“My dear, Major, few of my ideas are new. They are pet projects I have toyed with my entire life, or borrowed from by gone ages.”
“What else have you got?”
“These flying enemy soldiers, I hear about. You most probably know that man-portable jet packs are not a new idea. No, no, in fact they have existed for hundreds of years. However, they always faced one major flaw, the age-old problem of power and fuel to weight ratio. Any device with enough power and fuel to be useful was too large and bulky. Anything compact enough, could only allow minimal flight.”
“Go on,” replied Chandra.
I have added on a booster pack to all of the suits I have returned to you. In addition to the aerial decent thrusters that you have used previously, you will now be able to make jumps of approximately a kilometre. The suit will have enough power for perhaps two or three of these.”
“You mean we can fly?” asked Chandra in shock.
“Precisely, but only for those short periods, and you will need cooling off for up to ten minutes.”
“And if we run out of power?” asked Taylor.
“Anymore than two jumps before charging the suit, which would require cable charging or a day in sunlight, and the suit will be a dead weight.”
“You mean it’ll stop completely?”
“Precisely.”
“Shit, that’s something to remember,” Taylor muttered.
“Anyone else got these exo suits and guns yet?” asked Chandra.
General White has issued the first sets to Ranger and Delta units, I believe, as well as a select number of marines and others. They should be seeing use about now.”
“Good to know, finally kicking some ass on the home front,” replied Taylor.
“Now you must excuse me. This fighting stuff isn’t for me, and I have plenty more work to do.”
Chandra looked up at the eccentric scientist with a smile. She was fully aware he had gone above and beyond the call of duty to assist them.
“We won’t forget this.”
Reiter turned back one last time before he climbed onto the truck.
“Just keep doing what you’re doing, all of you, and good luck!”
The two officers turned and looked in amazement at the masses of equipment left for them, and that the troops were already eagerly rooting through. Chandra turned to Taylor.
“This big push through Ramstein, if they’d been able to do it weeks ago, they would have.”
“You’re thinking they’ve thrown in everything they’ve got?” asked Taylor.
“Yep, one big push to try and break our armies. If you can stop them here, we may just pull victory out of the hat.”
“It’s a tall order,” he replied.
“Tell me a single stage in this war that’s been simple? This enemy underestimated us. They underestimated our ability to adapt and overcome. I believe they are starting to see the possibility for failure.”
“Then let’s make sure they do.”
The fighting had raged on in the distance and gradually closed on the troops of the 2 nd Inter-Allied. They had watched as the wounded poured back towards peaceful lands. For once they were eagerly awaiting their foes. Taylor looked down and admired the new equipment he wore. He knew in his head it weighed more than he could ever manage, but it felt less of a burden than the gear he’d become so accustomed to in the corps.
“You know if it wasn’t for Reiter, we’d probably be dying here?” asked Chandra.
Taylor nodded at the grim realisation that hadn’t struck his mind.
“Let’s not fear for what could have been. We’re here now, and ready to make those bastards pay.”
“You know back in Ramstein, Jones was sent back to us the day we broke you out?”
“What of it?”
“He should never have been cleared for duty. You should have seen him out at the trenches. He wanted to die. He stood up in plain view of their fire and wanted to die.”
“And yet he’s still here?” replied Taylor.
“Not of his own accord. Silva dragged him from danger.”
Taylor sighed. He had not seen Jones since that frightful experience at the prison. But it was enough for him to understand that no man could go through what he had and come out the same. It was the horror of being left behind he had so feared and been saved from. Morbid curiosity made him wonder all the time what terrors Jones experienced at the hands of the enemy. But every time Taylor thought of it, his stomach churned at the idea of being stuck in the situation himself.
“What do you suggest we do?” he asked.
“I didn’t say I had an answer. You just needed to know.”
“I am not sure any of us will come out of this sane, but he’s alive and with us. Surely that’s enough, right now?”
“Enough for what? Enough that he keeps pulling the trigger and knocking the Mechs down? Jones is worth more than that to all of us, you know that?”
Jones turned to Chandra with a scornful look.
“How dare you question that? I gave up everything for Charlie…”
Taylor’s voice faded off as he looked around, checking none of the others could hear their discussion. Before he could continue, an explosion erupted just a few metres away. The two officers cowered down in their trench as they were showered in mud and clay. They looked up to see the remnants of the forward units retreating back towards them under fire.
“This has got to stop. Those alien scum don’t get past this trench, do you hear me?” yelled Chandra.
Taylor looked around to see everyone’s concern. The retreat did not help their spirits, but they were strong in the face of it all. As the retreating troops reached their trenches, Chandra stood up tall on the edge and called to them.
“Rally on us! Rally and fight with the Immortals!”
The hundreds of fleeing troops were mostly Polish and Czech forces. They looked in surprise at the Major’s heavy load out of equipment. They had all heard of the Immortals and their daring victories. Many slowed and began to listen.
“Fight with us! Join us, and end this fight!” she cried.
Troops of the 2 ^ nd Inter-Allied stood up in their trenches and followed their Major’s example, beckoning for the incoming soldiers to join them. Energy pulses continued to smash the ground, encouraging the Inter-Allied to pick up their pace. Chandra could make out the silhouettes of the Mechs advancing and hissed at the sight of them.
“Come on, into the trenches!”
Pulses from the enemy armour erupted amongst them, instantly killing a dozen as they desperately retreated across the open ground. She hated Schulz for putting them out there to die, but she still understood the necessity for doing so.
The fleeing troops slid into the trenches and landed hard among the Company. A Polish Sergeant rolled in beside Chandra and landed hard, almost breaking his neck. She reached forward and hauled him to his feet. Being without the Reitech suits for so long had made her forget what strength it gave. The man looked up at her in fear as his arm was nearly wrenched from its socket, and he flew into the trench wall beside her.
“Sorry about that, Sergeant!”
“No problem, Sergeant Jankowski at your service,” the man replied cheerfully as he winced in pain.
He ducked back down as further pulses smashed around them.
“They’re coming in fucking hard, Major. You honestly think you can stop them?” he asked.
She turned to see allied armour rolling down the roads to assist them. She looked north and south and could see lines of infantry dug in and in desperate need of a morale boost. Finally, she turned back to the Sergeant.
“We’ve done enough retreating for one day. It’s time to give them a taste of their own blood!”
The Pole smiled, but she could still see the doubt in his eyes.
