There is a price to freedom.
And that is always peace.
Peligia
~~*~~
The trek through the jungle was held with an edge of danger, the few surviving dragoons and marines trying to corral the survivors to keep them from running too far off of the path. The trio of remaining heavy Mechs stamped through the trees moving in precise formation, scanning for any sign of the elusive and murderous Polians that lurked somewhere in the canopy of green.
The sun had broken through the rain clouds somewhere during the middle of the morning, sending the temperature soaring and sweat rolling down the backs of necks. Darien watched his men through the blue mirrored sunglasses from where he rode in the passenger seat of the Jeep, the Peligian journal balanced on his knee where he was reviewing it.
Behind him Doctor Casey was working on her laptop, trying to work out some detailed translations of the ancient Peligian script that had been transcribed into the worn leather bound tome.
"We have a head start here," Doctor Murphy adjusted his glasses, the short man struggling to keep up with the trundling Jeep as he fought to keep his satchel from getting snarled in his dragoon jacket. "We can't just squander it, who knows when others will discover Peligia…"
Darien turned his head, "I am aware of the time constraints Doctor, however the safety of my people is my primary concern. We need to establish a base camp, somewhere to work from. I can't spare the men at the moment to just allow you to go wandering off on your own."
"He's right Murph," Doctor Roberts, hauling a pack that looked far too big for her, kept perfect pace on the far side of the Jeep. "The Polian's would butcher you if they caught you alone, not to mention the monkeys…" she shuddered.
"We agreed never to mention the monkeys again," Lauren warned falling back a step, her hands resting on the stock of her DT-09 as she looked over the rims of her sunglasses at a flock of colourful parrots that winged their way to roost on some crumbling stone ruins that towered over the game trail the survivors were traversing.
"Real Monkeys?" Murphy asked, his voice squeaking a bit as he looked curiously towards the trees. "Surely Monkey-oid…"
"Nope, definitely monkeys," Roberts nodded, "smart ones too. They caused us a great deal of trouble while we stayed here, one of them is really smart, sets traps…"
"You're teasing me now," Murphy scoffed, shaking his heads. "Monkeys on Peligia… next you will be telling us you found the missing link in a box of cereal."
"I don't joke when it comes to my profession," Roberts replied. "This place is dangerous, and weird…"
"Is that your professional opinion?" Murphy shot back. "Peligia is 'weird' so be careful?"
"Suit yourself, doctor, at least I tried to warn you," Roberts fell silent again as she focused on her marching.
Darien squared his shoulders, "there will be time to explore, after we secure base camp. Properly armed recon teams. Commander Durnham, are you having any luck recreating the Propylon control program?"
Commander Durnham's control unit had been linked into a secondary computer where computer code was scrolling across the screen at a rapid rate. The holo-projector flickered to life as the Commander appeared looking distracted.
"It is progressing well, though it is going to take some time to calibrate properly. The fortunate thing was that I worked closely with Lieutenant Elias during the last time we rebuilt the control computer. I am not worried about the code, however the interface we need to link our computer into the Peligian system will require parts we simply don't have. I am scouring the User Manual we recovered from Aivilik to see if the Peligians would have created anything similar in the system to allow us to interface our system to theirs easier. So far I haven't had much luck."
Darien nodded, "well, we all have our goals…"
The game trail widened ahead of them as the Jeep emerged from the tree-line into a clearing at the base of a rolling slope. Over-turned Imperial equipment lay scattered about, marking it as Colonel Mayfair's original base camp where the Polians had taken him prisoner on his initial recon mission to the Island. A group of Marines moved about securing the area they flashed each other hand signals giving the all clear.
Darien ignored them, staring up the slope towards their goal, the ring of black stones, the Peligian Propylons. This was to be the site of their base camp and their only chance at salvation.
He waited as the Jeep pulled to a halt along side the pair of ATVs, watching as Lauren joined the Marines, issuing orders and surveying the site. His instincts were to take command, but he knew she was experienced at what she was doing. And if they were to be secure, then they would need to rely on her skill.
Lauren returned quickly, "site secured. It's a peninsula like Commander Durnham said it was. Easily defended if we dig in, setting up our expedition tents over there," she pointed. "A science tent closer up towards the Propylons should give Commander Durnham and the technicians a chance to work on the Propylons… however it is a small area, there may not be enough room for all of us here."
"We'll worry about that after we're secure." Darien responded. "Everyone should pitch in to help set up." Darien got out of the Jeep and lifting his hand to his TAC-link. "FSB-Lead, this is Falcon-one, report?"
There was a crackle on the line, "Falcon-one from FSB-Lead, we are beginning our ascent up the hill. Tiamat is having a little trouble with the climb. We should be in position in about five hours. Over."
"Confirmed FSB-Lead, we have reached NAV-point Alpha and are establishing Base camp. Designating site 'Stonehenge' for future transmissions. Contact again in Five hours when you arrive." Darien disconnected and waited patiently by the Jeep, watching his men set to the task of setting up a camp.
