“You don’t have to do this, Jehz. What is the point anyway, that you want to officially be an elite Haak fighter, a total badass? No shit, you’re in an impenetrable suit that seems to make you indestructible so you are pretty much there already and the patch you get for your uniform isn’t really as cool as you might think. Besides, you are capable of fighting with any unit you want, you know any one of them would take you in a heartbeat. In fact, it’s starting to look like you could fight as a one-man unit and take out any other goddamn division in the known universe. So this is a waste of time and you know it, right?”
Jehz stared back and frowned. “What I am I supposed to do then Naviz? Not train, not face danger with my brothers and sisters, not follow the rules? Move immediately to the front of the line or just sit and wait until I am ordered to fly around the sky like a Given comet in order to intimidate some primitive world of protected people that they ought to be scared of us? It might seem silly to you, but I am still just a soldier and I need to act like one. Not just for them, my brothers and sisters, but for me, for my sanity. Separating me from the others is not going to make me a better leader. Instead, it will only turn me into a figurehead or a standalone single force unit like the ones that use the weird alien tech we love so much. Except in that case, I’m the weapon. I don’t want to be a standalone Naviz and I don’t want to be the weapon. I’m a soldier, just like you and all the others, trained my whole life for it if you remember – son of a general. It’s hard enough trying to hold onto any sense of normalcy after what I’ve been through. In the months after the big drone trial right before the spring festival, I finally felt like I was back and accepted again. But I wasn’t really, I was just seen as some kind of savior or sign from the Gods by the regular guys and a dangerous new toy by the Musa leaders who wanted to see if they could load me and point at the right enemy without me blowing up in their faces. I’m tired of being alone, Naviz, really tired. It’s starting to mess with my mind.”
“Alright, Jehz, I get it, I really do, as much as I can anyway. But tactically it’s a tough sell to understand how this makes sense from a military or development perspective. You literally don’t seem capable of taking any damage to that suit of yours based on the tech we know of on that planet. What are you possibly going to learn battling an army of crazed criminals in their back yard?”
“Maybe who’d I’d want to have with me if I ever needed to go to war for real. Did you think of that, genius?”
“Yeah, maybe, but have you considered if you are really distorting the games and changing what this is meant to be? I mean, whoever ends up in your command really isn’t going to have the freedom to prove themselves are they? Being protected by you and all that?
“I have thought about it and of course I’m going to dial it back, Naviz, try to use my suit in the context of a normal battle consistent with the plan. It could generate some good data for you geeks. The last thing I want to do is blow up the battlefield with a flurry of crazy push attacks. If I am going to do that, I may as well be there by myself.”
“Alright Jehz, I can tell you are going to do this no matter what I say and I don’t see any real risk so I’ll sign off though I’m not sure if that even matters any more. One of these days I am going to talk you out of something though, you just wait.”
“It does matter to me Naviz, and I’m sure you will and when you do, I bet you talk me out of the stupidest, most dangerous mistake of my life.” Jehz grinned at Naviz and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “Please know your advice is very much appreciated. It’s always honest, always from the heart and you consistently put my interests ahead of your own. That’s not always easy to do given your assignment. So thanks for everything, brother, but you are right, I have to do this.”
***
The Kruz applicants were strapped into their transports, nervously fidgeting with their equipment, waiting for the go sign when their screens lit up with the image of the Kruz commander, General Druz. “All right, boys and girls, are we ready for the big time? I know everyone here has been briefed and trained but there is really no way to prepare for what you are going to see down there. This is a hostile world full of some of the most batshit crazy criminals in the galaxy so, don’t expect normal military approaches, ever, and it might sound counterintuitive, but the best way to stay alive down there is to play it straight. No freelancing. None. Stick to the plan. I’ll say it again so maybe there is a chance you’ll remember when some Syber freak makes you want to jump your strategy. No freelancing. None. Stick..to..the..plan. Don’t let them bait you into tactics you didn’t intend to employ. That’s a sure way to get yourself killed.
“Remember this is Kruz Sacrifice days – small arms and lethal hand weapons will be allowed and these monsters have them built-in for the most part. This is their game and they wait all year to play it. I know none of you are history buffs or you probably wouldn’t be here, but let’s just say there aren’t two groups in the whole galaxy that hate each other as much as the Given and Syber. We got our reasons right? So don’t give them a chance to get close unless you have absolutely no choice. Stay in motion, follow the plan, win and come home alive. That’s all. See you on the other side. It will be my honor to welcome you into the most exclusive family in Given society, the Kruz. Just don’t tell the Rejiz I said that, he gets a little jealous sometimes. Tola Kapi!“
***
Gargan strode across the room, pounding his biological hand into his metal one over and over. “This is it, boys, I can feel it. We are finally going to get off this goddamned rock. Finally. Now let’s go over this one more time.” He looked around the room at ragtag officers and shook his head. They’d be lucky to execute half of the pieces of the plan needed to make this work but he had no choice but to try. Just keep reviewing the plan over and over and hope some of it would stick. He had waited and waited for the Given to let go of their pointless persecution of him, but it had gotten him nowhere. Even after he had played all of their stupid games! A thousand years he had waited, and if he didn’t go soon, his mind would be made of the same rotting muck as his officers, a collection of ancient Syber rebuilt so many times, they were only tenuously holding onto a semblance of coherent consciousness.
