Hakon
Hakon listened as the retinue talked with one another about the latest news. The orders had finally come down from the ‘Axetooth’. Within a matter of days they would be back on the ship in orbit and reunited with the three sister starships of the 113th legion.
“It’s about fucking time,” Frea said. “I’ve had enough of this shit hole.”
“Took the General long enough,” First Companion Vault said before he took a bite of his morning meal.
There were almost reports that the Space Dragon class Carrier ‘Sparrow’s Nest’ had run into much the same issues on their target world as the ‘Axetooth’ had on Starcrown. While the ‘Axetooth’, and the ‘Sparrow’s Nest’ had provided garrison duty, General Archer had taken the Hammer class Battleships ‘Blade’ and ‘Thunderbolt’ and hunted down and defeated a small fleet of rebels they had been hired to defeat.
“General Archer is said to have demanded twice what the contract called for from the king of Barta,” Thane Longreach told them from his place at the front of the table. “Defeated the small rebel fleet and went straight to the Barta homeworld when he heard reports of the attacks on Starcrown and whatever shithole the ‘Sparrows Nest’ is on.”
“Can’t complain about another bonus, now can we,” Vault said with a small laugh.
“Wouldn’t expect much,” Frea cut in. “Barta is piss poor. Most of the Bolgar nations of Lettowen Space are piss poor. Some new rebel king will rise up and replace him in the coming years.”
“Something is better than nothing,” Ragnor countered. “And best of all, we are still alive, and get to leave this place.”
“It will be good to be back on the ‘Axetooth’,” Frea agreed.
Hakon was looking forward to being back in space, and off the rock of Starcrown. Reunited with the rest of the Legion and heading back to Jom to put an end to the contract. To bright the ashes of the dead back to Jom, to be released among their brothers and sisters or sent back to their waiting families.
Hakon had seen enough of Starcrown anyway. He didn’t know why, but he preferred the comfort of a starship over that of a world. He had just as much control of his fate on a starship as he did on the surface of a planet. Less so most likely but he felt more comfortable on the deck of a ship then he did on worlds. Maybe he just liked the adventure of one port to another, maybe he just liked the order that came with life on a starship.
“Oh they are going to love the smell of you,” Astrid told Frea with a chuckle as she took bites of her morning potage meal.
“You don’t smell so good your sweetheart,” Frea returned the mock.
None of them smelled good, Hakon knew. Weeks on end in power armor does that to a person. The moment the world became hostile all the rules on the ground changed, and most hours of the day were spent inside their protective shells. The cooling systems only did so much to keep them from sweating, but after days and weeks they became ripe.
Hakon looked at the black morning potage in his bowl and let out a small sigh before he took another bite. The Imperial Guard kept you fed. Didn’t matter what branch you served in, they kept you fed. Hakon just wished it tasted like something. It was better than what was served on most Highpass ships, but not much. Honey packets went well with the black morning potage. Not so much with the grey evening potage. He liked the red sauce on that.
“I won't miss eating this day in and day out,” Fredric Vault said.
“Hunting fresh game,” Ragnor agreed.
Hakon already missed the local food but local food could no longer be deemed secure. They were secured enough to load up to be transported by the division to be taken back to Jom and sold or traded to other worlds. But they would go through test after test. The last thing High Companion Goldsmith, commander of the ‘Axetooth’ wanted was sick troops while they were defending from hit and run attacks.
“I’ve heard there is already looting taking place on the other side of the planet.” Third Companion Bull said and slid his finished tray forward on the table.
“It will only get worse,” Ragnor replied and wiped his breaded face. “Worse will be after we leave of course.”
Hakon nodded and finished his potage. It was better than most ration bars. “People are animals. When we are gone they will turn on one another and fight over the scrapes.”
“Lucky that they will be left with scrapes,” Frea replied.
As the morning meal was finished, the retinue stood and made their way to their waiting power armor units. They gathered what supplies they would need for the patrol of the day, went over the planned route again, and were updated by their Echo’s on the latest intelligence in the area.
The four fire teams were split several hundred meters from one another as they made their way through the countryside that they had combed through dozens of times already. Hakon could see the two fire teams on his flank through the visor of his helmet. Their small ping from the friend and foe system showing their location and information such as distance.
They had fought several small skirmishes in the area as the rebels launched hit and run attacks from the hills and mountains where they held out. A few farm houses, and estates filled in the otherwise wild and natural landscape. All had been abandoned by those who had called them home, or killed by the rebels as they sought supplies.
The attacks had slowed down over the last weeks. They were lucky to find signs of any life in the area anymore. The estates had long been abandoned and picked clean. the rebels had mostly moved on to find fresh targets, and easier targets elsewhere or perhaps just choosing to live by not confronting members of the legion.