His head swam, as he fumbled through a pocket to pull out his pill bottle, fumbling with the screw cap, swallowing a pair with trembling hands. He felt a rise of frustration at his own degenerative state, wishing that he was stronger, better able to control his own body… but the weakness was grinding him down, wearing away little bits of who he was.
"…you are going to die…" a voice whispered in his ear. A voice of his doubts and his fears manifested.
"Dig fox holes," Lauren commanded as she cross the clearing, her eyes meeting Darien's, before they slid down to the pill bottle in his hands. She clapped a marine on the shoulder dismissing him as she walked to the jeep.
"You need to hide those," she said keeping her voice low as she squinted up towards the sun in the brilliant blue sky. "The men need to think your immortal, especially now."
"I'll remember the tip," Darien remarked tersely. "But you should concentrate on getting the camp established, don't worry about me."
Lauren slung her rifle up to her shoulder as she pursed her lips, settling in to lean on the jeep beside him. "I'm going to give you some important lessons on how to defend a peninsula like this. We're establishing fortifications in a double ring facing the tree line. However this position does put our backs up against nothing, we can't fall back or retreat from here, which means our perimeter has to hold no matter what."
"I feel a but coming on," Darien said.
Lauren nodded, reaching in to the Jeep and pulling out the holographic projector, leaning back in to tap a few commands into the computer so that it projected a 3-d map of the island onto the bonnet between them.
"The island is just over five miles long, the Polian ruins in the middle here," she highlighted it. "Black tower is there," she gestured, and we have established FSB-1 overlooking the city on the east end of the Island. That puts the Polian ruins between us and FSB-1, with the mushroom grove to the North."
"We're here," Darien gestured, as a moment later the navigation data flared to life on the map. Both officers glancing over to the navigational beacon that was being set up and connected to the TAC network.
"A slope up to Stonehenge…" Lauren cleared her throat, "I mean the Propylons. But we can't guarantee that we can get that system operational… and penned in on this peninsula is going to limit our mobility, the Polians can keep us trapped here."
"It is our best chance to get off the Island," Darien said calmly.
"And this is Peligia," Lauren replied pressing both palms onto the bonnet of the jeep and staring at him levelly. "We didn't come all this way, loose everything just to leave again… Doctor Murphy is right, we need to explore before someone else arrives…"
"Before your master arrives," Darien answered her folding his arms. "What do you propose?"
"We can fortify this peninsula with about a quarter of our current strength, quite effectively. Leave a single mech, and move ourselves inland about two miles taking this small plateau here…" she tapped it. "defensible and it splits our force again… making it harder for the Polians to concentrate their forces, and giving us a bit more breathing room."
"What are you planning?" Darien asked looking at where she was pointing. "Why bring us all the way to the peninsula just to move us again?"
"Column support," Lauren answered. "Moving together meant that we don't have a group alone with a single mech. We can't afford to loose our only armoured support, and one lone mech on the move is a target. This also allows us to establish a direct 'road' between the peninsula and the plateau right away, we can establish a trail for the ATVs and the jeep… also if we are attacked it gives us an option to retreat back to the peninsula, rather than right over that cliff over there…" she pointed to the craggy edge of the island that dropped off into nothing.
"I'm out of my element here," Darien admitted, taking a glance around him to ensure that none of his men were within earshot.
"I know," Lauren said, she watched him a moment. "You've never been very good on the ground. That's why you had Mayfair… Marty covered your biggest weakness. He dealt with the ground while you dealt with starships and macro-theatre combat. Most of your command crew know it, Masconi used to make jokes that she should tie you into your command chair… that and the gun thing."
"You're going to betray us all," Darien said flatly. "again."
"Yes," Lauren said seriously. "The moment Rikard arrives and realizes I am alive he is going to use me against you, again. And if I am positioned right, I could kill you…" her blue eyes looked pained as she stared at him. "But here, now, I'm me, and I can help you against the Polians."
"We camp here for the night," Darien said firmly, touching his TAC-link headset. "Commander Durnham… there is a change in our tactical plans, we're establishing a secondary base here, and I am leaving you in command of it…" he looked over at Lauren. "He's the best we have with the Propylons. If there is any hope at all of escape, he's it."
"Aye aye skipper," Lauren saluted, marching off to find marines to prepare for the morning's move. Darien watched her a moment, looking back towards the shadowy jungle filled with danger.
En-route to the Black Tower - Peligia
~~*~~
"It is an Imperial Delta-Seven, Comrade Commander," The junior lieutenant reported using his field binoculars to track the heavy automaton that was lumbering its way up the slope to the East.
East, as conveniently provided by the Imperial navigational information flowing over the TAC-net. Darien Taine had been busy.
Commander Wojciech pulled out a grease pencil and made some notes on the plastic shrouded map of the island one of his men had lifted off of the Imperial TAC-net and printed out.
The Imperials were using outdated encryption software on TAC-net, an oversight that allowed Wojciech access to some valuable Intel about his opponents, including the information that the Polians were lurking somewhere in the jungle.
The Δ07 was heading for high ground, armed with an impressive missile package that could easily reach anywhere on the five mile square island. Taine was establishing a fire-support and observation base, clever; he obviously knew what he was doing. Of course the question on Wojciech's mind was what Taine was up to, he had to have a plan, some reason for bringing them to the forgotten Island, did it have something to do with the books Darien had taken from VonGrippen's study on Geldan?
