When times are hardest, we must persevere.\u00a0 When times are hopeless, we must keep the faith.\u00a0 When times are darkest, we must be the light.\u00a0 When casualties rise, we must take our turn at the battlements of freedom.\u00a0 If we do not, then who will?\u00a0 And what universe would we find if we do not.\u00a0 Those of us who can, must, or all will fall.\u00a0 And so I do.\u00a0 I always will.\u00a0 Because I have learned that the cost of freedom is worth it all.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A massive wolf came loping over the hill, ears forward, teeth bared, and all four feet a blur of motion.\u00a0 It was an impressive sight.\u00a0 Jack had watched wolves like this hunting moose in northern Minnesota all his life, and now one was running right at him.\u00a0 A real dire timberwolf the size of a small pony could send grown men running in terror.\u00a0 Jack would happily ride it into battle.\u00a0 The wolf looked big, mean, and dangerous.\u00a0 Jack liked him at first sight.\u00a0 The American flag on one uniformed shoulder and a Devil Dog patch on the other showed his affiliation, not that there was much of a question.\u00a0 The Chinese didn\u2019t have dire timberwolves in their army.\u00a0 Even the Marines had fewer Devil Dogs in their number than the old nickname suggested, but one Captain Jack Hart was happy to see them whenever he got the chance.<\/p>\n
The wolf scrambled to a stop, panting and slobbering all over the ground in front of him.\u00a0 \u201cOh, thank God,\u201d the wolf growled between taking deep lungfulls of air.\u00a0 \u201cWe thought you\u2019d bought the farm.\u201d\u00a0 The wolf paused to look around at the burning fields around them and shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cLiterally.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not into buying farms,\u201d Jack retorted.\u00a0 \u201cResorts maybe, but no farms for me.\u201d\u00a0 At the wolf\u2019s questioning look, Jack winked.\u00a0 \u201cWay too much work, and nowhere near enough time to chase the pretty girls.\u201d<\/p>\n
A bark of laughter escaped the wolf\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n
Jack waggled his eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cNow what\u2019s going on out there?\u201d<\/p>\n
The wolf sobered.\u00a0 \u201cGood news or bad news?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s cut to the bad news,\u201d Jack said with a sigh.<\/p>\n
The wolf growled.\u00a0 \u201cTheir main invasion force is digging into the edges of Landing City and we can\u2019t stop them.\u201d\u00a0 The wolf pointed back with his nose in the direction of gunfire.<\/p>\n
\u201cGot it.\u00a0 Can you go on back to your regiment and tell them the cavalry is coming?\u201d<\/p>\n
The wolf looked at the four Marines very doubtfully.\u00a0 \u201cThe four of you?\u00a0 You\u2019re the cavalry?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re Cowboys.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be a fair fight if we didn\u2019t spot them a few people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have five thousand troops, with mech and tank support,\u201d the dog growled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen it\u2019s a good thing I don\u2019t believe in fair fights,\u201d Jack recovered with a wince.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack set his jaw.\u00a0 \u201cYou ever been to International Falls?\u201d<\/p>\n
The wolf blinked and cocked his head to the side in confusion at the change in subject.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn Earth,\u201d Jack clarified.<\/p>\n
The wolf nodded slowly.\u00a0 \u201cOnce.\u00a0 When I was pup.\u00a0 Why?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack\u2019s lip twitched.\u00a0 \u201cI grew up there.\u201d\u00a0 The wolf\u2019s eyes opened wide and he nodded once.\u00a0 \u201cTrust me,\u201d Jack continued in a dark tone.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll think of something to do that these guys won\u2019t like.\u201d<\/p>\n
The wolf let out a deep growl that reverberated in Jack\u2019s chest.\u00a0 \u201cRoger that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell them we\u2019re on the way,\u201d Jack ordered.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sir,\u201d the wolf said, saluting Jack with his ears, and turned to lope away.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d Jack said, turning back to Jesse, Katy, and Natalie.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got a few thousand bad guys looking to get nailed.\u00a0 Any ideas on how to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPunch them hard,\u201d Jesse said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we can bluff them into thinking we can kill them all,\u201d Katy added.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr just make a lot of noise out here,\u201d Natalie said.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe we can divert some of them off the remaining defenses.