---

For 35yrs the border between the Human Empire and Gorgonzola Empire as remained mostly peaceful. The citizens for the Human Empire of this border region are loyal to the last man, woman, and child to the Empire. It was on one of these worlds that gave birth to a legend. The world of Apollo 6 is one of the harshest worlds within the Empire. One so harsh that only it could claim to be the birth world of James J. Owens, the most feared of Death Dealers. A world that is even now poised to give birth to a new legendary warrior. One who shall be baptized in the blood of the Empire’s enemies. Robert Wolff youngest great grandchild of James Owens’ sister Cecilia Owens.

---

Chapter 18
Jaded Savanna, Southern edge of Northern Continent, Apollo 6

Maiha Nakatoma settled her SA-7B Katana APS Victory Maiden into an easy pace as they crossed the grassy plain. To her right strode Alice in Puss-in-boots, followed by Fuyuko in Monsoon Warrior, with Reverend Mother Katsumi in her CM-3R Claymore. To Maiha’s let were Dai Etsu in Snow Mountain Warrior, with Nanase and Nanami in Typhoon Maiden and Tempest Maiden. As the seven 100-ton Assault Sword class Armored Power Suits moved through the grassy plain they left behind almost no trace of their passing. The massive war machines moved with such grace that even the most seasoned mercenary APS pilots were having trouble following them.

Before Maiha and family marched the vanguard of her mercenary army. That vanguard consisted of more than fifteen regiments. Yet of all the units under her command on Apollo 6 only her command lance was made up of 100-ton assault APS. At first sight the seven monsters of war were enough to give any god or goddess pause. If they were the Scouts for Maiha’s little army the Gorgonzola army would most likely have run with their tails between their legs. The main reason for this was the way that they moved. More than one person had commented on their movements. As if they moved like ghosts of the battlefield.

“Someone want to tell me where the Cheesehead counteroffensive is? I mean shouldn’t they have at least tried to stop us from landing and forming a beachhead. Over” Nanase bitched over the privet frequency used by the Wave Dancers.

“Typhoon Maiden you will calm down and follow orders. Over” Dai Etsu snapped.

“Mountain Mistress, Typhoon Maiden has a valid point. We should have slammed into a blocking force at the bare minimum by now. Something wrong is going on here. Over” Alice pointed out from her position in their formation.

“Koneko Mistress is right Mountain Mistress we should reached their front-line trace long before now. Something is wrong. Wave Dancer what are your thoughts. Over” Katsumi asked of the second most experienced warrior in their lance.

“Way ahead of you Mistress of the Night. The Cheeseheads are trying to spread us out. Make us outrun our supply lines. It’s an almost fool proof plan. But they made one major mistake. Our supply chain isn’t tied downed to just one point.” Maiha chucked over the radio. “This is Apollo six. We can forage for what we need from the local area far easier than they can. Also, our dropships don’t have to worry about moving to stay in reach of our advance. Over”

“Hold on Wave Dancer. The second our supply ships liftoff they’ll come under attack from the Cheesehead air forces. They’ll be unprotected as they move. How are we going to deal with that? Over” Nanase asked sharply only to heard a giggle in answer to her question.

“Who said they’ll be unprotected? The last time I checked we have the deadliest fighter squadron flying top-cover for this little operation. The last time I checked the Wraths have cleared eight Cheesehead fighter squadrons already. And with the Akagi making landfall with our resupply dropships. They have a mobile airfield for both rearming and refueling.” Maiha quickly explained with a nasty chuckle. “Our current Empress is not one to be taken lightly. Over.”

“Speaking of which. Should she even by flying? Over” Dai Etsu asked of Maiha.

“Take it up with her old squadron Mountain Mistress. Over” Maiha chuckled.

“More like it up with Ghost. If anyone was going to shut her down. It would have been her. Not even Joker gets in her way when Glinda wants to fly. Over” Alice chuckled as maneuvered her APS around a small rock out cropping.

“I swear that daughter-in-law of yours is as bad as you and Wave Dancer. Over” Dai Etsu complained over the radio.

“Did I hear name being taken in vain? Over” Terresa asked as she flew low over the formation with her wingman just inches off her left wingtip. The thunder of their engines drowned out the footfalls of the massive war machines.

“Glinda aren’t you foully low? Over” Maiha asked her.

“Not for my current mission Wave Dancer. In fact, I’m still two-hundred-feet above where I should be for ground attack support. Over” Terresa answered honestly.

“That’s where we’re staying Glinda. Unless the shit hits. Over” Snapped an unfamiliar voice over the Storm Dancer net.

“Alright Ghost I get it. I won’t drop any lower. Over” Terresa pouted.

“It seems that her wingman has a better grasp of the situation than we first thought Wave Dancer. Ghost be a dear and make sure Glinda follows orders. Over” Dai Etsu chuckled knowing how hard it was to control the quicksilver tempered young woman.

