"The Armstrong Campaign"
Episode 11 – The Crucible
Day 1 (12 SBO)
"Before you can even begin to fathom what its like to be in an actual battle you have to understand one thing. Above all else, an MI trooper is trained to kill, stay alive, and die. While the three seem like they would have nothing to do with each other, they are the staples of what it is to be a soldier in the modern galaxy. A trooper is trained to kill while staying alive, but if he (or she) becomes aware that all chance of survival is gone, they are trained to take as many of the enemy with them as possible; to go down swinging. Many hard lined critics have lambasted this policy since the end of the war but what they fail to notice is that these troopers maybe trained to do this, but they do it more often than not because they are aware that they are taking out at least one more enemy, that means one less that some other trooper has to fight, that means one less trooper that has to die.
"Captain Michael O'Hare wasn't trained like this, but he knew he was going to die and that his ship was going down in flames. He decided of his own volition that he would take as many as he could with him. Now some believe that no matter what it's the human instinct to sacrifice oneself in hopes of protecting ones comrades or as we were faced with in both wars (or the war): the species."
- Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: The Roughneck Chronicles
JEAN RAZAK
Roger Muniz stood at full attention in the secondary cargo bay. The Roughnecks were gathered with the survivors from the Threshold in a memorial service for the Captain. He hadn't really known the Captain; he'd spoken with him a few times. Muniz had only been with the Roughnecks three months when they were reassigned to the Jean Razak, and yet he still felt a sense of loss. He could see it written on the Major's face; the two of them had been close, the closest the Major had had to a friend since he'd been away from Earth. And now, he stood at attention next to an empty tube with a picture in it to symbolize the Captain's body. Admiral Ibanez stepped up with her hands firmly behind her back. She was in full dress uniform with all her decorations pinned uniformly to her tunic.
"I did not know Captain O'Hare personally," She said keeping her voice low and somber. "What little contact I did have with him revealed a man of astute character. I looked into his files and found what I expected to find, exemplary records, commendations from crew and fellow officers. But reports and files can never tell the story of the man." With that she stepped aside and Rico, he too in full dress, approached the tube.
"I knew Mike for six years." He choked slightly. Muniz had never seen the Major like this, he looked around and the younger members seemed to all have the same expressions while the older ones seemed to understand. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do here, or say. The last time I had to do anything like this, we didn't need words.
"I guess its best, and easiest, to say that in a war, people die, and every soldier that dies is one to many. The cliché works best in situations like this. Mike was my friend, he was a good officer, and he was a good captain. I always knew you could count on him, and he proved that. Caveat, a verbis ad verbera aut vincere aut mori. You died, we'll conquer. Rest in peace." Rico pressed the button and the tube shut and loaded into the launching tube.
"Atten-SION!" Murphy called out. Everybody's heels clicked and they all turned to the view port and watched as the burial tube shot into space. The Major turned around and dismissed the detail. All but the Roughnecks left.
"Orders?" Doc asked first after letting the moment sink and fade.
"We're to remain on stand by." Rico said turning away back into the abyss of space. "We're en route to rendezvous with the third naval task force in orbit around Tesca Nemerosa. Once there we'll begin a counter attack."
"Where to Major?" Muniz asked. Rico shot him a disapproving stare. "Just curious Major. Wanting to know where I'm fighting the enemy at, sir."
Rico loosened. "Don't know son. Never know with Psycho." He took a breath and turned around. "It all depends on where we stand when we arrive."
"Thinking it will be that bad?" L'Ioo asked. "Is SICON preparing for another Tophet and Earth invasion?"
"What about Klendathu? I had friends there?" Murphy asked.
"I know what you know private. Things didn't go exactly as needed back on Eden, so until our next drop, I've scheduled three training sessions a day in the VR room. Things will go differently next time."
Gossard looked at Max and whispered. "He's talking about you."
"I don't think so Goss, I'm not the one who passed out in the VR room last time," Max whispered with a smirk across his face. "Maybe he just wants another good laugh?"
Gossard didn't say anything just bored holes straight into Max with his eyes. Max finally turned away. He turned back to see Rico staring him down. Gossard quickly gave in and turned away.
Muniz was standing by the window looking out at the star lines when he saw Kepler exit. He turned and followed him out into the corridor.
"Hey Kepler!" He called dodging by a crewman. "Hey wait up man!" He called again as Kepler turned a corner. Muniz followed and grabbed his shoulder. "Where are you going?"
Kepler shrugged. "I think I'm going to sick bay."
"What for?" Muniz asked. Kepler started walking again, this time with Muniz beside him. Muniz didn't really know Kepler that well; he mainly kept to himself and was quiet usually while Muniz and Murphy were arguing. But the kid did try his best.
"The Major wants me to have my leg checked out before our next drop." Kepler said keeping his head down and walking at a brisk pace. He seemed somehow able to avoid every person while Muniz had to dodge and maneuver around as they walked down the corridor. "He has me on light duty."
"What do you think?" Muniz said squeezing past a large man carrying an equally large pipe and toolbox.
"About what?"
"Do you think you can still perform?"
"What do you care?" Kepler asked stopping dead. He looked at Muniz. "What's the point of this?"
"I'm just trying to talk to you, that's all." Muniz was taken back for a moment. He'd never seen Kepler respond to anything in that manner. "You've seemed kind of bummed out for a while."
Kepler seemed to mull over the words for a moment. He chewed on his cheek and looked around then met Muniz's eye. "I don't want to talk to you."
The response was sharp and to the point. Muniz stood by as Kepler seemed to begin to calm slightly. He looked Muniz in the eye once more and continued on his way. Muniz didn't bother trying to follow him or trying to talk to him. He leaned against the bulkhead for a moment then turned around and went the other way. The words kept going over and over in his mind, the docile Kepler snapping on someone. Muniz hadn't been the nicest to Kepler, nor to anyone else, and he figured that this was his reward.
On his way back to the barracks, Muniz literally bumped into Sergeant Brutto who looked at him and smiled. He was merely an inch from Muniz's eye and winked at him. The two were about equal in height but the Sergeant was easily twice as large.
"How's it going Private?" Brutto asked. He wrapped his arm around his shoulder and pulled him with him. "Walk with me."
"Uh- it's going good sir." Muniz said after a moment.
"That's good." Brutto said. They passed the Wolves' barracks; every one inside was standing around while Higgins told a story. A loud burst of laughter erupted as the two walked past. "Got something on your mind?"
"Um, no, sir." Muniz said. He wasn't too familiar with the Jean Razak yet. He had no idea where The Sergeant was taking him.
"Are you sure?" They rounded a corner and Brutto opened up the door. The two walked into a gymnasium. The ceiling was about three decks above them with catwalks lining the walls where crewmembers could run. A basket ball court and boxing ring marked both of the far sides with a huge area for weight lifting in the middle. Ropes dangled from trusses that crisscrossed from the catwalks. But right now no one was using any of it, the entire gym was empty.
Muniz looked around for a second. "Is there a reason you brought me here Serge?"
"Yes and no." Muniz didn't know what to say as Brutto walked across to a small series of mats laid out for judo practice. He began to stretch. "You weren't on your best on Eden."
"First real combat, sir." Muniz said walking over to the edge of the mat. Brutto took off his jacket to reveal tight, cut muscles under a t-shirt with the Razak's registry on it. Muniz was becoming a little uneasy at where this looked like it was going. He didn't want to spar with the much larger and more experienced officer.
"Never fired your weapon before? That what you're telling me?" Brutto asked never really looking directly at Muniz.
"No, sir, I mean, yes, sir, I've fired my weapon—" Brutto interrupted him.
"But that's what you said. Say what you mean." The Sergeant started moving around, doing some shadow boxing. "You know, it may look at times like there is little to no respect among the more senior officers of the squad. Don't let that fool you. We all have our faults and we all have our attributes."
"Sir, I never would have suggested—"
"The rest of the time you're with me, you will not speak unless I ask you too." Brutto stopped for a second then continued. Muniz held his lips shut tight. "The Major knows what he's doing with everyone of us. He has confidence in us, so you have no idea what kind of a problem you cause when you don't have the same faith in yourself, and then to not only show it, but to let that lack consume you. Every one of us has a purpose, otherwise we wouldn't be here. I fight with Lieutenant Zim while Gossard and Dick poke fun at me and me to them. The thing is, is that we never let it get to us when the time to focus comes. We never let jealousy, love, hate, fear get in the way of what we have to do. That's something that is lacking in our current training.
