Part One- Introduction & Tragedy
The traffic was awful. Jimmy hadn't moved more than amile in the past hour, surrounded by cars honking, their electricmotors purring in the hot summer evening.
His com phone buzzed and he casually answered it.
"Hey Sweetheart! What's up?"
"Where are you?" Michelle's voice was frantic.
"Stuck in traffic baby. It's Friday night rush hour.What's wrong? Rachel okay?"
"Yes, but you need to get home."
"What's wrong?"
"I just talked to my dad. He said we need to get outof the city right away."
Capreze woke with a start; thankful the nightmare didn'tproceed any further.
***
The two mechs stood on the ridge looming over the valleybelow.
"You sure you picked up something?" Bisby asked overhis com.
"Positive," Stanislaw responded, double checking hisscanners. Nothing.
"Hmmm, guess we have to go down into that bake oven ofa dust bowl and check it all out," Bisby grumbled. "You sure?"
"Yes, Biz, I'm sure," Stanislaw snapped back. "Idon't know why you're bitching, this is why we're here."
"Yeah, but the Rookie comes in today. I don't wantto miss the fun."
"Youdidn't think being a Rookie was much fun."
"Shit rolls down hill."
***
Chief Mechanic Jay Rind stood and stretched, his backcracking and popping into line.
"Ahhhhh, that's the shit," Jay yawned, turning tosurvey the mech hangar. He glanced at his watch. 0600. "Damn, didit again."
Jethro laughed, walking into the hangar holding two cupsof coffee. "You fall asleep in here last night?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Jay replied, cracking his neckand taking the offered coffee mug. He nodded his thanks to Jethro andturned back to his workbench and the schematics lain upon it. Jethrosidled up next to him.
"That's some ballsy shit."
"Don't I know," agreed Jay.
***
"Where you want me Stan?" Bisby asked, watchingStanislaw's mech stomp down into the barren valley.
"Stay put. Keep scanners at full and watch for theambush."
"Listen, I know you're the best and all, but I don'tthink anything is in this valley. We're wasting our time."
"Never assume, Biz. That's how I stayed alive thislong and following that advice will keep you alive just as long."Stanislaw's scanners beeped. He checked the readings. "I justshot you my scan. You seeing that Biz?"
"Yeah … looks like some crevice off to your left. Hardto see from up here."
***
Mathew walked into the barracks, towel around his waist.The noises from Masters' bunk made him stop.
"Oh, for fuck's sake you two!" Mathew said, tiredof walking in on Masters and Harlow going at it.
"Just … keep … walking … pilot," Harlow mutteredbetween grunts.
Mathew swore under his breath, walked quickly to hisbunk and grabbed his uniform. He turned and huffed to the barracksdoor, trying to ignore the lump of sweaty flesh that made up Mastersand Harlow.
"Briefing in fifty, kids," he called back, walkinginto the hallway. "Don't be too late."
"OH GOD," was all he heard in response.
***
"Whatcha see Stan?"
"Not sure. This is more than a crevice. It's afuckin' rift in the Earth's mantle. Jeezus."
Stanislaw set scanners to full spectrum. What lookedlike a thin opening to a crack in the valley floor, quickly opened upbelow into a massive cavern. A cavern able to hold any number of deadmechs. Stanislaw backed away, powering up his weapons.
"Hey Biz?"
"Yeah, Stan?"
"I'm not sure what I'm looking at here, but Ithink we may need back up." Stanislaw shot the data over to Bisby.
"Shit! That cavern's huge. Who knows what's downthere … "
***
Capreze stood in the middle of the tracks, cup of coffeein hand. He watched the dawn sun lift over the far off mountains.
"Mornin' Papa Bear."
Capreze looked up at the mech to his left. The cockpitwas wide open, Rachel's legs dangling over the edge. He lifted hiscup in salute.
"Mornin' Baby Girl. You make this joe?"
"Yep."
Capreze took a sip of his coffee and sighed. "You havethe gift."
They stayed silent, each sipping from their mugs.
Rachel looked to the distance, down the tracks.
"Rookie'll be here soon."
"Yep. Hope he's worth a shit."
***
"Coming to you, Stan."
"Stay up there. No point in both of us gettingambushed."
"Fuck that! How about you drop a couple plasma chargesdown there and just frag it all."
"What if it isn't hostile?"
"We're in the fucking wasteland! Everything ishostile!"
Stanislaw pondered this for a moment, but just for amoment. Proximity alarms blared in his cockpit, interrupting hisdeliberations.