“NO guarantees on that Mountain Mistress. Glinda has a nasty habit jumping in feet first into stupid ass situations. Over” Raven answered honestly.

“Mountain Wolf Command to Storm Dancer. Our forward Scouts have engaged elements of the Cheeseheads delaying forces. Position is nine klicks to your front. How copy? Over” Maiha sighed when she heard this report.

“Wave Dancer to Mountain Wolf. Good copy. Nine klicks to enemy positions. Contact Ridge Runner Command. Have them drop three rounds of HEAT with three rounds of Willie Peter. Blast and burn their asses Black Wolf. Over” Maiha snarled.

“Roger that Wave Dancer. Black Wolf Out.” The radio went inside Victory Maiden’s cockpit and Maiha sighed. As Maiha forces moved further into Northern continent the opening steps for the oldest dance between armies began. Scout units having gone before the main army were relaying reports back to artillery units. Soon those artillery units were targeting enemy positions and raining down hell. Counter artillery batteries would attempt to strike back in revenge. This was a dance that had become old as old time between modern militaries.

Goulcrest, Apollo 6

Even as the last of the Gorgonzola military forces left the city the local population was swarming over their Civil Investigation Division headquarters. The few remaining Brownshirts were dragged from their headquarters and hung. On the very gallows that was to hang the orphans of Goulcrest. The gangs and cops that formed the core of the resistance within the city had other plans than revenge. They were after the heavy arms depot and armed motorpol.

Spider looked over at Captain Wallace as his men pried open the gate to the depot. “I never thought I’d live to see the day that we would be on the same side, Captain. What are you going to do when we’ve won our planet back?”

“I’m retiring, Spider. I’ve been a copper for close to thirty years now. Before that I was an MP with the PDF for fifteen years. That is almost forty-five years.” Wallace sighed then looked over at the young man standing next to him. “What about you Spider? What are your plans?”

“I don’t know, sir. It’s not like I can join the military. Not with my record.” Spider answered honestly. “I know that I can’t go back to being a regular street gang leader. Every time I turn around I’ll have to pound one of my guys into the ground to keep them in line. Not to mention fight with every fracking gang leader in Goulcrest to keep the peace between us and the cops.”

“You do know that we’ve gotten the same type of training from your boy Ripper?” Wallace asked Spider already knowing where the younger man was going. “It’ll be a blood bath between the two of us.”

“That’s what I’m talking about, sir. Most of the other gang leaders and bangers get it. We go head-to-head with you cops now that we’ve got this training.” Spider sighed shaking his head. “It’ll be worse than the occupation.”

“Which gangs should I keep an eye on Spider? Before you go giving me that old line about snitches get stiches. This is a warning to those in authority about impending troublemakers. You’re just trying to prevent and all-out war in the streets and civilian casualties.” Wallace chuckled as Spider grinned.

“If I were so inclined I would turn my eyes to the Westend. More than a few of the gangs in that area of town have been showing signs of collapsing. Mainly because they were losing members left and right to the Cheeseheads. Of the six major gangs in that area only one still has it’s original leader. As for the thirteen minor league gangs only eight are still around, the rest are in the grave. Sadly they took the blunt of the casualties among those gangs.” Spider snarled.

“Why? It’s not like they didn’t get the same training that your people did from Ripper. What the hell happened over there, Spider?” Wallace demanded.

“They made the mistake of ignoring Ripper’s advice. The major gangs were using the minor gangs as cannon fodder. They would go out of their way to send the lesser gangs straight at the Brownshirts to die in glorious battle. While they would sneak around to the rear and grabbed up as much lute as possible. The Brownshirts figured out their tactics quick enough and began to make counter plans. The major gangs were soon taking casualties at the same rate. Even going so far as to take prisoners. Within two days of those first prisoners being taken the major gang hide outs were being hit by Brownshirt extermination squads. It got really fracked up over in the Westend Captain Wallace. There are a lot of families burying sons and daughters thanks to the Brownshirts. The minor gangs will see this as a chance to take over.” The more Spider explained what happened in the Westend the madder Wallace became.

“Damnation. Why didn’t Robert step in and handle this problem before it got out of hand, Spider? It’s not like him to just sacrifice people like that.” Wallace asked.

“When Ripper first organized the gangs, he gave us all the same choice, Captain. We do things his way or we swing on our own. He told us all that he didn’t have time to fight the Cheeseheads and deal with bullshit gangbanger rivalries. The gangs in the north, south, and east ends, along with Whitechapel all got the point hint and followed Ripper’s led on the matter. After the second time one of the Westend gangs pulled their stunt with the minor league gangs. Ripper and the rest of us wrote them off. They wanted to do shit their way.” Spider snarled. “They got a lot of good people killed because of their attitudes and actions.”

