By Darque Queen
Chapter One: Introductions All Around
Day 225 – The Homefront Campaign, as it was being called. Earth has been fighting the Arachnids – Bugs, now for almost three years. And the final battles were now on Earth. It was a desperate numbers game – the Bugs always had the Strategically Integrated Coalition Of Nations (S.I.C.O.N.) Mobile Infantry outnumbered at least tent to one. Buenos Aires, Paris, Washington, D.C., New York and London had already been lost to the enemy. The Eiffel Tower, the White House and Big Ben no longer existed. It was now a fight for the species.
Rico's Roughnecks, as Alpha Squad was now named, were walking a perimeter sweep in Honolulu, Hawaii when they were met with a surprise attack of Warrior Bugs. SICON had taken the islands back from the Bugs, but this time the enemy appeared to be dug in. They had already left their mark on SICON. When Sky Marshall Julio Sanchez, the head of all SICON forces, flew to Honolulu HQ to give the world the word that the Bugs were done, everyone was proud. But that pride turned to sheer horror when, before the world on the Federal Network, or FedNet for short, the Bugs stormed SICON HQ and took the Sky Marshall from them. He had been found just one week earlier. Hi His mind was totally gone. As one MedTech put it – 'The lights were on, but nobody was coming home.' He now sat quietly and comfortably in a Trooper Hospital on Oahu known as 'Seattle', not knowing or caring if the world came to an end or if they changed his diapers on a regular basis. A new Sky Marshall had been chosen – Angelica Ramirez. Hard as nails and iron, Sky Marshall Ramirez put out a plan to eradicate the Bugs off the face of the planet. It had been working. There had been fighting on over one hundred fronts – but that had been whittled down to less than forty. Hawaii had seemed to be the next front to be won…until now.
The Roughnecks were pinned down by a swarm of Warrior Bugs five clicks from SICON HQ. Reinforcements would not be arriving any time soon. SICON reported that as many as fifteen squads were listed as being "R-TripleD" – in Really Deep Doo-Doo. Just fifteen days prior the squad lost its commander, Lieutenant Jean Razak. He was killed in action in San Francisco Bay trying to stop a Bug Invasion of the city. The plan was a success, but it came at a very high price.
All of these thoughts were running through Lieutenant Juan "Johnny" Rico's head as he fired a mini-grenade into the advancing Bug horde. He turned to his best friend in the whole wide universe, Carl Jenkins. When Lieutenant Razak was killed, SICON began preparations to break up the squad. Carl was the first to go. His new assignment had been SICON HQ INTEL Division in Honolulu. But with recent events – and General Miriam Redwing taking special interest in the Roughnecks, Carl was reassigned to his old unit. Johnny was pleased. Carl was always different; Johnny knew that. But in truth he didn't care that Carl was psychic. He loved Carl like the brother he never had. Carl's new Talents frightened Johnny, but even in that he wasn't afraid of Carl. When Carl came back to them after his mental breakdown, he was cold and distant. A frightening psychic freak the likes of which INTEL Special Operations had never seen before. Even now, he wasn't totally the man they remembered. But he was getting there. And it was in times like these that Johnny was ever so grateful for that. "What do you think our odds are, ole buddy?" he yelled to Carl as he fired another mini-grenade barrage into the Bug advance. INTEL Special Ops Officer Carl Jenkins looked up to Johnny and smiled.
"Not so good, LT," Jenkins answered matter-of-factly. "We need reinforcements."
"No kidding!" yelled Private Max Brutto as he emptied another clip into the oncoming warrior bugs. "Blue Leader says that's a no can do. If you've got a trick up your sleeve, Psychic, now's the time to pull it out!"
"You're absolutely right," Carl answered. "I think it is time you all meet her."
Rico turned abruptly to Carl. "Meet who, Carl?" As if on cue, Private Robert Higgins, War Correspondent for Fed Net, turned his hand held vid-cam on Jenkins.
She felt him call to her from thousands of light-years away. She looked up from the surface of the newly formed planet that she stood on. Above her, stars were beginning to form. She smiled softly; she was sole witness to the birth of a new world. I hear you, Carl, she whispered. They are on your home world, I see. You should have called me sooner. As it is, I am… Suddenly a bright light appeared next to Carl by the building where he had taken cover. It materialized into the form of a woman of uncommon beauty. She had shoulder length ebony black hair and eyes that were a very deep green. She wore a jumpsuit, boots and cloak that were as black as her hair. She turned to Carl and smiled warmly.