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLike what we did to their warships?\u201d Jack asked and began scratching his jaw.\u00a0 It sounded like a good idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrecisely,\u201d Natalie answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI may have a better idea,\u201d Betty said and her holoform flickered into sight next to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in the middle of a battlefield, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack looked around at the smoking ruins.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m reasonably certain we are, yes..\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight.\u201d\u00a0 Betty aimed a quelling look at him.\u00a0 \u201cWell, maybe we can salvage some of this junk and use it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack looked around again.\u00a0 \u201cYou, me, and what technical crew?\u201d<\/p>\n
Betty sighed.\u00a0 \u201cYou know the Peloran upgrade kits handle our repairs?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nannies do it,\u201d Jack said with a shrug.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d Betty said with a roll of her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cThe nanites.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHang on.\u00a0 Are you saying the nannies can fix this hunk of junk?\u201d Jack asked and kicked the ruined Chinese tank next to them.\u00a0 It looked like it had taken a round clear through and out the other side.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Betty answered with a shake of her head.\u00a0 \u201cToo badly damaged and not enough nanites.\u00a0 But maybe we can find something that\u2019s only mostly<\/em> dead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA tank or two in any condition would make for a serious force multiplier,\u201d Katy said.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue.\u201d\u00a0 Jack scanned the wreckage around him and nodded very slowly.\u00a0 Any of these vehicles would be a powerful asset.\u00a0 \u201cOK people, spread out and start looking for something we can salvage.\u00a0 Natalie?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d the cyber asked, halfway through her turn to begin searching.<\/p>\n Jack pointed towards the hill the timberwolf had disappeared over.\u00a0 \u201cKeep watch for the bad guys, please.\u201d<\/p>\n She followed his gesture and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cWill do,\u201d she acknowledged and began walking towards the hill.<\/p>\n Jack returned to scanning the burned remnants of war machines all around them.\u00a0 Scattered shots echoed over the hill and smoke curled from jeeps and tanks alike.\u00a0 The smell of death and burned flesh filled his nose.\u00a0 It looked like a post-apocalyptic scene from a movie.\u00a0 He blinked and smoking buildings appeared for a moment.\u00a0 The two scenes smelled the same, though his memories didn\u2019t include the random gunfire.\u00a0 Jack blinked again and remains of International Falls returned to memory.<\/p>\n Jack cleared his throat and shook his head.\u00a0 He needed to be clear.\u00a0 His people counted on him.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t let them down.<\/p>\n \u201cJack?\u201d Betty asked, concern filling her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m good,\u201d Jack said and smiled at her holoform.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are so far from good you couldn\u2019t touch it with a three-meter pole,\u201d Jasmine said from his other side.<\/p>\n He turned to see her worried expression and shrugged.\u00a0 It only a hurt a little to shrug.\u00a0 He was getting better.\u00a0 \u201cThen I\u2019m alive.\u00a0 How about that?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty\u2019s hand touched his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s closer to accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor certain meanings of the word,\u201d Jasmine added.<\/p>\n \u201cJust try not to push it.\u201d\u00a0 Betty\u2019s smile said she was there for him.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Jack said with another shrug and looked at the ruins again.\u00a0 \u201cWell, those mostly<\/em> dead tanks and such aren\u2019t going to find themselves.\u201d\u00a0 He clapped his hands together and started walking.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s go find them, shall we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy your command,\u201d Betty and Jasmine said with echoing sly smiles and stepped away to begin their own scans.<\/p>\n Jack shook his head at them, but kept his eyes on the machines around them.\u00a0 There was another tank.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t look Chinese, but it wasn\u2019t Marine either.\u00a0 A display popped open in his helmet and gave him some quick data on the design.\u00a0 It was a local built Serenity design.\u00a0 Cheaper than a Marine or Army tank, but not as strong.\u00a0 He looked around and the helmet highlighted several other examples of the design on his quick scan.