Free Indomitable by W. C. Bauers

straight to the system’s pockets. We are not screwing anyone. The Greys see themselves as the savior, and the Corporate Congress the villain. As far as the Greys are concerned, any target is fair game.”
    â€œMilitary and civilian,” Promise added with disgust.
    â€œUnfortunately, yes. Five weeks ago we lost three crawlers and two mine shafts. Hundreds of miners and civilian contractors died in the last year alone. Able Battalion’s wounds are company-sized. There’s about a million souls living in Nexus: contractors and research firms, scientists, a couple of university branches, and a host of small businesses and venture-capital firms, plus all the service and support outfits to keep everyone fat and happy. That’s a lot of warm bodies to target. That’s why we’re deploying.
    â€œThe Grey Walkers’ commander, Walker Greystone, is a fierce guerrilla fighter known for his unorthodox battlefield tactics and megalomaniac ruthlessness. The man was a history teacher in his first life. Mr. Greystone apparently blows his top more frequently than the volcanoes on Sheol do. He’s at the top of our most-wanted list and we have orders to shoot him on sight. We’ve been authorized to use enhanced interrogation techniques on his people: cold; heat; noise; sleep dep; bad music; reduced calories; and the infamous grab-and-hold. If that doesn’t make the terrorists cream their skivvies we may up-pressurize select, high-value targets, if the threat risk is deemed critical. There’s nothing like a little simulated high-altitude pulmonary edema to induce panic. Between you and me I hope we get the chance to take some Greys sky-high.”
    Halvorsen paused and turned in his chair to face Promise. “I don’t have to tell you how badly the Lusitanians want this planet. Marine Intelligence believes the Lusies are fronting the Greys, and that together they will do almost anything to halt our mining efforts. One way or the other—Greys or Lusies—we are going to take fire.”
    â€œI’ve faced the Lusies before, sir. The thought of facing them again doesn’t exactly excite me,” Promise said with a tight smile, “but between you and me, sir, I wouldn’t mind a few more targets. They nearly put me in the morgue.” Promise pointed to the scar above her left ear. She turned in to the light of the holotank to give the colonel a good look.
    â€œBack on Montana, right? An explosion cracked your brain bucket and your skull.” The colonel shifted toward her. “So your AI jacks into your brain-box and starts driving you.” Halvorsen gritted his teeth. “How did it feel to have your AI mucking around in your jelly?”
    â€œIt’s a total blur, sir. I don’t remember a thing.”
    â€œProbably best.”
    â€œSir, perhaps now’s a good time to bring up a somewhat sensitive matter?”
    â€œYou mean because I’m in such a good mood. Well, don’t let it fool you. It won’t last.”
    â€œThen all the more reason, sir.”
    â€œShoot.”
    â€œVictor Company isn’t ready to deploy, sir. If I’m being honest, we aren’t ready for a lot of things.”

 
    Ten
    APRIL 19 TH , 92 A.E., STANDARD CALENDAR, 1041 HOURS
    REPUBLIC OF ALIGNED WORLDS PLANETARY CAPITAL—HOLD
    RNS NITRO, PARKING ORBIT WHISKEY-ECHO 6
    â€œWhat?” Lieutenant Colonel Halvorsen’s good mood was now nowhere to be found. Sheol’s light filled the holotank and the red-stained whites of his eyes, which could have melted through six centimeters of peristeel plating.
    There’s the colonel the gunny warned me about.
    â€œThat is not what I wanted to hear, Lieutenant, especially when I was just beginning to like you. Explain yourself.”
    â€œSir, as you know, my unit has only just reconstituted. I’ve got a handful of toons fresh out of boot camp and the School of Infantry. They came to