“That would explain Ripper’s actions. That boy never was one to put up with ignorant assholes.” Wallace sighed as he saw exactly how things played out in the Westend. “Look, Spider once we get you and your people outfitted with those Fast Attack vehicles you need to get out of the city fast. I know that most the people here are from the Whitechapel area, but we need a Scout Force that we can trust to hunt those Cheesehead units that pulled out earlier.”

“Don’t worry Captain Wallace. Ripper already told us what he wanted us to do. That’s why there only the most senior members of the Whitechapel gangs here right now. Anyone under the age of eighteen is being left behind. What you see here is the core of the five Whitechapel gangs.” Spider turned and waved at the rest of the gangbangers that were gather at the gate to the heavy arms depot and armed motorpol.

“Captain we have the doors open to the depot and secured the keys for the FAVs. How do you want to break things down sir?” Asked a SWAT team Lieutenant.

“Have we gotten a hold of the BR-one-ten keys yet?” Wallace asked.

“Still looking for those sir. If push comes to shove we’ll have to cut the locks.” The Lieutenant answered honestly with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Frack it! Send three men with cutters and start cutting those locks but keeping looking for the keys. I want those BEARS ready to roll as soon as the FAVs are outfitted with their guns. I want one BEAR for every two FAV.” Wallace turned to Spider and the gather gang leaders. “We’re sending you out in Hunter Killer teams, Spider. That’s two Scouts and one Antitank vehicle. The Scouts find the target the antitank kills the target. Understand?”

“We hunt them down and as a distraction. While the big guns of the BEARS turn them into body bag filling. Though I got to ask. Can the BEARS keep up with the FAVs?” Spider asked about the 60ton eight-wheeled BR-110 BEAR antitank armored vehicle. “Do they even have the firepower to support us against those APSs?”

“Against most APSs between Scout to Medium Weight classes they can hold their own. Heavy weight and over up forget it. The same can be said for tanks and other armored vehicles. Remember that Spider. Anything sixty tons and under the BEARs can go toe-to-toe with them. That one-fifty-millimeter main gun of theirs is deadly out to five-kilometers. The only downside is it has to be loaded by hand. It doesn’t have an autoloader. That’s why the BEAR has a three-man crew. Driver, loader, gunner/TC. It’s also why I’m putting my people in them. I hate to say this Spider, but your people just don’t have the training to handle those monsters. They’re one of the most crew intensive vehicles in our inventory. The FAVs are like driving a four-by-four or dune buggy. Which any of you can do.” Wallace explained kindly.

“Prefect for a bunch of newbies like us street rats. Right?” Spider chuckled.

“Pretty much. The downside is they don’t have any armor. Firepower out the ass but no armor. A lightweight man portable machinegun can take out a FAV. Do go getting cocky out there. The Cheeseheads know exactly what it takes to put an FAV into the scrape yard and you into the graveyard. Hear what I’m telling you Spider?” Wallace warned the cocky gangbanger with a nasty grin.

“Find the enemy. Report it back to you guys. Then get the frack out of Dodge. We’re not set up to go toe-to-toe with anything other than light infantry. Does that about cover things Captain?” Spider asked grinning.

“Nice to see that there’s brains behind those baby blues of yours, Spider. Then again you won’t be the top-dog for the Demon Pistols if you were a dumbass.” Wallace chuckled and headed inside the depot. “Come on let’s get you and your people to their rides. You need split up your people into three-man teams.”

“Excuse me Captain Wallace but you said those FAVs were well armed. What did you mean by that?” Asked one of the other gang leaders.

“Here is the data sheet for the FAVs you’ll be using. Read over them as we get you squared away with supplies and ammo.” Wallace turned to the rest of the gangbangers. “Understand something people. Your most dangerous weapon on those FAVs is their radios. Use them. There’s a booklet with each one. Be smart and have just one person operate those radios. They’re your frack lifeline.”

Spider took the data sheets for the FAVs and handed them out to the 20 FAV team leaders. Even Spider was surprised by the vehicle specs.

NV-2G Fury Reconnaissance Car
Power planet: 60-horsepower engine
Drivetrain: 6 speed transmission, 2x4 or 4x4 wheel-drive
Speed: 65 miles per hour
Operational range: 300 miles
Mass: 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg)
Length: 161 inches (4.1 m)
Width: 83 inches (2.1 m)
Height: 79 inches (2.0 m)
Weapons: 1 7.62x59mm twin mounted machinegun, 1 .50 caliber machinegun or 1 .45 caliber Gatlin gun
Communications: 2 PRC 7 radios with frequency hopping or 1 PRC7 and 1 VRC command radio
Crew: 3: 1 driver, 1 Gunner/radio operator, 1 Rear Gunner
Cargo capacity: 20gl water, 300lbs food, camouflage netting w/polls, 200lbs ammo, 100lbs of personal equipment per man, 20gls of extra fuel, tool kit, 2 spare tires, 1 4-man tent, 1 Laser range finder and designator

“Damn talk about a nasty ride.” One of the other gang leaders chuckled. “Only thing these bitches are missing is spinners for the rims.”

