June 25 7 AE (military calendar)June 25 2029 AC (global calendar)Admiral Preston ColeA complete failure from military intelligence. That’s what’s caused this mess. While I would hesitate to call this a disaster it was moments away from being one.
Were it not for our timely arrival and if I’m being completely honest were it not for that lunatic Rex then we would have lost all ship production.
I can’t help but feel a migraine coming on as I sit here with her as we go over what happened with the facility director. The entirety of the fleet that was supposed to protect here was still in their moorings.
Ironically that meant they didn’t get too great a beating but the same can’t be said for my fleet. As bad as I got it though Rex got it worse, dozens of her men now require prosthetic repcements as either debris hit them or parts of their armor got compromised and the decompression destroyed the limb.
Combined with several squads being wiped including her own command squad. from what she said the sections those squads were in were targeted by ships. That makes me curious how she survived.
Regardless her decision to board the facility’s turned out to be the correct decision as they stopped several hacking attempts and numerous bombs from being detonated. I doubt any other person in her position would jump at the opportunity to fly through a void battle with no protection.
I pull myself out of my thoughts and tune back into the conversation “Triple shifts could get the required repcement pting but your weapons will take longer”
That’s right a significant amount of the ship's armor was burned off, boiled in a few cases “How close is the defense fleet to completion” I ask.
The director looks at his tablet for a few moments before answering “If we split the work it’ll be months” I nod “What if you just split the armor and then prioritize the defense fleet’s weapons”
He taps his tablet for a few moments “Armor would be repced within two weeks and the defense fleet will have its weapons a week after that”
I nod “That’s more acceptable” I state. Rex speaks up “We can use the Onager to make minor repairs in the meantime”
The meeting drags on for a few more hours and by the end I’m exhausted I don’t know how the good general is so lively even after all the combat she was in. Might have to do with how angry she looks at the moment.
We walk in silence back to the onager through a docking tube. Once aboard she quietly and calmly stated “Office now” I sigh internally at the prospect of another meeting. Regardless I follow her.
Once inside and the door closes she speaks “Once we’re refitted we’re going back to earth for some leave and to pick up more troops, the current csses will be done by then”
I nod not sure why this required secrecy but she continues “Then we’re going to hit them hard I’m seeing about modifying the punchy and putting a spinal-mounted coil inside it. Provided we aren’t spotted it’ll be able to snipe for us”
I nod again then she drops the bomb “They have huge shipyards on Mars, square miles of them I don’t know how we missed them but if we can decapitate them we can capture them for ourselves. It’s going to get messy… you're going to get a lot of retively innocent blood on your hands”
My blood ran cold she didn’t mean “care to expin” she shrugs “You’ll hear about it soon enough but three of the cities in Africa detonated their fusion reactors and gssed themselves to stop the pgue. So we’re going to hit America hard but we might have to help in Europe first st I heard Germany completely stopped our advance there”
Silence hangs in the air for a moment “Understood…” I say slightly falling off at the end. Of course, she picked up on it “What’s the matter… it’s not about what’s coming next… it’s about my command squad isn’t it”
I nod a little sheepish “Whatever I’ll send you the recording watch it in private please” She waits a moment “After you get some rest put together the ship repair priorities and pass them along then organize who will get their vacation in what order. Dismissed”
As I walk back to my quarters I ponder whether I should watch that video or not. In the end, I decided it was not that important. I get myself some well-deserved rest then organize the repairs and form an initial leave order.
September 25 8 AE (military calendar)September 25 2030 AC (global calendar)Major griffinElysium primeIt’s weird having gravity again but I’m not going to compin. Seeing Earth from orbit after over a year in the outer system the changes are well shocking.
Somehow the atmosphere has gotten worse. Category six hurricanes roam the oceans and mass electrical storms dot the sky viable from orbit. Not to mention Africa is a dead zone completely quarantined.
By the time we got back a total of five cities had gssed themselves, the Unified East has built a huge wall to separate itself and the mainnd has sealed the underwater tunnels connecting them to Africa.
Supplies are still delivered through other means so other than being cut off and in a double apocalypse they are fine.
I’m not here for any of that though as Jed promised us dinner and Tanya asked me to pick up a fresh recruit. So dressed in casual clothes for once we are walking through a residential area to Jed’s house.
He’s actually one of the very few in the entire 104th that doesn’t live on base because of family. Rabbit is wearing shorts and a T-shirt the shorts mostly because of his legs. Wraith is wearing cargo pants and a fnnel.
