***
Jay settled into the cockpit, secured his limbs andpowered up the mech.
"So when do I get to do that?" Jethro asked over thecom.
"When you become Chief Mechanic," Jay responded."Only the Commander, the pilots and the Chief Mechanic have theirReaper chips altered. You know that."
"Yeah, but you know how things are way out here in thewaste. Can't rules be bent, just a little?"
"Fuck that! Last thing I need is your zombie asscoming after me. I like your chip just the way it is."
Smoke poured from the mech's control panels.
"Fuck!"
***
"Fuck this," Bisby muttered. He started flippingswitches across his weapons array.
He emptied the 50mm, started in with the plasma cannons,tossed in some plasma charges, fractal grenades and a little homemade napalm Jay was kind enough to fit his mech with.
75 seconds was all that passed before movement ceased onthe valley floor.
The already barren terrain was now a blackened hell,littered with smoldering zombie husks.
Bisby would have laid waste to God Himself if He hadbeen unlucky enough to be present. That wasn't an issue; Bisby hada bone to pick with God.
***
Commander Capreze ended the briefing, dismissing thepilots to their respective duties. Mathew hung back waiting for theothers to leave then approached Capreze.
"Yes, Mathew?" Capreze asked, looking up from histablet.
"Has Doc Themopolous talked to you about FoggyBottom?" Mathew asked.
"No, why?"
"Not sure. She asked me if I'd heard anything fromthere in a while. She wouldn't go into details, but, I don'tknow, her tone was off."
"How so?"
"More fear than worry. When did we trade with themlast?"
"Not sure, check the requisitions. Let me know whatyou find out."
"Sure thing."
***
Bisby crested the ridge out of the valley and turned hismech to survey the carnage he had wrought on the landscape. Hisbreath caught in his throat.
Sifting through the wreckage of Stanislaw's mech wasOne Arm. It tossed pieces of debris aside, hunting for sustenance.
Bisby raised his binocs and watched in horror as One Armfound Stanislaw's severed right arm, cracked open his cockpit andtossed the morsel to the ravenous zombie pilot inside. Bisby wantedto put his binocs away, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
One Arm turned and roared at Bisby in triumph.
Part Two- Grief & Anger
Rachel sat up in her cockpit, instinct telling her towatch the horizon. Automatically she started to strap herself in andactivate weapons systems.
She watched and waited.
Nothing.
Knowing better than to trust only her eyes, she dialedup the long-range sensors and pushed them to full spectrum.
Nothing. Wait … There, miles out, something moved. Amech. But whether it was living or dead, she couldn't tell.
Not one for drama, she didn't sound the claxons rightaway, waiting for a closer look and a little more info.
The thing wasn't moving fast, so she figured she hadtime.
***
"Doctor?" Commander Capreze inquired, knockinglightly on Themopolous' office door. He waited politely for aninvitation.
Doctor Themopolous looked up from the medical charts shewas reviewing on her tablet. "Yes? Oh, Commander, please come in.What can I do for you? Feeling alright?"
Capreze chuckled. "Yes, I'm fine. I am here to checkon you, actually." Capreze took a seat in one of the open chairsset before Themopolous' desk.
Themopolous raised an eyebrow. "Me...?"
"Yes. Pilot Jespers mentioned you were asking aboutFoggy Bottom. Anything to do with the coded communiqué you receivedthis morning?"
Themopolous looked away.
***
"Hey, what was the name of those vids we watched?"Jethro asked around the screwdriver clenched between his teeth. Hepulled it from his mouth, stretching his arm past wires and pistons,trying to reach the right spot. "The Transmogrifiers?"
"Transformers," Jay responded, reaching from theother side, helping guide Jethro's screwdriver.
"Right. Transformers. Man, that was some cool shit."
Jay stared at his assistant in disbelief. "You work onfucking mechs! I'm pretty sure these are way more cool than thatmade up shit."
"Yeah, but they turned into stuff like boats andcars."
"Yeah, you got a point."
***
Harlow stood below Masters' mech, manning theinitiation console, going over the start-up procedure. She checkedgauges, then looked up directly at Masters' cockpit.
"You're all set Pilot, go kick some deader ass,"Harlow yelled. Masters cupped a hand to his ear and shook his head.Harlow clicked her com.
