Ghost Soldiers (8 page)

Gun looked back to Spartan and rubbed at his body.

“It punched in deeply, Spartan. The medics say it will be another three weeks until it is fully healed.”

For the briefest moment Spartan thought he saw a glimmer of pain in his friend’s eyes.

“I’ve had worse, though. Holes can be repaired. Hell, remember my eye?”

Spartan nodded.

“I don’t doubt it, Gun; at least you’ll be back at full strength soon.”

Mr Walker looked to then both and then concentrated his attention on Spartan. He lowered his head slightly upon seeing the arrival of Gun, his way of greeting somebody he now considered an equal, of sorts. Spartan, Gun, Khan, and Olik still retained a major share in the Special Weapons Division, all part of the agreement that had started the section to begin with. Access to On’Sarax, her people, and the hidden secrets at Taxxu were dependent on them. The ancient machines saw the Alliance as a common ally, but in Spartan and his friends, they saw something that could be trusted.

“SWD, we’ve been granted a fifty percent budget increase for the next quarter. It looks like your operation on Karnak has galvanised Alliance High Command into buying into the upgraded technology.”

Spartan nodded.

“Good, it’s about time our front-line marines got the equipment they deserve.”

He looked away and then back to him, a suspicious look on his face.

“What do they want, exactly?”

Gun indicated for them to walk away from the spaceship, and then moved alongside Khan. As they spoke, Spartan continued his conversation with Mr Walker.

“Spartan, they want the new weapons, and access to the technology used in our engines systems.”

Spartan seemed surprised.

“Weapons? So they are not interested in the real advances, the Grunts and the Maverick armour. That equipment will save lives on the battlefield.”

“Indeed. And how much does it cost to build a CD1 Grunt?”

Spartan took in a long, deep breath and sighed.

“More than the lifetime training costs of a marine.”

“Exactly. The bill for the Spascia operation is...well, how shall I put it? Half the Grunts damaged or destroyed, to save a handful of marines. The sums simply do not add up.”

Spartan stopped and caught both Gun and Mr Walker’s eye.

“So we rescued the hostages, pacified the sector on Spascia, and left the place under Alliance control. And now they are complaining about the bill?”

Mr Walker said nothing for the time being, so they continued walking away from the landed warship, but Spartan could tell Gun wanted to tell him something. He took a few more steps and stopped.

“All right. So they don’t like the price for rolling out the equipment to the Marine Corps. What about the Brigade, did they go for it? It’s only a few thousand personnel, and enough ships to put them in one place. We can go places where the regular Marine Corps can't. We're a grey area."

He glanced to Khan.

"It’s not like this place costs much to maintain. On'Sarax and her kin manage just fine, and for no cost to us.”

Gun looked at Mr Walker, whose face remained impassive, then to Khan and back to Spartan.

“It took a lot of talking, and luckily for us, Daniels was there to do it. He vouched for me, you, all of us. Even the old General was there, as an advisor."

“Rivers?”

Gun nodded.

“Yeah, he might be retired, but he’s still the most experienced commander around. Rumour on Terra Nova is he might be standing for election. Can you imagine it, General Rivers as President?”

Spartan shrugged. He'd heard worse ideas, and the General was one of the few men he would give his backing to. Even so, he found the idea of Gun discussing politics more amusing than anything he’d heard in weeks. Gun tilted his head as he kept talking.

"The General kept reminding them that an independent private security force far away from our own colonies could be a real asset. We can use experimental equipment, recruit from non-Alliance worlds, and, what was the word? Oh, yes, it would allow the Alliance to retain plausible deniability."

Spartan shook his head.

"Typical, so they will allow us to operate, and partially fund us, providing we do the dirty work for them, without them taking the risk if it all heads south."

Gun grinned. "Of course, isn't that always the way?"

“The combat footage from Karnak is causing a lot of trouble. There are people pushing the President for direct involvement.”

“And what about our Brigade?”

Spartan beckoned towards Khan and the two marines, but it was Khan who finally broke, unable to wait any longer.

“Tell us. Is it going to happen?”

Gun straightened his back, licked his lips, and then spoke.

“Gentlemen…”

He paused for effect, and Spartan sighed as they waited.

“Colonel Black has been seconded to the IAB. He will command the unit, under orders from Alliance High Command."

"And you?" Spartan asked.

Gun smiled.

"I've been given operational command of the Brigade, under supervision by Colonel Black. Starting today, you can call me your boss. We are fully activated, and the press have been informed of the formation of the Interstellar Assault Brigade. We will operate as part of the Alliance military, but supplied and equipped directly by the Special Weapons division."

Spartan had expected the news, but it was still great to hear.

"From today, we will begin taking new recruits direct from entry and from other regular regiments. We will even be taking volunteers from the Khreenk and Byotai, if they pass the selection tests. The first transports have already arrived.”

Spartan could see how proud Gun was, not so much of the rank, but of the recognition of his skills and reputation. A generation ago he’d been a foot soldier of the Biomechs, and now he was the commander of the newest and most deadly unit in the entire Alliance.

Spartan and Khan moved in and struck him.

