Mech Corps Page 24

  “I’ll make sure she does,” Shock said. “Fight hard, mechs.”

  “We plan on it,” Gore said and smacked the top of the drop ship. “Go!”

  He stepped away as the drop ship powered back up and took off.

  “Jethro! This is Gore! Send that MPT down as soon as Schroeder’s drop ship is clear!” Gore called.

  “Gore, this is Jethro and we read you,” Wan replied. “MPT is already deployed. You’ll want to step to the side. It’ll be there in less than two.”

  “Jesus,” Giga said. “They are cutting it close. What if we hadn’t gotten back in time?”

  “Then things would go squish,” Wall said. “Squish, squish, squish!”

  “Speaking of,” Roar said. “The fence is coming down now!”

  The energy flickered, flickered, failed.

  Wave after wave of xeno came pouring into the LZ, straight at the mechs.

  “Fire!” Gore yelled.

  The four mechs unloaded with their KYAGs, dropping the front row of the waves. They dropped the second row then the third. The dead xenos clogged up the attack, but didn’t come close to stopping it. The waves behind quickly flowed up and over their fallen comrades and were almost on the mechs when the MPT came screaming down out of the sky.

  “Flatten! Now!” Gore ordered.

  Each mech tossed their KYAG aside and hit the deck. They flattened out, arms and legs spread, as the MPT slammed into the ground only a few meters away. It hit so hard that it rippled the ground and the waves of xenos were tossed back out of the LZ. The mechs rode the rippling earth then shot up onto their feet as soon as the ground was even close to stable.

  The MPT opened wide and each mech sprinted to a lockdown spot, pressing themselves to the walls to be clamped in. The MPT closed and took back off. The pilots gritted their teeth and groaned as ten Gs pressed down on them. It was more force than was safe for any human, but there was no choice. The waves of xenos weren’t going to stay down for long.

  ***

  Parveet walked into the hangar and nodded at Schroeder.

  “Good job,” she said as the sergeant approached her.

  “Are you joking?” Schroeder snapped. “We lost over two dozen men and women down there, two mechs, and more equipment than I can even inventory.”

  “Don’t worry,” Parveet said. “Morisaki will give me a list. He’s already working on it.”

  “I’m not kidding, Boss,” Schroeder said.

  “I’m not either,” Parveet said.

  “This isn’t done,” Schroeder said.

  “I know,” Parveet replied. “I want you and the other squad leaders to join the pilots and command crew in conference room Delta as soon as you get cleared by medical and grab a bite to eat.”

  “Boss?” Chomps asked, looking extremely confused as she came out of the drop ship.

  “I’ll explain when we’re all gathered,” Parveet said. “Things have taken a very strange turn. Get checked, get clean, eat. We’ll talk soon.”

  Parveet marched out of the hangar and down the passageway, ignoring the many salutes and greetings she received. None looked offended. They were used to Parveet when she was on a mission. She reached the lift, stepped on it, stood stock still for the whole ride down, then exited with the same determination as she showed three decks above.

  She received more salutes as she walked into the mech hangar. The MPT had just arrived and the air was freezing as the system worked hard to pump warmth back into the massive space. The MPT opened and four mechs slowly made their way out and over to their mech bays.

  “I already told Schroeder and Chomps, but I’m telling you,” Parveet said. “Meet in conference room Delta as soon as you are cleared by medical, get cleaned up, and eat. We have an important decision to make.”

  The pilots only stared, mouths agape as they climbed down their mechs and reached the hangar deck, legs shaking and unsteady.

  Parveet regarded them and frowned.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know you’ve all been through Hell, but this can’t wait. Try not to take too long getting cleared and cleaned. Bring food with you, if you have to.”

  Then she left the mech hangar, proceeded to the lift, rode up several decks, exited, and walked down the passageway to Torn’s cabin. She didn’t bother knocking and barged right in.

  “Jay?” Torn asked, a mug of tea halfway to her lips. “What’s wrong?”