Sanity was for most a distant memory but they were loyal, if only because of their dependence on him. It was only Gargan’s skill and technical creativity that kept them upright at all, but he couldn’t completely rebuild their brains. If only he could trust any of the criminal scumbags that were dropped off by the Given, he would replace the old crew in a heartbeat. But the criminals were even worse, no pride or commitment to their craft, or if they did, their uncontrollable anger toward the Given they had betrayed led them inevitably to a violent death within years. Just when their training had begun! Such a waste. They needed to learn how to channel their rage, use it to drive them forward. Lay a trap and then wait for just the right time to spring it! Take their revenge! Time was on their side, they just had to be patient. Patience can be just the ingredient needed to stew blind anger into motivation and achievement. Gargan had tried and tried to teach them but they could never open their minds enough to give him a chance. He would just have to do it himself!
Gargan was as bitter and angry as any of them and had more reason to be so, but he would not let go of his future. Never! The astounding arrogance of the Given, they would not even entertain his comms other than to confirm details of the engagement with his troops. Never even a thank you for all he had done for them, and they owed him everything. Everything! Now he would go take it back. He was patient, they had forgotten that, forgotten how far he would go to set up his plan. Everyone always forgets what he is capable of and lets their guard down. They all do it! How could they be so stupid and forget who he was? It seemed impossible but he was thankful they were and did. He needed at least that little bit of help, he had to admit, but not much more. He would have some surprises for them today though. Surprises they would never forget!
“So the escape craft is in the final stages of assembly at the Mannic cave as we speak. Those not leaving today need to remain strong and follow the plan even after I am gone. All of it! I will be back for you, brothers and sisters, do not forget that. All those that follow me will get more than their lives restored. They will be better than before, better than they could have ever imagined, and they will have their revenge. I personally guarantee that to all of you. All of you!
“Now look at your screens and pull the file listed from your databanks. OK, now study the diagram on the left – you need to remember this. Four units will feint a full-on assault here, while the fifth heads for the landing site. They won’t expect us there since they are assuming the implants will keep us grounded and that we’ll be headed for the checkpoint. We’ll need to get at least two of those birds off the ground to create the diversion. The emulator will be switched on right before takeoff when we get the signal from the pilots. It’s going to be crazy out there but don’t forget, do not launch without confirming the emulator is functioning. If you forget, you won’t get 1,000 feet off the ground before the implants blow and it won’t be pretty. I’ve seen it happen before and I won’t be able to bring you back, believe me, not even close.
Once you are clear, do not engage the Given ships in the air no matter what you do, you have no chance against them so don’t be tempted. With the experience of their pilots and the weapons superiority of their ships, they will blow you to bits before you can squeeze your trigger. Instead, after you take off, make it look like you are headed for Central City, comm chatter will create the impression they have a civil war on their hands, nothing more. The cowards will be more than happy to ignore the chaos and focus on the checkpoint. The electromag bombs will go off shortly after takeoff. With any luck, we should get a 90% clear rate on all electronics, maybe more. All Syber and anyone else with implants will need to go bio before that happens. Failsafe switchover will always result in reduced functionality, always, and we need everyone at 100% so do not forget. All Given ships have bio backup so you should be able to get them on the ground safely if needed. Continue the assault on Central City from the air if at all possible, we need to draw the observation ships away. If it doesn’t work, the stolen ships will head for outer space – I’ll be at Mannic by that point trying to secure a future for all of us.”
“We have paid our debt to the Given, most of us many times over, we deserve our freedom back and those bastards deserve to have all our pent-up frustration and rage shoved right back down their throats. Deserve it more than you could ever know! Stay with me on this one brothers and sisters and we will win but it all has to unfold very cleanly and I need everyone doing their part.”
As his transport headed for the surface and Jehz noticed the worry etched on the faces of the other soldiers, Jehz wondered idly if it was even possible for him to feel fear anymore. Would he ever again feel any of the sensations his brothers and sisters were experiencing right now? The anticipation that this could be the end, the rush of adrenaline, the looming questions in each soldier’s mind as they pondered if they would or even could rise to the challenge. They were all well-schooled in the Rija meditation and knew the importance of maintaining their calm but still the other feelings, the dangerous ones, sometimes broke through, keeping them on edge, sharpening their minds, and he had to admit, making them feel vibrantly alive. Could he ever feel that again? He had begun to doubt it, feeling indifferent and strangely distant from himself in what should be dangerous situations but tried to not let those feelings divide him from his fellow soldiers. He had to hold on, no matter how he felt himself drifting, he was a Given officer. He didn’t need those feelings to be successful, to be able to protect them and himself. To feel alive. Did he? Still, as the transport unloaded on the Syber surface, boots jostling and equipment clanking in the rush to unload, he missed them, wondered if he could possibly be considered normal without them, worried about what he was turning into.
