Chapter 5 Dog on Call
Most jobs had shifts that lasted a couple of hours, then down time for going home and not thinking about work. Mercenary work was different. The lifestyle was, by definition, a full-time, all-hours job. The majority of the time was spent actually losing money, doing idle day to day things like maintenance and resupply, research and training, and even eating and sleeping; all of which counted as necessary time wasted in preparation for combat.
The first thing 621 did after finding a hangar to rent for her AC was link up to the planet side mercenary contract network, run by an administrative AI known as ALLMIND.
"Registration number Rb23. Callsign: Raven. Authentication complete." The AI stated clinically in a female voice. "Removing MIA status. Restoring access privileges. This is ALLMIND, the mercenary support system. Welcome back, Raven."
"Looks like you passed the authentication." Handler Walter noted positively over a communications line. "'Raven.' That's who you are now, here on Rubicon."
"…"
"I've picked up some work for you already. Take a look, 621."
"…" 621 looked over the two low level jobs in the vicinity of her landing zone, offered by opposing extraplanetary corporations.
Destroy Artillery Installations – Balam / Reward 100,000 COAM
Grid 135 Cleanup – Arquebus / Reward 68,000 COAM
"These are open calls from Balam and Arquebus. A few of the extraplanetary corporations occupying Rubicon." Handler Walter advised. "Do you think you can take them simultaneously? It would save on deployment cost."
"…" 621 said nothing, but agreed. She played the introduction to each mission.
"Attention, all independent mercenaries!" The Balam representative shouted like a drill instructor, reminding her of her time in the Navy. "This request comes from our affiliate, Dafeng." As he spoke, intelligence videos played in the background when relevant. "The Rubicon Liberation Front has deployed BAWS artillery throughout the Contaminated City." BAWS was a neutral corporation who openly sold cheap, mass-produced military hardware to all fractions on Rubicon. Except the PCA, because fuck the PCA. "The city itself has no strategic value, but we cannot allow them to hinder expansion of the Coral survey. Show us your ambition. Destroy the Liberation Front's artillery! Bonus pay will be awarded for destroying their MTs. We want the enemy weakened. Consider it an opportunity to prove yourself. Impress us, mercenaries!"
The other briefing was delivered with much less enthusiasm.
"To all independent mercenaries, this request comes from Schneider of the Arquebus Group." There was a sense of high-class elitism in the representative's voice. "The operation will take place in Grid 135, Southern Belius." Belius was the continent they were currently on. "Your objective is to destroy an MT squad sent by Dafeng, a Balam company, and a competitor. Grid 135 is a key foothold in Arquebus's efforts to conduct a Coral survey in the contaminated city. You, the independent mercenaries, are the key to maintaining our lead in the Coral survey race. The Arquebus Group looks forward to news of your success. Briefing over, and happy hunting."
"There should be no penalty for accepting both missions, even though you'll be betraying Balam minutes after completing their contract. The loss of a few MTs outside of the original AO shouldn't concern them too much. We're just mercs, after all. They'll understand." Handler Walter noted.
"…" 621 agreed, and readied herself for an extended combat sortie.
"The Client doesn't care who does this job…as long as it gets done."
Destroy Artillery Installations – Balam / Southern Belius - Contaminated City / Saturday. August 26th
/MAIN SYSTEM: ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
She landed on the outskirts of the city at the edge of a valley, overlooking some hilariously normal sized industry, structures built back when Rubicon had first been colonized.
"Commence mission." Handler Walter ordered. "Destroy all of the Rubicon Liberation Front's artillery placements."
621 blew through the outer defense perimeter, knocking down the flight of light combat drones and a pair of light humanoid MTs.
"We've got a corporate merc!" An RLF soldier shouted in fear.
"They're on to us already, the sneaky bastards!" Another added in frustration.
Entering the city proper, 621 followed along the length of a fallen megastructure up to a pair of MTs guarding the end of a shattered overpass, right in front of two of her targets. Sitting up on top of a building were two turreted platforms, each armed with a 300mm artillery cannon. Their heavy frontal armor necessitated that she boost in behind them, and strike at their exposed backside, causing the ammunition to cook off in each gun.
"Enemy attack! They're after the artillery!" An RLF commander realized. "Fight back!"
