Pursuit of the Bold

by Jamie McFarlane

  Sklisk glanced around, unsure as to what the machine meant. Taking a guess, he scanned the glowing video displays.

  "It is there." Jaelisk figured it out more quickly and pointed at another door on the opposite side of the room. The display next to Sklisk showed that door opening, exposing long, dusty rows of shelving. About halfway down the second aisle were several stacks of machines identical to Engirisk's.

  They crossed the room together, glancing nervously at the displays that showed the bugs’ continued assault on the building.

  "What is this place?" Jaelisk asked as Sklisk opened the door to which they'd been directed.

  "The Piscivoru Council of Twelve commissioned emergency bunkers in each of the capital cities. Within each bunker, caches of technology are stored to aid in the long-term survival of its citizenry. The engineering pad you seek has been activated."

  A glow on the shelf drew Sklisk's attention and he plucked the intact, albeit dusty, engineering pad from its resting position. With a quick motion, he cleared the thick layer of dust from the slick surface.

  "Where are the devices Engirisk sent us for?" Sklisk directed his voice at the new machine. The front surface lit, indicating another shelving unit that contained several hand-counts of canisters. Sklisk recognized the devices as identical to those that sat upon the table of the elders when he and Jaelisk had been given this mission.

  Together, they followed the directions given by the engineering pad and extracted a hand-count of the items, placing them carefully into pouches, as they'd been instructed.

  "What happens when these too have been exhausted?" Jaelisk asked, noting that they had taken half of the remaining stock.

  Before Sklisk could answer, the entire building shook, causing dust to rain down from the shelves. Vibrations through the ground alerted them to catastrophic events above ground.

  "The Kroo Ack – they have a new way to find us," Jaelisk said, fearing the worse as they ran from the supply room.

  "No, there is a great fire," Sklisk said, pointing at one of the screens on the wall. A building was burning and black smoke poured from an unrecognizable mass lying at its base.

  "What would cause this?"

  "Data stream has been recorded, a replay is available," the new engineering pad responded. "A significant event was recorded at time code minus forty-two. Recommend playback from this location. Is this requested?"

  Sklisk looked at Jaelisk, his eyes fluttering surprise.

  "Yes," Jaelisk answered.

  Jaelisk's hand found Sklisk's as the video moved forward. The voice of the machine described the fearsome battle of two warships as they exchanged fire. The entire sequence took only the time required for a few dozen beats of their hearts, but the battle was as mesmerizing as it was terrifying.

  "These machines are like nothing I can imagine," Jaelisk said, unable to peel away her eyes.

  "The prey has no chance, its weapons are not as numerous," Sklisk observed as Gaylon Brighton returned fire and attempted to squirt out from the danger it found itself in.

  "It is using the buildings as cover," Jaelisk said, instinctively siding with the underdog. "It may escape."

  "The damage is too great. It is falling," Sklisk said as Gaylon Brighton spun sloppily and launched missiles.

  "It has won!" Jaelisk’s exclamation was jubilant as the Kasumi ship exploded into a ball of flames and slammed into the building.

  "They have both lost," Sklisk said when the camera followed the disabled Gaylon Brighton. The ship was under little control. Spinning on its vertical axis it clipped a building and came to rest.

  "It is not overly damaged," Jaelisk said. "They might still live."

  "They might," Sklisk said. "But now, they must contend with Kroo Ack." The view swung back to their building. A good quarter of the bugs that had been attacking the building had turned to stream toward the downed ship.

  "Engines and weapons are off line," Jonathan reported a moment after Gaylon Brighton came to a complete stop.

  "Is everyone up?" I asked, looking around the bridge. Tabby and Sendrei hit their ready-check and I searched for Tskir, who had not been strapped in due to her alien physiology. "Tskir?"

  Tabby unclipped her belt and picked up the elder Piscivoru, who lay unmoving on the floor.

  "I am well," she finally answered, pushing away from Tabby and jumping onto the forward bulkhead.

