* * * * *
The Arm's main Commander academy was lit up brilliantly with hover cars filling up almost every parking space and fireworks were being fired up as the the graduation ceremony was concluded. Three friends sat at a table at the edge of the ceremony. One, who was named Alex, was speaking. "huh, we'll probably be gated out of here before morning, At the rate the war is going and here everyone is getting drunk and staying up till 2 in the morning, not exactly a fit state to command an army in, is it?" Chris, another of the newly minted commanders, thought for a moment; "well it certainly wont improve there judgement capabilities, and that's the truth." Joren, the third, and also the economist of the trio, smiled and said, "yeah, exactly the kind of people you want commanding a 950 million credit, 50 foot tall, heavily armed and armored robotic killing machine, now don't you?" "give 'em a break," said a voice from behind them. Commander Davenport, a 15 year veteran, walked to the table. "Their just haven a little fun." The junior commanders smiled. "However, your all ordered to retire to your quarters, immediately." "What happened to having some fun?" "Well its just that we don't think people who will be commanding an army in the morning should get drunk or stay up till two AM." The colonel smiled back.
* * * * *
Chris sat in a dark room with Joren and Alex, surrounded by screens displaying a large area on the planet Thalasian. The planet was a huge ocean, with islands being very common. "The Core has a small airbase on this island. It is serving as a defensive outpost to their main base on the planet, about 160 kilometers to the North of its location. For convenience's sake we are going to call this outpost "zeta." Now Zeta consists of 2 basic air plants, a sea plant, several pulveriser batteries, and a few metal extractors and tidal generators." Alex rolled his eyes. These field trainings were supposed to be challenging. Apparently they weren't. "There are also a few air repair pads that service squads of shadows and avengers that form the patrols." Joren glanced at the display screen that showed the base. "You will be dropped here," he pointed to a cluster of islands on the screen, "about 30 kilometers from the outpost. The Core should have detected you after about 5 minutes, but by that time You should be able to fend them off, as no advanced aircraft are believed to be in the area. The three of you and commander Davenport will gate to the planet in 15 minutes. From our main base you will be taken to your objectives by Atlas transport craft. From this moment, until the end of the world, all three of you will have your names recorded as Commander in any official document, and you are all given the entrance rank of captain in the Commander division of the military." The briefer stopped for a moment and looked over them with almost sad eyes. "Gentleman, no matter what happens out there on the field during your hopefully long careers, it has been an honor to know all of you, and all of your class mates." As the briefer turned his unit patch shone in the light of the screen for a second. In that time Chris recognized the patch. It belonged to a commander squad that had attacked Grindonhurst 23 years ago. A squad that had been slaughtered in that assault. And a squad that had only one survivor. As the briefing ended, Chris walked over to the man, "it was an honor to be briefed by you sir," and shook his hand.
* * * * *
A ladder was descending from the front of the massive bipedal giant that stood in the Nuclear blast proof Concrete and steel bunker 10 miles to the east of the Arms main commander academy, more than a dozen other machines were repeating the action around the bunker. Chris touched the side of the Commander units legs. He had piloted a commander before of course, but this time was going to be in combat. Were there are real lasers and plasma shells flying at real targets. Namely him, for instance. This time he might Die. He climbed up the ladder. He wouldn't die of course. Not this time. This was just a training mission wasn't it? Nothing to worry about. But what about the next time? or the time after that? or after that, or that.... Chris was jolted back to reality by the loudspeaker. "squad 117 report to Gate immediately ."
That was his squad. Chris quickly strapped himself into the command chair of the 50 foot mech.
He keyed for the ladder to retract into the commanders chest and it did so instantly, creating a barrier between him and the outside world that would stop lasers, radiation, or even chemical weapons. The command displays flickered on one by one, showing him a overhead view of the bunker, as well as a 360 view of the area. Now he had to move his commander through the bunker and to the galactic gate. He could do this 2 ways, first he could issue a move way point to the gate on his command screen, or he could manually walk the commander to the gate. He chose the later. The other graduates looked up at him as the massive walker strolled to the huge turbolift in the center of the bunker. It raised him up to the top of the bunker, where the galactic gate sat. His squadmates were already there, "what took you so long," Joren asked over the transmitter in each of the commanders. "Hes still on time," Davenport said, "we are cleared to gate at our leisure, so lets not keep command waiting. After me please." Davenports commander strode up into the unfolded gate. Alex followed closely, then Joren, and finally Chris. A jolt ran through him as his commander was pulled into the Void Vortex, and suddenly Chris and the rest of his comrades were falling through space time.
A ladder was descending from the front of the massive bipedal giant that stood in the Nuclear blast proof Concrete and steel bunker 10 miles to the east of the Arms main commander academy, more than a dozen other machines were repeating the action around the bunker. Chris touched the side of the Commander units legs. He had piloted a commander before of course, but this time was going to be in combat. Were there are real lasers and plasma shells flying at real targets. Namely him, for instance. This time he might Die. He climbed up the ladder. He wouldn't die of course. Not this time. This was just a training mission wasn't it? Nothing to worry about. But what about the next time? or the time after that? or after that, or that.... Chris was jolted back to reality by the loudspeaker. "squad 117 report to Gate immediately ."
That was his squad. Chris quickly strapped himself into the command chair of the 50 foot mech.
He keyed for the ladder to retract into the commanders chest and it did so instantly, creating a barrier between him and the outside world that would stop lasers, radiation, or even chemical weapons. The command displays flickered on one by one, showing him a overhead view of the bunker, as well as a 360 view of the area. Now he had to move his commander through the bunker and to the galactic gate. He could do this 2 ways, first he could issue a move way point to the gate on his command screen, or he could manually walk the commander to the gate. He chose the later. The other graduates looked up at him as the massive walker strolled to the huge turbolift in the center of the bunker. It raised him up to the top of the bunker, where the galactic gate sat. His squadmates were already there, "what took you so long," Joren asked over the transmitter in each of the commanders. "Hes still on time," Davenport said, "we are cleared to gate at our leisure, so lets not keep command waiting. After me please." Davenports commander strode up into the unfolded gate. Alex followed closely, then Joren, and finally Chris. A jolt ran through him as his commander was pulled into the Void Vortex, and suddenly Chris and the rest of his comrades were falling through space time.
THIS. IS. TA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd it's also epic, though you stole Joren from me. >.>