This story began elsewhere but the partner vanished after a couple of posts in 2023 so I've decided to pull it off the shelf and see if anyone has any interest. The original concept was science fiction with two central governments in conflict. Livin is a key resource needed for warp travel and the reason for the majority of the conflicts. MC was going to be a ranking officer of the Cerberus Federation sent to an outer planet to bring it under the control of the federation destined to be captured by the opposing forces.
Any or all of this can be adjusted; it was originally intended as MXF but I'd also do FXF. Below is the opener that was written, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any interest or thoughts.
Any or all of this can be adjusted; it was originally intended as MXF but I'd also do FXF. Below is the opener that was written, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any interest or thoughts.
The crates rattled against the straps within the cargo bay of the veda shuttle as they approached atmosphere level. The soldiers exchanged looks down the line through their plexi visors to see if any newbies would have the misfortune of vomiting in their suits. Anyone worth their muster knew that the most significant risk was landing and taking off for any of the shuttlecraft. Unfortunately, the old veda class models had the worst track record for landing; the heavy armor made them hard to maneuver, and they were typically the first choice from command to send down the ground forces.
Harper focused on the cargo in front of her, lips pressed into a straight line, body relaxed. The best way to instill a sense of calm was to have the men in her battalion see that she was unfazed. Most of them couldn't stand the thought of a woman having more nerve. In truth, it didn't bother her; her mind was a calm void of nothing. Perhaps it was training or being desensitized. At least it was a ground mission; she hated reclaiming the mining colonies and station threats.
Harper was pressed back against the seat as the shuttle pitched, and an armored suit tried to compensate. The shuttle rattled and roared until it sounded like pieces had to be flying off. Within the comm link, she could hear one of the men gagging and heaving as the descent began to press against their stomachs. This set off a chain of two other men heaving, probably the ones still wet behind the ears. She made a mental note to find out who they were; she'd make them run until their stomachs were stronger.
The sound of the thrusters engaging thankfully drowned out the other sounds, and the pressure began to recede. "Flight control to ground team, prepare for landing in minus ten." Harper held up one hand and began to count down with her fingers. As the last finger dropped, she reached down and keyed in a code on a pad around her wrist. The harness snapped loose from her suit, followed in unison by the others. A green light flashed within the cargo bay, and the doors opened to expose an expanse of green below. The cargo dropped first, several feet below the ship's hull, thrusters engaged to slow its descent.
"On my mark." Harper stepped forward and waited for the cargo to drop before proceeding. Around her, the others followed; their suits shimmered green and blue as the nanotech attempted to camouflage with the surrounding area. Harper stared at a monitor within her suit's visor that measured their descent to the ground. If they engaged thrusters too early, they wouldn't have enough fuel to land; too late meant splat. The heart rate monitor held at a steady sixty-seven beats for a minute. The display began to flash when they were in the window for landing. Harper paused momentarily, enjoying the view and the feeling of the world rising before her.
Finally, she cued thrusters and guided herself to a clearing at the compound's center. The compound itself was a blackthorn amidst the jungle around them. Several mechanized suits with heavy guns patrolled the perimeter while hover vehicles were being loaded with supplies and men.
Harper only had a moment to appreciate the efficiency of it all before the fuel cells on her suit began to flash yellow as her feet touched the ground. Ahead, the cargo landed on the spongy tar-colored padding, guided in by mission control. The 54th group fell in line behind Harper, and as she turned, they saluted. "At ease, everyone must report to the armory and check your suits in. Then, report to the auditorium for a briefing on Gonoe SD27; we will ship out tomorrow at 12:00 hours. Dismissed."
One of the men held back her second-in-command, Richer. Together, they waited before having the polymers of their helmet compress into a band around the neck of the suit. Harper took a deep breath; the air was crisp and felt heavy in her lungs. Gonoe had been one of the most significant finds for Cerberus; it had the richest soil of any of the colonized planets and vast natural resources. Haper's home world, Titan, was a wasteland in comparison. Seven generations of terraforming had made it barely habitable. Still, it held the largest reservoir of livin needed for warp travel.
