The Recruitment: Rise of the Free Fleet (16 page)

“Well fuck you’ve done it this time James.” I said quietly as I grabbed the emergency hell fire from my hip injecting it into a piece of skin that was exposed through the hole in my Mecha.

I looked at the now peaceful Yasu, my wife I thought my mind reeling. I still felt like it was a dream but the pain was too much for this to be a dream. As I lay there I realized how much I didn’t want to die. I wanted to see the rest of Mecha Tail again my family, I wanted to make these aliens pay for taking us from our homes and forcing us to fight one another. If I woke up I was going to let them and the galaxy know what happened when you messed with Salchar.

I looked groggily at a hatch in the wall opening as a group of Sarenmenti emerged towing two grav carts. Pain took me as the hell fire kept to its namesake, pain laced through my body, concentrating with ferocity on my abdomen before darkness thankfully filled my vision as I slumped boundless

I awoke as if a bolt of electricity went through my entire body my eyes wide open pain lancing them from being in darkness and now being in bright light so rapidly.

“FUCK!” I screamed as my body realized the pain which covered me as if I was one solid bruise. I looked down at my stomach there was a ragged hole where Yasu’ sword had been. The skin didn’t look like the scar on my shoulder it was still glossy as I moved pain followed, it wasn’t fully healed yet, but I’d been awoken. I checked my forearm which was also glossy with new skin. I sat up finding myself in a medical chair as I looked at Yasu sitting next to me in an identical chair, hers with restraints though.

Her head whipped to the side away from me as I looked at her, an odd look on her face with an odd shade of pink.

“If you’re going to do that every time you wake up I’ll find a way to keep you quiet.” She turned the pink fading as she caught my eyes her expression making me less than eager to find out how she’d keep me quiet.

“I think I’ll pass.” I rose using my arms my stomach and lower chest still in fiery pain as I moved. I felt her eyes staring at me as I sat on the edge of the table things like worrying about being naked long gone with the showers we’d had, though they’d been separated into male and female. She hissed whipping her head away from me again as I stood. I was past the point of caring as my body throbbed with pain with every movement I made.

Plus she was my wife so I figured whatever. I grabbed a new battle suit that was on a counter to the side, still studying my stomach and the messy scar on it. One more scar for the collection I thought grimly as I gingerly got in to the suit and pressed the sealing tab.

Turning I looked back at her.

“I’m all dressed now you can look.” I said as I noticed her looking away.
 
Not fast enough
 
I thought happily.

“Do you mind releasing me from my bonds?” she said in an uneasy tone. For a moment I realized how helpless she was there as I crossed my arms.

“Are you going to attack me?”

“No.”

“On your father’s honour.” Her eyes smouldered as she looked up at me.

“No.” She said angrily. Happy with that I walked over trying to look better than I actually felt opening the clamps that held her in place before leaning against my own bed trying to hide how out of breath I was by crossing my arms and studying her. She was still wearing her battle suit.
 
Shame
 
I thought as I realized what I’d thought and tried to hunt down an answer for why I’d think such a thing.

“So what happens now?” She said drawing away from my internal thoughts.

“Not sure, what happens when we get married.” Her eyes automatically found something more interesting in another part of the room as she talked.

“Now we have a wedding, like what we would have at home and we get couple pods.”

“Okay, makes sense. What about the others?”

“I don’t get that.”

“What?” I asked a little confused by the question.

“How you can be so confident. You’ve moved passed the whole wedding which you believe to be just fine, confident it’ll go according to plan, what’s to stop me from killing you.”

“You’re father’s honour.”

“How can you be so damned confident and trusting of others!” She demanded now finally looking me in the eyes, something in her eyes other than the cold look I associated with her whenever she saw me.

I felt a smile creep on my face and then laugh the kind of belly laugh that hurts, in my case I nearly found myself on the floor again. Taking a few minutes before I’d recovered enough to talk.

“I’m riding by the seat of my pants I have no confidence in anything, I trust those in the squad to do what they need to survive I have no illusions that if there is a better option other than following me to survive they’ll take it. The only people I trust are Mecha Tail and until I’m back with them I’m in enemy territory. I’m just waiting for someone to take everything I have from me, probably Rick when he figures out what a fraud I am for ordering people around. Until he or someone else better than me comes along I’m going to keep on doing what I’m doing which is keeping myself alive and getting back to my damned MAT team.” She looked at me unbelieving as she crossed her arms and cocked her leg.

“That means I have to become commander of these people to make them the best damned fighters. That doesn’t mean I won’t be right beside them putting my life on the line. First of all I was going to use them to get Mecha Tail to safety.” I looked away in shame focusing on an obscure piece of the flooring.