  “I lost people, good people,” Parveet snapped. “I lost two mechs. Mechs can be rebuilt, but people can’t. I need to know right this second what side you are on.”

  “I’m sorry? What side?” Torn asked, setting the mug down. She started to stand, but Parveet motioned for her to stay seated. “Jay, I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “I need to know what side you are on,” Parveet repeated. “Are you on their side or my side?”

  “Jay, I don’t think you understand,” Torn said. “We’re going to all work together to break from the UEC. We’re on the same side.”

  “No, we’re not,” Parveet said. “I’m Jethro. This is me and mine. And until I join me and mine with the breakaway faction, then there are most certainly sides. I need to know this very second if you are on their side or if you are me and mine. Answer now.”

  Torn opened her mouth, closed it, opened her mouth, closed it then nodded.

  “I’m Jethro,” she said. “I’m you and yours.”

  “Good,” Parveet said. “Meet in conference room Delta as soon as you finish your…what is that?”

  “Tea and a gray triangle,” Torn said and sighed.

  “The tea doesn’t help, does it?” Parveet asked with a smirk.

  “Not at all,” Torn said. “I’ll be there, Jay.”

  “Good.”

  Parveet left, marched down the passageway and into the lift. She rode it all the way up to the bridge, stepped out, walked past the conference rooms and onto the bridge proper.

  “Sitrep,” she said as she took her seat.

  “Warships incoming,” Stegson said. “I’m powering down weapons, diverting energy to shields, but I can have torpedoes online and firing within three seconds if this is a trap.”

  “I like your thinking,” Parveet said. “What else?”

  “They’ll arrive in about eight hours, Boss,” Flay said. “Where should we go? Stay on this side of Hrouska or put the planet between us and give us more time to have the engines up and running at full?”

  “Yes,” Parveet said. “Do that. How much extra time will that give us?”

  “About three hours,” Flay said.

  “Good,” Parveet said. “Lock it in. Axson? Get us there then I want everyone here to get some sleep. As much as possible before what happens happens.”

  “Yes, Boss!”

  8.

  The only non-stunned faces staring back at Parveet were Lucky’s and Torn’s. The rest looked like they’d been slapped by something very dead and very smelly. Gore raised his hand.

  “No,” Parveet said.

  Chomps raised her hand.

  “Yes,” Parveet said.

  “What if this is a trick?” Chomps asked.

  “It’s not,” Torn replied.

  “What if it is?” Chomps insisted. “Boss?”

  “It could be,” Parveet said. “The UEC has never been happy with how I run the Jethro. It could be a way to purge a few of us and clean house.”

  “That’s not what’s happening,” Torn said. “These families are serious. They want secession. They want a new way of living away from the lineage rules of the UEC.”

  “We’ll see,” Parveet said. “I told you before, Bee, that these ships will have to prove it to me. They even squeak out a fart of an engine leak and I will send everything I have at them. Including my mechs.”

  “Boss, even if this is on the up and up, what’s in it for us?” Schroeder asked. “We split with the UEC and we’ll have the other MEUs gunning for us.”

  “That’s the rub, Schroeder,” P
arveet said. “We’re the draw. The other MEUs see we’ve made a split and they may think about splitting too. At least the ones on SBE.”

  “You’re going to need Jennings on board with that first,” Lucky said and shrugged. “Only stating the obvious.”

  “I believe General Jennings will come around,” Torn said. “We have been eyeing him for recruitment for a long while now and he shows sympathies that align with our own.”

  “Whose own?” Parveet asked. “You’re Jethro now, right?”

  All eyes locked onto Torn. She gave a sad smile.

  “Yes, Jay, I am Jethro now,” Torn said. “But you know what I mean. Give me a break with the semantic wordplay.”

  “Semantic wordplay,” Gore said. “I like that phrase.”

  “Better than son of a butch?” Shock asked.

  “I hate you so much,” Gore growled.

  “Shut it,” Parveet ordered.

  “Are we going to put it to a vote?” Chomps asked.

  “That would be a good idea,” Lucky said.

