by John Walker
Yet she found herself at odds with her own. Especially when she heard Jok’s idealistic voice in her head. How can I feel so strongly for him when he’s literally the enemy? More conflict, more worry. I’m not doing the right thing. I’m not even sure what it is anymore. Even her desire to kill Niva had dulled over the last few hours.
I’ve saved the woman’s life. I could’ve let her die.
A Kahl soldier stepped out to cover the body. Another crouched beside the corpse to check him over with a scanner. Milna took the medic out first, a quick bolt to the top of the head. His pal opened fire, blindly shooting random directions.
Milna lined that shot up as he slowly withdrew toward cover. She got him in the chest. His weapon fired in the air several times. That should summon some more of them.
“We’ve got a large crew incoming,” Jok said, “wait…”
“What are you on about?” Milna snapped. “They’re either incoming or they aren’t.”
“I think they’re mustering in the area outside the ruins. Yes, some of the scouts are withdrawing too. The guys in the ruins. I’m seeing them run for it. Uh… should I open fire on them? Any opinions?”
“They aren’t all leaving,” Vesper replied. “We’re dealing with them in one of the buildings right now.”
Because they can’t break away while under fire, Milna thought. I wonder if those humans will survive. She hoped not. Any work the Kahl soldiers did on her behalf would ease her mind. Quilla was the only one she didn’t care about. The others had endeared themselves to her. That criminal bastard should be executed right now.
“Guys,” Andrews got on the line, “Triss just gave me some bad news. It seems a large Kahl force is about to enter the system. She doesn’t know how many, but it’ll be enough. Especially since we only have two ships in the system. Whatever we’re doing, we might want to hurry.”
“That all the good news you got?” Vesper asked. “Or is there anything else you want to ruin our day with?”
“We’ve got some reinforcements from the Triton inbound. Won’t be much but enough to get us to a ship.”
Small favor. Milna didn’t want to go with these military fools. She preferred Jok’s ship. It had data she needed along with their personal armory. Not to mention the codes required to get back to the Prophet’s brewing army. We have to get out of here with that. The shuttles are for them… and I don’t want them to get away either.
At least one of them would’ve made a valuable prisoner. Someone they could talk to about the pilgrimage. I think the woman Lysa would be best. Milna wondered how they might snatch her from the others, drag her off to Jok’s people for questioning. They can beat her the way they did me.
“Uh…” Jok cleared his throat. “I have bad news, everyone.”
“Just spit it out,” Milna sighed. “We don’t need the dramatics.”
“The enemy forces? They’re advancing. Not fast, but they are definitely coming in here. Any chance you’ll have those defenses online soon?”
“Working on it,” Kyle said, “whatever you can do to hold them off would be spectacular.”
Won’t be much given their numbers. Milna changed positions again, advancing to a low wall. She crouched behind it, aiming over. When they enter the area, I should at least see their flank from over here. Might get a few before they start the fighting in earnest. Of course, the natives could’ve jumped in.
It’s clear the Kahl aren’t bringing in their ships. This is the time for those fools to help us out. They were nowhere to be seen. We probably are sacrifices to their false gods. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by zealots. She sent a private message to Jok, letting him know to summon the ship.
We can’t just run, Jok wrote back, not until we have the defenses up.
Milna shook her head. “You loyal fool…” she muttered.
“What was that?” Niva asked, “I didn’t copy your last transmission.”
“Nothing,” Milna said. “Absolutely nothing.”
***
Vesper hit the floor, rolling to a nearby wall. She scampered to a crouching position, immediately leaning around to lay down heavy fire into the other room. Tiller shouted as he ran by, blasting away from the hip like some kind of action hero. He joined her, slamming his back against the wall.
“This is what it’s all about, right?” Tiller checked his weapon. He sucked in deep breaths. “Makes you feel alive!”
“You’re an idiot,” Vesper said as she checked her computer. Three blips remained in the other room. They were moving about, but it was hard to see. The only light source came from a lone window ten feet above the floor. Sunlight cast down in the area, yet it wasn’t enough to illuminate the entire space.