  "Tell me we got 'em," I said. I'd seen an explosion, but at the time I'd been more concerned with trying to keep us from crashing directly into one of the many crumbling buildings. I hadn't had a lot of control, but I'd kept us upright and avoided a head-on collision. The armor and the skin along the top of the port wing had been peeled back – which meant we'd never hold atmosphere. Then again, we had neither engine nor weapon function, so it was mostly a moot point.

  "The Kasumi ship was destroyed," Jonathan answered.

  Tabby ran over and knelt next to Jonathan. "You're hurt." His leg was twisted at an impossible angle.

  "We are not," Jonathan said. "It is merely our host body. We will join Phentara group within their enclosure." On cue, the egg-shaped device pushed through the bridge hatch and sailed across, coming to rest next to Jonathan's human form. "We would like to bring to your attention a new danger. Approximately eighty-two Kroerak warriors have broken from the main group and appear to be coming to inspect our downed ship. They will arrive in six minutes."

  "Frak," Tabby said. "We need to get those weapons online."

  "I do not believe that to be necessary," Sendrei said.

  "Are you crazy? We can't stand against three warriors, much less the eighty-whatever Jonathan said were coming," Tabby was uncharacteristically short with Sendrei.

  "Did you miss the fact that we have Popeyes in the cargo bay?" he asked, referring to the mechanized suits Marny had tucked behind the cargo we carried.

  The look on Tabby's face was priceless as real distress shifted to understanding and then to delight. "You gotta be kidding me. That big, beautiful, pregnant ball of ass-kicker is pulling our butts out of the fire from two hundred light years? Frak, but I want to be Marny when I grow up."

  "Hmm, that has possibilities," I quipped before I realized how much trouble it would get me into. Like lightning, Tabby's fist found my shoulder and I regretted my words.

  "Remember how we've been talking about certain things that you need to keep to yourself? Like closing the door to the head when you make stinky?" she asked.

  "I'll add that to the list," I said, sheepishly, jumping up to follow Sendrei off the bridge. On the way out, I grabbed the quantum comm crystal that connected us to home. "Jonathan, get Tskir clear of the ship. We'll distract the bugs."

  "Would you like us to inform Nicholas and your mother as to our current plight?" he asked, establishing a comm channel.

  "Negative. We've transmitted the planet location. No need to worry them at this point," I said.

  "Your mom's gonna be pissed," Tabby said as we entered the mostly empty cargo hold. Without hesitation, she ripped the lids off the crates and tossed them to the floor.

  I nodded but didn't reply. Crash landing on Picis was far from our plan, especially with a Kroerak frigate overhead that I expected we'd see sooner than any of us would appreciate.

  The crates had been laid out on the deck next to each other and mine was in the middle, causing me to climb in from the end and kneel on the waist of the suit. I reached forward, placed my hand on the breastplate and grinned with excitement as the suit opened, recognizing my authorization. Lifting up, I spun and pushed my feet into the nano-crystalized steel legs. As soon as the bottom half of my body was positioned against the gel pads, the suit pressed in against my legs. I lay back and pushed my hands into the gloves, wiggling my fingers while I waited for the faceplate to close.

  From the corner of my eye, I caught a fully-armored Tabby jump out of her crate and I followed suit. The maneuver was one that, as a rookie, I’d had difficulty executing. The arc-jets on
the suit's back were so sensitive and powerful they could easily cause the operator to flip forward and land on their face.

  "Show-offs." Sendrei sat up and used the arc-jets on his hands to lift to a standing position. Both Tabby and I had substantially more time in the Popeyes than Sendrei, however, during training I'd come to understand just how nicely his martial skills transferred. He was smooth and controlled in his fighting, where I tended more toward the see-a-target-smash-a-target approach.

  "Conserve ammo," Tabby said. "We have no idea how many more bugs are going to pop up once we engage these suckers."

  We carefully moved down the ship's cargo ramp, our suits making us taller than the bay opening. Upon exiting I checked my HUD. As you might expect, the warriors had spread out due to the city terrain.

  "We need to draw them from the ship and set a choke point," I said, remembering the bug fight we’d had on Earth inside a college gymnasium. Marny, Tabby and I had taken down hundreds of Kroerak that day, but it had been primarily because we'd protected our flank.