"Find out who can't hold their stomachs. I want them on laps until nightfall, then meet me at the command center." Harper cut her forest green eyes to look up at Richer, who quickly lowered his head and looked to a point beyond her.
"Yes, Lieutenant Black."
Harper stared at him until he made a hasty retreat towards the armory to find her offenders. It was god's curse that she was short, but she had made it an art to appear larger than she was. A quick glance at the time revealed that she would miss the command debriefing; there was no time to change then. Harper didn't simply walk; she glided in a way that forced others out of her way and required them to thank her for the pleasure of having to move. At the compound's center leading into the command center, the guards glanced at the stripes and name emblazoned on her suit before they began to key in the code for entry.
Inside, several men of varying ages stood around a central holosphere that displayed one of the main cities of Gonoe. A grizzled old man with short cropped hair and more valleys on his face than the cortian moon was speaking in a gruff voice. "Their fighters are choking us out, using the buildings for cover, and once we take this city back, we have the other two. Cerberus should be resupplying us soon, but I've received intel indicating we might also face some resistance in space soon. The rebels have been in contact with Zeta colony."
Harper clasped her hands behind her back and stared at the city map. Nothing like it existed on Titan; they were forced to live in stone huts to avoid the latceva spores that I liked to eat processed metals that stayed in one place too long. At least this mission would pay well, hazard pay in addition to overtime, and she could send that to her sister. "All of you can expect assignments delivered to your comm-connect link after this meeting. That will detail where your battalions should be and their objective. Dismissed."
A couple in the room glanced at Harper as they prepared to depart; she was the only woman and the shortest by at least a hand span. None questioned her presence, though truth be told, she would have reveled in it if they had. Few made it to her rank at her age, as a woman, or with accolades. "Lieutenant Black, if I may have a moment."
Harper turned to face General Korvin and held her arms stiff by her side. "At ease, I have a special assignment for your team. I'll need you to head out tonight. This is not to leave this room. We have reason to believe that some may sympathize with the locals."
"Understood, Sir."
Korvin pressed a small chip forward that she implanted into a recessed area on the palm of her suit smaller than a pinky nail. A hologram of data displayed above her hand outlined plans to take a factory and refinery on the city's outskirts near a major water source. Diagrams flashed with blueprints that marked entry and exit points. A warning flashed, and it reached the end that data integrity was now set to decompose.
"Black, this might earn you a promotion."
"One can hope, Sir." Harper refused to indicate her true feelings; her mother had taught her that it would be taken if she showed affection or excitement towards anything. The memory bubbled up within her, hours of standing at attention while her mother raged and her siblings sat in the corner. Her father had sat quietly in his chair and watched the slow creep of the sun. Some of it Harper had brought on herself because she wouldn't bow like the others. For years, she had endured, and she had hoped it would end when she joined the household of her chosen husband.
Things had only gotten worse despite her deepest wishes; to the contrary, she hadn't met his standards of aesthetics or personality. Years later, she had been starved to thinness for him until she ran with the first trader who would take her. When they were booked for smuggling, the option had been asteroid work camp mining or the service. Now, she stood before the opportunity to climb in the ranks again.
"Dismissed, Godspeed. Reinforcements will follow in a day's time. If we can disrupt the weapon supply from that factory, we can crush them." Harper saluted before turning on her heel and stomping out; she had a lot to get done and no time to accomplish any of it.
~~~
The regiment had on midnight blue armored suits that reflected the light of the twin moons above the planet. A single river behind them masked most of the sound from their heavy footsteps. Harper continued to motion her men forward; it seemed the city was under blackout orders from the local government. The steam vents within the jungle scuffed their night vision and heat sensors, and the rebels had managed to plant disruptors along the street. Harper glanced at her geographical specialist, who continued leading them along the river. Soon, they would have to change course and angle into the city and move toward the factory district.
