Nameless slowly stirred awake, the blurry room focusing as his head felt like it had been hit by a hammer. He looked to his left, and saw the empty whiskey bottle, and some beer cans that came from who knows where. He looked to his right and saw Rachel’s perfect body lying bare under his blanket. A weird tingling was stirring in his chest. Was he having a heart attack? Or was this what contentment felt like?
He nestled close to her and held her in his arms as he sighed. She stirred, groaning with her dark hair in her face. Nameless smiled and pushed her hair to the side.
“Morning,” he said.
She smiled and moved her body. Nameless moved his hands down expecting her getting closer to mean more fun, when intense cold pressed against his stomach.
“Get your feet off of me!” Nameless yelped, recoiling.
“But your so warm,” she pouted.
“Come here fucker,” Nameless growled.
They kissed, she giggled, and they pressed together. Rachel smirked and climbed on top of him, her body silhouetted by the dim cabin lighting. Nameless marveled at her, running his hands across her body, when the announcement speakers went off.
“All commanders to the deck,” Spider voice buzzed.
Nameless groaned as Rachel rolled her eyes.
“Perfect timing huh?” Nameless grumbled.
Rachel shook her head and climbed out of bed, putting some clothes on. She studied the messy cabin and her eyes lit up.
“Oh shit, you got a stove in here? Bouchie ass cabin, mister important,” Rachel taunted.
“You don’t have one in yours?” Nameless asked, arching an eyebrow as he sat on the side of the bed.
“I don’t have a cabin, remember? I planned on staying in the Talaborian berthing,” Rachel shrugged.
“Stay here?” Nameless asked with wide eyes.
Rachel smirked, looking down at him as she put a bra on.
“Moving in together already? Bit early don’t ya think?” she smiled.
“What? No, not like that,” Nameless shook his head.
“God, we need to work on your sarcasm,” Rachel muttered.
She walked over and leaned down, holding his face.
“I’ll stay here, but no clothes for you mister! That ass is too cute to be hidden from me,” she grinned.
“Really? My ass? That’s your favorite part?” Nameless chuckled.
“I mean there is something else more impressive,” Rachel grinned, walking away.
“I know! I’ve can bench three fifty now!” Nameless grinned, flexing his pecs.
She tilted her head to the side, squinting her eyes.
“Oh,” he blushed.
“You really don’t talk to a lot of women do ya bud?” Rachel laughed, finishing getting dressed.
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Nameless grumbled, pulling his shirt on.
“It’s a little obvious,” Rachel chortled.
Nameless stood up and finished getting dressed as Rachel holstered a pistol and knife. He studied her, smiling. Once both where ready, they left the cabin and went down the hall. They arrived at the zero-gravity shaft and stepped through the thin veil of energy separating the artificial gravity from the zero Gs. Floating in midair, both grabbed the handles protruding from the wall. Nameless inputted the destination into a panel, and they went hurtling through the empty air, gripping the handles as they ran along their tracks to the top of the ship.
The ship had been designed by Spider, the very first interstellar battleship Mars had produced since the great war, aided by Zion and Armenium ship builders. Such a gargantuan vessel would have taken decades to build, but with the combined help of Zion and a united Mars, it had been completed in a year. Albeit with many untested and experimental levels and devices.
It was a masterpiece, a colossal war machine that Nameless still struggled to wrap his mind around. They arrived at the bridge doorway and stepped through the thin veil of an energy field, back into the artificial gravity.
Rachel and Nameless assumed serious expression and walked down the long control panels manned by Martian Spiders in fancy bright blue uniforms, as Zion acolytes went back and forth with reports. The far wall was spanned by a narrow thick glass window overlayed with holographic displays. In the center of the bridge, Spider stood with King Alexander, Lt. Sarah, Munshi, Thaddeus and Cirilla. A full body sized hologram of Hera stood in the middle of them, floating above the console.
Dread filled Nameless as he imagined what she was about to report. He and Rachel entered into the circle of people.
“Good afternoon, commanders,” Spider sighed.
“Afternoon?” Nameless sputtered.
“Had a late-night last night, did we?” Cirilla grinned.
“We slept in?” Rachel arched an eyebrow.
“Oh yes, not to worry, your subordinates have been running the ship marvelously,” Thaddeus chortled.
“Since when did they get along?” Hera snapped; arms crossed.
“Since they started dating,” Spider said absent mindedly, looking at the holographic controls.