I’m wearing regur jeans and a fnnel though I look strange because I have the sleeves down and a single glove. To hide my prosthetic. Jed is dressed simirly though missing the glove and instead has flowers. Barbosa is in an authentic African fashion and he makes it look good.
“So Jed what did you have pnned for us” I ask as we near his house, one that has a nice picket fence and a porch and a tree in the yard. “You ever had old Texan cuisine” we all shake our heads.
“Well you're in for a treat then hopefully you all brought a second stomach” I chuckle a little. The climate control has today as positively perfect the brightness is just right same with the temperature and light breeze.
I feel we’ve all earned this. We enter his front gate and climb the steps to his door and he lets us in.
Jed’s in first and I follow him in. I didn’t get a chance to look around at the interior as Jed suddenly dropped the flowers he had. It’s all made clear once he sinks to his knees.
The door looks into his living room from the entrance and on his couch is who I presume is his wife… completely naked getting railed by some guy.
Barbosa immediately moves to Jed while me wraith and rabbit move on the two on the couch who have noticed us. The guy stands in from of Jed’s presumably now ex-wife “Who do you think you guys are”
I punch him in the jaw, with my prosthetic, and completely shatter the bone and dislocating whatever is still intact. The woman screams as she’s pinned by the guys. Barbosa had the decency to get Jed out.
“Gag her Jed doesn’t need to hear it” With that we wait for the police. Once I’m sure the two inside won’t cause trouble I step outside and sit next to Jed and my heart breaks.
He’s holding his head in his hands and clearly is trying to not completely break down. “Let it out man” After a moment probably trying to debate whether we would think less of him for crying or not he begins to cry.
About five minutes ter the patrol car pulls up and I stand to meet them. The first officer greats me friendly enough “Afternoon, we got a call about” I hold up my hand “Yeah they are inside… uh I don’t think the owner of the house is going to be avaible for questioning”
I gesture to Jed slightly and both officers nod solemnly. With that I lead them inside and close the door so Jed won’t hear. few realize how seriously the republic takes these situations.
They both look grim the second they see the perpetrators. “Mr uh” the first officer begins “major griffin serin” I finish for him and their partner's eyes widen but they stay silent. “Right I’m lieutenant ricks and this is lieutenant right”
I smile at the partner's name. “Now mind recounting the events for us” I nod and leave nothing out though I did add that we were deployed for a year and a half before we were able to get leave.
It was about this time we heard a child crying from deeper in the house. Both officer's faces paled and we went to investigate. Sure enough, a child no older than a year was lying in a crib. with hair not matching Jed or his ex.
“Sir uh you said you all were deployed for the st year and a half correct” I nod “I see then this case is closed all that needs done is sentencing we’ll leave your man in your custody”
That might sound strange but when the ws already favor citizens over what everyone called dead weight adding in evidence like that you can do what we did and never see a courtroom.
The officers began to search the house and we all left to the barracks. Jed was now catatonic. Luckily Frank asked no questions as to why we needed a ride suddenly so we all sat in the back of his truck.
Wraith broke the silence “Should have killed em boss” I shook my head “Nah that would be too easy on him” I sighed and just looked out the side watching the scenery pass for a while.
Once the gate comes into view I lean forward to Frank “Can you drop me off at the motor pool before you get to the barracks” he nods “Sure no problem” Once we arrive I jump out and head for the checkout point.
A short bit of paperwork and I’m driving to the training facility. The scenery isn’t as nice as outside the military sector but it’s better than straight concrete. Halfway there I realize I’m still in my casual clothes. Whatever not turning around now.
I get strange looks from the checkpoint guards but get through with no issue. Barracks fifteen A is what I’m looking for and surprise it’s the fifteenth. I park in front and at least make sure my clothes aren’t wrinkled. Good enough.
I step inside and it’s chaos. Fresh privates celebrating and bragging about their units. It’s rare to have a whole css stay together and make a new unit. One more perceptive private spots me and makes his way over.
“Uh, can I help you…” he asks and I smile “Major” his eyes widen and he snaps to attention and calls out “attention officer on deck” I can’t help but feel that’s a sailor version but whatever.
The chaos immediately stops and they form neat lines at their bed feet. “Impressive” I say. I decide to take advantage of this leaving them saluting as I walk down the rows.
