Barten rushed down the line of troops and took position. Things were peaceful for a time. Then suddenly they weren’t. With only Squads 8 and 5 left behind to defend the base it meant that any at time they could be called forward. To fight against beetle and millipede attacks. Which was really just lobbing plasma down range when one got too close.
Everyone waited and fired at once, and the poor thing didn't stand any chance as it was impacted and scattered by plasma. A moment later someone called out, “Milli on road!”
While the beetles were easy to fight against, they were dumb and just charged or reared back. The new types were much more difficult since they were adept at dodging. And depending on the numbers that showed up they would either bunker down in the hastily built battlements or try to wing it before killing it.
Or just wait for one of the pilots to get into a dav and crush the millipede into a pancake. After several moments the millipede must have decided to not engage and it turned and retreated. “That’s new,” Yin said from down the line. She was the only one Barten had met before defending the base.
“Researchers are probably going to go crazy over it,” a man named Dane said. “At least assuming that it hasn’t happened somewhere else already.” he shook his head. “It feels new to us. But they always come back with ‘Already Documented’.”
“Alright. Let's get to hauling it to the pit. Still can’t believe the reports of them cannibalizing the dead,” Yin said. Her words caused Barten to shudder. They had been given limited access to some of the information coming in from around the world. And there were reports of not only other beetles eating one another. But of them also doing the same to humans, or really anything else that they were able to get their teeth into.
Someone had found an old flatbed pickup truck somewhere. And by using the winch that it was possible to pull the bodies into the base. Both keeping the firing line clear, as well as having more material to research. Though they were really just piling them out back for now in a hole. Until the maybe day that they were needed for something. Barten kind of felt that it was just more busy work since command didn't want to launch an assault onto the g objects just yet.
Once they stowed away the plasma rifles for maintenance Barten left to find some food in the mess hall. He was surprised to find that Conners and Smith were there eating. And he got a “Morning.” from each of them when he sat down.
“Surprised that the two of you are even awake. Weren’t you both on the night shift?” Barten asked.
“Eh,” Conners said with a shrug. “I don’t sleep well during the day. So I’m just eating a lot to try and make myself sleepy.” He took a sip of his coffee. When he noticed the look Barten gave him he held it up in the air and sloshed it around. “Thankfully for decaf right?”
“I’ve been feeling hungrier of late. So second supper, first breakfast. Whatever. More food is better,” Smith said.
“You too?” Dane asked as he sat with them. He had two plates piled high with food. “I think that it’s all the Con and Str. As they go up I seem to want more food.”
Barten looked down at his regular sized meal. “If that is the case then why doesn’t it happen with everyone? I’m still eating the same amount of food.”
Dane shrugged. “It must be one of the secrets of the chips or whatever. I’m sure that some egg head will figure it out at some point in time. Whether they tell us on the other hand…”
Conners took a loud sip of his coffee. “Still bitter about that?”
“Right! We tell them everything we notice. In addition they have full access to the terminals and our stats. But they tell us nothing! Not a damned thing. And yet we are supposed to be happy with the chance to become superhuman while they hoard all of their nuggets of knowledge like gold?” Dane threw his hands up into the air. “Stupid.”
Smith gave Conners a look. “What?” Conners asked.
“You know what you did.”
Barten shook his head and enjoyed the rest of his meal. There was some light banter and Dane ranting about wanting more information from the off site research team. Also Smith giving Conners trouble for getting the rants started again after they were finally finished.
***
“Alright,” Sergeant Myles said. He was back in their meeting room with his laptop set up to the projector.
“It feels like it’s a world away, since the last time we had one of these meetings,” Monroe said. “A lot has changed since the first one.”
“It’s only been a few weeks,” Myles said. “But I guess that is enough to change the world.” He let his words settle in before he spoke again, “Today we are going to go over Jamieson and his issues. First, let me say that you should have trusted me with this problem. Everyone here is part of a team. And we need to be mindful of that. Even more so when we are dealing with an outside threat like with the g objects.”
“Kind of feels like I’ve let down my Dad again,” Conners said which brought a few chuckles.
“I don’t remember having as many kids as you,” Myles said and shook his head. “First up,” he tapped on the laptop and an image came up on the screen, “research has shared what they think the extra stat that Jamieson has is, Psychic Sensitivity. So that is why he went berserk before the pulse happened. As well as what happened when you got too close to the object. There seems to be some sort of psychic lure that is used to draw living beings closer.” The screen showed an object with an estimated range of the effect. Along with what its goals might be.
“What happens to the living being when they get too close?” Jamieson asked.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“It’s not anything good. Given that the beetles seem keen on eating everything including humans. We can only surmise that is the end of anything caught.” Jamieson shuddered at Myles words and his face went pale.
“Is there something that can be done to prevent this?” Smith asked. “You mentioned that there was shielding on the building before right?”
Myles nodded. “They are sending along a prototype headgear that should help with deadening the psychic attacks that the objects use. It’s probably going to be something cobbled together, so don't expect it to look too fancy.”
“Well. That’s good at least.” Smith leaned over and patted Jamieson on the back. “What about the next bit? Are we going to be stuck here? Or do we get to fly? I know Barten, being the only pilot here, has been chomping at the bit to get into one of the davs.”