"You and your friend Kepler have the exact same problem; you guys don't believe in yourself, while I'll admit it, perhaps Kepler shouldn't be here, but that's ultimately the Major's call, not mine. You do belong here, you have the heart, but you have to let go of your fear and know that part of signing up for this was the knowledge that you might die. You're afraid and you're buddy buys it because of something you do or don't do the feeling will stay and never go away."
Muniz was bordering on agitation; he felt that the Sergeant was baiting him, trying to goad him into something by attacking his performance. "Permission to speak freely Serge?"
"Go ahead Private." Brutto said stopping his shadow boxing and stretching a little more.
"Is there a point to this?" Muniz's voice was stiff and solid, trying to show that he wasn't afraid. But Brutto's response made his whole image and plan fold over on itself and he felt naked against a huge battleship.
"Yes!" Brutto snapped. He walked up to Muniz and got right in his face. As he spoke Muniz could feel sweat begin to bead on his forehead and the heat from the Sergeant's breath passed down his neck. "You better wake up, because if for one second I think you're not going to cut it out there, I won't hesitate to take you out myself. Are we clear?"
Muniz felt his throat instantly go dry and chills shoot down his spine. "Crystal, sir."
"Good." Brutto eyed him over a little bit. "Get undressed; you're going to be my sparring partner."
"But Serge—."
"That's an order. Private."
Gossard sat next on the left hand side of Rico and Zim was on his right. They were sitting in the briefing room of the Jean Razak watching a vid-clip of the battle on Klendathu. Lieutenant Breckenridge was sitting across from them with his Sergeant, a kid named Gilbert Rothschild. T'Phai was also present with his son and a Major H'Scrii, both of whom were impressive men; they sat at the end of the table. Admiral Ibanez and Captain Isaac of the Harry Lee sat at the head of the table, their backs to the rest of the table. The vid-screen flickered as a bug ran at the camera then went to static. Admiral Ibanez turned it off with a button on her chair. She turned back around with despair written across her face.
"These images are from six days ago. We haven't received any word from Klendathu since." Everyone around the table stirred; there was some slight murmuring about the amount of troops and ships stationed there.
"How many ships were stationed there?" Isaac asked leaning against the table.
"Four Battle Ships, Indelible class. There hasn't been any word from them in four days." Carmen brought up a galactic map and zoomed in on the Klendathu system. "When they last reported, they were still in the system." She pointed at a large ringed planet, the third from Klendathu. "We believe they had survivors, but we just don't know."
"What's SICON's plan?" Breckinridge asked. He put his hands behind his head and pushed his chair back on its hind legs.
"A counter attack is still being... 'formulated'." Ibanez said.
"Big talk for 'we don't know'." Zim said.
Carmen was silent for a moment. "Yes." Everyone began to get somewhat upset now and Gossard cleared his throat. Everyone quieted and looked at him.
"If SICON doesn't have a plan, what are we doing?" He asked setting his arms against the smooth black table.
"Are we supposed to just run from battle?" Rothschild chimed in. Some of the others nodded in agreement. Finally T'Phai spoke up.
"Are there any words on what is to be done about Tophet?" He asked, his voice allowing his disguised worry and regret to come through and be noticed.
"This third fleet is in orbit around Tophet as a means of protection." Carmen answered trying to quell T'Phai's worry.
"And may I ask how many ships that is, Admiral?" T'Phal's sullen voice broke the moment. He was visibly frightened. He had been a child when the Bugs had enslaved his people during the first war.
"That's twenty two ships, plus support craft." Ibanez said with a soft toned voice. There was a silence that settled over the room for a moment. Finally it was Rico who broke it.
"What are our orders?" He asked simply. His voice was strong and to the point, everyone turned to the Admiral as if to ask the same thing.
"We're retreating. Tesca Nemerosa then to Earth where SICON hopes to hold off the bug forces if needed." She was quiet for a moment then as she opened her mouth to begin to talk, the warning klaxons began to blare. She, along with everyone else jumped up and went into battle mode. Isaac quickly left the room after a few words to the Admiral; Gossard figured he was on his way back to his ship. T'Phai ordered his son and Major to their shuttle while he stayed behind to see what was going on.
Carmen had pulled up her XO on the vid. "What's going on?"
He looked nervous. "Large gravitational shadow." He paused. A crewman handed him a small pad and he looked it over for a moment. "It's confirmed. It's a bug transport."
"Let me see it." Carmen ordered and soon a huge transport bug filled the small vid screen. Rico stepped closer with Breckenridge. He turned to him and nodded. "Where is it headed?"
"Looks like the Armstrong system." The voice of the XO came through over the picture. "It's about three parsecs away."
"I was there two weeks ago." Rico said thoughtfully. He turned to T'Phai. "That's where I was when you contacted me with Carl's message. We didn't have time to finish cleaning up when we were done."
"What are they going after?" Zim asked looking over the readouts on the side of the screen.
"Unknown," came the XO's voice. "But they're in a hurry."
Rico's eyes suddenly widened. "We have to stop them."
"What?" Breckenridge looked around at the others. "I don't know if anyone's noticed, but we aren't exactly in any sort of condition to take on a bug transport. Most of the ships were damaged above Eden, our ordinance is low, and there isn't any way to stop them."
"There might be." Rico said.
"Major Rico, I'm going to have to ask that you explain yourself." Carmen said turning around to face everyone else.
"First," T'Phai broke in. "I must excuse myself. I'm afraid that as we've been speaking, I received a message. I've been ordered to return to Tophet. My heart and thoughts go to you, best of luck my friends."
"Thanks T'Phai," Gossard said. The others gave similar gratitude's and T'Phai left the room.
"There was a brain there." Rico said as the doors shut. "On one of the moons, that's where we were."
"And where there's a brain, there's a huge army." Breckenridge finished.
"Exactly, and since we didn't finish the job, this transport is going to pick up reinforcements." Rico said. Everyone in the room was still and silent, Carmen's face was hard and thoughtful; she was working over something in her mind. Breckinridge was clenching his fist. Rico turned to Zim who was standing calmly in his usual stoic stance with a similar face.
Carmen leaned against the wall. "Mister Junker, set an intercept course for the transport."
"Aye, admiral." The XO's voice replied. There was a click as the comm. turned off but the telemetry on the transport remained on the screen.
"Major Rico, this is going to be your operation. You make the call." Carmen said with a smirk. Gossard figured that she knew what Rico wanted to do, even if he didn't. Since it looked like it might be a quick in and out and they had no idea what they were doing, Carmen was giving Rico the go ahead to do whatever he felt was necessary.
"Lieutenant Breckenridge, please prepare your squad for landing," Rico said before the Admiral could say anything else. "Lieutenant Zim, prepare the Roughnecks, we'll drop in first and establish a beach head where ever this thing lands, Breckinridge, you'll provide the second wave, if needed." Rico looked around for a second. "I want everyone suited and ready and in the briefing room in twenty."
Gossard looked at Breckenridge as he walked out of the room, he was stiff and unemotional. Carmen was looking over the telemetry and at a clock, doing calculations in her head. Zim whispered something into Rico's ear and he simply nodded and left. Rico turned to Gossard.
"Follow me," He said. He turned back to Carmen. "What's wrong?"
"That wasn't a normal transport. It was different, larger." She said then she shook her head and seemed to come back to the rest of the world. "Major, I want this done quick, I'm sending the Ticonderoga and Harry Lee ahead to the rendezvous point, we'll catch up." Rico and Gossard saluted and left the room.
As they walked down the corridors Rico began to give his orders to Gossard. "Start warming up three Marauders, you, Doc and L'Ioo are going to be our spearhead."
"What do you have planned?" Gossard asked as they entered the main ordinance depot.
"We're going to finish it as quickly as possible. Once it lands, we're going to drop right on top of it." Rico said punching into a large vault. He opened the door and inside was three draws arranged in columns, each about two feet wide. There were serial numbers. Rico looked over them and found the one he wanted. He had to put in his code again.
Gossard walked over to the Marauder bay while Rico opened up the drawers and twisted the wheel to open the pressurized room. Inside were rows on either side of about ten alcoves each. On the right were the duck marauders and on the left the apes. He walked over to the apes and began to run the pre-warm up sequences on them. They would need at least three hours to be ready to move. He moved to the next ape then went to duck and had them running their power up sequences and ammunition loading sequences pre-set. He peeked out the door and saw Rico had opened up a locker. He could tell from the amount of fog pouring out of the drawer that it was a cold storage locker. He didn't like the way this was looking.
He went back and saw that at the moment the suits were fine and he wouldn't be needed for at least twenty minutes so he decided to walk out and see what Rico was up to. He had pulled out a small tube and slid it into a rectangular device. The edges were rounded off and the top had a small panel that was lit up with a display and several buttons. Gossard knew exactly what it was.
