Josh Talley

 

The Grim Reapers - Mars Campaign

 

                An experimental group. That’s what they called us. The bugs had pretty much conquered Pluto and seven of Saturn’s moons. They had said the next offensive movement would be Mars and that was far too close for any of us. Earth would not fall like the outer planets had. We would push them back with everything we had. Hell, some had even talked about sacrificing the colonies and nuking their forces. We didn’t want it to come down to that but they were leaving us little choice.

                So that’s where we came in. We had been named the ‘Grim Reapers.’ We would be the extermination squad. The warrior bugs were left to the MI. The aerials were the Fleet’s problem. What we were sent after was the larger prey. The tank bugs, the plasma bugs, the brain bugs, and, if our luck ran out, the huge transport bug. They picked us out of several different MI squads and slapped us together. This would take some getting used to.

                Lieutenant Juan “Cowboy” Marino was Top. His story was he caused a plasma bug to implode in on itself. His previous squad was pinned in a hot LZ and none of the carriers could get to him. One flight group chanced it and came in at mark four, hoping to slam on the breaks and land without a scratch. The plasma’s had a different idea. They couldn’t quite hit the ship but one got smart and started leading the ship in. Marino perched himself on a hill and jury-rigged two of the drill grapplers to hold a cable between them. Firing one into one end got the bugs attention and it turned on him. When it charged up Juan hit the other side of its port and tied it shut. Thing exploded with such force it threw the LT off back into the valley and caused a chain reaction that reduced the bugs’ numbers from seven to two. Got a medal and the eternal thanks of that Fleet pickup crew.

                Underneath him we got Sargent Vladimir “Bronto” Bronovich. Vlad makes a tank bug look like a VW. He stands at least a head taller then damn near everyone else in the MI. A warrior bug once snagged him from behind and his squad thought he was a write off. The bug ended up with a broken mandible and a crushed exoskeleton. The standard troop suits were too small for him when he joined so they gave him a smaller version of the Marauder-class power suit. He walks around with it powered down like it weighs as much as a feather.

                Then there’s our Corporal: one Mara “Samurai” Kenchiko. As you can guess from her call sign she’s a sword fanatic. Down right scary is what she is. I’ve never seen her separated from those twin blades of hers. Two black, molecularly sharp katanas. She’s had them since she got into the MI and no one has the guts to take them away from her. Specially made, you can tell, because they’re sharp enough to slice right through a bug’s shell and the cold of vacuum doesn’t warp the metal. She’s proved it more than enough times in previous campaigns. She even has the head of a warrior bug mounted in her bunk.

                Then there are the rest of us apes. Private Mike “Firefly” DeFranco is our incendiary expert. Someone said they found him in a burnt out bug nest. Same people say he was the one that burnt it out. Went down there with a flame-thrower and enough plasma and thermite to make the Great Chicago Fire look like a marshmallow roast. His size is surprising, though. Barely over five feet tall and thin as a rail. Fastest thing on two feet, though. It’s funny watching the sarge and him have a stare down. David and Goliath.

                Speaking of David’s we come to our mechanic, Private David Wolenchowski. He hasn’t earned his call yet but I’m sure it’s coming. If it’s mechanical, electrical, or biological he knows how to fix it, make it better, and break it. It’s kind of disturbing knowing the guy who’s sealing your wounds was sealing hydraulic tubing not a half-hour ago. His mindset is perfect, though. He sees it all as the same thing and refuses to accept breakdowns or mistakes of any kinds. Not only does he keep us and the machines running but he can drive anything we have. In fact he’s the pilot of our actual Marauder unit.

                When it comes to taking down the really big ones we have Specialist Jess “Big Bada” Boomer. She’s in charge of everything that shoots out ammo bigger than our fists. I overheard one of her old squad mates say that she once used a small plutonium charge to take out a group of aerials. Seems it no only did the job but knocked a rock spire over and crushed a tank bug. Jess claims she did it on purpose. Everyone else in her old squad claims it was a stroke of luck from the massive overkill. We’re fine with that, though. She’s the last person to be stingy with artillery. If something needs a whollop, she’s more then happy to authorize it. What is it about women that makes them scarier than the bugs once they join the MI?

                Then there’s me. Specialist Joshua “Hoss” Decker. The handle is actually an acronym, HAS, meaning ‘Hack-And-Splat.’ They thought it was cute at the time. If a computer needs breaking into, I can do it. Not much help against the bugs but the Splat part is: Sniper, S-Class. Someone thought that, too, might be useful. Originally it was a waste. A sniper can only take out one at a time, unlike a MI that hoses. However, when you’re two klicks away and you drive a seventy-five caliber armor-piercing, delayed-explosive shell through the reactive sack of a plasma bug it can be quite useful. Considering that’s what we’re sent to do it’s a better gig then what I once had. Being a sniper in a normal MI squad gets old quick. Too many insults and not enough praise.

                Unlike MI, however, we actually got sleep. They sent us when a squad was pinned down or a concentration of biggies was reconned. Nests seemed to be our forte as well. David covered us up top, Juan and Vlad took point, Mara and I had flank, Mike torched what we didn’t shoot, and Jess made sure the entire place came down when we left. The excitement was fine, but I still preferred being far, far away and watching them drop under my sights.

                It was during one of these rest periods I heard about the mission. I seem to be intel for my group as well and, since the bugs didn’t have computers to hack, I hacked SICON’s, getting all the info Intelligence figured we didn’t need to know. What became a hobby turned out to be my job. Top was happy as hell. No more cases of lack of information. The other MIs thought we were psychic because we knew things almost a week before everyone else did.

                Intelligence had found the initial bug landing site on Mars and were getting the MI to hole up in bunkers along they’re projected path of advancement. Marino called attention to his superiors and ‘requested’ that we be sent in to reduce the heavier forces as much as possible before they reached the MI. What Juan really wanted was for us to go down there and shoot, fry, and blow up the whole egg garden and take a few shots at the Mother Bug while we were at it.

                Another day in the MI. Another battle in an endless war. This one might actually make a difference. Doubt it.