Soon, the rebellion would be put down, armed forces would be put in place while Cerberus established the government and police forces. If what the general had said was true, they'd be dealing with Zeta soon. The thought gave Harper a moment of pause; on a deep level, she was tired, but on another, she knew she would go until she dropped. One day, she would be able to sit comfortably in a home or within one of the space colonies. Hell, she might even buy a house here, retire, and move her siblings. 'Focus,' she told herself as she tried to listen over the roar of the river.
Harper focused on the cargo in front of her, lips pressed into a straight line, body relaxed. The best way to instill a sense of calm was to have the men in her battalion see that she was unfazed. Most of them couldn't stand the thought of a woman having more nerve. In truth, it didn't bother her; her mind was a calm void of nothing. Perhaps it was training or being desensitized. At least it was a ground mission; she hated reclaiming the mining colonies and station threats.
Harper was pressed back against the seat as the shuttle pitched, and an armored suit tried to compensate. The shuttle rattled and roared until it sounded like pieces had to be flying off. Within the comm link, she could hear one of the men gagging and heaving as the descent began to press against their stomachs. This set off a chain of two other men heaving, probably the ones still wet behind the ears. She made a mental note to find out who they were; she'd make them run until their stomachs were stronger.
The sound of the thrusters engaging thankfully drowned out the other sounds, and the pressure began to recede. "Flight control to ground team, prepare for landing in minus ten." Harper held up one hand and began to count down with her fingers. As the last finger dropped, she reached down and keyed in a code on a pad around her wrist. The harness snapped loose from her suit, followed in unison by the others. A green light flashed within the cargo bay, and the doors opened to expose an expanse of green below. The cargo dropped first, several feet below the ship's hull, thrusters engaged to slow its descent.
"On my mark." Harper stepped forward and waited for the cargo to drop before proceeding. Around her, the others followed; their suits shimmered green and blue as the nanotech attempted to camouflage with the surrounding area. Harper stared at a monitor within her suit's visor that measured their descent to the ground. If they engaged thrusters too early, they wouldn't have enough fuel to land; too late meant splat. The heart rate monitor held at a steady sixty-seven beats for a minute. The display began to flash when they were in the window for landing. Harper paused momentarily, enjoying the view and the feeling of the world rising before her.
Finally, she cued thrusters and guided herself to a clearing at the compound's center. The compound itself was a blackthorn amidst the jungle around them. Several mechanized suits with heavy guns patrolled the perimeter while hover vehicles were being loaded with supplies and men.
Harper only had a moment to appreciate the efficiency of it all before the fuel cells on her suit began to flash yellow as her feet touched the ground. Ahead, the cargo landed on the spongy tar-colored padding, guided in by mission control. The 54th group fell in line behind Harper, and as she turned, they saluted. "At ease, everyone must report to the armory and check your suits in. Then, report to the auditorium for a briefing on Gonoe SD27; we will ship out tomorrow at 12:00 hours. Dismissed."
One of the men held back her second-in-command, Richer. Together, they waited before having the polymers of their helmet compress into a band around the neck of the suit. Harper took a deep breath; the air was crisp and felt heavy in her lungs. Gonoe had been one of the most significant finds for Cerberus; it had the richest soil of any of the colonized planets and vast natural resources. Haper's home world, Titan, was a wasteland in comparison. Seven generations of terraforming had made it barely habitable. Still, it held the largest reservoir of livin needed for warp travel.
"Find out who can't hold their stomachs. I want them on laps until nightfall, then meet me at the command center." Harper cut her forest green eyes to look up at Richer, who quickly lowered his head and looked to a point beyond her.
"Yes, Lieutenant Black."