"Haven't used nukes in six years." Gossard said walking up to him. "SICON decided they were a special occasion weapon only. Figure this as one?"
Rico looked up and smiled then winked. "I've missed them. It's like that friend who always comes to the party and wrecks everything in the house."
"These were our best friends." Gossard said looking over it. "Not as big as this though." Gossard began to feel over its smooth lines. They used to be a troopers best friend. "Sure could've used them on Eden."
"Eden was a protected planet," Rico said pulling it up. "But they used them before we dropped... nothing this big. But speaking of which, I need to get ready." He handed the large nuke to Gossard. "Set the suits and be in the briefing room in twenty. Bring eighteen extra batteries."
Gossard nodded. He knew what Rico was planning from the look in his eyes. He prepared a 'travel box' and set the nuke down in it. A 'travel box' was a tight container that had been issued several years earlier as a means of dropping a nuke with a trooper to allow for precise, surprise bombing. It was easier to calculate than from orbit but more dangerous since the nuke was traveling with the trooper. The travel box allowed for safety and efficient use of time. They were going to nuke the bug.
Muniz couldn't get the pain out of his mind as the Major began to talk. The Serge had given him a hell of a beating. He'd just been slammed to the floor when he'd heard the alarms go off. The sergeant had grabbed him and lifted him back on to his feet and smiled a toothy grin. A small drop of blood had begun to fall down his nose and he wiped it away.
"Good shot Private!" Brutto had said. "We gotta go!"
The two of them had hurried back to the barracks and gotten into their jumpsuits and were ready to go when Zim had entered and told them to be in the briefing room suited and ready to go in twenty. And now they were sitting with the Major beginning his briefing. His ribs still hurt. The Major had a map of the immediate vicinity of the transport bug, but since it hadn't landed yet and they didn't know where it would land, the landscape was unknown from best, and what he'd done so far was just go over the basic rules of engagement and lines of battle, he also went over the terrain to be expected and the report on Armstrong which he already knew, then Gossard walked in. He laid down some trays with batters slid into slots then the Major's tone changed and everyone immediately stiffened.
"Here's the plan people," He punched up a 3D image of the bug and a possible landing spot. Since the surface of Armstrong Prime was heavily cratered, the hologram showed the lip of a crater next to the bug. Several hot points were quickly highlighted, none of them looked good. Two were on top of the bug, and two more on opposite sides. "We're dropping right on top of it. The two groups landing on the top will be in charge of cracking the nut open; these two groups on the side are going to cover those on top." The Major changed screens to show a large scale nuke, one big enough to rip any transport apart and the surrounding two miles.
"This will be our nutcracker." He nodded at Gossard who stepped up and gave the full details on the weapon and looked back at the Major who continued on with the briefing. "The duck will drop on top; it will be carrying the nuke, the two other on either side to provide heavy support. We'll plant the nuke, set it on timer and evac to a pick up point two clicks south." The hologram showed the route and everyone understood. The rest of the briefing was more standard stuff. As it concluded Lieutenant Breckinridge walked in and whispered into the Major's ear and he dismissed the squad.
Muniz caught Kepler as he left. "Kepler, wait up!" But he kept walking. He grabbed his shoulder and Kepler pushed him away. "Man, what is your problem."
"I don't want to try and be your friend Muniz," He said pushing him again. "You haven't exactly been the easiest person to get along with, and I don't know what you think you're trying to do this time, but I'm not going to let you tear at me. And don't even try and bring up what happened last time at Armstrong, being stuck in that crater wasn't my idea of a good time, especially with you."
"Look, I know I haven't been the most mature, but come on, we're in a different field now, things have changed." Muniz was trying to calm Kepler and mend the wounds, but Kepler didn't seem to want any part of it.
"Changed for you maybe," Kepler said. "I was fighting the same war a month ago I am now; the only thing that's changed is that now they are even more for me to be afraid of—"
"Muniz! Kepler!" A voiced boomed. They turned to see the Sergeant with Lieutenant Zim. It looked like it was Brutto who had broken in and this time brought reinforcements. Muniz figured it wasn't because they were afraid of a physical confrontation, but they wanted to scare them; it had worked.
"What the hell is going on here?" Zim stepped past Brutto and pressed both of them against the wall.
"Nothing, sir." Muniz wheezed.
"That's correct sir, nothing." Kepler squeaked.
Zim looked from one to the other. "I want to hear some tall tales I'll call up INTEL. Now what is going on? I asked for a report from the sergeant and I get your names red-flagged."
"Just resolving a personal dispute, sir!" Kepler said.
"No, you're not resolving it; you're acting like a bunch of green rookies! This is not your high school prom; there is no Alpha male, there is only the Major, he is your mother and father, the sergeant and I are you big brothers. The Major wants us to make sure you are ready after our sloppy performance on Eden. Now this is settled now! I hear even a peep out of either of you the makes me even think about saying something I will have you ship side until we find replacements. Am I clear?" Zim had the two of them almost cowering. Muniz wanted to die. There was a moment of silence.
"AM I CLEAR?" Zim yelled, saliva spraying onto both of their faces.
"SIR YES, SIR!" They both yelled.
"Good. We have drop in an hour." Zim walked off but Brutto remained. He measured the two of them up the stepped up into their faces. His face was crinkled and contorted; Muniz thought it would almost look comical if he wasn't terrified.
"When we're done with this mission, the three of us are going to have a little get-together in the VR room. That copy?"
"Sir, yes, sir." They both said again. Brutto walked away and the two of them stood there in silence for a few moments. Several of the ships crew walked by and gave them quizzical looks but didn't say anything. Finally they looked at each other, shook hands and then moved on.
Carmen was sitting in her command chair watching the transport as it slid to a halt on the surface of Armstrong. The Razak was in orbit three thousand kilometers above it. She was not in the mood to have this drawn out and had conceded to Rico's plans. Hopefully it would all be said and done in two hours, maybe sooner. She watched as the drop ship shout out from underneath the Jean Razak and towards its target. She turned to her XO and shook her head.
"Comm., begin the clock." Junker said and two bars came up on either side of the main observation window, there was a moment of a slight hum then a light blue holographic clock began to count from zero.
"Best of luck boys." Carmen whispered to herself. She turned to Junker. "I want a constant fix on their beacons at all times. The Wolves are prepared?"
"They're in a drop ship on stand by." Junker said. There was a moment of silence. "One minute until drop."
Carmen nodded and gripped into the arm. It was going to be a tense two hours.
ARMSTRONG
There were benefits to a planet not having an atmosphere. When they dropped out of the drop ship the Roughnecks didn't encounter any heat or atmospheric resistance, which always caused a trooper to begin sweating. But rather than atmospheric friction, the Roughnecks got the dubious pleasure of dropping into plasma fire.
Rico looked at the clock display in his visor and called from the capsule jettison. All around pieces of metal and plastic filled the air. Rico looked up and saw the Marauders maybe a hundred feet away and closing. He turned and saw the drop ship as a faint light zigzagging between plasma fire but soon erupted into a ball of flame. Rico gritted his teeth and heard some curses from the troops.
"All right everyone, fire jets, drop your bombs." Rico pulled his directional controllers over his shoulders and began maneuvering towards the transport's upper body. He pressed a small button on his left arm and two tubes sprung out from either side of his pack and a dozen small golf ball-sized bombs rained down on the surface, after a moment silent explosions rippled across the ground. He grinned and looked back at his target. Gossard shot past him in the duck and quickly landed on the transport. Doc and L'Ioo landed on either side and began firing into the transport and the bugs coming towards them. Twenty seconds later Rico was on top of the transport. Brutto landed as he was supposed to but Muniz seemed to have had a slight malfunction in his pack and slammed into the back of the bug. Gossard was busy cutting with his torch into the thick hide and looked up for a moment to see him.
"He okay?" He asked looking back down. Muniz got up and was holding his left shoulder for a second. He bent over and grabbed his weapon and ran to Rico. Brutto stepped next to Rico and Muniz reached them, he had his gun ready and was looking quickly all around.
"You okay Private?" Rico asked looking at his arm.
"I think it might be dislocated." Muniz said with a grunt. Rico flipped down his visor and saw that Muniz was right. He turned him around and saw the problem; one of the tubes and ejected to hard and caused a rupture in the pack. The gun fire was constant now. Rico bit his lip for a moment the turned to Brutto who immediately knew his orders.
"Roger, sir. I think I can baby sit these two just fine." He said with a grin nodding sideways to Gossard.
"I heard that." Gossard said.
