Kaiju Wars

by Eric S. Brown

  The captain nodded and motioned for the other guards to remain where they were as he led Colonel Jaeger and Major Steiner into the factory. The massive exterior doors at the end of the landing platform slide open to admit them. The light of the corridor behind them made Colonel Jaeger blink as he entered it. The artificial lights glowed bright spilling out into the gloom surrounding the factory until the massive doors closed once more behind them.

  “If you’ll follow me, sir,” the captain said, his armored feet clanging upon the metal of the corridor’s floor as he walked. The three of them came to a lift. The captain stepped aside to allow Colonel Jaeger and Major Steiner to enter it. “This will take you directly to the outer portion of the councilor’s office, sir.”

  “Thank you, Captain,” Colonel Jaeger said in parting as the doors of the lift closed and it sprang into motion. There was sudden lurch, followed by a feeling of rapid decent, and then an equally sudden lurch as the lift came to a halt.

  Colonel Jaeger and Major Steiner stepped out of the lift in the lobby of the councilor’s office. Along its walls were pieces of Old World art that Colonel Jaeger could only speculate at in terms of their value. Each of them had a priceless vibe to it. Much of the art depicted a well-muscled but beautiful woman dressed in the clothes of an Old World factory worker. Often the words, “She can do it!” were printed upon the painting in bold script. Major Steiner paused to admire one of the pieces of art with a wry grin.

  “I wonder what he sees in this stuff,” the major commented, staring up at a print of a woman with long dark hair wielding a sword as she crouched in a combat stance, ready for to slice whatever opponent she may face in half.

  “Come on,” Colonel Jaeger ordered. “We didn’t come here to appraise the councilor’s taste in women.”

  Major Steiner gave a half-snort, half-giggle, turning away from the print that had so caught his attention, and followed him to the doors of the councilor’s office at the end of the hall. As they approached, the entrance to the office dilated open to admit them.

  Councilor Sheehan sat behind his desk, reading what appeared to be called a “comic book” in the Old World. Colonel Jaeger had no doubt that it was real and likely cost as much as the hover car he had flown to the factory in.

  Noticing the two of them, Councilor Sheehan lifted what appeared to a protective plastic sleeve from the top of his desk and carefully eased the book he had been reading into it before properly addressing them.

  “Colonel Jaeger!” he exclaimed jubilantly. “I am so glad you decided to accept my request to drop by for a visit.”

  “Cut the chit-chat, Councilor,” Colonel Jaeger said firmly in what he hoped wasn’t too gruff of a tone. “Get to whatever you needed me here for. The battle for the Greenery’s city of Canton is likely concluding as we speak and I am needed elsewhere.”

  “I see.” Councilor Sheehan frowned deeply. “I am sorry to have called you away from such important matters, Colonel, but once you have seen what I have to show you, I think you’ll understand why I sent for you, and you alone, so urgently.”

  “But I am not alone,” Colonel Jaeger pointed out, gesturing at Major Steiner.

  Councilor Sheehan chuckled. “The major here is of no concern. I believe him to be one of the most loyal soldiers in Steel Heart’s army, Colonel Jaeger. If someone such as myself can’t trust men like him, then perhaps all that is of true value is lost already.”

  “And what is it that you have the need to show me so urgently?” Colonel Jaeger growled, trying to keep Councilor Sheehan focused.

  Councilor Sheehan raised his pointer finger with a wide smile, adding an overly dramatic element to the gesture for Colonel Jaeger’s taste before he stabbed a button on his desk and the wall behind it began to slide apart to reveal a large window. The view through the window looked down on a mech building pit. Almost all of Steel Heart’s mechs were constructed underground in chambers like the one Colonel Jaeger found himself staring into. The thing was that each factory was only allowed two mech pits. He knew this one wasn’t one of the two that Councilor Sheehan’s factory had registered with the Council of Engineers and the military offices.

  “I call her Samurai One.” Councilor Sheehan grinned at him. “She’s the first of her kind. She’s a class-seven Mech,” he added proudly.

