"Holy shit, these names are awesome!" Simmons said with amazement.
"Yours is the Blood Artillerist," Grif said flatly. "What the fuck even is an Artillerist? Is that some kind of painter or something to do with the heart?"
"That's an Artery, Grif," Doc informed helpfully.
"It means, I'm the gunner. Though, that's usually for bigger siege weapons? Did they think I launched the mortars?" Simmons wondered.
"They better not have! Those were my kills!" Omega informed from Church's shoulder.
"Man, all I got was the lamest cowboy nickname, The Rider," Grif said with a scoff.
"Dude, stop your bitching, they think you're a badass that rides feral monsters into battle," Church reminded.
"Okay, hold up!" Tucker called, holding up both hands. "Sea-Blade is a bitchin title, I will not complain, but...why?"
"It must be the sword!" Donut said. "They didn't know what it was, so they went with Sea-blade. Also, you're a bit on the aqua side, so maybe some color bias?"
"I can dig it if they think I'm a sea god! I'll be getting all kinds of ladies wet!" Tucker said with a grin.
"What did I miss and can I kill Tucker today?" Tex asked as she walked up to the group.
"There she is!" Sarge said with a chuckle. "There's the She-Death herself!"
"Excuse you?" Tex said tonelessly. "Should I change the request to killing Sarge?"
"Relax, Andy here was just telling us about the nicknames the Roman-wannabes have for us," Church informed with a grin. "Some of them are Kick-ass. I'm the fucking Spear Lord. I got some Odin-shit going on apparently!"
"And they call me the She-Death?" Tex asked curiously.
"Well, She of Death," Andy informed. "They think you're a Battle-Goddess of Death."
"...Accurate," Tex allowed with a tinge of pride in her voice. "Still, Spear Lord? Surprised Tucker didn't try to fight you for that title. I'm sure the locals will be making stories about sacrificing maidens to the rod of the Spear Lord."
"Revolting, Alison, truly revolting," Omega said in disinterest.
"Jesus, Tex, did you have to go into that much detail? Tucker might actually want the title now," Church said with a sigh.
"Nah, I'll stick with the possible Sea-God thing my lore is building," Tucker waved off.
"I take it by this little talk you dealt with the invading army?" Tex asked bluntly.
"We sent them packing, but we're not sure if they're leaving or regrouping yet," Church answered. "We're going to figure out some kind of stealth recon shit when the sun is up. Give them time to decide to pack it up or try again."
"You hit them again, you'll probably make them really want to run," Tex suggested. "Why wait?"
"That's the one hiccup," Church said, nodding over to Simmons.
"They have magic. Like wizards or witches, casting fireballs and mini-tornadoes!" Simmons said, more excited than anything. "So, um, yeah. Church thought it was a mild enough variable to be a little cautious and wait until morning."
"That makes sense, I'll admit. I'm not really surprised by the magic thing at this point though," Tex admitted.
"Also, we have friends watching us!" Caboose informed happily.
"..." Tex looked around at them all strangely. "What the fuck does he mean?"
"We had some onlookers taking a peek at us," Sarge informed. "Head Blutard here says they don't look like they're with these empire boys, so we're waiting to see what they do."
"Look, we're here to fuck up this Saderean empire, not the random elf and other magical folk between them and us. I'd rather not make more enemies because we got trigger-happy," Church said flatly.
"I'm all for that," Grif said with a nod. "Killing these bastards isn't hard, but it is a bit of a chore."
"Sacrilege!" Omega cried out, pointing accusingly at the orange trooper.
"Bite me, lapdog," Grif retorted.
"Oh, the only lapdog the Boss has is Tex over there," Omega said with a cackle.
"I miss when we were trying to kill him," Tex said with a sigh.
"The feeling is mutual, but I will admit, this is starting to grow on me! Having a band of murder misfits is far more appealing than just having minions," Omega said with a grin. "It's almost worth sharing the kill count. Almost."
"You do realize that your ass is basically Church's minion now, right?" Andy pointed out in amusement.
Omega paused. "I am disturbingly okay with that. Why Am I Okay With That!? Church, what have you done to me?! Was this some long-term scheme to infest my coding with some kind of loyalty virus!? If so, my respect, it has worked flawlessly," Omega informed, very disturbed by his own lack of reaction to being called a minion.