“Since they what?!” Hera exploded.
The circle of people laughed and smiled, while Nameless noticed an odd glint in King Alexander’s eyes, as they pierced him.
“Where you spying on us you creepy fucker?” Rachel spat.
“Elevated pupil dilatation when looking at each other, relaxed body language in each other’s company, both of you have subliminally shrunk your personal spaces to intertwine with one another despite expanding them with the opposite sex-” Spider drawled.
“You were also very loud,” Thaddeus cackled.
Rachel’s face turned red as Nameless paled. He looked at her, then back at them.
“Know what? Fuck y’all, yeah, we’re dating!” Nameless blustered.
Spider held up his right hand while looking at the controls. Cirilla rolled her eyes and handed him a five Zion dollar bill.
“Holy shit, he finally got laid! Maybe now he can stop acting like such a douche!” Hera cackled.
“He got what?!” a distant male voice boomed in the background of the hologram.
“Tighten that fucking gag, Julia!” Hera spat.
“While I commemorate you on acting upon an urge we all have struggled with Hera; may I ask why you have gagged Lion?” Thaddeus sighed.
“Fucking asshole won’t shut the fuck up. We had to sneak him past some checkpoints, fucker couldn’t even stay sober for that,” Hera growled.
“We’re all just glad you’re safe darling,” Cirilla smiled.
“Shyah I guess, we’re still staring down the barrel of the entire Earth fleet over here. What’s yall’s status?” Hera asked.
“Wait, I thought communications while in portal was impossible?” Sarah asked.
“The Ethereal redbird was kind enough to reveal some of her people’s secrets to me. Inter portal communication shall soon be very common among our fleets,” Spider said.
“We’re on our way to Barouge, Hera,” Nameless nodded.
“Good, kill every last one of those fuckers for us,” Hera spat.
There was a pause, as Nameless gathered the strength to ask.
“What about?” he asked softly.
“The scryers traced Sammy back to the clinic before the bomb went off. Confirmed dead, along with the girl,” Hera said grimly.
“A girl?” Thaddeus gasped.
“Yeah, that’s what they say,” Hera huffed.
“We shall be sure to tell him as soon as we see him,” Cirilla smiled.
Hera looked Nameless in the eyes, and he nodded.
“If I know the guy as well I think I do, we might have to save that for when he’s in a more stable condition,” Nameless said grimly.
“Agreed, poor man is probably on the verge of liver failure as we speak,” Thaddeus sighed.
“No. He’s hunting them down, every last one of them,” Hera growled.
“But that’s absurd! An unenhanced human is no match for the Dark Axium,” Thaddeus huffed.
“We did it,” Nameless said in a steely tone.
“My boy that is hardly the same,” Thaddeus huffed.
“Where the scryers able to pick up Aj?” Rachel asked.
“His signal got cut off soon as he landed on Barouge. Some kind of interference, we’re thinking Darktars,” Hera said.
Nameless leaned forward on the console.
“Darktars, some kind of cloning technology, and the usual Dark Axium fuckery. Anyone feel like this is a trap?” Nameless asked darkly.
“Worst case scenario we just blow up the station,” Munshi shrugged.
“Barouge is a vital trade center of the frontier, and a neutral meeting ground for the great powers within the plotted universe. It must be preserved,” Cirilla said staunchly.
“We can send over more troops,” Hera nodded.
“How many do we have in the fleet?” Rachel asked.
“Fifteen thousand coalition soldiers, five hundred micro enhanced Assaults, along with the Vagabond Scourges boosted by the solar system volunteers. This ship, along with the two carriers carry a complement of two hundred generation seven fighters, one hundred bombers armed with several of the Spider Guilds new smart bombs. Numerous reconnaissance and suicide drones, scrambling mobile platforms. With our twenty ships in total, we can establish orbital superiority relatively swiftly provided there is no interference from any outlying Dark Axium elements,” Spider said, looking up.
“I have brought two thousand of my bannermen,” King Alexander nodded.
“Several of my daughters are with us too. Let’s just say they’re good at killing, especially in tight spaces and leave it at that,” Rachel said.
“There is also project Magnolia,” Spider nodded.
“More mechs?” Hera arched an eyebrow.
Spider nodded without any emotion.
“We got this Hera,” Nameless nodded.
“Happy hunting, let us know if you guys need anything,” Hera nodded.