\u00a0 They had died in far greater numbers than the Chinese tanks.\u00a0 Not surprising.\u00a0 The Chinese made good tanks.<\/p>\n Jack walked past the local tank and kept scanning.\u00a0 To the left he saw a jeep.\u00a0 There was a larger infantry transport on the right, ripped open by thousands of bullets.\u00a0 The ruins still popped, hissed, and radiated heat from all surfaces.\u00a0 The air shimmered above it in endless waves and Jack carefully stepped away from it.\u00a0 He really didn\u2019t want to touch something so recently dead it still radiated heat and who knew what else all over him.\u00a0 Then he looked around at the other wrecks and wondered what they<\/em> were radiating.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Jack?\u201d Betty\u2019s voice asked in his ear.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s all this stuff radiating?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t want to know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, you realize that just makes me want to know more, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty\u2019s holoform leaned around another dead tank several meters away and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cNo you don\u2019t.\u00a0 But don\u2019t worry.\u00a0 Your suit is sealed and you\u2019re all safe.\u201d\u00a0 She grimaced and looked around again.\u00a0 \u201cJust\u2026um\u2026don\u2019t get shot.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0 Jack scanned the nearby wrecks with more trepidation.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll keep that in mind.\u201d\u00a0 Then he sucked in a deep breath and began walking again.\u00a0 He soon found himself looking down into a deep drainage ditch on the edge of a field that had once grown corn.\u00a0 Now the field was burned away.\u00a0 The drainage ditch was clogged with burnt crops, dead bodies, and destroyed machines.\u00a0 He was about to turn away when something caught his attention.<\/p>\n \u201cHello,\u201d he said and looked closer.\u00a0 Yes, that was a United States Marine Corps shuttle at the bottom.\u00a0 The Garm\u2019s ruins would never fly again he was certain, though a quick scan showed no bodies inside.\u00a0 The pilot probably called that a controlled landing.\u00a0 Jack shook his head.\u00a0 But at least she got her Marines down alive.\u00a0 So they were probably on the other side of that hill, fighting the bad guys at this very moment.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not all,\u201d Katy said as she stepped up on the other lip of the ditch, pointing at something partially buried by thrown debris a few meters from the shuttle.<\/p>\n \u201cWho would leave a Cerberus behind?\u201d Jesse asked over their communications gear and Jack studied the two heavy laser cannons in her nose.\u00a0 Those would be powerful weapons if they could get the girl flying again.<\/p>\n \u201cHello sweetie,\u201d Betty said and Jack turned.\u00a0 Her holoform stood on the other side of the shuttle, looking down at something.\u00a0 Jack stepped around the Garm to see a long gun barrel sticking out from under the rubble.\u00a0 A sloped carapace was barely visible in the ruin and Jack whistled.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re both wiped,\u201d Natalie answered quickly and pointed at several holes in their armor.\u00a0 \u201cThey took rounds on the way down from the look of that damage.\u00a0 Probably hackers that took out the computers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTouch them so I can take a look,\u201d Jasmine\u2019s voice said in his ear.<\/p>\n \u201cTouch something that\u2019s been hacked?\u201d Jack asked in disbelief.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, don\u2019t be a baby,\u201d Jasmine returned.\u00a0 \u201cAt worst it\u2019s just a Chinese hack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFine,\u201d Jack said doubtfully, but he moved forward and placed a hand on the downed Cerberus.\u00a0 \u201cJust be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCareful\u2019s my middle name,\u201d Jasmine answered.\u00a0 \u201cNow hold still.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHolding still.\u201d<\/p>\n After a few seconds, Jasmine\u2019s holoform appeared outside the shuttle.\u00a0 \u201cHer computer network is fried. \u00a0She\u2019s got some superficial damage from the fall and getting dumped on,\u201d she reported with a wave at the rubble covering her.\u00a0 \u201cBut she looks good.\u00a0 \u201cHer AI is a total loss.\u00a0 Looks like a penetrator blew the backup braincase out.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to take control if she responds to my commands.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, poor you, finally getting to fly a Cerberus,\u201d Jack said with a wry smile.<\/p>\n Jasmine aimed a pointed gesture at the fallen shuttle.\u00a0 \u201cNot very high, I\u2019m not, thank you very much.\u00a0 Eagles getting sucked into jet engines and all that you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight.