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Chapter 81 (YEAR 2052)
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Games of Invictus Chapter 82 (YEAR 2052)
Report: Fisk The Nevada Desert. Arizona. Axion manufacturing base. Designation: "The Forge" "A large celestial object on an irregular course." The screen switched to static for a moment as it leapt signals to a new station. "The object is estimated to be over one-hundred times the mass of the International Space Station. Our satellites can't get a good look at it yet, but it is widely agreed that the object is not a natural phenomenon." More static. Another channel. "NORAD picked up the object when it broke low orbit around the moon at 3:23 AM, eastern time. While nations the world over are denying knowledge of this strange object, some theorize that its construction is yet another attack by warmongering insurgents." More static. More panic. I smiled. As of yet, nobody knew where the ship was coming from, or where it was headed. I turned my gaze to Andros Oakley, who stood attentive beside me. "Reactors one through five are nominal," he informed me. "Killswitch arrays are re
Games of Invictus Chapter 83 (YEAR 2052)
Report: Quinn The Annamite Mountain Range. Vietnam. I could feel the rumble of the dropship's engines as I pressed my face against the triple-layered glass, gazing down at the lush rainforest below. The glistening trees whipped by in a shimmering blur of green as we roared through the air. We flew above the jungles of Vietnam. A hand swatted the back of my head, knocking my nose off the glass. I whipped around, glaring at Lucas, who stood, innocently fumbling with the ship's controls. Behind me, Dan shook his head and sighed incredulously. Both Stonewood brothers were nervous about the mission to come, but each displayed it differently. Dan paced the small cabin, checking and rechecking latitude and longitude calculations on a small handheld tablet. Lucas had placed the dropship on autopilot and was running some systems checks to keep himself occupied. His practical jokes were an attempt to diffuse the tension, a trick he'd picked up from Taewi. Lucas missed Taewi more than any
Games of Invictus Chapter 84 (YEAR 2052)
The Third World War had been short and brutal. The war lasted three days and involved no armies. Millions of people died. I had only been two years old, far too young to understand the atrocity of war. I had no memory of the day, so my knowledge of the events prior was based only on historical records. An argument during a meeting of the United Nations led to months of cold war. One ill-timed rant from a prominent leader escalated the conflict. Endless demonstrations, shows of power and threats followed before a nuclear drill was mistaken for the real thing. August fifteenth, 2030. One nation launched a missile, another responded, and soon the world had to wake up and face a possibility that hadn't ever existed outside of science fiction movies. M.A.D. Mutually Assured Destruction. The official death toll of those three days of nuclear warfare is only estimated. At its end, after much of the world had been ravaged by missiles, the world's governments found a common ground strong
Games of Invictus Chapter 85 (YEAR 2052)
Report: Quinn The Annamite Mountain Range Vietnam. Abandoned Axion facility. Former designation: "The Crater" Our Sentinels were a few hundred yards from the bottom of the crater, mechanical legs pounding into the sheer cliff face. I had mentioned seeing signs of a dropship to the others, but we had decided to pretend like nothing was wrong. We had to act as though we hadn't seen the dropship hovering above us like an axe ready to fall. "You ready?" I asked. There was such a pause that I assumed he hadn't heard the question, but Martin responded with a sigh. "I guess we have to be. There goes our chance for a stealthy mission." We were not far from the bottom now, and I could see every building in clear detail. Despite the new building we'd seen, The Crater was still abandoned. Vines thatched every open surface, covering the walls in green veins. The buildings looked to be mostly stone and large chunks had broken off from many, falling to the mossy crater floor. A massive, he
Games of Invictus Chapter 86 (YEAR 2052)
"Here they come!" Martin called, his Sentinel raising into its defensive position beside mine. Twin Goliaths leapt out of the dust, plasma launchers spitting lines of fire toward us. Each easily cleared the height of the facility's smaller buildings, landing in the dirt in front of us with the thump of metal on stone. I wasted no time in opening fire, my twin autocannons rattling out shot after shot as the Goliaths advanced on us, plasma splashing off our shields. I couldn't have moved if I wanted to-the Sentinel's legs were locked and powered down, energy routed into overcharging my weapons. We didn't need to move. They came to us, and we would cut them down. My Sentinel's shield was almost fully in place now, covering most of my mech in solid lead. In moments I would be fully protected. Something exploded to my right, rocking me in my seat. The Crater was taking fire, stray bullets destroying parts of the buildings at random. I only hoped the warhead had not been hit. "What the
Games of Invictus Chapter 87 (YEAR 2052)
The gleaming Exodus was at once met with fire from the approaching Titans. Six white mechs eagerly leapt over each other, as if each one wished to be the one who claimed the honour of killing the infamous red mech. However, many, many mechs had tried to claim that honour before, and all had been left in the same state. Broken, thrown aside like discarded toys. I could hear Laura's shout as she launched into the air, a cry of joy. One moment the Exodus was a massive flying target, and the next it was invisible, as far as my HUD was concerned. I watched the Exodus plunge into the midst of the Titans, its signal deadener taking them by surprise. Today Laura had strapped a pair of rocket launchers to the red kettle of death, crowning it with a heavy shotgun. These weapons went to work as the Titans regrouped, turning their mechs and trying to shoot her despite not being locked on. A few leapt up into the air, thinking they'd escaped damage, and were instead greeted by the unrelenting fo
Games of Invictus Chapter 88 (YEAR 2052)
"How's it going, Laura?" I called. "These Titan pilots are getting smarter," Lehman responded. I caught a glimpse of her Exodus in mid-jump, sweeping downwards like a comet. "Then it's time to do something stupid!" Martin called. Laura scoffed. "I'm ready for stupid!" My Sentinel was close behind Martin's by now and I braced myself for the inevitable impact. I stomped forward at the fastest speed my Sentinel could muster. Our mechs collided, orange armour smashing together. Everything shook. My HUD flickered and a silent proximity alarm began to flash in the corner of my HUD. I grimaced at the screech of metal on metal but pushed my controls forward nonetheless. My Sentinel's legs furrowed the ground as I began pushing Martin forward. Great chunks of stone were thrown aside as his Sentinel's legs, still planted firmly, slid along the mossy crater floor like a plow tilling a field. "It's working!" Martin whooped. The Titans, unaware of the trick they were so perfectly falling f
Games of Invictus Chapter 89 (YEAR 2052)
The Xiezhi towered above me, smoke rising from its massive armoured shield. It had intercepted the static cannon's blast, saving everyone. I slowly grew to understand my situation. The Koreans had been keeping an eye on us for a while. Axion had only sent five mechs for reinforcements. The sixth impact, the one that had landed beside me moments ago, had been the Xiezhi. "What say you?" The Xiezhi demanded, voice resonating with power despite the poor audio connection. "What say I?" I grinned. "Welcome aboard!" "Good," the Xiezhi pilot replied, "then there is no need for secrecy anymore." The pilot paused for a moment, and my comms feed crackled. A moment later the pilot sighed, and I could tell something had changed. "There," the pilot remarked, "no need to disguise my voice among allies." Instead of the gravelly, distorted tone I had come to expect from the Xiezhi's mysterious pilot, the comm was filled with a lighter voice that radiated with the same strength. "My name is Soj
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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