" - Quite impressed that you could reach me from so far away."
"You said I would have the ability to find you when I needed you," Carl answered. She nodded, and then looked at the clutch of Warrior Bugs that were advancing on their position.
"Shall we?" she said softly, motioning towards the Bugs. Carl turned to Rico. Johnny was still in shock as to her mode of arrival. It was a few seconds until he realized that she was really there – and was ready to help him. He looked at the rest of the squad – Doc LaCroix and Jeff Gossard were in their Marauders and redlining them. Sergeant Zim and Privates T'Phai, Max Brutto and Dizzy Flores weren't doing much better. Rico turned to the beautiful woman before him.
"I don't know how you got here or even care. But any friend of Carl's is more than welcome to join in. Ma'am," he said respectfully. She smiled at him, and Rico felt like it was the first time he was seeing the sun.
"I have been called many things. But 'Ma'am' is a new one for me," she said softly. "You may call me Nala. Excuse me, Lieutenant." She turned to Carl and held out her hand. He took it without question. "Are you prepared?" she asked. Carl smiled a small smile and nodded. "Then focus…and do not suffer one of them to live," she said in a deep and menacing voice. Carl nodded and shouldered his Morita pulse rifle. With Nala at his side, he would not need the cumbersome piece of weaponry.
"The island – or the city?" he asked.
Nala laughed out loud in response. "Let's start small," she answered. "The city is yours. I'll take the coasts. The rest of Hawaii can wait." She turned to Rico. "Lieutenant," she said in a commanding tone. "Have your squad pull back. Officer Jenkins and I will take it from here."
Carl and Nala walked out of the cover of the building, still holding hands with their eyes closed, directly into the Bugs advance. Higgins was the first to realize something was happening. The audiometer on his vid-cam suddenly spiked – although neither he nor anyone else in the squad heard anything. It was more like they felt something changing. "It feels like the air just before a thunder storm," Gossard mused aloud. Carl and Nala opened their eyes. Carl's were glowing like two blue sapphires. Nala's were like two burning emeralds. They whispered one word in unison. "STOP!"
The Warrior Bugs, intent on killing both Carl and Nala, froze where they stood. They shook as if they had come in contact with an electrical current. Carl then let out a primal scream, almost like a roar. Nala joined him with a scream of her own. The Bugs were then enveloped by a blue light – and exploded. Bugs all over the city were dropping wherever they were. Both Carl and Nala blinked and drew in deep breaths – and the episode was over.
"Officer Jenkins?" Nala whispered. There was no response. "Carl!" Nala said more forcefully. "Are you well?" Carl turned to her and smiling, put a hand up to her face and ran it through her hair.
"I haven't felt this good in months," he answered. She took his hand and held it with both of hers. "I am glad," she said, giving his hand a little squeeze. "I have missed you. A great deal more than I realized." She interlaced her hand with his. "How have you been? Tell me – no. Show me everything."
"Not yet," Carl answered. "Meet my squad first. And my friends." Johnny and Dizzy smiled broadly at that remark. Perhaps their 'Carl' wasn't as lost as they originally thought. "This is my Lieutenant," Carl began, pointing at Johnny. "Juan Rico. We all call him LT. I call him Johnny. I've known him since we were five years old." Rico put out his hand to the woman. She bowed politely and waved his hand away.
"I mean no disrespect, sir. But I already hear things in your mind because of my proximity to you. If I were to shake your hand, I would most certainly know and see things that you would prefer be kept private. Please, forgive me."
Johnny put his hand down and grinned sheepishly. "Thanks for the save. We owe you," he replied.
"The men in the Marauder Suits are Corporal Jeff Gossard, our Technical wizard," Carl continued. Gossard shook one of the arms of his Marauder in a wave. "The other is our medic, Corporal Richard 'Doc' La Croix. He's saved all of us more times than he'll ever admit." Doc's dark cheeks glowed fiercely at that remark. "Over there is Dizzy Flores. I've known her about as long as I've known Johnny." Dizzy saluted the woman. Nala returned the salute. "The one with the vid-cam is Robert Higgins, embedded Fed Net correspondent."
