Mecha Corps (40 page)

But there were too many other questions.

“Now all we have to do is get off this rock,” Soto said. “From what I can tell, the thrusters should be up to it, but how do we drag the Hellions back with us?”

“Merge with them,” Matt said.

“But what about the
Helios
?” Michelle asked. “It was boarded.”

“We’ll deal with that when we’re there,” Soto told her.

The three Merged into the fully reconstructed Demon configuration. Red and yellow warnings still scrolled on their screens, but the thrusters appeared to be almost fully regenerated.

More magic,
Matt thought.

“What?” Michelle asked.

“Nothing.”

One by one, they Merged with Rayder’s captured Hellions. The mind-controlled pilots’ thoughts buzzed in their heads like angry bees. But it wasn’t enough to challenge their control.

Up to orbit, the thrusters were a little unstable, but Matt/ Michelle/Soto were able to maintain their attitude and direction.

The icon for the UUS
Helios
appeared in their view masks. It was still there, at least. As they drew near, they could see a Hellion crouching near its hangar doors. The Hellion raised its head to look at them, then grabbed for its Zap Gun.

But they’d destroyed or captured all of Rayder’s Hellions. Which meant this was the one from the
Helios
. The one Matt had used. So either it was captured or—

“Captain Ivers!” Matt barked. “It’s us! If you’re in control of the
Helios
, please answer!”

Ivers’ comms icon immediately flashed to life. “What the hell did you guys turn into?”

Matt/Michelle/Soto all grinned, imagining what the lopsided, reconstructed Demon, now half-Merged with a bunch of Hellions, must look like on Ivers’ screen.

“We don’t know yet, sir,” Soto said. “Are you secure? Can you share your bridge surveillance with us?”

“Good man. Don’t trust—verify. I think someone said that a long time ago.” A video feed from the
Helios
’ bridge came on. It showed Ivers and two pilots in interface suits reclining behind him. The third pilot’s seat was empty, as was the rest of the bridge. “They were tough buggers, but Sam cleared them out.” He nodded at the empty pilot’s chair.

Matt started. “Your pilots are Mecha Corps?”

Ivers nodded. “Where else? They have the interface-suit experience.”

The Hellion outside the dock lowered its Zap Gun and returned it to its holster. Still, Matt felt gnawing unease. Using Mecha tech in Displacement Drive ships meant Dr. Roth’s technology was spreading. He was consolidating more power.
What does that mean?
Another question to be answered.

Damn it, life after Rayder is supposed to be simple!
Matt thought.

“Life is never simple,” Soto said out loud, as waves of amusement radiated from Michelle. Matt swallowed. He’d forgotten about sharing his thoughts.

“What happened with Rayder?” Captain Ivers asked.

“Killed, sir,” Soto said, before Matt could speak.

Ivers smiled. “Good deal. Now let’s get you guys home.”

Despite their triumph, it was a chilly reception back at Mecha Base. Matt, Michelle, and Major Soto were immediately marched up to the debriefing room by armed Auxiliaries, past swarms of repair crews still working on the compromised base. The atmospheric leaks had been silenced, but most of the slit windows were still covered in opaque foam. Large impacts from the maelstrom shuddered through the base, making the construction dust dance in the bright work lights.

Matt walked through the hallways in a daze, his Velcro soles heavy on the utility carpet. He hadn’t slept since before they left. Their unMerge and return to the
Helios
was a blur, as was their last brief battle with the Corsairs. Michelle and Soto had done most of that. He’d still been in a daze, thinking,
Rayder is dead.

No. It was unthinkable. There was no way he could possibly survive. He’d fallen into the molten core of Jotunheim and been consumed. That was the only possible ending.

Like the histories?
Matt thought.
The ones with the valiant and innocent Union fighting the HuMax scourge?

Who did you think created us?
Rayder’s voice echoed in his mind.

No. How could he even consider the word of a HuMax monster, the man who so casually killed his father?

But if his race was being used by the Union and his father had been part of the research . . .

Matt shook his head. “No,” he breathed.

Michelle looked at him. “No, what?”

“Nothing.”