But 621 was quicker, and went over to their second improvised artillery base. This time there were three main targets and a dozen secondary MTs and drones. It took a bit longer this time, but they were not so well deployed to be able to counter her attack. It took her less than a minute to clear the second fire base.
"Head to the final site. Keep up the good work." Handler Walter ordered.
"…" 621 moved quickly to find the last fire base. Handler Walter had marked it's position some two kilometers away. She didn't even stop to completely engage a patrol she had passed, just paused to regain some energy and took flight, climbing the buildings.
"There! That corporate dog!" An RLF soldier pointed out. "Don't give them another inch! We have to defend the artillery!"
"Fire! Surround that AC!"
The last fire base was actually defended intelligently, with mortar armed MTs serving as snipers from building tops, and two of the four remaining guns were 200mm direct fire variants, able to fire high velocity rounds to defend the other two cannons. 621 found this out the hard way, taking a nasty hit that immediately knocked off 30% of her armor, and follow up mortar fire that took another 20%.
"…" Forced back into cover, 621 used a repair nanite pack, and reassessed the situation. Staying low but mobile she avoided the snipers, and came up to one of the direct fire cannons, destroying it with a laser blade.
"Show that interloper what makes the Liberation Front strong!" One prideful female RLF commander shouted. "Forged in ash, we stand as one!"
The facility directly behind the guns looked to be an abandoned prison, which 621 dropped into, killing the rear guard, and taking out the rearmost artillery gun with missile fire. With their rear exposed, she made short work of the rest of the cannons, then evaded back the way she came, towards the second contract.
"Confirmed. All Targets destroyed." Handler Walter announced. "That's it for this job, 621. Head to the next AO."
Grid 135 Cleanup – Arquebus / Southern Belius - Grid 135 / Saturday, August 26th
/MAIN SYSTEM: ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
"You've got ID. Now you need a rep." Handler Walter urged. "Commence mission. Wipe out the Dafeng MT squad."
Having flown back to the catapult launcher that had helped her during her initial incursion, 621 reentered the train loading junction, finding it occupied by a dozen light drones and another dozen MTs of light and humanoid design.
The only thing that made this mission difficult would be the space between each squad and the two massive holes in the floor that led to the surface seven kilometers below.
"Enemy attack! One AC!" A Defeng MT squad member shouted in alert.
"Looks like the Arquebus Group hired some muscle." Another MT squad member noted. "An independent mercenary. Huh…At least they didn't send the Vespers."
The Vespers were Arquebus's elite AC pilots. Their go-to heavy hitters when they wanted a job done right.
"There're just mass produced MTs. Wipe them out 621." Handler Walter ordered.
"…" 621 was way ahead of him, taking out the entire left flank. Eight of the drones and six of the MTs, all executed. She'd even kicked an MT off the edge of the platform, ensuring death through a seven-kilometer fall.
The only enemies who could put up a fight were the shielded MTs, but not by much. The shield could only protect them so long as they remained stable, and shooting it enough knocked them off balance, making them an easy target afterwards.
"This AC pilot's sharp!" An MT pilot warned.
"Focus your fire!" A junior commander ordered desperately.
Flying to the middle lane, 621 made short work of the two MTs, cutting them down with swift strikes of her blade.
"That merc's tearing through us…" A distant MT pilot noted in despair.
"Damn it! Arquebus really scored this time!" His partner shouted.
"Only a few targets left." Handler Walter noted.
621 let her missiles take out all the remaining drones, and then worked on the last four MTs, Two bipedal and two shielded humanoids. Her rifle cut through the bipedal easily, and she alternated kicking the shielded MTs, then executing them with her blade.
"…621, wait. I'm picking up new enemy signatures." Handler Walter reported. "Looks like reinforcements. Eliminate them."
Four more enemies entered the combat zone. Two heavy drones and two shielded MTs. The heavy quadcopter drones were armed with a large missile launcher, which itself could do decent damage, but were unarmored, and therefore glass cannons. 621 focused on them, firing four missiles to take out the first, then gunning down the second.
The last two MTs she repeated the process of kicking and blading them to death, spelling out their cruel fate.
"Commander Michigan…needs to know…" A surviving MT cried out, before their pilot died as well.
"The enemy MT squad has been eliminated." Handler Walter announced. "That's it for this job, 621, return to base."
