Sorry Madam Chairwoman, This is a Wendy’s

  Simba double checked his interface. He and 2,000 of his coalition mercs had integrated successfully, but something was wrong. He should be within a short distance of the principal and 2 others his group were designated to protect and train. His contract tab was showing only a single protectee and he was nowhere close to any of the 7 coalition groups that integrated.

  If the Draskari sect had changed the deal at the last moment, he would have been notified and if he accepted the changes, the system would have placed all the groups close to their new protectee. However, over half of his force was on the wrong side of the planet. Mufasa was the closest, but it would take weeks to get there.

  There was only one explanation. Powerful gods were involved. Simba hated when that happened. Playing in a sandbox that the gods were dipping their fingers into and swirling everything around, was never safe, organized, or predictable. Three things that Simba particularly hated not being. But there was a bright side to the situation. The system enforced contract vaguely outlined what they must do, but the remaining half of their payment was not entirely dependent on successfully keeping the principal alive and ensuring they were in control of the planet at the end of the integration. Too many variables to predict and no mercenary unit would sign a contract that is that restrictive. There was a big bonus if they could, but they would not be forfeiting the entire final payment. So all Simba had to do was make sure their force was moving to this previously unknown protectee and do what they could to keep him alive and the system would ensure they were paid by the sect. If they could keep him alive until the end of the integration, they would get the full amount.

  He opened up his long distance communication app to send a fragmentary order to get everybody moving in the right direction, but he saw he had received one from Mufasa. “Gods? Damnit. Moving towards protectee. ETA: 9 weeks.” Simba typed up a simple order and sent it out instructing to make all haste towards protectee commandeering local transportation if possible.

  Simba then used his interface to plot the first leg of his group’s months-long journey and issued the order of movement. At least he was happy to see it would all be by land. The planet had previously been 70% large oceans, but the system had added enough land that there were connections between the continents and close to 70% of the world was now land masses.

  The tricky part was, he couldn’t just move as quickly as possible and still arrive with any advantage in levels. They needed to hunt while they moved and try to stay ahead of the rapidly leveling beasts, natives, and other newly integrated groups. So he had to ensure the sections were rotating teams and taking advantage of targets of opportunity. Luckily, some opportunities may be presenting themselves right now.

  They had integrated on a mountainside just a few kilometers away from a large manor that looked recently fortified. What looked like a line of possibly military wheeled vehicles were rolling out the gate and coming up the road that led to their mountain. Simba looked at the path the vehicles were taking and issued a new order moving his group into position to intercept. When they arrived he stepped into the middle of the road with his security detail and waited.

  The loud vehicles came to a screeching halt and large weapons mounted on top of the vehicles rotated towards him or towards alternating sides of the road. “Oi. Chester. You the mercs?” a voice called from the front passenger seat of the vehicle.

  “I am not Chester, but we are indeed the mercenaries hired for this integration.” Simba replied while watching in his interface the positions of his men that were moving up to the vehicles under stealth.

  “You’ll wanna come with us then, Mate. Bossman has been expecting you.” the voice called out.

  “I’m afraid we can’t do that. Our contract has been changed. We need to proceed to our new assignment.” Simba called as he saw each of his men go green as they signalled that they were in position and ready.

  “I’m afraid you don’t understand, mate. Bossman said for us to bring you back. You’re coming with us.” smaller weapons were brought up by the remainder of the passengers of the vehicles and pointed out the openings on the side of the vehicle.

  Simba gave the execute command and lightning blasts were sent into all the vehicles. There were loud popping noises as the blast tore through the men and machines, but none of the coalition were harmed. As the smoke cleared, the men inside the vehicles turned to dust and the assault force began pulling out the loot they had received and passed it to one trooper who stored it in his dimensional storage. The vehicles were searched and anything that could be grabbed was also placed in the trooper’s dimensional storage. The armorers and weaponsmiths would evaluate it as they moved.

  The section placed on outside security nearest the manor reported increased movement inside the manor with possible aerial vehicles being loaded in a large open area beside the manor. Simba adjusted his plan and informed his scout sections that they would be heading directly towards the large forested area on the far side of the ridgeline they had integrated on.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  After confirming that all of the coalition troops were present and ready to move, the first unit began moving cross country at a fast jog towards the forest. As the units fell into position with Simba’s command unit in the center, he estimated they could maintain at least 50 kilometers per hour and possibly faster depending on what the forested area was like.

  Mufasa stood at the edge of the woodline looking at the city sprawling in the distance. At its center were tall towers covered in a crystal-like substance that reflected light. There were also smaller buildings that appeared to be covered in an attractive high quality decorative stone. Surrounding that were a mix of mostly metal covered buildings that scouts had estimated were for manufacturing and smaller residences mostly covered in some kind of synthetic material. There were large roads throughout but were mostly empty except for what was thought to be military vehicles moving about. All of the roads ended before they entered the woodline that surrounded the city. However, scouts had also reported seeing metallic aerial vehicles leaving and returning to a large complex on the far side of the city.

