HG Wells and the Eve

The Bridge Burners: The Planetside Legacy
The Sanctuary War, Part 3: HG Wells and the Eve

His skin was momentarily burned as a dispersion round seared the air above PaintedTarget’s head, the flail fire was getting much closer.
The NC had managed to secure Target Alpha, one of the Terran Republic launch bases and the invasion had since become a ranged war, both sides trying to soften the other up with flail artillery engines.
From his position on a rocky hill above the TR Colony Command Complex Painted had a pretty good view over most of the continent, and whatever he couldn’t see was being covered by the other members of the Sabres unit. HoaX was right now somewhere inside the NC held launch base, Staceh had sent through orders that the invasion was to be held up at any opportunity possible. Painted quite rightly reckoned that this was in order to give the VS the best possible window of opportunity for taking decisive action against one force or the other.
Another blast of flail fire sailed overhead, though this round was thankfully higher some of the shots were just too close for comfort.
“Mikey, how are things looking at WP2?”
Way Point 2 represented Target Gamma, the second launch base that the NC were moving on, “The TR defence is stronger here, they’ve placed physical barricades around much of the facility to create choke points for the NC armour. I’m not seeing a lot of personnel though, a few infiltrators could pull everything apart.”
“Roger that, Mikey,” Painted spied an NC General walking amongst the flails, he would have given his right arm at that moment to have had one of Dekov’s snipers here with him.
An enormous explosion from the HART terminal rocked the launch base; its bay doors momentarily rose into the sky before collapsing into the hanger, part of the wall caved in destroying the observation deck. As the dust cleared Painted could see the control tower start to list, then it buckled under its own weight and as its stanchions gave way it collapsed gloriously into a line of Vanguards. The flail fire ceased as the NC officers scrambled from the collapsing building in fear of another blast that never came.
“That’ll keep them busy for a while,” HoaX’s voice broke over the comms, the sound of falling rubble in the background, “the threat of TR cloakers will hold the NC in their tracks for some time as they fortify their position.”
*****
Deano was getting bored, they’d been down here for hours and still no sign of the traitor, he was beginning to think that Latex might have been too careful as to what information she’d leaked into the Apothricon computers.
“I’m starting to think that we’re going to have to take one of these things to the surface,” Chutney said, indicating to Concordia and Victoria, “parade them around a bit.”
“It may just come to that if we have to wait here much longer,” Bazon sighed, he was a man fond of seeing the sky over his head, and preferably with something in it for him to shoot down, all this rock was starting to annoy him.
*****
There was a silence broken only by ragged, gasping breaths and the occasional drip-drip of tiny droplets of blood falling to the ground, the room was darkened but not completely black. In the shadows there were two men, one stood with his arms crossed and when he spoke his voice was thick with a frankish accent of Old Earth, the other was tied to a chair, it was his breathing and the patter of his blood that broke the silence.
“You don’t know how it pains me to do this, kiddo,” the shadow spoke, not really sounding all that pained, “I have great respect for the Bridge Burners, always had. I was with the relief force despatched to Itan Bridge, I have seen first hand how capable you are.”
The imprisoned shade lulled his head and spoke with great effort, “It’s disappointing to see that we inspired you to treason.”
“Treason?” The standing shadow spoke with something resembling passion, “Is that the limit of your vision? Treason, my dear boy, is merely a matter of timing. What I have done is put the Sovereignty in the position to assert itself as the dominant force on Auraxis, all they have to do is let the NC have their moment first.”
“What you have done,” the prisoner slurred, “is give the New Conglomerate the opportunity to remove the more powerful of their adversaries. We don’t have the numbers to hold back a full NC assault.”
“Then if the Regent and his triumvirate cannot formulate a strategy to bring about a final victory then maybe its time that we had a new command caste.”
“A remarkably treasonous statement for a person who says that his intentions are in the best interest of the Sovereignty.”
The shadow strode about for a bit, for a moment it seemed that he might actually be contemplating how to properly explain his motives, and then he turned, “I have to go now, I’ve got a few things to take care off before I head to Forseral.”
The prisoner was fighting deliriousness, “Have you thought about what will happen when the NC gain control of another third of the orbital defence grid?”
The shade stopped his exit, “Details. You take care of yourself, Imp.”
“Thanks,” Imp was drifting to the edge of unconsciousness, “I’ll just hang around here for a while.”