"Stan?!? What is it?!?"
Stanislaw checked his scanners. He pinged a shape, largeand moving. Moving fast.
"Not sure, hard to get a reading through this rock."
He aimed his plasma cannons at the opening.
***
Dr. Hecate Themopolous sat in her windowless office,head in her hands. She stared at the piece of paper laid out upon herdesk. Tears welled in her eyes.
She sniffed and wiped at her nose, grabbing up the paperand ripping it to shreds. She tossed the bits and pieces into thetrash, subconsciously wiping her hands on her uniform as if themessage on the paper had somehow dirtied her physically.
Her door chime rang. She stared at the shreds lying atthe bottom of her wire trashcan. The door chimed again. She quicklywiped her eyes.
"Enter."
***
The dead mech burst from the crevice, exploding chunksof rock in its wake. It quickly gained its footing on the valleyfloor, its one arm raised and glowing ready for battle.
"Jeezus … " Stanislaw whispered.
"Stan!" Bisby shouted into his com, powering up hisown weapons, dropping his mech down into the valley. "I'm comingdown! Push it to the left, I'll flank it."
Stanislaw stared at the dead mech, watching its zombiepilot thrash and howl in its cockpit.
"Biz, something's not right … "
"No fucking shit Stan! It's a deader with one arm,that's the definition of ‘not right'!"
***
Masters tried handing Harlow the soap. She fumbledaround, blinded by suds. Masters laughed, gripped her hand with hisand carefully placed the slippery bar into her open palm.
"Thanks baby," she smiled, still blind.
"No problem your Hotness." He turned back to thewater, letting the warm spray beat down on his chest. "You thinkMathew was pissed?"
"Who fucking cares," said Harlow, washing the soapfrom her face. "They're all just jealous cause they ain't gottheir own fuck buddy."
"That all we are?"
Harlow stepped from her stream into Masters'. "No,baby, that's not all we are."
***
Stanislaw piloted his mech into a crouch, setting up theleap and slash move. He waited for his opponent to take the bait.
It didn't.
One Arm waited, watching Stanislaw, calculating thepossible attacks. Coming to a conclusion, One Arm aimed its plasmacannon.
Stanislaw's eyes went wide; he'd never seen a deadmech react this way. His com crackled.
"Get the fuck out of there Stan! He's too close foryou to dodge those blasts!" Bisby screamed into his ear. "I'mtoo far away to take him out!"
Stanislaw knew all of this. And what his fate would be.
***
Capreze stepped next to Jay and appraised theschematics.
"You think this will work?" the Commander asked hisChief Mechanic.
"No, but I plan on putting hundreds of man-hours intoit anyway," Jay sniped, never making eye contact with theCommander.
Capreze grinned and slapped Jay on the back. "That'sthe spirit! You need anything?"
Still not looking away from the schematics, Jay handedCapreze an empty coffee mug. "She makes it every morning and yetI'm always surprised what your girl can do with some ground beansand water."
Capreze laughed, took the mug and headed to the mess.
***
The blasts came hard and fast. Stanislaw dodged thefirst wave, but couldn't side step his mech fast enough to miss thesecond wave. The concussion knocked his mech back 300 yards.
Stanislaw struggled to right his mech.
"Hydraulics on my left leg are out!"
"I'm coming Stan. Hold the fuck on!"
One Arm moved in, firing twice at Stanislaw, thenwhirled around, sending several blasts towards Bisby.
Bisby was far enough away to evade the shots, but itslowed him down, wasting precious time needed to get to Stanislaw.
"Stan! Stan?!? Jeezus fuck, can you hear me?!?"Bisby screamed.
***
"Goddamit Jethro! What did I say about coffee mugs ONthe schematics?!?" Jay barked at his assistant mechanic. "Whatdid I fucking say?!?"
"Don't do it?" Jethro responded sheepishly,grabbing up his mug, leaving a coffee ring behind on the plans.
Jay smacked him upside the head. "Go double checkHarlow's left hydraulics system, I think I heard a hiss when shedocked last night."
"I already checked it," Jethro answered.
"Then go wash the fucking thing!" Jay roared.
"Wash a mech? Really?" Jethro asked. Jay's faceturned beet red. "Okay, okay. Jeezus, calm down." Jethro stompedaway, muttering epithets.
***
One Arm blasted Stanislaw's mech twice more, sendingmechanized limbs flying in all directions. The live mech's torsolay smoldering on the baked earth. One Arm turned its attention onBisby.