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Chapter 100 (YEAR 2052)
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Games of Invictus Chapter 101 (YEAR 2052)
To my utter frustration, I couldn't sleep. I sat on my bunk in my near-dark quarters, still fully dressed.The twin bunks across from me were empty tonight. Dan had dedicated himself to preparing every mech we had for battle, including the Spartan. He had his work cut out for him.Lucas was supposedly busy preparing Dropship 13 for battle, but I suspected that he was, in fact, busy geeking out over the sleek Korean dropships that now resided in the Firmament's hangars.The bunk above me had been empty since Yamantau. Its owner had been a spy.Taewi's intentions hadn't been malicious, but it made me wonder what else was being kept from me. It seemed that every time I answered a question, or thought I knew the side I was fighting for, something new tested my loyalty.It didn't matter now. Taewi had been my friend, no matter his intentions, and I missed him fiercely.I glanced around my quarters. I couldn't stay here, locked in with my thoughts. I had to go somewhere.***The moon above
Games of Invictus Chapter 102 (YEAR 2052)
The hangar was in chaos. Pilots and technicians alike rushed from platform to platform, completing final preparations for the coming conflict.I stood on one of the Firmament's highest platforms, at the base of my Spartan. Just above me, Dropship 13 sat on its landing pedestal, its hangar doors wide open.It occurred to me I was looking up at my father's legacy, staring at the mysterious mech that it seemed he had created.With any luck, today was the day I would accomplish the goal he had died attempting.Ending the Iron War, once and for all.I'd informed Mallet of Laura's departure early this morning, as well as most of what Laura had said. I had glossed over Laura's negative opinions toward Mallet's command, figuring it was a discussion the two could have when the war was through.Mallet had been crushed, though she tried not to show it, upon discovering that her ex's dropship had indeed departed the Firmament late last night. Mallet had returned to her office to strategize, telli
Games of Invictus Chapter 103 (YEAR 2052)
The next few minutes were a blur. Goodbyes, gear checks, pats on the back, loading dropships. Martin winked at me before disappearing into the mass of pilots. He was heading to his dropship. I had to head to mine.Moments later I was marching across the catwalk, feeling dazed. I had to focus. The door to the dropship's airlock hissed open.Still in a daze, I wandered to the back of the ship, entering the hangar. The dropship's underbelly door was still wide open, my mechs hanging in the air from mechanical arms. They looked like bombs, ready to be dropped at a moment's notice. In a way, they were more dangerous. No bomb had human intellect. The latest mech, my Spartan, was pulled inside with a hiss, massive hydraulic lifting arms locking it into place with an iron grip.The Spartan, as deadly as it was, was a last resort. Without a command capsule, its destruction would be undoubtedly fatal for me. I had to use all of my other mechs before it came time to bring it into battle.I glanc
Games of Invictus Chapter 104 (YEAR 2052)
Report: QuinnAirspace above the Mojave Desert.United States of America.Crash site of an Axion warship.Designation: "Project Terminus"Project Terminus lay before me in all its shattered glory, blown apart on the sands. The hazy mid-morning heat made the dunes ripple like an ocean.Upon landing, the ship had been torn in two, its angular front half impacting the desert about a mile away. It didn't matter. Most of the ship's body had landed in the general area of the main crash site, and everything we'd need was there with it.Each half of the vessel was an island amongst the sea of sand and stone, stretching out of the baked dirt and into the sky.Terminus was terrifying, even in its current state. Most of its weapons were buried under the sand and rubble, but I could see the tips of Killswitch cannons poking up through the sand. The vessel's back half jutted high into the air, grey armour stripped clean by the explosion. Three of the ship's seven hangars were exposed to the desert
Games of Invictus Chapter 105 (YEAR 2052)
