by Trevor Gregg
Inching forward, Darius appeared not to notice. He leaned closer and retorted, “Personally, I don’t care if you survived a dozen visikaji, anathema or no. But you… You are going to get us all killed, and I won’t allow it. I am going to termin…”
Elarra’s hand shot out through the bars, grabbing the front of Darius’ robes. She yanked, slamming his face into the bars, ringing them with a hollow “pang.” He stumbled back, hands going to his shattered nose.
“I am going to enjoy tomorrow, bitch!” Darius said, turning away, stifling his bloody nose with the hem of his robe as he angrily strode out.
Adrenaline flushed her system and she jumped up, her instincts yelling run. She bolted to the door and slammed it open, sprinting into the corridor. And right into the arms of two waiting guards. They dragged her kicking and screaming to the council hall, depositing her before the councilors.
12
Garbage Chute
Kyren had a bad feeling. He didn’t know what exactly it was, but the situation just wasn’t sitting right with him. He realized his anxiety was partly due to being separated from Elarra. The other because the guards had just led them off the elevator and into an open construction zone. The walls were gone, only a framework of metal struts and bare concrete floors. Exposed bulbs hung from the ceiling, flickering occasionally.
One of the guards was right behind Kyren, and gave him a sharp shove, sending him staggering forward. He whirled just in time to see the butt of a pistol crashing down on his face. The impact bloodied his nose and dazed him for a moment. Shots rang out and someone shrieked, as Kyren struggled to make sense of the world around him.
He heard Alis scream and snapped up. Several more shots rang out, fire barking from the muzzle of the gun the guard had hit him with. Kyren lunged, tackling the creature’s legs, bringing it crashing down to the floor. He scrambled on top, pinning its’ arms, and then rained down a flurry of blows. When it stopped struggling, he climbed off.
“Ow, ow, ow, ow…” Benjam said as Alis poked at the bullet holes in his side.
At Benjam’s feet lay the second guard, bleeding from a gunshot to the head.
“That was you, Benjam?” Kyren asked in surprise.
“Yes, he was rather easy to best. He hadn’t taken into account my brontian regeneration. By the time he realized I wasn’t going down, I had a good hold on his gun. The poor fool pulled the trigger on himself.”
“Shit, what the hell is going on? Why were they trying to kill us? Alis, what is your friend into?” Geri broke in.
“Yeah, what is she into? I don’t particularly like getting shot.” Tharox rumbled.
Kyren turned and saw a thin stream of blood trailing from the hole punched in the flesh of his shoulder, just beside where his cybernetic arm began. Digging his fingers in, Tharox extracted the bullet and dropped it to the floor. Kyren felt an odd mix of pity and satisfaction, seeing Tharox wounded. He had been their bane, their destroyer. He had killed Elarra. Yet this man, this Tharox had not. He had never found the Epsilon Computer. And so he was a different man, wasn’t he?
Ignoring more complex thoughts, Kyren reached down and scooped up the fallen guns, tucking one in his belt and offering the other to Geri. She gave him an approving nod.
“We should probably find another way out of here, we definitely shouldn’t go out the way we came in. Let’s look for a service elevator or stairwell,” Geri said, leading the way deeper into the shadows.
Alis transformed her wrench into a light and shone it around the space. Kyren could see tools and construction materials scattered about the unfinished floor, cables and wires running through beams and hanging down from the ceiling, casting sinuous shadows on the few walls standing.
“There,” Alis pointed. “The garbage chute will get us to the ground floor, and fast.”
Kyren eyed the chute suspiciously.
“I’ll go first, then listen for me to give the all clear and the rest of you come down,” Geri instructed.
She climbed into the chute and was about to descend, when Alis said “wait… mom, be careful,”
“Of course, darling.” She gave her daughter a wink and disappeared from view.
Shortly after, he heard her faint call from below of “all clear.”
Alis clambered up and slid into the opening without hesitation, Benjam right after her, squeezing all of his tentacles into the tubular channel.
