The Recruitment: Rise of the Free Fleet (35 page)

“The Commander is right.” Rick said the rest of agreeing except for two blank looking girls.

“We agree with you but will not take command under any but our mistress.” The voice was cold and emotionless as I felt a shiver go down my spine. It was the Sato sisters, both being identical in every way I couldn’t identify which one of them was speaking. Both completely loyal to Yasu.

“You will heed his command Tamiko.” Yasu said command ringing through her voice. I wondered how Yasu had got on the command channel, she’d probably wheedled Min Hae into it.

“Yes mistress we will, please tell us when it is time to fight.” I couldn’t help but notice the joyful tone Tamiko had before she became silent again. She and her sister were completely loyal to Yasu, but acted like five year olds. Other than when they were fighting, as they giggled or their faces looked like they were cut from marble.

“For now train, don’t overdo it we’re in a hostile area. When the time comes we’ll destroy this syndicate we’ll show them and the universe what happens when you take away our freedom.” Angry growls of agreement rang through the channel.

“The name of the game is patience people, wait. We will win or fail based on patience.” People greened up on my HUD signaling that they understood.

That sorted I re-opened the channel to the General.

“We have studied your information and are most,
 
displeased.
 
Comply with the perimetre and all will be fine. Salchar out.”

I terminated the channel as the General was still looking at the pickup in confusion as it went dark. I opened the command channel once again.

“Back to your posts people and every second you have free, train. The more sweat here the less blood later on.” I said gravely as those in the room nodded as they heard me as a chorus of agreements followed from the channel.

I looked to the others in the command centre. They nodded to me as I did the same before making my way back outside finding Yasu and Hitomi.

“Let’s get her into a cot.” I said softly as I lifted Hitomi still asleep, I looked at her face she was young, maybe sixteen and she’d been abducted into space, trained to be a soldier, married a man she knew for barely a few months. She’d fought aliens and watched the man she’d been thrown together with, who she’d grown to trust and care for—die, and I’d just asked twenty thousand others just like her to start a war with a group that could annihilate everything. Those thoughts disappeared from my mind as she held on tightly to my Mecha, as I gently carried her to her cot.

I laid her down looking over her before putting a blanket we’d found over her. Then with a sigh I turned to Yasu as we both walked out.

I looked at her, my biggest enemy in Earth and quite possibly planning to kill me up here because of that hatred. I had hated and despised her, yet here I was married to her and I knew I didn’t want her to die. It was unexplainable, she hated me as I tried to ignore her yet marriage had made it that I relied on her in some way. I knew she would be cold and hateful, yet those rare moments she wasn’t I cherished. Her actions didn’t scare me but rather gave me something I could expect in this universe.

“Strange that the only thing I know with surety is that you’ll be the one to kill me.” I said without thinking. That got me a stare.

“Do you ever keep your own thoughts to yourself?”

“Proceeding to shut up.”

“Better.” She growled, stalking away. I thought I caught a hint of her lips moving into a grin.

“Well even if she is my murderer she isn’t too bad to see going,” I said to myself. “Or coming for that reason.” I muttered to myself as I appreciated the form hugging battle suit. Left with that thought I switched my auto injector from hell fire to Wake Up as I felt a prick on my neck and a surge of energy as everything came out in crystal clear clarity.

I found a group working on computer systems lessons and quickly jumped in, I still had another six days before the Wake Up wore off and I would be as useless as a wet rag.

“Sir, the ships are coming.” A runner said as he entered the room.

“Thank you; I didn’t hear that over my headset.” I said as I picked myself up off of the floor. My headset a mangled mess on the wall.

“I don’t know how you can sleep in your Mecha every night sir.” He said with a twinge as I cycled my shoulders.

“With a crick in my neck and a twinge in my back.” I said trying to get the kinks out, as I went to find out if officer Turek was awake.

“Commander Turek I have received word that more ships have entered the system.”

“Good work Salchar.” He said as he threw some of the tough green looking meat Sarenmenti’s ate up. His four cross like jaws topped with razor sharp teeth easily cut through the meat before he swallowed it. The noises he made in the process made me happy I hadn’t eaten in a few hours as a few other Commandos in the room looked rather like their green meals.

“It’s going to take them less than a day to reach us because they don’t have the slower troop carriers with them. Hopefully they’ll tell us we’re bugging off this boring rock I want some real damned action.” Turek grumbled, all of the Sarenmenti used to love fighting. They had made challenges to one another which usually resulted in a trip to the medical bay for some poor sap.