                 

*                                              *                                              *

                 

                “Reapers! Aten-Shut!” Vlad’s thickly accented voice blew through our barracks like a gale, popping all of us out of bed. Military floors are especially cold on ships parked dark-side. Standing there in nothing more than issue-boxers and, for the women, tank tops lead to a general census that the beds were a far better idea at this point. My eyes trailed across the floor to Mike and Jess, standing there shivering. Mike looked like a little kid in his oversized boxers. His face looked the youngest as well but the tan helped. Like an escapee from Westside Story: he had the southern-Italian look to him with his shiny black hair and moderate tan. As all MIs he had a decent build but his short stature almost made it comical. Mention any of it, though, and he’d break your kneecaps. Thankfully, though, I also had Jess to look at.

                Jess had blond hair that was starting to get its length back, a body that gave me a reason to kill, and those shining blue eyes that seemed to have an inner glow every time she picked up a high-explosive. She had this look, too, that gave away when she was going to blow something up. Thank goodness she had it, too – gave you time to run.

                “Top’s got issues from SICON command. We’re going in to the bug’s LZ and, officially, reducing the tank and plasma bug population before it reaches the MI outposts.” We all had an inner smile. The word ‘officially’ meant that there was an unofficial reason for us being out there. We all guessed it was the Transport Bug and we were taking her down. We were wrong. David popped his neck and let a yawn escape. David wasn’t too tall either, but anyone was taller than Mike. He was about half a foot shorter than me and nearly as thin as Mike. It worked for him, that way he could squeeze more easily into the ‘bots and the maintenance hatches. He had this constant half-smile that made everyone think he had something on his mind. He usually did.

                “Unofficially we’re going to have ourselves one hell of an omelet. Anything that looks like an egg: fry it. Anything bigger than a warrior: blow it to hell.” Mara had already pulled out a katana, from where I have no idea, and was needlessly sharpening it with a small laser cutter. Usually I’m not afraid of Japanese women but Mara; with her medium stature, solid build, dyed-blue hair, and evil grin; made me think she was an anime character cut loose in the real world to reek havoc. When we were actually on R&R, though, she was so amazingly sweet and adorable that you forgot all of that. Now was not one of those times.

                “Triple-S and be suited up in 20. Top will meet you in Bay 4. Move out, Reapers!” Bronto turned and stomped out of the barracks, leaving a heavy echo every time a foot fell. A smattering of general complaints left us but that was about it as we went about our business. MI teaches you to be prepared and on the bounce in case of any situation, so a full clean-up and dress-out in twenty minutes was plenty of time. Within eighteen minutes the five of us stood outfitted before the Lieutenant and Sargent Bronovich.

                Each of our combat suits, despite military regulation, was custom made and painted to specifics. Everyone knew the bugs didn’t see like we did so color and camouflage, in the traditional sense, was a pointless exercise. Mine was the slimmest and most form fitting. Considering I was meant to hang back, out of danger, I didn’t have much use for armor. All the emissions and seismic signatures with my suit were masked by the most complex stealth suit SICON had devised so far. I could pick off bugs with immunity to their detection. I had mine painted night black – not like it helped but it made me feel cooler. Mike’s was brightly painted with wild orange, yellow, and red flickering flames - a walking element of fire. Someone could dump napalm on his suit and the worst he’d get is peeled paint. Jess’, aside from Vlad’s, was the biggest. A veritable walking tank. She was in charge of munitions and heavy artillery and her suit was made to carry it. A basic grey except for the bright yellow radiation symbol on her back and the airbrushed mushroom cloud on her left shoulder. David’s was nearly as light as my suit. His, however, was packed down with tools, spare parts, and medical supplies. The coloring was the traditional medic “red-and-white” except his caduceus had the twin snakes wrapping around a wrench.

                Our samurai, Mara, had a suit that was a successful cross between traditional MI power armor and Japanese kendo. Her swords were strapped together, handles out, across her waist on her back. She had her armor chromed over and polished it almost as much as she polished her swords. With her overly aggressive behavior in battle she had a lot of green goo to clean up after every op. Bronovich’s armor was the largest, needing to carry his massive size, and was a scaled-down version of the Marauder mech that David piloted. If he wasn’t tall enough already, the suit added more to make him a towering nine feet. The power gauntlets in the suits added to our own strength but in Vlad’s hands he had the power to make diamonds out of coal. Ironically enough Lieutenant Marino was the only one who wore the traditional green MI ape suit. He had far more advanced detection and communication gear than any of us but his suit was just as plain Jane as any other MI commander.

                “Fleet Recon did a supersonic fly-by over the target area and verified at least eighteen plasma bugs and well over sixty tank bugs. Our orders are to reduce that number to zero and zero if at all possible. MI can handle the warriors. Hoss!”

                “Yo!” I shouted, trying to stand up straight.

                “You’ll be dropped first to recon our landing zone and eliminate any biggie presence on our perimeter.”

                “Thanks, Top.” Groaning, I popped my helmet and rubbed my eyes. The major problem I had with MI was the early mornings. I didn’t like ‘em. Almost hated the bugs as much as I hated early mornings.

                “You’re more than welcome. Once Decker has secured the area of biggies Wolenchowski, DeFranco, and Boomer will be shot in for warrior mop-up. With a secured perimeter the rest of us with land in and begin Operation Warm Welcome. Bronovich and I will map out a route once visual contact is established and we’ll all take out standard positions. DeFranco! Boomer!”

                “Yo!” they both shouted in unison.

                “You’ve got tank bug duty. Kenchiko!”

                “Hai!” she bowed slightly, a few curls of electric blue hair falling in front of her face.

                “Guard duty. Make sure none of the warriors get too close to our wonderboy,” he pointed at me. Oh, great, just what I needed.

                “Marino-san? I have to baby-sit?” Her protest was both hers and mine. If she babysat me that meant I’d never hear the end of it. He ignored her complaint and moved on.

                “Wolenchowski!”

                “Eh?” Wolenchowski and I were the newbies of the group although I was more experienced as far as the Mobile Infantry was concerned. His answer was not what Marino wanted to hear.

                “Wolenchowski!”