“You go, I’ll bring up the rear,” Kyren told Tharox, hoping he wouldn’t sense the unease he felt.
He didn’t react, just affixed Kyren with that cold robotic stare, and then jumped down the chute. Climbing to the edge, Kyren peered over, but could not see anything in the darkness below. Giving a few more seconds to be sure Tharox was out of the way, he jumped into the tube. The ride was wild but short, depositing him in a great trash bin at the base of the skyscraper.
Tharox’s robotic arms reached in and helped him to climb out of the trash heap. Kyren quickly scanned his surroundings and noted Geri was on alert too, her head on a swivel, ears independently scanning back and forth. The streetlights created small islands of light, dotting the street as far down as they could see. They were alone. The streets were deserted as far as he could tell. The slight trickle of vehicles and pedestrians from earlier had all but disappeared.
“Anyone have any idea which way back to my shuttle?” Tharox questioned. “I say we lift off ASAP.”
“We’re not going anywhere without Elarra!” Kyren exclaimed angrily, fixing Tharox with a darker stare than he had intended.
The hulking bathalian merely clamped his jaw tighter.
“So we go after the girl, then we get the hell out of here?” Geri proposed.
“That’s all well and good, but does anyone have any idea how to find Elarra? We don’t know where they took her. It isn’t like we can just barge back in there and search ground to roof, right? So what are we going to do?” Alis asked emotionally.
“Actually, that isn’t such a bad idea, Alis,” Kyren said, pulling the pistol from his belt, examining it then flicking the safety off.
“Oh please, let’s not do that again. I don’t like getting shot!” Benjam exclaimed, his tentacle snaking around Kyren’s wrist.
“I suggest we watch the building entrance and try to grab someone who comes out. Then we can squeeze them for information,” Tharox suggested, miming a squeezing motion, his servos whirring and winding.
“That is as good an idea as any,” Geri concurred.
They began to circle around the skyscraper when Geri raised her hand, motioning everyone to stop.
“Someone’s coming…” she whispered almost imperceptibly, her ears perked forward, locked on the corner of the building ahead.
Soon enough, Kyren heard it as well, metallic footsteps clanging across the broad sidewalk. He drew his gun and brought it to bear, trying not to hold his breath in anticipation. A moment later a man-sized robot stepped around the corner. It was black and dark gray, with exposed struts and servo joints. The eyes were lit a dull orange. It walked in a jerky, not-quite-human way.
Kyren was a hair’s breadth away from pulling the trigger when it threw up it’s arms and said “Don’t shoot!” in a metallic voice.
“And why not?” Geri asked, her pistol drawing a bead on the bot’s head, ears still cocked forward.
“If you wish to save Elarra, you must do as I say,” it responded flatly.
13
Saeli
Elarra didn’t want to admit she was terrified, at least not to herself. It would shake her resolve to succumb to fear. She would resist with every last breath she had. Events had played out exactly as her vision had shown. Now she was sitting in a cell awaiting her execution. At least she had given that smug Darius a sound thrashing.
This time the vision hit with no warning, and she toppled to the floor.
She was aboard a ship, alien in design. Dark, rusted metal composed the walls and deck plates, illuminated by a dim blue light. Alarm klaxons wailed and
smoke wafted through the corridors. The ship shook as explosions rocked the vessel.
“She’s going to go thermonuclear soon! We’ve got to get out of here,” Alis cried over the alarms as she emerged from a maintenance hatch.
“Okay, I know where we are. I can get us to the shuttle bay,” Kyren said confidently as he climbed out next.
She noticed he bore a sleek, dark gray rifle with a tiny holopanel on the side, slung across his shoulder. It was likely an energy weapon of some form, she surmised. Elarra heard the footsteps. Or did she sense them? She couldn’t be sure, the vision felt more like a waking dream, as if she could influence it. So she did, turning and pointing down the hall. “Coming,” was all she said.