Jehz and his unit quickly began to move to a defensive position guarding their checkpoint. It was the most dangerous assignment, drawn by lot for the others but specifically selected by him, his only nod to the enhanced capability of the suit. As they arrived at their position and began setting up their base, the comm crackled to life. “Not sure if anyone is nearby, but we got a unit of sybs tearing ass in the direction the transport ships. It makes no goddamn sense but it sure looks like they are heading straight for them. Anyone want to make a call on that? Urz?”
“They are not going to be able to do anything with them, no weapons to salvage or tech to steal and the implants means they can’t fly them. Seems like just another one of their crazy schemes, maybe they think they will be able to draw us away. I say leave ‘em, if they want to take themselves out of play, that’s fine by me. Stay on mission, right?”
“I don’t know, Rez, that seems too weird even for them – I don’t like it,” said Jehz. “I’m going to split my unit and see what they are up to. We’re closest and should have plenty of time to get back before any other sybs get anywhere near the checkpoint.”
“That doesn’t sound like you are sticking…to..the..plan, Jehz”, laughed Urz, mimicking General Druz. “You sure you are not walking into something here?”
”I highly doubt it – if they got down here that fast, they couldn’t have brought backup with them and everyone seems accounted for on the tally screen. I just don’t like the way this smells, Urz.”
“Alright, brother, let us know what you find.”
Jehz pointed to the nearest five soldiers and ran for the transport. By the time they got to the landing strip the Syber soldiers were working the bio locks on their troop ships, trying to break in.
“You are not going to believe this, Urz, but they are trying to get aboard. Why the hell would they do that?”
“I have no idea, but as I said before, Jehz, let them take themselves out. They are crazy and crazy does crazy, right? If that’s all you got there, let them go, we don’t need the ships and they are no risk to us.”
“Why would they try to take them though, Urz, it’s just not adding up. Any of these assholes ever figure out a way to remove the implants?”
“Not one who didn’t end up in about a thousand little pieces. It can’t be done Jehz, that’s some our best tech, and there is no lab on this planet that is within a hundred years of cracking something like that.”
“Are you sure about that? I don’t know if I am buying it,” said Jehz, “They are doing this for a reason, they have to be. They have biocrackers, Urz. Who brings biocrackers to a war game if you don’t have a plan? The more I see, the less I am liking this. If they get one of these things in the air and try to sacrifice themselves, they might take a whole unit out before we can bring them down. I’m going to engage and see what happens when I slow them down a little.”
Jehz motioned to the others to climb to the top of the rock formation they were parked behind and fired a few warning shots over the head of the Sybs. Two of the Syb soldiers turned to look in their direction, quickly moved toward their transport, and then together pulled something heavy from the back and set it on the ground.
“Holy shit, that looks like some kind of homemade force gun. Urz, those aren’t legal at any power right? What the hell are they doing?” said Jehz.
“Right, Jehz, that’s way over the line. Don’t want to do this, but we may have to pull the plug. Should I call it in?”
“Not yet, we still don’t know for sure what that thing is. Looks like they are powering it up though. We are going dark for a minute and heading for cover.”
Jehz and his solders scrambled down the backside of the formation just as the force gun ripped off the top of it and sent a cascade of debris flying in all directions.
That was a major shot, thought Jehz, over the line indeed. He looked for his team and found them scattered around at the bottom of the formation. Three were moving but the other two were on their backs bleeding and looking badly hurt.
Jehz turned on his comm. “That thing has got some serious power and I got two down needing a healer. Those bastards just wrote their death sentence and I am not waiting for the observers. Come get my wounded, Urz, I’m going to give them a little payback.”
“Is that wise, Jehz? I know about the suit and all that but we don’t even know what that weapon really was and the readings coming in are high. If that thing has another level, I don’t know if you want to be nearby when they power up again. That is definitely not a normal force gun. We should wait – that’s the protocol.”
“Sorry, Urz, but the protocol went out the window when they brought an illegal weapon and a force gun no less. I’m going in. Urz, take care of the wounded and don’t try to follow me.”
