Free Dead Mech by Jake Bible

office right now.” Capreze turned and left.
    “You too Rookie!” he called back.
    ***
    Jethro switched from viewpoint to view
point, hoping his eyes were just playing tricks on him. They
weren’t.
    “Jay? You still in the gym?”
    “No. Heading back your way,” Jay answered
over the com. “What’s up?”
    “You have your tablet?”
    “Yeah, sure.”
    “Good. I’m shooting over an image. This is
going to freak your shit out.”
    Jethro waited a moment. “You seeing
that?”
    “Hold on,” Jay barked. “Oh sweet fuckin’
Jeezus with eggs…”
    The com was silent.
    “Jay? You still there?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Should we call Capreze?”
    “No. Not until we are sure.”
    “Fine. Should I pull One back?”
    “Not yet.”
    ***
    “You are confined to barracks, Pilot,” the
Commander ordered. Bisby’s face reddened and he opened his mouth to
speak, but Capreze instantly cut him off. “I don’t want to hear it,
Biz. You know what you did. Regardless of what happened yesterday I
need to know you can keep it together out here. If I have any
doubts, any doubts at all, I’ll ground you and put you on KP with
Steve. Are we understood?”
    Emotions swam across Bisby’s face before
settling on furious resignation. “Yes, sir. I understand
completely.”
    “Good. Send in my daughter on your way out.
Dismissed.”
    ***
    “How far out is it?” Jay asked, pouring two
cups of coffee from a large thermos. “Is it close enough for a full
scan?”
    “It’s been close enough for the last ten
minutes. I’m getting nothing,” Jay responded.
    “Is there something wrong with One’s
scanners?”
    “No. Full diagnostic shows them working
perfectly.”
    “What the fuck…?” Jay mused. He handed
Jethro a cup and sat down. “Let’s try something. Does One have
short wave?”
    “Sure. All the mini’s do.”
    “Good. Start scanning the bands.”
    Jethro typed quickly. Static filled the
speakers then a high-pitched keening began.
    Jay smiled. “That sneaky bastard…”
    ***
    “Okay, I know you’re mad, but--”
    “Sit down Rachel,” Capreze interrupted. “I’m
not mad.”
    Rachel sat down, puzzled, having expected a
thorough chewing out.
    “How are you holding up?” Capreze asked.
    “Um, fine,” Rachel answered, confused.
    “Stan was like family.” Capreze closed his
eyes briefly. “He was our only connection to life before this base.
Now, it’s just you and me, Baby Girl.”
    Rachel stood and crossed behind Capreze’s
desk. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. “No, Papa
Bear, that’s not true. We’ve got all those assholes out there,
too.”
    Capreze laughed and hugged his daughter.
    ***
    “Mother fucker. Jam me will ya,” Jay
muttered, furiously typing commands. He cocked his head and
listened to the screech coming from the short wave. With a flourish
he tapped the enter key one last time and pushed away from the
console. “Try that bitch!”
    The short wave signal immediately went back
to normal static. Jethro jumped as One’s scanners started picking
up and streaming data.
    “It’s a deader!” Jethro crowed. “An almost
dead deader. These readings show the zombie pilot has nearly
starved back to death. And…”
    “What?!?” Jay asked impatiently.
    “The fucking thing is carrying Three!”
Jethro exclaimed.
    ***
    “How are you and Mathew doing?” Capreze
asked Rachel.
    “What? How? You…?” Rachel stuttered.
    Capreze laughed. “Don’t act so surprised. I
am the base Commander, it’s my job to notice these things.”
    Rachel snorted. “Well, good job, sir.”
    “How’s the Rookie?”
    “He’ll be fine. I think he’s a natural. If he can handle a mech.”
    “Well, let’s speed that up. I want you and
Mathew out on patrol tomorrow. Take the Rookie with,” Capreze held
up a hand, cutting off Rachel’s protest. “I need to see how he
handles the waste ASAP.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Capreze smiled. “Okay, send him in.”
    ***
    Jay and Jethro watched the image