Independent Mercenary Hangar – Central Belius
/COM: ONE NEW MESSAGE
/SENDER: ALLMIND
"This is a notification from ALLMIND, the mercenary support system. Registration number Rb23, callsign Raven. Your return to mercenary activities has been acknowledged. Restoring access to the parts shop."
"…" After her last three missions, she had accumulated just shy of four hundred thousand COAM. Deciding to put it to good use, she used it to purchase some items from the open market. A 50mm MG-014 Ludlow machine gun to replace her rifle and another four-cell missile launcher to fit her empty left-back mount. A few hours later the parts arrived by mail-order, and she took the time to install the new equipment and did some additional maintenance on her AC.
Her paint was starting to get scratched up, but she ignored it. Her day done, she decided to get some sleep, not certain she remembered to eat as well.
The next day, she woke up to see a new open request from Arquebus.
Destroy the Tester AC – Arquebus / Reward 95,000 COAM
"To all independent mercenaries, this request comes from Schneider of the Arquebus Group." The elitest man opened the briefing. "Dafeng, one of our adversaries allied with Balam, has introduced a new tester AC. It's a sample model from an external architect, featuring extensive assembly optimizations. In the hands of an experienced pilot, it will pose a threat too great to ignore. This brings me to the request. Intercept delivery of the tester AC and destroy it. The Arquebus Group looks forward to news of your success. Briefing over, and happy hunting."
"The target may be a product sample, but it's still an AC. Stay sharp, 621." Handler Walter warned.
Destroy the Tester AC – Arquebus / Southern Belius – Contaminated City / Monday, August 28th
/MAIN SYSTEM: ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
Dropped from the rented transport 1.3 kilometers above and away from the target, 621 engaged her assault-booster, and flew down and over the target, which was situated on top of a building with it's own transport behind it.
Closing to three hundred meters away, 621 fired both missile racks, letting eight missiles strike the unaware AC, nearly knocking it off balance and waking up the pilot, who dodged into a wall.
"We're under attack!" The Student Pilot yelled. "Must be the locals? No, it's an independent!"
"That pilot's just a trainee on delivery duty…but don't let your guard down." Handler Walter advised.
"…" 621 fired with her machine gun, staggering the pilot. She then went in and kicked him back, nearly causing him to fall over. He recovered and returned fire with his own machine gun.
"I'll deal with this merc! I've been training for this!" The Student Pilot assured himself.
"…" 621 flew above him, raining missiles down on his head, and continued to fire with her machine gun.
"The Redguns need this AC…I…I can't fail this mission!" The Student Pilot shouted.
Much like the Vespers were the elite of Arquebus, the Redguns were the pilots of Balam. Their elite private army for when they needed something eliminated.
621 kept up the heat, and forced the enemy to stagger. With two swipes of her laser blade, she'd nearly torn him apart.
"His ACS has reached breaking point. Go for a direct hit." Handler Walter ordered.
"…" With the only thing holding his AC together being blood and hope, 621 kicked him in the face, crushing enough internal systems to consider it a victory.
"I…I just…I just wanted a callsign of my own…" The Student Pilot cried out quietly. With nothing in her heart, 621 aimed her gun for his cockpit block, and fired through it.
"…Enemy AC destroyed." Handler Walter did not fail to notice that, but didn't comment further. "That's it for this job, 621. Return to base."
Independent Mercenary Hangar – Central Belius
"621, about the tester AC you downed…That was being shipped to the Redguns…Balam's in-house AC squad. They're Balam's main force, and it's members are no amateurs. Remember who you're messing with." Handler Walter warned.
"…"
There were two things she noticed after the mission.
One, Arquebus was cheap. They'd only paid her 95K COAM for that mission. Seems they liked to undercut mercenaries even for a few thousand COAM, which would have only been worth a few rounds of ammo. After ammo and repair cost, she'd made another 85K COAM.
Two, she had another mission.
Destroy the Transport Helicopters – Balem / Reward 80,000 COAM
"Raven!" The drill instructor man shouted excitedly. "This request comes from Dafeng, one of our affiliates. The Group has committed to the use of military force to handle the Rubicon Liberation Front. The target for this mission is a squad of transport choppers. Destroy them! You'll encounter guerilla resistance from BAWS mass-produced MTs, they're no great concern. You performed adequately in your last sortie, Raven. This did not go unnoticed. We will be watching with interest to see what you bring to the team." The briefing ended.