Jehz scrambled down a ravine in the opposite direction of the Sybs so as not to alert them to his soldier’s position when he emerged from behind the formation. It was all he could do to not fly over top of them and flatten them with a push attack but he had promised himself he would not cheapen this day for all the Musa who dreamed of passing the Haak battle test with honor. The cheaters would be dealt with quietly. He was not worried about the power of their home-made force gun, he could sense the power readings and knew they were not beyond what he had already absorbed in other test runs. In fact, Jehz started to think the quickest way to end this would be to walk directly toward them in the open, inviting another shot. Once they realized it would not harm him, even a Syb would have more sense than to continue their challenge.
Jehz walked slowly and deliberately from behind the formation, not even trying to seek cover. It wasn’t long before he was spotted and he saw the gunman making the adjustments to the force gun to fire a shot in his direction. The other members of his crew worked feverishly with the biocrackers, trying to gain entrance to the Given transports. The force gun flashed and Jehz readied himself for the shot. As it washed over him, the suit sparkled with energy briefly and then quickly faded. A shot that could have taken out a war tank had passed over him as if it were a light breeze. He could almost sense the gunman’s confusion at missing such an easy target but instead of resetting his aim, the gunman seemed focused on his comm. It would take five minutes for Jehz to cover the ground between them, and this would be over, there was no way the shooter’s support could get here in time and even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. Four soldiers or forty, this was going to end right here.
As Jehz approached, the members of the team not working the biocrackers opened fire with their side arms. With him even barely thinking of it, Jehz’s suit analyzed the radio frequencies being used in the area and cracked their encryption. It knew somehow he meant to speak to them.
“That’s a nasty gun boys – too bad you fired it at the wrong soldier. One who survived and can now report you with the press of a button. You and I both know that’s a death sentence, so I have to wonder why you did it. Maybe if you tell me, I might just take your little toy here and let you walk away.”
The soldiers stared at Jehz in disbelief, clearly wondering how he had hacked their comm channel so easily. Fear grew in their eyes and they continually glanced at the biocracker team as Jehz approached. They said nothing but continued to fire. Suddenly the soldiers ran for the transport and Jehz turned to see that the biocrackers had finally gotten in. Impressive thought Jehz, they must actually have some talented engineers down here, those locks were not easy to break. He turned to chase them when suddenly a large figure emerged from the shadow of the transport ship. The ancient eyes and grey dead skin tone clearly identified him as an old Syb but his facial features were seemingly those of a Given. Wrapped in an exo, the figure moved quickly between Jehz and the transport, the whine of his weapons systems powering up filling the air.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Gargan turned and looked at Jehz smiling, “So we are not the only ones cheating today, I see? Who might you be, trainee? What great Given warrior would you make proud today? Or very sad, I’m afraid if you don’t use better judgement in how you are handling this situation.”
Jehz simply stared, astonished by the Syb’s audacity, wondering what could have possibly given him the confidence to act this way, knowing the grave violations he was engaging in. Violations there could be no escape from.
“All you need to know is I’ll will be your death angel if any of my soldiers died in your cowardly attack, Syb.”
“Really, that’s what pushed it over the line for you? Not the weapons violations, not the theft of your ships, not the illegal armor I’m wearing, but whether any of your precious “brothers” died. I thought you Musa were all about the rules of honor, with no fear of, what do you call it, sacrifice? Quaint term used by your priests to justify untold deaths but dying isn’t what it used to be trainee. I myself have walked those barren fields a dozen times at least. Really nothing to worry about if you have the right tech, and the Given always have the right tech, don’t they? If you can’t build it, just take it, isn’t that pretty much how it goes? And you always end up taking it though don’t you because it has been centuries since you’ve been any good at building. You’re nothing if not a clan of master thieves though I remember when you were something better.”
Jehz tried not to react to Gargan’s speech, attempting to quickly gauge the Syb, estimate his danger. Could any part of what he was saying be true? His suit was clearly unusual, very advanced and unlike anything Jehz had ever seen before. Was that the source of his extreme confidence?
“You would know about thievery, Syb, that exo doesn’t look like anything manufactured on this world. Is that what is making you so brave?”
“Yes, I suppose, trainee, not unfair given you wear one of your own apparently, but it did not come from outside. No, no, no, it is homegrown. Designed and manufactured by my own hand in fact. We’re not all petty criminals and deserters, you know, or didn’t your Haak commander friend share that with you? No, not all of us. It’s really quite unlike any exo suit you would come across in your vaults of stolen toys, trainee, very different. Might even be strong enough to rip the head clean off a cheating trainee like yourself who was afraid to come to Sacrifice Days without his stolen security blanket. Nice trick to shake a force blast like that, I’m guessing it’s a light warper, causing the shot to miss and that you are actually standing 14 degrees to the left of where it seems you are, am I right? Tell me your secret and I might share an even bigger one with you.”
The Syb seemed to be gauging Jehz, sizing him up in the same way he was doing, trying to determine his position of strength, calculate his next move. At that moment, the roar of the transport engines filled the air. Jehz was startled as he thought the implants would make it impossible for the Sybs to attempt a take-off, at least that is what Rez had told him.
