got them off the ground as several guards approached. One was waving for them to stop, but he ignored them, turned for the hangar entrance, and put down the power. They surged forward and picked up pace quickly, accelerating far beyond safe hangar speeds. In no time at all they burst out into the open skies, the hangar entrance being built onto the side of a craggy mountain in a bleak rock-covered world.
“Woo!” Lee yelled as they climbed up through the clouds and were finally free.
Chapter 2
“Rhamprox, welcome to your new home, gentlemen,” said Rossman as they entered the atmosphere of the blisteringly hot desert world. It didn’t look inviting to many, but after living on the prison planet of Kuruta, it appeared as a paradise to the two formerly imprisoned Marines still wearing their prison attire.
“It’s not a forgiving world, and there won’t be any time for you to settle in. I’ve set you free, but don’t forget what I brought you here for. I may have pushed the rules and my authority to get you here, but I was truthful about the reasons why. We’re facing a deadly mutiny across several towns on Rhamprox, and we must put an end to it before it spreads further.”
“What difference can two Marines make, Sir?”
“How much do you know about this world?”
Nelson shrugged.
“Not a lot,” added Lee.
“We are way out on the frontier here. Empire resources are limited. We rely heavily on local resources. Native troops and supplies to maintain order. There are few Empire regulars here. The UTC, the Universal Trade Company employs private soldiers to maintain control and the safety of business and trade.”
“Shouldn’t that be our job?” Lee asked.
“In theory, yes, but frontier worlds don’t work like the inner planets. Private individuals and corporations have paid and supplied a lot to make this expansion happen, and so they maintain a lot of power over the regions, too.”
“And now they’re in trouble, they need the Marine Corps?”
“We’ve always been out here, but they sure need our help, yes. As far as the locals are concerned, there’s no difference between us and the UTC.”
Rossman brought them in low, so they were flying two hundred metres above the surface and could get a better look at the place. Simple and crude towns were interspersed with vast desert expanses. It was a desolate land. They could see an Empire facility up ahead with craft coming and going.
“So this is where my cousin died?” Lee was reminded of that terrible news. He’d been so focused on getting out of prison it had slipped his mind.
Rossman took a deep breath and sighed in sadness at the memory.
“No, this is the Empire staging post of Bodhan. Lieutenant King fell at Horproxa, which is far from here. He fell during the mutiny there.”
“I’d like to see it.”
“Just as soon as we can claim it back.”
“You don’t know what happened to his body? It was not recovered?”
Rossman shook his head.
“A scouting party went out to Horproxa a few days after it fell. Many could not believe it could be as bad as we had said. General Sanson sent out troops to investigate. Few returned with their lives.”
“General Sanson is in charge here?”
“Yes, he is responsible for all Empire forces on Rhamprox. He’s currently based here at Bodhan where he’s assembling troops to deal with this threat.”
“Assembling? Why haven’t they moved out yet?” Nelson asked.
Lee nodded in agreement, for it sounded like a slow response for a Marine officer.
“The General is a fine man and a real gentleman, but he doesn’t move quickly.”
“Sure, but the enemy clearly do,” replied Lee.
Rossman nodded in frustration, clearly not in a position to say more.
“General Sanson is an old soldier, even fought at Namur as a young lieutenant.”
It was a lot to take in, and Lee tried to process it all as they came in to land. Sand and dust was thrown up all around them as they touched down. Rossman was on his feet and heading for the door as they touched down, as if there was not a minute to waste. The ramp dropped, and the thick hot air struck them. It was like nothing either of them had felt before. It was almost paralyzing. They followed the Colonel out as he strode on towards one of the larger buildings. It was a busy landing zone with many hard at work. Supplies and equipment were pouring in.
“You still haven’t told us what two more Marines can do here,” grumbled Nelson.
The Colonel stopped and grimaced. He didn’t want to have to keep explaining everything, and yet he knew they needed it.
“I came for King after what his cousin did for me.