“Hey!” Barten said. “I mean. You’re not wrong. But I’m happy with the choices that we made.”
“I’ll answer the first bit later. As for the davs that shouldn’t be an issue for the lot of you. That was part of the intent of gathering soldiers here. To train them up and once they get used to the chips move onto flying the davs. They are quite the bronco at times, and we’ve had pilots get injured when they went beyond what they could handle.”
“Wait, so you mean that there aren’t limiters in place?” Barten asked.
“Yes. But only so that the suits don’t get damaged. The g forces that can be produced by them are well above the safe limits for the average human.”
“But then we aren’t average anymore,” Barten said. “Dane mentioned that we were becoming super humans. The changes are permanent aren’t they?”
“As far as we are aware,” Myles said. “Remember all of the testing that you went through before we even considered you guys for the International Military?”
“It was such a pain,” Conners said and washed his face with his hands.
“I almost didn’t make it,” Monroe said. “The written tests were hell for someone that was stuck on the front lines like me.”
“I thought that they were easy,” Jamieson said. He shrugged when the other two glared at him.
“The written tests were more to see what you knew. The only one that really mattered was the morals and judgment tests. There’s no way someone with this power would be allowed if they were liable to cause harm.”
“Wait, what about retiring then?” Smith asked. “Are we supposed to be enlisted forever now?”
“Not so much. Many have come and gone through this system. As long as you live a quiet life afterwards it shouldn't be an issue. There are… well. There are systems in place to deal with rogue or rampaging chip holders. Let's just leave it at that.” Myles took a moment to look over the squad. “Moving on, there is both good news and bad news.”
“Wait, are we just going to ignore what Myles just suggested?” Conners asked.
“Probably for the best,” Smith said. “Asking too many questions gets people angry.” He looked to Myles who was standing there with his hands on his hips. “Just like not asking enough. What’s the good news?”
“The other sergeants don’t have to deal with this.” Myles shook his head and sighed. “And the good news is that everyone is going to be enrolled into the dav program. Which has its own bad news baked into it. You’ll need to train your bodies harshly in order to become a dav pilot. I’m not sure on the specifics. But having a high Con is a requirement. Also something about Per as well. No sense moving fast if you aren’t able to respond to it.”
“Ugh. Do we really have to run and run? I joined the mobile infantry cause I hate running that much,” Conners said.
“They have other options. But those will have to be discovered once you're on site.”
“Wait? So we are leaving Echo Base? That’s the bad news?” Barten asked.
“What? Don’t want to leave?” Monroe asked.
“I mean. This place is a dump. But it’s kind of homely. Well. Maybe not. But you know what I mean.”
Myles nodded, hit tapped at his laptop, and a new image appeared. Barten noticed it right away. “Alpha Base then?”
“That’s right. While it’s the manufacturing hub in the area, it’s also fortified. From there we will train and then sortie out towards the g objects in the area. Our squads will focus on this one, but depending on who needs what or when we could be sent to other ones.
“There’s also the fact that more and more beetles are being seen on the road. From what recon we have been able to do it seems like everything nearby the g object has been stripped down to bare earth. Even down to bedrock in some locations.” Another tap, another new image.
“I wish we knew what they were doing with it all,” Smith said.
“Don’t we all. And we’ll find out. One way or another. But probably with guns and violence,” Myles said.
Conners recoiled at what Myles had just said. While Monroe sat a little straighter. “Anything to take the fight to these bastards,” She said.
“I just wanted a peaceful semi-retirement,” Conners said. “Just five years, couldn’t they wait that long?”
“Then you might have been one of those civilians at the gates. I can see you being too stubborn to leave even after the pulse and warnings of hostiles,” Smith said and smiled.
Conners sighed. “You’re probably right. But what could a guy do to get a drink around here? This dry base has been killing me.”
“Oh we had drinks on the base beforehand. Usually they aren’t served until after basic is done. But we never got around to that,” Myles said with a smile. “Though it all would have been sent away by now. We’ll be abandoning the base tomorrow. So take all the time you need tonight. You’ll probably never see it again after the beetles have their turn at it.”
***
Barten stood up on the roof of the residence building and waited for dawn to slowly approach. The red light emitted from the g object acted like a beacon in the darkness of night. But the sunlight crept forward, across the world, and impacted onto the mono black surface of the g object. It became less sinister and more mundane. While standing as a monument to something grand. The object was still something dangerous. And if it wasn’t trying to kill everything it would have been a stunning sight.
Next would be one last breakfast, some more banter with the squad, and then a short flight to Alpha base. “I’m not glad to see it go. Not at all,” Conners said.
“My room sucked,” Jamieson said. Which brought a laugh from Conners.
“Maybe if you hadn’t done some redecorating it would have been livable.”
“Nah,” Jamieson said with a smile. “Drove me crazy even before that.”
Smith shook his head and smiled while Monroe tried not to laugh. “You guys are terrible,” she said.
“One last look,” Barten said. “And then we’ll be off to our new home.”
“Yeah, but only for 4 years, 343 days!” Conner said.
“Gods, he’s counting already,” Monroe said and put her face into her hands.