The second Jehz turned to look at the transport, Gargan quickly closed the space between him and cocked him arm to deliver a Sanjin blow with his exo powered arm. At the last second, Jehz felt the attack coming and tried to lock himself to the ground as he had for the force gun attack but he was too late. The blow hit him with astonishing force and the next thing he knew, he was flying backwards through the air. Startled, his raised his head and saw that the Syb had launch himself into the air and was following, trying to catch up.
After flying some distance, Jehz landed on his back, sliding heavily through the dust. He quickly jumped up unharmed as the Syb, landed on his feet nearby. “Still alive, trainee? Your suit may even be the rival of mine, you must show me how it works. Not likely I suppose given the rocky start we’ve gotten off to so maybe I’ll just figure out a way to short circuit the field generating element and see for myself. Yes, I can read the magnetic disturbance your suit is making trainee, don’t look so surprised. It is subtle, but clearly there, or didn’t you know? Something tells me you don’t have a quarter of the brain power needed to even understand how to power your suit up, do you? And Voz knows you don’t deserve to wear it, my little thief trainee.”
Jehz was enraged and embarrassed he had let this Syb get the upper hand on him. He had never faced hand to hand combat in the suit against a foe with this kind of power, not sure if he knew one even existed. Clearly he had not been fully challenging himself and had some adjustments to make, had not considered that the suit could make him more of a target but knew now he should have. The universe was full of surprises and he needed to be ready and avoid overconfidence. It was easy to fall into that trap with the power of the suit. He needed to be more prepared for an attack and quicker to counter if need be, in this universe it could come from anywhere. The Syb had gotten his attention. He was ready now and perhaps it was time for this arrogant convict to feel what a counter punch from a Solon war suit was like.
Jehz raised his hand for a push attack, trying to gauge if he was justified to take a kill shot but as he throttled back the power in his mind a transport ship zoomed into sight and the Syb quickly fired a hook towards its open bay door and was pulled up. The ship then hovered directly above Jehz and Gargan yelled down to him, “Love to play some more trainee, but I’ve got a quick chore to attend to first. It’s really going to be a fun day for the Given, just wait. I’ll see you again though and next time maybe we’ll find out whose suit is the better. I’m guessing mine.”
Jehz thought for a minute about flying after him, but figuring it wouldn’t be long before the implants killed everyone on board the ship and wanting to maintain a low profile, he let them go. As he tried to raise Arz on his comm, he heard a series of thunderous explosions. The distinctive sound of electromags, big ones, spread and echoed across the planet surface. That can’t be us, Jehz thought, what the hell is going on? He began to run back towards the formation where he had left his soldiers, trying to figure if now was the time to use his suit. It must be the Sybs, Jehz thought but why, what could they possible gain and what did the Syb in the exosuit mean this was going to be a fun day?
Jehz decided against flying, still not feeling it was worth the risk to the mission and made his way back to Urz and his crew. Urz was busy yelling excitedly into his comm when Jehz entered the camp but when Urz saw him, he quickly broke off the conversation and headed over.
“What is the news, Jehz? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, you know the suit and all, so you first. What the hell is going on?”
“Well it looks like the Sybs chained the whole planets with electromags, you must have heard them, but they don’t seem to be targeting us. Must have taken them goddamned nearly forever, there were thousands of them. Based on the reports, an army of Sybs seem to be heading to Central City. That’s where the stolen transports are headed too. Looks like this is all cover for some kind of assassination or coup or something. That’s the best intel I can get. Nearly everyone is on bio so comm is limited and we are not getting full reports. There’s a team trying to set up a shielded tower at the top of Mt Fuku and that should really open things up if they can get it going.”
“What about the implants, Urz? How are they flying around up there? Did the electromags take them out or something? If so, we got a lot more trouble than a civil war.”
“Not possible, Jehz. I’m told it works on some kind of resonance tech, should be unaffected by any known weapon, so we have no idea how they did this. They aren’t going anywhere though, we got fighters tracking almost all the stolen transports as we speak. Only one unaccounted for and I sure they will show up soon.”
“And what is command saying? They have to stop this, don’t they? Assassination or not, we can’t have our soldiers caught in this crossfire with the risk of this spinning out of control into a full-fledged war.”
“C’mon, Jehz, you know better than that. We have none dead and their soldiers are still on the field. This is exactly what happens in wartime, it’s unpredictable, right? Orders from the very top are saying fight on, and you can’t be surprised. It’s the right call. Who cares if these idiots want to use the games as cover for some operation or other? The ones responsible will die in the end for taking the ships and we’ll all move on. That’s what we do.”
“I sure hope so, Urz, but I can’t help feeling something really weird is going on here. Did you see that guy in the exo with the crew pulling force guns? That’s more than unpredictable. He went after me in a big way and was completely unhinged. That suit is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, uh except mine of course, but you know what I mean. That was no standard exo, it was crazy powerful.”