\u00a0 How much time do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably not long,\u201d she said with a pensive look.\u00a0 Then she turned as Jesse arrived in a ground covering lope.\u00a0 \u201cFox, can you get over here and help me out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d Jesse answered and stepped over.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPut your hands on the Cerberus so I can borrow your nannies.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse stepped back, waving his hands back and forth.\u00a0 \u201cThat thing\u2019s been hacked.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re all big babies,\u201d Jasmine growled.\u00a0 Then she pointed at Jack.\u00a0 \u201cHe touched it and he\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse followed her motion with a doubtful look.\u00a0 \u201cNo offense Boss, but I ain\u2019t never said you were all right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNone taken,\u201d Jack chuckled back.<\/p>\n Jasmine rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cCat, go help Betty with that Barghest.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d Katy said without pause and stepped around the shattered shuttle.<\/p>\n \u201cYou too, Jack,\u201d Jasmine ordered.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the Cerberus?\u201d Jack asked and Jasmine grinned evilly.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u00a0 Fox will be happy to help me in a few seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t leave me alone with her, Boss,\u201d Jesse pleaded.<\/p>\n \u201cJust do what she says,\u201d Jack answered with another chuckle and walked away to help fix the tank.\u00a0 He looked down at the trashed carapace and frowned in worry.<\/p>\n Katy looked up from where her hands were already on it.\u00a0 \u201cWell, come on you big baby,\u201d she said with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cWe won\u2019t bite.\u00a0 Much.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack raised one eyebrow at her.\u00a0 \u201cPromises, promises,\u201d he whispered, but sucked in a long breath and went down on one knee to touch the hull.\u00a0 One finger touched it first as a test, and when nothing reached out to smack him he finally placed both hands on it.<\/p>\n \u201cGood boy,\u201d Katy whispered and Jack sighed.\u00a0 Katy winked.\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t hurt a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack glanced to the side where his suit\u2019s display showed most of the nannies leaving.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, but if we get<\/em> hurt right now it\u2019s really going to suck.\u201d\u00a0 There wouldn\u2019t be enough nannies left to repair the suits if they went into combat at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cNatalie?\u201d Katy asked and Jack glanced over to see Natalie\u2019s location on the map.\u00a0 She was very close but just out of sight, hiding on his side of a nearby ridgeline with perfect sightlines on the Chinese army.\u00a0 Why they didn\u2019t hold the ridge he had no idea, but he was happy to take advantage of their negligence.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re clear for now,\u201d the cyber reported.\u00a0 \u201cJust fix those things up fast.\u00a0 There are a lot of Chinese over there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLooking at us?\u201d Jack asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u00a0 Headed for Landing City.\u00a0 Though it looks like they ran into the mother of all meatgrinders on the way.\u00a0 If this is five thousand troops I\u2019ll eat my shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u00a0 You think the Devil Dog was wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\u00a0 Natalie shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong.\u00a0 There\u2019s a lot of Chinese over there, but I don\u2019t see thousands.\u00a0 Thousands dead<\/em>, sure.\u00a0 But only hundreds still kicking if I\u2019m seeing right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow many of our dead down there?\u201d Jack asked.<\/p>\n \u201cThousands,\u201d Natalie reported in a grim tone.\u00a0 \u201cEasily.\u00a0 It looks like the Serenity Defense Forces bought the whole farm here.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know what they still have to hold the Chinese back after the fight they put up here.\u00a0 Can\u2019t be much though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLovely.\u00a0 Any hint of our Marines out there?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m picking up a firefight to the west\u2026and another to the north.\u00a0 Nope\u2026the western one just ended.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEnded good or ended bad?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood I think.\u00a0 Looks to me like our boys pulled back into cover and exited stage right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa\u2026I\u2019ve got incoming Chinese.