“Congratulations,” said Spartan.

Khan seemed more amused than pleased.

“The crazy fools. They must have realised our ability to absorb losses fitted your command profile perfectly.”

Gun feigned insult and then struck Khan in the shoulder.

“And don’t you forget it.”

Spartan had other thoughts on his mind.

“Gun, does that mean they want the Brigade to help General Makos and his Byotai on Karnak? When we reach full strength, we will be a force to be reckoned with.”

Gun shook his head.

“No. High Command is sending a fleet to the Byotai border, in case the Anicinàbe League decides to cross over. If they do, then our treaty with the Byotai will come into effect.”

“And it will be war,” Khan added.

Gun nodded.

"I don't think even the Anicinàbe are that stupid. If they are smart, they will stay in the sector and keep away from the homeworld. It leaves us looking impotent and stupid. If they come too close, well, we get to take our gloves off. And we all know how that will end."

A secpad hummed on Gun’s flank, and he reached down to grab it. Unlike the standard models, this one had been heavily upgraded with thicker edges, a rubberised protective layer, and most important of all, a retina-based control system. For anybody else this might have been considered a gimmick, but not to Gun. His hands were bigger than most, so touch control was out of the question. He scanned a few lines and something quickly changed about Gun’s expression. He went from being happy to something much more serious. Finally, he looked past Spartan, as though he expected to see somebody else, but then leaned in so only Khan and Spartan could hear him.

“Don’t get too comfortable. Looks like we’ve got something already.”

He leaned back, noticing the look of confusion on their faces.

“What?” Spartan asked, “We’ve just got back from a major combat operation. The Maverick suits need a lot of work, and we lost a good half of our Grunts. They might do the job, but the latency is killing us out there. Like I said, they can support commanders in the field, but not replace them. We need a full debriefing, and the two platoons we took are going to need more than a little R&R.”

Gun had already turned to walk away and simply called out to them.

“I need to speak with High Command. Get your senior officers to the briefing room in ten minutes. I’ve got something for you, and I think you’re going to like it.”

Spartan looked to Khan who was still shaking his head.

“Something already? Is he crazy? One ship is still not finished, and Titan is still being repaired. The second batch is not even structurally complete.”

Khan nodded quickly in agreement.

Exactly. We’re not even at a quarter-strength yet. Three platoons, that’s it, Spartan.”

Spartan watched Gun move further away, and he turned back and shouted at them.

“Spartan, I need you with me. Khan, get the others. I need whatever can fly in the air, and fast.”

He then continued onwards and vanished around the distant corner. Spartan looked back to Khan and placed one hand on his friend’s arm. Gun shouted for him, even though he was now well out of sight.

“Gun doesn’t mess around. Get the seniors officers assembled, and meet me there in five minutes.”

Khan looked surprised.

“You think he’s serious?”

Spartan lifted an eyebrow.

“He’s always serious, and if he wants the officers in a briefing in ten minutes, I’d suggest it is damned serious. Get me the officers from 1st Company, and round up all the senior officers from Euryale. Looks like we are going to have work to do.”

Khan chuckled.

“They won’t like that. Most of them are heading off for some expected R&R.”

Spartan scowled, but not at Khan, merely in response to the expected attitude.

“Remember the war, my friend. The enemy doesn’t wait until our bellies are full and our beds are warm.”

Khan grinned.

“Isn’t that the truth?”

* * *

Gun waited in the centre of the circular room while the last of officers shuffled inside. Some were still straightening their uniforms, and at least one had forgotten his tunic. It was a rushed assembly, and Gun let it go, for now.

“Khan?”

Several of the officers looked about, and one muttered something before Spartan moved closer to him. Nobody could hear him speak, but Gun nodded and seemed to accept whatever he’d heard. As they waited, Spartan held up his personal secpad for Gun to see. They looked over the details. Gun kept looking to the door.

It was a large space, much bigger than would be found on any Alliance vessel, and at some point in the past had been some type of command room for the Biomechs. Much of the sculpture and design remained, giving it a dark, sinister feel, as though at any moment the walls could come alive. Spartan felt far from a stranger, though, and the odd curves and shadows cast on the floor was more welcoming to him than the bright lights of most space stations. Around him was an odd mixture of characters from the command elements of the newly established IAB. There were the naval officers of IAS Euryale, as well as the officers and NCOs of 1st Company, the only intact combat unit so far of the IAB at Taxxu. Spartan noticed Gun looking to the doorway for perhaps the fifth time and shook his head.

Where is he?

Gun’s eyes caught his, and he could see the irritation in his face. Spartan shrugged, moving his attention to the right where he was pleased to see Five-Seven waiting. As the sole representative of the Thegns, he stood out, yet nothing seemed to faze him, not even the glances from some of the disapproving officers.

Here he comes.

Spartan heard the approach before the two doors hissed open. In walked Khan, flanked by a pair of Thegns, each wearing their minimalist Naval Auxiliary uniforms. Every pair of eyes moved to watch them as they marched inside. Khan didn’t stop until he was standing next to Spartan and facing the rest of the officers.