"Dude, chill, don't make it weird," Church instructed flatly.
"You have a murder-bot docile and on a leash, it was weird to begin with," Tucker pointed out.
"I don't have Omega on a leash, fucking drop it," Church said in annoyance.
"Wow, fine, just joking," Tucker said, backing away in bewilderment. "Oh... oh, wait! No, dude, not like that! I wasn't trying to imply some kind of weird cyber pet play!"
Church took a long breath. "Okay, Tex? Now you can kill him."
Tex looked at Tucker.
The Sea-Blade wisely fled before the She of Death pursued him.
Meanwhile
"Agent Washington, AKA David Roberts," Emersyn read off. "Part of the Recovery units, to retrieve Freelancer Equipment in the event of an agent's demise, AI included. This is you, correct?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Washington acknowledged stoically from his seat.
"We already know the murky details about your own experience with AIs. Despite the Director attempting to keep us locked out while he's in hiding," Emersyn continued. "An AI unraveled in your head."
Washington remained silent and unmoving.
"Agent Washington?" Emersyn asked promptingly.
"Sorry, yeah. I...try not to think about that. It's a bit strange to be talking about it without having to watch my words," Washington explained.
"Watch your words?" Emersyn repeated.
Washington nodded. "The Director, the Counselor, everyone. I tried to hide what Epsilon...left behind."
The way he said that would make less experienced people shudder, Emersyn knew. "Let's take it slow. We're still unclear on certain things. For a start, why did the AI unravel? It has happened, but either at inception or under extreme situations."
"Extreme doesn't cover it," Washington said, rubbing the back of his helmet. "You know the deal with the AIs, right? What they are, how they are made?"
"They are aspects of the Alpha AI, harvested after enduring extreme simulated torture until his mind fractured," Emersyn said with a frown.
Washington nodded and fell silent for a time. "Epsilon inherited the memories of the Alpha."
Emersyn didn't react at first, because how does one comprehend that?
"When Epsilon was activated, he experienced all the pain and horror at once. It was too much. I just happened to be the unlucky passenger along for his suicide attempt," Washington explained bitterly. "I saw...everything. Things the director didn't want anyone to know because, well..."
"The Alpha AI is based on the Director of Freelancer," Emersyn acknowledged. "And you've been holding onto everything you know to bring them down. Same as Agent Texas."
"Yeah. Not that I could ever seek her out or anything. The Director would have sniffed that out instantly. You can imagine how obsessed he is with the Beta AI," Washington said with a tisk before shifting. "That trooper, Church? Tex's boyfriend? Is he...?"
"He is the Alpha. He doesn't remember it though," Emersyn remarked.
"And the higher-ups haven't ordered him deleted?" Washington asked in surprise.
"AIs are not an enemy Humanity wants to have. The last thing we want after the Great War is a Skynet-style uprising across all human-controlled worlds," she explained.
"Never knew that. AI wasn't something I looked into a lot before the project and after? I think they made sure our knowledge of it was very...controlled," Washington mused.
"If Epsilon is the Memories, he's the one most like the Alpha, I would assume," Emersyn remarked. "I hate to ask you this, but how do you imagine Church might react once he realizes he's the Alpha?"
"Hard to say. I didn't know the Alpha was still active in any way. That said..." Washington said, trailing off. "I wouldn't get in his way."
"Of what?" Emersyn asked.
"The Director, for a start."
Meanwhile
"Have the deserters been dealt with?" Velus Libu Harlus asked coldly, acidly as he stood in his tent with those the officers among the legion that were still living and loyal.
"Yes, Legatus, those we captured," the camp prefect answered grimly. "Three centurions were put to the crux, several legionaries whipped as an example. The legion remains intact, regardless of our losses."
And their losses were great, it went without saying.
Velus simmered darkly as he looked at a simple map. "They rained fire upon us and didn't suffer a single casualty. These Iron Warriors must have a weakness. Why have defenses if they are invincible?"
No one argued with the Legatus. All knew not to. To even refer to the enemy as Iron Gods or anything implying divinity was considered a criminal offense under the Legatus.