“Pull your head out of your ass Switchblade. This ain’t the time for your horseshit. We got maybe three to four hours before the Cheeseheads’ bitch boys show up to try and take this depot back.” Spider snarled as he led them deeper into the motorpol area of the depot. “And if you think the Brownshirts are just going to let us walk in here and take this shit without a fight. You’re fracking ignorant.”

“I hear you Spider. I was trying to lighten the mood bro.” Switchblade grumbled.

“Well fracking don’t. We got our asses on the line big time here. Until now we’ve been able to hit them and disappear into the city streets. Once we leave here our options for hiding disappear. This shit is real in ways we haven’t had to deal with until now. So, you can either fallow the old man’s orders or fracking stay your ass at home. If you take the second option you can deal with Ripper.” Spider snarled.

The threat of dealing with the Whitechapel Ripper was enough to put an end to the bitching by the gangbangers. They all knew that it was safer to deal with the Cheeseheads than dealing with a pissed off Robert Wolff. The gangs had all learned that lesson the fast way. No one wanted to try him. No matter the odds.

Captain Wallace just chuckled as Spider delt with the other gangbangers. “I think I need to have a little talk with one of my old friends in the PDF. That boy is wasted as a gangbanging street thug.”

“Why do you say that sir?” Asked the Lieutenant from earlier.

“Lieutenant Martin that young man is a born leader. If I could, I would ship his ass off world to the nearest Death Dealer training unit.” Wallace chuckled. “If not to one of the Military Academies.”

“That’s some high praise boss for a street thug. What is the deal with this banger that they keep talking about? This Ripper, person.” Martin asked.

“His real name is Robert Wolff. Son of Majors Thomas and Kristine Wolff PDF heroes of Goulcrest. The street gangs of Goulcrest call him the Whitechapel Ripper for a reason. Even as a teenager Wolff was a force of nature. You see the orphanage that his parents died protecting became his home after their deaths. He protected that orphanage from both the cops and the gangs. No one fracked with the kids of that orphanage. Because if they did they faced the Ripper. The baddest fracking gangster in the Whitechapel neighborhood of Goulcrest.” Wallace chuckled.

“You make him sound like some boogeyman of the gang world sir.”

“Because he was and still is their boogeyman. The kick in the ass is he kept the Whitechapel gangs in line better than we ever fracking did. To tell you the truth I don’t know how many times we chased our tails tracking down false leads trying to nail that kid of one of his crimes. Never did pin anything major on him. All of the shit that we did nail him for was nothing more than petty anti bullshit.” Again, Wallace could only chuckle at the look of surprise on Martins face. “Yeah he was that fracking good. Used to drive our Detective Squad nuts.”

“How so sir?”

“They knew he jacked a truck but had nothing to point at Robert. He would go into the dinner across the street and sit down with them to have diner. He would even pay for their meals sometimes.” Wallace chuckled even harder at the look on Martin’s face. “Robert Wolff is a one-of-a-kind Original Gangster.”

“And now he’s a Death Dealer among Death Dealers. Talk about a force of nature that can’t be denied. No wonder you respect the man sir.” Martin looked over at the 60 gather gangbangers. “You know that we’re going to lose two thirds of those teams.”

“I do. Just as they know how many aren’t going to make it back. Those young men and women all know that we’ve pushed the Cheeseheads into a corner. They’re a wounded animal now. The Cheeseheads are going to be fighting to the last man. They know that if they’re taken captive they face more than just war crime charges.” Wallace quickly explained for Martin. “The Cheeseheads are going to fight to the death.”

“Why do you say that sir? They know that we’ll obey the Conventions of War.”

“That is where you’re wrong. For the last two-hundred years the Military Commissars of the Gorgonzola Empire have been telling their soldiers and their citizens that we’ll butcher them in their sleep. Trust me, their propaganda machine is without equal. The crazy part is the citizens know that their Ministry of Information is nothing more than a propaganda weapon.” Wallace chuckled.

“How do you know so much about the Gorgonzola Empire sir?”

“There is an old saying from my father’s home planet. Study your enemy and know all of his ways. It took me awhile to understand that saying. Once I did though. I devoted all of my spare time to studying our nearest enemy. I know more about how the Cheeseheads think than even the Death Dealers. I have more reason. I have always known that they would for our home. When they did, I wanted to be ready for them.” Wallace snarled as he clenched his fist.

