-(???)-

 

Planet Vanir, Varm continent sector 54

 

We were finally prepared to jump, myself in particular; the experimental ESD add-ons given to me by Lady Idunn was equipped on my armor. It was basically an offense/defense system that she adapted from the Lutian Technology database possessed by Vice Corp. It shoots a beam from the aperture on my left gauntlet; it is also able to create a reinforced energy barrier that stops cold any kinetic and energy based weapons. The armored Zero Point Module powering the device was situated on my back with my jetpack and gave the ESD system a perpetual fuel to cause chaos with. Weirdly the only thing causing problems with the ESD was the heat generation of the weapon.

*Sigh.*

Even while on a mission I had to be a guinea pig, Lady Idunn wouldn’t let up on it.

Do not worry, Agent I will take care of you.

My AI was the nurturing type, I named her Sasha after my departed childhood friend, and her avatar is an approximation of what she would have looked like in her adult life. In the lab where I grew up, she was the one who took care of the weaker trainee soldiers and she was our official leader. Sasha was made of stern stuff, too bad I don’t know what happened to her, she was sold to some planetary government in the Asian Great Alliance. I don’t know if she is alive or dead. My AI asked me how I wanted her to develop and I patterned her after my lost friend.

“Everyone prepare to jump,” I said in the team Q-uplink.

I undo my seat harness and rise from my seat, checking on my HUD that all my gear is strapped to me. Pistol, check, ESD add-on armor, check, Omni-rifle, check…

Sasha has begun to check all the nanites augmentation from my beta pack, Green lighting them for me on my HUD.

Quantum Uplink (Online)

Interrogation enhancer (Online)

Security domination (Online)

Stealth (Stand By Mode)

Integrated Fabricator (Online)

LiDAR (Stand By Mode)

Smart Vision (Online)

Pathfinder system (Online)

Medical Health System (Stand By Mode)

I was ready for the jump.

“Go, go, go!” I shouted when the hatches at both sides of the AIV opened.

My team just shot out of the openings and sprung into the air, I walked to the hatch and looked seeing the agents becoming distant black silhouettes rushing toward the ground. I smiled and jumped too. Head first, like a boss. Sasha superimposed an altimeter to my HUD, the ground getting close fast.

Pilot# Target in sight, 11.

11# Team! Deploy, EM Landing System at 100 meters.

The EM Landing system was a consumable device built in the jumping pack of the AIVs. The system allows a user to land safely from any height by slowing their movement via an electromagnetic field. This field pushes against the planet’s magnetosphere and slows the user's descent to a manageable velocity, allowing him or her to fall from almost any height. It’s mighty handy. I wish some of our armors had a permanent augment like this, but R&D deemed it too costly to install and too hungry energy wise.

As I deployed the EMLS, an arc of blue energy swirled from the apertures from the port of the device strapped to my armor and formed a bubble around me. I could see how much energy it took from my ZPM battery. And it was indeed a huge expense, 40% of the energy was used to activate the system and release the Electromagnetic Field. My speedy descent slowed to a crawl, giving me the time to look at the sprawling megalopolis in the horizon. Black and shiny mega towers that reached the sky and were poking the clouds of Vanirs stood tall like hulking giants, glowing green and blue. The shiny city was married with the greenery and forest separating different blocks. There was even a lake whom the water shined a bright shade of blue; it seems that the theme color of this city was black blue and green. Sasha my AI focused my HUD on the landing target, from the air it looked like a big rectangle with a big tower at the center. Some of my teammates already landed before the structure and were taking care of neutralizing the defenses.

 Agent 11, the schematics and scans of the structure indicate that there is a large underground complex under it. Sending new data to the units on site. Data uploaded on team net.

 “Unlock safety on ESD system, we will burst through the doors,” I said on the neural link to my AI.

 I landed before the tall towers and its doors, spark of bluish electricity escaped the bubble of electromagnetic forces that cushioned my fall. On my HUD the figure showing my armor with the ESD system was highlighted. The integrated fabricator of my armor was cannibalizing the parts of the EMLS and stock on the matter, turning it into resources.