Hera’s hologram disappeared, and a new projection appeared. All gazed closely as multi-tiered space station came into focus. It was similar to Zion, but clunky and unevenly built. If Zion was the space equivalent to the big city back on mars, this Barouge was some kind of junkyard in comparison.
“There has been some a development with this station,” Spider said, crossing his arms.
“What happened?” Nameless asked.
“The black fleet commanded by Captain Sterin was here. The Scryers sent me reports of their interaction with the Dark Axium. Darktar interference prevented obtaining any on ground footage, but it did not fare well. The brief engagement ended with the pirates fleeing into deep space,” Spider said.
“But that’s suicide! There’s nothing out there save the wondering horrors,” Cirilla gasped.
“They must have had a damn good reason,” Spider muttered.
Spider gave a look to Rachel, who shifted her body uncomfortably. Nameless studied Spider, he knew that look. In the year since the war for Zion, Spider had nearly lost his mischievous demeanor. He had become sullen and stoic after witnessing the corruption and greed that permeated Zion and the solar system. Nameless had watched Spider develop a near expert knatch for reading people, and now he was giving a look he gave to nobles back home, to Rachel. What was going on?
“So, they’re dug in?” Nameless asked.
“We’re assaulting a heavily fortified space station overrun by terrorists. Just like home, huh?” Munshi chuckled.
“Seriously,” Sarah sighed, shaking her head.
“You two are experienced in this kind of affair?” Thaddeus asked.
“We’ve never assaulted something this big, I was just counterintelligence, but I imagine the same doctrine applies,” Sarah nodded.
“The Asteroid Belt colonies formed the Marines for this exact kind of operation. With your permission, I’d like to suggest a strategy. May I?” Munshi asked, pointing to the projection.
“Of course,” Spider nodded.
Munshi leaned forward, his dark skin and combed black hair outlined by the bright light. He pressed his hands together, zooming in on the stations super structure.
“Space Station warfare is arguably worse than planet surface urban warfare. It isn’t linear, a dug in enemy can attack on literally all sides, from above or below. They can make their own food, harvest food, water, oxygen, and make their own munitions from materials stored in their warehouses. Every level in this station is vast, but if you look at the channels and traffic routes connecting each level, you’ll notice each one becomes the perfect choke hold. Just like back home.
“Ten well-armed men with a machine gun in the perfect spot can hold back an entire company for hours. Then you have ventilation shafts the enemy can run remote controlled vehicles strapped with explosives and detonate behind friendly lines. The elevators become grenade wells. Every television set, computer, and phone becomes a pair of eyes precisely projecting your exact location and manpower.
“But that’s provided the assaulting force is using the typical doctrine. Phase lines, waves of armor supported by infantry, air support, hackers, and reconnaissance. When you bring planet surface warfare to a literal three hundred sixty-degree direction battle on a floating hulk of metal in space, all of the mentioned strength will shred us. That’s why we invented side punching,” Munshi nodded.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“I’m listening,” Nameless nodded.
“Imagine this station is an onion, instead of peeling back layer after layer of resistance, you just stab the whole thing with a knife. Like when you guys’ assaulted Zion. You blew a massive hole in the defense and shoved every gun and soldier you had into the breach. Side wall punching is inserting a single needle as deeply as you can into the onion, then repeating the process with several hundred other needles. All at the same time. Punch a hole into the hull of the station and send in a small taskforce that has enough internal support to react to contact and maneuver independently.
“By giving the small unit leaders the freedom to make their own on the spot decisions, and rely on other orbiting forces, they can surround and intersect fires on the enemy positions,” Munshi said, leaning back from the console.
“Darktar interference means our professors can’t get portals inside. And even if they did, the initial casualty reports from the Battle for Zion showed that small choke point portals led to fifty percent more deaths than simply landing crafts through holes in the stations walls. With these massive gaps in their armor, we can fit more personal, armor, aircraft, and logistics,” Sarah said.
“I’m starting to understand now why Earth won the great war,” Spider chuckled.
“They bombed us into the stone after their fancy tactics failed,” Nameless rolled his eyes.
“Let us not allow history to cloud our present judgement, ladies, and gentlemen. This combined arms strategy is perfect in my eyes,” Thaddeus said firmly.
“Agreed. Once we get some footholds, we can use hammer and anvil. Me and my girls along with the Talaborians will be the hammer, while Spider and whatever crazy science project he has up his sleeve with be the anvil,” Rachel said.