“Now I know that I was being idiotic. I will get as many humans free from this planetary defence force as possible, not one of us is more important the other and none of us deserved this. So until I die or am unable to I will look to free those that the Planetary defence hold as slaves.” I didn’t know then what I’d just signed myself up for, or where it would carry me as I looked into Yasu’s eyes.

She studied me as if she was seeing me for the first time.

“Now Ms. Ice Queen you’re a good fighter and I need good fighters to help me succeed, so Yasu Masami Ono will you marry me?”

“You bested me, I will marry you.” She said using the fight as justification as if the very idea appalled her. I really didn’t care, it meant she now couldn’t kill me taking the saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer to a new level. Mine would be sharing a sleeping pod with me and be my fighting partner on whatever battlefields we found ourselves.

My mind was already filled with ways she was going to kill me; hopefully it’d be quick and faster than a plasmid sword to the damned stomach. I shook my head looking up one of a multitude of hatches opened. More medical chairs where coming out of the floor.

“Please leave the medical bay and proceed to the marriage hall.” A toneless voice said from hidden speakers.

“Shall we?” She didn’t reply her face a mask similar to the one I wore as I fought with emotions that I would be forever linked to this woman by my first marriage. She quickly pushed off of the medical chair and went thought the only open doorway. I studied her from behind trying to figure out what she was thinking as we walked through the hatch.

We were in a single room with hangars on either side. On one there was a black suit and tie with a white shirt. I looked at it almost painfully. For the girl out there here’s a secret. Guys like dressing up, strange I know how much we complain about it, but we like it. The reason I looked at it painfully was not because it was a suit, but because it had a bow tie and was not tailored for me at all. Man has to have style, especially at his own wedding. I ran my hand over my pin prickle hair my top and shaved sides gone as I looked like thousands of military recruits that had come before me.

Yasu’s side had a white kimono and white belt. Much more elegant looking than my suit.

“Keep your eyes on your own side.” She said as she pulled the kimono off of its holder.

“Wouldn’t think about it.” Well of course I was thinking about it now that she’d said it! I’m a guy and she wasn’t exactly unappealing to the eye, plus well she was my wife, but being the gentleman I am I kept to myself until I got to the tie. I’d done all I could for the suit but it was just, not my style.

After three failed attempts I left the tie on the rack.

“You done?” I said still facing my side

“Yes, seems you can’t tie a tie.”

“Well can you?” I said turning around and finding her leaning back her arms crossed as she wore a black kimono symbolizing death or tragedy within her family.

“How did you turn it…?”

“Why yes I can.” She said leaning past me grabbing the tie.

“Hold still.” She popped my collar more violently than I’d seen some punches thrown my neck feeling battered she pulled the tie around my neck.

I got a smack for looking down and a reproving glare as I returned my stare to the ceiling. Then with a quick pull I found my airway restricted. Coughing slightly she undid it slightly. I caught the small smile on her face as she finished with a few flicks of her hands letting it fall on my open vest and pull my collar down.

“Good.”

“Now why the black kimono?”

“It’s the death of my freedom.” I nodded I couldn’t deny that.

“Well anyway it looks good on you.” This got me a glare, I grinned as I offered my arm. “Well shall we?”

“Yes.” She walked ahead of my ignoring my arm as she walked through the door into a room filled with people dressed in bizarre ways; she took a seat forcing me to follow her. Rick quickly found his way over to us, Marleen in tow.

I hid my laugh behind my fist at the odd pair, Rick had put muscular weight and widened considerably, but there was still of the endurance greyhound look to the man whereas Marleen while not as wide as Rick looked like she could clean press a small family minivan.

His eyes went wide looking at us.

“Close your mouth dear.” Marleen hissed.

“So how did your fight go?” I asked Marleen smiling and looking away as Rick went red.

“Well I submitted, don’t tell anyone okay boss.” Rick answered as Marleen smiled behind him.

“What about you two? Marleen asked.

“I stabbed him and the idiot punched me.” Yasu said simply as I winced.

“What!?” Marleen said giving me a glare that threatened to burn through my skull.

“Let’s just say cupids aim was off and he used a sword instead of an arrow.” I said simply, touching my still healing wound. We spent the rest of the time in silence as we watched who’d been paired up.

What the hell have I gotten myself into this time
 
I thought as I looked at Yasu in my peripherals. She was as stiff as a board the black kimono looked more appropriate on her than a white one would’ve I thought. Her face was serene but I knew that she was warring with the same things I was. Without thinking I put my hand on hers. She looked at me as if I stabbed her ripping her hands out from undermine. I hid the pain that lanced through me as I looked to the front my mask descending. We would be married in name and nothing else I resolved hunching my shoulders. I was still alone as always no matter my outward appearance.

Angry with myself at thinking I could have anything more than loneliness. I looked to the front moving away from Yasu.

Yasu looked at the mirror in the attached bathroom of the couple pod.