He was drugged up on nanomeds to keep the traitor’s wounds from ending his life prematurely. Imp had walking into the wrong room at the wrong time and now he had information vital to the safety of the Sovereignty, but first he’d have a word with that tall, pale guy standing there with the bag of sand…
*****
She lay still next to him, her chest rising softly with each soft breath as she slept. He propped his head up with his hand; he never slept at these times preferring instead to watch her sleep, the peace and contentment brought solace to his troubled mind. He ran a finger gently over the supple tanned skin of her shoulder, there was something he wanted to do, something that had been preying on his mind a lot of late. He loved her, truly, madly, deeply and completely, he’d never felt this way before and it was unnerving, yet he fought his fear for this was the woman he wanted to marry.
She let a soft moan and turned slowly to face him, her blue eyes met his and he felt as though the entire universe around him was put on hold.
“Hey you,” she purred softly, “what’s on your mind?”
He shifted ever so slightly so he could lean in and kiss her.
“There’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a while now, but I can’t do it until I do something else first.”
She pulled herself against him, leaning her head against his shoulder, “What is it?”
He sighed and put his arm around her, he closed his eyes and never ever wanted to let go, “I need to call a general assembly of my men, tomorrow.”
“You aren’t going to go leave me are you?” There was apprehension in her voice, she wanted him to be close as much as he wanted to be close to her.
He softly kissed the top of her head as she pulled him tighter, “I have to, but only for a little while.”
She whispered his name softly, no louder than a breath, “Constantine.”
As they held each other an unearthly rumble began to fill the air, it wasn’t a natural feeling and it certainly didn’t belong here. The room began to shake…
*****
…The Bridge Burners not in Supai didn’t so much rise from their beds as they were thrown from them, the hallways soon filled with disorientated officers as the whole of Sanctuary shook under the brunt of the quake.
Shinya ran from his quarters only to dive back under the doorframe to avoid plaster falling in great lumps from the ceiling.
“Fuck me!” He cursed as a bookshelf collapsed on his bed with a clatter.
Across the hallway from him Vastian knelt in his doorway, just as obviously unhappy about having been awakened.
“Morning!” Shinya shouted over the rumble, “Sleep well?”
“Not really,” Vastian called back, “but I think I’ll head to the mess hall and see if some bacon will perk me up.”
“Hot chocolate and a cinnamon Danish,” Shinya shouted, the rumble ceasing suddenly mid-sentence. “Is that it?”
Vast listened, there was another sound, faint but growing, “I don’t think so.”
Suddenly there was an explosion at the far end of the corridor.
“Ah shit!” Shinya remembered seeming this before, he ran into the corridor and began herding the troops, “Meteor shower! RUN!! Get to the bunker!”
The troops started down the corridor, Vast and Shin worked their way down the crowd until they met Bags.
“Bagdh,” Vastian called as an explosion tore into the room beside them, “we’ve got to get to the medbay, there could be a lot of wounded.”
Bags as always had a medical applicator on hand, but any additional help would be appreciated, even if the only training Vastian had ever received was a crash course before the battle of Ikanam.
“Quickest way would be to cross the courtyard,” Bags said as they shifted to one side to allow the troops to pass more freely.
“In a meteor shower? That’s tantamount to suicide!” Shinya exclaimed, and as if on cue a blast shook the wall beside him.
“Probably safer than staying in the building,” Bags replied, “in here we can’t see what’s coming at us, and we’re just as likely to be killed by an explosion or falling rubble.”
Maccaria stopped with them, “Guys, what’s the plan?”
“We’re heading to the medbay,” Shinya replied, “we need medical applicators.”
“Count me in,” Mac immediately responded, “we crossing the courtyard?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Awesome.”
They made their way down the corridor against the current of their compatriots, each new vibration in the ground signalled to them another strike nearby.
“A bit more sulphur and this could be Hell,” Mac commentted as another explosion blew a door off its runners and across the smoke-filled hallway.
“What the hell causes these?” Bags shouted as he backed against a wall, “Are we shifting through an asteroid field or something?”
“It’s the sphere drawing itself together,” Vastian ducked a piece of ammo locker blown clear of its housing, “it causes immense gravametric fluctuations which can easily shift the Auraxis asteroid belt, the rocks weigh far less than the continent worlds.”
They finally reached the entrance to the courtyard; Shinya braced himself against the frame, “Ready guys?”