 “Team, defensive formation,” I said on the team net.

 23# Roger. I heard a feminine voice answer.

 The rest of them deployed behind me in a fan formation, some of them on the rear and looking to our six and the other pointed their weapon at the door.

 I pointed my left arm at the humongous doors, Through my HUD I could see the energy of my ZPM battery feed into the weapon. The disc shape of the energy capacitor glowed green and a devastating ray of light was unleashed from the muzzle on the door. With my hand, I guided the ray of energy into a Z shape cutting into the door. It stopped as suddenly as it happened. The ESD went silent.

 “Knock, knock,” I said on the team net.

 One of my teammates went to my side and sent a wave of telekinetic force into the door, making it collapse.

 “Objective?” I asked my AI.

 You never know when parameters for a mission have been updated, following new variables being introduced. I was just being thorough.

Kill Everything, only the targets are to be left alive.

 My AI answered with a cold voice in my head. This was my kind of mission I liked, it was clear-cut from the beginning. I took my pistol from its holster and deployed the ESD in shield mode in front of us encompassing my whole group. A barrage of energy weapon discharged onto the shield when we were barely inside the facility. The energy of the ESD shield waned fast, already at 80% integrity.

Agent 11, what is firing at us are Gokstad blast rifles from the Assurian Forge. From the dissipation of the energy on your ESD shield, I predict that those are the newest model. Gokstad Weapons cycling for recharge in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

 The hailstorm of energy ceased, and I decided to seize the initiative. And reduced the ESD shield in a round green circle projected by the device on my left arm like one of those medieval shields of old on those warriors from old Earth. We went into infrared mode and our vision showed our attackers. Twenty guards in the circular parking with two armored vehicles as cover. The embattled one behind preparing to shoot at us. I took a grenade and lobbed it at them.

 “Fire, fire!!” I ordered.

 And my team didn’t use any of those fancy energy weapons those Assurian assholes seems to love. Our mass driver weapons discharged death on those poor souls that were armored for the wrong kind of gear. The slugs pierced them as if they were made of cotton candy. There were five more guards alive behind those armored vehicles, I ran at the car, jumped and somersaulted when I was high enough from their covers and proceeded to fire at them. I could raise the speed my brain processed information and my body reacted at the speed of thought, this was one of the biological augments Idunn gifted me six months ago. I put this particular talent to good use most of the time, but doing it too much was harming myself; I didn’t want to vomit in my helmet and choke or worse enter into a coma. I killed three of them with a slug to the head, but when I landed on my feet two guards were still alive and attempted to kill me with beam knives. I bashed the head of the first one with my ESD shield and send him rebounding against the armored car, then I caught the arm of the second one and broke it. I proceeded in finishing him off with a high kick to the neck. The finality of the ‘crack’ of broken bones was sonorous enough. But I felt that it wasn’t finished yet, so I took the beam knife and turned it on and threw it behind me toward the hidden guard that was about to shoot me in the back. The beam knife was a distraction permitting me to shoot him with my pistol at the center of his body three times. 

All security guards have been dealt with in the parking area, Agent. I propose that you take time to build infiltration drones and take over the security station of the tower and then the facility’s that is underground.

 “Good plan, Sasha.” I thanked my AI while nodding my head.

 “Ma’am, we have neutralized the guards, what are your orders?” A teammate, Agent 56 blessed with a tenor voice asked on the team net.

 He was one of the combat technicians that I brought with me on this mission, Idunn chooses him for his quick thinking and improvisation even under fire. The kind of man I wish I had in my platoon when I was a mercenary. The problem with the stealth armor was that I could just identify people by gender with view alone, I actually need my HUD to see the numbers of the intelligence agents with me.

11# 56, take agent 23 with you and begin the manufacturing of infiltration drones. Oh, and while you are at it, maybe we should add three automatons with Phase Shift armor to tank for us.

56# It will be done. I saw the man nod and turn toward the big door that I demolished.