"How much longer Goss?" Rico asked as he nodded at Brutto and made his way towards Zim who was fighting alone with L'Ioo.
"Five minutes." He said after a moment.
"Good, keep burning." Rico said firing his pack and dropping down into the battle below. He dropped in right on top of a bug and pulled the trigger and began blasting into every bug in sight.
JEAN RAZAK
The clock read: 00:34:51. Carmen turned to her XO who was marking the times down and checking off planned times as they came. So far, so good. She flipped the comm. and connected to Lieutenant Breckenridge.
"Lieutenant," She took a breath to make sure he registered who was on the line. "How are your boys doing down there?" she heard someone yell out 'and girls!' and smiled. Breckenridge quieted the soldier and replied.
"Anxious Admiral. We're itching to get in there and do something." He said.
"Just sit back, everything is going according to plan. Hopefully we won't need you." Carmen said. She knew the people were probably getting more than anxious and restless. It was hard to sit back and just wait not knowing how your comrades were exactly doing, just expecting for the next call to be the one that sends you in to find their bodies.
"Hopefully not," Breckenridge said. "Wolves standing by." He said and cut the link. She didn't blame him. She wished she could be there too.
00:37:17.
ARMSTRONG
Max pulled the nuke off of the back of the duck and Gossard turned around as he dropped it in and slid it down on a tether. The battle below was still raging; he figured they'd have to get out of there soon. They looked around for a moment the Gossard punched up the countdown for the nuke and set it. He saw Muniz standing with one arm limp and the other with his rifle ready. Max turned back to Gossard and gave the thumbs up which cued him to start the countdown.
They walked to the south to the edge of the bug where Kepler, Doc and Murphy were wasting away bugs. Gossard smiled and was about to activate his jets when he noticed something. He stared for a moment then realized the bugs were in retreat. The situation normally seemed implausible and was now very odd, but he wasn't about to question it. He heard Murphy yell out in relieved joy, but that's when the transport began to shake. It was getting ready to take off.
Rico could tell for sure now that the bugs were in retreat. Part of him was relieved, but another part of him was worried. They might be regrouping and coming back or the transport was going to release some. He was about to radio to Gossard when the ground began to shake and he heard a dull hum. He knew exactly what was happening then. He flipped over to Brutto.
"Max! Get off of that thing now!" He shouted. He couldn't see anyone on top of it, but he was sure it was beginning to get the feeling that they might not make it off before the transport took to the air. Then he saw them leap from it, Muniz clinging onto the duck and Max firing his jets. But as they were almost down, the transport ignited its thrusters and pushed the air outwards when threw them all off their bearings. Rico ducked as a blast of sand and rock shot over them. L'Ioo was knocked backwards and flipped around until she hit a boulder. Rico called out to her but received no response. Zim had his hands dug into the dirt and teeth clamped down as they waited for it to die down. After a moment he could tell it was in the air and Rico looked up to see it shooting into the air. He checked around, he could see Murphy, Doc and Kepler on the other side checking their surroundings. The bugs would be back any minute. Doc broke through on the radio yelling for Gossard and the others. No reply came. Zim rushed to L'Ioo and pulled her out of the Marauder, he could tell her suit was badly damaged.
"Status Lieutenant?" Rico asked vaulting up onto the plain. The indention from the transport was hug and it looked as if much of the surrounding area had been blown around.
"She's banged up real bad Major; her suit looks like it could be compromised at any moment. We have got to get her off of this planet now!" Zim said. Rico nodded and listened as Zim began to radio for pick up. Doc was out of his marauder, he assumed that it had been as badly damaged as L'Ioo's. Kepler and Murphy were running across the plain heading north. He flipped his visor down and saw what they were running towards. Three forms were lying on the ground unmoving. Rico fired his jets and took off towards them, but that's when he heard Doc yell and turned back to see a horde of bugs closing in on them. He ordered Murphy and Kepler back to hold the line with Zim and Doc while they waited on pick up. He radioed to Zim.
"ETA?" Zim told him two minutes and he cursed. He was almost to them when he saw even more bugs coming in from where he was headed. He started to lose speed slightly and realized that his pack must have been damaged in the take off. Suddenly it went out and he crashed to the ground. He felt the sinews tear in his arm then the bone SNAP as his forearm folded under him. The momentum carried him a few yards and he used it to spring up and run the rest of the war. He slid in next to Brutto and started waking him up. He heard Gossard groan and crawled to him.
"Goss, wake up!" He yelled. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he tried to sit up and slammed his head into the canopy of the marauder. He moaned some more then smiled.
"Reporting sir," He said flipping the switch and throwing the canopy open. He began to climb out but yelled out. "That's it! Broken leg." He let out a sigh.
"We have to try and get you out of here." He turned around and saw Max lifting Muniz up off the ground. Both were conscious and the bugs were almost on top of them. The ground was shaking. Muniz and Max both turned and looked. Muniz pushed himself off of Max and pulled his gun off of his back, Max tried to do the same but it wasn't there so he unholstered his gun and began firing as the first few got to them. One slid across the dirt and Max jumped over it.
Rico pulled his gun off the ground and started firing. "Gossard!" He yelled. He heard him groan some more then sigh.
"I'm going to slow you down!" He said falling out of the marauder. "The nuke is set to blow, you guys need to get back to the ship, I'll hold them back!"
"Negative!" Rico yelled dropping a bug. He turned and saw Muniz lifting Max off the ground. He was shooting at a bug the whole time but it got through and clamped onto Max's arm. He yelled out in pain.
"Go!" Gossard yelled. Both turned as Brutto yelled again and saw Muniz firing into a bug, holding onto Max with his dislocated limb. Max's arm was missing and blood was flowing. "I've the detonator on the Marauder; you have two minutes before it goes. You need to get him off before he dies." Rico started to say something. "Better one of us than all of us."
The transport started coming down, the trail of fire arcing across the sky. Rico conceded and ran to Muniz and Brutto and told Muniz to hold on and grabbed Max. He forced Muniz's jets to fire and shot into the sky. He threw down his extra batteries at Gossard as he began to crawl away from the Marauder. He was soon out of sight and they all crashed into the ground near Zim and Doc.
Doc rushed to them and gasped out loud. "We have got to get him off of here now!" He said as the transport touched down. "He's in shock. He may be going into hypothermia if we don't move." Rico nodded and had Doc carry Max up there. L'Ioo was conscious and Muniz and Murphy helped her up the ramp into the transport. Zim and Rico laid down fire until they were all up. He thought about saying they were going back but there was an explosion and dozens of dead bugs flew up into the sky. Rico gaped and turned and ran up the ramp after Zim. It retracted and the door shut. The ship lifted off the ground and took to the air.
JEAN RAZAK
Carmen watched as the transport came towards them, right at them. She grinned and ordered the forward guns to take aim. She knew the Roughnecks weren't on it, their locaters still showed on the map of the planet. The guns were about to fire as the bug came into range when it exploded in a nuclear fire. Everything went white and several crewmen screamed as the automatic tints on the view ports failed to compensate in time. Everything for Carmen went white then dark again. She heard her XO scream for everyone to brace for impact.
Carmen clenched the arms of her chair as the ship suddenly pitched upward then rolled over; she could hear explosions and people yelling. The ship shook violently and she fell from her chair and hit her head against the corner of something. She grimaced and felt the flow of warmth pouring down her face. The ship was still shaking violently and finally the rumble passed. She felt around for a moment and felt a firm hand take hers. Her sight was coming back but everything was a blur. She felt herself sat into a chair and soon a few cries were coming up and calls for medics and damage reports. Soon she could see again, only slightly blurred and saw that her bridge was in total disarray.
Wires hung from the ceiling, pieces of the floor were ruptured, consoles were broken and fires burned all around. Smoke filled the sticky air and the stench of burning flesh was beginning to come to her as her senses came to her completely. Her ship was damaged, people were dying on it, she didn't know the status of the Roughnecks, and she was feeling light-headed. Junker stooped in front of her and smiled as she mouthed the word 'status'.
"The ship's going to be okay Admiral," He said bracing her up as she swayed. "Medic's are on their way up here, just stay awake, stay focused." She nodded but it hurt. She closed her eye as blood began to run over it. The doors were forced open in the back of the bridge and she tried to turn but her head was heavy and she felt herself falling. Junker braced her again and she felt firm hands grasp her shoulders and pull her onto the floor. Soon she was lifted up and being carried away. Assuring voices told her everything was going to be okay then everything seemed to just pass into a blur.
'No one is fool enough to choose war instead of peace — in peace sons bury fathers, but in war fathers bury sons.'
