Friend or Foe

“Oh don’t tell me that. Do NOT tell me that.” Jim had his head in his hands, shaking it at Wren. “They’re sending us with Wolf Squad?”

“That’s what they tell me. I don’t know what’s so bad about them man, I mean, wherever the action is hot, Wolf Squad tends to show up.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s why they have openings all the damn time! Because their men die, constantly!”

“Only the shitty ones! I mean, Labtain has been the squad’s leader for, what, six years now?”

“Yeah, yeah, and his second in command. That doesn’t mean they’re actually good. It just means they’re willing to sacrifice their subordinates.”

“Well, either way those are our orders. And apparently we’re starting off hot. Recon mission in enemy territory.”

“Of course we are.”

Wren grinned and slapped Jim on the shoulder before climbing up the ladder into his parked tank. Of course he’d heard all the rumors about Wolf Squad before. He’d never admit it to Jim, but his nerves were probably at the same level. Maybe a little less, Jim was a worrier. Still, if you want to be the best you don’t get there by being second rate or by ignoring the big time. Trepidatious as their reputation made him, it didn’t get a lot bigger than Wolf Squad. They’d been just about everywhere: front lines, behind enemy lines, far off war fronts, putting down rebellions.  Rumor suggested they’d even started a rebellion or two.

Running through the start up procedures on a mech like this was in no way a two step process. Wren sat flipping switches, checking power and cooling levels and thinking about how he and Jim would be put to work among such heavy hitters. After the last light turned green, he turned the dual ignitions and hit the comm switch.

“No time like the present buddy. Let’s go see what Wolf Squad has to offer us.”

“A shallow, unmarked grave with nobody to mourn over it. Oh and dental.”

“Well that tears it, you know how hard it is to find a good dental plan out here?”

The two turned off the weapons systems in order to sit in transport mode. Walking was well and fine for short bursts, but there were limits to the speed that could be gained over just letting a set of tires roll you down the road. The ride wasn’t a terribly long one to the temporary base camp being used by the Wolf Squad. They’d be moving out soon enough, looking to get to their next mission. For right now though, they were using a set of natural hills 32 kliks south. Natural camouflage was never to be overlooked in most proper military situations. As the northernmost hill came into view, the two skirted around it, looking for the entrance in the western hill they were supposed to be using. Taking the vehicles out of transport mode, Jim and Wren began the final walk in, using the superior mobility of their feet to traverse the relatively low rocks.

“Umm…. Wren, is your incoming signal red?”

“Why would it be, Jim, we’re in friendly territory. The only ones here are Wolf Squad, I don’t even have the sensors on.”

Both men took second looks at their consoles when a third voice came on the comm, “Actually you’ve got a good wingman there. You should probably identify yourselves before the missile hits. We hate not knowing who to send the funeral flowers to.”