"…Now they're asking for you by name." Handler Walter noted. "Keep building your rep."
"…" 621 checked the time. Still early enough to restock her weapons. Eating though? Well…soon. Probably.
Destroy the Transport Helicopters – Balem / Southern Belius – Contaminated City / Thursday, Tiberius 1st
/MAIN SYSTEM: ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
She'd landed on a cliff overlooking several dispersed industrial zones separated by cold forest and hills. Only the one at the foot of the mountain several kilometers away was a megastructure. She was just under a kilometer away from the first objective. A squad of MTs protected one of the targets.
"Commence mission." Handler Walter ordered. "Destroy the Rubicon Liberation Front transport choppers."
Assault-boosting down into the combat zone, she nearly wiped out the MTs with her opening barrage of missiles.
"We're under attack! It's a corporate merc!" An RLF soldier cried out. She was already within their formation, cutting them down before they knew what hit them. She filled the chopper with holes, destroying it.
"Confirmed. Transport chopper down." Handler Walter recorded while setting her next waypoint. "Keep at it 621."
"…" She had to take a moment cut down another squad that deployed from the forest, tearing one man apart with machine gun fire and boosting into the two stragglers, cutting them in half with her blade.
The next facility was slightly better defended. Four light tanks, two missile turrets, three shielded MTs up front, and another pair of MTs in the rear guard. Set to multi-lock, her missiles made short work of the missile turrets and tanks.
"Hostile AC!" Another RLF soldier warned. "Defend our supplies! Our comrades on the Strider can't wait any longer!"
She used her blade to cut down one of the MTs, then used her missiles to overwhelm the other two. It gave her a long enough opening to tear the chopper apart with more machine gun fire.
"Damn the corporations!" The dying RLF soldier cursed.
"Confirmed. Target destroyed." Handler Walter counted. "Onto the next targets."
"…" 621 fired her missiles at the remaining MTs in this area, and flew up the side of a cliff to the foot of a megastructure building, ducking underneath a pipe twenty meters across.
"It's here! Fight back!" A female RLF Officer encouraged.
"We're no match for an AC…" One of their soldiers despaired.
"…" 621 proved him right, gunning down one MT and putting missiles into another.
"Have no fear!" The Officer insisted. "The Coral is with us!"
Four more MTs closed in on 621, but that's not the target she noticed the most.
"Looks like they've got a BAWS tetrapod." Handler Walter noticed as well. A four-legged mech more than twice the size and weight of an AC, and heavily armed with oversized weapons. "It's a cut above the other MTs. Ignore it and focus on the mission."
"…" 621 quietly disagreed. Dealing with the MTs quickly, she zeroed in on the tetrapod, firing a full spread of missiles. They did little damage, but started to loosen it's stance. It returned fire with an oversizd 156mm fiftieth gage shotgun, that 621 was able to dodge around. Closing in, 621 fired her machine gun, then hit the larger machine with a blade, causing it to stagger.
"What?! ACS overload…?!" The RLF Officer began to panic.
621 kicked her, then retreated to fire another volley of missiles. The tetrapod recovered, and fired with a high velocity cannon, just barely missing her. It then swung an oversized laser blade, trying to cut the merc in two, but 621 dodged easily, and flanked the tetrapod.
A rapid application of ordnance, missiles, gun fire, and blade, and 621 had staggered the tetrapod again.
"Enemy ACS down. Make it count." Handler Walter advised.
"…" 621 finished off the tetrapod, lancing through it with a laser blade.
"This can't be…who…who ARE you?!" The RLF Officer cried out before she died.
"…Got the tetrapod, huh? You're a natural at this, 621." Handler Walter praised. It didn't take long for 621 to destroy the remaining defenseless choppers with her vast arsenal. "Looks like you got them all. That's it for this job, 621. Return to base."
"…"
Independent Mercenary Hangar – Central Belius
Though the job had been only marginally well paying, Balam compensated her in kills. What had only been a job worth 80K was now paying 120K COAM after expenses due to the kills she acquired, including the BAWS tetrapod.
Feeling confident in her funding, she ordered three new weapons. She replaced her basic HI-32: Bu-TT/A laser blade with a heavier but more powerful Vvc-770LB laser blade, capable of large area attacks. She also ditched a missile pod, instead putting a Songbirds two barreled 200mm mortar on her left-back mount. Lastly, she replaced the four-cell missile launcher for an eight-cell VLS missile launcher.