                “Yes, sir!” David straightened up and saluted. He got moved to the Reapers because of his technical and medical expertise and didn’t quite have the experience, or the training, we did. There were no better mech pilots in the MI though.

                “Warrior duty. If any get close to the mop-up team you bag ‘em.”

                “Yes, sir!” he said, snapping his salute.

                “And cut that out, would you? You’re in the Grim Reapers, son, not some MI ape group. You answer when called. Saluting isn’t necessary. I already know I’m superior to you.”

                A slight smirk sneaked across the rest of our faces. David, however, just sunk back into line and didn’t say anything. The Lieutenant snapped on his helmet and paced over our ranks. “Sargent, any closing remarks?”

                The mass known as Bronto raised from its sitting position and stared its metallic face at us. Vlad raised the visor and his steel grey eyes glanced over the squad. “You heard the LT. Quick, simple, and by the numbers. The apes dug in will be kissing our asses after this op and praising us as the gods we are. Reapers!”

                I could tell Marino was smiling as he stepped into the carrier but he didn’t turn back. Almost simultaneously we all snapped on our helmets and lowered the blast shields.

                “Yo!” the entire squad shouted back in response.

                “Do your job and deal them death. Grim Reapers, Ho!”

                “Hoo-rah!”

                And with that last shout we piled into the carrier. Precise and accurate we go into our places. Six of us moved straight into troop launch tubes. David climbed up and slipped into the pilot chamber of his Marauder. All was quiet for a moment as the hanger depressurized. I took a deep breath and held it.

                With a sudden jolt the ship was launched into space and we all prepared for another operation. Top, like me, was dead silent. Probably going over maps and intel. Vlad balled and relaxed his fists. Mara studied her blades again, making sure they were sharp. Mike flicked the starter on his flame cannon on and off like a Bic lighter. Jess pulled up her hair and knotted it, using a detonator as a hair stick. David just sat quietly, rocking back and forth in the pilot’s seat. I let the breath out and closed my eyes, picturing the red dust ball below us that we were going to land on. The ruddy dirt that was soon going to be stained green with bug blood. The blue skies of Earth… home.

                “Decker!” My radio snapped to crystal-clear life as Marino called me.

                “Yes, sir?”

                “Drop in twenty seconds. Prep for launch.”

                I nodded, whether he saw it or not, and took in another breath. I held it as the launch tube clicked into place. I held it as the blast cage surrounded me, protecting the loading bay. I held it as the ground beneath me disappeared to show the quickly moving landscape of Mars. I let it out a moment after I was launched, a loud “Yeehaw!” as the ship rose quickly above me and the ground came up to greet me. The carrier turned on a dime and went back towards the safe zone, plasma exploding around it. The blast shielding flew away and I was free, my arms tucked against my chest like a mummy in an armor-plated sarcophagus. The retro boosters kicked in a quarter of a mile from the ground and I landed hard, kicking up a cloud of dust.

                I shook my head and looked around. Alone. I knew this, though. I had to secure the area before reinforcements would arrive. A Fleet troop carrier could do a high-speed pass and throw out a single troop, maybe two, and turn back without too much fear of anti-air fire from the bugs. They had to slow down for a full deployment, though, otherwise the rocking from the multiple launches would knock the ship out of trajectory. This would either cause it to go straight up, which wasn’t so bad, or straight down, which was very bad. Therefore I had to make sure that all the plasma bugs in the area were gone so I could no longer be alone.

                I called up an area map on my HUD. Thankfully I had hacked Intel yesterday and gotten a Hi-Res map of the area. Probably should have given the Lieutenant a copy but I didn’t think it was important at the time. I was only a half-klick off course. A new record for Fleet and I would be sure to tell them. I engaged my jets and jumped, hopped, and leaped to our perimeter. It was a mesa, made ridged by a crater impact and filled over the eons with sand and dust. The seismic compensators cushioned my bounces, making me seem like nothing more than a stone skipping across a massive lake.

                Touching down on my last jump I pulled the rifle off my back. A new issue, looked much like a shotgun with a long barrel and bipod at the end. The large box magazine could only hold five shots, seeing as every shell was seventy-five caliber and as long as my forearm. Without the suit I’m positive I would have had a hard time even carrying the thing, much less shooting it. As I approached the edge my eyes widened. An entire valley filled with bugs. Like those old horror movies about the swarms of killer bees or fire ants. Only these were bigger than I was but just as numerous. Laying down and deploying the recoil muffler I could see a second ridge. This upheaval of land separated most of the colony from our position. The scope was nothing more than a small sensor array, no bigger than a stapler, that plugged directly into the HUD of my suit. Took a lot of the challenge out but there were no room for errors in the Reapers.

                A quick scan brought up luck. Only two plasma bugs and four tanks within range. Their range, at least. I brought the rifle up and aimed for the nearest plasma bug. A shame we couldn’t risk the transport flying overhead again. The bugs blow up so much nicer when they’ve reached saturation point – that moment just before they fire. It was tromping perpendicular to me, giving me the optimal target area. I aimed, zoomed in, and aimed again. My view was as though I was standing next to the thing. The swirling mass of blue and purple energy in its abdomen was all I really needed to see, but if you hit a rib you could have the explosive go off in the center of the bug rather than near the exit point.

                Inhale, double check load and safety, exhale, fire. The rifle kicked like a mule on stims. The recoil muffler absorbed much of the shock while the padded shoulder of my suit took the rest. What I felt was nothing more than a butterfly’s kiss. The plume of flame jumping from the barrel was doused as quickly as it appeared due to the lack of atmosphere. The shell impacted with the bug, shattering through the ribbing with the depleted uranium, cone-nosed shell. Due to the loss of velocity from hitting something that hard the shell slowed, causing the explosive to go off three meters inside the bug. The small speck of antimatter ripped outward in a ball of hell. This reacted with the plasmatic base inside the bug causing the entire thing to explode like a fuel-air bomb.