"I said, you're all set. It's the same thing I sayevery morning."
"I know, baby. I just like hearing your sweet voice inmy ear," Masters cracked. Harlow shook her head, smiling.
"Get out of here, will ya?"
"Eager for me to leave?"
"No. Eager for you to return."
***
Mathew sat in the control tower, built decades beforewhen the UDC expected the mech bases to be bustling hives ofactivity, mechs coming and going, troops being transported in andout.
Movement below caught his eye as Rachel locked hercockpit. The tower was insulated from sound, but he knew she waspowering up full systems. Immediately he scanned the horizon, tryingto see what had alarmed her.
"Hey, what's up?" he said, calling Rachel's com.
"Mech. Can't tell if it's a deader or not … Youwatching me again?"
"Busted. I'm off shift until after the Rookie getshere."
***
June walked into the rec room, hoping Jay had downloadedthe new batch of vids. She grabbed some couch and flicked on thewall-sized monitor. She scanned the menu, seeing the same shows shehad seen a million times. She clicked off the monitor, depressed.
Shewondered where Mathew was. Probablywatching heragain,she thought bitterly. Spoiledlittle mech brat …
Junestood up, anger and jealousy suddenly motivating her. Fuckthis,she thought.
She stomped out of the rec room, determined to findMathew and tell him how she felt. Determined to make him feel thesame about her.
***
The bay doors opened wide, allowing Masters' mech toexit the hangar.
"Watch yourself out there," Harlow buzzed overMasters' com.
"Don't worry, sugar. I'm good to go."
"Not worried about you, I'm worried about yourpartner today."
"Rachel? Why?" Masters asked.
"She only sleeps in her mech! A, that's just weird.B, no one can get a good night's sleep in one of those cockpits. Ifshe's fatigued, then she may hesitate when she shouldn't. Justwatch yourself."
"Notto worry, baby. Islept fine last night. Rested and ready to wipe the wasteland cleanof the deader menace!"
***
"It was personal," Doctor Themopolous said, stillavoiding Capreze's gaze.
It was Capreze's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Personal?You don't really expect me to believe that, do you?"
The doctor considered what to tell Capreze; theCommander waited.
"I was looking to transfer. To get away from" – shegestured about the office, indicating the entire base- "all ofthis."
"Any particular reason?" Capreze asked kindly.
"No single reason. It's just, well … "
"The isolation, the fear, the violence, thedesolation, the lack of any socialization beyond a bunch of mechpilots half out of their minds?"
Themopolous laughed, smiling weakly.
***
Mathew climbed the spiral stairs to the tower, havinggrabbed his binocs from his locker, preferring the exertion of thesteps to the static hum of the lift. He clicked his com. "Anything?"
"Nope, still too far out for a decent scan,"Rachel's voice buzzed in his ear. "Did you get your binocs?"
"Yah, I'm almost to the- Oh, um, hey June … "
"What's she doing there?" Rachel asked, a hint ofjealousy marking her words.
"Hello, Matty," June said, her voice shaking.
"Hey Rache, I'll get back to you, okay?"
"Make it quick … Mathew."
"Ahh, come on, don't be like that … "
***
"That still doesn't explain why it was coded … ,"Capreze led. Themopolous' smile faded quickly, darkness cloudingher eyes.
"It was from an old colleague of mine. He's ChiefMedical Officer for Foggy Bottom … ," she trailed off.
Capreze waited patiently. "And … ?"
"And? Well, he has been seeing some issues with theReaper chips. Some very alarming issues."
"He's reported these ‘issues' to the UDC?"
"Well, that's complicated … "
Claxons blared, the base sent into full alarm.
Capreze jumped from his seat. "We'll continue thislater, Doctor."
"Of course, Commander."
Capreze tapped his com. "Full alert folks, all staffto stations. Be ready."
***
"Approaching mech, this is Pilot Capreze, pleaserespond," Rachel waited, but there was no answer. "Son of abitch … "
Rachel fired up all systems and triple checked herweapons. She slammed her hand on the console, initiating the base'salarm and defense systems then started towards the approaching mech.Her com crackled and Commander Capreze buzzed in her ear.