  “Class seven?” Colonel Jaeger repeated the words as he approached the window behind the desk to get a better look at the portion of the mech that was visible through it. Samurai One looked like any other mech that Colonel Jaeger had seen in his career. She did have a very distinctive flare to her though. The bulk of what he could see of her body was blue tapered with black and silver streaks. Her head was rounded and sunk into her heavy shoulders, the armored blades of which extended like the armor worn by the warriors that were her namesake.

  Major Steiner appeared as surprised by this development as he was as Colonel Jaeger stole a glance at the younger officer.

  “Do you have any idea how illegal this is?” Colonel Jaeger stammered in disbelief. Councilor Sheehan was either a madman to show him this mech or trusted him implicitly. To expend Steel Heart’s limited resources on a project of this scope without consent from the Council of Engineers and the military was a crime punishable by death. If Colonel Jaeger reported this mech’s existence, it would be the end of Councilor Sheehan’s career and his life. His factory would be seized by the military and held until a new administrator was assigned to it while Councilor Sheehan himself would be arrested and brought before the council for judgement that could surely only end with his death … and likely a painful one at that.

  Councilor Sheehan laughed. “I know full well the risks I have taken to build Samurai One colonel. Building her has taken everything I have. In my opinion, she is worth it all though and more. I know you desperately want to end the war with the Greenery. The other members of the Council of Engineer are aware of just how deeply that desire burns within you too. No soldier can win a war though without the proper weapons at his or her disposal, however.”

  “You’re insane,” Major Steiner muttered just loudly enough for the two of them to hear. The young major’s face had gone pale and his right hand rested dangerously close to the butt of the pistol holstered on his hip.

  “Major,” Colonel Jaeger called for the young man’s attention. Major Steiner looked in his direction and their eyes met as Colonel Jaeger gave a sharp shake of his head, warning the young man not to do anything rash.

  “Have a seat, Major Steiner,” Councilor Sheehan ordered, gesturing at one of the chairs in front of his desk. “The colonel and I have much to discuss. We’ll likely be at it for a good while.”

  Colonel Jaeger nodded his consent at Major Steiner, telling him to do as the councilor instructed at least for the time being. Major Steiner must have realized that his fingers had slipped onto the butt of his pistol and he was now clutching the weapon. He jerked his hand free of it as if blazing stove eye.

  “Sorry, sir,” Major Steiner sulked, his shoulders slumping as he took the seat the councilor had directed him to.

  Colonel Jaeger returned his full attention to Councilor Sheehan. “You say she’s a class seven? What exactly does that mean, Councilor?”

  “Each generation of mech that climbs out of our building pits exceeds their predecessors in some fashion. They’re faster, more responsive, more agile, more heavily armored, or are perhaps sporting some new type of weapon that we engineers hope will turn the tide of the war with the Greenery. Class-five mechs were the toughest mechs ever built. They were strong enough to go hand to hand with the Greenery’s great kaiju and yank the monsters’ spines from their living bodies. Class-six mechs were the best all-around ever produced. Their abilities in terms of speed, response times, etc. were the closest to natural human movements that our technology would allow us to create at the time. And the class-six mechs have served Steel Heart well, very well in fact.”

  “I didn’t ask for a history lesson, Councilor,” Colon
el Jaeger pressed Councilor Sheehan for a more direct and to the point answer as what the capabilities of the class seven in the pit behind and below the office were.

  “I suppose you didn’t at that, Colonel.” Councilor Sheehan sighed. “I sometimes forget that unlike many of the high-ranking officers in our military today, you were a mech pilot for a time. How you could ever give up such a thing …”

  “It’s a mystery to me too sometimes, Councilor. If I said I didn’t miss it, I would be lying,” Colonel Jaeger admitted. “But Steel Heart needed a leader who would end the war with the Greenery once and for all. You and your peers seem to believe I am that leader since you granted me my current position.”