“We’ll make you proud sir.” With that promise Martin joined the rest of the SWAT teams as they prepared the B-110 BEARS. The 50ton armored cars would be the backbone of his small taskforce as they tracked down the fleeing Cheeseheads.

Sky Reach Orphanage, Goulcrest

I could feel Penny’s eyes penetrating into my back as I worked on the MT-350E Tomahawk speeder hover bike. I had kept the arms room out of the smaller children’s sight but here I was in the heart of the basement working on a weapon. I would have done this in the arms room, but I needed the space. “I can hear your thoughts Penny. Go on and get it off your chest.”

“Rob, you don’t have to go after the Cheeseheads. You’ve done your part. Stay here with us.” Penny pleaded with me.

“That is where you’re wrong Penny.” I told her as I slammed the engine cover. “I know that you don’t understand. I get that, really I do. You believe that I should just let the Cheeseheads get away from the city and let the Empyreal Military pound them into a bloody stain on the Savanna south of Goulcrest. Only that is not my job. I have to get out there and pinpoint those divisions. If I don’t our people will walk right into their fields of fire. If I do my job right less of our people end up in metal boxes headed for Hades.”

“I should have known better than to try talking you out of something that you saw as your duty. You always were too damned stubborn for your own good. Just do me a favor, Rob.” Penny sighed behind me as she wrapped her arms around my middle from behind. “Come back to us please. The little ones need you now more than ever. When this war is you can lay down your weapons and just a member of our family again.”

“I would love nothing more than to do just that Penny. It’s just not possible. I’m a Death Dealer now. This place has only one use for someone like me.” I placed my right hand over her clasped hands over my stomach. “I was reborn in blood and fire Penelope. My home is now the battlefield. I’m not like Father Mike.”

“What does that mean?”

“There is an old poem that Father Mike left for us in the arms room. I think you should read it. Maybe then you’ll understand what I’m talking about.” With that I pulled her arms from around me and went back to work on the Tomahawk. I still had to mount the speeder bike’s weapons. It had taken me all night to uncrate the heavy speeder bike and put it together. With it going on noon I wanted to finish with enough time to grab some sleep before diner. My enhanced body could only go for so long without the need for sleep before failing.

Penny must have taken me up on my challenge as her heard her voice coming from the arms room. “I was what others would not be. I have seen the world by giving up my home and family. I have seen the darkness in men’s heart of hearts by facing my own. I have known hate at its ugliest. I have seen death in all of her forms and horror. I have know fear beyond what others might. But I would do it all again for the love of country, home, and family if they asked. For you see I was what others would not be. I was a soldier.”

I heard Penny sniffle and stood up straight as she exited the arms room. “Do you really feel that way about yourself, Robert?”

“Penny, I was never like you or the other orphans here. I knew my parents and who they were. I come from a long line of such people. I have a long way to go before I’m ready to take off the uniform. When I do I might come back here or find some out of the place nowhere planet to settle down. I know that there are individuals that want to take advantage of my heritage for political reasons. I can’t let that happen. No matter what else happens in my life. Once I take off my uniform I need to just disappear into the Empire.” I told her about what happened at my graduation and who I was related to as I finished arming the Tomahawk.

I thought her head was going to spin around and pop off when she learned that I was a cousin to Empress Maiha. I chuckled as she had to blink her eyes several times and shake her head when I told her that I was an Owens. That my tie went back through the Owens clan. That my mother was an actual Owens. She knew that my parents were the Heroes of Goulcrest but what I just told her blew her mind. “HOLY SHIT! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! YOU’RE AN OWENS. Why didn’t they come get you?”

“No one knew. To the rest of the Empire the Owens bloodline on Apollo six died out more than a hundred years ago. Nobody knew that my grandmother survived the bombing of Dornwich. As far as my grandfather goes nobody knows his name. All we know about him is he was a Death Dealer.” I couldn’t keep the sadness from my voice.

“Look Rob. You need to come back to us. Without Father Mike no one else will look out for the orphanage.” Penny was doing her best to get me to stay on Apollo 6. I could tell that she was afraid of what would happen if I left and never came back.

“Penny, I know that you think you need me here to protect you and the other kids. You don’t need to worry about that anymore. You can trust the Whitechapel gangs to protect you and the others. As for no one caring about the orphanage think again.” I knew that with the death of 43rd Airborne Border Division Empyreal High Command will replace them with either one Death Dealer division or three full Regular Army Divisions. That was just the way High Command worked. “Someone will always be here to look after our home. You have my word on that.”

“Are you sure about that? How can you make a promise like that any way?” She demanded as she looked up into my eyes.

“Let’s just say that the Empyreal Army has some rather unique payday traditions. Once the Command Sergeant Majors for those divisions find out that I was raised in this orphanage you can expect a major influx of funding and supplies. Not to mention soldiers coming by to fix things around here. With forty orphanages all across Apollo that means one Brigade per orphanage. Even if every man just put one credit in the kitty the orphanages of Apollo six will never again be short on paying their bills.” I had to chuckle at the confused look on Penny’s face. I leaned down and kissed her on her forehead. I changed my plans for sticking around until diner time when I saw the look on her face.

