Driftmetal IV

By J.C. Staudt

Maclin Automation has christened its army of automatons and invaded Roathea, the Regency’s capital city. Now, Muller Jakes must not only come against the most powerful organization in the world – he must ally with his most hated adversaries to do it. The desperate battle over the fate of Esperon begins now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Staudt
• Release date: Oct 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311965349

J.C. Staudt

J.C. Staudt was born in Oceanside, New York, and moved to Virginia at the age of four, where he has lived ever since. He is a graduate of George Mason University, with a B.A. in Integrative Multimedia Studies, and he works for an Engineering and Consulting firm as a New Media Designer. He lives with his beautiful wife in a house lacking pets and children in Manassas, Virginia.

Book preview

Driftmetal

Segment Four

Heaven’s Blood

J.C. Staudt

Driftmetal is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 J.C. Staudt

All rights reserved.

Edition 1.0

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Afterword

1

I’m convinced that nothing in life haunts you like your parents do. They do it through the thousands of scoldings and lectures and philosophical musings they’ve spat into your head all through the years when you were supposed to be forming your own opinions about yourself and the world around you. Even when they’re not around, they’re there, telling you what’s what. So whenever I’m making any decision, no matter how small, I do it with the echo of my father’s voice in my left ear and my mother’s in my right. Not like the two opposing viewpoints of some good-versus-evil duality, but like two well-intentioned but misguided souls who are both advising me to do the same thing. That’s why I most often do the opposite, if I can get away with it. Don’t misunderstand me; I love my parents. But I just don’t feel like myself unless I’m doing things my way.

A lot of time had passed since that fateful day when Ma and dear old Dad had tried to let the Civs take me away, and I had been trying to understand the good intentions behind their poor decision-making ever since. Now I found myself face to face with them both, in a crowded room full of all the people I hated most in the world. Well… most of the people I hated most in the world. So it goes without saying that expressing my love to my parents in that moment was about the furthest thing from my mind.

So that’s the plan, I said, having just finished explaining it.

Well, then bluewave them, said Yingler. He’d shaven his illustrious brown beard, and the chin that remained was sharp and unflattering.

I pulled out my comm and called my friends in the depths of the Regent’s palace. I had been surprised they were getting a bluewave signal that far inside, but maybe the escape tubes had something to do with that. When Chaz picked up, I set the device on the table so everyone in the room could hear.

"Hello?"

Yeah. Hey, Chaz. It’s Mull. Everything still alright over there?

"We’re sitting tight for now. We’ve got all the pods flipped face-up. There are just enough of them to get us all out of here in a hurry, if it comes to that. Otherwise, nothing’s changed."

Good. Let’s hope none of you have to take the same ride I just did. So listen, I was thinking it’d be wonderful if we could find a way to tap into the Legion’s sub-signal and take control of the robots. A good old-fashioned tech-jacking, if you will.

"Hmm, said Chaz. That’s not a bad idea, actually."

Let’s not mince words, Chaz. It’s a pretty wonderful idea. Plus, if it works, it’ll sort of legitimize this whole scheme I’ve come up with for rescuing you guys.

"So the Civs didn’t throw you in jail after all, huh?" The voice was Blaylocke’s.

I looked around at the cabin’s law-loving occupants. I’d say they’re still making up their minds. Fact is, Chaz and I know more about those robots than anyone alive. They kind of need us right now.

"It always feels good to be needed," said Chaz.

Can’t say I agree with you, ol’ buddy. The only thing worse than a law-lover in need is the idiot who helps him. Today, we’re that idiot.

In typical Chaz-like fashion, he ignored my jest and stayed on task. "It’s unlikely that the synod has all three legions on the same sub-signal. They’re probably using a different wavelength for each legion, at the very least."

So we need to concentrate on one of the three, is what you’re saying.

"Essentially. But that would leave two whole legions outside our realm of influence. That will be more than enough force to deal with us."

That’s fine. Even if I can only take control of the Evelyns, that should be enough to get us out in one piece.

"And how are you planning to do that?"