\u00a0 ETA one minute.\u00a0 We need to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAround fifty troopers.\u00a0 No powered armor.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got good ECM over there though so I\u2019m having trouble locking the number down.\u00a0 They\u2019re coming in and out of view.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnderstood.\u00a0 You can\u2019t hold them alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgreed.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cereberus twitched, jerked, and rose up out of the rubble behind Jack.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s a problem\u2026I\u2019m ready,\u201d Jasmine reported and Jack heard the Cereberus\u2019 gravplating power up.\u00a0 \u201cOh yeah.\u00a0 I\u2019m good,\u201d Jasmine reported in a pleased tone.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should be,\u201d Jesse groused.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve got half my nannies.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack wanted to help deal with the incoming, but a glance at his displays showed his nannies making progress.\u00a0 They kept on having to return to the suit for more power, but they were doing good.\u00a0 And they needed the tank if the Chinese had anything left over there other than infantry.<\/p>\n \u201cFox.\u201d\u00a0 Jack paused and looked into Katy\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 She nodded.\u00a0 \u201cYou and the girls take them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRoger that Boss,\u201d Jesse acknowledged and turned to meet the incoming threat.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Katy asked with one raised eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not a girl?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou are a lady.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBetter.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack twitched at a status update in his display.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got mortars.\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYes we do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBe ready.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n The newcomers came around the east side of the hill, not wanting to highlight themselves against the sky from the west, but Jesse\u2019s armor picked them out with ease.\u00a0 Jack blinked his eyes in a quick pattern and a display came alive in his helmet, showing him everything Jesse saw.\u00a0 The background became muted and bright outlines highlighted the moving Chinese figures, making their presence as clear as day.<\/p>\n \u201cOpen fire,\u201d Jesse ordered and his machinegun lifted up off his shoulder to fire into the group of enemy soldiers.\u00a0 Natalie\u2019s heavier armor and Jasmine\u2019s Cerberus joined in, filling the area with bullets that struck through bodies, bounced off or blew up rocks, and left a whole mess of blood and guts in their wake.<\/p>\n The surviving Chinese were quick.\u00a0 Jack had to give them that.\u00a0 They returned fire without pausing to crap their pants in shock first.\u00a0 Rounds pinged off Jesse\u2019s armor at a worrying rate until he dropped down behind cover.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I got their attention, Boss,\u201d Jesse transmitted in a breathless voice as more rounds punched small volcanoes in the ground around him.\u00a0 The \u201cthump, thump, thump\u201d of mortars came before the shells rose up into the air and dove down into the drainage ditch the Cowboys held.\u00a0 Machine guns rose up and fired into the incoming rounds, picking them off long before they could explode.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s rude,\u201d Jesse said in a tone suggesting no worries at all.\u00a0 \u201cMortars.\u00a0 Now.\u201d\u00a0 Jesse and Natalie braced as the mortars on their Hellhounds\u2019 backs deployed into firing position and began returning fire.\u00a0 Jasmine\u2019s Cerberus popped panels and two mortar launchers rose up from behind armor to send their own shells into the air.\u00a0 The shells flew up, dropped down, and Chinese point defense tore them from the sky before they could explode.<\/p>\n Jack smiled as his displays lit up with the Chinese positions, updated by backtracking their point defense.\u00a0 They were just on the other side of the ridge and he waggled his eyebrows at Katy.<\/p>\n She smiled back.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ll never know what hit them, Boss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMortars.\u00a0 Shallow arc.\u00a0 Fire,\u201d Jack ordered and his armor shuddered.\u00a0 The mortar launcher attached to his back deployed and emitted a dull \u201cthump, thump, thump,\u201d sending shells flying into the air.\u00a0 Katy\u2019s armor joined in the assault and their shells missed the edge of the drainage ditch by centimeters as shot towards the ridge at maximum speed.