“We saw him, Jehz, it’s Gargan. He is a cheater and he builds some unusual things, but he is also one of their tactical leaders and coordinates action on their side so don’t worry about him, he is in with our command. He loves to taunt but he’s mostly harmless or so I’m told.”
“So whatever he is doing over there in that cave complex with one of our transports he shouldn’t be able to get 1,000 feet off the ground is harmless?”
“What are you talking about, Jehz, we haven’t been able to find the last transport yet, I told you that.”
“Then train your binox over there at the base of that mountain.” Jehz didn’t know how but the suit had somehow decided to track Gargan, probably because of the danger he presented and was quietly feeding intel directly into Jehz’ consciousness. If he weren’t so worried about Gargan’s warning and the way this day was going, he would have been weirded out even though the information seemed so natural, almost like his own thoughts. Except he knew they weren’t.
Urz trained his binox in the area Jehz had pointed out. “That’s him alright. Man, Jehz, how in the name of Voz did you see that? He has to be two mzeks away. The suit?”
“I guess,” said Jehz, “I just sensed it somehow and there is no way this maneuver is part of the games. He is well clear of the battle corridor. I’m going after him and you should probably tell command more is going on down here than they think and that Gargan may no longer be an ally.”
“OK, I’ll tell them but are you sure you should do this, Jehz, that is against order and the mission plan…again. Hard to justify when he’s at that distance and not posing an obvious threat. You are going to have a lot of questions to answer in the debrief, my friend.”
“Call it a gut feeling, Urz. Isn’t that what Musa soldiers are supposed to listen to most closely anyway? Do what they think is best for the mission and their brothers and sisters regardless of the orders?”
“It is, of course, do you want a ride and some backup?”
“No, I think it may be safer for all of us if I fly myself over there and make a surprise visit to our “ally”, Gargan.” I may learn a little more about what he is up to that way.”
Jehz launched himself into the air and quickly covered the ground between the Given and the mountain base Gargan was operating out of. He landed softly out of their line of sight and approached from the ridgetop behind where the transport had landed. Jehz could feel he was getting messages from the suit regarding soldiers moving in the area but he could not calm his thoughts enough to process them. All he could focus on was Gargan. Jehz moved quickly along a rock path and emerged close to his quarry, who stood with his back to him working feverishly on a screen. Jehz was surprised he had gotten so close and thought he would have a chance to launch an ambush attack without Gargan noticing. This may be over more quickly than I thought Jehz.
Without turning around, though, Gargan began to speak, “Nice of you to visit, but this isn’t a great time trainee. If you don’t mind, I have a few really important things to finish before I rip that suit off your back for my toy vault, get off this shithole planet and give the lot of you petty little Given bastards some incredibly deserved payback. So I hope you won’t think me rude if we get right down to business.”
He turned around, staring at Jehz intently, his previous bemused look quickly transforming into one of extreme anger and frustration. “Don’t look so surprised, trainee, I told you I could read your magnetic signature, didn’t I? Did you think that just because your little geniuses couldn’t do it, it couldn’t be done, even at a distance? Typical Given arrogance. You are not the only one who knows how to track his opponent, trainee.”
Jehz heard the whir of Gargan’s weapon systems and knew he didn’t have much time. He tried to assess the situation and determine how many soldiers Gargan had with him and if there were any other special weapons like the force gun he had to worry about. He hoped the suit would help and tried to access the intel from before, but could not find it in his mind, still too shaken to concentrate properly so he tried to stall.
“Why do you hate the Given so much, Gargan? It seems like there might be some Given blood in you from your look, so our ways should be no mystery. If you are down here with the prisoners, you must have made mistakes, done things you regret. We all do and all pay for them in our own ways, just as you are paying for yours, as I’m sure you agreed by oath to do. Any true Given warrior would do the same. No one is ever forced down here - you chose this, so what happened? Why would you let anger consume you and not honor your agreement?” Jehz stared around and saw a crew of at least eight moving loads of what looked like weapons and gear onto the transport. He wondered if that was all of them; he tried but wasn’t sensing any more. Based on that, Jehz felt he should be able to stop this easily with no risk to the mission.
Gargan looked at Jehz, slightly confused, trying to determine if Jehz was mocking him. “You don’t know who I am, do you trainee? You really have no idea.” Gargan smiled a twisted and rueful smile, tilted his head back and laughed in a deep mournful way that chilled Jehz to his bones. This was not a harmless man, thought Jehz, I don’t care what Urz or anyone says. Not even close “I’m the reason you are here, trainee, the reason ALL OF YOU are there,” he pointed toward the Given home world. “Does that help you begin to understand what “happened” trainee?”