  “Indeed,” Councilor Sheehan wholeheartedly agreed. “We wanted someone who wouldn’t be bogged down by long-standing military doctrine. Someone who would think outside of the box and do whatever it took to bring the conflict to an end in our time. Your ability to do those things combined with the risks you’ve already pressed the Council of Engineers into taking after your appointment are exactly why I felt I could show you Samurai One.”

  “And you truly believe I won’t simply leave this office and turn you in for what you’ve done here?” Colonel Jaeger asked his disbelief still clear in his voice.

  “You won’t, Colonel.” Councilor Sheehan smiled. “And I will tell you why. The mech you see before you, she’s not only faster, more agile, and more human like in her movements than any ever constructed before, but she can fly too.”

  Colonel Jaeger’s eyes bugged in complete shock as he jerked his head around to look at Samurai One in her building pit again.

  Major Steiner leaped up from his chair, the palms of his hands slapping down onto the top of the councilor’s desk as he exclaimed, “That’s impossible!”

  “Oh, but is it now?” Councilor Sheehan smirked. “Once, yes, certainly that was true, but no longer. I assure you, gentlemen, that Samurai One is fully flight-capable.”

  “How?” Colonel Jaeger rasped, barely getting the words out.

  “The how isn’t as important as that she does,” Councilor Sheehan told them. “I’ll be happy to provide you a full copy of her specifications, Colonel. You’ll want to find her a pilot capable of handling her and get her into the field as quickly as possible. I know that, like myself, you believe the rumors that the Greenery has found a means of mass producing the great kaiju on a scale we’ve never seen before. If they have discovered such a process, it likely means the end for all of Steel Heart unless we act now to stop them before this new process bears fruit and we are overrun. I have no desire to see our beliefs and way of life wiped from the face of this planet by those genetically mutated madmen. That is why I risked everything to build her, Colonel, and why I am now coming clean to you so that you can put her to the use that she was built for.”

  “Who else knows about Samurai One?” Colonel Jaeger asked after a brief moment of thought.

  “Aside from the three of us, only the most loyal and trusted of my employees here at the factory. I handpicked every person who had a hand in her construction, Colonel, and can assure you that no one will know of her existence until you are ready to put her to use. My word on that.” Councilor Sheehan smiled.

  “Clearly, they can be trusted or all of Steel Heart would know about a project like this one by now.” Major Steiner nodded, suddenly backing up the councilor despite his earlier rage at the man’s deception. “A flying mech, sir,” he said turning to Colonel Jaeger, “and one better designed than our best class-six models … She could change everything if she’s truly as combat effective as Councilor Sheehan appears to be implying that she is.”

  “Agreed,” Colonel Jaeger said, more to keep the young major calm than anything else.

  “So, Colonel Jaeger, I must ask,” Councilor Sheehan eyed him, “am I to be placed under arrest or have we reached an understanding, an alliance if you will?”

  “You’re not under arrest, Councilor Sheehan … at least not yet,” Colonel Jaeger answered reluctantly. “I’ll be wanting that copy of her specs you offered. You have given me a look to think about.”

  Councilor Sheehan was grinning smugly again. “Here,” he said, walking over to press a flashdrive into Colonel Jaeger’s hand. “Contact me when you have a pilot for her. No one will know she even exists until you are ready for them to. Again, you have my word on that.”

  Holding tightly to the flashdrive, Colonel Jaeger nodded and started for the office door. “Major, it’s time we were gone from here. The battle for the city of Canton is surely over by now and there’s much we need to check in on and do.”

  The two of them left the councilor alone in his office, staring after them with his hands clasped behind him as they went. Colonel Jaeger wasn’t quite sure if he had been delivered the answer to his prayers or plunged into a nightmare from which there would be no coming back.