“Everyone else can be attached to a group and help assist them at taking out targets. Well done guys,” Nameless nodded.
“Thank you, sir,” Munshi and Sarah said.
In that moment, Nameless realized he didn’t have an actual group to command. True, all of them where under his command technically, but he wouldn’t have a squad or platoon under him to guide like in wars before. Nervousness filled him, was all of this on him? What if it failed, was there anything he could do to make this better?
“So, when’s the briefing?” Munshi asked.
“We just did it,” Nameless arched an eyebrow.
“No speeches or terrain models?” Sarah gasped.
“Five paragraph plans? TCCMs (troop command control measures)? Operations orders?” Munshi asked.
“Well, yeah we do all that stuff before we jump. It takes like five minutes, why?” Nameless chuckled.
Both Sarah’s and Munshi’s eyes widened.
“What?” Nameless asked.
“I think they’re used to brass talking about their over complicated plans till they’re blue in the face for weeks before going out,” Rachel chortled.
“Yeah no, we don’t do that here,” Nameless chuckled.
“We just win wars,” Spider smirked.
Munshi and Sarah both looked at each other and shook their heads in seeming amazement.
“Do you mind if I stay with you for this one my dear boy?” Thaddeus asked.
“What? Don’t want to babysit a VIP on the ship again?” Nameless teased.
“He does have a knack for missing the frontlines,” Spider grinned.
“Something I wish to make up for,” Thaddeus nodded grimly.
“I shall accompany our lovely military strategists from Earth, and will fulfill their communications needs,” Cirilla said.
“Do be careful my dear,” Thaddeus sighed, putting his arm around his wife.
“Always love,” Cirilla chimed.
“All right, how many days till Barouge?” Nameless asked.
“Three. Perhaps rehearsals are in order?” Spider arched an eyebrow.
“Definitely. All right everyone, find your people. Wake up to end of business will be spent doing gear checks and training until we arrive. Don’t hide anything from your dudes, we’re heading into the fucking meat grinder,” Nameless sighed.
All the people parted, and Nameless turned to see Anatolievich walking up to them. The Russian giant walked over to Professor Thaddeus and whispered in his ear. The old man nodded and smiled.
“When you are ready, please go down to the troop berthing level C, my dear lad,” Thaddeus grinned.
“What are you guys up to?” Nameless laughed.
“A gift from the people,” Yuri grinned, walking back to the zero-gravity shaft.
Nameless shook his head as the people walked past them. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Rachel standing next to him.
“You like tacos? I wanna make some in your pig pen of a cabin tonight,” she chortled softly.
“Hell yeah, you good?” Nameless smiled.
“Yeah, yeah I’m good,” she said distantly.
“Hey, we’re gonna be okay. Everything is gonna be fine,” Nameless smiled.
She rolled her eyes.
“See you tonight fuck boy,” she grinned, walking away.
“See ya,” Nameless laughed watching her leave.
There was pause as Nameless watched his friends jump into the shaft and hurtle up or down out of sight.
“Commander?” a deep voice asked.
Nameless turned and saw King Alexander standing not too far away.
The bearded, broad shouldered man was wearing wool robes from Talabor, a sword by his side.
“What can I do for you, your majesty?” Nameless asked lightly.
“A word, if I may?” King Alexander asked.
“Yeah sure, Spider you got some place private?” Nameless called.
Spider head nodded to a small briefing room in the far corner of the bridge.
“Thank you, commander,” Alexander nodded.
Nameless followed as the massive man walked along the bridge, entering the glass walled briefing room filled with chairs all facing the wall which had a projector. Nameless shut the door and turned to see the King had crossed his arms. Unease arose inside Nameless as his body tensed.
“I do not believe we have shared words, man to man,” Alexander said.
“It has been a crazy last year and a half, what’s this about your highness?” Nameless arched an eyebrow.
“I do not yet understand your status. I know that Lady Rachel is a Goddess, and Harbinger of the silent sisters. She commands great respect within your realm, as do you. My people sing songs of your feats during the war for my world, yet everyday I meet more people who sing odes I do not understand,” the King said grimly.
“Are you asking for my life’s story?” Nameless chuckled.
“If you would indulge me,” Alexander nodded.
“Sure. I was born in a, um, desert place let’s say-” Nameless started.
King Alexander held up his hand.
“I do not know the worlds among the stars, but you do not need to speak to me as a young boy. I have heard your people speak of this Mars, it sounds like the barren planes to the east of my rhealm,” Alexander said.