She was furious at herself, she should’ve reacted faster pulling her blade out of him, but he’d grabbed her and the look in his eyes the raw trust and acceptance of who she was had stopped her. It felt as if he could see her very soul, he could accept it and would do so. She’d been so stunned she’d only known she was trapped when their Mechas had smashed into one another.

He’d brought her close so close she could feel the heat of his breath, see the blood on his lips had made her remember what was happening as she tried to pull the sword out of him.

She wanted to
 
stop;
 
she remembered the feeling, that for some reason she didn’t want to hurt him. That she wanted him to survive. How she wanted to do anything to make sure he was never in pain again. She’d held onto the blade making sure it moved as little as possible as he pulled her down proposing to her.

She’d been in near panic as he smashed off her helmet and then looked at her with those eyes. Her panic vanished as she looked back at him. His warm touch made her realize her loneliness, how she missed her father, her comrades, even the crazy Sato sisters.

She felt tears fill her eyes she touched the place where his hand had been. The feeling of having another person touch her with affection even with her deadly abilities, her training said she shouldn’t care about those things, but the human in her longed for acceptance.

She remembered the punch it was perfectly lined up to knock her out with the least amount of force. It had felt like a kiss compared to the hits she’d taken in training.

She wasn’t hurt that he’d done it; he was a warrior doing what he needed to do. She was annoyed at herself for not reacting to his hold and knocking him out first. She’d come to watching as the black arms of the medical table had worked furiously. She’d been mesmerized and terrified as they fought to keep him alive.

Then as they looked as if they’d barely finished their work he was pulled back together and a needle administered to his neck as his clamps were released.

The way he cringed and the look of his wound made her doubt that the machines had been completely finished. She winced as he got up and moved trying to look like he wasn’t wounded. Then it seemed like a switch was thrown and a mask descended on his face and he straightened as if he was perfectly fine. She remembered how she’d taken in his muscular body and front cover perfect appearance despite his new scars, quickly looking away in embarrassment as she collected herself.

She’d questioned him and his honour; attacking him. Instead of asking is he was okay. A lifetime of making walls and learning how to deal with the next opponent had made her speech like a fight. If she wasn’t in a position of power she would fight to attain it. As soon as she talked she saw as his mask entombed him. It had cracked as she’d curse him for having the power over everyone. For trusting everyone as she couldn’t placing her issues upon him.

She’d been stunned by what he said. She remembered his upbringing. He’d been an orphan, part of the system filled with bullies. He had to act a certain way to not be bullied and beaten up. She had learned her mistrust of others by watching her father in the business world. She’d learned to read people and could see how so many humans lied and little actually told the truth.

She’d seen the truth in Salchar’s face, no James’ face as he dropped his mask revealing his worries to her like a floodgate. She gripped her battle suit, what was this feeling she felt, empathy? No she didn’t have such feelings she said pulling her hand away. Yet still she knew the anger he directed at himself for his thoughts of only keeping himself alive. Thoughts she had no doubt that everyone had at one point in their training. Even as he looked away hiding his eyes she saw in his body language how much he wanted to get those that had suffered under the planetary defence free.

She wanted to tell him that it would never work, but then he’d looked into her eyes, and somehow she knew that once Salchar said he would do something, he would do it. As he asked her to marry him her shock over-rode her brain it seemed as she snapped out a response.

Anger burned through her at herself as she remembered how she’d knocked away his consoling hand. The way his face had gone completely emotionless and moved away from her showing less emotion than a rock.
 
How could she be so emotionless?
 
She thought to herself as the holographic pastor signalled for her and Salchar to come forward.

He didn’t offer his arm again as they walked up the altar a holographic pastor in front of them saying the phrases in Japanese and Korean for them both. Salchar had looked above her head not wanting to meet her eyes as they were made to face one another. It had hurt more than when she’d been punched as she looked at his chest keeping her face impassive. His voice held no emotion as they went through the rites. Hers didn’t either after years of practice from public affairs personnel hiding the inner pain she felt. Her eyes had searched for his, to look at her for her to understand what was going through his mind.

She found herself for once wanting to know what another was feeling.
 
It’s not empathy, you’re just trying to find out his weaknesses.
 
She reasoned, thinking of how he flaunted his dishonourable wins as if they were true victories which quickly brought back her cold anger.

Once the ceremony was completed everyone had applauded she felt colour fill her cheeks which she suppressed. Salchar grinned, his apparent happiness not reaching his eyes as he guided her down the aisle without actually touching her. They’d gone through the hatch at the end of the aisle Salchar’s mask still in place as they followed a corridor, going inside the only open door which closed behind them. He lay down on the bed, raising his legs to release the pressure on his scars as she found refuge in the bathroom trying to understand what exactly had happened to her that day.

After a few minutes of mental battles she gave up taking a shower, it still smelt as bad as ever but the bathroom had two towels which she put to use luxuriating in how they felt tucking one around her. She walked out drying her hair finding Salchar fast asleep on the bed.

