Seeing the state of Stanislaw's mech and the deadmech's new tactics, Bisby stopped his mech and set blast anchorsinto the ground. He prepped the machine for full rocket launch,intending on sending the one armed abomination to hell in a milliontiny pieces.
One Arm roared and charged. Bisby's blood ran cold atthe inhuman sound coming from the dead mech's loudspeakers.
"What the fuck … .?" Bisby croaked.
***
"Hey Matty! Come sit here!" June called as Mathewfinished loading his plate from the mess line.
Mathew glanced around, but the mess hall was empty andhe was trapped. He slowly made his way to June's table.
"Mornin'," he nodded, fake smile in place.
"Wow, did you hear Harlow last night?" June askedconspiratorially. "She and Masters were non-stop."
Mathew laughed. "This morning too."
June's eyes widened. "Wow. Must be nice havingsomeone all to yourself like that … "
Mathew kept his eyes down, preferring to look at thepile of yellowish synth-eggs, than to look into June's inquiringeyes.
***
Bisby checked the anchors and set his mech into a squat,bringing its body to a lower center of gravity. He watched the deadmech rage towards him and braced for impact.
Twenty yards out, One Arm leapt, using its mini-rocketboosters on its legs for extra lift. It raised its arm high into theair.
Bisby, realizing what the dead mech was about to do,disengaged his ground anchors, hoping he could side step the fallingmech in time.
Everything slowed. One Arm roaring, Bisby scrambling,Stanislaw dying. It all froze for a split second in the barrenvalley.
***
"Man, I never get over how good this coffee is!"Masters crowed. "I mean, how do you grow something this tasty inthe fucking wasteland?"
He plopped down next to Mathew and June, smelling ofsoap and smiling from ear to ear.
"Hey Baby? Grab me a muffin, will ya?" he calledover his shoulder to Harlow, still in the mess line.
"Will do Sugar Dick!" she called back.
Mathew shook his head, but couldn't help smiling.Masters raised his eyebrows in mock innocence.
"What?" Masters took a sip of coffee. "Can't twobad ass mother fuckers be in love?"
***
Bisby didn't make it out of the way. The impact ofmech on mech was earth shattering. Literally.
One Arm came down just as Bisby had disengaged his lastground anchor and tried to execute a tight side roll. The dead mechsmashed into Bisby's cockpit; putting the two close enough thatBisby could smell the rotted zombie pilot.
A massive crack appeared in the baked earth, opening theworld above to the world below. Both mechs tumbled into the fissure,smashing at each other with iron fists, knees and feet. The darknessswallowed them, their battle echoing, echoing, lost.
***
Dr. Themopolous walked into the mess hall. FindingMathew she quickly moved to his side and bent down close. "May Ispeak with you for a second?"
Mathew looked at the other pilots at the table and thenat the doctor. "Um, sure. I'll see you all in the briefing." Hestood and followed Doctor Themopolous outside the mess.
He raised an inquisitive eyebrow when they were alone.Doctor Themopolous cleared her throat, glancing around to make surethey were unobserved. "You came from Foggy Bottom, right?"
"Yeah … ?"
"Have you heard from anyone there recently? Any newsof any … problems?"
***
Matilda placed a kiss on his cheek. "Bye Daddy!" shesaid, skipping out the back door into the spring rain.
Stanislaw got up from his chair, grabbing an umbrellaand followed his daughter. "Take this baby."
"Awww, Daddy, the rain isn't going to hurt me,"Matilda complained. "It's not like when you were a kid."
Stanislaw smiled. "It'll make your old man feelbetter."
Matilda laughed and reached out. Before she could graspthe umbrella her skin started to melt from her arm. She screamed, sodid Stanislaw.
He was still screaming when he came to in his burningcockpit.
***
"What are you doing?" Jay called up to Jethro.
"I finished washing Harlow's mech and I'm workingon the Rookie's mech. That's what you wanted, right?"
Jayclosed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, what Iwanted was for meto work on the Rookie's mech. I'm just going to have to go backover all of your work to make sure it's right."
"Fuck you, Rind," Jethro barked, lowering the liftto the ground. He handed Jay his span-wrench. "You really need tostart sleeping in a bunk. You're a grouchy bitch in the morning."
***
A mech hand crested the newly formed crevice's side,struggling for purchase. The giant alloy fingers dug into the edge,anchoring them fully. With a groan of damaged hydraulics, Bisbypulled himself from the fissure, rolling his mech yards from theopening before standing.