                It felt like the entire planet rocked as the resulting explosion killed all the surrounding warriors and a tank bug. The bugs started scurrying around, unable to sense my position and having no sense of trajectory. I aimed for the second plasma bug. This one was charging around with all the others in a madness of confusion. Their size compensated for the distance I was shooting at and launched another fin-stabilized shell right under its plasma port. Another cored explosion and all I had left to deal with was a single tank bug. Either stupidly, or extremely smartly, this bug started torching the hills around it with jets of flame. Another cannon shot and the tank bug crumpled. I hadn’t seen where I hit it but when it, too, exploded in a gout of flame I guessed it was right through one of its jets.

                I tapped the side of my helmet, calling up my burst-radio. “Cowboy, this is Hoss. Biggie suppressed and awaiting sweeper.”

                “Roger, Hoss. Sweeper ETA in point-five-oh.”

                “Roger. Fort under hold.”

                I did another sweep. Seemed one of the tanks had hid itself under the ground and came up right where the blasted pieces of a plasma bug lay. Breaking through was the last thing it did as another seventy-five caliber round entered its steel-hard carapace and exploded in its brain. A minute later I felt the ground shake again, only from behind. I killed the recoil muffler and swung around, aiming the massive rifle while laying down. Damn it all if it weren’t Wolenchowski in the Marauder. “Geeze, man, you sound like a tank bug in that thing.”

                “Nice, Decker. What would a tank bug be doing up here if you did your job.” Smartass. Turning again I stood and hooked the rifle back to my suit, pulling off my pulse rifle.

                “Alright, David, start the mower, we got a lot of green grass to cut.” David nodded and tromped over the edge of the hill, stomping down toward the swarm of warrior bugs with me running right behind. They noticed him and started rushing toward the twelve-foot mech. Wolenchowski opened up with both chain guns. A sheet of lead rained down on the agile insects, blasting off limbs and crushing exoskeletons. The bugs always died in massive waves and yet we were still losing the war.

                Soon after I was over the hill I saw a large explosion toward the back of the warrior group, follow by a loud victory cry over the radio. Boomer had launched something big and was coming up over the hill with DeFranco in tow. “Have no fear,” Mike said, “the demo twins are here.”

                “Nice to see Firefly and Big Boomer could join us,” I said, looking over my shoulder and seeing the bright flaming armor following a massive bulk of grey, “mind backing up Wolenchowski and flanking him?”

                “Roger that, Hoss,” Mike said, bursting forward with a hit from his jets and hosing down an attacking advance of bugs with his flame cannon.

                “Looks like I got right side, sugar,” Jess’ voice said as her gray armor shot over me, landing hard as four grenades fired out of her gun in rapid succession. Another group of bugs disappeared in a gout of hellfire.

                A few got past their phalanx, which I proceeded to hose down, pulse after pulse of laser energy poured out of my rifle. The pulse rifle’s energy ammo wasn’t quite as effective as the slugs the Marauders carried but it was far more economical. All the rifle needed was a quick recharge and it could keep firing. The chain guns required cleaning, belts, packed chemical propellant, and solid metal ammo. The rifle still got the job done, though.

                I loaded in a small 30mm grenade into the undercarriage and fired it at an advancing group, blowing them to pieces. DeFranco continued his bug barbecue as they piled up, seeming to willfully join the funeral pyre. A line of explosions could be traced from Boomer’s suit all the way to the high dirt ridge as she fired grenades at full-auto, roaring her battle cry the whole time. Wolenchowski fired two plasma rockets into the ensuing crowd. A wall of blue energy welled up and blocked any further advance of the bugs for at least, as Intel told us, ten minutes. I heard Wolenchowski speak up on the burst-com.

                “Wall deployed. Perimeter secured. Landing advised.”

                “Check, Private. Reapers incoming, ETA one-point-two-five.”

                Wolenchowski, DeFranco, and Boomer stayed in the valley as I rushed back up to the hillside, reconning and resetting my sniper rifle. As soon as I had finished positioning I felt two light thumps and a heavy crash behind me. Top and Mara were the thumps, Vlad was the crash. Without moving I called up. “Situation nominal, Lieutenant. Biggies leveled, warriors suppressed, perimeter secure. Remaining bugs over that ridge, sir. As far as I can tell they haven’t taken action.”

                “Good job, Decker. Keep position. We’ll call for assistance when wanted. Take liberties when necessary.”

                “Roger, Cowboy.”

                Marino turned to Kenchiko. “Have fun, Mara. Slap him around if he needs it.” That was met with a slightly unfriendly laugh on Mara’s part, aimed at me. Another groan from me and I felt the Lieutenant and Corporal Bronovich lift off and saw them sail down the side of the hill. Another day in paradise.

                 

                “What’d I do to get stuck with you, gaijin?” Mara was sitting next to me, facing the other direction and swinging her sword absently in the air, which made me even more nervous. I hadn’t moved from my position, still laying flat with my rifle poised toward the ridge.

                “That’s hentai gaijin to you, Samurai. Got me, not like I wanted it either. You piss off the LT or something?”

                She laughed again. Dumb question, obviously. No matter how sadistic she seemed, no one could get mad at her. She’d just bat her eyes and fluff her brilliant blue hair and all was forgiven. That, I think, is what made her the deadliest. She nearly jumped a foot in the air when I fired my rifle at a tank bug that was coming up the ridge. Sure, the bug died, but it was the backhand to the back of my head that really gave me a kick.

                “Oh, I’m sorry, did I spook you?”

                “Baka! Warn me next time!”

                “Hey, you could have been watching out too, ya know,” I saw the squad disappear over the ridge after they had finished with the remaining warriors. “Besides,” I said, disassembling and packing my gear, “it’s time to move up.” Mara was halfway down the hill by the time I had reattached my sniper rifle and brought out my pulse gun. Rolling my eyes I sped down the red dust bowl after her.

                “You’re supposed to be protecting me, remember? What’s with this running off stuff?” She stopped and turned around, watching the black form of my armor hop down the hill.

                “You didn’t want my help, remember? That changed now?”

                “Oh, be a sport,” I popped up into the air with a burst of jets and did a quick survey. The map was right, next best place to set up was a small uprising in the ridge. I landed and ran toward it, the chrome samurai following behind me.