  He estimated the city to have a population of between 50 and 100 million with a large military presence primarily housed in what appeared to be recently constructed buildings around the complex the aerial vehicles were leaving from. These people are no longer my problem unless they choose to make themselves so. Mufasa thought as he signalled to Boris and the boys to follow him back to the command section.

  Once back within his forces' perimeter, he finished up the movement plan and sent it to his sub-leaders. He watched as the scouts started moving on his interface and stood once he saw the lead elements starting to move out. After a short while, he received a report that his father had engaged a small group and taken them out. A couple of hours later he received a more thorough report that the armorers and weaponsmiths had gone over the gear and it was pretty much what was expected. The armor was probably good against light ranged projectiles but offered no protection against elemental attacks. Crushing weapons were expected to be most effective. The weapons were mostly explosive powered projectile weapons and a few melee weapons made from reasonably good quality metal, but poorly mass produced.

  The next morning they had left the forested area behind and were moving across a wide open plain with no end in sight. At level 20, they should be able to go for one more day before they stopped for rest. Mufasa chuckled as he looked over at T. The training and good food at the coalition had packed even more muscle on the young lionkin. He would happily fight all day, but he definitely wasn’t a fan of so much running. The few beasts they had hunted while they traveled mostly ran and didn’t put up much of a fight when they were caught, as they were still in a relatively low level area.

  T looked up and saw Mufasa looking at him and began to make what was probably a rude gesture, but stopped when Boris let out a low growl. Meathead is learning. Who would have thought it possible? Pretty Boy who was slightly behind and to the side of T seemed relieved that he wasn’t going to have to carry an unconscious lionkin. Overhead one of the native’s aerial vehicles roared past and seemed to have spotted them and circled a few times before flying off in the direction of the capital.

  A few hours later, 5 more aerial vehicles flashed overhead, slowed to a hover, then landed not far in front of the formation. Mufasa ordered the pace slowed as he picked up the pace angling towards where the vehicles had landed. Men exited the rear of the vehicles and formed a perimeter around them.

  Mufasa, signalled for Boris and his shadows to halt as they approached the group. A human in uniform covered in camouflage that would do a decent job of blending into most terrain walked forward to meet him. On the man’s shoulder he had a light blue patch with a wreath surrounding what looked like a map of this world before the system had changed it.

  The man held out his hand and said, “Howdy, Lion-o. I’m Colonel Stevens. You seemed to be heading in the wrong direction, so the chairwoman asked me and my boys to fly out here and point you in the right direction, partner”

  “I am Mufasa.” the colonel looked at him strangely as he continued, “Colonel, I apologize, but our orders have changed. We’re assigned to a different protectee now.” Mufasa replied as he shook the man’s head.

  “Do you happen to know where your replacements are?’

  “I do not believe there will be a replacement.” Mufasa replied.

  The Colonel looked down and spit a brown liquid on the ground. “Well that will put me in a bit of a pickle. The chairwoman is expecting a security force to help us with this new world we find ourselves in. She’s not going to be too happy when I tell her there won’t be one. Do you happen to know why your orders were changed?”

  “Meddling of the gods. Things always get interesting when they’re cooking something up.” Mufasa answered.

  “Gods…there’s more than one now. Interesting. Could you tell me why you think it was them?”

  “If the organization that contracted us had changed their orders we would have been notified of the changes and if agreed the system would have placed us near our new protectee. Only the meddling of the gods would result with us being thousands of kilometers away from where we need to be.”

  “Seems like sound reasoning. I…” the colonel was interrupted by a man in a dark, shiny outfit who approached them. “Is there a problem colonel?”

  The colonel rolled his eyes and replied, “Seems to be sir. Apparently the gods, there’s more than one now, have decided to change Mufasa here’s contract.” He said to the gentleman.

  “Colonel, I am ordering you under the authority of the Chairwoman to tell these mercenaries to turn around and return to the capital.” The man said sternly.

  “I don’t think that’s going to go over too well.” The colonel said gesturing towards the coalition that had stopped.

  “I don’t care what you or these beasts say, the chairwoman demands...” was all the man got out before T sent his head flying and turned to the Colonel.

  The colonel looked around at all of his men being held off the ground weaponless. “See that’s why you don’t send a panty sniffing tenderfoot to talk to a soldier. They always end up stomping their feet and screeching about demanding stuff when they’re outnumbered a hundred to one.” He said while he bent over and threw the body over his shoulder. “I’ll let the chairwoman know you won’t be coming. If that will be fine with your gentlemen?”

  “Colonel, are the rest of your leaders like that man?” Mufasa asked.

  “Most are worse, I’m afraid.” the colonel said.

  “Then I’ll give you a piece of advice. Ignore your politicians. Rally around the people who build, create, and fight for the good of others. Those are the people you need to lead if you are going to survive.”

  “Sounds like some mighty fine advice, Mufasa. I’ll have a word with some of the boys when I get back and I hope I see you again.” he said as he motioned towards the vehicles. Mufasa nodded and when the colonel reached the man’s head, he kicked it into the back of the vehicle. “Woo. Boy. I still got it. Best leg in the state.”

  Boris stepped up and said, “Looks like there is hope for some of them if they listen to your advice.”

  “Let’s hope this John Drake is one of those.”