Kyren slung the weapon off his shoulder and brought it to bear. Several lizard faced thevars rounded the corner, clad in combat armor and bearing wicked looking energy rifles. Kyren’s weapon audibly charged up, then began to stream pulses of blue energy down the corridor. The blasts slammed into the first lizard-man, then continued on into the second as well. The first victim lost his head, vaporized in a cloud of blue energy. The next one took several pulses to the chest, chewing through the combat armor he wore, splattering his insides all over the third. The surviving thevar turned and bolted.
“Shit, that one’s gonna come back with reinforcements,” Alis remarked, her ears flattening in fear.
“Yes, we should move. Kyren, lead the way,” she said calmly.
They followed him for a short while before she felt the footsteps again. Again she pointed them out to Kyren, and again he shot them down just as they appeared, the pulses from his weapon tearing through alien bodies like scissors through butter.
Then Elarra’s world turned upside down. A tremendous explosion sent them tumbling to the deck. Smoke billowed from all life support interfaces, fogging the halls quickly. Kyren stood and began firing his weapon frenetically, alternating between corridors. Several narrow misses drove him back into cover.
“Elarra!”
He reached down and scooped her up in the crook of his arm and began to run low, choking and coughing. Wait! She thought. What about Alis? She shook herself free of his grasp just as the bulkhead door sealed behind them. Looking up, she saw Alis’ face in the small porthole in the door. Alis pointed and mouthed “GO” then disappeared back into the haze.
Returning to consciousness, she raised her head up off the floor, just in time to see the door slide open and a robed council member stride in. She rolled over and sat up, her head swimming slightly. The robed liadi sat cross-legged in front of her and held out a small bottle of water. It was Saeli, the bastard that had put her in the chair.
Weak and thirsty, she reached for the water, still too drained from her vision to rise just yet. Saeli removed the cap and tilted the bottle into her lips. She gulped and gasped, choking and sputtering as she sat up.
“You son of a bitch!” she growled, as her vision swam. She shook her head and scrunched her eyes, holding her head in her hands.
“I’m very sorry Elarra. For everything. I had no choice, really. But it will be okay, I assure you.”
“Don’t be surprised when I doubt you,” she replied hotly.
“Much has happened with the council and our people since you have been away. Duniya is a mere ghost of what she once was. Most of our people have fled. The council failed to rally our race… I failed. The galaxy is doomed, that much is clear. Every liadi out there has seen it, including myself, including the rest of the council.”
“What doom are you talking about, Saeli? What has everyone seen?” she asked, forgetting her fury for a moment, suddenly curious.
“I’m here to help you, whether you believe it or not. So I’ll tell you what I know, what I’ve seen. It has come to be known as the Sky Strider, an alien being of gigantic proportions. I’ve had visions, myself,” Saeli shuddered.
She knew what was coming. Saeli’s description of the gargantuan six legged beast she had seen in her vision was exactly as he described.
“And the creatures?” she asked hesitantly.
“It is the Swarm that scours the planetary surface clean. And the biological “rockets” that send it all back into space to propagate the infestation. I know you’ve seen it all, as I have. As have the rest of our people.”
“Every liadi? The same vision?” she said shakily, the implications unclear.
“Yes. But none could agree on a course of action, so the majority have fled. The council remains here, paralyzed by fear. And Darius tells us to believe you are the source of our doom.”
She snorted with derision.
“I would not be here had I believed him, now, would I?” Saeli said, smiling disarmingly.
“Why are you here, then?”
“That is the question, is it not?” Saeli said, rising from the floor and straightening his council robes. He reached out his hand and helped her to her feet.
“I came to provide comfort, and to make sure you know you still have allies out there,” Saeli offered.
“My friends? Are they okay? Where are they?”
“Yes, they are fine, I have seen to that. Their whereabouts are unknown to me currently, but they are in good hands. You will be reunited with them tomorrow, if everything I have seen truly comes to pass,” he said with an odd sadness, and exited the cell.