  “Then what happens to those that dissent?” Schroeder asked.

  “I need to know if there is any dissent within this room first,” Parveet said. She studied the pilots, the sergeants, her command crew, then Torn. “The Jethro only works if you are me and mine. If we are one. We understood?”

  “Yes, Boss,” they replied.

  “Yes…Boss,” Torn said slowly.

  The room paused then burst into laughter.

  “Oh, I am going to remember that for a long time!” Schroeder cackled.

  “Vote,” Parveet said. “All in favor?”

  Every hand went up.

  “That was easy,” Parveet said. “As it should be.”

  “Boss? We are being hailed,” Wan called over the general comms. “Colonel Chavez of the UEC Warship Legion.”

  “Holy shit,” Gore said.

  “That’s some muscle,” Schroeder said.

  “We had better go respond, Jay,” Torn said.

  “I’ll assemble the crew as soon as I know this is happening for real,” Parveet said. “Dismissed.”

  She waited for everyone to get up and leave. Torn stayed.

  “Put it through, Wan,” Parveet said.

  A vid display at the end of the room came to life and a tall, gaunt man stared back at Parveet with hard eyes.

  “Parveet,” he stated.

  “Chavez,” Parveet replied. “Looks like we need to talk. Your ship or mine?”

  “Yours,” Chavez said. “I’ve never been on the legendary Jethro before.”

  “Send your shuttle over,” Parveet said. “I’ll have the pilot notified of which hangar to land in. I look forward to seeing you.”

  “I hope you do or this will be a very short meeting, Parveet,” Chavez said and the vid went blank.

  “Oh dear,” Torn said. “Jay, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect him to be so cold.”

  “Cold?” Parveet laughed. “Do you know Chavez?”

  “Never met the man,” Torn said.

  “That wasn’t cold, Bee. That was warm. If you ever see him cold, then you are already dead.”

  ***

  Six guards flanked Colonel Chavez as he descended down the shuttle’s side ramp. The man was very tall, close to seven feet, and looked like a strong wind would not only blow him over, but send him tumbling for eternity.

  “Parveet,” Chavez said when he reached the deck. He extended his hand. “Good to see you again.”

  “Chavez. Always a pleasure,” Parveet said, taking his hand and shaking it. She let go then pointed at a long table set up off to the side of the hangar. Torn was sitting at the head of the table, waiting. “Let’s have a seat.”

  “In here?” Chavez asked. “That’s the hospitality you’re showing me?”

  “Technically, from what Ambassador Torn has said, you are a traitor to the UEC and Earth,” Parveet said. “I should shoot you dead right now.”

  The guards tensed, but Chavez waved them off.

  “I’d rather you not, Parveet,” Chavez said and walked to the table.

  Parveet turned on her heels and followed. They took seats opposite of each other, Chavez to the left of Torn and Parveet to the right.

  “Talk,” Parveet said.

  “Have you informed her?” Chavez asked Torn. “Does she know the scope?”

  “She does,” Torn said.

  “Then there isn’t much else to say,” Chavez said. “You either agree to join us and have a chance at freedom or you refuse and I return to the Legion to get what happens next started.”

  “My most trusted crew members have agreed to become a part of this faction of yours,” Parveet said. “But that is because I am ready for it. I am going to ask for a general vote from the entire crew. Tell me why I should ask them to risk their lives and the lives of their families for what can only be called a pipe dream, Chavez.”

  “Their families will be safe,” Chavez stated. “I have a roster of the entire crew of the Jethro and we are already moving to get them to safety.”

  “Are you now?” Parveet said and looked at Torn. “That took some preplanning.”

  “Better safe than dead, right?” Chavez said, drawing Parveet’s attention back to him. “They are not compromised, but only safe. If your crew decides against joining the secession, then the families will be allowed to go wherever they please without repercussions. We are not the UEC; we do not retaliate.”

  “And if some of my crew doesn’t want to be a part of this? I will insist they are allowed safe passage back to Earth,” Parveet said.

