Former Pirate Base

  "May I join you guys?" Sandy asked them.

  "Sure, Lass. Pull up a crate." Freddy replied, pointing over at an empty crate belled 'High Explosive'.

  John, Mia, Freddy, and Maggie were all sitting on various crates, eating their field ration lunches. They had been busy since dawn in various parts of the battlefield, prepping different 'surprises' for their unwelcomed guest. They had miners come in and join them as well, preparing some things that made John and Freddy break down giggling, like they were a couple of middle schoolers pnning pranks. Except that some of these pranks had high explosives attached to them.

  Last night, John and Mia continued to kiss for a while, but he didn't take it further. He did get her to close her eyes and just 'feel' the moment, which was a win in his book. It calmed her down enough that she soon fell asleep on his chest, which in turn let him fall asleep with someone in his arms.

  "Thank you," Sandy said, pulling up the crate.

  "Everything going well with your team?" John asked her.

  "Yes. The miners are bsting the st one in a few minutes. We will go back in afterwards to clean up the mess, and then it is just the finishing work."

  "Yeah. The Old Man seems to know a thing or two about pnning. We are supposed to go get things wired up in a couple of hours there. Final touches will be in the morning." Maggie said, munching on some square of protein that John had traded her for. It tasted like orc- pork, so he took her fake salmon instead.

  They continued to share bits about what they were doing, though John and Mia didn't have much to add. He felt like he was just a Lego brick factory, and she and a couple of other people were just loading them onto ftbeds. He did want to question some of the OSHA regutions they were breaking; that old song from some of the videos his daughter, Vicky, would send him came to mind.

  Time to do some sketchy shit, do dah, do dah. Hope I can get away with it, oh da do dah day. Seriously, two IndyMechs, holding a third one up, while I am banced on the third one's forks. What could go wrong?

  He felt like he was going to be up for a Darwin award, that's what.

  "John. Mia." Sandy said to him after they had finished their meal and were heading back to work. "I just wanted to thank you two for coming to my rescue. That woman... that woman... *sob*."

  "It's okay. She is dead now." John said softly, pcing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched from his touch, so he pulled back.

  "I know exactly how cruel that dezgra was, Sandy. I was under her foot for five years. If you want to talk, I have some time." Mia said, standing next to John.

  "I... I would like that," she replied, tears streaming down her face.

  When Mia looked at him questioningly, he just nodded. The two women moved off to the side of the cave to chat, leaving John alone. He pushed thoughts of Sandy and that pirate bitch out of his mind, focusing back on his work in the tunnel.

  God damn it, I am not a pirate. I don't yearn for the mines!

  Star League CacheMain Hanger

  "This is unacceptable! How dare you negotiate the literal battle for the fate of Bckstone without informing me?!" The governor bellowed at James.

  James just shrugged at him, already having heard simir lines pass through the man's lips twice during this conversation. "Because it is my job. Now, according to my sources, if we fight with tenacity and account ourselves well, these 'Wolves' will probably let the people live and allow you to keep running things here. They have no desire to actually govern the people; they just want to be the ones in charge. If things go well, you will just be reporting to a Kahn or one of his magistrates instead of the King. If you try and fuck around and change this 'bargain' we struck, there is a very real possibility they invade Bckstone City itself and start burning buildings down, if they don't just shell it from orbit."

  "Your source? Who is this mysterious source you keep mentioning?"

  "One of the former pirates from Ryan's Rebels. She was captured by them some years back and has been more than willing to share with us what she knows of these people. Honestly, if it wasn't for her, we would probably have a whole regiment about to drop down on us already. With her help, we bought a day, got to choose the field of battle, and it will most likely be something closer to a company-sized unit attacking."

  "And you trust this woman?"

  James looked thoughtful for a moment. "No, I don't. However, John does, and that is good enough for me." He chuckled, "Didn't you read fantasy books when you were a kid? You should never bet against a wizard. It wouldn't surprise me if he takes another mech down with a sword."

  "What? A wizard? Swords? What wizard uses a damn sword? Never mind that, have you lost your damn mind?"

  "Maybe. But I suspect come tomorrow, it won't matter any longer. Learn to be flexible, governor, and you may continue to rule this pce for years to come. Now, excuse me, I have some more things to move before I have my afternoon nap. Need my beauty rest, you know."

  With that, James left the man standing there, his mouth agape. He really didn't have any more time to waste on pacifying the politician; their battle pn depended entirely on the pnning phase of the operation. He chuckled a bit. These cnners didn't allow people to retire, and he had no intention of pushing a broom around in his twilight years just to earn his meal rations for the day.

  Unknown to the pair of them, someone had been listening in on their conversation, a concerned expression on her face. She turned back to the control room behind her, a pn forming in her mind. She wasn't sure she had time to implement it, but she wasn't considered a prodigy just because she was book-smart.

  Former Pirate BaseNight had fallen, and the preparations for the battle were complete as they could be, the final touches needing to be done at the st minute. The majority of the added helpers had already departed, leaving only the Mechwarriors and a few volunteers to handle the st-minute work.

  They had stoked a rge bonfire near the Grottenburg and were sitting around it, eating a meal and drinking. James had brought a couple of small kegs of beer with him and allowed everyone to partake. At the Old Man's request, John had provided them with more balls of Substance X earlier in the day so the old people could keep going, and most were still riding the effects of the balls. John was just thankful they would have enough time to rest, as the battle didn't technically start until noon.

  Their way of warfare is quite odd, but I can appreciate it. Still, some crafty commanders in the Innersphere are going to abuse the hell out of it once they find out.