Harper stared at him until he made a hasty retreat towards the armory to find her offenders. It was god's curse that she was short, but she had made it an art to appear larger than she was. A quick glance at the time revealed that she would miss the command debriefing; there was no time to change then. Harper didn't simply walk; she glided in a way that forced others out of her way and required them to thank her for the pleasure of having to move. At the compound's center leading into the command center, the guards glanced at the stripes and name emblazoned on her suit before they began to key in the code for entry.
Inside, several men of varying ages stood around a central holosphere that displayed one of the main cities of Gonoe. A grizzled old man with short cropped hair and more valleys on his face than the cortian moon was speaking in a gruff voice. "Their fighters are choking us out, using the buildings for cover, and once we take this city back, we have the other two. Cerberus should be resupplying us soon, but I've received intel indicating we might also face some resistance in space soon. The rebels have been in contact with Zeta colony."
Harper clasped her hands behind her back and stared at the city map. Nothing like it existed on Titan; they were forced to live in stone huts to avoid the latceva spores that I liked to eat processed metals that stayed in one place too long. At least this mission would pay well, hazard pay in addition to overtime, and she could send that to her sister. "All of you can expect assignments delivered to your comm-connect link after this meeting. That will detail where your battalions should be and their objective. Dismissed."
A couple in the room glanced at Harper as they prepared to depart; she was the only woman and the shortest by at least a hand span. None questioned her presence, though truth be told, she would have reveled in it if they had. Few made it to her rank at her age, as a woman, or with accolades. "Lieutenant Black, if I may have a moment."
Harper turned to face General Korvin and held her arms stiff by her side. "At ease, I have a special assignment for your team. I'll need you to head out tonight. This is not to leave this room. We have reason to believe that some may sympathize with the locals."
"Understood, Sir."
Korvin pressed a small chip forward that she implanted into a recessed area on the palm of her suit smaller than a pinky nail. A hologram of data displayed above her hand outlined plans to take a factory and refinery on the city's outskirts near a major water source. Diagrams flashed with blueprints that marked entry and exit points. A warning flashed, and it reached the end that data integrity was now set to decompose.
"Black, this might earn you a promotion."
"One can hope, Sir." Harper refused to indicate her true feelings; her mother had taught her that it would be taken if she showed affection or excitement towards anything. The memory bubbled up within her, hours of standing at attention while her mother raged and her siblings sat in the corner. Her father had sat quietly in his chair and watched the slow creep of the sun. Some of it Harper had brought on herself because she wouldn't bow like the others. For years, she had endured, and she had hoped it would end when she joined the household of her chosen husband.
Things had only gotten worse despite her deepest wishes; to the contrary, she hadn't met his standards of aesthetics or personality. Years later, she had been starved to thinness for him until she ran with the first trader who would take her. When they were booked for smuggling, the option had been asteroid work camp mining or the service. Now, she stood before the opportunity to climb in the ranks again.
"Dismissed, Godspeed. Reinforcements will follow in a day's time. If we can disrupt the weapon supply from that factory, we can crush them." Harper saluted before turning on her heel and stomping out; she had a lot to get done and no time to accomplish any of it.
~~~
The regiment had on midnight blue armored suits that reflected the light of the twin moons above the planet. A single river behind them masked most of the sound from their heavy footsteps. Harper continued to motion her men forward; it seemed the city was under blackout orders from the local government. The steam vents within the jungle scuffed their night vision and heat sensors, and the rebels had managed to plant disruptors along the street. Harper glanced at her geographical specialist, who continued leading them along the river. Soon, they would have to change course and angle into the city and move toward the factory district.
Soon, the rebellion would be put down, armed forces would be put in place while Cerberus established the government and police forces. If what the general had said was true, they'd be dealing with Zeta soon. The thought gave Harper a moment of pause; on a deep level, she was tired, but on another, she knew she would go until she dropped. One day, she would be able to sit comfortably in a home or within one of the space colonies. Hell, she might even buy a house here, retire, and move her siblings. 'Focus,' she told herself as she tried to listen over the roar of the river.