  “Of course,” Chavez replied and nodded. “We do not want anyone here that does not want to be here.”

  “Good,” Parveet said.

  “Is there anything else?” Chavez asked.

  “Yes,” Parveet said. “The Jethro remains autonomous.”

  “Excuse me?” Chavez replied. “Parveet, please, there has to be a chain of command for the military branch of this endeavor to operate properly.”

  “Yes, I know,” Parveet said. “And I want the MEU branch to be autonomous. In exchange, I will guarantee that the other SBE MEUs come onboard. But I will be in command of all of it and only report to the very highest of whatever council or congress or legislative body is set up with this new faction. I don’t report to you, I don’t report to any general, not even Jennings.”

  “And what assurance would we have this new centralized MEU power wouldn’t be used against us?” Chavez asked.

  “None,” Parveet said. “That’s the point. You trust me with command over all mechs and I know I can trust you. That’s the deal or there is no deal.”

  Chavez glanced at Torn and the woman shrugged.

  “You have always played your own game, Parveet,” Chavez said. “I would be a fool to think you would stop now.”

  “Yes, you would be,” Parveet said.

  “Fine,” Chavez said suddenly. “You get autonomy.”

  “Great,” Parveet said. “Glad you agree.”

  “I agree because there is something more important than the mechs and your ego at stake, Parveet,” Chavez said and leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together. “Now we talk about Hrouska.”

  ***

  “That is what is being offered,” Parveet said to the assembled crew that filled the entire hangar. It was shoulder to shoulder, ass to front. “I’ll give you a moment for it all to sink in before you–”

  Hands shot up. All of them.

  Parveet knew the Jethro was a complete unit, but even that show of solidarity nearly knocked her off her feet.

  “I think we’re good, Boss,” Lucky said as he stood at her side. “Should I call the Legion’s XO and tell her?”

  “Yes,” Parveet said. “Then let’s start brainstorming on how the hell we take Hrouska from those damn xenos.”

  9.

  “All I’m saying is it’s not a matter of if we can, but more a matter of if we should,” Shock said as he stuffed a
hunk of square into his mouth. Bits of gray flew from between his lips as he chewed and talked. “I’ve been down there. I’ve seen one of their cities. They have a civilization and we are talking about wiping that out.”

  “Where else are we going to go?” Wall asked.

  “Hell if I know,” Shock replied. “But this is genocide, people.”

  “We’re already at war with them,” Giga said.

  “Et tu, Giga?” Shock asked.

  “Shut up,” Giga said.

  “Nah, Shock is right,” Gore said as he twirled a fork with a full triangle stuck on the end.

  “Don’t play with your food,” Chomps said.

  “They started it,” Roar said. “They attacked us.”

  “Because we landed on their planet with guns out and ready to fight,” Shock said. “I’m not saying that I won’t go down there and kick some xeno ass, I’m only saying that the morality of all of this is grayer than this piece of shit I’m eating.”

  “What was it like down there?” Hawker asked as she and Rots sat down next to the group of mech pilots. “What did you see?”

  “It was massive,” Shock said and described the city.

  “Jesus,” Hawker said. “That does make things tricky.”

  “I know, right?’ Shock said. “It’ll be hard to say if we’re the good guys or the bad guys in all of this.”

  “We’re the good guys,” Schroeder said, joining them. “We’re always the good guys.”

  “Not that simple,” Gore said.

  “It’s not,” Shock said.

  “At first, maybe,” Schroeder said and shrugged. She took a huge bite, chewed, swallowed, then continued. “But once we started fighting, and they started killing us and ours, then it got very simple, very fast. Your gray morality is bullshit, Shock. We’re already at war. Whether we started it or not is something future generations can argue. But for now, we have no choice but to go down there and finish it. Otherwise, every single person that died down on that planet or up here, Jethro and Dorso, died for nothing. Absolutely zip.”

  The table went quiet.

  Chomps nodded. “That’s a good point.”

  “Yeah,” Gore agreed. “We pissed in the pool. Nothing we can do about it now. Might as well keep pissing.”