Report: QuinnThe Mojave Desert.United States of America.Crash site of an Axion warship.Designation: "Project Terminus"Six-hundred meters. Five-hundred. Four. Three. Two. One.A jarring impact and a flash of sensors, the crackle of my comms.My HUD booted up with a hum. I frowned. After experiencing the Spartan's intuitive display, my command capsule no longer felt as impressive. This Valkyrie would have to suffice.My cameras showed only sand, swirling clouds of dust kicked up by the impact of my landing. It blocked my view, shrouding me in darkness for a few moments, until at last it cleared, swept away by the desert winds.We'd arrived.The ground was pockmarked, cratered by fallen debris, and large clouds of dust marked where mechs were landing. Overhead, I could see the open squares of dropship hangars poking out from behind their stealth plating like hatches in the sky.Terminus' impact zone was even larger from the ground-the ship's back half jutted into the air like a topp
Games of Invictus Chapter 106 (YEAR 2052)
The squad of Erebus mechs powered forward, each now effectively untouchable. They would've been a terrible threat to us, had they activated their stealth five seconds later.When the Erebus at the head of the pack was a mere half-kilometre away it paused for a moment, slowing slightly.I'd like to think that every single Erebus pilot realized their mistake a moment too late. Each pilot discovered that their stealth had run out when they were close enough to fight, but too close to run away.Realizing their mistake, many of the Erebus mechs turned tail anyway, abandoning the Apollo. However, they'd pushed too far and too fast. They were now without cover or stealth."Commander," Kedrick gasped, "that was genius.""I'm not done, yet," I replied."Let's mop 'em up," Martin chuckled.I unloaded my rocket launcher at the fleeing Erebus mechs, slicing the air with spears of fire. My first target made it five steps before the missiles caught it, bending the mech like tinfoil under the explos
Games of Invictus Chapter 107 (YEAR 2052)
"Watch your step!" Martin called. "It's a bit treacherous in here.""Are we out of range?" I asked."Until those Aegis mechs get closer, yes," Alyx responded."Portable energy shields," Martin sighed. "What's next?""Damn laser," Kitt grumbled. "Blew a hole in my front shield.""Better your shield than any of us," I responded. "Keep moving."The interior of Terminus' vast hangar had appeared dim from the outside, but a massive hole in the ship's ceiling let sunlight into the space, filling it with an uncharacteristically welcoming glow. As my eyes adjusted I took in the space around me.Mechanical arms hung limply from their rails on the ceiling, as lifeless as the rest of the ship, and the twisted remains of scaffolding marked where mechs once resided. Like Terminus itself, the entire hangar was on a slight upwards angle towards the damaged front section of the vessel, making traversal dangerous. A single row of unbroken LED lights remained attached to the scorched ceiling, flickerin
Games of Invictus Chapter 108 (YEAR 2052)
Report: QuinnAirspace above the Mojave Desert.United States of America.Crash site of an Axion warship.Designation: "Project Terminus"It was like nothing I had ever seen. One moment Sojwa's Xiezhi was marching toward us across the desert, and the next there was a massive impact and a rolling wave of sand."We're being bombed!" I shouted. "Get to cover!"Gunfire broke through the dust cloud, followed by the thunderous sound of rockets. The Xiezhi came flying out of the smoke, railguns flashing.Stark white armour and four burning jet engines were my first glimpse at the Titan that burst from the smoke, twin shotguns clawing at Sojwa's silver shield.Sojwa's Xiezhi was worse for wear-deep, jagged claw marks marred her silver shield, tearing the metal down the middle."That was close!" Sojwa exclaimed. "How the hell didn't I see that Titan coming?"I focused my Valkyrie's rocket launchers on the approaching enemy, sending a salvo of fire in its direction. Despite its unexpected entra
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Games of Invictus Special Chapter (YEAR 2042)