Another fruitful day, another set of weapons acquired, another round of maintenance on the AC. Her paint had almost completely peeled off from the abuse she had been putting it through, and the first signs of rust had started to appear. 621 decided to sleep.
The next day, there was another new mission, that caught her and her Handler's attention.
Attack the Dam Complex – Balam / Reward 190,000 COAM
"Heard the good news from Walter, did you?!" The drill instructor man, who now shared his identity as G1 Michigan, greeted excitedly. "Good! Sit your ass down and listen! Balam's moving in on the Gallia Dam Complex, one of the Liberation Front's bases. The objective is to destroy their lifeline, and make those sacks of shit beg for mercy! I'll be sending two good-for-nothing maggots from the Redguns: G4 Volta and G5 Iguazu. You, your're just going to be tagging along on ass-wiping duty. I'm assigning you the callsign G13, a lucky little number that just became available." G1 Michigan purred sweetly before he reentered drill instructor mode. "G13, sound off!"
"…"
"Good enough. Now go get ready! We're going on a field trip, kiddo!" The briefing ended.
"…G13, huh. I'll stick with '621.' Don't let the Redguns teach you bad manners." Handler Walter ordered. "…And eat something, for god's sake. You look like hell."
"…"
Attack the Dam Complex – Balam / Southern Belius - Gallia Dam Complex / Saturday, Tiberius 3rd
/MAIN SYSTEM: ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
The Gallia Dam Complex was a region that had thirteen hydroelectric dams being fed from two glaciers and was split into two directions. Their objective was to attack RLF targets at three of the dams and a control station, and to destroy the transformers atop them. Most of the year, each of the lakes formed from the dams was frozen solid enough for ACs to put their weight on them without issue.
621 started behind G4 Volta and G5 Iguazu. G4 was armed with a heavy tank AC, with literal tank treads for legs and armed with a pair of artillery cannons, a shotgun and missile launcher. G5 was a medium wight, like her, and was armed with a machine gun, missile launcher, linear rifle (a kind of handheld railgun), and a pulse shield, a shoulder mounted forward facing energy shield.
She wasted no time, assault-boosting past the two Redgun ACs and towards the first objective.
"Balam Group AC squad 'Redguns', reporting for duty. Commence mission." G1 Michigan announced, acting as Operator for all three ACs. "Attack! Get in there, you maggots!"
"…" 621 was first to the objective, seeing four tanks and three MTs. She annihilated the tanks with a missile spread and knocked out two MTs with the double shot from her back-mounted mortar.
"Great, an independent merc." G5 Iguazu complained. "Who's the wise guy who decided the Redguns should be taking care of some freelancer?"
"Who gives a shit? We'll handle the mission ourselves." G4 Volta dismissed.
"…" While G4 and G5 played catch up and targeted the remaining MT, she moved in on the first target, a large power transformer, and swiped her laser blade through it, tearing it apart.
"One target destroyed." Handler Walter noted. 621 reengaged her assault-booster, flying across the gap and towards the next dam.
"Hey, freelancer. Bet no one even told you why we're here." G5 Iguazu stated in a mocking tone. "Well, us real Redguns are gonna go climb the Wall. This is just target practice. When we're done the locals little base is next."
"…" The Wall was the name of an important RLF base. A protected city and trade hub at the foot of a kilometer tall wall. It even had a "moat", though it was more of a three-hundred-meter-deep pit at the entrance. While G5 had been talking, 621 had engaged the next set of targets, several tanks and mortar MTs and a pair of turreted artillery guns. She left another squad and some turrets for the Redguns to mop up. She didn't want them to feel too…impotent.
"G5! Can't tear yourself away from chatting with the tagalong?" G1 Michigan called out his subordinate. "Why don't you start a sewing club together…and stitch that damn mouth of yours shut?!"
621 eliminated the second transformer.
"Two targets destroyed." Handler Walter counted, letting G1 Michigan do most of the hard work this mission, but keeping an eye on his asset.
"How about that. Guess you're not a total amateur." G4 Volta mocked.
"G4! Can't say I consider you a pro, either!" G1 Michigan chastised. "We don't need backseat drivers in the Redguns. Shape up, or ship out!"
