October 25, 2111
Malcolm Richardson
Only a few hours ago, the hunters had eavesdropped on the legionnaires' plan and were ready to counter. With the rain pelting their armor, they waited for the legionnaires to make their move. James's plan to attack the station by brute force was so predictable, it was laughable in Malcolm's mind. Stone's idiocrasy made it a breeze for Malcolm to come up with a simple and sweet counter plan: Trap them inside the control station and take them down using shock rifles. Unfortunately, shock rifles had a limit of two shots before needing a reload, and the hunters only had a magazine each; however, Malcolm had planned for this. He counted on the fact that one, maybe even two, of the legionnaires would remain standing – and that was when the fun really began. It would give Malcolm the chance to make an example of this squad to show all aces that what makes a military great aren't some overloaded, in-over-their-head super beings. No. What makes a military great are soldiers willing to put everything on the line and follow the orders given to them.
"Attack!" Malcolm heard James Stone's voice in the distance.
Every member of the 1070 Legionnaires, minus Narrisa, burst through the doors. Malcolm signaled for his hunters to follow. They flitted behind the legionnaires, out of sight, until they reached the station.
Once the legionnaires were inside, Malcolm signaled to his unit to take their positions. At one of the windows, Malcolm planted a breach charge and waited. Vaal posted up next to the door, and Brad went to the opposite window. They were ready.
As the legionnaires' guard lowered, Malcolm spoke over the intercom, "Three, two, one. Fire!"
Malcolm let loose his only two shots in-between the bars of the window. One was deflected by James Stone's shield, and he dodged the other. "Just as I thought," Malcolm said with a snicker. Over the comms, he said, "Form up."
With a click, Malcolm detonated the breach charge and stormed through the window, tossing his stock rifle in the process. As he closed the distance, he shouted, "James Stone, you are absent without leave. This is your one chance to come home peacefully."
The hunters now surrounded James and Valiic. Malcolm took out a dor'o shock grenade and held it up. James Stone turned his attention to Malcolm.
"Who the unforgiven mercy are you?"
"Malcolm Richardson. That's Brad Swift, and over there is Vaalima Stoox." Malcolm pointed to each person respectively. "We're the 51 Hunters and have been assigned to bring you in. Come back peacefully, and we can offer you a fair trial."
James's stare was fixed on Brad's finished tribute mask. Its sharp yet elegant design sent shivers down Malcolm's spine. To an enemy, it could be the last image they saw before Brad killed them. After moments of staring at Brad's visor, James turned his gaze back to Malcolm. Malcolm knew James would never admit it, but James couldn't hide that look. James had recognized Brad from someplace before.
James clenched his fists in rage and shouted fiery insults at Malcolm. "Did your mother drop you on your skull, or are you just a few bricks short of a load? I'm in the middle of a mission, and I don't have the luxury of wasting time clowning around with you empty-headed numb-nuts."
His insults pissed off Malcolm. "Your mission was finished when you let Steion escape with Landis! Now, stop this idiotic crusade. Final warning!"
"The only way you're going to stop me from finishing my duty to Landis is by killing me."
"Then you leave me no choice. Brad, now!"
Both Brad and Malcolm threw a shock grenade at James's feet. In less than a second, it discharged.
"ERGH-AAGH!"
James stumbled to the ground, but to their surprise, he remained conscious. Malcolm figured James had only a seven percent chance of overcoming that kind of energy; so, the fact that James was able to overcome that could mean Malcolm had underestimated James's potential. No matter. Percentages wouldn't mean anything anymore. Now was the moment when everything Malcolm had trained for would be put to the biggest test.
"Impressive. That was enough to take down four maelkii," Malcolm said.
James used the nearby chair to help himself to his feet. "Valiic, ha-handle Vaalima. I'll ta-take care of these two." Valiic engaged Vaal in combat. She was more than prepared for it.
Malcolm charged at James. "That power armor set won't make you strong enough to spare with me!" James mocked.
"That's why I brought him!" Malcolm barked as Brad charged from the other side.
Brad was the first to meet James in combat. James popped on his shield and blocked Brad's first blow, sending him skidding backward. Malcolm was next. Faster than his eyes could follow, James kicked Malcolm's foot out from under him, sending him rolling into a holographic projector. James then bashed him into the floor, cratering the area around Malcolm's body. The power armor's shield took the impact but was dangerously low from that massive strike.
"Damn! You're stronger than I imagined," Malcolm grunted.
Malcolm stumbled back up to see Brad and James at it again. Brad threw a hook, but James ducked under it and launched a body blow into Brad. Swiftly, Brad slammed his fist down, knocking James's hand down and away. He then kicked Stone's leg and sent him to his knee.
Brad sent Stone down to the floor with a hefty jaw punch. "What'z da matter, Stonewall? Yah look almost az pissed off az me!" Brad mocked.
From above, Brad slammed his fist to the ground, missing James as he rolled toward Malcolm. Malcolm was now back in the fight. He hopped over James, but James kicked back to his feet before Malcolm could make a move. Brad sprinted over to Malcolm, and they were now on the same side.
"You think it's that simple, don't you? Follow orders, and life ticks on, right?" James's lip had busted open from Brad's earlier jaw punch. "Wrong! We live with our mistakes, and I'm simply choosing to correct mine," James stammered.
Brad and Malcolm charged at James. He dodged Malcolm's first punch while blocking Brad's body blow with his shield. Swiftly, James dropped to the ground and spun, tripping Malcolm. Brad jumped over him, flipping and letting loose a kick to Stone's gut. James anticipated it and used his shield to send Brad upward. Brad landed on his feet, and Malcolm was up again, ready to attack. Brad pulled his shotgun off its mag lock and used the butt to block Stone's swing. Malcolm drove himself into James, but he was too strong. He picked Malcolm up by the stomach and tossed him towards Brad. Brad ducked under and continued his assault.
