report. Using squad code language over the open channel, Zazlu and I compromised on how many spiders had been killed by our brave action this morning. I wanted five, he wanted ten, so I made the report say seven. In the air-conditioned office, I had all the forms spell-checked and filled out in triplicate by the time the squad staggered back into the Cleared Zone. I snapped my fingers twice to make the Comms private get me my third cup of coffee since I had come straight from the resurrection tanks, then headed down the tower steps to the main gate with time to spare.
Maybe there was something to the way Immortal Squad officers did business.
The gate area was surprisingly crowded for the unscheduled return of half a squad. And the crowd was surprisingly dainty. One of the three news reporters I had never seen before was wearing four-inch high heels as she adjusted the camera man to get her best side. Our Press Relations Officer was next to her, eating a croissant. The rest of the crowd were in suits. Business suits, not battle suits.
Diplomats? Reporters? Croissants? Here? A new transport must have just delivered them all through the wormgate. And then I saw the reason for the fuss.
The General, of course, was holding court in the middle of the crowd. But more important were the two wiry robo skeletons rolling next to him. Encounter bots for the Benefactors.
"And here they come folks," Oakley boomed, waving his arm towards the opening gate. "Soldiers returning from another successful hunt in our expanding struggle to make this planet safe for human colonists, returning with their heads held high!"
The metal gate cranked open and Zazlu stomped in first, three colors of mud caking one side of his body and blue spider blood dripping down the other from the decapitated head he carried. Ann-Marie came in next, looking somewhat presentable except for the exhausted Steve draped on her shoulder, his fatigues cut open to make room for the leg which had swelled to twice its normal size. Grimmy staggered in and fell to his knees, starting to dry heave. Juan loped in, also covered in blue blood and mud, dropped his skull with a thud and leaned on his rifle sucking wind, but still found the energy to look up and wink at the high heeled reporter.
Mouths were hanging open.
"Squad, attention !" I barked, stepping forward through the crowd. It hated to do it, most of the squad was falling down exhausted, but just too many muckety mucks were watching. The squad snapped to despite their screaming muscles, even Steve. I allowed just enough time to let the cameras click twice and the videos to get their opening shot, then snapped, "At ease! MEDIC!"
"Here," Steve whimpered, collapsing.
" Another medic!" I yelled, Ann-Marie and I catching and helping him to the floor. I slung Ann-Marie the sack of cold water bottles I had brought and when the base medics rushed over, I left Steve to them and went to the kneeling Zaz.
"Great job," I said, patting his shoulder, then helped him wipe grime from his arms. "You got them all back."
"Thank you sir. But it was your sacrifice which got us out of trouble." He looked at me. "The trouble you put us into by not telling me about your secret spider friend."
"No more secrets, Zaz, I promise. It's my first time being the double bar." He nodded, then grinned as Butcher poured cold water on his head. He lifted his mouth to drink as she kept pouring, and when the bottle was empty he wiped his bald head then smiled at me.
"It was my first time being the single bar. I should have challenged you more. Now, go," Zaz said, slapping the bloody head resting on his knee and motioning towards the immaculately dressed Oakley with a grin.
The general was already storming towards me so I met him halfway. The reporters would be able to hear us that way.
"Sir, may I present the first Hell Spider skull collected by any armed forces on Angie's Star II! Long may humans hold this planet!"
With my parade quality stance
Maybe there was something to the way Immortal Squad officers did business.
The gate area was surprisingly crowded for the unscheduled return of half a squad. And the crowd was surprisingly dainty. One of the three news reporters I had never seen before was wearing four-inch high heels as she adjusted the camera man to get her best side. Our Press Relations Officer was next to her, eating a croissant. The rest of the crowd were in suits. Business suits, not battle suits.
Diplomats? Reporters? Croissants? Here? A new transport must have just delivered them all through the wormgate. And then I saw the reason for the fuss.
The General, of course, was holding court in the middle of the crowd. But more important were the two wiry robo skeletons rolling next to him. Encounter bots for the Benefactors.
"And here they come folks," Oakley boomed, waving his arm towards the opening gate. "Soldiers returning from another successful hunt in our expanding struggle to make this planet safe for human colonists, returning with their heads held high!"
The metal gate cranked open and Zazlu stomped in first, three colors of mud caking one side of his body and blue spider blood dripping down the other from the decapitated head he carried. Ann-Marie came in next, looking somewhat presentable except for the exhausted Steve draped on her shoulder, his fatigues cut open to make room for the leg which had swelled to twice its normal size. Grimmy staggered in and fell to his knees, starting to dry heave. Juan loped in, also covered in blue blood and mud, dropped his skull with a thud and leaned on his rifle sucking wind, but still found the energy to look up and wink at the high heeled reporter.
Mouths were hanging open.
"Squad, attention !" I barked, stepping forward through the crowd. It hated to do it, most of the squad was falling down exhausted, but just too many muckety mucks were watching. The squad snapped to despite their screaming muscles, even Steve. I allowed just enough time to let the cameras click twice and the videos to get their opening shot, then snapped, "At ease! MEDIC!"
"Here," Steve whimpered, collapsing.
" Another medic!" I yelled, Ann-Marie and I catching and helping him to the floor. I slung Ann-Marie the sack of cold water bottles I had brought and when the base medics rushed over, I left Steve to them and went to the kneeling Zaz.
"Great job," I said, patting his shoulder, then helped him wipe grime from his arms. "You got them all back."
"Thank you sir. But it was your sacrifice which got us out of trouble." He looked at me. "The trouble you put us into by not telling me about your secret spider friend."
"No more secrets, Zaz, I promise. It's my first time being the double bar." He nodded, then grinned as Butcher poured cold water on his head. He lifted his mouth to drink as she kept pouring, and when the bottle was empty he wiped his bald head then smiled at me.
"It was my first time being the single bar. I should have challenged you more. Now, go," Zaz said, slapping the bloody head resting on his knee and motioning towards the immaculately dressed Oakley with a grin.
The general was already storming towards me so I met him halfway. The reporters would be able to hear us that way.
"Sir, may I present the first Hell Spider skull collected by any armed forces on Angie's Star II! Long may humans hold this planet!"
With my parade quality stance
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