Herodotus, The Histories
Episode 11 – The Crucible
Day 1 (12 SBO)
"Before you can even begin to fathom what its like to be in an actual battle you have to understand one thing. Above all else, an MI trooper is trained to kill, stay alive, and die. While the three seem like they would have nothing to do with each other, they are the staples of what it is to be a soldier in the modern galaxy. A trooper is trained to kill while staying alive, but if he (or she) becomes aware that all chance of survival is gone, they are trained to take as many of the enemy with them as possible; to go down swinging. Many hard lined critics have lambasted this policy since the end of the war but what they fail to notice is that these troopers maybe trained to do this, but they do it more often than not because they are aware that they are taking out at least one more enemy, that means one less that some other trooper has to fight, that means one less trooper that has to die.
"Captain Michael O'Hare wasn't trained like this, but he knew he was going to die and that his ship was going down in flames. He decided of his own volition that he would take as many as he could with him. Now some believe that no matter what it's the human instinct to sacrifice oneself in hopes of protecting ones comrades or as we were faced with in both wars (or the war): the species."
- Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: The Roughneck Chronicles
JEAN RAZAK
Roger Muniz stood at full attention in the secondary cargo bay. The Roughnecks were gathered with the survivors from the Threshold in a memorial service for the Captain. He hadn't really known the Captain; he'd spoken with him a few times. Muniz had only been with the Roughnecks three months when they were reassigned to the Jean Razak, and yet he still felt a sense of loss. He could see it written on the Major's face; the two of them had been close, the closest the Major had had to a friend since he'd been away from Earth. And now, he stood at attention next to an empty tube with a picture in it to symbolize the Captain's body. Admiral Ibanez stepped up with her hands firmly behind her back. She was in full dress uniform with all her decorations pinned uniformly to her tunic.
"I did not know Captain O'Hare personally," She said keeping her voice low and somber. "What little contact I did have with him revealed a man of astute character. I looked into his files and found what I expected to find, exemplary records, commendations from crew and fellow officers. But reports and files can never tell the story of the man." With that she stepped aside and Rico, he too in full dress, approached the tube.
"I knew Mike for six years." He choked slightly. Muniz had never seen the Major like this, he looked around and the younger members seemed to all have the same expressions while the older ones seemed to understand. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do here, or say. The last time I had to do anything like this, we didn't need words.
"I guess its best, and easiest, to say that in a war, people die, and every soldier that dies is one to many. The cliché works best in situations like this. Mike was my friend, he was a good officer, and he was a good captain. I always knew you could count on him, and he proved that. Caveat, a verbis ad verbera aut vincere aut mori. You died, we'll conquer. Rest in peace." Rico pressed the button and the tube shut and loaded into the launching tube.
"Atten-SION!" Murphy called out. Everybody's heels clicked and they all turned to the view port and watched as the burial tube shot into space. The Major turned around and dismissed the detail. All but the Roughnecks left.
"Orders?" Doc asked first after letting the moment sink and fade.
"We're to remain on stand by." Rico said turning away back into the abyss of space. "We're en route to rendezvous with the third naval task force in orbit around Tesca Nemerosa. Once there we'll begin a counter attack."
"Where to Major?" Muniz asked. Rico shot him a disapproving stare. "Just curious Major. Wanting to know where I'm fighting the enemy at, sir."
Rico loosened. "Don't know son. Never know with Psycho." He took a breath and turned around. "It all depends on where we stand when we arrive."
"Thinking it will be that bad?" L'Ioo asked. "Is SICON preparing for another Tophet and Earth invasion?"
"What about Klendathu? I had friends there?" Murphy asked.
"I know what you know private. Things didn't go exactly as needed back on Eden, so until our next drop, I've scheduled three training sessions a day in the VR room. Things will go differently next time."
Gossard looked at Max and whispered. "He's talking about you."
"I don't think so Goss, I'm not the one who passed out in the VR room last time," Max whispered with a smirk across his face. "Maybe he just wants another good laugh?"
Gossard didn't say anything just bored holes straight into Max with his eyes. Max finally turned away. He turned back to see Rico staring him down. Gossard quickly gave in and turned away.
Muniz was standing by the window looking out at the star lines when he saw Kepler exit. He turned and followed him out into the corridor.
"Hey Kepler!" He called dodging by a crewman. "Hey wait up man!" He called again as Kepler turned a corner. Muniz followed and grabbed his shoulder. "Where are you going?"
Kepler shrugged. "I think I'm going to sick bay."
"What for?" Muniz asked. Kepler started walking again, this time with Muniz beside him. Muniz didn't really know Kepler that well; he mainly kept to himself and was quiet usually while Muniz and Murphy were arguing. But the kid did try his best.
"The Major wants me to have my leg checked out before our next drop." Kepler said keeping his head down and walking at a brisk pace. He seemed somehow able to avoid every person while Muniz had to dodge and maneuver around as they walked down the corridor. "He has me on light duty."
"What do you think?" Muniz said squeezing past a large man carrying an equally large pipe and toolbox.
"About what?"
"Do you think you can still perform?"
"What do you care?" Kepler asked stopping dead. He looked at Muniz. "What's the point of this?"
"I'm just trying to talk to you, that's all." Muniz was taken back for a moment. He'd never seen Kepler respond to anything in that manner. "You've seemed kind of bummed out for a while."
Kepler seemed to mull over the words for a moment. He chewed on his cheek and looked around then met Muniz's eye. "I don't want to talk to you."
The response was sharp and to the point. Muniz stood by as Kepler seemed to begin to calm slightly. He looked Muniz in the eye once more and continued on his way. Muniz didn't bother trying to follow him or trying to talk to him. He leaned against the bulkhead for a moment then turned around and went the other way. The words kept going over and over in his mind, the docile Kepler snapping on someone. Muniz hadn't been the nicest to Kepler, nor to anyone else, and he figured that this was his reward.
On his way back to the barracks, Muniz literally bumped into Sergeant Brutto who looked at him and smiled. He was merely an inch from Muniz's eye and winked at him. The two were about equal in height but the Sergeant was easily twice as large.
"How's it going Private?" Brutto asked. He wrapped his arm around his shoulder and pulled him with him. "Walk with me."
"Uh- it's going good sir." Muniz said after a moment.
"That's good." Brutto said. They passed the Wolves' barracks; every one inside was standing around while Higgins told a story. A loud burst of laughter erupted as the two walked past. "Got something on your mind?"
"Um, no, sir." Muniz said. He wasn't too familiar with the Jean Razak yet. He had no idea where The Sergeant was taking him.
"Are you sure?" They rounded a corner and Brutto opened up the door. The two walked into a gymnasium. The ceiling was about three decks above them with catwalks lining the walls where crewmembers could run. A basket ball court and boxing ring marked both of the far sides with a huge area for weight lifting in the middle. Ropes dangled from trusses that crisscrossed from the catwalks. But right now no one was using any of it, the entire gym was empty.
Muniz looked around for a second. "Is there a reason you brought me here Serge?"
"Yes and no." Muniz didn't know what to say as Brutto walked across to a small series of mats laid out for judo practice. He began to stretch. "You weren't on your best on Eden."
"First real combat, sir." Muniz said walking over to the edge of the mat. Brutto took off his jacket to reveal tight, cut muscles under a t-shirt with the Razak's registry on it. Muniz was becoming a little uneasy at where this looked like it was going. He didn't want to spar with the much larger and more experienced officer.
"Never fired your weapon before? That what you're telling me?" Brutto asked never really looking directly at Muniz.
"No, sir, I mean, yes, sir, I've fired my weapon—" Brutto interrupted him.
"But that's what you said. Say what you mean." The Sergeant started moving around, doing some shadow boxing. "You know, it may look at times like there is little to no respect among the more senior officers of the squad. Don't let that fool you. We all have our faults and we all have our attributes."
"Sir, I never would have suggested—"
"The rest of the time you're with me, you will not speak unless I ask you too." Brutto stopped for a second then continued. Muniz held his lips shut tight. "The Major knows what he's doing with everyone of us. He has confidence in us, so you have no idea what kind of a problem you cause when you don't have the same faith in yourself, and then to not only show it, but to let that lack consume you. Every one of us has a purpose, otherwise we wouldn't be here. I fight with Lieutenant Zim while Gossard and Dick poke fun at me and me to them. The thing is, is that we never let it get to us when the time to focus comes. We never let jealousy, love, hate, fear get in the way of what we have to do. That's something that is lacking in our current training.
