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Chaos Rising	By : TerminusEst Category: +S through Z > Sonic Views: 1284 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Sonic The Hedgehog game series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter Eight: Hanging On
"By playing at Chess then, we may learn: First, Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and considers the consequences that may attend an action ... Second, Circumspection, which surveys the whole Chess-board, or scene of action: - the relation of the several Pieces, and their situations; ... Third, Caution, not to make our moves too hastily."
--Benjamin Franklin
Kryche Akwarus longed for a cigarette as he read the casualty reports for the day's fighting. In the past week, the Earthers had launched five strikes on the defensive fleet at 61 Cygni, each one longer and more intense than the last. The most recent had lasted twelve hours and caused the loss of twenty ships and over 40,000 men. The Earthers were firmly in control of the 61 Cygni-Aldebaran jump points and the planet Titus III and were steadily closing in on Titus II, where the Mobians had assembled to make their last stand in 61 Cygni. Admiral Townswell was taking her time and using her vast advantage in manpower and resources to her advantage, like any true Earther. As the largest spacefaring power in this sector of the galaxy, the Earth Republic had made their specialty out of slowly but surely grinding their opponents to dust.
So far, casualties on the Mobian side had exceeded three and a half million soldiers and two million civilians, many of them taken during the fall of Titus III. The Earth government had rebuffed several attempts at negotiated peace, announcing that they would accept no less than total surrender. At this rate, such an outcome seemed inevitable. It was almost enough to make the old admiral despair.
They were losing far too quickly, much quicker than Kryche had imagined, despite the Earthers' methodical strategy. The fall of Titus III was especially humiliating, with millions of Mobian troops turning their backs to the enemy and running like cowards as Earth tanks rolled into the cities. The Mobian military was highly demoralized, desertion was rife, and men were even slaying their own officers and throwing themselves before the feet of the human conquerors.
Titus II loomed large out the window of his office, a blue-and-white marbled globe peppered with the silhouettes of ships. Titus I, whose only settlements were a few mining colonies, had already been evacuated. Titus II was one of the most important worlds in the Mobian Federation, boasting a population of over two billion--very impressive for a colony world. Its loss would be a huge disaster for the Mobians, but seemed inevitable. But Kryche had to at least try to keep it from falling into Earth hands.
Kryche held his head in his hands, trying to keep some shreds of composure. He had to do something to calm his nerves. Anything. With a sigh, he got up and walked towards the door to get some cigarettes and a beer. Bookshire could kiss his ass if he complained.
--
Riptos grimaced as Bookshire gently prodded his lower back. For the last few weeks he had been experiencing back cramps (and had had almost constant minor back pain for several months beforehand), one of which came in the middle of battle and would have cost him his life if Rex hadn't been there to shoot down the fighter that was on his six. He would thank Rex for it when he got back to his quarters. That incident had finally driven Riptos to come to Bookshire for an examination. Riptos never liked coming to people for medical help. He liked to think of himself as being tough enough to work through it. But now it was endangering him on the field of battle, and he couldn't just "take it like a man" anymore.
"Ow!" hissed Riptos as Bookshire touched a particularly tender area. "That hurt like hell!"
"Sorry," said Bookshire. “I'm almost finished.”
Bookshire gently squeezed a bit of flesh between his fingers. Riptos moaned as a burst of pain shot through him. "Are you finished yet?" he said, still wincing.
"Yes. Since your pain is rather intense and has been going on in some form months before these intense cramps, I think the it might not be related to stress or muscle strains, but perhaps something like a nerve abnormality. I'm going to take an X-ray of your spine just in case there's anything wrong with it, plus MRI and CAT scans tomorrow. The MRI will take a while, so you'll have to be relieved of duty tomorrow."
"Just great. I'll have to stay in the hospital all day while my squadron fights without me."
"It's only one day."
"There's a battle raging, and my men depend on me."
"They're well-trained men. They're not going to fall apart just because a surrogate is leading them for a day."
"I hope I don't lose my career because of this."
"Your condition is probably manageable with mild medication combined with heating pads and massage when you're not in combat. But I strongly recommend that you retire when this war is over. 43 is too old to be flying combat missions."
"If there is any navy left to retire from."
"There might be. Who knows?"
Riptos sighed. "I've never known a life outside this besides that Godforsaken monastery on Orososh."
"A lot of people have a difficult time coping with having to leave a career that's been perceived for a long time. Do some research and find a new career path that appeals to you, or talk to a counselor about it."
"You know I'd never go begging some counselor to tell me what to do with my life."
"You'd probably be a happier person if you could learn to swallow your pride and accept help when you need it."
"Maybe."
"Come on, I'll take you to the X-ray machine."
Bookshire lead Riptos into a room containing a flat table with a shiny black surface. Bookshire inserted a small cartridge under the table surface.
"I'll need you to take off your shoes, get on the table, and lie on your stomach," said Bookshire.
