12:16 p.m.

“Shit.” Petra heard Web mutter before continuing louder. “They want us to come back don’t they? A cease fire?”

“Yeah.” Petra said. “Opinions?”

“Fuck that,” Black Hat spat. “I want no part of going up against a Contender or two outgunned. Especially not when the fluctuations are tripping the sensors to this degree.”

He had pulled up the readouts from the small sensors that the Limo had equipped onboard, throwing them up on the monitors attached to the front bay wall. The screens were showing an insane degree of fluctuation in the local space, well beyond anything that Petra had ever encountered before. They hadn’t stabilized into a new pattern yet, which made the uncertainty even worse.

“Seconding Black Hat.” Transporter called from up front.

“We have to go back!” Pockets exclaimed. “We’re mercenaries, not evil!”

Zero made an either-or gesture with a flutter of her hand.

“I say we go back.” Amp declared. “I don’t want to live with that on my conscious.”

“I vote with Black Hat and Transporter, going back is insane.” Bubbles argued.

“I’m with Amp on this one, I’d feel guilty if we didn’t go back.” Stormfront sighed.

Web and Khyber remained quiet; Petra knew they’d follow her lead, regardless of their own opinions. She still wondered where she’d earned that type of loyalty from. She didn’t deserve it.

“So we’re split?” Petra asked after no one else volunteered anything. “Vote or leave it up to me?”

12:18 p.m.

“Your call boss, always is.” Black Hat quipped. For all the vehemence he’d displayed, if she decided to go back, he’d follow. They all would. Again, Petra wondered at the loyalty.

“All right, I’ll break it down.” Petra stated. “If we go back, we’re short Flashbang and Flora. Flora’s not so great against Contenders unless they’re water focused or easy to restrain. So it’s not a big deal to go back without her except the ground forces will lose some potential camouflage. Flashbang hurts because he’s our main evac protocol. Without him, we’re either relying on being physically carried out or getting to one of Pocket’s tunnels if we can. That is a significant hike in danger, especially since the Contender’s entrance will shred all her tunnels within a few miles so she’ll be building from scratch. From previous experience we know that any airborne Contenders tend to hate the Limo, so we’ll be a big target if we engage with it. And the final worry is that after this fight, provided we survive it, is that Meridian will turn around and jump us. Normally that’s not a problem because its’ so damn difficult to restrain Flashbang that they haven’t even bothered. Again, he’s not here this time. Those are the cons.”

Petra took a deep breath before continuing. “If we go, we will make a significant difference. We’d only be putting Zero, Khyber, Amp, Stormfront, Pockets, and maybe Bubbles on the ground. Contenders don’t use electronics, at least that we recognize so Black Hat’s AI can focus on being tracking and shooting for our ship. The only person who misses less is Zero. The rest of us would stay on the ship and if I use my sand defensively, between it and the guns we should be able to fend off an airborne Contender until we get back-up. We haven’t worked with the Crusaders before but this would be our third time with Meridian. Amp, Stormfront, we’ve seen just how effective a combo you two with Neutronis can be. Bubbles, either in the air or in the ground, you will save lives if the Contender is a blaster of any type. Zero, if you work with Trickshot and Exact, provided she’s able, that combination of ammunition, weapons, and aim would be effective almost regardless of what type of Contender it is. And Khyber, they’ll only have five viable front liners. You’ve never even met Arc but you’ve worked with or against the rest. If we give the six of you space, you might be able to kill the Contender by yourselves.”

Petra took a moment to look each team member in the eyes. “We need to go back. We make too much of a difference to do anything else. Hat, get to replying. I want a direct channel to talk to Excelsior as soon as it can be arranged. He’ll be coordinating.”

There was no dissent, there was no hesitation. Transporter banked the Limo back around to head towards Crusaders’ former headquarters. Petra waited on Black Hat’s signal before putting her headset on.

12:28 p.m.

“Petra.” Petra restrained the urge to snarl in response to the man on the other end of the line. Meridian and the Dozen had never officially shed blood fighting. Unofficially was a completely different story. And Excelsior was the man behind that unofficial history.

“Excelsior. What are we looking at?” Petra said flatly.

“Big enough fluctuations to guarantee a double rupture, likely with a Colossus. Or something unheard of, which would certainly be worse.” As much as they personally disliked each other, the two had an accord to keep professional when cooperating. A tenuous accord, but it had held. “The Valkyries are already here and Winky should have the RMDF any minute. We were planning on staying defensive until we’d analyzed our opponents this time around.”