 I then proceeded to take one of the energy rifles as a trophy and give the order to use them as stock for more batteries, medical gel, and ammunition. The integrated fabricator worked wonders on a battlefield, it permitted for a unit such as ours to be semi-self reliant. My teammate proceeded in collecting resources till the technicians were done.

After fifteen minutes, agent 56 informed us that he produced ten thousand infiltrator nano drones by taking apart the weapons and armors of the dead around us and some of the adamantium from the door. He was still working on the three assault automatons when I decided to send in the flying nano drones via the shaft from the vehicle lift under our feet.

 

***  

-(Tornald Lyss)-

 

The sound of the alarm woke me up from my restful sleep; I was obviously in my bedroom, the familiar lacquered faux wood ceiling showed me this. The neural link of my implant connected me to the computers in my apartment, those came alive silently. Holograms of different colors and forms shined in the penumbra. Fortunately, their brightness adapted to my vision to not damage my eyes. I pulled himself from the ergonomic mattress, I scratched myself on the head and torso. Then I noticed that I was shirtless, with only my undies on; Frowning, I tried to remember if I undressed last night. It didn’t seem important because of the alarm blaring so I shrugged and looked at my side, a female Assurian with a petite body but voluptuous curves were there sleeping peacefully. Brigid, my lover, and partner in crime; she could be considered my wife, as she gave me a lot of son and daughters but we decided to keep our houses separate to have as many political powers as possible. Without conscious thought of it my hand found itself on her naked arm and roamed on her milky white skin, the caress elicited bursts of love and pride at having met my intellectual match Three hundred years ago; happiness filled my heart. Brigid’s body stirred, the noise of the alarm and my touch must have woke her up. The love of my life opened her beautiful eyes.

“Mmmh, Tor?” The sleepy golden gaze of Brigid looked for me.

“I am here my love,” I said with tenderness.

Her eyes finally found and locked on me, she smiled but her mood suddenly marred her beautiful face into a sneer.

“What is that noise? I want to sleep…”

Yes, I want to know that myself, I was about to say something when my Communicator beeped. The watch projected a hologram from its screen and I frowned when I saw a helmeted guard looking at me.

“What?” I asked gruffly.

“Sir, we are under attack!” The masculine voice of the military cast Assurian resonated gravely in my device speakers. “They have breached the tower and are entering the underground facility!”

“What?! By who? The Council?!” They dare?!

I knew I made enemies, but to warrant that kind of assault when I am at my weakest.

“No Sir! Humans!” The guard blurted out.

“Humans?” What were they doing this far from their own space? Who cares, they will be annihilated by my security force. Their technology was laughable, those must be rookie mercenaries or something. I was interrupted from my trail of thought by my mate, Brigid.

“What’s going on Tor? What is happening?” Her sweet alto voice was laced with worry.

Brigid was modestly covering her naked body with her hand, hiding her chest from the guard looking through the communicator. I turned toward her momentarily and decided to inform her. “We are under attack, dear. Go, prepare for an eventual extraction. But I am not sure it will be nec-”

The guard interrupted me.

“It’s going to be difficult, Sir. We are being attacked by Centurions from Vice Corp!” The man said, clearly panicked.

I felt my blood freeze, I stared at the guard unmoving; Vice Corporation? Why would they… And then I realized. With my neural link, I went through the data in my wrist communicator. The window showing me going through the interface and the hologram showing the guard separated. Finally finding what I was looking for, I retrieved the bill and contract mission I had from that failed OP on that scourge, Idunn. Her location I bought from the Shadow Broker showed that she was hiding in a space station in a nondescript system between Shdeveri and Human space. A buffer zone, Neutral territory. But what if this special system wasn’t? Idunn has been escaping us for twenty-two years and taking bits off us each time we almost got her, her retaliation is even more savage and merciless. Her resources seemed to buy her better protection than we could afford, what if she has been allying with that witch from Vice Corp Space all along? And they are assaulting us in our own world? Then the Assurian Council was in on it.

Looking at the guard who still awaited dutifully for orders, I said.