"The mages still with us have no idea what to do," one of the auxiliary leaders informed grimly. "To say nothing of the dragons the Spear Lord cost us."
Velus hummed. That much was true. Both in the stories of the first army and the battle here, the dragon knights were primarily slain by the one his people called the Spear Lord. The leader of the Iron Warriors, in all likelihood. Even Velus noticed the shift in the battle around the time he seemed to show up.
"Legatus!"
All turned to see a rider, one that Velus was sure was not with the legion. "Where do you ride from, soldier?" Velus asked with a frown.
"From the capitol, sir. The emperor ordered word sent out to all the nobles and governors, and this legion as well," he said, presenting a scroll to the legion's leaders. "There have been sightings of an Ancient Dragon in this region, one of red flames."
Velus narrowed his eyes. "This area? They are certain?"
"Yes. The location is not known, but several villages have been destroyed already," the rider explained. "By your leave, Legatus, I must set out. More places need to be warned."
Velus nodded, waving the soldier off to do his duty.
"Perhaps the gods answered our prayers!" a centurion said with a smile. "Surely such a beast could handle these nightmares!"
That was true, Velus knew. An Ancient Dragon was a great and terrible threat.
But then the glory and honor would be gone. There would be no triumph in allowing a monster like that to happen across these foes and do them in for the Empire.
"Double the patrols. We'll decide on a new plan tomorrow," Velus ordered sternly.
"Legatus, we can't just charge them like that again," one of his advisors urged. "Another massacre like that, the legion will crumble if it even survives! Gods or not, we know no way to harm these-"
"Then we will find a way!" Velus bellowed before turning at the offender. "What would you have us do? Turn back now with nothing but defeat to share? Do you care so little for our great Empire that you will turn and flee for your life before even discovering a weakness to these Iron Warriors?!"
The man gritted his teeth. It was clear others would like to turn back, but very few were willing to voice these desires to the Legatus.
"Dismissed all of you. And if I hear any more talk like that, I will strip any cowards of their ranks to return home only with disgrace and ridicule," Velus warned harshly.
The officers filed out quietly, leaving the Legatus to ponder the situation himself.
Meanwhile
"Wow, this drone shit actually works," Church said in mild surprise.
They had gathered in a room that was mostly finished to function as a command center. They stood around a table with a holographic projected in the middle displaying a bird's eye view of the tattered legions.
"Come on, doesn't this thing have any lasers? Missiles? Guns? Grif-launchers?" Sarge asked in disappointment.
"Sorry, Sir, but it is only a surveillance drone," Simmons reminded while steering the craft remotely.
"Don't worry, Red Meat, I'll be sure to install some deadly treasures upon that dove," Omega said with a cackle from Church's shoulder.
"When did you get poetic?" Church asked in surprise.
"I blame the pink one over there," Omega said with revulsion. "Hopped into him by accident."
"It's okay, Omega, you can be in me anytime!" Donut offered, warm and welcoming.
"No!" Omega denied before turning to Church again. "I believe I slogged through his poetry collection on the way out."
"Can we focus?" Tex requested flatly.
"I'm not sure we can," York answered. "Also, do I need to be here?"
"Not really," Church said without much interest. "Besides, I think they want to talk to you again on the other side."
"Great, more grilling," York drawled as he stood and left. "Have fun with the bloodbath."
"Great, now I'm craving something barbecued," Grif said with a sigh.
"Anyway, looks like we were right. Our friends aren't fucking off tonight," Church remarked, drawing attention back to the drone's feed, and the encampment that was still relatively nearby.
"This wasn't like last time. Here, most of the army retreated before it got turned into too much of a slog," Tex observed. "Wish Delta was here to give us an estimate."
"10-15% would be my guess," Omega supplied. "I may not be the glow stick in terms of being a calculator, but I am still an AI!"
"Another good chunk looks like they deserted and kept their asses running as far as they could, "Church mused. "I think we can say a fifth, maybe even a fourth of the army is gone. But that still leaves most of them."
"So what? We can just throw them back no problem," Tucker reminded calmly.
"Look, I'm all for putting work off, but I get the feeling these assholes will keep coming until they all die or we scare them off," Grif remarked.