“Of course, your majesty,” Nameless nodded.
“No need for niceties here lad,” Alexander chortled.
“Right. Well, I was born a slave on Mars. I grew up killing for the master of my camp. I was given a quest, which led to an even bigger quest, which wound up with me and the Vagabonds at the spear tip of a rebellion,” Nameless sighed.
“Which you lead?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I lead-”
“If you did not free your world, then why does all, young and old, listen to your words? The captains and lords of every world I walk upon head your commands and listen with respect.”
“Okay, yeah, I guess you could say I lead them. Uh, after that we joined the ranks of Zion, which lead us to your world, and you kinda know the rest,” Nameless sighed.
“So, Nameless of clan Vagabond. You freed your people, smote the tyrants that ruled your world, formed your own clan from nothing, lead a company of knights to my world, marched in aide to deliver Zion from the hands of the dark cloaks, and now you stand in command of the greatest host the stars have mustered.”
“Something like that,” Nameless muttered.
“From slave to captain of hosts, a demigod who refuses to sing his own saga,” Alexander sighed.
Nameless felt extremely uncomfortable. He deserved an eighth at most of all the praise people gave him. So many working parts went into the armies and navies. The soldiers, freed slaves, merchants, cooks, Spiders. Nameless simply barked orders at people.
“What’s this about?” Nameless huffed.
“I have no children. My wife, bless her soul, tried many years, and now the opportunity to continue on my legacy passed when she joined the many others of our hold in the halls of the ancestors,” Alexander said grimly.
“I’m sorry,” Nameless murmured.
“I have named Lady Rachel steward of my people until the mute declares a successor. If that successor is deemed unworthy, then she shall have the crown. This is my will, enshrined within my last words and testament. I wish to ensure the man that stands by her side is worthy of such a remarkable steward.
“I do not judge a man by the strength of his arm, but also by his character and courage. Rachel might as well be my daughter, and I wish to ensure she has not made a mistake by blessing you with the privilege of her courtship,” King Alexander arched his eyebrow.
Nameless didn’t know what to say, he knew Rachel and Alexander had been close, but he didn’t know they were this close.
“Thus far you have proven worthy of her. But know this, if you ever fail to honor her, if you scorn or betray her, and I am alive, I will avenge her honor. You have my word,” King Alexander said firmly.
“And you have my word that that will never happen. I promise to do right by her,” Nameless nodded.
“Then we understand each other. I wish you two success and happiness,” Alexander said warmly.
Nameless smiled as the King walked past him and opened the door. The two men walked out, and Nameless let loose a silent exhale of relief. They walked over to the zero-gravity shaft, and each man went down, Alexander getting off early for the level which housed the Talaborians. Nameless continued shooting down the shaft, the blue lights built into the metal walls zipping past him in a blur. The conversation he had with the King replaying in his mind as eventually he arrived at the bottom of the giant ship.
Here he was met by a massive armory, lined with walls of weapons and lockers that expanded to the left and right a hundred feet each side. Across from the shaft lay a blank banner comprised of red cloth. Below the banner was a metal door, which Anatolievich and Thaddeus stood by.
“Yuri, Professor Bullshit,” Nameless smiled.
“Finally! Took you long enough,” Yuri sneered.
“Got a little busy, what’s up?” Nameless shook his head.
“I will let little man explain, I must go see to my men,” Yuri said, walking past Nameless to the shaft.
“Wasn’t he supposed to help show whatever this is?” Nameless pointed with his thumb.
“Ah yes well, as the Russians often tend to do when stuck in confined spaces amid boredom, Yuri now has several fights to put down. Not to worry, I much rather prefer showing you this myself,” Thaddeus grinned.
Nameless sighed, putting his hands in his pocket.
“What is it old man?”
“First of all, put these on. One must look the part after all,” Thaddeus grinned.
Thaddeus reached into an open locker, and pulled out a dark black combat top, combat pants, and a red beret.
“Are we playing dress up now?” Nameless chortled, looking at the uniform.
“You may have the armor from Armenium, but we can’t expect you to walk about the ship all day in that. These fatigues are much more suitable I reckon,” Thaddeus grinned.
“What’s wrong with my jeans and hoody?!” Nameless spat.
“My dear boy, whether you like it or not, you are now in charge of a vast array of military personnel. The military, believe it or not, wears uniforms. You are no longer some scraggly bounty hunter. Now please, go put these on,” Thaddeus chuckled.
