"Pilot Capreze to base, we're heading in," Rachelcalled over her com, using every effort to keep her voice fromshaking. "Stanislaw's body has been placed on the pyre. We'llneed to get a watch on it right away incase there are any zombies inthe area."
"Will do," her father responded, back toprofessional. "Just get yourself and Biz back here."
***
"Masters?" Capreze called.
"Yeah Commander?" Masters responded over his com,still in his mech, watching his sensors as the two far off mechs madetheir way slowly to base.
"We're gonna need a detail out at the pyre,"Caprezez stated. "Bring your mech in and grab Mathew. I need youboth out there ASAP."
"Sure thing Commander," Masters responded,hesitating slightly.
"Yes, Masters?"
"Whose mech is that coming back with Rachel?"
"Bisby's."
Masters didn't need Capreze to elaborate, he knewwhose body he and Mathew would find out on the pyre.
"Mech returning to hangar," Masters called over hiscom.
***
The two mechs walked back to the base, Rachel hangingback in order to keep pace with Bisby's damaged machine. Groans ofprotest, smoke and sparks escaped the battle-ravaged mech.
Neither spoke, not that they could be heard over theclanging and grating the mechs made. But even if Bisby's com hadworked they would have remained silent. Stanislaw meant too much toboth of them for either to keep it together if they spoke of whathappened.
Rachel was patient enough to wait until they were backin the hangar and Bisby had made his report to the Commander.
***
Half the base staff stood at the hangar bay doors,watching as Bisby and Rachel drew closer.
"Is that Bisby or Stanislaw?" June whispered toMathew.
"I don't know. They're too far out," Mathewresponded.
Jay came up behind them, appraising the approachingmechs. "That's Biz." He turned and strode back to whatever hehad been working on.
"How do you know?" June called after him.
The mech pilots in attendance each gave her a look ofannoyance. June bristled at their stares. "What? It's a logicalquestion. They have to be at least 200 yards out."
All looked away.
***
Everyone cleared from the hangar doors as Mastersbrought his mech in for docking. He powered it down and popped openthe cockpit.
"Hey Matty?" he called down below, undoing thestraps holding him in place.
Mathew, about to leave the hangar and head back to thecontrol tower, stopped and turned. "Yeah?"
"Capreze wants us on pyre duty."
All heads in the hangar turned to look at Mathew, he meteveryone's gaze, taking in their ‘better you than me' looks.
"Gotcha. I'll round up the gear while you get yourmech settled," Mathew called up to Masters.
"Thanks, man."
***
Rachel maneuvered her mech into its previous post asBisby's lone mech lumbered into the hangar.
She fought hard to keep the tears back, but it was alosing battle. She sobbed uncontrollably, wrapping her arms aboutherself as she rocked in the cockpit.
Her com buzzed and she struggled to pull herselftogether.
"Hey, you okay?" Mathew's voice crackled. Shesucked back tears, choking a bit.
"No, Matty, I'm not," she whispered.
"What happened? Where's Stan?"
"I don't know what happened. Biz wouldn't say,"she responded between hiccups.
"And Stan?"
Rachel squeezed her eyes shut. "He's on the pyre."
***
Jethro pulled his head away from the cockpit, facescrunched in disgust. "Jeezus Bisby! Did you shit yourself?"
Bisby climbed down the last few rungs on his mech'sright leg, glaring up at Jethro. "Just fix the god damn targeter. Iwas shooting by feel, which totally wasted ammo and cut things waytoo fucking close."
Jethro heard the tone in Bisby's voice, knowing hisguess was right; Bisby did shit himself. It must have gotten prettybad out there.
"Everyone coming back today?" Jethro asked, ignoringthe stench and climbing fully into the mech's cockpit.
"No, Jethro. They aren't."
***
"Can you give me a ride out there?" DoctorThemopolous asked, approaching Mathew and Masters as they climbedinto the waiting ATV.
"Sure thing, Doc. We're just heading out to keepwatch on the body," Mathew responded.
The Doctor climbed into the back of the ATV as Mastersfired up the engines. Mathew double-checked the auto-carbines'clips, stowing his and Masters' in the rack between the frontseats.
Masters gunned the engine and the ATV burst from thehangar. Themopolous hung on, white knuckled as they sped over theearthen terrain, past Rachel's mech, heading out to the funeralpyre.
***
Bisby let the water run over him, washing the filth fromhis body.
"Biz?" Harlow's voice called from the shower roomdoor. "You in here?"
Bisby didn't respond.