  "Copy that." Tabby bounded into the city street that had mostly returned to nature. "Follow. I've got it."

  I ran after her, already anticipating her destination. Tabby leapt onto the side of a building, its jagged outer walls haphazardly sticking up into the sky. The tilting, uneven structure had been ruined long ago by the look of the vegetation that covered the crumbling walls. She clawed and climbed her way up until she reached the highest corner. With an open hand, she swept her arm across the surface, clearing a wide ledge to stand on. Tabby was now fifteen meters above the street intersection where I stood with Sendrei.

  "Kill box," I said, backing into a mass of building debris and drawing my multipurpose tool from where it was strapped to my calf. "Sendrei, take the opposite side."

  "Negative, Captain. This is my fight," Sendrei said, unstrapping his tool and holding it by the base. The great thing about the multipurpose tool was that if held on one end, it was a hammer. Held on the other end, it was both an impossible-to-break pry bar and a blunt-edged sword. "But, I'll take that." He nodded at my multipurpose tool just as the first of the Kroerak spilled around the corner.

  If there was something I most appreciated about Loose Nuts, it was that we respected the tactical decisions of our peers. Sendrei recognized I was ready to go hand-to-hand with the warriors in order to draw them further into the kill-box. He also knew he was much better suited to the task. Knowing what I would do, he'd succinctly told me to adjust. I handed him my multi-tool and turned as he extended both weapons into swords.

  Stepping forward, he simply said, "Go!" as he met the charge of the bugs, swinging both tools and shredding the enemy's advance guard.

  I leapt in the opposite direction of where Tabby had set up, using arc-jets to guide me to a building across the street. You know that old adage about how all plans fail upon first contact with the enemy? Now, I've always considered myself to be above average when it came to planning and physical implementation under pressure. Therefore, it was humbling as I flew into the building's façade and it crumbled on contact, knocking me sideways. I battered the building with my gloves and boots in an attempt to gain some semblance of control, only managing to make things even worse as I tore the building down on top of myself.

  Peripherally, I watched Sendrei mark tactical targets. I could only grit my teeth in frustration when Tabby let go with a fusillade of fire. A kill box with only one side was ineffective and I was placing my team in danger. I swore under my breath as I swam against the veritable stream of building material. The bugs would flank Sendrei. With his back exposed, he'd be significantly less effective and likely be swallowed by their advance.

  "Frak, Hoffen, are you okay?" Tabby called. I heard the tension in her voice as easily as I could hear the armor-piercing rounds disgorging themselves from her weapon.

  "Building was rotten. I'm hung up." I continued to claw and seemed to be making progress. "Give me a sec."

  "We're just barely holding," she said, telling me what I already knew. On my HUD I watched several targets cross behind Sendrei. He dispatched them, but every time he had to turn, the Kroerak advancing from the front gained ground.

  "The bugs are leaving," Jaelisk said, laying her hand against the door and flicking her tongue, tasting the vibrations in the air.

  "They go to do battle with the mechanical people from the ruined, flying vessel," Sklisk said. "Our ancestors have provided a way for our escape."

  "They are not all mechanical," Jaelisk said, pointing at one of the glowing screens. "There is Piscivoru with them and I do not know her."

  "Impossible," Sklisk said, turning to where she pointed. Looking up in wonder, he saw that, indeed, exiting the broken vessel was an ancient Piscivoru wearing strange clothing. "It does not matter, we have the machine that Engirisk needs. We must return it. The strangers have provided a way for our escape."

  Jaelisk walked away from the door and approached her mate, placing her hand on the side of his face. "I will take your staff and aid the strangers who fight our enemy. You will return to our nest with the devices required by Engirisk."

  "You cannot," Sklisk said, looking at the second screen where the three mechanical beings ran toward the oncoming horde. "There are too many bugs. You will die."

  "Can you not see? The mechanical beings have gone forth to protect the elder. I will not turn away from this," she said. "And you would not, given enough time to think on it."