“Fine,” Nameless took the uniform.
He studied the red beret, noticing the golden Eagle stitched into the fabric, perched unto a silver star.
“What’s this?” Nameless laughed.
“That is the proper rank insignia of a War Captain of Zion. Albeit with a Martian twist,” Thaddeus chuckled.
Nameless shook his head as he went behind the lockers. The uniforms were tailored perfectly to his body, with the right amount of tightness yet flexibility. He ran the inner Velcro lining of his gun belt through the loops, outer belt which housed his gun holster and thermal knife going over the belt loops. Nameless then put the beret on and studied himself in a mirror. He looked ridiculous.
Nameless emerged from the lockers, and Thaddeus grinned. The man was also in the same uniform now, but with a pure white beret. A blue scroll outlined by a purple wreathe on the front of his beret.
“Gods above, we look stupid,” Nameless laughed.
A twinkle gleaned in Thaddeus’s eye as he walked over and tilted the beret downward on Nameless’s head.
“In Zion years, I am fifty years old. That’s six hundred eighty-six in non-central time. In all my years of mentoring Light Bearers, and among the countless planets I have walked, I have never had a pupil rise to such station,” Thaddeus grinned.
“Wasn’t Rachel your pupil? She’s literally death,” Nameless laughed.
“Not quite my pupil so much as ward. I hope I meet the person she’ll ever listen to aside from Etherals,” Thaddeus chortled.
“Fair enough,” Nameless smiled.
“I am so proud of you, old boy.”
“Couldn’t have done it without you. Okay, we got the clown suites on, what is you want to show me,” Nameless arched an eyebrow.
Thaddeus reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter. Nameless took it and looked at the golden seal. He looked up at the professor who nodded encouragingly. Nameless slowly cracked open the seal and pulled out the pristine letter handwritten in perfect cursive. Nameless sighed, handing the letter to the professor.
“Can’t read that,” Nameless laughed.
“Ah yes, right, the underwhelming education system of the Martian Wastes slipped my mind. I will be delighted to read it to you,” Thaddeus nodded.
In the name of her Majesty, Zyhara First Born, Queen of Zion, the crown extends this letter of appointed to commander Nameless of Task Force Vagabond. This appointment entails the elevation to the position of Second Star War Captain, commander and chief of the armed forces of Zion. Upon acceptance of this appointment the person shall assume all responsibilities for the stewardship of the peace, safeguarding liberty, and preserving the rights of all sentient life.
“There are tiers to the war captain ranks? I thought the mistress commanded all the task forces,” Nameless asked.
“Mistress Anna has stepped down from her responsibilities so that she may oversee the growing ranks of the Armenium Legions. She recommended you for the position, and Queen Zyhara was delighted to award you this high honor,” Thaddeus grinned.
“I don’t know what to say,” Nameless shook his head.
“Yes, of course!” Thaddeus burst.
“Aren’t there other people way more qualified for this?”
Professor Thaddeus smiled warmly.
“My boy, I watched you grow from a bounty hunter to a great leader. You are kind, humble, and resilient. Precisely the kind of commander we need for this war,” Thaddeus nodded.
“Okay,” Nameless sighed.
“Excellent!” Thaddeus boomed.
“Did we really have to come all the way down here, and get dressed up just to read this?” Nameless asked.
“Ah well, that would be the second part of this surprise.”
Thaddeus’s eyes shined with blue light, and the metal doors opened. Nameless turned his head and saw in the massive troop hanger that lay beyond the door, thousands of people in the same uniform as him standing in formation.
“The Vagabonds shall always be yours, but each of them has their own responsibilities now. It’s time you received a proper command of your own,” Thaddeus said warmly.
Nameless’s eyes widened as he turned his head back to Thaddeus.
“Who are these people?” he asked breathlessly.
“The crown asked for volunteers for your own personal company. These are the brave souls who answered that call. Mars, Zion, Armenium, Earth, the asteroid belt, and far beyond. You are quite famous you know,” Thaddeus grinned.
“And I’m guessing you’ll be the executive officer,” Nameless darkly chortled.
“If you’ll have me,” Thaddeus nodded.
“As if I would say no. What are they called?”
“Whatever you would like,” Thaddeus smiled.
“I’ll figure out a cool name later,” Nameless sighed.