                I dove over the edge, landing on the top of the mound flat on my stomach. I clipped the pulse rifle back into place and unhinged the sniper cannon, slapping in a fresh magazine. I edged over and looked. DeFranco and Boomer were taking down every tank bug that looked at the squad wrong, which was all of them, while Wolenchowski mowed down the warriors. Bronovich and Marino were taking turns dropping spider grenades down holes and firing HE rockets at distant plasma bugs.

                The spider grenades were an interesting weapon devised for the Bug War. They rolled down a hole, spouted legs, and ran as fast as they could as deep as they could. Since they walked on eight legs they had the same seismic signature as the small bugs so the warriors ignored them. After sensing a large force around them the spider’s would explode in a spray of thermite, vaporizing everything in the area.

                I brought up the sniper cannon and muffler and waited. “Dull job, isn’t it?”

                “Don’t remind me, Josh. Your fault I’m here.”

                “My fault? Mara, that’s not fair, how can you say that?”

                “Honestly… snipers against a mass of bugs? What good is that? I could be down there hacking the creepies apart but instead I’m up here watching your butt.”

                “Yeah, but it’s a cute butt. Me in my skin-tight armor.” I turned and grinned at her, all teeth.

                “Oh hush.”

                I just had to smile. I couldn’t tell if that meant she agreed or if she just wanted silence. Either way, it was fun to rib her. I saw a baby plasma bug coming up out of a hole they had passed, with about twenty warriors escorting, coming up behind the group. “Hey, Mara, cover your ears.”

                I flipped on the radio. “Mop-up, this is Hoss. Incoming plasma, check six. Drop down for blast.”

                Bracing the sniper rifle I aimed for the bug. Being a baby its shell wasn’t fully formed. I’d have to hit it dead on the chitnous layer that designated its firing port to even hope the bullet wouldn’t blow through it. The squad dropped face down into the red sand, except Wolenchowski who just hoped his mech would take the blast, a moment before I fired. The shockwave from the barrel blew the dust outwards as the shell blasted through the bug. The baby shook like a soda can on April Fools’ and exploded just as such. The flare up of energy engulfed the warriors and barely even touched the team. Seemed the bug was only trying to get out of the hole and had no intention of attacking anything.

                “Target neutralized.”

                “Roger, Hoss. Mission window closing. Head back for pickup.”

                “Copy?”

                “We’re nearly out of ammo so we need to dust off. Head back and cover us.”

                Packing up yet again I rolled and stood. “Well, that was fun.” Mara seemed to be doing a kata with her swords, swinging them around out of boredom. “I take it you agree?”

                “Hai. Let’s head back.”

                I snapped on my cannon and started sprinting for the hill. Mara sheathed her swords and did a neat forward flip, running as she hit the ground, and chased after me. She soon passed by me, running full speed across the reddish soil. “So bored you want to race, eh?”

                “Something like that, Hoss.”

                “You’ll win. You’re lighter and faster, even with the suit.”

                “Aww, what’s the matter, Gojira? Can’t take it?”

                She turned and was running backwards as I ran after her. One minute she was there, and the next I heard her high-pitched scream as she disappeared. I tumbled in right after her. Bugs set a trap for us and we fell right into it. I wasn’t keeping track of how far I fell. I was too busy keeping an eye on Kenchiko’s glittering form. If I lost her then I knew I’d be gone as well. After longer then I hoped I impacted right next to Mara. I had no clue how she was but I knew it was probably worse. My suit was built to reduce shock and collision and seismic vibrations, hers wasn’t.

                 

                “Mara?” I shook her shoulders gently. “Mara, hey, wake up.”

                She let out a soft moan and her eyes fluttered a little. She still didn’t move.

                “Corporal? You alright?”

                “Mmm… yeah. Just… ow… bruised.”

                I let out a sigh of relief. I did not want to be in a bug nest all alone. My armor couldn’t take close calls. I looked up and couldn’t make out the sky from the cavern walls. Unhooking my sniper rifle I plugged myself in to the scope and looked again. The range finder displayed that the pit we had fallen was close to seventy-five feet.

                “Well then, Samurai, up and at ‘em. We need to get out of here.” No sooner had I finished my sentence then the proof of urgency arrived. A tank bug rounded a corner and started charging at us. Mara unsheathed her swords but I had already drew a bead on it, firing the large sniper cannon from the hip. The shell blew the head of the bug off its body in a spray of green gore. The recoil, with the rifle unhooked and unbraced, picked me up and threw me back into the cavern wall. I blessed my suit again as the horrendous impact was mostly absorbed. My firing arm, however, felt like it had been pulled out of its socket.

                With the tank bug out of the way Corp. Kenchiko charged up to the incoming flood of warrior bugs and moved with unmatched grace. Each swing of her swords cut through the onslaught, several limbs and mandibles. Like watching a steel-plated demon, her glimmering form shone in the light from my head lamp.

                I had to pull myself out of the wall, groaning as I hooked my sniper back into place and pulled the pulse rifle. The pain in my right arm was searing and I had moved the rifle to my left arm, firing with seriously decreased accuracy. I kept far and away from Kenchiko as I hosed down the bugs. Green blood sprayed out of sliced carapaces and shot up bodies. I hit my radio, still firing.

                “Mop-up, this is Sniper Team. We are R-Double-S. Pit opened up underneath us and we are currently under attack. Request immediate support.”

                “Copy that, Sniper Team. Bronto and Firefly en route. Fall back to hole drop.”

                “Roger,” I flipped off the radio and yelled toward the whirl of blades. “Corporal, fall back to under the hole. Vlad and Mike are coming down.”

                Mara yanked one of the blades out of the now-dead body of a warrior and kicked off, flipping backwards. “Got it, Hoss.”

                She landed lightly and started to backpedal as I tried to cover her with my off-hand. Wiping the accumulation of blood off of her blades she sheathed them, pulling out her pulse rifle and adding to my cover fire. The bugs were getting closer and closer as they pour toward us, a yellow-and-black mass flowing towards us.

                “Hey, Josh!” Mike’s voice burst over the radio. “Stand back!”