"Capreze's looking for you," Harlow continued."He's pretty pissed you didn't report to him before cleaningup."
Bisby sighed. "Tell him I'll be right there."
Harlow stayed put. "Did he suffer?"
Bisby tensed. "Yes, Harlow, he suffered. But onlyuntil he blew his own brains out."
Bisby shut off the water, grabbed a towel and pushedpast Harlow.
Harlow slumped against the wall, slowly lowering to thefloor, fighting back the tears.
***
The ATV skidded to a halt, kicking up sand and dirt,coating the pyre and Stanislaw's body.
"Jeezus, Masters! Show some fucking respect!" Mathewyelled.
"Don't even start with me, Jespers," Mastersbarked, grabbing his carbine as he climbed from the ATV. He offeredThemopolous a hand.
"Thanks," she muttered, still shook up by the wildride from the base.
Themopolous started towards the corpse. Mathew grabbedhis carbine and followed, Masters right behind him.
"You worried Bisby was wrong? That Stan might comeback?" Mathew asked Themopolous.
When the three saw the body, they knew Stanislaw wasn'tcoming back.
***
"I am positive that you know debriefing protocol is tosee me before you shower, pilot," Capreze growled at Bisby as thepilot stood at attention. "The sooner you report, the less youforget."
"With all due respect sir, I'll never forget today,"Bisby responded through clenched teeth, his anger barely contained.
"I do not doubt that, pilot, but that is not your callto make. Understand me?"
Bisby ground his teeth together, trying to hold histongue.
"I asked if you understand-"
"I SHIT MY FUCKING SUIT SIR!" Bisby roared atCapreze.
Stunned, Capreze sat down in his chair.
***
Doctor Themopolous didn't bother opening her medicalkit, she knew the cause of death. Masters looked over her shoulder,grimacing at the sight.
"Did he do that?" Masters asked.
"It appears so. I'd say cause of death was aself-inflicted gunshot wound to the head."
"What the fuck happened out there?"
"I'm sure we'll all find out soon enough onceBisby makes his report to the Commander."
"Must have been some crazy shit to take outStanislaw … "
"Hey Guys," Mathew called a few feet from Mastersand Themopolous.
Masters turned, raising his rifle. "Whatcha gotMatty?"
"Incoming. Half mile out."
***
Bisby, seated in front of Capreze's desk, lifted hishead from his hands, eyes burning. "That's it."
Capreze, fingers steepled in front of him, sighed."That's not good."
Uncontrollably, Bisby laughed. A short, harsh bark of alaugh. "Ya think?"
"What I mean, Biz," Capreze stood. "Is that thebehavior the deader was exhibiting sounds frighteningly likeadaptation."
Bisbywatched as the Commander paused, then continued. "The zombies havesome reasoning ability, but no impulse control. Theydon't hesitate … "
"Sir?" Bisby asked, exhaustion fighting for hismind.
"Hmmm … ?" Capreze muttered, lost in thought.
"Stanislaw … ?"
Reality ripped Capreze from his musing.
***
"My God, how did they get here so fast?" Masterscalled out, placing a fresh clip in his carbine and taking aim. Hesqueezed the trigger, watching as several yards away three zombieheads exploded.
Mathew flung a grenade at the approaching undead, hopinghis timing was right. Within a second the grenade exploded sendingpieces of zombies high into the air. He looked behind him backtowards the base. He tapped his com.
"Hey Rache? Sure could use some help out here," hesaid, staring at the unmoving mech still positioned by the hangar.
"Hey Rache? You in there?"
***
"Rache? Rachel!" Mathew shouted over his com. Rachelpulled herself from her grief.
"What Matty?" she answered weakly.
"Um, are you watching this at all?!?" Mathewcontinued shouting. "We are about to get overrun here!"
Rachel shook her head violently, painfully. She checkedher scanners and gasped. "Oh, God! I'm so sorry! I'll be therein one minute!"
She set her mech to full power, not bothering with themotor drive and began to run the thing towards the pyre. "Hold on!"
"That's the idea! Hurry please!"
Rachel quickly shoved the idea of losing Mathew also outof her mind.
***
"She's on her way!" Mathew shouted to Masters andthe Doctor, barely heard over the concussions from the carbines.
"What can I do?" Themopolous yelled.
"Grab the ammo bag from the ATV!" Masters yelledback. "Pull out all the loaded clips!" He squeezed the trigger,more zombies fell. "Toss a fresh one to us when we call out! Fillthe empty ones we toss back to you!"