“Evacuate all the scientific and non-essential personnel, my family must be teleported first to the sanctuary and moved outworld,” I said and cut off the communication.

Centurions were merciless killers, and would pursue us to the depth of this galaxy! Vice Corp was the leader in technology replacing the Assurians who were at the cutting edge of it before them. A lot of foreign powers tried to take their secrets but were all rebuffed with extreme prejudice. Those that try are made an example of. And those dumb humans from the Ares mercenaries have failed me and brought the ire of a titan upon us!

I turned toward my mate.

“Dress and get out of here, I cannot lose you!” I said getting out of bed and ordering the apartment computer to prepare our clothes. The closet with a freshly fabricated and hanging black bodysuits with gloves and boots opened. I donned it quickly, not wanting to waste time. Our lives were in danger! I felt a hand touch my shoulder and then a body molds itself to my back.

“Tor, I…” It was my Brigid, I felt her mental distress with my telepathy.

But we didn’t have the time to wallow in our feelings; I sent her a mental caress but had to stay firm with her. She was like me, but she tended to panic when events unfolded so suddenly. I turned toward her and took gently her arm and pushed her toward the closet.

“Do what I tell you, Brigid. Or we are going to die!” I said with urgency.

She looked at me for a brief instant and proceeded to clothe herself in our colors. Brigid completed her outfit with a white lab coat and toolbelt. Weapons from the armory teleported in the closet and my mate seized a pair of energy pistols that she strapped in her thigh sheath, I took the rifle and checked that it was not tampered with. While I did that, Brigid was shouting at the hologram of her wrist communicator. At a scientist who was busy packing from what I gathered.

“Bring out the experimental weapons, and give them to the security force to slow them down!” I heard her say.

I took her arm and guided her out of the apartment and we began our march toward the teleporter. We took different corridors to access the transport room, it took ten minutes and I noticed that I could hear the exchange of fire from some of them. I didn’t tarry more and we arrived. My children, the scientists, and personnel of our little house were all assembled. Some of the guards were there in position at the door, training their weapon at it. Some of them had the prototype of weapon developed by my Brigid. A miniaturized positron blaster cannon was mounted in the center of the room, the others guards possessed rifles version derived from this technology that we stole from some random scientist that couldn’t finance himself. It should be enough to slow or kill some of the Centurions on our tail.

The Thirty or so Assurians employes and the face of my family were looking back at me, they were all afraid but still showed a composed mien. It was heartening. Turning on my heels I looked at the leftover guards and decided to give them some bit of encouragement.

“Thanks for staying, men. Your family will be taken care of if you die, I swear it on my honor.” I kept it short, not wanting to lay it on too thick.

Teleportation for the first group proceeded after that bit of politicking. Brigid looked at me and I went to hug her and kiss her. Finished with showing her my love I looked at my son, Torvald and I pushed my mate into his arm. Torvald caught her, she looked at me with disbelief and struggled.

“I shall stay to stall them, my love; I want to give you time to flee.”

“Tor, no!” Brigid screamed.

“Don’t do this, come with us.” She pleaded.

“I cannot, I must stay or they will just follow us and killing us piecemeal.”

“No To-”

And the teleporter did its job and transported my family out of here. It was then the turn of the second group of my employees who were teleported out of the room and to the sanctuary. When the third group was about to teleport the lights went out and the teleporter powered off. The glow signaling that its charge was full died little by little.

“Damnation!” One of the scientists that were in the third group screamed. He took a weapon out of his coat and went to place himself at the door, shoulder to shoulder with the guards. Others followed his example but some stayed to place themselves before the women to protect them.

“Defensive position!” Shouted a guard.

I took my rifle in hands and took off the safety and with a neural command put the computer of the weapon to put it on automatic mode. I didn’t believe in a god, and I didn’t believe in karmic retribution. But it sure felt like it. I looked at my security force and the scientists and clerks bravely standing, ready to defend their life. With luck, maybe they will be able to repel this attack.

I told myself that, but I didn’t believe it.