                A small, bright-orange canister fell from the sky and landed among the throng. A blinding flash of light burst forward, the portals on the helmets polarizing instantly. The bugs disappeared, disintegrated and burning in the intense heat of the white-phosphorus burn. Then, liked two angels, Vlad’s massive suit and Mike’s firebrand came to a gentle landing in front of us. Mike continued to pour fire into the cavern as Vlad turned to us.

                “You should be more careful. Grapnel out, DeFranco and I will be right behind you.”

                I nodded, which I assume Mara did as well, and strapped the launcher onto the end of my pulse rifle. Flipping down the targeting visor I aimed just below the lip and fired. The drill sailed upwards, slamming into the rock and grinding itself in, the catch-clamps springing out at the last moment. Revving the power tow we started our ascent.

                Indeed Vlad and Mike were right behind us, choking smoke filling the cavern floor as no heavier atmosphere came to replace it. We crawled out of the hole and I stopped to catch my breath. My arm still hurt like crazy and that quick climb didn’t help either. Corporal Kenchiko turned to the Lieutenant and, I assumed, said something on a private channel. The LT nodded and turned to us.

                “Alright, Reapers, here’s the plan. We bounce back to our rendezvous point, dust off, re-equip, and then we’re back in. Move out, Reapers.”

                “Ho!” We all responded. Just like that we jetted back; taking long, high jumps in hopes of avoiding any more pitfalls. Landing on the top of that mesa and seeing the Fleet carrier touch down was a blessing. The fact we would be going right back wasn’t comforting but I figured I could make it. We piled into the carrier and strapped in, feeling it lift off and bank back, moving toward our ship: the S.I.S. Churchill.

                 

                “Hey, Decker,” Wolenchowski said, watching me touch my arm with a grimace, “what’s wrong? Dislocated?”

                The rest of the group turned, staring at me.

                “Probably,” I said, leaving well enough alone, “I fired the sniper rifle without bracing.”

                Mara started to laugh, “You should have seen this gaijin. Flew like someone shoved a rocket in his stomach.”

                The rest of the group joined in. Yet another thing I’d never live down.

                “Poor darling,” Boomer said, warmly smiling at me while struggling to keep her own laughter down, “need Jess to kiss it and make it better?”

                “No thanks, Big Boomer,” I smirked, “not with that nitro lipstick you wear. Better, in my vocabulary, does not mean ‘blown off’.”

                She puckered anyway and let out her laugh. At least they were feeling better. Wolenchowski had already pulled out the data cable and plugged it into my suit, his readout shield lowered.

                “Yup, dislocated,” David said, staring into space. “We can set it back in when we get in dock. I’ll give you some pain killers and you’ll be fine.”

                “Well, as long as you’ve gone into doc mode,” I responded, not looking forward to having David or, most likely, Vlad put my shoulder back in, “why don’t you tap Corporal Kenchiko and see how she fared.”

                “Good point,” David pulled out the cord and clicked it into Mara’s, “that was a heck of a fall.”

                “I’m fine,” Mara growled, but in times of checking the medic always seems to outrank his CO.

                “No,” Wolenchowski said, “you’re not. Four bruised ribs and mild kinetic trauma. Same for you, PKs.”

                Kenchiko started to argue but knew it was pointless. If a medic said eating dung would improve your condition the CO would approve it. Thankfully David was a smart guy, needed to be, and gave us the pain killers before we docked. By the time we slipped into the docking bay I could no longer feel my arm. Or much else.

                Marino made me strip out of my suit while Vlad grabbed my shoulders. Thank goodness for the pain killers. Having that tower of muscle force my arm back into joint still hurt like hell but at least I survived it. I had to move my arm around, get rid of the tingling. Vlad chuckled and slapped my other shoulder. “Gutsy move, greenie. Next time, at least shoulder it.”

                All I could do was nod and smile. Yeah, it was dumb, but what would you do if you had a tank bug breathing down your neck. We moved back toward the armory as a group. I was dragging behind a little but they expected it. Mara was back to her normal self, the drugs doing wonders on her. Lucky for us Baker Company was still in because their corporal, Ed Luth, was the Armory Attendant as well. Corporal Luth grinned as we entered.

                “Well if it isn’t Sierra Company,” he said, using out official title, “what can I do for you?”

                Top handed him a data pad without a word. Luth took it and loaded it into the computer. A moment later tubs full of weapons and ammo came rolling from the back on a conveyer system. He’d hand them out, calling names. We each took our designated tub and went back to the prepping room.

                “Decker!”

                “Yes, Lieutenant?”

                “Tub duty.”

                I resisted rolling my eyes and stopped loading out. As everyone put their suits back on and loaded magazines and attached weapons, I had to wait. Once they finished I was left with a stack of empty tubs, the top most containing all the spent magazines and unneeded weapons. I walked back and slid it over to Luth. “Thanks, Private. Now just hand me your sniper rifle and you’re free to leave.”

                “Copy?”

                “Didn’t you check your load-out? Seems you’re doing a nest raid. No XSC-21 for you. Just additional grenades, pulse cells, and laser charges.”

                I groaned, walking back to the prep room. Back to being a normal grunt. Luth just smiled as I returned with the rifle, having to heft it up to the counter was quite a chore. Thing never seemed heavy with a suit on. I strolled back and slipped back into my power armor. At least I didn’t have to return my pulse rifle so I had two of them. I clipped the rifles into place, stored the ammo and munitions, and clipped on my helmet.

                “Hey, Hoss,” I heard over the radio, “get a move on. We’re leaving!”

                “Yes, ma’am, Corporal.”

                I double-timed it back to the carrier and ran through the door. Everyone was already strapped in. I clipped myself in and Marino’s voice came in over the comms.

                “Here’s the Op, Reapers. Seems they landed here earlier then SICON thought. There’s already a Brain Bug taking up residence in the tunnels.”

                “Hey, LT, I don’t remember seeing any reports of SpecOps picking up Brain Bug activity.”

                “Decker, shut up.” Curious. Usually I knew before SICON told us. I hadn’t read anything about it. Or that any SpecOp brain-children were on Mars yet. “POA is nest extermination. Loadout should be optimal. Only a few heavy weapons. Specialist Boomer has seismic charges to bring the house down. DeFranco!”

                “Yo!”

