Hex was wearing it's humanoid frame again as the shuttle set down on the landing bay's floor with a soft lurch. Standing up, the machine turned to wait for the boarding ramp to lower, revealing the well lit expanse of Docking Bay 2, a full company of the Iron Dragons ground troopers stood in parade formation to welcome the return of their Commisar. As one, the 200 soldiers snapped to attention and saluted, right fist crossed and held over the heart.
Hex looked out over the assembled troopers and returned the gesture, after which the soldiers relaxed. Moving down the boarding ramp, the machine moved up to stand before the formation, which included most of the Iron Dragons senior officers. "I have returned from Arcturus Phi IV after finalizing negotiations with the former government. The rebellion has been acknowledged as the new legitimate government of the planet. Our campaign is as of now successful, and our fees have been paid." A cheer went up from the assembled soldiers, as well as the various support personell which were attending to other duties elsewhere in the large bay. Hex let the celebration go on for exactly 45 seconds before raising a blue-clad hand, and the silence was near instant, the Iron Dragons had been trained well.
"I have more announcements, but I will inform you here first before addressing the company in general. While on our campaign on Arcturus, we have aquired additional recruits from the soldiers of the rebellion. Once they have been integrated into existing units, this brings our current number of fighting soldiers to twenty five thousand strong. We have nearly doubled in strength, and I will begin brokering larger contracts from here on. Because of the additional personell, I have decided to grant all veterans with 6 months service, and at least one successful campaign an increase of twenty five percent in paygrade." The cheer that went up from *this* announcement was even louder than the first, and this time Hex let it continue for a full two minutes before raising it's hand again.
"I will address the whole company in two hours. All officers please have your units ready for my broadcast. That is all, dismissed!" At once the officers shouted orders for the assembled to file out by units, moving on to their various assigned duties, or to the various barracks scattered on different levels of the orbital platform. Hex turned and made it's way to a guarded lift transport. The two guards saluted as the machine passed.
As the lift descended to the lowest level and C&C, Hex considered the results of the war on Arcturus. Barely two weeks after just getting the platform operational and beginning space training for the troops, an offer had been delivered from a group of rebels on the planet of Arcturus Phi IV. The contract stated that the operational goal was the overthrow of the existing democratic government, in favor of the remaining heir of the monarchy which had existed some twenty years prior. Once the 'rightful' king was again enthroned, the Iron Dragons were to be paid twenty billion credits, and a bonus of ten billion if the coup could be accomplished with public support.
Hex and the Iron Dragons had accepted the challenge, using a combination of initial hit-and-run tactics to begin assessing the government's fighting strength and will. At first things had moved slowly, with only small battles between rebel and government forces. It soon became apparant that there were still a good deal of regular citizens which remembered the last king fondly, and it had only taken three months for the Iron Dragons, using covert teams of infiltrators, to stir that sentiment into full blown riots. Building upon that chaos, Hex and it's commanders had staged a five-point attack on the capitol, taking almost ninety percent of the government officials hostage. The act of terrorism was carefully kept quiet from the public, while the infiltrators fabricated a scenerio that implied that the top officials had actually captured the heir and were going to execute him publicly.
From there it had been a matter of staging the 'execution', only to be foiled at the last moment by rebel troops. Iron Dragon troopers had played the role of government soldiers for the execution, and the weapons used in the uprising were mostly dummy props. The public brought out for the event had eaten the spectacle up, storming the government buildings in a mass mob, with the heir at their forefront. The remaining uncaptured officials had quickly surrenderd when Hex had quietly informed them that if they did not meet the Iron Dragons' demands, the entire capitol would be razed to the ground.
The gambit had worked, and the new king kept his end of the deal, paying out thirty billion credits from the former government's coffers. Hex had just confirmed the bank deposits and, after thanking His new Majesty, returned to Rhydin and the Iron Dragons platform where the last of the troops had already returned.