“I got to go Penny. Do me a favor and open the double doors to the basement. Time for me to finish my mission.” I knew that if I stuck around any longer I would never leave. I had to get moving now or far too many people would end up dying at the guns of the Cheeseheads. It was time to shift from resistance leader to scout. I watched as she walked to the far end of the basement and walked up the ramp to double doors we used to move large furniture to and from the storage areas.

I secured my rucksack to the back of the speeder, then slid my sniper rifle and an assault rifle into the scabbards I had mounted on the front forks of the speeder before putting on my helmet. I quickly mounted the speeder and started the engine. As the bike rose into the air to flout about three feet off the floor I gave her one last look. Penny was standing off to the side of the opening looking at me with a mournful stare. “I’ll come back to you Penny. Promise.”

With that I gunned the engine and flew from the basement of the Sky Reach Orphanage. I don’t know when the last time this speeder last graced the streets of Goulcrest was, but it didn’t matter right now. The machine rocketed through the streets and out of the city in no time. As I exited the city limits on highway A19A I dropped the Tomahawk’s weapons into attack position. They wouldn’t stop anything over light armored recon car, but in a pinch they’ll act as a delaying factor.

I reach up and begin to double check the radio now that I’m clear of the city. I start with my old team’s frequency. “Fallen Angle one to any member this net. Over”

“This is Fallen Angle two. Authenticate Topic Thunder. Over”

“Fallen Angle two, I authenticate, Blue Lightning. Over” I answered quickly after Celest gave me the correct authentication code.

“Where have you been hiding One? Over”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, Two. What is your position? Over” I asked hoping they had already linked up with the main relief force.

“Forty klicks northeast of Goulcrest. Route nine-eight-one. Just outside of the Glen Berry National Forest. Over”

“What is your status? Over” I really needed to know my team’s current mission.

“We’re currently holding overwatch on OPFOR for main relief. Over.” When I heard this, I knew that things were finally reaching the last days of the war. The problem for me was not knowing what was between me and my team.

“Fallen Angle two what can you tell me about the OPFOR between Goulcrest and your position along route A-one-nine-A? Over.” My only hope was that highway A19A was clear of any enemy troops. If not I needed to find another way around to them.

“Fallen Angle one, route A-one-nine-A is Bravo Sierra. I repeat Bravo Sierra. It is not cleared for friendly travel. Over”

Shit not good. If the highway I was using was in Brownshirt hands that meant I had to find another way around. “Fallen Angle two, any suggestions for alternative link up route at this time? Over”

“Only one, Fallen Angle One. Double back to route one-nine head north to route two-zero then head east for fifty klicks. Pick up route seven-five then head south to A-one-nine-A and head west. Over”

“Copy that Fallen Angle two. See you four hours. Fallen Angle One Out” I was already turning around and heading back towards Goulcrest. I knew that this detour was going to take me 245km out of the way, but there was no help for it. I wasn’t in a position to take on a large force of Cheeseheads. Not on my own anyway. I needed my team. Until now I’ve been wing shit left and right.

Sure, I was able to get the gangs and cops to work together to drive the Cheeseheads out of Goulcrest. They were even now heading out to track down the fleeing Brownshirt units. They maybe second line troops but the Brownshirts were still a threat. Mainly because they didn’t care who they killed. In their eyes civilians and military were the same. Sense the second week of the occupation they had been waging a war of genocide suppression. I had heard of more than one village being reduced to nothing more than graveyards by them on the orders of the Gorgonzola High Commander.

Of all the enemy troops currently on Apollo 6 the Brownshirts were the only ones that deserved what was coming their way. I know that I should be leading the resistance force that is hunting them down. The only problem is I know that once Captain Wallace, and Spider have the Brownshirts in their sights all thoughts of following the War Accords will be thrown out the window. There will be no thoughts of taking prisoners. Not after what has happened over the few months. I had seen one too many gang members or cops dragged out of their homes only to be gunned down in the streets by the Brownshirts. Usually done right in front of their families. It was pure street justice hunting the Brownshirts. Something that I wasn’t going to get in the way of no matter what the Accords said.

As I took route 19 north I noticed that the pavement was in relative good shape. “Celest can you give me a break down on the Cheeseheads before they pulled out?”

‘Give me a few minutes Robert. I’ll tell right you now that it won’t be an accurate listing. Mainly because the Cheeseheads kept rotating their forces.’

“I’m not to worried about accuracy of numbers right now Celest. What I am worried about is type of units.” I ordered my AI.

‘Oh I get it. You need types not numbers. That is easier. Here you go.’