  ****

  Grand Doula Minerva walked along the winding curves of the ledge above the hatchery. Four escorts walked with her. The Grand Doula seldom went anywhere outside of her chambers alone. Three of them were either more or less than human depending on how one viewed such things. One of them was a female with cat-like eyes that almost seemed to glow a feral shade of red in the dim light of the hatchery. A tail protruded from her back just above her buttocks. Her movements bore an inhuman grace as she sauntered along after the Grand Doula. Another had the snout and scaled skin of a crocodile. Her thick muscles bulged beneath the fabric of the thin tunic she wore. Her razor-like teeth clicked together ever so softly as she walked, ready to tear into any prey that chose to present itself. The final of the Grand Doula’s more bizarre guardians was covered in brown fur from head to toe. She wore no clothes and her soft feet made no sound as they moved across the floor. Between her arms and the upper torso of her body were leathery wings, folded up neatly within that space. Her ears were pointed and stretched upwards from her head, more than twice the size of a normal human’s. Eyes locked into a permanent squint above the stub of a nose that rested in the center of her face, she sniffed at the air of the hatchery, ever on guard against any threat that might dare to enter the sacred chamber.

  The Grand Doula’s fourth escort appeared out of place amidst the others. He was a strikingly handsome man with long golden hair that lay draped over his wide shoulders. His eyes were a sharp contrast to the rest of him. He appeared young, perhaps in his early twenties, but his eyes held an eerily ancient depth to them that bespoke his true age. He wore a well-tailored, business suit, entirely white in its color from his jacket to the boots upon is feet. To glance at him amidst the horror he accompanied, he would certainly seem the least threatening to those who didn’t know who and what he was. His name was Denkirch and was the Doula Mate, second-in-command of the Greenery. Though genetic alterations made him far stronger and faster than a normal human male, his real strength resided within his mind. All citizens of the Greenery possessed some margin of psychic power or sensitivity. Denkirch’s went far beyond that norm, however. He was a telekinetic of the highest order. With the sheer strength of his mind and his will, Denkirch could rend metal and oh so much more.

  Grand Doula Minerva, paused turning to lean over the ledge’s railing and peer down into the depths of the Hatchery itself. There was a time, not very long ago at all, when the Hatchery below would be home to little more than half a dozen man-sized eggs. Now its entire floor was covered with them. The eggs pulsed with bio-energy that crackled up their sides and over them, blue lightning dancing like flames. She drank in the sight of her kaiju children on the verge of being born. Soon, they would rip their way free of their shells and their inborn growth acceleration would kick in. Within a day, perhaps two, they would reach their full towering heights. Kaiju of their type would grow to stand between two hundred and three hundred feet tall. They were the Greenery’s great weapons in the war against the Techs.

  There were close to four dozen eggs covering the Hatchery floor. They were more than enoug
h once born to bring about the end to the Greenery’s enemies once and for all. The Grand Doula’s seers assured her that the Techs had no more than ten of their kaiju slayer mechs operational and were nowhere close to finishing the construction of more of the hulking metal monsters. Those mechs would be outnumbered more than three to one when the time for the final battle of the long-running war came to be waged.

  She gave a start as she noticed that Doula Mate Denkirch had joined her in leaning on the railing. Her senses both psychically and physically were so advanced beyond those a mere human’s that she was not used to someone slipping up on her unnoticed.

  “I am sorry, Grand Doula,” her mate apologized. “It was not my intent to frighten you.”

  Giving a sharp hiss, Grand Doula Minerva whirled on Denkirch. “You dare think that you can frighten one such as I?”

  Denkirch backed away from her, his hands spread, open palmed in a gesture of submission and surrender. “I didn’t mean to offend, Grand Doula. I pray you will forgive your mate for his poor choice of words.”

  Doula Mate Denkirch was powerful enough to challenge her and she knew it. For all his power though, she remained supreme. A fight between the two of them would shake the very foundations of the Greenery. With victory over the Techs so close at hand, she was willing to forgive a number of such transgressions, but Denkirch was beginning to push her to her limits. Her mate was as arrogant and ambitious as he was handsome and strong.

  Suddenly, her anger was masked behind a smile that showed her fang-like teeth. “You forget your place again, my love, and not even your skills at pleasuring me will save you from what you deserve,” she purred, reaching out to run her fingers over the side of his right cheek. They pressed tighter against his flesh as they swept down the curve of his cheek, drawing blood at the last instant before they parted from it.