"Are you actually suggesting a counter-strike? You?" Simmons asked in surprise.
"Grif, I hate to say it, but I'm actually proud of you!" Sarge gave with a chuckle.
"Grif's on the right track," Tex mused. "After a battle like that, another good hit might send them running for the hills. The question is, what do we hit them with?"
"Shelia," Church answered bluntly.
"Ohh, Shelia is coming to this side of the magic door!?" Caboose asked in excitement. "Yay!"
"Once we clear up the path enough, we just bring her through. Some of us go with her and we just wreck their camp until they get the message," Church summarized
"Umm, Church, as a reminder, there is just one tiny problem," Doc remarked. "And I don't mean that we probably won't be able to save most of the wounded."
"What's that?" Church asked as the medic touched a button on the hologram, changing the image.
"...Dude, why are we looking at a picture of the trees?" Tucker asked in confusion.
"Sorry, sorry, wrong button," Doc said as he fumbled with the controls.
It flashed from the tree lines to the camp to the bloodier areas within the base, and then to some home video Donut had made of himself dancing.
"Hey, hey, I'm not done editing that!" Donut protested pointedly.
"Can I unsee that, please?" Grif asked with a sigh.
"I'm with the procrastinator," Omega remarked dryly.
"Hey! It might be Grif, but we have a rule against touching those without permission on Red team!" Sarge warned the AI.
"Donut's existence explains why this rule fucking exists," Church muttered.
Donut gave an indignant humph but didn't deny the words.
"Got it, here!" Doc said with a breath of relief as a new image appeared.
"Church! Look! Our tree-friends have returned!" Caboose declared happily.
Indeed, the hologram now showed the image of several elves observing the unfinished base and the blood battlefield from the cover of the trees.
"Not friends, Caboose. Not yet at least," Church mused. "And right, it might be time to address our first third party in this shit show."
"Our first third...what?" Grif asked in confusion.
"My brain hurt a bit at that," Tucker agreed with a headshake.
"He means that maybe we should talk to the elves- fuck, never thought I'd say that- since they're not with this empire we're fighting. Slaughtering, really, but still," Tex explained.
"Right, you all do that, but I'm going to go check on my sister. I haven't seen her since the fighting stopped," Grif mused.
"Oh, I sent her back to get Junior," Church explained casually.
"What!?" Tucker stood up.
"Why!?" Grif leaned forward.
"The HELL!?'' They both finished in sync.
"Wow, Jesus, fuck! Look, fighting here is done. I figured we should get Junior over here to have some snacks on the corpses and blood pools," Church explained, pausing afterward. "Huh, just realized how fucked that sounds."
"You sent my sister to fetch the alien leech baby?" Grif asked in annoyance.
"You sent the walking pastry dish of STDs to pick up my blood-drinking son?" Tucker asked pointedly.
"I'm going to let that insult to my sister go because that is a valid concern!" Grif said, but still annoyed.
"Come on, Emersyn's doctor said she was clean now, last they checked," Church said.
"Right, last they checked. How recent was that?" Tucker asked knowingly.
"Doesn't matter, it could never be recently enough with her," Grif said with a sigh. "Come on, let's go make sure our families don't get weirdly intertwined. I don't know when those shits can start laying eggs in people."
"I wanted to be insulted on my son's behalf, but you know what...valid fucking concern. I should ask that new alien some stuff about parenting the little guy," Tucker said as he and Grif left.
"Oookay, didn't see that coming. Don't know why I didn't, 'cause I felt like I should have," Church mused. "So, Tex, want to help me terrorize some Romans with a tank?"
Tex paused before answering. "Yeah. But after we're done with this, there's something I really need to talk with you about Church."
Church looked at her with a hair of seriousness to his demeanor. "I'll hold you to that, Tex," he said. "Now, who the fuck else is coming along?"
End of Chapter
Tucker and Grif bonding over worrying about Sister and Junior being left alone together. Yeah, didn't plan that but its fucking funny as hell! And yeah, the Legatus prooves to be a stuborn dumbass, so they'll have to give him another push. And more elves showed up! But also, yeah, poor Wash finally gets to talk about the shit in his head.
Early viewing of chapters 25-26 avaliable on my pat-reon:
p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64