If I could have I would have kissed Celest as she put up the types of units on my HUD that had been stationed inside of Goulcrest just before they pulled out. I was slightly surprised to notice that there had only been one APS unit. Everything else was either armored or infantry of some type.

“Celest can you give me an estimation for the number of APS units that were in Goulcrest during the occupation?” I asked her quickly.

‘Sorry Robert I can’t. It varied depending on the request from the ICD shitheads.’

“Okay Celest I let’s take this one step at a time. How many times were APS units sent into the city. Next how many times was an APS present during a Brownshirt operation. Lastly how times did the Cheeseheads call for APS support.”

‘Okay Robert going by your criteria. At the most there was a reenforced Combat Battalion of APSs in Goulcrest on a permanent bases. If we break that down further. That is 2 Scout lances, 1 Light Infantry Support lance, 1 Medium attack lance, 1 Heavy attack lance, 1 Fire Support lance, and 1 Assault lance. Taking into account the 4 Scout, 4 Light, 2 Medium and 2 Heavy Lances that we’ve destroyed or disabled during our other operations this would account for two more APS Battalions. Accounting for all of these units there was at least 1 Reenforced Heavy APS Regiment in Goulcrest during the occupation.’

I thought about what Celest just told and grimaced. “Damn. Something isn’t adding up. This roadway should have been more torn up than it is. I know we counted at least eighteen divisions passing through Goulcrest during the occupation. Where the frack did they go? Could they have gone cross-country from the start?”

‘The odds of that happening are 1 in 55 Robert. The Cheeseheads most likely used the railway. Specifically, the access roads that run alongside the rail lines. They could have run clear over to the Eastern coastline with no one spotting them. The only sign of their passing would be a dust near the rail line. Something that the locals would be used to seeing.’

“You’re right. Once they’re out of the railyard no one would see them until the next crossing or railyard. Not good. They could pop out anywhere and any time to attack the relief force from behind, Celest.” I bitched as I traveled the empty road. Ever sense I left the city I hadn’t seen one other vehicle. Nothing, not even another military vehicle. When the road should be carrying at least refugees there was nobody for as far as the eye could see.

I got my answer to this puzzling question just before I reached the turn for route 75 in the small town of Youngstown. At first I didn’t understand what I was seeing. Instead of heading for route 75 I pulled over to the side of the road and pulled out my M-98 Field glasses. What I saw through the lenses turned my stomach to the point that I had to dismount and vomit. Of all the shit I had seen in this war. The sight of that mass grave was at the top of the list. I know that I waged a guerrilla war against the Cheeseheads, but I never targeted their civilian assets. I even made sure that the gangs knew those were off limits.

I remount the speeder and head towards the open grave. That’s all I can call it. As I neared it I could smell the stench of death hanging heavy in the air even through my helmet. Not thinking I reached up and activated the helmet’s purifier. Once I was close enough I stopped the speeder and dismounted. I quickly climbed to the top of the mound nearest the roadway. Once I reached the top and looked down inside I wished I hadn’t. I had passed an information sign at the edge of town giving its name and population. Celest must have been way ahead of me.

‘BY THE GODS! THESE MOTHER FRACKERS DO NOT DESERVE TO FACE A COURT OF LAW! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO ANOTHER HUMAN, ROBERT?!’

Celest flashed her scan of the open pit before me. There before my eyes was the whole population of Youngstown. Men, women, and children. They were all here. They were all dead. Killed with a single bullet to the back of the head. With the way the bodies were lying in the bottom I could only see one way for this to happen. The population of Youngstown was herded out here and line up on top of the two mounds. Then the Brownshirts lined up behind them. The Brownshirts then shoot the person in front of them in the back of the head. The bodies would fall forward and roll down into the bottom of the pit. The Brownshirts would then repeat the process. They must have done this more than 200 times.

“Celest I can only tell you that the people that did this are not considered human. I know why the Brownshirts did this though.” I told her with a heavy sigh.

‘Why? What would drive those creatures to commit such a hideous act?’

“The people of Youngstown were a minority. Even here on Apollo six were there are more non-mixed raced people than most planets. This whole area is a protected religious zone. The people here followed a faith that dates clear back to the days before spaceflight. This isn’t the first time they were targeted for extermination. I have a feeling that if we examined the other towns that were targeted for extermination we would find they all had the same thing in common.” I told her.

‘What is that?’

“They were all minority enclaves. By that I mean Jews, Slavs, Serbs, Gypsies, Amish, and Jehovah Witness’. Apollo six has had a long tradition of drawing the outsiders to her. Mainly because it doesn’t matter who you are if you try to take this planet. The rest of the population will kick you the fracking balls. Then pull your damned teeth one at a time. We don’t care what your race, creed, or religion, is once you set down roots on Apollo six. You become a part of Apollo six, and we protect our own with our last dying breath.” I had to fight to keep the snarl out of my voice.