"Stan?...Stan?" he croaked into his com. "Goddammit Stanislaw! Can you hear me?"
He was met with static as his damaged mech swayed itsway over to the smoking debris that was Stanislaw's machine. Hetried to bring up life sensors, but only basic navigation scannersseemed to cooperate.
"Shit!" he yelled, pushing his mech on.
***
Mathew walked back into the mess, nearly running intoCommander Capreze.
"You heading towards the hangar, Mathew?" Caprezeasked.
"No, sir. Wasn't planning on it," Mathewresponded.
"You sure about that," Capreze laughed, handing themech pilot a full mug of steaming hot coffee.
Mathew took the mug, looking at Capreze, puzzled.
"Jay's thirsty … and in a mood. My time is betterspent getting ready for the briefing, don't you think?"
Mathew laughed, "Sure thing, sir. I'll make sure Mr.Grumpy Pants gets his fix."
Capreze clapped Mathew on the shoulder. "Good man. Wayto take one for the team."
***
Bisby was close enough to see the extent of the damageStanislaw's mech had taken. He gulped, prayed and swore at the sametime.
"Stan?!? Come in man!" Silence.
Bisby switched on his loudspeakers, feedback squelchedat ear shattering levels. "FUCK!" Bisby roared, cutting theswitch. His already battle damaged hearing rang and protested.
He stopped and took a deep breath. Grabbing his binocshe peered down at the twisted cockpit below, hoping for signs oflife. After focusing briefly he was rewarded with movement. Stanislawwas alive.
Bisby looked closer and gasped. He pulled the binocsaway, tears welled.
***
"Rookie arrives today," Harlow said over a mouthfulof synth-eggs.
June straightened. "Really? Today?"
"Yep," Masters responded, sitting down with hissecond tray of food.
"Careful, Darling, don't lose that tight bod,"Harlow joked.
"Don't you worry, Babycakes. It's all so I cankeep up with you." He leaned in and kissed her strongly, thenpulled back, licking his lips. "Mmmm … .eggy."
Harlow laughed, sending bits of yellow flying. Janerecoiled.
"Jeezus, you two are fucking gross!" she snapped,getting up from the table and stalking out of the mess hall.
Harlow frowned. "What's up her twat?"
"Nothing, that's the problem."
***
Stanislaw could smell the acid from the fuel cells. Hismech was down hard.
He tried to reach for the strap release, but his rightarm wouldn't cooperate. He didn't want to look, but knew he onlyhad moments to get his ass out.
He pissed himself when he saw his arm two feet away,wedged between hatch brackets.
The cockpit shook violently. The dead mech was on himand Stanislaw wept as he wrenched the pistol from its holster and putthe barrel to his head.
A hulking shadow of death fell over him as he pulled thetrigger.
***
Jay jumped when Mathew sat down next to him. Closing hiseyes, he took two deep breaths. "Don't you pilots have a rec roomto go play in?"
Mathew laughed, offering the mug of coffee. "You wantthis or not?"
"Thanks," Jay sighed, taking a sip from the mug.
Mathew studied the schematics, then pointed at thecoffee ring. "If that works it'll change the entire battlelandscape. The deaders won't stand a chance."
Jay glared at Mathew, daggers for eyes. Mathew drewback. "What? It's fucking genius."
Jay followed Mathew's gaze and saw what he did. It wasgenius.
***
Wrenching at his straps, Bisby tried to free himselffrom his cockpit, hoping he could reach Stanislaw in time.
"Stan! No! It's me! Don't shoot!" he screamed."IT'S ME!!!!!"
The pistol shot rang out, seeming insignificant comparedto the cacophony of battle only minutes before.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Bisby roared, pounding hisfists against his cockpit's frame until they were cracked andbleeding.
Slowly, fearfully, Bisby lifted his binocs, looking downat Stanislaw's wrecked mech. It took him a second to focus, butwhen he did, he wished he hadn't.
Bisby prayed some day he could erase that image from hismemory.
***
Masters and Harlow left the mess hall, grabbing at eachother and laughing. Harlow stumbled, tripping them both up and theycrashed to the hall floor. She quickly took advantage and pinnedMasters, straddling his hips with hers, slowly rocking back andforth.
Masters licked his lips and let out a playful growl.Harlow leaned down, nuzzling against his neck.
"Careful what you start," Masters warned, his breathcoming in short gasps as Harlow nibbled at his ear.
"Think we have time for a quick one before thebriefing?" Harlow asked.
"No. You don't," Capreze said, stepping past themboth.