"…" Ah…so that's how it was, 621 realized. G1 Michigan had been only slightly less than literal when he said that she was on "ass-wiping duty." The truth of the matter was that G4 and G5 were not the sharpest tools in his shed, and he wanted to see if G13 would amount to anything, and perhaps surpass his subordinates. They weren't the babysitters, she was.
"That was just the warm-up. Look alive, maggots!" G1 Michigan shouted.
"Wait 621…I'm receiving a coded transmission." Handler Walter alerted.
"…?" Oh?
"Raven. I represent the Rubicon Liberation Front. Our request is simple: we want you to take out the two Redguns. Our compensation will be double Balam's offer. Awaiting your response."
"…Interesting." Handler Walter hummed. "Your call, 621."
"…" Who the fuck did these motherfuckers think she was? Just another mindless, script-pinching, kill-anything-for-the-right-price, even allies kind of merc? If that…that…that damn bastard had taught her anything, it was that her word was her most valuable asset, and last she checked, she'd sold her name, not her word. She silently sent him a "Refuse" response, and returned to her original mission.
"Not in it for the money? Whatever the corporations are giving you, I hope it's worth it." The RLF representative dismissed, cutting the com line.
"Two generators to go. Keep moving, 621." Handler Walter tasked.
"Hope you're enjoying the field trip, kids. Don't wet your pants, now!" G1 Michigan cracked with an obvious grin heard even over the radio.
"Tch…does this guy ever shut up?" G5 Iguazu complained.
"G5! No luck with the sewing club, I see." G1 Michigan chastised his subordinate again. "That attitude won't get you far on Rubicon. Hope you pilot better than you sew!"
While they had been talking, 621 found a RLF BAWS tetrapod they had in reserve, smashing it for the extra challenge, and moved on to the third transformer, taking it out.
"One more target remaining, 621." Handler Walter advised.
"…" 621 flew up to the ice lake at the foot of the last target area, approaching low with G4 and G5 trailing not too far behind her.
"Do you hear me, you corporate vultures?!" A new voice, identified as Index Dunham of the RLF, spat on an open channel. "The Rubiconians will never yield. You're going home in armored coffins! Forged in ash, we stand as one!"
"Hot dog. They got an AC." One could almost hear G5 Iguazu licking his lips.
"More like an old piece of junk. It's barely different from an MT." G4 Volta pointed out.
"G4! You're not exactly cutting-edge either…You want to be next on the scrap heap?" G1 Michigan certainly had the most creative ways of saying "shut up" in his vocabulary.
"…" She would give the RLF pilot this: he was brave. The fanatical zeal of the RLF meant he was also too stupid to be intentionally suicidal though. Such as it was, three-on-one was hardly a fair fight, and she had no intentions to lose.
Index was smart enough to stay mobile, dodging several shots from the "much-to-be-desired" help she had, but 621 would not be so easily evaded. Her choice to use VLS missiles in an open environment meant there was little chance to miss, and she would gain altitude before firing her dual-mortar, ensuring she could at least score a near-miss even if he did evade the shot. In short order, she'd staggered him and kicked him, causing considerable damage to his AC.
"Independent mercenary! Why be a mere pawn?" Index Dunham tried to inspire her. "What honor is there in serving corporations that only exist to kill and plunder?"
"…" Maybe he was right, but 621 did not come to Rubicon searching for riches, fame, or honor. That would be the height of hubris. She knew what she wanted.
Closing in, 621 pierced his armor with her blade, securing the kill.
"Damn you…Scavengers…" Index Dunham cried out as he died. "Father Dolmayan…I've…failed you."
"Confirmed, enemy AC destroyed." Handler Walter counted.
"G13! Guess you're not just tagging along anymore!" G1 Michigan praised. "Now hurry up and destroy that stinking old dam. We've got a job to do here!"
"Looks like we got competition." G4 Volta smiled curiously.
"Tch…You got lucky, freelancer." G5 Iguazu hissed with barely contained contempt.
"…" 621 destroyed the last target. It exploded in a shower of sparks.
"Confirmed. All targets destroyed." Handler Walter announced.
"Looks like my good-for-nothings were good for something after all. Fieldtrips over!" G1 Michigan announced. "G13! I'll keep that lucky callsign open for you."
Independent Mercenary Hangar – Central Belius
It had been a long mission, and including the expenses, she only made about 150K COAM. It was within expectations.