Stepping out onto the deck of Command & Control, Hex nodded to the duty officer, "I will be in my ready room for the next two hours. Please inform me if there are any incidents, but otherwise I do not wish to be disturbed." The Captain nodded and saluted, after which Hex entered what amounted to the machine's on-duty quarters...
Hex looked out over the assembled troopers and returned the gesture, after which the soldiers relaxed. Moving down the boarding ramp, the machine moved up to stand before the formation, which included most of the Iron Dragons senior officers. "I have returned from Arcturus Phi IV after finalizing negotiations with the former government. The rebellion has been acknowledged as the new legitimate government of the planet. Our campaign is as of now successful, and our fees have been paid." A cheer went up from the assembled soldiers, as well as the various support personell which were attending to other duties elsewhere in the large bay. Hex let the celebration go on for exactly 45 seconds before raising a blue-clad hand, and the silence was near instant, the Iron Dragons had been trained well.
"I have more announcements, but I will inform you here first before addressing the company in general. While on our campaign on Arcturus, we have aquired additional recruits from the soldiers of the rebellion. Once they have been integrated into existing units, this brings our current number of fighting soldiers to twenty five thousand strong. We have nearly doubled in strength, and I will begin brokering larger contracts from here on. Because of the additional personell, I have decided to grant all veterans with 6 months service, and at least one successful campaign an increase of twenty five percent in paygrade." The cheer that went up from *this* announcement was even louder than the first, and this time Hex let it continue for a full two minutes before raising it's hand again.
"I will address the whole company in two hours. All officers please have your units ready for my broadcast. That is all, dismissed!" At once the officers shouted orders for the assembled to file out by units, moving on to their various assigned duties, or to the various barracks scattered on different levels of the orbital platform. Hex turned and made it's way to a guarded lift transport. The two guards saluted as the machine passed.
As the lift descended to the lowest level and C&C, Hex considered the results of the war on Arcturus. Barely two weeks after just getting the platform operational and beginning space training for the troops, an offer had been delivered from a group of rebels on the planet of Arcturus Phi IV. The contract stated that the operational goal was the overthrow of the existing democratic government, in favor of the remaining heir of the monarchy which had existed some twenty years prior. Once the 'rightful' king was again enthroned, the Iron Dragons were to be paid twenty billion credits, and a bonus of ten billion if the coup could be accomplished with public support.
Hex and the Iron Dragons had accepted the challenge, using a combination of initial hit-and-run tactics to begin assessing the government's fighting strength and will. At first things had moved slowly, with only small battles between rebel and government forces. It soon became apparant that there were still a good deal of regular citizens which remembered the last king fondly, and it had only taken three months for the Iron Dragons, using covert teams of infiltrators, to stir that sentiment into full blown riots. Building upon that chaos, Hex and it's commanders had staged a five-point attack on the capitol, taking almost ninety percent of the government officials hostage. The act of terrorism was carefully kept quiet from the public, while the infiltrators fabricated a scenerio that implied that the top officials had actually captured the heir and were going to execute him publicly.
From there it had been a matter of staging the 'execution', only to be foiled at the last moment by rebel troops. Iron Dragon troopers had played the role of government soldiers for the execution, and the weapons used in the uprising were mostly dummy props. The public brought out for the event had eaten the spectacle up, storming the government buildings in a mass mob, with the heir at their forefront. The remaining uncaptured officials had quickly surrenderd when Hex had quietly informed them that if they did not meet the Iron Dragons' demands, the entire capitol would be razed to the ground.
The gambit had worked, and the new king kept his end of the deal, paying out thirty billion credits from the former government's coffers. Hex had just confirmed the bank deposits and, after thanking His new Majesty, returned to Rhydin and the Iron Dragons platform where the last of the troops had already returned.
Stepping out onto the deck of Command & Control, Hex nodded to the duty officer, "I will be in my ready room for the next two hours. Please inform me if there are any incidents, but otherwise I do not wish to be disturbed." The Captain nodded and saluted, after which Hex entered what amounted to the machine's on-duty quarters...