“We should be there shortly ourselves.” Petra responded.

“If you could, we’d like to have Web interface with the respective team leads, we’re not going to use Screamer unless one of them is a mentalist. He’d need to string together you, Joan, Pike, Centurion, and Glyph. The RMDF just arrived.” Excelsior said. Petra, knowing that Web had been listening in, simply gave him the thumbs up.

“Should be up and running shortly, I’m going off air to work with the other team leaders. Respond on this frequency if you need something directly between the two of us, I’ll keep it open.” Petra said.

12:29 p.m.

“Pleasure working with you as always.” Petra didn’t bother with replying before switching over to her team’s headset channel. They’d all hooked up to one to hear better over the engines. Before she addressed them though, she looked over to confirm with Web. He nodded.

Can you all hear me? List your name off if so. This is Petra.

Centurion: Been a while since I’ve felt this. Centurion here.

Pike: So that’s what this feels like? Pike.

Glyph: It itches a bit. Glyph.

Joan: Nice to finally talk, sort of, Petra. Joan.

Good, let’s get this show on the road. Excelsior said a guaranteed double Rupture. Thoughts?

Glyph: Agreed, the spikes are huge, we’re still trying to firm up the pattern.

Shit, well there went my optimism.

Joan: Fascinating that you can feel the sarcasm. How do we want to deploy our team members?

Centurion, what kind of shape is your team in?

Centurion: Exact is only going to be able to contribute with her mind from a bed with a morphine drip. Thank Khyber for me, whatever he threw up saved her life. Spartan is getting treated by Amoeba, but he won’t be fully functional. Winky is exhausted, four major transports in one day is about his limit. We’re holding off on using Screamer to allow this mental link. Myself, Neutronis, Unity, and Sledge are fully functional, if a bit tired.

Sorry about that. Glyph?

Glyph: We’re all technically fine. But Marionette is down two of her best toys and Trickshot has no guns in working order. Calypso’s a bit dazed from the sound and lights show but she’ll contribute what she can. Everybody else is fine, if a bit bruised or itchy.

Okay, again sorry. Joan, Pike?

Joan: Myself, Celestis, Aura, Freya, Whistler, Lyudmila, Curie, and Chariot are all here. We left Porcelain and Myst behind, they’re still recovering from being infected the other day in a scrap with Pestilence and his crew.

Pike: That’s where that bastard went? Damn, he slipped us a few weeks back. I’m good to go. So are Arc, Sabre, Quetz, Daedalus, Vulture, Jekyll, and Phosphor. Mole, Castor, Pollux, and Banshee are all down, Pestilence left us a little present before he left and they haven’t recovered yet.

Alright, we’re down Flora and Flashbang with some serious burn wounds. We’ve already dropped them off for treatment, so we’re free of any dead weight. We’re about a minute out of the indicated rendezvous.

Centurion: Before we go any further, suggestion?

Go for it.

Centurion: I vote we put Petra in overall command.

12:32 p.m.

All three of the other team leaders began protesting at the same time.

Centurion: HOLD IT!

Her mental scream seemed to shut them up. Petra though them fortunate, she’d been about to signal Web for the mental equivalent of having a gun fired next to their ears.

Centurion: Look, not knocking any of your abilities. I’ve worked with all of you before, you’re good leaders. But there’s a reason the Dozen have a nearly flawless record against all of our teams and Petra’s it. Well, her and Khyber. You all would accede to Athena being put in overall command, right?

Silence greeted the question before three grudging affirmations were heard.

Centurion: She’s just as good. Petra and Athena were the ones who came up with the strategy that stopped the Bastion rupture in St. Petersburg three years ago. Her team just functionally disabled every Crusader but Titan and Amoeba and contained my team at the same time, despite the fact that we knew they were coming and had an ambush set up. And no Petra, I’m not telling you how we found out.

Glyph: She’s telling the truth. I still can’t figure out how you predicted Titan’s entry point or how Black Hat got past my security.

Joan: Well, I can’t argue with results.

Pike:…Fine.

So, I’m in overall command? Great. We’re over the rendezvous now, my ground team should be dropping out.

Glyph: Yes, Khyber just made a grand entrance.

He likes those. Centurion, you’re my front line contact. You, Khyber, Titan, Celestis, Arc, and Sabre are our front line. Keep yourself and Sabre in reserve until we know how to best use the two of you. We’re going to try and give the front four as much space as we can to absorb the brunt of the initial attack.