                “Pointman. Kenchiko and Bronovich, standards. Wolenchowski! Decker!”

                “Yes, sir!” “Yo!”

                “Cover our rears. Nest termination means no Marauder, Wolenchowski. Boomer! Keep us armed and blow any subsidiaries.”

                She nodded. Jess humored me sometimes. She wasn’t large by any means; she could be a pin-up girl if she wanted. Watching this massive grey suit nod its head, knowing that hourglass girl was inside, always made me chuckle a little. Then here I was, second largest in the squad, and I was the one wearing the skin-tight armor.

                “Drop in thirty, Reapers! Deal the cards!”

                “Death, sir! Hoo-rah!”

                The doors under our feet irised open and the decimated battleground we had left floated below us. Air escaped and we where shot out. Seven pods, each containing death incarnate, the Grim Reapers, hurtled toward the reddish dirt.

                 

                I never like nest hunting. The caverns were almost too much for me. I wasn’t claustrophobic, not by a long shot. It was just the fear that a hundred of those buggers could suddenly burst from anywhere. Juan reminded me that it was a rare case. The bugs stuck to their tunnels, we were the only ones that blasted through. I think he just said that to make me feel better. As far as I knew no one else in the squad was claustrophobic either. So what was Corporal Kenchiko’s problem?

                Ever since we went down the hole she started acting a little on edge. More so then usual. She was sticking particularly close to the Lieutenant and kept talking to him on a private channel. Jess tapped her on the shoulder, to ask about her ammo levels, and she damn near lost her arm to that sword-swinging psycho. Marino gave her a little talking to and she seemed better. However, that didn’t make me feel better.

                The tunnels made it seem as though we had gone straight to hell. All light refracted back with that same reddish tone, giving one the feeling that the fire and brimstone was just around the corner. Our initial attack had done a number on them, a few pockets of warriors but they were easily mowed down under out gunfire. Mike’s flame cannon made most frontal attacks against us pretty useless. Top must have gotten intel from someone besides me because he seemed to know the way – and I didn’t have a clue. Every time we came to a fork in the road he’d point at a direction, tell Boomer to thump it, then go the other way.

                The thumpers were another SICON Anti-Bug invention that was made for tunnels. Since the enclosed spaces made anything more explosive than a standard grenade too dangerous to use they needed a way to close off tunnels. This would slow the bugs advance and buy any squad a few seconds to regroup. They weren’t grenades, per say, as the explosive charge they carried was too little to hurt anything armored. What they did do was send out a short subsonic vibration that would be cut short by an explosive white noise. The vibration would loosen up the surrounding rock and dirt, even crack much of it, and then the following concussive explosion would send it toppling down. The blurt of white noise would make sure the subsonic didn’t loosen up the entire nest’s framework. Nothing worse than a MI group buried alive.

                It seemed all Jess carried was the thumpers and extra clips. I’m sure she wasn’t happy about that but it’s what happened in the tunnels. Every time we ran out of energy she’d pull a cell out of somewhere and take our empty. If we were, in fact, going up against a brain bug I hoped to hell she was carrying one of her toys. I’d even prefer trying to dig myself out as long as I knew the brain bug was nuked back to the hell world it came from.

                Top stopped us and had us do a full weapons check. I assumed we were close to the brain bug and he wanted to make sure we were fully loaded. I grinned and unclipped the second pulse rifle. Since the pain killers were still working I could wield one in each hand no problem. Mike looked at me and laughed, “Funny, I never saw you as a two-fisted guy.”

                “Very funny,” I said, “I’m just making sure that when the bugs get me, I’ll be going out John Woo-style.”

                The Sarge blinked and looked at me. “John Woo?”

                “Oh yeah, I’m the only one that watches old movies.”

                Vlad shrugged and continued on. I don’t think anyone of them got that joke. Didn’t matter.

                The bug concentration was getting a little thicker now. A few times we actually had Vlad or Mara get into hand-to-mandible combat because we couldn’t cut them down fast enough. Surprisingly we passed through the heavily scorched area where a spider grenade went off. Didn’t think any would have made it this deep down. I was examining the glassy wall of the tunnel section when I heard the Lieutenant screaming.

                “Corporal Kenchiko! Regroup! That’s an order!”

                I turned and just barely made out the green-splattered metallic shine of her armor disappear around a distant bend. Top took off right after her. “Reapers, double-time! Lock and load on the bounce!”

                All of us hauled down the tunnel after the wailing Mara. We’d lost sight of her but our trackers were keeping a steady ping on her location. Boomer started handing out clips and grenades like they were out of style and she was far too hip for them. I had to switch off, clipping one gun while loading the other, which isn’t easy while running. By the time I looked up I ran flat into Jess. Not much happened besides me suddenly stopping and a “Oh, sugar, you always ram girls like that?” comment from Boomer. Her suit was too big and mine was too cushioned.

                I moved around her and saw what everyone else was staring at. We had followed Mara right into the brain chamber. The brain bug was huge and disgusting, like an oversized maggot with the nastiest looking spike I had ever seen protruding from the front. It was surrounding itself with warrior bugs and it seemed to have two tanks as royal guards. Mara was in the process of hacking away at the warriors guarding and, fearfully, seeming to lose.

                “Reapers, attack all units. Check fire. Decker!” He pointed up at a higher ledge. “Seek high ground and crack those tanks.”

                I would have said something but I was already moving, my jets blasting me up toward the ledge. The tank bugs seem to like moving targets and one took a shot at me. The twin jets of flame were so close I thought my boots were going to melt. I hit and rolled on the ledge as I heard the rest of the group gun down the warriors. Mike ran out of fuel and was force to switch to his pulse rifle. Jess was throwing grenades everywhere that could take the hit. Vlad was physically beating the bugs down and crushing them in his suit’s claws. David had a grenade launcher and was trying to peg the other tank bug but was finding it difficult with Mara working her way up.

                I wished Top had assigned this to someone else but I had to do it. I picked up both rifles and began strafing the tank that had aimed at me earlier. Once I had its attention I dropped the rifles, uncapped a grenade, and waited. The thing looked up, opening its mouth in a roar. I pressed the timer button and underhanded it into its mouth. I barely had time to duck as another shot of flame burst upwards and over me. Something exploded. I hoped it was the tank bug. Crawling back to the edge I looked down. Things were grim.