She nodded, but kept studying his face for a long time. He felt her gaze hot on his cheek.

You should be happy,
he told himself.
You’re free
.

In the meeting room, Dr. Roth, Yve Perraux, and Colonel Cruz flanked a jumpy FTL display that framed Congressperson Tomita and a woman. Someone very familiar.

Kathlin Haal, the Union’s Prime.

Matt started and stood rigidly at attention. Major Soto and Michelle snapped off salutes.

“Ms. Prime!” Michelle breathed.

“At ease, corps,” Prime Haal said.

“It’s an honor, ma’am,” Major Soto.

“No, it’s my honor, corpspersons. Thanks to you, we are rid of the Union’s most significant enemy.” Still, despite her praise, her expression didn’t change a millimeter.

“But . . .” Matt started.

Prime Haal nodded. “Yes. You’re a very perceptive young man. As well as talented.” For several long moments, her severe gray eyes stared straight at Matt.

The FTL transmission slid into bi-trot before Prime Haal continued. “. . . sure you’re familiar with the phrase, ‘I have good news, and I have bad news.’ ”

“Yes, ma’am,” the three said in unison.

Prime Haal sighed. “This is by far the worst part of my job. But, in this case, I believe the good and bad to be fairly balanced, something I hope the Union can always strive for.”

Good and bad in balance. Matt remembered Rayder’s words, but clamped his jaw to keep from saying anything.

“First, the bad. We are unable to publically recognize your contributions, corpspersons. This expedition was so, well . . . off book and off scale, there will be no medals.”

Soto nodded, his jaw set hard. Matt blew out a breath. If that was the end of it, he was fine.

“Next, the good. Despite our lack of public recognition, you have my assurance that your value will not be overlooked, and you will be awarded the achievement of Demonrider, as recommended by Dr. Roth.”

Tomita stirred unhappily in the background. Haal shot him a glance before continuing. “This brings me to my last decision. Congressperson Tomita has brought to my attention details of the security failure of the BioMecha program, despite the rich budget allotted for such purposes. He has valid points and concerns. Despite this, I will not immediately close the BioMecha program, as he recommends. However, additional Union oversight will be provided to ensure security. Mr. Perraux will be relieved of his assignment, in favor of a team composed of Union Army Intelligence personnel.”

Yve’s mouth shot open, but no words came out. He was being downgraded, and Matt couldn’t suppress a tiny bit of satisfaction. Yve was a politician, a compromiser. And the days of playing it safe were over.

“Oversight!” Dr. Roth snapped. “We have gone beyond the beyond to assure security. You cannot compare the situation with Rayder—”

“Yes, I can!” Prime Haal thundered over him. “You are fully briefed and apprised of all Union treaties, threats, and campaigns. We expect you to plan for them. If you cannot, the Union will plan for you.”

“I will not simply open my private facilities to your thugs!”

“Yes, you will,” Prime Haal said. “If you wish to remain the sole biomechanical contractor to the Union.”

“There are no other contractors!” Dr. Roth said. “My technology is proprietary. No research institution is even close to duplicating it.”

Haal gave Dr. Roth a knife-edged smile. “What need do we have of duplication when we have battleships and antimatter weapons? Doctor, please let’s not make this ugly.”

Roth slammed a fist down on the desk, his jaw working, but he said nothing out loud.

“If that is clear, then my business here is at an end,” Prime Haal said. “Corpspersons, thank you again. You’re a credit to the Union. I only wish we could recognize it.”

You can’t,
Matt thought.
Because then the truth would come out.
Where they fought. What they fought. What the Union doesn’t want anyone to know.

He clenched his fists until his knuckles went white. Prime Haal and Congressperson Tomita winked off.

Colonel Cruz sat up straighter. “Corpspersons, we will have a small graduation ceremony for you tomorrow.” Then his expression softened.

“Thank you,” he told them. “Even if I can never say it in public, you are the heroes of the Union.”

“It was our honor, sir,” Major Soto said.

“Thank you, sir,” Michelle added.

When they left, Michelle split off from the group to go down to the infirmary, where doctors still worked on the four mind-controlled Mecha pilots. Matt watched her go, then followed Dr. Roth down a different set of passages.