"We outnumber their combat units," his second in command, Major Tatrakov said firmly listening to the TAC-link. "They have a dozen or so Marines on the peninsula, and about that climbing with the Δ07 towards the high ground. We could strike one of their camps and reduce their numbers further."
"There's no point," Wojciech decided, wetting his lips as he considered the pre-emptive strike the Major was proposing. It would be a senseless bloodbath, the Spetsnaz would cut the Excalibur survivors to ribbons, out classed as they were with obsolete weapons and outdated technology. But Wojciech couldn't bring himself to give the order, the whole attack on the Excalibur had left him with a sour taste in his mouth, and a creeping feeling of doubt in the pit of his stomach.
"Then what are your orders, comrade Commander?" Major Tatrakov inquired.
"They remain the same as they were," Wojciech replied. "We make for the skyscraper and secure the FTL-communications equipment. From there we make contact with our government and await rescue. As long as these Imperials refrain from attacking us, we won't provoke them in return."
The Major's tiny eyes, narrowed a little as he chewed on his orders, spinning on his heels as he marched away, muttering curses under his breath about fleet officer's narrow-sightedness.
Wojciech blew out a heavy sigh as he rubbed the sweat from the back of his neck watching Taine's mech on its ascent up the hill. The Polians were probably watching it as well, was there uncertainty in their camp? Did their commander debate what to do about Darien Taine?
Wojciech lifted his TAC-link, taking a deep breath as he readied to press the button. They were all in the same boat… if he reached out a hand what would Taine do? Considering the betrayal that had seen them all stranded on the flying island in the first place, Wojciech knew that it wouldn't be a warm reception.
"Falcon-one from Little Bear," Wojciech released the transmit switch, resting the TAC-link against his forehead and waited.
'Stonehenge' - Peligia
~~*~~
Darien stared down at the TAC-link tucked into its pocket on the sleeve of his Dragoon coat. Around him his men continued to work on building the secondary camp, unaware of the communication.
Darien drew a deep breath, pulling the TAC-link from its pocket and lifting it to his mouth, "What do you want Little Bear?" he hissed, his voice infused with anger.
En-route to the Black Tower - Peligia
~~*~~
Wojciech swallowed, watching his own men, who were ignorant of the conversation. He had to be careful, communicating with the enemy would be grounds for the Major to assume command, and allow all hell to break loose on the island. Wojciech had to be careful if he wanted to preserve the peace.
"Falcon-one, I…" he closed his eyes again, trying to think of what to say. "I rehearsed what I was going to say, but words escape me… I am observing one of your Mechs on its ascent towards grid reference," he checked his map and reeled off the co-ordinates. "And since it appears that we are all… marooned on this island…"
"That was your fault, Little Bear," Darien hissed angrily through the speaker.
"It was," Wojciech responded. "Which is why I have to stop any further mistakes from happening, in the interest of survival…"
"I've had my fill of traitors here," Darien answered tersely.
"I deserved that, Falcon-one," Wojciech answered. "But I wanted to inform you that I am ordering my men to not engage your forces. I expect the same courtesy in return from yours."
Stonehenge - Peligia
~~*~~
Darien's jaw tightened, "if we meet again, I am going to shoot you."
"If we meet again," Wojciech replied. "Then I promise to let you shoot me. This might surprise you, but I had no wish to…"
"Go to hell," Darien responded turning his TAC-link off and tossing it into the jeep, seething in anger.
The Ruins of Tharsis - Peligia
~~*~~
Jorvian Ke, Archon of the Torvanian Synod of the Polian Alliance, Kabalik master and the last remaining member of the Brotherhood of the Ancient Order of the Crystalline Entity, knelt in the shadow of the trees shrouded in the camouflage cloak that hid him from prying eyes.
Beside him the half human warrior Gavin was similarly shrouded. Both of them watching the metal machine painted in jungle patterns climbing through the sacred forests of the sanctuary, heading for the top of the Mount of Serene Peace.
The presence of the humans was an abomination; the sanctuary was a place of purity, not to be tainted by the darkest of galactic evils. And to the last four survivors of the near extinct Polian race fell the duty of punishing the trespassers.
Jorvian Ke's helmet slid around on his head as he stared at his tiny companion. His voice splatting out a question.
Gavin, whose folded arms hugged his small frame tightly, delivered his report in English. "Their leader bears a shard weapon… Pacheyus-Ra's shard weapon."
"Taine," Jorvian Ke responded, his mouth forming the unfamiliar human word.
"It is the Stormbreaker," Gavin answered. "He has come, at last, to the Sanctuary, and with him comes destruction."
Jorvian Ke's voice deepened angrily, his words slapping out harshly.
Gavin remained stoic, "you knew that he would come, your anger is unexpected Archon."
Jorvian Ke flexed as he rose from his resting place, walking across what had once been the central plaza of the city. Gavin looked up, one last time towards the mech, sucking on his teeth as he turned hurrying after his leader.