A magician never divulges his secrets, I said. Especially on open communication lines that are liable to get intercepted by prying ears.

"You haven’t figured it out yet, have you?" Blaylocke cut in.

I swear, Blaylocke. I’m trying to talk to Chaz, here. I know you miss me, but you’re gonna have to wait your turn. Now Chaz, I still have my remote control unit. I can fix an engine or tweak an augment, but I’m no expert on broadcast technology. This is a little outside my area of expertise. It would be a whole lot easier if Angus were still around, honestly.

"Fortunately, between the development of my automaplane and the designing of the crackler box, I’ve accumulated quite an extensive amount of knowledge thereof."

You can brag all you want after you put all that knowledge to good use, Chaz. Now, if I open up the remote and describe it to you over the comm, do you think you can walk me through the modifications I need to make?

"Eh… doubtful. That could take hours. And there’s no true way to test the sub-signal until you’re in range. Besides, someone might be listening, like you said. If they know how we modify the remote, they’ll know how to stop it. How about I give you a list of parts, and you bring them with you when you come for us? I can probably make the adjustments myself in a couple of minutes."

That’s why you’re the smarty-pants around here.

Chaz gave me the list of parts, throwing in several unnecessary components in case anyone did happen to be eavesdropping on our conversation, however unlikely that was. There were a few different ways he could modify the remote, he said. As long as we could get one of them to work, we’d be in business.

Okay, we’ll be on our way over in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, I said, when I’d written everything down.

"Make it one shake, Blaylocke cut in. We just started hearing noises. Sounds like heavy machinery being moved around, or something. I don’t know what they’re doing, but I don’t like it. Maybe redecorating the throne room. The synod is probably getting impatient for the Regent to make an appearance, too."

Alright, I hear you. Just hang on and make sure no one does anything stupid. I know… easier said than done.

"We’ll be waiting on you, Mull."

I hung up. Well, everyone. That’s our situation. The Emperor of the World is trapped in a stone box in the depths of his own palace, surrounded by eighteen thousand nightmare machines programmed to kill. Anyone who likes those odds is welcome to see me afterwards. Now, let’s get to work. We’re going to need one copy of everything on this list, for starters.

Captain Ludolf Kupfer rose to his feet. This proposal of yours is cowardly and poorly thought-out. Why shouldn’t we face these robotic rapscallions in open combat? Let them see the true might of the Regency. We shall defeat them on the skies and in the dirt. We’ll slaughter the bolt buckets where they stand. The people are with the Red-and-Tans. With the full support of the citizenry, how can we go wrong?

This is Maclin Automation we’re talking about, I said. You don’t understand the kind of weaponry these things are equipped with. They can adapt to their targets faster than you can blink. They’re going to take one look at you, pick the best possible thing to blow you up with, and then blow you up.

You simpleton, said Kupfer. All we need do is follow suit—arm ourselves with the weapons most potent against them. I’m sure a few pulser rounds should put those mechanical monsters in their place.

That’s a marvelous plan, Kupfer. Especially since they’re specifically designed to be pulser-resistant. They’ve got rubber insulation and power capacitors that should render your precious pulser rounds about as effective as a static shock. But good job on that sharp bit of deduction, there. I can see why you Civvies are so capable and efficient. With a commander like you, who needs common sense?

You take that back this instant. This is my ship, and I will not tolerate disrespect. I’ll have you know, I’ve had my own men tossed in the brig for less. Keep it up, and watch your criminal record grow longer than you ever imagined.

The Regency is under new management, in case you didn’t get the broadcast. Now, if I’m not mistaken, that makes you a rebel. It makes us all rebels.

If that’s the way you choose to look at it, said Kupfer. Any rebel worth his salt knows it’s a good, fair fight that’ll give him his best chance at victory.

That’s not even close to being true, I said. The surest way to win is by cheating.

If we’ll cheat anything, it’s death. Pulsers be damned. It’s back to old-fashioned bullets and black powder. We’ll take the fight straight to the bastards.

That’ll work great… if your goal is to dent their body armor while their flecker rounds shred you to human confetti.

That’s why we have flecker shields, he said smartly.

