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Chapter 96 (YEAR 2052)
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Games of Invictus Chapter 97 (YEAR 2052)
Report: FiskThe Nevada Desert.Arizona.Axion manufacturing base.Designation: "The Forge"The circular command centre was filled with row upon row of powerful computers, each filled by a skilled technician. At the front of the room, a tactical team analyzed footage streamed onto a massive monitor.None of them could stop the inbound warhead.As the command center around me exploded into a panicked frenzy, calculating trajectory, bracing the ship for impact, I simply stood quiet.A man of finance knows when a loss is simply unavoidable. This was one of those times.Project Terminus hung suspended in the inky void of space. When observed closely by the approved personnel, it was easy to see that the warship had taken its influence from the modern dropship-Terminus' frame and form were of the same angular, streamline design. The difference, however, was in both the size and power of the vessels. Where a dropship utilized four jet thrusters on its bottom and the end of its fuselage, Ter
Games of Invictus Chapter 98 (YEAR 2052)
Report: QuinnJust off the coast of Nova Scotia.Canada.Alliance home base.Designation: "The Firmament"We were once again gathered in the makeshift briefing room, mismatched chairs and tables assembled near the edge of one of the Firmament's highest platforms. Around us, the levels far below hummed with activity.Dropships and mechs alike whirled through the open space, flying from platform to platform or gliding along on mechanical tracks that lead them through various stages of preparation.A ramshackle stage had been constructed near the far wall, a hastily assembled platform consisting of a few tables and a cotton sheet.Mallet paced the stage, and I could see her hands clasped behind her back. It felt odd to be standing up onstage next to her instead of down there in the audience, awaiting orders.A sea of red jumpsuits gazed back. Our gathering of some fifty-odd pilots was less than we had ever possessed but still enough to finish the job our allies had died for."This is it,
Games of Invictus Chapter 99 (YEAR 2052)
I approached the lift in better spirits than I had been an hour ago. Our plan for tomorrow was set-Martin, Sojwa and I had convened with Mallet and were sure of our strategy.Curiously enough, Laura had been oddly absent from the meeting. I hadn't seen her slip away, so I was unsure what had transpired.Martin, for his part, had done his best to seem unaffected by whatever discussion he and Laura had had during the briefing. However, it hadn't been hard to catch his focus drifting from time to time.Sojwa was as ready as any of us. Her squadron of nine was a welcome addition to our Alliance's struggling ranks, and their Xiezhi would be powerful assets in the battle to come. Interestingly enough, Mallet and Sojwa had been on very good terms during the meeting; considering Sojwa's surprise arrival at our supposedly hidden base, I was beginning to suspect that Mallet had long since known Taewi's past.Strategy set and plans prepared, all that was left to do was wait. Although time was of
Games of Invictus Chapter 100 (YEAR 2052)
I sat down in the plush pilot's chair, drinking in the Spartan's spacious cockpit once more. The air smelled sharp, of rust and oil, and a few displaced interior panels let me see into the mechanical guts of the mech.It was near dark, and the Spartan's interior was cloaked in late evening shadow, hidden from the garish glow of the LED lights outside. The sounds of machinery were almost completely silenced by the layers of wire and metal that surrounded me, making the cockpit feel like a world unto itself."Spartan is now active."I jumped in my seat once more. I wasn't used to a mech that was able to turn itself on.A now-familiar hum resonated in the space around me as the Spartan powered up, the sounds of its inner workings slightly louder and more defined.The heads-up display flickered to life, and I waited as the voice I now recognized as Phalanx ran through its opening routine."DNA sequence recognized," Phalanx announced. "Nuclear reactor is at full charge, Phalanx AI is onlin
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
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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