He caught up with Dr. Roth at the entrance to his lab. Roth turned around with a deep frown of annoyance.

“What do you want, cadet?”

“Did the Union create the HuMax?”

Roth’s eyes widened a fraction, and he said nothing for a long time. Finally his expression softened to neutrality. “The Union has many agendas, not all of which are visible.”

“But did they?” Matt asked. “Have they been experimenting on the HuMax?”

Roth pursed his lips. “There are living HuMax who would see us all annihilated. That’s what matters.”

“Are they monsters?”

“Are we monsters?” Roth asked, and turned back to his door. “Now, if you will excuse me, cadet.”

Matt said nothing, his mind whirling.
The Union has many agendas,
he thought. But what was Dr. Roth’s agenda? What was his goal? And how had he developed that near-magic Mecha technology? They’d seen nothing like that even in the HuMax city. Rayder himself didn’t know where it came from.

But there was one more question he could ask Roth, one more important than any other.

“Who made me?” Matt asked. “What am I?”

Roth turned from the door to offer a sardonic smile. “Not HuMax,” he said, and slipped into his lab.

 

Their ceremony was in the Hellion Dock, the same setup as Kyle’s send-off. Ranked Hellions stood behind the stage. The thing the Demon had become had been taken to Dr. Roth’s lab, so the Hellions had to suffice. Matt couldn’t help but look up at them and think,
Let me in.

He was hooked. And that was perfectly fine.

Across the way from the docks, the lights of the Decompression Lounge shone. Silhouettes told of silent observers of their ceremony, but the actual audience was sparse: Peal, Jahl, Stoll, and Kyle. Kyle still looked fuzzy from the drugs, draped almost bonelessly on his seat, but the doctors said he’d be fine, Michelle told them. Maybe a little too brightly.

Kyle waved at Matt and offered a wan smile. Matt waved back and forced a grin. There was no need for them to be rivals. There was nothing left of the man.

And his feelings for Michelle? He could accept them now. He wanted to be with her, to tell her he loved her, but he had no idea when the time would come. Or if it would come at all.

“Attention, cadets and corps!” Colonel Cruz barked out, taking the podium at the front of the stage.

Matt, Michelle, and Soto each wore new, crisp, blue dress uniforms. Matt tugged at the too-tight collar and kept his eyes to the front, joy and uncertainty fighting in his mind.

Cruz called Major Soto’s name first. Soto walked slowly and purposefully to face the older man. Colonel Cruz studied Soto’s face for long moments. Finally, he sighed and said, “For overall valor and capability, I award you the achievement of Demonrider, Major Soto.”

Cruz continued. “There will be no increase in your rank, as this is an achievement not tied to any campaign.”

Soto nodded. “I understand, sir. Thank you, sir.” He stepped back into line.

“Next, Michelle Kind,” Cruz said.

Michelle gave Matt one last glance, then moved to stand rigidly in front of Colonel Cruz.

“For overall capability and heroism, I certify the completion of your Mecha Corps training, Private Michelle Kind. You will take the new rank of captain, and wear the achievement of Demonrider.”

Michelle nodded calmly, but her voice choked as she said, “Thank you, sir.”

Matt finally stood in front of Cruz. The older man’s eyes narrowed down on him like lasers.

“For exceptional capability in all classes of Mecha, I certify the completion of your Mecha Corps training, Cadet Matt Lowell. You will take the rank of captain, and wear the achievement of Demonrider.”

“Understood, sir,” Matt said.

Cruz just nodded. Then he held out a hand, stopping Matt before he could turn away. “Thank you again. And keep it up.”

Matt bowed to Cruz humbly. “I’ll do my best, sir.” He went back to stand in line with the others.

“May I present to you our newest Mecha Corps,” Colonel Cruz said.

Scattered applause came from the tiny audience, echoing loud in the large dock.

 

They gathered at the Decompression Lounge afterward. The Mecha pilots at the bar glared at them and left. Matt sat at a table near the window, not yet knowing how to feel. How would it work out with Dr. Roth?