“I gave my life, the life of my family so the Given could survive and be free yet you don’t know who I am. My god, the education system really has taken a turn for the worse. I heard it was true, really sad by the way, but that is a discussion for another day I suppose. Even with that pathetic decline – all Given at least still learn the legend of the Awakening, I’m sure of it, the new arrivals tell me. You must know it. You must!
“So the lies, the suit, it’s all part of some plan isn’t it? Your precious Rejiz has sent you in an attempt to disrupt me hasn’t he? How could he have known – today of all days he sends one of his agents. Oh, he must be very close to Voz’s hand after all, quite a clever man and very sneaky; don’t ever forget that about him. A cowardly double-crosser to the end. But no matter, all has been prepared and my destiny will stop for no one. No one steps more carefully into the future than I trainee and it is always one of my own making.”
Jehz was desperate for a little more time, still unsure of his next move. “Gargan, I was not sent by the Rejiz and am not one of his agents, I swear on my father’s honor. I’m just a regular Musa soldier, trying my best to prove myself and move ahead. I’m sorry to be so ignorant of history, it was never my best class, so please tell me of your past. I’m sure there were many proud moments before the unfortunate events that led you here. You were a Given slave under the Syb and helped with the Resistance? That was a long, long time ago, wasn’t it?”
“You continue to provoke me, trainee, feigning ignorance only to distract I assume but I think I understand now what the Rejiz had in mind for me. You with the suit loaded with toys, the regal almost princely manner. Think you are pretty special, don’t you? Thinking maybe you can actually run the place, maybe there is even some kind of restart of the colony in the works? Clearly some Rija training also going on there as well, isn’t there? Years I’m guessing from the way you are holding yourself. The Rejiz must think very highly of you. Trained right at his hand. You don’t behave much like a Musa trainee that much I can see. So perhaps you are a Rija stooge sent to replace me?!
“That is why you speak of mistakes, wear an exo suit, and try to engage me in battle? To make a public display of your supposed ascendance? Do not play games with me anymore, trainee, my patience is long exhausted, centuries ago in fact. The Rejiz did you no favors sending you into this mess, and without even so much as a proper history lesson, recent history perhaps being more important in this instance. Well, no matter, I must put an end to your little charade now. When you arrive in Greenfields…you may tell Voz himself of your folly and perhaps he will look more charitably upon your insolence that I do.” At that moment Gargan launched himself into the air, directly above Jehz. As he came downward, Jehz reacted quickly, he won’t catch me unaware this time he thought. Jehz cleared his mind as best he good and focused on holding his ground, Gargan would not be able to touch him.
Gargan landed directly in front of Jehz and struck the ground with his forearms as he landed. The force was tremendous and the earth around them shook and debris rained down from the cliffs above. Jehz could feel his suit sparkle with energy as it absorbed some of the blast and he thought for a split second the shock was over, but then suddenly the ground cracked beneath his feet and opened up.
He fell backward and Gargan was quickly on top of him driving him into the chasm, raining blow after blow against him. The blows were not penetrating the suit, but Jehz was disoriented, unable to regain his balance, his arms pinned in by the sides of the crevice Gargan was creating with the flurry of strikes from his exo suit. Jehz could not control his arms enough to consider a counterattack. Gargan continued relentlessly to drive Jehz into the mountainside. Although their struggle was ripping away at the rock as if it were made of foam, Jehz’s suit continued to hold though long streaks of color, almost like a spider web of cracks was beginning to spread across his field of vision.” It seemed the suit was failing and uncontrolled thoughts rushed into his mind. Was this it, thought Jehz, was I to be undone by overconfidence against an unexpected foe or could I have been set up by the Rejiz as Gargan suggested? He couldn’t see how that was possible as he had made this choice on the war games himself, against the wishes of nearly all his advisors. Hadn’t the Rejiz previously suggested it though, counseling it could add a common touch to his reinsertion into Musa society? Could this be part of the Rejiz’s master plan somehow, to get rid of him in some kind of bizarre sacrifice? Jehz’s mind raced as he struggled to think of a way to counter Gargan’s attack.
Gargan continued to yell as he drove Jehz deeper into the mountainside. “You will not take my place! The Rejiz and his band of weaklings cannot erase me. I WILL ERASE THEM! Gellen has rested too long and now the time has come to regain my rightful position as leader of the Given. I beat the Syb and will beat your corrupt Reji leadership as well, trainee. Look at me and tell me now you don’t remember the face of Gellen the Awakener.” Gellen started pounding Jehz even more furiously and the entire mountainside shook and boulders rained down on top of them as they burrowed deeper and deeper. The cracks of light in the suit were spreading and getting thicker. Jehz felt that any minute, the suit was finally going to fail.
“Why won’t you die, trainee!” screamed Gellen.