I stop halfway seeing Ivan and I smile “I can’t help but remember you being a higher rank” A few nearby privates pale slightly I'm sure he’s told stories and they should know anyone who knows would be from the mythical 104th.
I continue on my way inspecting them. I made a full round and didn’t see who I was looking for and sigh a little. I then raise my voice “At ease. Private Casper sound off” a moment ter I hear a “here sir” and I zero in on him.
Suspiciously close to Ivan. I eye him up and down and he looks nervous. Average Elysian height and above average build but not bulky. “You a quick thinker” I ask him and responds with a yes sir. “Comfortable with a radio” another yes sir.
Now for the breaker “have a problem with getting voided or a nuke dropped on you or performing an areal insertion without a parachute” that got whispers going. But I focus on the private.
“No sir” I smile “Good you're coming with me gather your things” he quickly throws his foot locker into a bag and looks at me expectantly. I walk outside to my puma and get in.
Halfway back my phone rings. “Expin” is all Tanya says “Well I’m on my way back with the freshie and Jed is broken and living on base now” That’s when I noticed I still had blood on my hand. “Also I might have accidentally perpetuated that rumor that we’re all violent psychopaths”
“Good god man what did you do” I smile a little “alright so Jed was going to make us a nice rack of ribs but when we got to his house there was a situation… one screaming dy ter and a vaporized jaw for a deserving bastard we had to cancel our dinner”
“I see well let me know if Jed needs anything… I’m not sure if he’d care to attend now but I’m holding a ceremony for the fallen in about an hour”
I let out a hmmm then replied “We’ll be there” With that she hung up. I gnce at the new guy and he looks confused. I sigh “I assume you have questions”
He nods slowly and takes a minute to formute his question “Why do you all have that reputation” That actually surprises me. So I ask him “you're a native right” he nods “I’m genuinely surprised you don’t know then”
He shrugs “Fine… well part of it is the general herself but the fact we all follow her and the operations we routinely do like our time in Africa” he nods slightly “Plus there is a healthy mix of jealousy as other than our founding we are very peculiar about who we recruit”
I look at him pointedly. He clears his throat “So uh what’s the general like” I blink a few times caught off guard by the question. “Well as you probably heard she takes care of her subordinates”
He nods so I continue having realized how old he is “So why join now and not when you were first able” he looks a bit uncomfortable and I swear I heard him mumble “I didn’t realize it was such a strange thing” seeing as that was not intended for me to hear I ignored it.
A few moments ter he speaks at a normal volume “The other cadets asked that too” I shrug “It’s a good question”. He sighs “I joined to impress a woman”. I stay silent for a few moments then say “Well I’m sure she’ll be impressed that you got into the 104th”
He shakes his head “I doubt it… I’m sure this is probably just the bare minimum” I can’t help but chuckle “sounds like she’s really high maintenance you sure you want to pursue her”
He stays silent for about five minutes before I speak again and sp his shoulder “Whenever you're comfortable tell me who it is and I’ll see if I can’t help you out” That catches his attention but he also understands that it basically put a pin in that conversation.
The rest of the ride is pretty quiet and we make it to the ceremony with not much time to spare. We meet up with Bombie Bate and Archangel and I’m gd Jed is here.
The room is more reminiscent of a great hall with banners of our victories. Oddly enough it’s lit with lights disguised as touches. The ‘fire’ pys across gems inid in the wall under each banner, not a universal amount as the Beachhead banner has none and it clicks what the gems are.
We talked about it before, each gem is a fallen brother. Tanya climbs the ptform at the end of the hall and clears her throat. Her gss eye looks like it’s on fire as well. “Thank you all for coming. It seems with each campaign we participate in the stakes rise higher and higher and with them the cost”
“A cost we pay in blood, unfortunately sometimes that blood is our own and that is why we are here today. Not to mourn our brothers and sisters sacrifice but to celebrate that such men and women lived and that we had the honor to know them and fight with them”
“While we the living still have countless battles ahead of us we can take soce knowing our fallen have arrived in paradise. We still have to fight for ours but tonight let’s drink and eat, tell stories, and celebrate our fallen”
She raises a mug and takes a swig. That’s when dozens of chefs come out with huge ptes of food and drink. So that’s what we did for the rest of the night we ate we drank and we ughed and cried because little did we know all the death and destruction that’s happened so far was just the first drop in the bucket for this war.
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Note there will be a jump in time. I have also made a Patreon where character art will be posted along with possibly some other art and of course all the chapters posted and any chapter I finish early.
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