"I can't let you win." James blocked another punch with his shield.
"I'm tired of dat damn shield in my face!"
Brad kneed the bottom of the stasis shield up, exposing the source. Using the shotgun, he fired directly at the source and disabled the shield while making sure not to hit Stone's arm. Malcolm sprang back into the fight. Now Brad and Malcolm shared a side again.
"Bozz, watch yah azz!" Brad warned Malcolm.
Malcolm turned around to meet a massive bear-hug. A badly battered Valiic tossed Malcolm into the railing and bent the bars around him. Malcolm tried to wiggle out, but he was stuck.
"Now's your chance, James!" Valiic howled before Vaal grabbed him and tossed him backward. Now those two warriors were back to fighting each other.
Malcolm struggled but couldn't break free. Frustration swept over him as he realized he was no longer in control of the situation. Malcolm watched as Brad and James sized each other up, trying to devise a strategy to win the brawl. It was now a battle of man versus ace.
"Brad, you should just throw in the towel now. With your comrade down for the count, I have the advantage. I'm faster, stronger. You can't stand at my level." James spat some blood to the floor.
Brad responded with a smug snicker. "Don't yah worry 'bout my azz, Stonewall!"
Almost nobody knew Brad like Malcolm. What James didn't realize was that Brad was relentless in the most extreme sense of the word. Every motion and decision Brad made was calculated to exploit weaknesses in his opponents. To Brad, combat was art - an art he'd perfected. If the devil were real, Brad would be the guy they'd send to kill him.
"Brad, just shoot his knees! We only need to bring him back alive," Malcolm commanded. Brad didn't budge.
James looked at Malcolm with rage and disappointment. "You would dare suggest gravely wounding a fellow soldier?!"
"You aren't a soldier; you're a runaway! Brad, take the shot!"
"Nah, Bozz. Da son of ah bitch could've shot your azz ah few timez over, but he refused. For dat, he haz earned respect," Brad argued.
Before Malcolm could retort, Brad hurdled a shock grenade at James. James quickly ducked, but Brad was on him in a flash. He leapt into the air and landed two kicks into James, who tumbled to his back. Brad threw his fist to the floor, just missing Stone's cheek as he rolled away. Stone kicked up and met Brad's next few blows with blocks. Brad stepped back and just stared at James through his visor. You could feel the intimidation radiating off Brad as he had James on the defensive.
With no warning, Brad made a sudden jolt at James, who flinched in response. Brad snickered and said, "Made yah flinch." He was playing mind games with James.
"Is this a game to you? There are real lives at stake here, and you stand there trying to toy with me!" James spluttered. It was clear to Malcolm that James was rattled by Brad.
That's when Brad made his move. With movements and strikes that could only be described as art, Brad let his superior hand-to-hand combat skills break James down. For every blow James blocked or dodged, he met an even harder strike. It was as if Brad knew which of his strikes would connect and which wouldn't. Battered with bruised hands and a black eye, James didn't let his willpower fade away. He kept going, fighting as if he were on the brink of death. Just then, Brad downward-punched James in the jaw, sending him face first to the hard floor.
Brad stood over James. "You're more fun dan I thought, Stonewall. But like all da shit dat iz fun in diz galaxy, you will only last so long!"
James spat streaks of blood to the floor and forced his body up to its feet. James met Brad's gaze as he stood inches from Brad's visor. "Hah, I can do this all day," James lied.
Blood ran down James's nose and right temple. His arms and hands were different shades of red from his wounds. Each moment, he swayed ever so slightly. Brad's power armor proved that James could take only so many blocks and punches from veridium plating.
This time, James took a swing at Brad's helmet. Brad back flipped to his hands and kicked James back onto his ass before pushing back to his own feet. James was spent but forced himself back up again. Taking some mercy on him, Malcolm reiterated his offer.
"James, this is your last chance to come home peacefully. We can stop this fight, right now."
James smiled with blood-laced teeth. "You still don't get it. I will complete my mission, whatever the cost." In some twisted way, James's words hit Malcolm deep in his core beliefs. Malcolm was amazed at James's courage; he seemed to be running on willpower alone.
With those words, Brad charged at James and tore his defensive maneuvers to shreds. Using his shotgun as a blunt weapon, Brad wailed on James. Out of sheer luck, James managed to land a blow to Brad's side and sent him sliding backwards, but this only made Brad snap and unleash his most brutal attacks. James just about took every one of them, but Brad finally whipped his leg around, tripping James. Brad then proceeded to catch Stone's foot before James hit the ground and tossed him in the other direction.
James landed hard against the rails next to Malcolm and coughed up blood. James stumbled around, struggling to get up; this gave Malcolm the chance to drop a stock grenade. The furious electricity sent James to his hands and knees, screaming and grinding his teeth in pain. James was drained of energy. Blood covered every visible part of his skin, and he remained conscious on will alone.
James spit blood onto the ground. "Is that the best you can do, you blind sheep?"
With all his intensity, Brad hurled his kneecap into Stone's jaw, knocking him out. Brad then came over to Malcolm, and they both were able to pull the railing back, freeing Malcolm. Out of the corner of his eye, Malcolm saw the battered Valiic on the ground. Vaal was next to him, barely able to move. Both had rendered the other immobile.
"Brad, go secure Erryn's ship. We'll use that to haul the legionnaires back to the Tempest of Titans," Malcolm commanded.
Brad slinked outside. "On it, Bozz."
"Vaal, when you can, let's get the legionnaires restrained."
She gave Malcolm a nod as he helped her up.