She quickly turned off the light, finding near darkness, the first time that she’d ever felt her eyes relax from the strain of looking through the weird atmosphere and lighting the training facility had.

Her eyes quickly adjusted as she could pick out the details of Salchar’s face.
 
How many plans did he have in that mind of his, had he planned for this. Despite what he’d said about riding by the seat of his pants it seemed he was five steps ahead of everyone.
 
She thought as she squatted by his head studying him. His face looking troubled she touched his face the roughness of his five o’clock shadow rubbing against her hand.

He moved into her hand pressing his face against it firmly. Her breath caught in her throat the trust he was placing in her filled her. She studied his features closely; she could see the lack of sleep indicators. He’s slept as little as possible while being in the squad pod. Her eyes travelled down as she studied him. Any softness from before had been turned into hardened muscle he looked like an Olympic god. She moved her hand away slowly still studying him.

She turned moving to the bed moving her pillow so she was looking at Salchar. She watched as his powerful chest rose and fell her eyes becoming heavy as she let sleep take her.

***

I awoke with a start—immediately scanning the room for a threat. I relaxed seeing there was no one that was going to try and kill me immediately and Yasu was asleep. I caught myself, turning back as I looked at her face turned towards me. It was the first time I remembered her looking
 
peaceful
. I laid there studying her face her hair framing it as I allowed myself a small smile as I picked myself up.

I paused as I grabbed a battle suit from the built in closet in our room, I’d slept, truly slept for the first time since I’d been abducted. Without the fear of someone killing me, it was odd as I tried to understand why, why I hadn’t been scared of Yasu killing me in my sleep. I was becoming too complacent I put it down to. Maybe in my loneliness I was beginning to trust, or want to trust others.

That was something that I couldn’t do I chastised myself as I heard movement behind me. I turned to find awake and alert Yasu staring daggers at me.

“Don’t worry I’m just taking a shower and getting dressed.” I said, not knowing why I was justifying myself.

Her eyes seemed to get colder other than anything as she got out of bed wearing a towel her hair covering part of her face. I felt the odd urge to hold her; she looked so delicate, so strong and so appealing. I walked to the head instead taking a long shower delicately working around my still painful stomach wound. I studied it annoyed the med bay hadn’t fully healed me. I resolved me and Yasu needed to talk one on one and sort out whatever relationship we were in.

“Yasu.” I said emerging from the head she turned to me as Taleel’s voice came through the walls.” Assemble in the squad pod.” The door we’d walked in through after the wedding ceremony opened again. Finally we just had one door to contest with.

I sighed in frustration as I made my way to the door.

“What were you saying?” Yasu said waiting for me.

“We’ll talk about it later.” Along the way we met up with other members of our squad who joined our route which seemed to connect all of our couple pods.

All of us with different emotions as we walked in with our partners and now team member.

It varied from me and Yasu’s utter confusion at one another, to Hoi and Abella.

Hoi had a large smile plastered on his face as he walked with Abella seemingly melted to him as she said things into his ear and a happy smile on her own face. When everyone was gathered Taleel spoke.

“Alright now you’ve had your fun today you’ll be given your berths on the free planets defence force ships with your new partners.”

“What about training with rifles? Strategy, zero-g training.”

“You will learn to adapt on the battlefield or, not.” A chill went down my spine.
 
It’s like we’re the Russians with one holding bullets, the other the rifle. If you survive then you might be useful.

I stopped looking at anyone else in the room as all of my attention was now focused on Taleel.

“You will be given spots on different classes of ships of the free planets navy which you will defend and live on until the end of your service or like me you re-enlist. I will now list your new berths and remember this, your commanders will have your kill switches, one wrong step and you will be killed whether inside a Mecha or in your bare skin. First, James and Yasu, you will be assigned to the Imperial Dreadnought Golden Refuge. Lucky you, she’s the only one of her class.”

I was stunned, yesterday I was married; today I was being given a berth on a ship I knew nothing about, was being separated from my squad who I’d finally built up a reputation with and I didn’t feel I had barely enough training.

“Look after yourselves and I hope to see you all soon.” I said with the mask of Salchar, my mind showing me how my plans had fallen apart as I gave a lazy two finger salute, the rest of them facing me as they returned the gesture.

“Good luck commander Salchar.” Rick said “Now give me your data pad quickly.” I did so with a curious look as he tapped it to his and transferred something.

“It’s a way to chat.” He said as he handed it back and put his own pad in the pouch on the small of his back.

“I hope that I see you in the near future and I’ll give it a go.” With that I turned following Yasu already waiting near the hatch that would lead us to the dreadnought golden refuge. She took off again making me have to half jog to catch up with her. Not even giving me time to process what had happened as I ran into my future, back to nothing.