  Mia had once again started serving everyone, seemingly more comfortable acting as a servant than as a participant in the conversation. So John found himself leaning back in a folding chair, his feet near the fire, with a beer that never seemed to empty in his hand, while enjoying the conversations around him.

  Freddy and Maggie had disappeared a few minutes ago, and John had a sneaky suspicion about what they were up to. She hadn't left the man's side since they left the Guards facility, confirming to him that she was indeed in love with that old coot. Birds nest for a beard or not. In fact, most of the MechWarriors and the remaining guards were paired up or in a throuple. He wasn't sure where Sandy had gone, though Mia said she felt better when she returned to the tunnel that afternoon. John just hoped she was doing okay.

  He was the only one who was actually alone right now, though Mia did keep checking in with him, so he wasn't exactly lonely. He was good with that; it let him order his thoughts. Though those continued to wander as well, back to Lucy and Rei. They didn't have a way to communicate, even his Pelican couldn't break through the mineral deposits' interference at this distance. He would have flown back to visit, but they didn't want the cns to have a chance to see it until it was too te. It was their ace in the hole.

  He closed his eye, daydreaming of what world he wanted to bring them to if he got that option. When he got that option. Currently, he didn't really have anywhere safe to bring them, other than maybe High School DXD. Devils or not, that world at least seemed to run somewhat normally. Everywhere else was pretty much at war or a colpsed society. The Great Cleric was also an option, though he wasn't sure what a pair of former Mechwarriors and a child would do in a medieval society.

  Maybe one of the other doors will have a good option. Wait, can I even bring Mia? Stop it! Stop counting your chickens before they hatch; you still have to get out of this alive.

  "John, got a minute?" James said, sitting down beside him.

  "For you, I'll give you five." John quipped, opening his eye. Trix was beside him, the silver-haired woman's face a little flushed from the booze. Honestly, other than Freddy, all the Mechwarriors were in incredible shape considering their ages. Medical science in this world seemed to be able to slow some of the aging process to a point, though not as much as Infinite Frontiers. Apparently, it wasn't uncommon for humans to live over two hundred years in that world.

  God damn it! Focus man. You're still recovering from the other night's mana exhaustion!

  "Hah! Well, I won't need that long. We are having another drink, then heading to bed. I just wanted to thank you again for everything you have done recently. If it wasn't for you, we would have been killed already. At least now, we have a chance to go out on our own terms. Here, take this." The man said, handing him an envelope.

  "What is this?" John asked, distracted for a moment from the man's fatalistic comment.

  "You're final orders. When we win, hand it back to me, but if I go down tomorrow, open that and follow them to the letter. I trust you can do that, Son." James said, his tone turning deadly serious. The only thing ruining the gravitas of the moment was the fact that they were both holding Red Solo cups full of beer. His had mysteriously been filled again without his knowledge.

  "James, what are you pnning?"

  "I am pnning to win. But, as any good commander should, I am putting contingency pns in pce. No pn sts once contact with the enemy is made, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a few back-ups in your pocket. Remember that, Lad, and you will do well wherever you end up next." He patted John on the shoulder, then barked a ugh. "Now, drink up. I think it is time for the show to start."

  "Huh? Show?" John said, stuffing the letter into his pocket. He didn't have the mental faculties to follow James' logic completely right then, and he didn't want to lose his buzz with a detoxify spell.

  Right then, two fireballs went off to the side of their bonfire, and a couple of spotlights lit up the area. Freddy was standing on top of an armoured car, his sax in hand. Beside him was Maggie, with an electric guitar, and another two people he recognized from the tech crew, one with a drum set and the other with a bass.

  "Welcome, everyone! Are you ready to make some noise!?!" Freddy called out, and the drunken rabble cheered. He ughed and continued. "Tonight's performance is in honour of you, the Bckstone Guards, and in tribute to The Disposables! May our warriors and their mechs rest in peace, and our enemies rest in pieces!"

  Freddy started to sing, capturing the entire crowd's attention. It was a mix of different genres, most of which John had no clue about, but it sounded good. Most things did when he had a buzz going. He was contentedly minding his own business, wondering how the technology in this silly pstic cup was continually refilling it, when he was disturbed once again.

  "Known for his soulful voice, our next song will be sung by none other than John "Wizard" Wayne. Come on up to the stage, my man!"

  John blinked, taking a few moments to realize that Freddy had once again called him to sing. He tried to move his legs, but they didn’t seem to want to respond properly.

  "Again? God damn it, Freddy." He shouted at the man, causing everyone to ugh around him. He sighed and pced a hand on his head. "Detoxify!"

  Magic washed through him, his mind instantly defogged as the alcohol was removed from his system. Now stone sober, he stood up and walked up to the stage to the cheers of the rest of the drunks. He snagged the microphone from Freddy and put it on his head. "Why do I let you rope me into these things?"

  "Because behind that cold exterior, you secretly like to have fun."

  "Fine. You get two songs. Something fast, then we will py them something slow. You guys know Fortunate Son? And True?"

  "Jesus man, how do you only know ancient music? Didn't anything I sang stick with you throughout the years?"

  "Can't beat the cssics. That new shit you py ain't got no soul." John teased the bearded man, then turned to Freddy's sometimes girlfriend and the rest of the band. "Now, py me in before I regret sobering up."

  Maggie ughed at the look on Freddy's face, then nodded to the rest of the band. She strummed a few notes, then the drummer started the beat. The music picked up, and John turned back to the crowd.

  "Some folks are born, made to wave the fg..."