“We should charge them,” Tiller said, “they won’t expect that.”
“Because it’s stupid!” Vesper nudged him with her elbow. “Settle down.” She winced away from the wall as rocks burst away from the cover, torn up by incoming fire. They’re suppressing us for a reason. Probably going for a flank. “Alon, we need some support over here. Can you get around to the east?”
Alon replied, “I’m near your position and on the way. Hang tight ten seconds.”
Vesper poked her weapon around the corner, firing in a quick arc before yanking it back. At one time, there was likely a door separating the space they were in from the enemy’s position. Now, it was a wide-open area where five people could easily walk abreast. On the opposite side, some fifteen yards away, another wall stuck up.
Crumbled debris occupied the floor here and there, chunks of stone providing hazards in the combat area. Vesper contemplated making the run to the other side. “Look over there,” she directed Tiller’s attention. “What do you think? It’s a lot of distance with three guys watching the area.”
“Lay down cover fire,” Tiller said. “I’ll make it.”
“You really are crazy sometimes, you know that?”
“Hey, I’m here to do the job.” Tiller shrugged. “And I’ve already been shot. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be.”
“Not what you said while you were laid up.” Vesper sighed. “Okay, on three. One… two… three.” She slipped out of cover, firing wildly into the next room. Tiller dashed away, his waist bent. A few rogue shots came their way. One or two chewed up the ground behind him as he ran, but he made it to his destination.
I can’t believe that worked. Vesper faded back to her cover, drawing a deep breath. Her pulse pounded in her ears. “You okay?” She asked. “You make it?”
“Who are you talking to?” Milna came on. “Is everything fine?”
“We’re fighting over here,” Tiller said, “and yeah, I’m good.”
“Alon?” Vesper said, “we’ve got a good position to hit from two angles. Where are you?”
“Outside, about to use a window for your third. I’m picking up three enemies in there. Confirm?”
“Confirmed. It’s dark in here though.” Vesper crouched. “Again, on three?”
“Can’t wait,” Tiller said.
“One… two… three!” Vesper shouted the last as she leaned out. Squinting into the darkness, she fired at the first flicker in the opposite corner. The blast lit up one of her opponents, half hidden behind a chunk of wall that had fallen at some point. Alon leaned in toward the window, blasting one near him in the back.
Four shots put them down. Tiller fired randomly, totally wild. He caught the wall, the ceiling a couple times, even the floor. As far as suppression went, it might’ve been working if the soldiers happened to be green. Otherwise, it just became a hazard.
“Jesus!” Alon shouted, “concentrate your fire, asshole! That nearly got my face!”
“Sorry about that,” Tiller replied. “Whoa!” Vesper saw a shot tear through his cover right by him, possibly scoring a hit. “That… was a hit. Armor seemed to hold. No real pain.”
The remaining two Kahl charged their position. Tiller put his down. Alon’s shots chased the other, but he coul
dn’t quite get a bead on him. Vesper gave the man another five feet before blasting him in the leg. The shot made him tumble forward. He lost his weapon, sliding up to her.
Vesper lowered her weapon, aiming for his chest. He grabbed the barrel as she pulled the trigger. The scream he let out made her wince. A strangled, high-pitched cry that came from his gut. All his fingers melted off, his chest opened, sizzling as his organs were fried in an instant.
“That’s… horrible.” Vesper stepped back with a sneer, checking her weapon. Burnt flesh clung to the barrel. She had no idea how to get it off. “Okay, way worse than I thought. Jesus… Anyway, check the bodies, Tiller.” She stepped inside, letting her weapon lead the way. The others were down. One survived.
He writhed in the corner, clinging to his gut. The way his armor had melted, he had to have taken at least five shots, maybe more. The scent of burnt flesh got stronger as she drew near. He removed his helmet, glaring at her as she approached. He went for his sidearm, trembling hands barely making it to the grip.