Pike, you’re in charge of our flyers. The Limo will be operating semi-autonomously, but yell out if you need us. Take Neutronis, Vulture, Freya, Whistler, and Quetz. Whatever you do, do not get anywhere near the front liners if things start going poorly. If Khyber has to flip forms, he’s going to take out everything non-heat invulnerable in a quarter mile radius.

Pike: Jesus. Really?

Centurion: Yes. We lost Shocker that way when he disobeyed orders in Boston two years ago. It will incinerate you.

Glyph, tech and analysis teams are yours. Make sure to keep up a link to Black Hat so he can contribute. Set up at least a mile away and make damn sure you’re mobile, Contenders like soft targets. Curie, Unity, and Jekyll are all with you and you’ll take Daedalus if he doesn’t think his suit can contribute enough.

Joan, if he thinks he’s able, he’s yours. You’re also getting Spartan, Sledge, Vector, Marionette, and Phosphor. Amp and Stormfront will also be with you but they’ll be prioritizing charging Neutronis. Stay back from the front lines until we’ve got an idea of which, if either of the Contenders you can go up against directly. Lay into them from range otherwise.

I’m going to be sending Zero with Trickshot and Lyudmila out to extreme range with a comm link to Exact. Any weapons she has available should go to them. The rest of the support is going under Chariot. Joan, tell her that she needs to keep them moving at all times and I mean all times. Contenders seem to smell weakness and wounded draw them like flies. Bubbles will be going with her to provide cover and Pockets should be able to help with mobility if neither of the Contenders are shifters. If they are, I may have her retreat to the Limo or make tunnels as bait depending. Amoeba and Aura will be there to help anyone who needs it. Between the two of them they should be able to get anyone who’s not critically injured back in the fight. Calypso and Garganta can help provide camouflage.

I’ll be in the Limo providing defense as necessary. We’re fully loaded on ammunition, so we’ll be staying at a distance to ensure our mental link stays up. Pike, don’t hesitate to call out for assistance or opportunities, depending. As for the rest, I’ll wait until we see our opponents.

12:37 p.m.

Petra smiled grimly as she received four affirmatives. She couldn’t really plan out anything better than that. Contenders shattered plans the minute they arrived, so she simply formed the groups as best she could. Black Hat had the monitors up and running. Khyber was shaking hands with Sabre before getting a hug from Celestis. Petra raised her eyebrow at that, but refrained from saying anything. Khyber said something to Titan and the two of them started laughing. No one who hadn’t seen would have ever suspected they’d been trying their level best to incapacitate each other earlier that day. Centurion was talking to Glyph while Arc was staring suspiciously at Khyber. Given that RMDF hadn’t ever interacted with the Dozen, Petra wondered which rumor was fueling the stare. Probably the one about Khyber intentionally killing Shocker; that one persisted despite Centurion’s flat denial.

Shocker had been headstrong and was heat resistant. He had charged the Contender Khyber, Ares, Hephaestus, Dominus, and Centurion had been containing without any real back-up. He’d ignored Athena’s command that all non-heat invulnerable fighters retreat outside the quarter-mile radius. Petra and Athena had been too busy trying to coordinate the containment of the Blue Angel, a particularly nasty Contender, to notice that Shocker had disobeyed the order. Khyber had already been given the go ahead and his plasma wave caught Shocker when he was about a hundred feet away. Dominus had seen Shocker charging but hadn’t thought anyone would be stupid enough to ignore Athena’s order so he hadn’t called the kid off. He saw Shocker burn away when the wave hit him. Khyber had felt guilty for months afterwards.

Chariot was in the process of constructing a giant, spectral chariot. It was pulled by equally spectral horses, six of them for a chariot of this size. Bubbles had already hopped on, chatting with Aura and Amoeba. Pockets was still visible; she wouldn’t start tunneling until getting the go ahead from Petra. Zero, Lyudmila, and Trickshot were in the middle of breaking down a table full of weapons, presumably receiving instructions from Exact over the radio they had. Freya and Quetz were nearby, ready to transport the three shooters as soon as they were ready. Pike had the rest of the flyers nearby, with Neutronis a little ways apart. He was already glowing slightly from the barrage of lightning Stormfront and Amp were directing his way. Joan had most of the middle range combatants on top the roof of a church. It was centralized and would allow for a rapid response in almost any direction.

Petra sighed. Excelsior would already have started the evacuation of the city. It was a waiting game now.