Now however they had become numbed to their natural urges of fighting. They’d murdered and oppressed people with no praise, or prize. It had dulled their desires to win. Turek was one of the few that still desired to win, and looked to improve himself. Thankfully there weren’t any like minded Sarenmenti around for him to duel with.

“Will you look at that I’m getting a message already?” Turek listened to his internal communicator—an implant only given to Sarenmenti Officers.

“Looks like we have the luck of the draw boys and girls! We’re out of here on the shuttle as soon as we have the other troops moved around. It seems that you new human troops have shown your effectiveness so we’re going to be leaving half of the force here, those in the transports and the rest can go, we’ll be underway in a few hours!” Turek said excitedly as I felt my stomach drop.

“That’s great sir!” I said forcing an excited smile I didn’t feel. “I have to go and tell my wife!”

“Of course, go, go.” He waved me away as he grabbed another piece of meat in his jaws tossing his head and turning it into slivers, as others in the mess quickly disappeared as well.

I opened the command channel. “Looks like the troop transports are staying here, the rest of us are moving out to a new location.”

“What! That only gives us half of our force then!” One of the corvette’s commanders yelped.

“You’re going to leave them behind as we escape?” The commander of the battle cruiser that wasn’t filled with bachelors said.

“We don’t ever leave a damned person behind.” I said through gritted teeth stopping any further outbursts.

“I’m leaving behind Iron Bok Soo, my brother. Yasu is leaving
 
 
behind CommanderTakahashi her father’s friend and her mentor. I trust that they believe in me enough to know that I will coming back for their forces even if all I have is a damned broken corvette!”

“You’re so worried about losing us but it actually makes it easier, the carriers have minimal weaponry other than PD and aren’t as well armoured as the warships. With us we couldn’t help much in a battle but might easily get blown away if one ship fires on us killing a quarter or half of our force instantly. I believe in him, one rule Salchar has is he will never, no matter who the person is, leave them behind. Once he’s commanded a group, he will do all in his power to keep them safe. I trust that if he had nothing but a Mecha and a damned rail gun he’d still walk all the way from Earth if he had to.” Iron Bok Soo said, coming to my rescue.

“I feel the same sentiment for Yasu.” Ken Takahashi, stone warrior Yasu’s second in command and teacher said.

“Thank you.” I said. “Now you will board your shuttles, distribute the forum chat room and train. Then when the time comes we can take these ships and return for our fellow Commandos. That’s all there is to it.” Noises of agreement rang back.

“Good, Iron and stone do you have enough disablers?”

“Good here.” Iron said.

“We have enough Salchar.” Ken Takahashi’s voice calm and deadly.

“Good, any other questions.” There were none so I shut down the channel opening the private one I had with Monk and Iron, Cheerleader was one of the few that was in an isolated company without communications with the rest of us, but that would change now once she was on her ship.

“Thanks Iron for that.”

“No problem Salchar, I know you aren’t going to leave anyone behind.”

“We will be back for you brother.” Monk said his voice calm and sure as always. I closed my fists the servos in my arms whining at the pressure.

“You’re damned right. Get your people trained, this is going to be a fight for our lives.”

“For Mecha tail.” They said together.

“For victory!” I roared back grinning.

“Alright brothers, until next time. Hopefully then we’ll be face to face and Cheerleader will be with us as well.”

“It is but a matter of time till we are reunited.” Monk said.

“Here, here.” Bok Soo added. “Should be interesting what she thinks of you and Yasu’s marriage.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” I said to their laughs before I became serious.

“Till then, look after yourselves.” I cut the channel as we waited, information was passed constantly around as we waited for our relieving company to land.

The humans were being rotated around to cover all of the bases so that the fleet could leave immediately. Two squads which were to relieve my company rushed out of the shuttle as my own people got ready to board it. I nodded to the squad leaders of our replacements as they studied the platoon and I.

One of the Squad leaders came up to me, taking his helmet off. I did the same so we were able to speak face to face.

“Salchar?”

“The one the only, your name?”

“Kim sir.”

“You in charge of this squad Kim?”

“Yes sir.”

“Okay, gun crews on the roof as over watch, keep a roaming patrol going and…” Yasu tapped my arm.

“I think he knows what he’s doing.”