He threw the door open. The sight that greeted them was like a scene from the best parts of Dante’s Inferno, or maybe the final vision witnessed by Lot’s wife before she turned to salt as fire rained on Sodom and Gomorrah. The night sky was ablaze as rocks heated almost to the point of being liquid tore through the heavens towards their final apocalyptic doom. Parts of the villa lay in ruins, much of it was aflame, and an unearthly glow on the horizon meant that the nearby launch base was quite probably in ruins.
“Ok chums, lets do this,” Bags enthused and the four charged into the burning courtyard. Behind them a pillar was blown clear from the villa and the two-ton monolith sailed over their heads, stones and rubble fell about them and a wave of hot dust washed over the group.
“Jesus that burns,” Vastian shouted over the din.
A meteor completed its journey amongst a line of magriders and tossed the tanks through the air like cheap plastic toys to come crashing down as a crumpled mess around the charging Bridge Burners.
Somewhere in the distance an old air raid siren was whining, the first time the devices had been used since the sanclocks had inexplicably appeared. Another meteor soon silenced it’s wail.
Mac reached the door first and threw it open with such force as to break it from it’s hinges.
Huddled in the darkened corridor they could feel the strikes becoming less frequent.
“It’s abating,” Vastian gasped as he drew in deep breaths to recover from the adrenaline-fuelled exertion, “typical.”
*****
A grey skied dawn brought light to the true extent of the devastation that had been unleashed upon Sanctuary. The air was thick with the smoke that rose in great columns from the torn and scarred landscape, here and there small fires still blazed, though the engineers had managed to extinguish the worst of the infernos. Many of the villages had been ravaged by the strikes, none more so than those to the south which were decimated by a tsunami caused by an offshore impact. On top of this the north western HART terminal was completely out of commission, the fires of burning fuel finished off what the meteorites missed.
Staceh stood on a small hill overlooking the Sovereignty Command Complex, aside from a couple of minor strikes and a loss of more or less all of the glass panelling the Towers were relatively unscathed. In that respect they’d been lucky, for all the damage they had sustained the Sovereignty would still have a stable command infrastructure in place.
Behind him Kimber and Enrico stood with the Regent, until the meteor storm began they’d been in a late session formulating a plan as to how best to handle the NC/TR situation. Now that the immediate threat had passed it was time to focus once more on the long-term safety of the Sovereignty; the engineer corps had carte blanche to rebuild and needed no direction from Command.
“We need to come to a decision, sir,” Staceh said at last, “time is running out and we need to fortify our position before it’s too late.”
The Regent was obviously troubled, and it was some time before he finally spoke his mind, “I’m turning control of the military to the Triumvirate, I want you to do what it takes to ensure our survival. If it means helping the TR then so be it.”
“If we launch a strike the traitor could alert the NC,” Kimber noted.
“They’re bound to be expecting some sort of response from us anyway,” Enrico countered, “the worst the traitor can do is alert them as to when we’re coming and maybe give away a few squad positions.”
“We’re going to have to take and hold Target Beta, they’ll be expecting it but if we move quick enough we should take it with minimal loss in capability,” Staceh ventured, “a strike through the other two warpgates would serve as an appropriate diversion.”
The Regent eyed his Triumvirate, the three top Generals in the Vanu Sovereignty, “General Staceh, I want you to brief the troops. I want you to give them another Itan Bridge.”
*****
In Mekala Bugbear was going through the process of securing the computer systems, only five minutes earlier an order had came through to completely lockdown Amerish, all Sovereignty forces were to recall immediately to Sanctuary. The Pandion Knights had been left with the duty to secure the primary continent, Staceh wanted an outfit that he could trust on the job.
Ehlana strode into the control room muttering to the small pad she held, facts and figures scrolled up its small screen.
“Have you seen these reports,” she said at last, “Sanc is at 63% capability and the Regent has ordered a major operation. Most of the troops are in the medical centre or up to their knees in rubble.”
“That may be the case, but if what Staceh said is true then we need to fight this battle or the Sovereignty may be making its last loop around the plug-hole.”
“You’re right, I know. It’s just that it feels weird to be moving into a major conflict when our own position has been severely weakened.”
*****
“We’re going to have to lock down Supai” Dekov sighed, “he didn’t take the bait. I don’t know why, but he just didn’t seem to be interested in passing on this information.”