Report: FiskA few hundred meters beneath Rome.Italy.Centro di produzione TMC, divisione di Roma.(TMC production center, Roman division.)"Can't be too careful," Carl smiled.My heart skipped a beat. Did he know?I'd seen Jackson duck behind the Punisher-T from when I'd entered. I assumed Karen was behind it, too. I had to keep Carl away from my allies long enough for them to escape.It dawned on my how ironic this was. A few weeks ago I would've been furious to learn how unobservant and arrogent Carl was. Now? I was happy. His ego would be our saving grace. I just had to keep him talking."So when do I hear about this Exodus," I said, sweeping my arm around Carl and leading him away from the computer. "I'd like to hear all about it."Carl looked enthused, a beaming grin spreading across his face, and he turned towards me. I followed his lead as we marched a few dozen feet away towards a large tarp, and stopped."Well," he said, "everyone loves rapid-fire rocket weapons. You have y
Games of Invictus Special Chapter (YEAR 2042)
The hallway smelled of oil and cleaner, burning my nose as I marched, boots squeaking against the steel floor. The hallway was cold and dimly lit, with only a few eerie orange lights for decoration. Beyond this hall was the factory floor and our goal.Karen and I moved quickly, and I couldn't shake the feeling we were being pursued. I knew almost nothing about the layout of the underground factory, we were unarmed, and we had no disguise of any kind. I was just grateful that the guards were busy dealing with the riots on the surface. If I listened closely I could still hear the dull roar of the crowds, even through the massive steel doors.Those doors hadn't been a problem- only those guarding them. We'd selected an entrance on the opposite side of the city, as far away from the riots as possible. Surveillance was lax there, with only two guards. The TMC soldiers I'd seen looked identical to the men and women Draco had been with at Yamantau- black body armor and powerful rifles.Fortu
Games of Invictus Special Chapter (YEAR 2042)
Report: QuinnThe bustling city of Rome.Italy.The Via Claudia.Temperature: 25° Celsius (77°F)Rome. City of marble and ruins. Rome's ancient history, once the life of so many a historian, was that of dominance, failure and reinvention. Just like the city of old, the Roman capital had fallen to civil war shortly before the Third World War. Rebellion ravaged Italy's capital, with it's citizens taking a stand against their complacent government. Although Italy's political superiors refused to partake in the World War, they knew they would not be safe for long.When the warheads were launched, many cities were targeted, Rome included. But despite the accusations of its citizens, the Italian government had been preparing. In a joint effort with China, two massive energy shields were deployed over Shenzhen and Rome, sparing them from the nuclear fire that consumed so much of the rest of the world.The OMEGA Horizon Shield, known by the locals as the 'scudo orizzonte', saved their lives.
Games of Invictus Special Chapter (YEAR 2042)
Report: QuinnThe bustling city of Rome.Italy.Outside the Colosseum.Temperature: 27° Celsius (81°F)Something behind me shattered, spraying my back, legs and neck with bits of rubble as I ran. The hot sun beat against my face as my pursuers grew closer.I didn't know if it was a person or the robot who fired, but seconds later something warm and bright zipped past my head and struck a decorative statue in front of my, shattering an outstretched arm. The plaster sprayed my face as I ran, and a moment later my head was warm. I stepped around a group of fleeing pedestrians and glanced back, seeing the ball cap laying in the center of the street, hooked around the statue's stony fingers.Oh, well. The hat didn't matter.After all, the contents of the tablet in my pocket were much more important.I tapped my right ear, triggering the hearing-aid that doubled as my comms earpiece."Karen," I shouted, "do you copy?"A gasping, flushed voice crackled over the comms. Gunfire I heard in my l
Games of Invictus Special Chapter (YEAR 2042)
In war, your greatest enemy is often yourself. We all begin war pure, fighting for righteousness' sake, but then the ego steps in, the hubris and the greed, and you feel invincible. But eventually you'll wake up and realize that you're not fighting for righteousness' sake anymore, you're not invincible, and that you're a long way from home. Looking back at everything that happened, I would say that this applies to myself, as well. I would be lying if I didn't say I had regrets. It's over now, I suppose. All is said and done. I never wanted to become a War Robot pilot, you know. I never expected it. When the first War Robot was built I was too young to know what I wanted to be when I was older. Before I knew it, the Iron War consumed my freedom to choose my fate. I joined the Chinese-Canadian Alliance on my own free will, sure, but the very fact that this was a choice I felt compelled to make illustrates my point. Every day the Iron War takes. It takes lives, yes, as do all wars, but