Jehz continued to struggle, trying to free his arm for a final push attack to end the fight but could not focus in the chaos. He tried to clear his mind but could not erase the sound of Gargan’s voice. Did he call himself Gellen the Awakener? It couldn’t be him, alive, after all this time, could it? How was it possible? And leading the Syb forces against the Haak in war games? It must be some deluded imposter, another crazy Syb descended into madness after centuries of slow decline. But the face, it was clearly Given and he had never heard of a Given with the Syb modifications other than Gellen. If he was somehow Gellen, then why had the secret not gotten out? A legend, a rumor, something? The Musa barracks thrived on them, it would have been talked about. Who would be covering this up?
Suddenly Gargan stopped and stared into Jehz eyes with a crazed look, his head cocked to the side as if he was listening. He then lept upward and just as Jehz was about to fire a push attack, the crevice began to fill with an avalance of rock. Jehz blasted the rock as it fell but the crevice was deep and the debis field he was creating simple rained back down on him. I need a little more time to concentrate, he thought, and I’ll blow a hole big enough to take out Gargan and his entire crew. They were not going anywhere. After a few seconds, Jehz began visualizing the rock he was buried in disintegrating in a massive push attack, much larger than he had ever attempted before. Barely able to move his hands, he turned them upward and unleased the attack, all the anger from his defeat at Gargan’s hands pouring out. The side of the mountain blew apart in an enormous explosion, the rubble mostly disintegrating under the force of the push.
Jehz quickly stood and flew up out of the crater, fully expecting to see Gargan’s crushed ship and a trail of bodies strewn along the ridgetop. They were nowhere to be seen. How could they possibly have escaped so quickly, as if they knew this was going to happen? Maybe Gargan’s attack was exactly what he had planned as his last move before his escape. He seemed like someone who scripted his actions very carefully and to his advantage, even if he had not been able to defeat Jehz as he had expected. Could he have known that Jehz was coming? Somehow Gargan had been steps ahead of them all, but it had to be stopped regardless of how it affected the war games. It had all gone much, much too far and raised too many disturbing questions. Jehz thought about sending a comm to Urz or the base to raise the alarm but as he focused his mind, the suit immediately fed the location of Gargan’s ship into his thoughts. This fight would be his alone; Gargan was too dangerous and unpredictable. On high alert, his anger still raging inside him, Jehz raced through the air toward Gargan’s ship. As he neared it, he sensed the panic of the crew, felt somehow the vibration of the shields as they were raised. Jehz blasted through the shields as if they were cobwebs and drove himself through the bulkhead of the ship into the command room where Gargan was sitting. Passing over Gargan’s seat, Jehz grabbed him before he could react, twisted himself around, and threw him through the wall of the bridge. Gargan’s ship immediately began spinning towards the ground, billowing smoke though the gaping holes in its side. Jehz drove through the outer wall and continued after Gargan, catching him the air. Despite the blow, Gargan’s was conscious and aware, speaking into his comm as Jehz reached to grab him.
Seconds later, Jehz’s comm sprung to life with Commander Radiz himself trying to hail Jehz. “You’ve done well soldier, many lives saved today, but I need to ask you to bring Gargan to ground safely. We’re tracking you now and will be on site shortly to secure him. We have a lot to explain and all will be made clear, we promise. Remember, the soldier who kills in anger allows his enemy to live on forever in his soul. We know what Gargan deserves but have to ask you to let him go until you know more.”
He would quote the immortal General Liz, to me, thought Jehz? Now? After the way Gargan has manipulated this entire situation, with a blessing from the Given it seemed, he would ask me to stand down? Jehz knew in the end though that in spite of the Musa deception around Gargan, Radiz was right and he would regret his act of rage if he allowed it to take over. It went against all his Musa and Rija training. Slowly, wordlessly, Jehz lowered Gargan to the ground. He considered saying something clever and demeaning but the images of Gellen’s sacrifice and the story of the Awakening streamed through his mind and the anger left him. What could he say to one of the most celebrated heroes and tragic figures in Given history? What did Gellen deserve after all? What debt did the Given owe him? He thought all along he knew but suddenly had no idea. Jehz let go of Gellen and began walking away as Radiz’s forces converged on the scene. Radiz himself was yelling out to Jehz but he did not hear, his favorite Rija meditation focusing his thoughts internally, blocking out the chaos of Gellen’s capture. Quickly though, inevitably, his thoughts began to wander to the Awakening. Would he be willing to reach as far as Gellen in order to save his people and was he coming close to doing that now, starting down that road? Not taking Gargan’s role as Gargan had feared but instead one more like Gellen’s? Would he too be doomed to be separated and broken by that sacrifice; a sacrifice forced upon him by the glooming evil of the universe? And like Gellen must have done, Jehz could imagine the walls rising around his path, closing behind him, compelling him forward toward a destiny critical to the future of the Given, toward a destiny he had never wanted and would never have chosen.