“Goddammit, you’d think that something like Concordia or Victoria would be counted as valuable information to pass over to the New Conglomerate,” Staceh said angrily, he was weary and tense, a not exactly good combination that was the result of near 30 hours without sleep.
“We’re getting reports of freak weather anomalies across the Auraxis sphere.” Dekov continued to report as the pair strode through the debris-strewn spans between barracks at the north western launch base, “we’ve got a tornado in southern Amerish, a major thunderstorm over Ishundar, Esamir is defrosting, and HoaX just reported a blizzard on the TR sanc.”
Staceh surveyed the Vanu enlisted running to and fro amongst the ruins, many acting as field medics for the vast amount of injured, “This is unreal, there are so many wounded.”
Out of the corner of his eye the General spotted a few fingers jutting out of the rubble, “Dekov, help me,” he said as he began throwing bits of the fallen wall from the mound.
The pair grunted as they lifted a chunk of reinforced permacrete from the pile, as it fell away they say a young officer lying, he was barely breathing but he was alive.
“Hang on son, we’re going to get you out of there,” God, he must only have been a rookie when he was shipped to Auraxis, “MEDIC!!”
The soldier slowly opened his eyes, the pain seemed to have dulled his senses yet he was still somewhat bewildered as to why he was lying on his back with one of the top Generals holding a compress to his shoulder.
“General, what’s going on?”
“Lie still, son, you’re going to be alright,” Staceh said soothingly before turning to Dekov, “find a medic, quick.”
Dek trotted off towards a group at the far end of the barracks, he saw at least one person with a medical applicator amongst them.
“General,” the young soldier gasped, “how soon until we move against the NC?”
“Soon, son. Soon.”
He swallowed softly, “Don’t leave… without me.”
His eyes started to glaze over.
“Oh shit!” Staceh cursed and began CPR. The dangers of respawn memory had become all the more clear in recent months and the more people he could save from the spawn tubes the better, and by God he wasn’t going to let this soldier die.
“Breathe goddamn it, breathe,” he ordered the soldier as he pumped his heart, and then he felt strong hands pull him to one side to allow another officer in.
“Ok, clear!” Maccaria shouted as he pressed the defibrillator to the body, there was a jolt but nothing else, “Still no pulse, I’m putting her to max. Clear!”
The body gave a violent jolt then erupted in a fit of coughing, Bags immediately arrived on scene and helped with NTU application.
“Talk about lucky,” Bags said to Staceh, “if you hadn’t kept his blood pumping Mac couldn’t have revived him.”
Staceh looked at the soldiers around him, Shinya and Vastian stood on either side of Dekov, “You guys look like shit.”
“Thanks, boss,” Vast replied, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Seriously,” Staceh said, patting the revived soldier on the shoulder, “you four go take a few hours to get some shuteye. Assemble in full uniform at 0500 at the Towers. We’re moving out.”
“Roger that.”
“Sir,” Dekov pulled a beeping pad from his pocket, “report just in from the way station on Searhus. They’ve got dangerously increased seismic activity, it looks like the volcano is about to blow its top.”
“Have them recall immediately,” Staceh replied, looking around at his troops, “guys, go get some rest. That’s an order.”
“You should rest too,” Mac said.
“Just do as I say not do as I do. I’ll be fine.”
*****
“He’ll burn himself out,” Shinya stated as the four neared the warp column, “we should try to talk some sense to him.”
“Or I could get a dart gun,” Maccaria offered.
“Staceh knows what he’s doing,” Bags said with a tone of finality, “he’s got a continent lying in ruins and a major assault to organise. I think he feels that it would be bad form for him to be off scene at a time like this, and you know how stubborn he can be.”
“True,” Vastian commented, “he’ll never be convinced to get some rest until everything has been seen to.”
Meanwhile Staceh and Dekov had continued on their trek towards the vehicle terminals, the bays humming continuously to meet the demands for the upcoming assault.
Latex was reporting in from Supai over the TS channel, as yet the teleporter had recorded zero activity, the traitor definitely seemed to have no interest in their secret.
“Ok, Latex,” he said at last, “pull everyone out of the matrix, even the technicians, when you get to Supai’s main cavern remove the keyshard and lockdown the complex. If we can’t get him to come out when we want him to I’m sure as hell not going to leave the door open for him while we’re away.”
*****
It was another beautiful morning, both moons still hung in the sky as the sun crept over the horizon and a crisp breeze blew off the ocean onto the assembly on the beach.