“Ah, before you out there, a reminder. You now command people from many different worlds, best to not treat them like Martians,” Thaddeus winked.
“Everyone gets held to the same standard.”
“At a boy!” Nameless sighed.
“You know I hate talking to people, right?”
“Why do you think I put you in these situations?” Thaddeus laughed.
Nameless gazed out at the thousand people in uniforms. He wanted to feel excitement, but all he felt was nervousness, and regret. He had gotten so many friends killed, and now these people’s lives would be in his hands. Not to mention, he wished Aj could have been here. He needed the giant by his side, Aj would have loved fighting alongside these people with Nameless and Thaddeus.
Nameless exhaled deeply, and walked through the door, Thaddeus on his right. As they entered the hangar, Nameless heard a man shout.
“Attention!”
The formation snapped to attention as Nameless walked across the distance. He noticed a podium had been set up before the people, and he wondered if he was to give some kind of speech. Nameless went past the podium, and instead went up to the nearest man. He stood in front of the entire formation in between two banner bearers. Both banners where blood red, one with a gold stitched eagle, the other a golden spear.
The lead soldier was broad shouldered, hearty, and seemed in charge of the formation. Nameless went up to him, trying to recall all the different military traditions he had been drilled in past lives. Nameless stood at attention and saluted. The man saluted back.
“Sergeant Major Thorn reporting division ready for inspection,” the man in the center of the trio said.
Nameless nodded, anger in his chest. Thorn was in Aj’s spot. He cleared his throat.
“On my command, stand to and bring it in around me. At ease!” Nameless roared.
The formation disintegrated as the people flooded towards him. On the left formed seven people with white hair and berets, standing with Thaddeus. On the right stood seven people built like thorn, middle aged and tough. Nameless noticed Lt. Sarah and Munshi standing among them. The rest of the division formed a horseshoe around Nameless as he stood with his arms crossed.
His knees shook, his hands where twitching, sweat was running down his back, Nameless wanted to run away. So many pairs of eyes boring into him. Some faces where hardened, others looked like children who had snuck aboard and stolen uniforms.
Nameless cleared his throat.
“First of all, all of you volunteering for this doesn’t impress me. Any idiot can pick up a gun and throw themselves into something they know nothing about. I will gauge your worth based off your performance on the battlefield, and if myself or Professor B-Thaddeus finds you lacking, you will be gone from this formation before you can bitch about it.
“If you are an officer, I expect you to sleep with your troops, and eat the same they do. You will eat last, you will sleep last. If I catch any of you acting better than those under your command I will ever so kindly remind you of your place by replacing you with someone who does understand leadership. If myself or my XO (executive officer) catches you running behind your men towards the machine guns, I will throw you at them myself.
“Noncommissioned officers, you are the backbone of this formation. If I find favoritism or see any blame being shifted I will replace you. You are the example, and you will set it so help me gods! I will set the standard, and you will enforce it. If you find people are not meeting that standard, you will bring it to my attention, and I will fix that problem.
“Enlisted and attachments, I do not give a fuck who your mommy and daddy are. I do not care what school you went to, or if you even went to school. I don’t care what planet you where born on, or what gods you worship. Fuck whoever you want, but it stays off the battlefield. Your job is to kill the enemy and break their shit, my job is to make that as effective as possible for you.
“My standard comes from experience, I didn’t learn it in a classroom, nor was I taught by soft people how to do my job. I am here to locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by overwhelming force, or to repel enemy assault by fire and close combat. I expect you all to do the same. I don’t know about or care for any accolades you may have earned with any previous organization. I don’t care if you where special forces, or some gutter prostitute wrenched off the streets and given a rifle. We will all become the best by superior training, tactics, and success on the battlefield.
“With that being said, we are heading to Barouge. A space station overrun by the Dark Axium. When we arrive, we will smash down unto their fucking heads with fire and fury the likes of which they have never even dreamed. It will be cramped, it will be dark, your friends will die, you will die. You will crawl across corpses, into burning buildings, and will fend of nightmares that have plagued our worlds since the dawn of Zion’s intervention. Accept that now and know your comrades lives is far more precious than your own miserable life.
“Being in this formation means nothing yet, any honor and reputation will be forged by your pain and suffering. We will all go into hell together and we will gut and tear and maim until the mission is done. If that does not suite you, you may leave now. I would rather take ten good fighters into war than a hundred cowards. You’re released to your officers,” Nameless called.