"You and your friend Kepler have the exact same problem; you guys don't believe in yourself, while I'll admit it, perhaps Kepler shouldn't be here, but that's ultimately the Major's call, not mine. You do belong here, you have the heart, but you have to let go of your fear and know that part of signing up for this was the knowledge that you might die. You're afraid and you're buddy buys it because of something you do or don't do the feeling will stay and never go away."
Muniz was bordering on agitation; he felt that the Sergeant was baiting him, trying to goad him into something by attacking his performance. "Permission to speak freely Serge?"
"Go ahead Private." Brutto said stopping his shadow boxing and stretching a little more.
"Is there a point to this?" Muniz's voice was stiff and solid, trying to show that he wasn't afraid. But Brutto's response made his whole image and plan fold over on itself and he felt naked against a huge battleship.
"Yes!" Brutto snapped. He walked up to Muniz and got right in his face. As he spoke Muniz could feel sweat begin to bead on his forehead and the heat from the Sergeant's breath passed down his neck. "You better wake up, because if for one second I think you're not going to cut it out there, I won't hesitate to take you out myself. Are we clear?"
Muniz felt his throat instantly go dry and chills shoot down his spine. "Crystal, sir."
"Good." Brutto eyed him over a little bit. "Get undressed; you're going to be my sparring partner."
"But Serge—."
"That's an order. Private."
Gossard sat next on the left hand side of Rico and Zim was on his right. They were sitting in the briefing room of the Jean Razak watching a vid-clip of the battle on Klendathu. Lieutenant Breckenridge was sitting across from them with his Sergeant, a kid named Gilbert Rothschild. T'Phai was also present with his son and a Major H'Scrii, both of whom were impressive men; they sat at the end of the table. Admiral Ibanez and Captain Isaac of the Harry Lee sat at the head of the table, their backs to the rest of the table. The vid-screen flickered as a bug ran at the camera then went to static. Admiral Ibanez turned it off with a button on her chair. She turned back around with despair written across her face.
"These images are from six days ago. We haven't received any word from Klendathu since." Everyone around the table stirred; there was some slight murmuring about the amount of troops and ships stationed there.
"How many ships were stationed there?" Isaac asked leaning against the table.
"Four Battle Ships, Indelible class. There hasn't been any word from them in four days." Carmen brought up a galactic map and zoomed in on the Klendathu system. "When they last reported, they were still in the system." She pointed at a large ringed planet, the third from Klendathu. "We believe they had survivors, but we just don't know."
"What's SICON's plan?" Breckinridge asked. He put his hands behind his head and pushed his chair back on its hind legs.
"A counter attack is still being... 'formulated'." Ibanez said.
"Big talk for 'we don't know'." Zim said.
Carmen was silent for a moment. "Yes." Everyone began to get somewhat upset now and Gossard cleared his throat. Everyone quieted and looked at him.
"If SICON doesn't have a plan, what are we doing?" He asked setting his arms against the smooth black table.
"Are we supposed to just run from battle?" Rothschild chimed in. Some of the others nodded in agreement. Finally T'Phai spoke up.
"Are there any words on what is to be done about Tophet?" He asked, his voice allowing his disguised worry and regret to come through and be noticed.
"This third fleet is in orbit around Tophet as a means of protection." Carmen answered trying to quell T'Phai's worry.
"And may I ask how many ships that is, Admiral?" T'Phal's sullen voice broke the moment. He was visibly frightened. He had been a child when the Bugs had enslaved his people during the first war.
"That's twenty two ships, plus support craft." Ibanez said with a soft toned voice. There was a silence that settled over the room for a moment. Finally it was Rico who broke it.
"What are our orders?" He asked simply. His voice was strong and to the point, everyone turned to the Admiral as if to ask the same thing.
"We're retreating. Tesca Nemerosa then to Earth where SICON hopes to hold off the bug forces if needed." She was quiet for a moment then as she opened her mouth to begin to talk, the warning klaxons began to blare. She, along with everyone else jumped up and went into battle mode. Isaac quickly left the room after a few words to the Admiral; Gossard figured he was on his way back to his ship. T'Phai ordered his son and Major to their shuttle while he stayed behind to see what was going on.
Carmen had pulled up her XO on the vid. "What's going on?"
He looked nervous. "Large gravitational shadow." He paused. A crewman handed him a small pad and he looked it over for a moment. "It's confirmed. It's a bug transport."
"Let me see it." Carmen ordered and soon a huge transport bug filled the small vid screen. Rico stepped closer with Breckenridge. He turned to him and nodded. "Where is it headed?"
"Looks like the Armstrong system." The voice of the XO came through over the picture. "It's about three parsecs away."
"I was there two weeks ago." Rico said thoughtfully. He turned to T'Phai. "That's where I was when you contacted me with Carl's message. We didn't have time to finish cleaning up when we were done."
"What are they going after?" Zim asked looking over the readouts on the side of the screen.
"Unknown," came the XO's voice. "But they're in a hurry."
Rico's eyes suddenly widened. "We have to stop them."
"What?" Breckenridge looked around at the others. "I don't know if anyone's noticed, but we aren't exactly in any sort of condition to take on a bug transport. Most of the ships were damaged above Eden, our ordinance is low, and there isn't any way to stop them."
"There might be." Rico said.
"Major Rico, I'm going to have to ask that you explain yourself." Carmen said turning around to face everyone else.
"First," T'Phai broke in. "I must excuse myself. I'm afraid that as we've been speaking, I received a message. I've been ordered to return to Tophet. My heart and thoughts go to you, best of luck my friends."
"Thanks T'Phai," Gossard said. The others gave similar gratitude's and T'Phai left the room.
"There was a brain there." Rico said as the doors shut. "On one of the moons, that's where we were."
"And where there's a brain, there's a huge army." Breckenridge finished.
"Exactly, and since we didn't finish the job, this transport is going to pick up reinforcements." Rico said. Everyone in the room was still and silent, Carmen's face was hard and thoughtful; she was working over something in her mind. Breckinridge was clenching his fist. Rico turned to Zim who was standing calmly in his usual stoic stance with a similar face.
Carmen leaned against the wall. "Mister Junker, set an intercept course for the transport."
"Aye, admiral." The XO's voice replied. There was a click as the comm. turned off but the telemetry on the transport remained on the screen.
"Major Rico, this is going to be your operation. You make the call." Carmen said with a smirk. Gossard figured that she knew what Rico wanted to do, even if he didn't. Since it looked like it might be a quick in and out and they had no idea what they were doing, Carmen was giving Rico the go ahead to do whatever he felt was necessary.
"Lieutenant Breckenridge, please prepare your squad for landing," Rico said before the Admiral could say anything else. "Lieutenant Zim, prepare the Roughnecks, we'll drop in first and establish a beach head where ever this thing lands, Breckinridge, you'll provide the second wave, if needed." Rico looked around for a second. "I want everyone suited and ready and in the briefing room in twenty."
Gossard looked at Breckenridge as he walked out of the room, he was stiff and unemotional. Carmen was looking over the telemetry and at a clock, doing calculations in her head. Zim whispered something into Rico's ear and he simply nodded and left. Rico turned to Gossard.
"Follow me," He said. He turned back to Carmen. "What's wrong?"
"That wasn't a normal transport. It was different, larger." She said then she shook her head and seemed to come back to the rest of the world. "Major, I want this done quick, I'm sending the Ticonderoga and Harry Lee ahead to the rendezvous point, we'll catch up." Rico and Gossard saluted and left the room.
As they walked down the corridors Rico began to give his orders to Gossard. "Start warming up three Marauders, you, Doc and L'Ioo are going to be our spearhead."
"What do you have planned?" Gossard asked as they entered the main ordinance depot.
"We're going to finish it as quickly as possible. Once it lands, we're going to drop right on top of it." Rico said punching into a large vault. He opened the door and inside was three draws arranged in columns, each about two feet wide. There were serial numbers. Rico looked over them and found the one he wanted. He had to put in his code again.
Gossard walked over to the Marauder bay while Rico opened up the drawers and twisted the wheel to open the pressurized room. Inside were rows on either side of about ten alcoves each. On the right were the duck marauders and on the left the apes. He walked over to the apes and began to run the pre-warm up sequences on them. They would need at least three hours to be ready to move. He moved to the next ape then went to duck and had them running their power up sequences and ammunition loading sequences pre-set. He peeked out the door and saw Rico had opened up a locker. He could tell from the amount of fog pouring out of the drawer that it was a cold storage locker. He didn't like the way this was looking.
He went back and saw that at the moment the suits were fine and he wouldn't be needed for at least twenty minutes so he decided to walk out and see what Rico was up to. He had pulled out a small tube and slid it into a rectangular device. The edges were rounded off and the top had a small panel that was lit up with a display and several buttons. Gossard knew exactly what it was.