Games of Invictus Chapter 124: END (YEAR 2052)
Report: Park Just off the coast of Nova Scotia. Canada. The remains of an Alliance base. Former designation: "The Firmament" Six hours later... Powerful halogen floodlights scanned the ocean surface, making the water shine. The blinding glow traced along the sides of the tower, across the film of oil and over floating debris. The fires that had consumed the Firmament were almost gone, leaving charred metal and burning oil in their wake. The flames provided little to see by-even the moon was hidden by clouds, so the searchlight was necessary. I stood in the cockpit of the dropship, staring down at the water as the vessel scanned the detritus. If something useful was found, the ship's mechanical arm system would target it, snatching it from the oil slick and pulling it inside. It had continued like this for over ten minutes, with little more than scraps discovered. "We have to go, Taewi," the dropship's pilot demanded. Her eyes were wide with worry, and her hands were a tan blu
Games of Invictus Chapter 123 (YEAR 2052)
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing, sacrificing my mech?"A blur of motion swept past the Firmament, snatching the Exodus out of the sky.A dropship."Laura?" I exclaimed. "You came back!""Looks like I got here just in time, too!" Laura replied. "I've got your friend-get the hell out of here! Rendezvous in Shenzhen!""But Mallet-" Alyx began."-can take care of herself!" Laura shot back. "Trust in her, she's your General for a reason! We need to go!""We're out!" Lucas called. The dropship lurched forward.The remaining Zephyrus, distracted by Kedrick's disappearance, didn't see our ship slip by them. We were out of their range in moments.My comms crackled, fading in and out."We're losing close-range radio," Dan informed me."I'll see you guys in China!" Kedrick shouted. He had to fight for his voice to be audible over the encroaching static. "Stay strong!"The comms cut out in a burst of static, and I slumped into a nearby seat.Kedrick was safe, but everything else was
Games of Invictus Chapter 122 (YEAR 2052)
After a moment of catching our breath, Dan, Draco, Alyx and I gathered ourselves and jogged into the cockpit where Lucas sat, fingers dancing across the controls."Strap the hell in!" he bellowed. Everyone scrambled to get to their seats."No!" Lucas glared, gesturing at Draco, "not you. Zip-tie yourself to that seat or you'd better hope you can fly!"Draco frowned, but did as he was told, taking a new pair of the plastic ties from Lucas' outstretched hand and latching himself to a seat.The dropship leapt into the air, soaring away from the battle."We're here to grab you when you need it, Kedrick," Lucas stated.Our forces, sensing this was a losing battle, had begun to retreat. Around us, the Zephyrus swarmed in unison, moving as if at the will of some invisible puppet master. Instead of shooting down the mechs as they were picked up, we watched in horror as they began to fly directly into the path of dropships, bringing them down."The hell?" Draco screamed. "This is suicide! This
Games of Invictus Chapter 121 (YEAR 2052)
The Firmament was built to function at a high altitude, but that didn't necessarily mean that its inhabitants were.The massive tower was well above the height that command capsules could safely travel, as the winds were so strong that they would be blown off course.The second issue was the fact that the entire upper dome of the ship was swarming with Zephyrus.Having breached the glass dome that took up most of the tower's roof, the winged mechs were using the remainder of the surface as a staging ground, gathering up top before descending into the tower to wreak havoc. With the dome gone, the surface area of the Firmament's highest point was about the same as an interior level-a large, circular platform with a gaping hole in its centre.Alyx, Draco and I stood in an emergency airlock on the top level of the Firmament, staring across the open surface of the tower.In its past life as a launch platform, the Firmament's upper deck had been where satellite and weather systems were loca