I had an obligation. That is true, but two capable Marines can make all the difference. I told you we rely heavily on local troops here. Even in spite of mutinies, we still need that manpower for whichever ones are willing to stay loyal, but General Sanson has a deep distrust of the Prian people, especially those that serve us, the Rhepoys. As the commanding officer of the 43rd Native Infantry, I command some of those local forces. The 43rd has been disbanded, but I have already begun reforming a new unit ready for the days that are ahead of us. I need good officers and NCOs who can keep the Rhepoys in line and lead them to victory. Lee, I brought you here to lead a squad. From now on you will be a corporal in the 15th Loyal Volunteers.”
“I was stripped of that rank, Sir.”
“And I am returning it to you. You are hot-headed, I know that much, but if you can be half the leader and fighter your cousin was, then you’re exactly the sort of man I need.”
“And me, Sir?”
“You are to assist the Corporal. You weren’t part of this plan, but you look like you can handle yourself. What is your name?”
“Private Isaac Nelson, Sir.”
“From now on you are a Lance Corporal in this regiment. Natives are kept in line by their own NCOs, but more importantly, ours, that is King’s job. Yours is to keep him alive, do you hear me?”
Nelson looked at his adversary in surprise. They were both still bruised from their fight. They didn’t much like one another, but this opportunity to be free of the cells and back in the Marine Corps changed everything.
“Yes, Sir,” he replied warily.
“Don’t underestimate this world and the people who inhabit it. They’re unlike any you have ever met. They’re strong, and you might think simple. They can appear kind one minute and murderous the next. Some of them can be strong allies, and others can be your worst enemy.” He turned to King. “It’s your job to understand which is which, Corporal. I have underestimated the Prians before, and it cost us dearly. We cannot afford that again. The General may not like our Rhepoys, but we cannot do this without them.”
“Sir, you think these Prians are that good at fighting?” Nelson asked.
“They’re no match for Marine regulars, but there are a lot more of them than us. I’m throwing you both in the deep end here, right into the muck of it, but you won’t get any sympathy from anyone for it. The quartermaster is waiting for you, draw your gear, and find me at drill square 4C. You’ll be issued weapons once you reach the unit. Get to it.”
Rossman stormed off to go about his business.
It was the first time King and Nelson had been alone and within reach since they’d drawn blood from one another.
“Just because I’ve got to protect you, doesn’t mean I have to like you,” declared Nelson boldly.
“So you aren’t gonna try and kill me the first chance you get?”
“No promises.”
“Well, that’s reassuring.” Lee smiled and gestured for them to go on.
They received some strange looks as they walked through the base. It was hardly surprising, considering the way they were dressed, but it was more than that. It was as if people knew who they were, rather than being suspicious of their prison attire.
“Do you know these people?” Nelson asked.
“Nope, none of them, but they sure seem to know us. The Colonel took a big chance busting us out. You get that, right? He risked his job, his career, maybe even his freedom. A lot of people back home hate me for what I did. They want to see me rot for it.”
“What exactly did you do?”
“Come on, you must have heard the rumours.”
“I don’t care for rumours.”
“All right, so I was made a squad leader for an operation. It was the biggest thing we’d done yet. Some joint exercise with two fleets from outside the Empire. Anyway, long story short, things went south. I had to make a call, and that call caused the loss of a gunboat and a political nightmare. Marines died, and a war was almost started.”
“And you were the reason for this?”
“Yes, and no. I was put in a difficult spot. The sort of spot I should never have been put in, not without another decade of experience and training. I did the best I could in a difficult situation, and I made a bad call.”
Nelson grabbed his arm and stopped him. He looked sympathetic for a moment, although his words spoke to a different motive.
“Don’t do that here. I’m not going back to prison.”
Lee smiled. “It’s not like I planned to last time, but don’t worry, I think things work a little more simply around here.”
“Why?”
“Look at this place.” He pointed all around, “We’re on the very edge of things. It’s wild out here. Kill or be killed, that’s probably the only worries we have.”
“Have you ever commanded these Prians before?” Nelson asked as if thinking Lee had some great insight.
Lee laughed.
“You kidding me? I’ve never even met one.” He brushed Nelson’s hand away and walked on to find his equipment.
Nelson sighed and shook his head. “How did I end up in this?”