"Haven't used nukes in six years." Gossard said walking up to him. "SICON decided they were a special occasion weapon only. Figure this as one?"
Rico looked up and smiled then winked. "I've missed them. It's like that friend who always comes to the party and wrecks everything in the house."
"These were our best friends." Gossard said looking over it. "Not as big as this though." Gossard began to feel over its smooth lines. They used to be a troopers best friend. "Sure could've used them on Eden."
"Eden was a protected planet," Rico said pulling it up. "But they used them before we dropped... nothing this big. But speaking of which, I need to get ready." He handed the large nuke to Gossard. "Set the suits and be in the briefing room in twenty. Bring eighteen extra batteries."
Gossard nodded. He knew what Rico was planning from the look in his eyes. He prepared a 'travel box' and set the nuke down in it. A 'travel box' was a tight container that had been issued several years earlier as a means of dropping a nuke with a trooper to allow for precise, surprise bombing. It was easier to calculate than from orbit but more dangerous since the nuke was traveling with the trooper. The travel box allowed for safety and efficient use of time. They were going to nuke the bug.
Muniz couldn't get the pain out of his mind as the Major began to talk. The Serge had given him a hell of a beating. He'd just been slammed to the floor when he'd heard the alarms go off. The sergeant had grabbed him and lifted him back on to his feet and smiled a toothy grin. A small drop of blood had begun to fall down his nose and he wiped it away.
"Good shot Private!" Brutto had said. "We gotta go!"
The two of them had hurried back to the barracks and gotten into their jumpsuits and were ready to go when Zim had entered and told them to be in the briefing room suited and ready to go in twenty. And now they were sitting with the Major beginning his briefing. His ribs still hurt. The Major had a map of the immediate vicinity of the transport bug, but since it hadn't landed yet and they didn't know where it would land, the landscape was unknown from best, and what he'd done so far was just go over the basic rules of engagement and lines of battle, he also went over the terrain to be expected and the report on Armstrong which he already knew, then Gossard walked in. He laid down some trays with batters slid into slots then the Major's tone changed and everyone immediately stiffened.
"Here's the plan people," He punched up a 3D image of the bug and a possible landing spot. Since the surface of Armstrong Prime was heavily cratered, the hologram showed the lip of a crater next to the bug. Several hot points were quickly highlighted, none of them looked good. Two were on top of the bug, and two more on opposite sides. "We're dropping right on top of it. The two groups landing on the top will be in charge of cracking the nut open; these two groups on the side are going to cover those on top." The Major changed screens to show a large scale nuke, one big enough to rip any transport apart and the surrounding two miles.
"This will be our nutcracker." He nodded at Gossard who stepped up and gave the full details on the weapon and looked back at the Major who continued on with the briefing. "The duck will drop on top; it will be carrying the nuke, the two other on either side to provide heavy support. We'll plant the nuke, set it on timer and evac to a pick up point two clicks south." The hologram showed the route and everyone understood. The rest of the briefing was more standard stuff. As it concluded Lieutenant Breckinridge walked in and whispered into the Major's ear and he dismissed the squad.
Muniz caught Kepler as he left. "Kepler, wait up!" But he kept walking. He grabbed his shoulder and Kepler pushed him away. "Man, what is your problem."
"I don't want to try and be your friend Muniz," He said pushing him again. "You haven't exactly been the easiest person to get along with, and I don't know what you think you're trying to do this time, but I'm not going to let you tear at me. And don't even try and bring up what happened last time at Armstrong, being stuck in that crater wasn't my idea of a good time, especially with you."
"Look, I know I haven't been the most mature, but come on, we're in a different field now, things have changed." Muniz was trying to calm Kepler and mend the wounds, but Kepler didn't seem to want any part of it.
"Changed for you maybe," Kepler said. "I was fighting the same war a month ago I am now; the only thing that's changed is that now they are even more for me to be afraid of—"
"Muniz! Kepler!" A voiced boomed. They turned to see the Sergeant with Lieutenant Zim. It looked like it was Brutto who had broken in and this time brought reinforcements. Muniz figured it wasn't because they were afraid of a physical confrontation, but they wanted to scare them; it had worked.
"What the hell is going on here?" Zim stepped past Brutto and pressed both of them against the wall.
"Nothing, sir." Muniz wheezed.
"That's correct sir, nothing." Kepler squeaked.
Zim looked from one to the other. "I want to hear some tall tales I'll call up INTEL. Now what is going on? I asked for a report from the sergeant and I get your names red-flagged."
"Just resolving a personal dispute, sir!" Kepler said.
"No, you're not resolving it; you're acting like a bunch of green rookies! This is not your high school prom; there is no Alpha male, there is only the Major, he is your mother and father, the sergeant and I are you big brothers. The Major wants us to make sure you are ready after our sloppy performance on Eden. Now this is settled now! I hear even a peep out of either of you the makes me even think about saying something I will have you ship side until we find replacements. Am I clear?" Zim had the two of them almost cowering. Muniz wanted to die. There was a moment of silence.
"AM I CLEAR?" Zim yelled, saliva spraying onto both of their faces.
"SIR YES, SIR!" They both yelled.
"Good. We have drop in an hour." Zim walked off but Brutto remained. He measured the two of them up the stepped up into their faces. His face was crinkled and contorted; Muniz thought it would almost look comical if he wasn't terrified.
"When we're done with this mission, the three of us are going to have a little get-together in the VR room. That copy?"
"Sir, yes, sir." They both said again. Brutto walked away and the two of them stood there in silence for a few moments. Several of the ships crew walked by and gave them quizzical looks but didn't say anything. Finally they looked at each other, shook hands and then moved on.
Carmen was sitting in her command chair watching the transport as it slid to a halt on the surface of Armstrong. The Razak was in orbit three thousand kilometers above it. She was not in the mood to have this drawn out and had conceded to Rico's plans. Hopefully it would all be said and done in two hours, maybe sooner. She watched as the drop ship shout out from underneath the Jean Razak and towards its target. She turned to her XO and shook her head.
"Comm., begin the clock." Junker said and two bars came up on either side of the main observation window, there was a moment of a slight hum then a light blue holographic clock began to count from zero.
"Best of luck boys." Carmen whispered to herself. She turned to Junker. "I want a constant fix on their beacons at all times. The Wolves are prepared?"
"They're in a drop ship on stand by." Junker said. There was a moment of silence. "One minute until drop."
Carmen nodded and gripped into the arm. It was going to be a tense two hours.
ARMSTRONG
There were benefits to a planet not having an atmosphere. When they dropped out of the drop ship the Roughnecks didn't encounter any heat or atmospheric resistance, which always caused a trooper to begin sweating. But rather than atmospheric friction, the Roughnecks got the dubious pleasure of dropping into plasma fire.
Rico looked at the clock display in his visor and called from the capsule jettison. All around pieces of metal and plastic filled the air. Rico looked up and saw the Marauders maybe a hundred feet away and closing. He turned and saw the drop ship as a faint light zigzagging between plasma fire but soon erupted into a ball of flame. Rico gritted his teeth and heard some curses from the troops.
"All right everyone, fire jets, drop your bombs." Rico pulled his directional controllers over his shoulders and began maneuvering towards the transport's upper body. He pressed a small button on his left arm and two tubes sprung out from either side of his pack and a dozen small golf ball-sized bombs rained down on the surface, after a moment silent explosions rippled across the ground. He grinned and looked back at his target. Gossard shot past him in the duck and quickly landed on the transport. Doc and L'Ioo landed on either side and began firing into the transport and the bugs coming towards them. Twenty seconds later Rico was on top of the transport. Brutto landed as he was supposed to but Muniz seemed to have had a slight malfunction in his pack and slammed into the back of the bug. Gossard was busy cutting with his torch into the thick hide and looked up for a moment to see him.
"He okay?" He asked looking back down. Muniz got up and was holding his left shoulder for a second. He bent over and grabbed his weapon and ran to Rico. Brutto stepped next to Rico and Muniz reached them, he had his gun ready and was looking quickly all around.
"You okay Private?" Rico asked looking at his arm.
"I think it might be dislocated." Muniz said with a grunt. Rico flipped down his visor and saw that Muniz was right. He turned him around and saw the problem; one of the tubes and ejected to hard and caused a rupture in the pack. The gun fire was constant now. Rico bit his lip for a moment the turned to Brutto who immediately knew his orders.
"Roger, sir. I think I can baby sit these two just fine." He said with a grin nodding sideways to Gossard.
"I heard that." Gossard said.
