Project: Spectre

Chapter Six: Athens III

November 9, 2097

After I felt the ship decelerate, I hurried to the bridge. Williams reported, "Sir, Armstrong base is under attack! I have the stealth systems engaged, but we're still be visible! We can't land without being blown out of the sky!"

The comms officer joined in, "Commander, we have audio from Armstrong base coming in now."

There was static and explosions. Eventually, a panicked woman started broadcasting, "Any USC forces in the system, this is Armstrong base! The Alliance has boots on the ground! They're targeting civilians! We need-" the signal abruptly cut off.

"Rally Omega team in the cargo bay!" I barked. Williams nodded and relayed my orders over the ship's intercom. I ran from the elevator to the rear of the ship and headed down to meet the team. I ran to a locker and started handing out parachutes. "We're going to HALO drop to the base. They're under attack and we'll be taking heavy fire on the way down. Any questions?" Total silence. Just what I like to hear. We gathered in the airlocks on the port and starboard sides of the cargo bay. "Jump on my mark! Go! Go! Go!" The outer doors opened and the four of us dived out. Within seconds, there were four parachutes open and we were hovering above the target. Once my boots hit the ground, my armor's systems hit a release, and the parachute fell off. The other two Spectres did the same, allowing us to cover Vega as he manually unhooked his armor. We were slowly pushing our way through the enemy lines on our way to the command center.

"Friendlies, ten o' clock!" Vega yelled. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of troopers in brown BDUs (indicating they were Army) behind a pile of sandbags, picking off Alliance. A drop ship sped overhead and a team of Alliance rocket troopers floated down behind the troopers, unloading their SMGs into the poor grunts. Too bad, we could have used the help. Hawk raised his marksman rifle and put a round right in one of the trooper's rocket packs. He screamed as the pack flew out of control before eventually exploding.

I heard Vega's SMG click as the clip ran dry. He holstered the weapon, unsheathed his sword and started swinging. Before long, the blood splattered on Alliance trooper's armor wasn't just their own, but also their buddy's.

"Strickland, how many kills you got, psycho?" I yelled over the sounds of gunfire and explosions.

"More than you, commander!" She answered before a burst from her shotgun blew out a trooper's body armor. I switch my M-23 rifle from burst fire to full auto and start mowing down enemy forces.

"I think that puts me ahead!" I yell back. Kaylee just started shaking her head.

"With all due respect, cut the chatter sir!" Hawk yelled annoyed. For the next fifteen minutes, sets of alliance armor piled up. They had bullet holes, shattered visors, and severed limbs. we fought our way to the command facility. The heavy metal doors were wide open. That gave me a bad feeling. Things were worse inside. Computer screens were all busted out, broken chairs were scattered around the room, and there were more than a few corpses, from both sides. Hawk crouched by the door and Strickland started to look in connecting rooms.

"Any of these look like who were looking for?" Vega asked me. Then, a gunshot rang out and flew past my armored head, breaking a small chunk of concrete out of the wall. I turn and see a young Tinian woman standing behind part of a fallen wall, holding a pistol that seemed slightly too big for her.

"Found her." I finally answered. Behind the assassin, I see that Strickland was already back in the room. It kind of scares me that she can be this quiet and this gung-ho at the same time. I turn back to the woman and say, "Relax ma'am. I'm Commander Ghost of the USC Eclipse. We got your distress call."

She suddenly dropped the gun and she had a look of horror on her face. "God, I'm so sorry I shot at you."

"No harm done this time, ma'am. Just check your fire next time." I reassured the frightened scientist. "Williams, can you get the Eclipse down here for exfil?" I said into my helmet radio.

"If you can get the base's automated anti-air weapons operational." The pilot replied. I looked around for a working comm terminal. That's when I noticed Daisy was already on it.

"Triple A is online commander." She said. I informed the pilot as Alliance fighters started getting blown out of the sky.

A few hours later, back on the ship, I found Strickland standing outside my quarters. "Sir, do you have a minute to talk?" She asked.

"Sure. What is it? I answered.

"I think it's weird that the only survivor of Armstrong base is a scientist that has no military background. Did you see how many bodies there were, just in the room where we found her? There were casualties on both sides. I'm no fan of the Alliance, and I certainly don't like giving them credit for anything, but they should have found her in that room." About then I heard a sound I was way too familiar with: a gun being loaded. I turn and see Daisy, aiming a pistol at Strickland, wearing a blue set of what appeared to be Spectre armor.

"Congratulations sergeant. I can't believe it was you who figured it out. I honestly had my money on the sniper." She said.

"Ms. Beck, put the gun down." I ordered. I already had my own pistol in my hand.

"Commander. Your dossier did say you were loyal to your crew. I'm amazed. After what happened to Cook, Fowler, and Cooper, I would have thought you would avoid connecting with people." She said. "It doesn't matter. She's right. I'm not a scientist. And I know you won't shoot me." I really wanted to. But the admiral wanted her alive.

Over Daisy's shoulder, I saw a shimmer as Hawk uncloaked with his own pistol against the Tinian's head. "Of course he won't. He has orders to bring you home alive. But he's not the only one here that's loyal to the team. Drop it." She laid the pistol on the ground. "Now, tell us what really happened."

The alien grudgingly obliged. "I'm from BETA-3 I'm here to make sure your lust for revenge doesn't do anything to endanger the mission."

I cut in, saying, "It looks like the mission is over. We're out of leads and we are no closer to finding Smith or the missing mech."

"I can actually help you with that." Daisy said. "On Athens, when the Alliance found me and the scientists, one of the army troopers took the first round, allowing me to take his weapon and defend myself. After the smoke cleared, I found a datapad on one of the Alliance soldiers. Their orders were the same as yours: to find me. They were supposed to take me to a world called Abyss. XD-23, the mech you are hunting, might be there."

"Go to the bridge and give Lieutenant Williams the coordinates." I said. She raised her arm to salute me before walking away.