They soon reached the quartermaster who was severely overweight and red-faced, and yet looked down on them with a smug and arrogant tone. He stared at their prison uniforms with disgust.
“I was told one criminal would be joining our ranks here. That’s one too many in my mind, but now there are two of you.”
“The Colonel needs fighting men,” replied King.
He was making a mockery of the quartermaster, though not in such an obvious way he could be called out for it.
“We always need fresh meat for the grinder,” he smirked.
Lee was starting to get the feeling this wasn’t a safe posting at all.
“Uniforms, armour,” he said, pointing to racks of equipment, “Weapons will be supplied by your unit armourer,” he added abruptly and turned back to a console, ignoring them.
He acted as if it was some great snub, but Lee was glad to not have to deal with him anymore. They went over to the equipment to see that none of it was new. It was clean, but the red tunics had faded from use. He peeled off his bloodied prison attire and quickly got dressed. As he pulled on his red uniform tunic, a wave of emotion overcame him. He felt reborn, but he looked over to Nelson. The big man had finally found a tunic large enough and pulled it on. The chest had been patched over from what looked like a gunshot wound. He stopped to look at it for a moment, clearly uncomfortable to be wearing a dead man’s tunic, but it was the only one that would fit his huge frame.
“We didn’t come here to look pretty, did we?”
“Have you seen much action?”
“A little.”
“How much do you think anyone will care for the lives of a couple of convicts?”
“The Colonel does.”
“He’s one guy.”
Lee shrugged.
“We signed up for this, remember? I’d rather risk everything out here than rot where we were. Anyway, I thought you liked a fight.”
“Doesn’t mean I want to get my head blown off.”
Lee nodded in agreement.
“Then let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. I know you don’t like me, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work together. Let’s just make sure we both get through whatever comes next?”
“Sure,” he replied wearily.
They walked out of the room, ignoring the glares from the quartermaster. Once more they stepped out beyond the air-conditioned facility and into the blistering hot sunlight. They strode through the facility like new men. Now in uniform, nobody gave them a second glance.
“You feel that. We’re home,” said Lee with a smile.
It was the first time he’d not been looked down on for a long time.
“Don’t assume these people are your friends anymore than we are.” They passed two officers deep in discussion, “It was these same assholes who put us behind bars.”
“You say it
like it was their fault. What did you do to get locked up?”
“I punched a Captain.”
Lee laughed. “And that is their fault?”
“I signed up to fight, not to be pushed around by assholes.”
“You don’t have to like the command chain, but you do have to respect it. Don’t make trouble for us here. We do good, and we may never have to go back behind bars again.”
“If we live long enough.”
“It can’t be so bad out there. The Empire has kept control around here with only a few units stationed on the world. Come on, the Colonel’s waiting for us.”
“When did you start caring what an officer wants?”
“When one risked his ass to bust me out and give me a second chance. Everyone else gave up on me, and let me take the heat for one mistake. Colonel Rossman, he’s different.”
“Because your cousin died on his watch? So what. He isn’t doing this for you. He’s doing it for his own guilt.”
“Whatever the reasons, we’re free, aren’t we?”
Nelson shrugged, both knowing that was only partly true. King hurried on to the drill square as they’d been ordered, and Nelson had no choice but to follow. His freedom was dependant on Lee’s survival, a man he’d hated from the moment they first met. They took a turn and stopped in surprise as they found the drill square they’d been told to reach. Three platoons of aliens were formed up for inspection.
“Ugly bastards, aren’t they?”
Lee smiled, as the hulking Marine wasn’t so different. A sergeant spotted the two of them and strolled towards them with a stern and angry expression on his face.
“So, you’re the two rejects the Colonel has sent us?”
“We are,” replied Lee casually.
“That’ll be Sergeant to you, Sergeant Stone,” he growled, “I know who and what you are. Lieutenant King was a hero, and you are nothing but a disgrace that shares his name. The Colonel thinks you could be the Marine he was, but he was mistaken. He should have left you behind bars.”
“Now, now, Sergeant.” Rossman stepped up beside them, “You’ll have to forgive the Sergeant. He’s a fine Marine, but not the most tolerant one.”
The Last Empire Box Set Page 8