“Men. My fellow shipmates. My friends. I’ve asked you all here because I want to ask a favour, something that is important to me, something that I will need your help with.”
The Executor was winging it, this was the most important speech of his life and no matter how hard he’d tried he found that there was no way he could prepare himself to ask what he was about to.
“We’ve had life pretty good here on the Free Worlds, we have discovered the true meaning of freedom, of peace, of happiness, and of love. We’ve found what it means to be part of a society that embraces compassion, encourages debate and understanding, a society that values life and love above all else. I speak openly and honestly when I say that the love I have for this place is like a dream or an illusion, something I’ve never felt before yet it is so powerful that it doesn’t seem real. But it is.
“I owe so much to the people of the colonies, we all do, for knowing who we are they have embraced us as brothers and have cared for us. We could not be where we are today without their support, and I think that it’s time that I showed my gratitude, that I repaid them for the kindness they have shown us.”
This was it, the moment that everything hinged upon, “Out there, beyond the Molton Nebula is a galaxy in great peril, a people of our own blood suffering in the same way we once did. To those who would oppress others I say NO MORE!”
He strode before his men, the passion clear in his voice, “The Grand Council would sit on their throne of power, confident that with one idle wave of their hand they can reshape the destiny of the galaxy. They keep the people in fear, terrified of the fleet, terrified of the Inquisition, I know this because I have been party to this evil first hand.”
Tears were in his eyes but his tone never faltered, “It is time for me to atone for the sins of my past, it is time that I sought some small redemption for my soul, it’s time that I earned the life that I now have. But I can’t do it alone.
“What I am asking is that those of you who feel as I do step forward now and together we will bring the Council before the people, we will take the fleet to Earth and topple the kakistocracy that has existed for too long. I am asking that you help me to free humanity.”
He stopped and turned to his men, “I am asking for your help, but the choice is yours. There will be no draft.”
Silence. No one spoke; the faraway caw of gulls soaring over the ocean that gently lapped the beachfront made it feel as if the whole world had paused for a breath.
Then as if one body the assembly took one step forward. They were happy here, the Free Worlds had become their home, but they all saw and knew in their hearts that the Executor was right and a tremendous applause erupted from the masses.
He turned back towards the town with a smile, and there she was, leaning against a palm tree, she looked sad, like there was something she wanted to tell him.
*****
Magriders hummed off the coast of Sanctuary throwing up a fine mist from the hundreds of gravitic drives in operation. Every tank legion in the Sovereignty sat waiting, all that is except for the TBB Outriders who were currently assembled at the Towers of Artistic Licence with the rest of the Outfit. The line of One Shot devices began to power up in sequence, one after the other beginning a slow rotation in the water. Thanks to the New Conglomerate breaking sanclock on the TR base it was now possible for the Vanu to use their ‘One Shot’ superstring transport devices for the invasion. So far as the warp forces knew the only VS force on TR Home would be The Bridge Burners and a handful of pilots from the Pandion Knights.
“My fellow Vanu,” Staceh said from the steps of the Towers, Kimber and Enrico to either side of him, “we’ve come once again to one of those pivotal moments in the history of the War of Purity.”
A flight of galaxies passed overhead, the first load of TBB shipping out, “The fate of the Sovereignty hangs in the balance, we’re facing insurmountable odds, on unknown territory, against two forces from which we can expect no mercy or quarter.”
The hum of magriders off the coast increased, they were moving towards the devices that would reduce them to an energy signature and blast them lightyears across the galaxy.
“But the Sovereignty would never have come this far without the commitment shown by you, my friends and comrades. Each and every man and woman of the Vanu has put their lives on the line for the love of their brethren and for the security of the Sovereignty.”
Staceh’s voice echoed in the troop compartments of the galaxies and sunderers, it resounded within the auroras and in the cockpits of the magriders. It crossed every TS channel and missed not a single soldier.
“You are the bravest people that it has ever been my privilege to know and it is a great honour for me to be joining you once again in the fight for our people.”
The howl of wind buffeted the magriders arriving off the coast of TR Home and the blizzard wracked against them, as the craft drifted to position the magrunners listened intently.
“This battle we will win, and when we do the face of Auraxis will be changed forever. Victory means an end to the War, it means a new era for the Vanu Sovereignty, an age we can embrace with hope, an age that will take us to our apogee. My friends, I am proud, I am ready.”
The forces awaited only the order for the attack to begin.