A shot got him in the face, putting him down in an instant. Vesper tensed up for a second.
“What’s wrong?” Tiller asked. “He went for the gun. I finished him off.”
“Yeah, I saw that.” Vesper tapped the comm. “Our situation is clear here. How long before the others get here?”
Alon replied, “What I’m seeing is containment. They’re moving to ensure no one leaves right now.”
“Staging,” Jok said, “this is a standard method of sweeping an area. They’ll come through here in a large enough force to leave no stone unturned. No one can hide during such things. So be aware of that.”
Vesper replied, “Alon, fall back to Niva’s position. We’ll hold out there until this thing is activated… or we fail and have to run.”
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll maintain my position,” Jok said, “keep an eye on their movements.”
“Sounds good.” Vesper whacked Tiller on the arm. “Let’s go, maniac. Time to do a little running.”
Got a bad feeling we’re about to be hunted again. And we can’t even go back to the tunnels. Not with that power buildup on the horizon. At least that meant Haulda’s people had to be nearby. Come get your glory, weirdos. They’re standing at the gates.
Chapter 10
Andrews worked the comm controls, trying to clean up the signal. He wanted a line to the Triton. Establishing a link seemed like the right thing to do, especially as they faced down a fairly sized army of Kahl soldiers. What they could do about it, he wasn’t sure, but an orbital bombardment would’ve been nice.
I can’t count on that though. Not if they’re on the verge of dealing with more ships.
“We have a problem!” Quilla slapped his arm. “The enemy’s coming this way! And our guard left his post.”
“Alon had to help the others.” Andrews stepped away from the comm. Shadows above indicated they had seconds to make a decision. “Shit! Follow me!” He rushed toward the tunnel they came from but Quilla grabbed his arm. “There’s no time to argue! Come on!”
“Are you insane? The power surge is about to happen!”
“Then you better run!” Andrews shoved the man into the tunnel then drew his pistol. He fired several rounds at the stairs. The soldiers charged down, opening fire into the room. They caught sight of him, turning their weapons to face him. “Come on then!” Andrews shouted before dashing into the darkness.
Quilla waited nearby, grabbing him by the shoulders. “What are we doing, you fool? We’re going to die down here!”
“Relax.” Andrews took the lead, hurrying along. “There’s another way out.”
“How exactly do you know that?”
“Haulda’s people left the tunnels and they weren’t too far off.” Andrews swallowed hard before continuing. “We just have to find that path.” The hair on the back of his neck stood. His skin started to itch. We really don’t have a lot of time. Three energy bolts flew by, lighting up the corridor. They’re chasing us, at least.
“This is insanity!” Quilla shouted. “I shouldn’t have trusted you! I should’ve surrendered!”
Yeah, that would’ve helped you. Andrews checked his computer. The tunnel forked ahead, going back the way they came and branching off to the left. They were almost there. He fired a few times behind him, reminding their pursuers they weren’t chasing unarmed men. Of course, it’ll just mean…
Before the thought even finished, another series of shots flew by on all sides. Andrews twitched, keeping his head down, but he knew none of that would help. They’d either score a hit or they wouldn’t. There wasn’t enough room to perform any sort of evasion or attempt any real zigzag patterns, though he did move to the left and right.
A dozen more yards got him to the fork. Andrews changed directions too fast, slamming into the opposite wall. Quilla hit him next, crushing him into the rocks. He coughed, shoving the man off of him. “Go! Get down that tunnel now!” His computer beeped, starting an incessant rhythm.
Andrews ran after Quilla, glancing at his device. Power surge imminent. The words flashed in time to the sound. He figured they had less than a minute before the energy crackled over the stone again, killing everything stuck outside. He picked up the pace, breaking into a sprint despite the uneven ground.
I have to trust I’ll keep my footing. Andrews figured they must’ve been near the far end of the complex above. The ground should start to slope upward. I’m not sure why it isn’t yet. Another glance at the computer showed they had at least two hundred yards of tunnel left. Maybe Quilla’s right. This might’ve been a bad idea.
