Iron Empire

Thirty-Six: Finish The Fight

Report: Quinn
Just off the coast of Nova Scotia.
Canada.
Alliance home base.
Designation: "The Firmament"

We'd returned to the Firmament in near-complete silence, unable to talk about what had happened.

The final tally, as I'd last heard, was fifteen pilots shot down in cold blood. Fifteen men and women who had just wanted the war to end. That meant around seventy-five mechs didn't have pilots.

We'd also abandoned seventeen mechs during our retreat, meaning Axion would soon be able to reproduce our Barricades and Predators.

To add insult to injury, I still wasn't sure what Project Terminus was. Killswitch had been a powerful weapon and I was sure we hadn't seen the last of it, but something told me that Terminus was something entirely different.

The debrief had been short, with Commander Telbus doing most of the talking. Martin had commended the surviving pilots, myself included, for undaunting courage in the face of death. There was talk of medals. Nobody wanted them. Nobody felt like a hero.

Afterwards, I gave Mallet what information I had about the blueprints and what Fisk had told me.

I'd skipped eating supper and retired to my bunk for the night. There I lay, staring at the bottom of the empty bunk above me. It would likely remain empty for some time now.

Guilt roiled in my gut and I fought against it. I knew better than to blame myself for Taewi's death, but the feeling gnawed at the hollow in my stomach, making me wish I had somehow done more.

The gold coin sat on the edge of my bunk, untouched. I didn't want to look at it.

I hadn't liked Taewi much. He had been a rash and messy ally who often talked a bigger game than he could actually play. Yet he had been a part of my life, of my family, flaws and all.

Suddenly, the door slid open, interrupting my thoughts.

Dan and Lucas wandered in, followed by Martin, Alyx and Kedrick. Nobody spoke as they filed into the small, windowless bunkroom, taking their seats on the bunks belonging to myself, Lucas and Dan.

Nobody touched Taewi's bed.

For the longest time, we sat in solemn silence together.

After a moment, Lucas gave a quiet cough, running his hand through his blonde hair. He sat closest to me, at the edge of my bunk.

"It's funny," he breathed, "I still half expect to see Taewi's head dangling off the top bunk."

There was a round of quiet chuckles, then more silence.

A moment later, Martin cleared his throat. His right arm still hung limp at his side, synthetic skin shredded.

"I would never have told him, but I thought his military jargon was a good idea," he smiled. "Oscar kilo, and all that."

Another round of chuckles.

"To be honest, he knew more about most mechs than I did," Dan contributed.

"He wasn't afraid to show off," Alyx supplied, "nor would he stop showing off if you asked him."

More laughter. Despite myself, I grinned.

"He was a damn good pilot," Kedrick stated.

"And a damn fine friend," I finished.

We sat in silence once more, and the gnawing feeling in my gut lessened.

About a minute later, Lucas leaned towards me.

"Jackson," he began, "I heard you talking to Draco over the comms."