Seriously, doesn’t anyone around here ever second-guess this guy?

That’s enough out of you, Mr. Jakes. Throw him in the brig.

His men took hold of me again, including my injured arm. They began to drag me off amid the commotion that broke out in the room as everyone tried to speak at once. It was Yingler’s voice which finally rose above the rest.

Hold on a minute, everyone. Just settle down. Let him go, guys. My apologies, Captain Kupfer. But what Muller says about these robots bears listening to. I haven’t always believed in Mr. Jakes; in fact, I haven’t always been very kind to him. But in this case, I must admit that I feel his plan is best.

That’s weird, I said. "For a minute there, it almost sounded like you were getting ready to say you’re sorry. Are you apologizing to me, Yingler?"

Actions I’ve taken in the line of duty beget no apologies. For attempting to bring the city of Pyras under Regency sanction and hold its leaders accountable to the justice they deserve, I have no regrets. But I’ve done other things I’m not proud of, and that’s all I’m willing to say about it.

Aw. How sweet, I said. You may be a hard-ass on the outside, but inside you’re extra-soft and squishy.

That’s enough, Muller. I’m trying to vouch for you here, but you’re not making it easy.

I shouldn’t have to make it easy for you law-lovers to get a clue, I said. My plan is the best one we’ve got, and anyone who’s too dense to see that is in the wrong line of work.

Be that as it may, the decision is not mine, said Yingler. While I do believe your plan has merit, I can’t make that call. Technically, Captain Kupfer is my superior. I have to defer to him.

Maclin has gunships below Roathea, I reminded them. They’ve got artillery emplacements on the topside, and, as previously mentioned, close to eighteen thousand ground-pounders in the streets. I can infiltrate Roathea without causing a disturbance or alerting them to our presence, just like I explained earlier. Once I find Chaz and let him rebuild my remote control unit, I can hijack the Evelyn platoon and order them to assassinate the synod—something I tried while I was there.

What happened when you tried? Yingler wanted to know.

The synod had already revoked my command privileges by then. I don’t think my order ever went through. Once we have control of them, though, it should. With them dead, there’ll be no one left to control the other two legions. It’s the old hive-mind trick. You kill the brain, the body dies. I’m telling you, this is going to work.

Kupfer sulked. But… battle… and… glory.

Kupfer, there’s going to be plenty of battle and glory to go around. But you don’t have to charge in with your pants down to get a taste of it. I promise, if I can avoid ever being in the same room with you again after today, I will. But right now, I’m here, and I’m asking you to realize that there’s a reason I’ve been able to cause you so many headaches in the past. I may not be the smartest guy on the block, but I sure know how to cause trouble. Let me go cause some trouble for you.

Kupfer frowned, considering my request. You’re sure you know what you’re doing?

I grinned. I can count the number of times I’ve ever been sure I knew what I was doing on one hand. It’s zero. I’ve been accused of many things, Ludolf. But that ain’t one of ‘em.

Then tell me why I should entrust the success of this endeavor to you.

"Because I don’t have to know what I’m doing. Everyone I love in this world is beneath that palace, and I’ll throw myself into the Churn if that’s what it takes to keep Maclin from getting to them." I saw my Ma’s face sadden when I said that last bit.

Right then, said Kupfer. I’ll let you go, but on one condition.

What’s that?

Mr. Yingler goes with you.

My jaw dropped. "Are you out of your gourd? I’ll launch my rocket-propelled crayon into the Churn before I ever team up with Yingler again."

Kupfer shrugged. So be it. Take him away, lads.

The Civs were rougher with me this time.

Alright, alright. Get off me. Let me go. I wrenched free of them and brushed myself off.

This is a rescue mission, Mr. Jakes. You need a team, said Yingler.

I need a team like a butt needs nipples. I managed to get a few laughs from the others seated around the table with that one.

Surely you don’t think you’ll make it through the palace on your own, Yingler said.

I think I’d have a much better chance than with you and your gorillas lumbering around behind me.

"I know you prefer to do most things on your own, and that’s fine. But you need someone behind