“Ah, yes.” I said awkwardly as Kim smiled confidently. “Quarters and mess are set up. You’ll find it all in there.”

“Thank you sir.” He looked around coming closer as he lowered his voice. “Uhh, are we really going to be able to take them?” He asked nervously looking upwards before turning his eyes back to me, searching. When asked a question that you aren’t sure of yourself and you don’t want to show it, reply immediately.

“Of course Dobbs, this is the AMC. We crush our enemies, no matter who.” My voice turning cold as we shared a knowing look. His face brightened with a grin faster than I could click my fingers.

“Yes sir!” he said before he was barking orders into his communicator as people fanned out to take my companies positions.

“We’re out of this joint, those not on duty get on the shuttle. Those on wait till you are relieved and then board the shuttle!” I said to my own company.

The power plant became a mass of movement as troops filed out of one shuttle taking up positions and others ran into another one its engines already humming.

I slapped the last troop on the back climbing in after them as the airlock behind me sealed the second door doing so once I was inside.

“They’re eager aren’t they?” I grumbled as the shuttle’s pilots fired the engines as soon as the last Commando was on board. People went flying from the acceleration. I think I learned a few new words and phrases that day as we got everyone sorted.

I got in my own seat clipping the harness around myself as the rough shaking of going up in atmosphere smoothed out signaling our departure from Chaleel.

I watched the view screens connected to the shuttles sensors, being able to see through the walls once again. I watched as the Imperial Dreadnought Resilient, also known as Golden Refuge, swelled in my vision.

I felt the shuttle jerk suddenly, I whipped my head in the direction we’d jerked away from being able to see another shuttle. Now that was something, and spoke in spades for the pilot’s proficiency and how lacking their skills were. Space is big, bigger than a human can ever imagine and shuttles have sensors that could pick up an ant farting in space in a five kilometre radius. A fully powered and accelerating shuttle a few hundred metres away was as close as clothes to skin.

Both pilots must have disregarded these sensor readings in a rush to get to the docking bay, at the speeds we were travelling if they had hit then both shuttles would’ve become nothing but an expanding ball of plasma and debris.

Feeling more than a little shocked I turned my attention back to the Golden Refuge my eyes searching the hull. I hadn’t noticed it the first time, but now I saw the pitting, and damage across the hull of the ship, as well as the missing barrels in some of the closest batteries. No wonder Eddie was always annoyed with maintenance I could see holes big enough to fit two of me in my Mecha in the hull.

The pilots were using their manoeuvring thrusters as they landed in the shuttle bay. The shuttle we’d almost hit came in bare seconds after us also landing and powering down as fast as possible.

There seemed to be no procedure for docking, except on a first come first docked basis. Before the engines were even fully cooled the pilots had jumped out of their seats and departed through a separate airlock in the cockpit.

I hit my harness as it pulled away from the locking points in my Mecha leaving me free to move as Turek stood before us.

“Good work Mechas, I know we lost a man but compared to a Sarenmenti fighting force you did much better.”

I looked at Turek skeptically; he was an officer and a Sarenmenti. As much as I knew they weren’t to blame for their circumstance it was a little ingrained to be met with angry words of complaints over the small details, than well compliments.
 
Not all of them are bad; it’s just the situation they’ve been put in. They’re what we would’ve become.
 
I thought, feeling sympathy for the red lizards. Who knew we might be able to work together in the future.

“Now,go get some rest and keep up that training. It will keep you alive in this galaxy.”

“You heard him, up you get!” I said as the Commandos started moving.

I punched the manual override for the airlock. The pilots hadn’t bothered to open it in their mad race. The AMC walked out, before we turned, waiting.

Steven Robertson was carried in his Mecha between four Mechas. We walked him to the centre of the hangar. Thirteen other Mechas joined him

No work was going on in the shuttle bay as Kuruvians and a few Sarenmenti joined us, watching the procession.

“If any of you have any words, please come forward before we send them onto their final resting place.” One by one people said stories, laughing sadly, or talked about some memory they had of the deceased. I listened to all of them, all of their stories adding to the weight on my heart as Hitomi finally stopped forward.

“Steven was a good man, he was rough and always ready for a fight but he would help someone if they were willing to accept his help, he was funny, loud and a kind person.” Hitomi said tears coming to her eyes. She’d only taken off her gauntlets and helmet and it looked like she was only standing because she was still wearing her Mecha.