“Wait! Saeli…” she cried, but he had already left.
14
Rescue Attempt
Kyren lowered his weapon slightly and spoke to the robot, “why should we trust you?”
“Because if you do not, your friend will die. You will not save her on your own,” the robot replied, lowering its’ hands. “Now follow me, we must get off the streets, they will be searching for you soon.”
It turned and began to walk down the street. Kyren looked at Geri, who shrugged and tucked her pistol back into her waistband. They struck out after the robot, which led them to a small two story residence. As it approached the door the control panel lit green and it slid open.
Lights blinked on as they entered, revealing modest living quarters. A sitting area with low couches and pillows surrounded a central holoconsole. Behind was a small kitchen and a door leading to a bathroom. To the side were the stairs, leading up to sleeping quarters, no doubt.
The robot strode to the holoconsole and began to work. He brought up several video feeds and placed them to the side. Several audio feeds were also queued up. As Kyren watched, he realized he was seeing a timeline of sorts.
There was video of them being met by Saeli, shot from a camera mounted on his vehicle. Another panel showed them entering the lobby of the central skyscraper. A third showed Elarra being hauled, kicking and screaming, into a jail cell.
“Shit, what happened to Elarra!” Kyren cried.
“Your friend has been taken prisoner. She is to be executed at dawn.”
“What?! No! What can we do?” Alis exclaimed, the desperation in her voice clear.
“There is much we can do, indeed,” the robot replied. “My master has programmed me with sufficient capacity for the task at hand.”
“Who’s your master?” Kyren asked, unable to mask the suspicion in his voice.
“My master is Saeli, of the liadi Council. We must work fast if we are to save Elarra.”
“Okay, so your master is helping us by providing you. What are you capable of?” Geri cut in.
“My capabilities are heavy manual labor, communications, and data analysis. All of which are at your disposal. Be advised, we have ten hours and sixteen minutes until the execution.”
“What’re you called?” Alis questioned.
“You may refer to me as DS-eight.”
They spent the next hour coming up with the plan. Kyren wasn’t happy with it, not by a long shot. But it was the best they could manage, given their scant resources. They were going up against a superior force on their own turf. And their opponents could also see the future, there was that, too. But they had DS-eight, and whi
le he wasn’t a battle configured bot, he would be useful at least.
Will they see us coming? Do we even have any chance? Kyren thought in desperation. It didn’t matter though. He wouldn’t just stand by and let her die. That had happened once already, he wasn’t going to allow a repeat.
Geri and Alis made their way to the door. Alis turned at the last moment and took Kyren in a brief embrace. As she leaned close she whispered, “be careful.”
He reluctantly released her and said “you too.”
He watched her walk out the door. Now he was doubly worried, damn it.
“Come, we must get you in position soon,” DS-eight said mechanically, motioning to Kyren and Benjam.
“Good luck, hope to see you and the small one soon,” Tharox said to Kyren.
Kyren hesitated a moment but then took Tharox’s outstretched hand.
“Um, yeah, you too.”
Kyren and Benjam followed the robot to the door and out into the night. They traversed the city, waiting at each corner for DS-eight to give the all clear before venturing around. After many minutes of walking they reached a large amphitheater. DS-eight directed them past it to a large service access panel set into the sidewalk.
The robot waved his hand over the panel’s control box and it went green. He grasped the inset handles and pulled, servos whirring. The metal doors screeched open revealing a staircase leading down below. Maintenance lighting flickered on and illuminated the narrow passageway.
“Do you recall the navigational route?” the robot questioned Kyren while handing him a handheld light.
“Yes, I know how to get there. I know the signal. We’ll be ready.”
Kyren followed his mental map and located the ladder leading up to a drainage grate, which should be at the center of the pit in front of the amphitheater’s stage. Now it was just a matter of waiting. Which wasn’t easy. They passed the time in silence and near perfect darkness.