AS I looked down into the pit one last time Celest made a suggestion. ‘Robert if we target the mounds on each side of the pit with our PPC they’ll collapse into the pit. It’ll bury the bodies at least.’

I thought about what she was suggesting. It would protect the bodies from scavengers to a point. It would also give them some final dignity in death. The question that I was facing would I be able to continue on with my mission to link up with the rest of the Fallen Angles if I did this. I know that my weapons are powered by micro fusion reactor, but it still took a toll on my body. Could I blast enough earth to cover the bodies and not drop over from exhaustion.

‘Please Robert? We can link up tomorrow. We have to at least give these people what little dignity we can by covering their bodies. We can even mark the grave site.’

“Okay Celest. We’ll do it. Where do I need to focus the blast?” I asked her as I moved to the end of the pit. In answer to my question two red lines blazed to life on my HUD. These lines were 4 feet above the bodies in the bottom of the pit and extended from one end to the other. I deployed my PPC and targeted the first line. I charged my PPC to max and fired. As I worked it down the length of the pit the backside slowly began to fall inward slowly covering the dead. I repeated the process with the wall nearest the road. As the last of the earth covered the people of Youngstown I fell to my knees. After running nonstop for more than thirty plus hours I had finally reached my limit. “Celest is there an empty building near here?”

‘Half a mile down the road is a fuel station with service garage Robert. It should serve our needs for shelter perfectly. At least for one night.’

“Thank you. Can you use the team net to forward our position for the night. Before you grumble I know that you can under normal conditions. Only these aren’t normal conditions. We’re more than a hundred miles away still. Without the speeder’s radio to boost our signal range I doubt you’ll reach them.” I snapped.

‘You’re correct in saying that we’ll need the speeder’s radio to boost our signal. And Robert, thank you for doing that for me. I know I’m only an AI. That I don’t really have a soul and that my feelings are nothing more than programing.’

“Forget about it Celest. You weren’t the only one affected by the sight of that mass grave. Back in school I had a teacher who made sure we studied the ancient wars of the twentieth century. There was more than one occurrence of genocide during that century. It was one of the reasons I wanted to join the Empyreal Military once I was old enough.” I knew that Celest was more than just a Tactical AI. She was in many ways another part of my soul now. What did at this mass grave was for more than just her, but myself as well. “Don’t worry before we leave in the morning I’ll find something to mark this grave site. Something appropriate.”

‘There was that information sign we could use.’

I interrupted Celest when she suggested using that road sign. “NO! If I have to I’ll carve a sign for these people. Just let me get something to eat and about eight hours of sleep Celest. Then I’ll take of everything.”

With that I headed for the road service station. As we traveled Celest linked with the speeder’s radio and contacted the rest of my team. They accepted my new arrival time and gave me their next two over watch positions. After eating cold field rations meal, I laid down next to the speed and sleep the night away. I knew that if anything dangerous entered the area Celest would wake me. At 0530 Celest woke me from my sleep with a warning.

‘Robert there is a recon drone overhead. Three kilometers out and closing. I can’t tell if it’s one of ours or a Cheesehead.’

“Thanks for the warning, Celest. Not that it will matter. Engage full stealth mode.” At my order I felt the built-in defensive system engage. Unlike with the original Second-Generation Death Dealers my stealth system can also be used against thermal scans. The only drawback was I had to sit absolutely still until the drone was gone. If I didn’t I would be spotted. The sound of the propeller driven aerial drone as it passed directly overhead gave me the make and the drones capabilities.

“Disengage stealth Celest. That was an unarmed UAV-eleven Sparrow. At best it’ll have a thermal scanner with a laser designator for artillery.” I ordered her as I stood up and stretched. “That little pain in the ass had to of come from the old PDF stockpile. The only units that use those anymore are FAV and light armor Scout units on Apollo six. If I had to guess I would say that Spider or one of his people put that bird in the air. They’re that easy to operate.”

While I was giving Celest my thoughts about the drone I was also searching the garage area. I found what I was looking for near the back. It was a 4x6 sheet of metal. I took it over to the body repair shop part of the garage and sprayed painted it a white. Once I had the white field I started to paint something I read as a student. It was about some place called on Earth called Treblinka. At the top I wrote the name of the town in the center. Below that I wrote the population. This was followed by yesterday’s date. Finally at the bottom put the words ‘Never Again.’

Once I knew that it was safe to move I mount the speeder and carried my sign out to the mass grave. Using heavy screws that I took from the garage. I hung the sign from a tree near the grave site. It might not be pretty but at least the people of this town will not be forgotten to history. As I remounted the speeder I took one last look at the handmade sign. “Is it enough Celest?”

‘For now.’

-----tbc-----