  Sklisk looked at the floor. So much had changed since they'd started their quest and now, at the moment when success was virtually guaranteed, Jaelisk was willing to risk it all. He fumed and looked back to the screen where the mechanical beings had taken their stand. Sklisk knew it would do him no good to argue with Jaelisk, but the fight would be on his terms.

  "No. You will take the devices to Engirisk," Sklisk said, straightening. "It is to me to fight. You will swear to me that you will not stop, but will go to the mountain. If I am able, I will follow. My life is not worth that of our people. Do not lose what we have gained."

  "I swear it," she said, pulling at Sklisk's pouch.

  I clawed my way out of the rubble, only to come face-to-ass with a warrior crossing in front of me. Without a second thought, I swept my arm out – even though my legs were not quite free – and tripped the bug. It turned to face me. It had apparently slipped my mind just how much speed these creatures possessed, for I barely saw the forward movement or the claw that struck my faceplate. The armor glass held, but a deep gouge remained in the center of my vision. Given enough time, this would be a losing skirmish. I regretted the loss of my multipurpose tool and blocked a second blow with my free hand, unfortunately causing me to slide back into the rubble.

  A second claw struck the back of my suit and I felt the pressure of a bug trying to peel off my helmet. I thrashed and knocked it off, but another jumped onto my chest. I was about to call for help when a meter-tall lizard with bright blue, glowing eyes ran up my leg and swung the strangest staff I’d ever seen through the bottom of the bug. Exoskeleton and flesh simply split open and the bug fell away.

  Not one to ignore good fortune, I rolled over, pushing my hands into the shifting rubble pile. As I worked to free myself, the lizard I now knew to be a Piscivoru, defended me. It took only a few seconds to extract my legs and gain a standing position.

  "Guys, we have a friend," I said, "Don't hit him."

  I quickly marked the unexpected Piscivoru as friendly so our suits would avoid targeting him.

  "What in Jupiter?" Tabby asked.

  "No idea. He's friendly though."

  "Get your head back in the game, Liam," Tabby growled.

  I shrugged, although she was unable to see it. Her point was right; one little lizard wasn't going to make much of a difference in this fight.

  Some say that one man's trash is another man's treasure. Growing up as a poor asteroid miner, I’d had that concept drilled into me by my dad, Big Pete. True, I'd made a trash hea
p of the building, but the rubble was now a small mountain I could use for an elevated firing platform. I'd get my share of visiting bugs, but they'd have the disadvantage of uneven, shifting terrain to get to me.

  Jumping atop the highest point I could find, I worked my legs, sliding down the loose scree until I found a stable spot. With arc-jets to help, I oriented on the fight below, then closed off the kill box, adding deadly crossfire in front of Sendrei. With the three of us operating, the Kroerak's window of opportunity closed and we slowly but surely started burning down the group.

  In battle, time becomes meaningless. There's no time for terror or joy – or really anything – as you truly exist in the moment. All that exists is your enemy and your team. I barely registered that the bright sun overhead had turned to dusk and then to darkness as our munitions packs depleted.

  "I'm out," I said, jumping from my position and scrabbling over the myriad Kroerak corpses lying in the battlefield between myself and Sendrei. My suit had taken numerous dents and dings and the faceplate would no longer hold against a vacuum.

  A moment before impact, my HUD sounded a warning. A warrior hit me with full force. In my fatigue, I either hadn’t seen it moving or had ignored it — the difference was beyond my comprehension. I rolled down a hill of dead bugs as we grappled. In hand-to-hand combat, the warriors had a slight advantage over a weaponless Popeye. My hand strength was not sufficient to crack their shells and my punches weren’t powerful enough to do anything more than cause confusion.

  Just before we reached the bottom of the pile, something heavy hit us from above, pinning both of us to the ground. Still under the effects of constant adrenaline, I considered what to do with this second warrior. I was formulating a plan to use one bug to block the other when my face shield cleared. The bug pressed against me was pulled back violently and I saw the hammer end of Tabby's multipurpose tool smashing into its body. Normally, she’d have to be pretty lucky to fell a warrior with the first blow, but the fierce look on Tabby’s face had me betting on her. Man, did I love this woman, and I was all-in with her goal to separate me from the bugs.