The enemy finally made the corner. They didn’t immediately give chase but took some more shots. Those guys must not have a clue what’s going on around them. They have scanners. Then again, they might’ve believed their armor would save them. If they don’t get out, they’ll be deep fried… just like we’re about to be.
“I’ve been hit!” Quilla screamed. “My arm! You bastard! You brought us down here and now—”
“Shut up!” Andrews interrupted. “I think you got skimmed at worst!” He struggled to keep up the pace. His heart hammered in his chest, threatening to burst from his rib cage. Adrenaline kept him going, along with cool fear. Getting blasted is one thing. Burned alive by electricity… that’s definitely not how I want to go.
Despite his comments, he had to admit their pursuers were taking their time with aiming. Every chirp made him think he’d take one in the back. If you hear it, it wasn’t meant for you. That had been some advice he heard from a sergeant early on in his career. Later, most of the wounded he encountered refuted the statement.
“Oh, you definitely hear it,” he couldn’t remember who said it, “and unless you take one to the head, it doesn’t kill you instantly, so you get plenty of time to think about that sound while you fade out.”
Great time to remember all that! Andrews kicked a rock, losing his balance. He bounced off the wall on his right then tumbled to the ground. He rolled to the base of an incline where he slid to a halt. Scraped up skin stung beneath his clothes. Energy bolts popped the ground all around him.
Andrews scampered to his feet, half crawling several feet before limping upwards. Quilla nearly made it to the top. His criminal friend probably didn’t even look back when he fell. Selfish little bastard.
The walls began to glow, flickering blue. Any moment would send the power cascading through the tunnels… and he only had a hundred yards to go. His leg ached. Every time he bent his knee it seemed to scrape on something. Light from above gave him a sense of hope. He found himself alone in the last thirty yards.
Those men behind him must’ve finally decided to leg it. Heavy footfalls replaced the sound of energy rifles. They were making directly for him, but he knew they’d never make it in time. He doubted he’d get out. A loud hum filled the hair. All the hair on his body responded. He struggled to breathe.
Andrews cried out as he dove for the light. He
landed a few feet shy. Clawing at the stone, he scrambled forward just as the hum reached a zenith. A hand grabbed him by the shirt, dragging him the rest of the way out. He drew his knees up as a bolt of power licked his foot, sending a wave of electricity through him.
“Gah!” Quilla let him go, stumbling back, “Move! Hurry!”
“I’m trying!” Andrews found himself on fresh dirt, still crawling away as the power built up. He glanced over his shoulder before rounding the corner, catching a sight of the soldiers twitching as the blue bolts took their bodies, compelling their arms in wild motions. Then he was outside, beyond the walls of the ruins.
Sparks burst from the earpiece. Andrews yanked it out, tossing it on the ground as it began to smoke. “Whoa!” He rubbed his head. “That… was nuts!”
Haulda approached, shouting at them in his language. Andrews shook his head, gesturing to the earpiece. It took the Kahl a good moment to realize what he meant before he waved at one of his people. The person approached, offering him a new one.
Andrews took a moment to put it in. After the last one nearly scorched his face, his heart beat a little faster as he fastened it in place. He tapped it a couple times, clearing his throat. “Testing? One, two? Can you hear me? Is this thing working at all?”
“It’s working,” Haulda replied, “or so I think. Can you understand me?”
“I can!”
“Now that we’ve settled that,” Haulda stepped closer, glaring at him. “What’re you two doing out here? You could’ve died down there!”
“You think?” Andrews tilted his head. “We didn’t have a damn choice!” He wriggled his foot, trying to get the feeling back to his toes. “Why doesn’t it come outside? The energy blast, I mean.”
“There’s a barrier,” Haulda said. “Something preventing it from passing a certain point. We don’t really understand it. Even after careful study. But you going in there was—”