/ONE NEW MESSAGE
/SENDER: G5 Iguazu
"…Tch. You got lucky, merc. You were the only warm body they could find. The Redguns are going to be first over The Wall. Have fun watching from the sidelines."
/END OF MESSAGE
"…" Whatever.
Another day done, she did more maintenance to keep her AC in shape. It had started to develop a light layer of rust, though. It wouldn't matter in the end. Everything would die and rust away on Rubicon…
Her Handler hounded her to eat something, so she took a bite of some MREs she'd had in stock. It was getting late, so she turned in, seeing what tomorrow brought.
It would be an…interesting surprise.
"621…there is an…unusual request today. Let's check it out." Handler Walter noted with curious reluctance.
Eliminate Squatters – PCA / Reward 50,000 COAM
"This is an open request to all independent mercenaries." The overly proud woman with the charisma of a Naval Officer announced. "An illegal settlement was recently established within the Contaminated City area. The nature of this operation demands extreme prejudice. Leave none of the settlers alive. That is all."
"…" Short and to the point, such was any dealing with the PCA. Most of the time, however, it ended with an exchange of bullets.
"This isn't the PCA's normal operating procedure." Handler Walter noted. "Other than the occasional attack against military targets, they tend to leave civilians alone. Something is going on here. I want you to investigate the target area, 621. Find out why the PCA is interested in eliminating these civilians."
"…"
Eliminate Squatters – PCA / Southern Belius – Contaminated City / Monday, Tiberius 5th
/MAIN SYSTEM: ACTIVATING COMBAT MODE
It didn't take long to find the area of interest. Long range heat sensors showed roughly two thousand warm bodies moving about a few buildings in a tight group. Long range visuals also showed another interesting detail. None of the targets were human.
"I see now." Handler Walter sounded mildly surprised. "The targets are all Jenson model androids. I heard a report that a slow-burn ship recently used old transponder codes to land on Rubicon and abandon several million of these machines on the surface. Technically speaking, the PCA has had an active kill-on-sight order for all Jenson model androids for the past fifty years. It must have been too out of their way to reach this settlement then, and they deemed the pocket change enough to cover the expenses for killing them."
"…"
"Taking this job won't build any reputation with the PCA. They'll still target you if you ever cross paths. That being said, it also won't antagonize any of the other fractions on Rubicon. I doubt anyone on this planet would be interested in these relics…at least…not outside of exploiting them. They supposedly have poor self-preservation instincts, and won't fight back."
"…"
"The ammo cost for killing them will almost certainly match the reward for this mission. We'll be killing for pocket change. That being said…I know how you feel about their relics. It's your call, 621."
"…" 621 boosted into the area of operations. Without warning, she struck, opening up with heavy mortars that collapsed a building with the Jenson model androids trapped inside. It appeared as though the androids had set up something of a market between several of the buildings. She targeted the area with heavy machine gun fire, tearing their fragile forms apart with armor piercing ammunition.
"…So be it." Handler Walter accepted the mission on her behalf. He watched shamefully as his hound went to dirty work.
Their disturbingly humanoid faces stared up at her in horror and fear. Some ran, and some begged pathetically for their artificial lives. Her machine gun on cool down, 621 boosted forward, and crushed the small machines under her feet.
"…" There was nothing in her heart but the mission at hand. No matter the indignity or injustice of it, a mission was a mission. To be completed to the best of her abilities.
A missile volley knocked down another building, crushing running androids in the street. 621 advanced steadily, taking many machine lives without any hint of remorse. It wasn't the revenge she sought; she would never have that. But it would have to do.
"…" Ensuring that none of the targets would leave here alive, 621 fired…
And fired…
And fired…
And fired…
And fired…
Author's Note: Okay. So I lied. The problem is that I like working on this story on the weekends, and accidently completed chapter 11 very early. So you get this. Next chapter WILL be chapter 11 of DBB, as soon as I finish chapter 16 of it.
As for this story, a few things to note. We're starting to break from the canon, what with that random PCA mission, and the Drones being on Rubicon now. Things going forward are going to be...interesting. Also, you might have noticed the date...that's because I decided to drive myself crazy and make a whole calendar for this story. That will be explained later. Only other thing is I changed the word "credits" to "script", since I think that's a much better word for future money.
Anyhow, stay tuned, and abide with Rubicon!