\u00a0 They passed over the ridge, exploded before the Chinese point defense could see them, and screams of pain echoed over the ridge.<\/p>\n \u201cAll mortars.\u00a0 Again,\u201d Jack ordered, and six mortars fired their shells at the ridge.\u00a0 More screams answered the explosions, but not as many as before.\u00a0 Jack frowned in suspicion.\u00a0 \u201cAgain.\u201d\u00a0 The mortars spoke once more, but no screams came from the other side.\u00a0 Frak.\u00a0 \u201cCease fire.\u00a0 They\u2019re falling back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr they\u2019re dead,\u201d Jesse said, his tone cocky after the one-sided victory.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t count on it.\u201d Jack retorted as he glared at Katy.<\/p>\n She frowned at him, but nodded in agreement.\u00a0 She was feeling it too.<\/p>\n \u201cWe surprised them, but they\u2019ll be back,\u201d Jack predicted.\u00a0 \u201cAnd they\u2019ll be bringing reinforcements.\u00a0 Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m doing the best I can,\u201d the cyber answered curtly.\u00a0 \u201cThey really tore this girl apart on her way down.\u00a0 And the crash didn\u2019t do her any good, either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it,\u201d Jack said and kept his hands on the downed tank.\u00a0 The nannies were going to need all the help they could get to finish the job.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 They weren\u2019t going to have time to finish it.\u00a0 Something was coming.\u00a0 He felt that certainty settle into his bones and let out a long breath.\u00a0 \u201cJust get the weapons up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJack?\u201d\u00a0 Betty\u2019s question came slowly, as if she was considering whether or not to ask it.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a feeling,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll need the guns.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt just keeps getting better,\u201d Katy muttered under her breath.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they were trying to flank friendly positions to the south,\u201d Betty said, her holoform nodding that way.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t like the way it\u2019s sounding over there either.\u00a0 Like somebody\u2019s running low on ammo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, the good news is that we should be pulling some pressure off them,\u201d Jesse said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow is that good news for us?\u201d Katy asked in a dour tone.<\/p>\n Jesse chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t say it was.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack focused on the south, ignoring their banter to listen for the clues Betty had mentioned.\u00a0 She was right.\u00a0 They weren\u2019t firing many bullets anymore.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe they\u2019re running out of bodies to pull triggers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a cheery thought,\u201d Katy said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, they wouldn\u2019t need the Cowboys to help out on a milk run, would they?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I request one next time?\u201d Jesse growled<\/p>\n Jack chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cOne can always ask.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s getting the answer that\u2019s questionable, right?\u201d Katy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse stepped up to the drainage ditch\u2019s lip and looked down at Jack.\u00a0 \u201cSo what do we do now, Boss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to stop them somehow,\u201d Jack said with as shrug.\u00a0 \u201cAs long as they\u2019re reacting to us, they aren\u2019t pushing through to Landing City.\u00a0 That\u2019s a win in my book.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d kinda like to live to see<\/em> the win,\u201d Katy retorted.<\/p>\n Jack chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI feel yah.\u00a0 Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorking on it, Jack.\u00a0 No promises.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust do the best you can.\u00a0 We\u2019ll work with whatever you can give us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got incoming,\u201d Natalie announced and Jack sighed.<\/p>\n Jesse spun back towards the incoming enemy and sighed.\u00a0 \u201cBut we just chased them off.\u00a0 Why don\u2019t they just give up?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they\u2019re Chinese,\u201d Jack said with a wan smile and scanned the ruins once more.\u00a0 They were out of time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When times are hardest, we must persevere.\u00a0 When times are hopeless, we must keep the faith.\u00a0 When times are darkest, we must be the light.\u00a0 When casualties rise, we must take our turn at the battlements of freedom.\u00a0 If we[…]↓ Read the rest of this 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