Riptos did as he was instructed, removing his shoes and lying prone on the X-ray machine. The surface was freezing cold against his bare chest and abdomen and he fought back the urge to shiver. Bookshire moved a U-shaped device along a ceiling track until it was hanging above Riptos's lower back and then lowered it until it touched the hedgehog's back, causing Riptos to wince briefly.
"Now hold still. This will only take a few seconds."
Bookshire walked over to a control panel and pressed a button. A strange whirring sound came from the U-shaped device around Riptos' back for a few seconds and then subsided.
"All done," said Bookshire as he raised the device and removed the cartridge. "I'll take this to the radiologist so she can have a look at it; the results will be in tomorrow. Just before you get dressed and return to your quarters, I'm going to prescribe something for your pain." The doctor began writing something onto a clipboard and then pulled a bottle of pills out of the cabinet. "Take two of these every twelve hours. They're not going to screw with your head much, so you'll still be able to fly while taking them. Take it easy tonight, feel free to sleep in, and come back tomorrow at noon. I'll call up the captain and arrange for someone to lead your squadron in your place."
"All right. Thanks, Bookshire."
"No problem."
Riptos put on his shoes and then went into the examination room and put his undershirt and jacket back on. "Guess I'll show myself the door. See you tomorrow, Bookshire."
"Goodbye. Take the opportunity to get plenty of rest."
"I will. I like sleeping." Riptos chuckled and walked out of the room.
--
"Hey, Rexy, mind if I use the bottom bunk this time?" said Riptos as he entered the command quarters.
"Sure," said Rex. "How was your examination?"
"He poked and prodded me for a few minutes, gave me an X-ray, and prescribed some painkillers. He wants to do more tests tomorrow, so they're going to have someone else lead the squadron tomorrow. Remember, the substitute is not your buddy, so treat him with the utmost respect and courtesy. I don't want to hear any complaints from him, OK? I expect you to be on your absolute best behavior at all times. Address him as "sir", salute, and do everything he tells you and I mean everything."
"All right."
Riptos walked over to the sink and poured some water into a glass. He took two pills from the bottle Bookshire had prescribed him and swallowed them along with the water. "I'm going to bed now," he said. "My appointment is at noon, so I'm going to sleep in tonight. You can watch TV as long as you keep it down."
"Sure, I'll keep the volume down. I hope your back feels better soon."
"Thanks. Bookshire also recommended massage, although I'm not sure who he planned on the person doing the massage being. I'd rather have an actual medical practitioner do it than you. Having you do it would be kinda embarrassing."
Rex laughed. "I wouldn't tell anyone, don't worry."
"Good night."
"Good night, Rip."
Riptos stripped to his underwear and got into bed, pulling the covers over his head to keep the light out. He closed his eyes and waited to fall into blissful sleep.
--
"So, what can we expect in return for our services?" said Samuel Blackmore, leader of the Hellbats pirate league. He was one of several major Mobian space pirate kingpins who had been contacted by the Earth Republic to distract the Mobian Federation by attacking shipments and otherwise wreaking havoc. The Earth emissary, a tall human woman in an admiral's uniform with dark brown hair styled in a ponytail, was on the screen, her face emotionless and stony. "I want 15 mil up front, plus another million credits per week."
"We will pay you the amount you requested, and grant you amnesty for all your past crimes when we seize control of Mobius."
"Excellent. How many other organizations have you contacted?"
"We currently have twelve others working for us and are still looking for more clients."
"Heheh, good. The more, the merrier. At least merrier for us." Samuel grinned, showing a mouthful of decayed teeth.
"I'm glad to hear you're enthusiastic. You will receive the money tomorrow."
"Wonderful. With all the Mobian ships tied up fighting you, I'm gonna be making a killing off their shipping. I guess we have a deal then."
"Indeed."
"Well, I'll contact you again when I get the money. Good-bye, and good hunting against that alcoholic flea-ridden old fart Akwarus. I wanna see him die like the little bitch he is."
"You will, trust me on that one. Good-bye." The monitor went dark.
Samuel took another slug of the beer he held in his hand. The Earthers were fucking paying him to attack the Mobian Federation from within. This was going to be the best business he ever had.
--
Admiral Townswell smirked to herself. These pirates were scum, but they served a purpose. They meant less time and blood spent by Earth's forces, which meant more glory for her and her fleet. And like all scum, they just couldn't resist money. The sums were trivial to the Earth Republic, and more than worth the added convenience. Seeing Mobius besieged by both her and its own criminal element would be a wonderful sight to behold.
She walked over to the window and looked down at the planet of Titus III, newly captured by the Earth Republic. After the initial bombing and invasion, she had made sure that the occupation was relatively benevolent. Such a show of mercy would hopefully coax more planets or even entire systems into surrendering. As glorious as it was to watch the Mobian navy crumble before her, it was even more glorious to achieve an objective without even firing a shot. As Sun Tzu said, "The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without even having to fight them." The Earth Republic had even sent out a proclamation offering protection and full member status for any planet that freely surrendered to the Earth side.
With enemies within, enemies without, and incentive for planetary governors to hand over their planets without a shot being fired, the Mobian Federation was surely doomed.
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Chaos Rising