"How much longer Goss?" Rico asked as he nodded at Brutto and made his way towards Zim who was fighting alone with L'Ioo.
"Five minutes." He said after a moment.
"Good, keep burning." Rico said firing his pack and dropping down into the battle below. He dropped in right on top of a bug and pulled the trigger and began blasting into every bug in sight.
JEAN RAZAK
The clock read: 00:34:51. Carmen turned to her XO who was marking the times down and checking off planned times as they came. So far, so good. She flipped the comm. and connected to Lieutenant Breckenridge.
"Lieutenant," She took a breath to make sure he registered who was on the line. "How are your boys doing down there?" she heard someone yell out 'and girls!' and smiled. Breckenridge quieted the soldier and replied.
"Anxious Admiral. We're itching to get in there and do something." He said.
"Just sit back, everything is going according to plan. Hopefully we won't need you." Carmen said. She knew the people were probably getting more than anxious and restless. It was hard to sit back and just wait not knowing how your comrades were exactly doing, just expecting for the next call to be the one that sends you in to find their bodies.
"Hopefully not," Breckenridge said. "Wolves standing by." He said and cut the link. She didn't blame him. She wished she could be there too.
00:37:17.
ARMSTRONG
Max pulled the nuke off of the back of the duck and Gossard turned around as he dropped it in and slid it down on a tether. The battle below was still raging; he figured they'd have to get out of there soon. They looked around for a moment the Gossard punched up the countdown for the nuke and set it. He saw Muniz standing with one arm limp and the other with his rifle ready. Max turned back to Gossard and gave the thumbs up which cued him to start the countdown.
They walked to the south to the edge of the bug where Kepler, Doc and Murphy were wasting away bugs. Gossard smiled and was about to activate his jets when he noticed something. He stared for a moment then realized the bugs were in retreat. The situation normally seemed implausible and was now very odd, but he wasn't about to question it. He heard Murphy yell out in relieved joy, but that's when the transport began to shake. It was getting ready to take off.
Rico could tell for sure now that the bugs were in retreat. Part of him was relieved, but another part of him was worried. They might be regrouping and coming back or the transport was going to release some. He was about to radio to Gossard when the ground began to shake and he heard a dull hum. He knew exactly what was happening then. He flipped over to Brutto.
"Max! Get off of that thing now!" He shouted. He couldn't see anyone on top of it, but he was sure it was beginning to get the feeling that they might not make it off before the transport took to the air. Then he saw them leap from it, Muniz clinging onto the duck and Max firing his jets. But as they were almost down, the transport ignited its thrusters and pushed the air outwards when threw them all off their bearings. Rico ducked as a blast of sand and rock shot over them. L'Ioo was knocked backwards and flipped around until she hit a boulder. Rico called out to her but received no response. Zim had his hands dug into the dirt and teeth clamped down as they waited for it to die down. After a moment he could tell it was in the air and Rico looked up to see it shooting into the air. He checked around, he could see Murphy, Doc and Kepler on the other side checking their surroundings. The bugs would be back any minute. Doc broke through on the radio yelling for Gossard and the others. No reply came. Zim rushed to L'Ioo and pulled her out of the Marauder, he could tell her suit was badly damaged.
"Status Lieutenant?" Rico asked vaulting up onto the plain. The indention from the transport was hug and it looked as if much of the surrounding area had been blown around.
"She's banged up real bad Major; her suit looks like it could be compromised at any moment. We have got to get her off of this planet now!" Zim said. Rico nodded and listened as Zim began to radio for pick up. Doc was out of his marauder, he assumed that it had been as badly damaged as L'Ioo's. Kepler and Murphy were running across the plain heading north. He flipped his visor down and saw what they were running towards. Three forms were lying on the ground unmoving. Rico fired his jets and took off towards them, but that's when he heard Doc yell and turned back to see a horde of bugs closing in on them. He ordered Murphy and Kepler back to hold the line with Zim and Doc while they waited on pick up. He radioed to Zim.
"ETA?" Zim told him two minutes and he cursed. He was almost to them when he saw even more bugs coming in from where he was headed. He started to lose speed slightly and realized that his pack must have been damaged in the take off. Suddenly it went out and he crashed to the ground. He felt the sinews tear in his arm then the bone SNAP as his forearm folded under him. The momentum carried him a few yards and he used it to spring up and run the rest of the war. He slid in next to Brutto and started waking him up. He heard Gossard groan and crawled to him.
"Goss, wake up!" He yelled. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he tried to sit up and slammed his head into the canopy of the marauder. He moaned some more then smiled.
"Reporting sir," He said flipping the switch and throwing the canopy open. He began to climb out but yelled out. "That's it! Broken leg." He let out a sigh.
"We have to try and get you out of here." He turned around and saw Max lifting Muniz up off the ground. Both were conscious and the bugs were almost on top of them. The ground was shaking. Muniz and Max both turned and looked. Muniz pushed himself off of Max and pulled his gun off of his back, Max tried to do the same but it wasn't there so he unholstered his gun and began firing as the first few got to them. One slid across the dirt and Max jumped over it.
Rico pulled his gun off the ground and started firing. "Gossard!" He yelled. He heard him groan some more then sigh.
"I'm going to slow you down!" He said falling out of the marauder. "The nuke is set to blow, you guys need to get back to the ship, I'll hold them back!"
"Negative!" Rico yelled dropping a bug. He turned and saw Muniz lifting Max off the ground. He was shooting at a bug the whole time but it got through and clamped onto Max's arm. He yelled out in pain.
"Go!" Gossard yelled. Both turned as Brutto yelled again and saw Muniz firing into a bug, holding onto Max with his dislocated limb. Max's arm was missing and blood was flowing. "I've the detonator on the Marauder; you have two minutes before it goes. You need to get him off before he dies." Rico started to say something. "Better one of us than all of us."
The transport started coming down, the trail of fire arcing across the sky. Rico conceded and ran to Muniz and Brutto and told Muniz to hold on and grabbed Max. He forced Muniz's jets to fire and shot into the sky. He threw down his extra batteries at Gossard as he began to crawl away from the Marauder. He was soon out of sight and they all crashed into the ground near Zim and Doc.
Doc rushed to them and gasped out loud. "We have got to get him off of here now!" He said as the transport touched down. "He's in shock. He may be going into hypothermia if we don't move." Rico nodded and had Doc carry Max up there. L'Ioo was conscious and Muniz and Murphy helped her up the ramp into the transport. Zim and Rico laid down fire until they were all up. He thought about saying they were going back but there was an explosion and dozens of dead bugs flew up into the sky. Rico gaped and turned and ran up the ramp after Zim. It retracted and the door shut. The ship lifted off the ground and took to the air.
JEAN RAZAK
Carmen watched as the transport came towards them, right at them. She grinned and ordered the forward guns to take aim. She knew the Roughnecks weren't on it, their locaters still showed on the map of the planet. The guns were about to fire as the bug came into range when it exploded in a nuclear fire. Everything went white and several crewmen screamed as the automatic tints on the view ports failed to compensate in time. Everything for Carmen went white then dark again. She heard her XO scream for everyone to brace for impact.
Carmen clenched the arms of her chair as the ship suddenly pitched upward then rolled over; she could hear explosions and people yelling. The ship shook violently and she fell from her chair and hit her head against the corner of something. She grimaced and felt the flow of warmth pouring down her face. The ship was still shaking violently and finally the rumble passed. She felt around for a moment and felt a firm hand take hers. Her sight was coming back but everything was a blur. She felt herself sat into a chair and soon a few cries were coming up and calls for medics and damage reports. Soon she could see again, only slightly blurred and saw that her bridge was in total disarray.
Wires hung from the ceiling, pieces of the floor were ruptured, consoles were broken and fires burned all around. Smoke filled the sticky air and the stench of burning flesh was beginning to come to her as her senses came to her completely. Her ship was damaged, people were dying on it, she didn't know the status of the Roughnecks, and she was feeling light-headed. Junker stooped in front of her and smiled as she mouthed the word 'status'.
"The ship's going to be okay Admiral," He said bracing her up as she swayed. "Medic's are on their way up here, just stay awake, stay focused." She nodded but it hurt. She closed her eye as blood began to run over it. The doors were forced open in the back of the bridge and she tried to turn but her head was heavy and she felt herself falling. Junker braced her again and she felt firm hands grasp her shoulders and pull her onto the floor. Soon she was lifted up and being carried away. Assuring voices told her everything was going to be okay then everything seemed to just pass into a blur.
'No one is fool enough to choose war instead of peace — in peace sons bury fathers, but in war fathers bury sons.'
Herodotus, The Histories