                Warrior bugs from other areas had joined in and were pouring into the chamber. Even Jess was down to just her pulse rifle and they were back to back, circling and firing. Mara was crouched down near the brain bug, totally motionless. She had to be alive, suits don’t lock up like that. I picked up my rifle and slapped down the HUD shield. Wriggling up to the very edge on my belly I watched as the IFF started tagging the near-hundred bugs that were flooding in. I focused on one, target locked, and fired. The bolt of energy slammed into it and burst the nerve center of the insect like a melon. I kept firing, over and over. One shot – one kill. They kept coming.

                I looked back over at Kenchiko and gasped. The hideous blob had her and was rearing up its claw. Warriors slid by me, crawling over me, not even sensing I was there. I had to shoot but the overwhelming horror of everything around me was too much. The red IFF indicators flooded my vision, making it impossible to see. I slammed the visor up, bring the rifle up against my helmet, looking down the sorry excuse for sighting bars. The brain bug was wriggling, as though it was having fun.

                Inhale. Aim. Exhale. Fire.

                 

*                                              *                                              *

                 

                “So I guess you really did earn that S-Class rating, didn’t you?”

                I smiled. The mess hall never looked so good at that moment. The Grim Reapers were on official R&R. Well, as much as we could get until the S.I.S. Churchill made it to Tesca.

                Seemed the infamous Alpha Company, Rizak’s Roughnecks, had encountered something new. They found breeder bugs that changed the bug’s genetic structure in accordance to local fauna. Thanks to SICON’s underestimate of bug forces on Mars, Lieutenant Marino decided that the load out on the last mission was far too little and that we didn’t need more training. Except me. I had to keep hacking and gathering as much data about Tesca as possible.

                I ran a hand through my hair as I looked at Mara. “Yeah, you could say that. Anything within a klick I can hit without a scope. Or so they say. But I think you prefer the proof.”

                “Yeah,” said Mike, jumping in, “if it weren’t for that lucky shot of yours we’d all be bug brain juice.”

                “Lucky?” I smirked. “That shot would have been lucky if I had hit you instead of the brain bug.”

                That got a laugh. Seemed to me like I was fitting in. Everyone, now, officially owed me one. David, as a token of his appreciation, had started devising improvements on the XSC-21. Top got it approved that it would be developed in-house before SICON techs got the chance to play with it.

                David had most of the team patched up. Only major loss was Sargent Bronovich. He had taken a bug claw right through the gut. Most people that would have been fatal. For Vlad, it was a reason to pick the bug up and throw him at eight of his buddies. Vlad was healing in the regeneration tank right now. The rest of us were a smattering of cuts and bruises that had mostly healed. Surprisingly I had gotten away with only my dislocated shoulder. The shock suppression and emission controls on my suit had definitely proven themselves.

                We finished dinner and were treated to our bunks. Bed was a dream come true but something more pressing was on my mind. I waited till the hallways were mostly cleared then went over and knocked on Kenchiko’s door.

                “Yes?”

                “Specialist Decker, Corporal.”

                “Enter.”

                Mara was dressed, quite comfortably it seemed, in a dark blue kimono. She was sitting on her heels in front of a table that was about three feet too short. I’ve never been one for Japanese culture, I had only picked up a little from her and one of my bunk mates in Basic. I stood at the doorway for a moment, waiting for more.

                “Well come in, Josh. Starships are drafty and I don’t need that cold air in here.”

                I walked in, letting the door slide shut behind me.

                “Now, what is so pressing that you have to interrupt me, hm?”

                “Just a question for you, ma’am.”

                “Josh… R&R, remember what that means? Act like it.”

                I blinked. Stupid.

                “Sorry, Mara. Um… just wanted to know, and I’m sure someone else has asked, but why did you go all…” I paused, not sure how to phrase it, “…well, freaky on us?”

                She bowed from where she sat and waved her hand out before her.

                “Take a seat, Josh. Don’t forget to take off your shoes,” she pointed to where her boots were now. The more I said in her room the more I felt like an uncultured moron. I proceeded to take off my boots as she continued talking.

                “What I’m going to tell you stays here. Or at least inside the Reapers. No one else is to know, and I’d prefer that you tell no one else.” I sat down, trying to mimic her. I nodded silently. “However if the others find out I won’t mind too much.”

                “Well,” I said, trying to smile and brighten the suddenly darkening mood, “we all have our dark secrets.”

                “You know about the Special Ops telepathics, right?”

                I nodded. As if it were written I could read how this conversation was going but stayed quiet anyway.

                “I’m something they claim doesn’t exist. I’m renegade and more than just a telepath. I have abilities beyond that and yet I don’t work for Special Ops. I made a deal with Lieutenant Marino. He keeps me in the Reapers and I work for him in return. That way I help the team and SpecOps doesn’t cut me open to see how my brain works.”

                I was left to a dead stare and not much else. How do you respond to something like that? SICON ads may make the military look flashy but it was far from. I knew she was right. If Intel’s Special Operations section found out she existed and had these extra powers she was claiming, whatever they may be, they would dissect her. All for the greater good, right?

                “That’s why I didn’t stir when we fell down that hole. The bug was talking to me, blocking out everything else.”

                “It kept doing that and it got stronger when you got closer, right?”

                She nodded.

                “That’s why you went berserk, right? Couldn’t take it?”

                “Only so much noise I can handle, Josh. It’s hard enough hearing the bugs crawl through the tunnels – but crawling through your mind?”

                She was on the verge of tears. Whatever that brain bug had done to her and really tore her up. This was not the battle hardened Corporal that I had worked with. This wasn’t even the bubbly, eccentric anime chick that bounced around during R&R. This was something small and frightened. She was breaking down because she had found someone to talk to and it was coming out. She moved over and sat next to me, just looking at me with those green eyes.

                What happens when you hug or hold a superior officer? Officially and for the record – I have no idea, it’s never happened. Unofficially – a comfort: turns out they’re human too.