Hakon scanned the large field in front of him with his headset display. There were only a few estates that hadn’t been searched by the retinue themselves. They had searched most of the farm houses and estates in the area. They tried to hit a new one each time they were out from the safety of the base. They found precious gemstones and medals from time to time. Jewelry mostly. The odd piece of art and weapons were found from time to time. Although most weapons were old and mostly used for hunting. Anything they thought they could sell they would load up to be sent back to the ‘Axetooth’. Profit was profit.
It was a part Hakon disliked the most about their job. He felt like a grave robber and he didn’t believe it was worth it. By the time the Jom got their cut, and they got back to Jom to sell it off they would be lucky to each get a bonus of a few hundred credits. It wasn’t worth it to him, but he wouldn’t change the minds and attitudes of the Jom, and so never fought back against it and just did his job and maintained watch.
Hakon knew the tactical advantage of eyes on the ground and ensuring that the area was clear or not. Tech could be used to hide, or mask the signs of life until it was too late. The best sensors could be fooled by the right tech. Any of the estates could have been used as a forward base to launch attacks further into territory controlled by the Legion. Attacks like the one which had killed so many of them.
Some of the estates and farmhouses had been used by refugees but they had quickly left when they encountered the power armor clad members of the retinue or another which had passed through the area. Sometimes they still found signs of people staying a night or two. An abandoned fire here or there, discarded cans of food or other such clues.
The retinue had planned their approach, and all aspects of how to approach the estates. The latest drone surveillance, and information from the orbiting starship came in clear as they moved on the latest estate they had chosen for closer inspection.
Hakon remained in the distance with his long rifle, as he often did. Third Companion Bull, and an Echo in a combat Bot, which had taken the place of Guard Quickfire. The third fire team was often on overwatch duty, and Hakon was easily the best sharp shooter in the Retinue. The first Fire team under Thane Longreach had swept around the estate into position to block any retreat and provide overwatch from another angle.
It was overkill for five power armor clad warriors, and other Echo in another combat Bot which had replaced Retainer Pond after his death, to approach the estate. Thane Longreach didn’t want to take chances. Not after the losses of Pond and Quickfire. It was not only back to basics though, it was a simple defense against the attacks from the rebels which had lured several members of the legion into traps where their crude weapons had been able to destroy the power armor that they wore.
Every sensor from Hakon’s power armor there was nothing there, but he continued to scan with his rifle as the two fire teams moved in slowly. Hakon cast his sights on the members of his retinue, and watched for signs of enemy movement. His gut told him that there was nothing there though.
Team 2 and 4 reached the estate. Hakon ignored the chatter of the teams as he controlled his breathing. The call of clear rang out once, the twice, then several more times as rooms were cleared one by one.
“We’re clear Thane,” Ragnor came through the comm system as Hakon watched the bright green outline of the Second Companion through the walls of the estate.
“Alright, folk. Ten minutes and then we are on the move back to the base,” Thane Longreach told them through the comm system. “We will keep a watch, you gather the goods.”
“Roger that,” Hakon heard the Second Companion say.
Hakon watched through the display of both his scope and his helmet. He looked from the estate to the horizon and back again as he watched for any movement, but things were quiet.
“Not much here, I’d say it’s been picked through once or twice. Maybe five times before,” Frea said with a loud sigh.
Hakon looked back to the estate and scanned with his scope as he looked for each member of the fire teams inside the estate. Through his scope he spotted a small area of the estate which seemed to block all data, and which his scope could not scan through. There were few materials his powerful scope could not look through with thermal, or one of the other many options that it had.
“Echo,” Hakon said quietly. “Bring me up Frea’s feed,” he told the A.I., and the top corner of his helmet visor displayed a small square video feed of what Frea could see from her own helmet.
Hakon smirked. It was an old trick. One which was even used in his own family estate on the world of Highgard in Highpass. “Frea,” he called out over the comm system. “I'm not getting any reading from the wall. The one with the books. See if one of them opens a door.”
Hakon watched Frea as she walked over to the book shelves and began to knock book after book off, and onto the floor. He could hear the books as they hit the floor. She continued to flick book after book onto the pile of the floor. Most books were on the floor before Hakon finally heard the click as it moved forward but didn’t fall.
A section of the book shelf disappeared inwards to reveal a small door to a hidden vault.
“Fuck me,” Frea said.
“Hogg get that door open,” Ragnor said to Elmo Hogg.
“Yes ser,” The Guard said, and quickly went to work to use his equipment to open the massive and thick vault door. “Fucking jackpot,” he whirled.
Hakon looked at the display in the upper corner of his helmet and saw the gemstones, precious metals, bars of useless gold, ingots of Helllace Steel. Stacks of credit chips and other items in the small room in the middle of the estate.
“Now that’s a bonus,” Frea said gleefully.
