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Chapter 52 (YEAR 2052)
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Games of Invictus Chapter 53 (YEAR 2052)
Ahead of us, the two other dropships faded into oblivion, camouflaged. We were an invisible convoy on a much-needed errand. Lucas pushed my feet aside and thumbed a button on the console. The hum from the nuclear reactor deadened slightly. "Adaptive camouflage activated and nuclear signal masked," he grinned. "We are off the radar both physically and electronically." He leaned back in his seat. "Now we wait." Behind me, Kitt sighed dramatically. "Are we there yet?" "I'll toss you from the hangar and you can swim home," Lucas glowered. In reality, the trip from Canada to Italy would take no time at all. The dropship, when pushed to its absolute limit, could fly several times faster than sound. At minimum, it could comfortably fly faster than even the most powerful pre-war airplane. The dropship's stealth, combined with its speed, made the transport easily deadlier than the fighter jets of old, though less maneuverable. Had someone decided to strap weapons to one of these, the Iro
Games of Invictus Chapter 54 (YEAR 2052)
Report: Quinn The interior of a dropship. Three-hundred feet above sea level. International airspace. Seventy minutes later our dropship was once again cruising over the Russian countryside. A massive, concrete dam dominated the eastern horizon, watching over a winding riverbed like a silent guardian. The once-pristine river was a dry trench in the ground, dividing the landscape in half. On the south bank of the river sat a farm, an old agricultural center abandoned years ago. A field of various crops swayed in the breeze, now too overgrown and irradiated to be remotely safe to eat. A small farmhouse sat abandoned next to a ring of rusting metal silos. The northern shore of the river was home to the Stalnoy mining district, a patchwork grid of rusty metal depots and tall buildings slicing into the sky. Two bridges jutted out of the district like arms, clutching the opposite side of the river. Crumbling concrete ramps lead down towards the riverbed at various intervals, boat laun
Games of Invictus Chapter 55 (YEAR 2052)
A short time later my Crusader landed on its feet, stumbling slightly in the dry soil of the drained riverbed. Dust flew up around me, a small sandstorm's worth to any human nearby. Three other plumes of dust and three ready signals told me the rest of the squad had touched down in their mechs unharmed. This wasn't like the infiltration of the Lighthouse powerplant. We weren't hiding anymore. If there were enemies, they were likely now alerted to our position. It would be an all-out battle. I rotated my Crusader's body, trying to get a feel for the British mech. Its large shield hung at my side, ready to defend me at the push of a button. This particular Crusader came equipped with two bulbous plasma launchers, the same weapon I had used on my Prowler. At least I was comfortable with the mech's weapons, if not the Crusader itself. My heads-up display flashed blue as my Crusader's cameras scanned the barren landscape. Because, unlike Moscow, there was very little radioactive inter
Games of Invictus Chapter 56 (YEAR 2052)
Report: Quinn The west coast of Russia. An abandoned mining facility. Designation: Stalnoy It felt like a shove to the back. My head almost hit my control panel as my entire mech tipped backward. My saving grace was my shield, which helped to counterbalance me and stop the wall of shrapnel that flew my way. A wave of flame swept over me, the heat stifling even inside my insulated command capsule. The mech had been a bomb. Axion had built a bomb. How could the mech's pilot survive that? The answer made me sick. Nobody was supposed to survive that. Project Apollo was the Iron War's first true suicide mech. Dust choked my vision, chunks of riverbed turned into a fine mist by the blast. I scanned the area, ready for an attack that never came. To my right, a rock the size of a truck was embedded in the soil, unearthed by the blast and pushed along the riverbed like a curling stone. It glowed red, matching the colour of the front of my shield, and was the only discerning feature in a
Games of Invictus Chapter 57 (YEAR 2052)
The district was a jumble of buildings, some squat, flat warehouses and others high-rises of gleaming glass and steel. The center of the mining district was divided by yet another set of bridges. These short, wide platforms had once been used to transport raw ores across an emergency drainage channel in the days when the swift river was a source of worry. The emergency channel below the bridges, like the river itself, was empty, long dried out when the dam had been closed. Now those bridges served to divide something else. They divided us from our enemy. I was certain that there were many more Apollo left-more suicide mechs ready to wipe us off the face of the planet. Ironically, our biggest advantage against the enemy was Harlow's constant bragging. "Feeling rattled, Quinn?" Harlow crooned. "I should hope so. That explosive power was made for busting bunkers. Each Apollo can overcharge their reactor with the force of an anti-tank mine!" That confirmed my suspicions. More Apollo w
Games of Invictus Chapter 58 (YEAR 2052)
My Crusader staggered, nearly toppling, as a flameless explosion buffeted me backwards. "What the hell?" I gasped. "They were nowhere near me! What hit me?" "I don't know," Kitt replied. The fear in his voice was tangible. "It looked like the air itself struck your shield!" None of the Apollo had moved an inch closer, yet I'd been hit by something like a small explosion. How? "You assumed the Apollo was a short-range mech, didn't you?" Harlow gloated. "But you forgot that self-destruction is not its intended purpose! The Apollo is a giant air compressor, intaking massive quantities of air and jettisoning it in one blast. Venting the air through the reactor creates a fireball of oil vapour, but if it's used as intended the attack is invisible!" "He's shooting us with compressed air?" Kedrick gasped. The Apollo stared me down, unwavering. Now that Harlow had so helpfully gloated about it, I could see two small circular vents on each Apollo's front. Those had to be the source of the
Games of Invictus Chapter 59 (YEAR 2052)
I watched in horror as Kedrick's command capsule shot into the sky. So much for plan B. "Oh Jax," a mocking singsong voice crooned, "we have unfinished business!" "Harlow is here!" Kitt shouted. "How did a mech that large sneak up on me?" "Doesn't matter," I replied. "Taewi, see if you can keep him busy. I'll try to lose these Apollo!" The remaining six Apollo were closing in on my position. They were getting smarter, herding me in the direction they wanted by advancing on me from different sides. Every so often a mech would drop back and fire a shot or two of compressed air, keeping me from travelling in one direction for too long. "Jax!" Alyx shouted. "Swing down the closest street to the edge of the district. Lay 'em out and I'll blast a few away!" "But the Legion!" I protested. "If you step out of cover to shoot it'll take you out!" "No time, Jax!" Alyx roared. "My Lynx can take a lick or two, if not I'll just come back in something bigger!" "Harlow's headed your way!" Taew
Games of Invictus Chapter 60 (YEAR 2052)
In the distance, the roaring sound of the Apollo grew closer. Far below me, my Crusader's shield was missing, blown off by Harlow's assault. My mech had collapsed like a felled tree, breaking through many of the upper storeys of the skyscraper behind it. The building's many floors had halted my descent and held me somewhat upright, trapped between Harlow and a hard place. A few hundred yards away, three Apollo rounded the corner of a nearby city block. To my delight, not one of them slowed down to fire an air bullet. They were going to overcharge. Harlow's Goliath released its crushing pressure on my Crusader, taking a step back from my battered mech. "There," Harlow announced, "now you're not going anywhere! With your mech pushed into the side of this building, it's effectively immobile! Now if you'll excuse me, I'll retreat to a safe distance to watch the fireworks." Harlow's Goliath began to stomp away from me, walking backwards in the direction of his approaching allies. Harlo
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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