"Hello," Higgins managed to croak out loud. He was so overcome by the woman's beauty that he thought for a moment he was paralyzed.
"The others are Sergeant Zim – he was a drill instructor at Camp Curry for almost everyone here. Uh, Private Max Brutto – his father was Sergeant for this squad. And Private T'Phai. He's a Skinny – uh, T'Phetti from the planet -."
She reacted to the name of Zim, but said nothing. She quickly turned to T'Phai. "Tophet," Nala interrupted. She bowed before him and made a gesture with her hand that was one of honor and welcome among the T'Phetti. "Good morrow to you, Traveler," she said in his tongue. "I know your people. I met your father when he was Colonel of your people's army. S'Phai was his name, was it not?"
T'Phai bowed low before Nala. "My Lady," he said reverently. "You honor my father by remembering his name. I was but a child, but I remember your coming. My father called you An'halet Nuir. 'Goddess of Darkness and Light.'"
"I am no goddess, T'Phai. I…simply am," she replied softly. There was an awkward silence until Dizzy stepped forward.
"So…you know all about us. What about you? How did you do that 'poof' thing? And…uh…how do you know Carl?" Everyone turned at that last remark, intent on hearing the explanation. Nala first turned to Carl, then back to Dizzy.
"I am not human. What I do for INTEL Special Operations is classified. As for how I know Officer Jenkins…I cannot say. That is also classified. What I can say is that I helped him cope with his newfound gifts. And ultimately, I helped him find his way back to all of you," she answered quietly. She looked to Carl again. He had put his hand to his head and appeared to be in some discomfort. "You are fatigued," she said soberly. "This exercise took much from you."
"As it did from you," Carl countered. He passed his hand over his brow and straightened himself up. "I am all right. I just…over-did it. I'll be fine." Nala gave him a knowing look and held out her hand to him. "Remember to whom it is that you speak." Her face softened. "Let us draw strength from each other."
Carl nodded and took her hand. They both closed their eyes and bowed their heads. The others suddenly became aware of a tingling all over their bodies – like a sudden build-up of static electricity – and then it was gone. Carl took a deep breath and opened his eyes. The unhealthy pallor that had been creeping onto his already light skin was gone. His eyes were also clear and bright. "Thank you, Nala," he whispered, grasping her hand tightly.
"You are welcome, Officer Jenkins," she replied evenly. She turned to Johnny and handed him a SICON order. "Lieutenant. I have been transferred to your unit until further notice. I hope this will not be an inconvenience."
Johnny looked at the papers, then up to Nala. "Everything appears to be in order…Commander Nala."
"Please, Nala will do. Your General Redwing gave the rank to me. She sends her regards."
Rico nodded, then turned to the rest of the squad. "We're not getting paid by the hour, apes! Let's finish this sweep so we can make it back to HQ before morning!"
"SIR! YES, SIR!" the squad yelled in unison.
"Zim! Take point!" Rico called out.
"Yes, sir!" Zim yelled back, tipping his helmet to Nala as he passed. She smiled softly and fell into formation behind Jenkins.
Carl, she whispered into his mind. How are you really?
There was a moment of hesitation until he spoke. Better now, came his reply. I need you tonight. I feel…fractured. He shook his head slightly. There are more of them out there. Right? I can feel them…speaking. Nala now turned her head away.
Yes, she answered finally. I do not know if the human race can survive this onslaught. You may win the battle – but lose the fight for survival entirely. Sky Marshall Sanchez; has he been recovered?
Not before they got to him first. Brain Bugs didn't touch him. It was the Queen herself. His mind was quite shattered by the time he was found.
Nala sighed mournfully. Then perhaps it was good that I lied to Sanchez. Had I told him the truth… Well, the Queen would know all. She turned to Carl. We must prepare. She will learn of this soon enough, she motioned to one of the dead bugs as they passed it. She is becoming quite powerful; perhaps too powerful.
Yes, Carl agreed. Can we destroy her? Nala sighed deeply again.
If she continues on this bent for the extermination of the Human race, there will be no alternative. The Queen will have to be terminated.