Ruins of the Galaxy Box Set: Books 1-6

by Chaney, J. N.

  Piper looked at Awen and then pulled the helmet on. “I’m fine,” she said over external speakers.

  “You’d tell me if something was bothering you, right?”

  Piper’s helmet rocked up and down.

  “And nothing’s bothering you?”

  Again, Piper’s helmet moved, but left and right.

  Awen sighed and raised her own helmet. “Okay then. Here we go.”

  * * *

  Granther Company moved down Plumeria’s main thoroughfare, jogging in two lines. Each suit’s chameleon mode kept them hidden, while the stealth soles on their boots kept street noise to a minimum. It also helped that it was 0320 hours, so the only things awake were cockroaches and alley cats—if the city even had any, Magnus thought.

  Plumeria was so picture-perfect it made his stomach turn. Even at night the place was fit for a scene in a fairytale holo movie. The streetlamps glowed a pale yellow, while the sandstone streets stretched out beneath purple and magenta flags lining every street he looked down.

  “One klick to the courtyard,” Dutch said over comms.

  “Copy that,” Magnus replied. He double checked to see that the colonel was in the rear with Awen and Piper. Then he decided to check in with Flow and Cheeks. A small side window opened on his HUD with an image of Flow on the Spire’s bridge. “Flow, this is Magnus. How do you read me?”

  “I’m reading you Lima Charlie, LT. Just like my girlfriend on video call—hot and spicy.”

  “You don’t have a girlfriend,” Cheeks replied, stepping into the frame.

  “I do now,” Flow said, pulling out a printed image of Cheeks’s younger sister.

  “Hey, where did you get that?” Cheeks tried to snatch the image out of Flow’s hand but was warded off with an elbow to his ribs. “Son of a—”

  “And how’s the company’s signal?” Magnus asked, trying to get the conversation back on track.

  “We see you marching east on Avernon Street toward the waypoint Juliet Zero Two.”

  “And Azelon?”

  Flow looked over his shoulder at the bot. “LT wants to know how you’re doing, Azie.”

  “That is strange. I’m not detecting any issues with his communications suite. Is he experiencing a failure in reaching me?”

  Flow looked back at Magnus. “She’s good to go.”

  Magnus grinned. “Roger that. Make sure to light any new targets for us and call ’em out.”

  “Will do, LT. You stay safe.”

  “That’s the plan.”

  Magnus closed the channel and felt his heart thump. He felt bad leaving Flow and Cheeks behind, but he felt even worse about getting Azelon to filter all video and audio content going to the Spire’s bridge. It had taken some time, but the two AIs had figured out a way to swap all transmissions from Rohoar and the rest of the Jujari-filled Delta Platoon with human likenesses. Magnus needed the two Marines on this op, even if just for their eyes and ears, but he couldn’t have them relapsing into a fit the moment they made contact with Rohoar or the others. It was underhanded. But it was necessary.

  Magnus led the unit in silence for another few minutes before they arrived at the courtyard. He gave the order to spread out and hold. Then, over a hand-selected group channel, he said, “Nolan, Rix, and Silk.”

  “Yes, sir,” they each replied.

  “I want you on me. Abimbola, you too.”

  The ex-Navy pilot and the three former Marauders acknowledged the request, and Magnus watched their respective icons move toward him on his map. When Magnus turned to face them, a detailed line-drawing of their bodies appeared in Magnus’s HUD, marked with name tags and stats on each gladia’s vitals.

  “You all okay?” Magnus asked. “And before you answer, don’t say fine. We all know what happened last time we were here.”

  Magnus could see Nolan’s head nod on the line drawing. “It hurts, sir. Hurts like hell.” Then the pilot looked to his right… to the exact damn spot where Simone had fallen to her death. “I miss her.” He chuckled. “Funny thing is, I hardly knew her, ya know?” Nolan looked at the other three figures, knowing they’d spent far more time with Simone than he ever had—but he’d been at the control when Simone had fallen from the shuttle’s ramp. “I see her face almost every night when I fall asleep.” He let out a steady breath between pursed lips. “But I’m still good to go, sir. Ready or not, here we come.”

  Magnus patted him on the shoulder, watching his own hand appear as a line drawing in his field of view. “Good man.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “And you? Rix, Silk?”

  “I’m good, buckethead,” Rix said.

  “Me too.” Silk swung her NOV1 around. “Simone would have wanted us to come back here and kick some Luma ass. Pretty sure she’s with us, waiting to make sure we do it right.”

  “Copy that,” Magnus said. He looked to Abimbola for any additional comments but the Miblimbian waved him off. Over the company channel, Magnus said, “Okay, what’da we got, people?”

  “I have visual on two sentries on the main porch,” Dutch said. The targets lit up as yellow circles on the company’s HUD as the armor system registered them.

  “And we’re reading four more guards inside the structure stationed at intervals leading up to the main dome,” Flow said. Four more yellow circles appeared on Magnus’s topo map.

  “Seems like the night shift is lighter than we thought,” Magnus said. “Awen?”

  “Those are temple watchmen,” she said. “Trained, but not the best the Luma has. Half the time they’re students just looking to gain favor with the elders.”

  “Copy that. How about the prisoners?”

  “Nothing yet,” Awen replied. “Something’s definitely blocking my ability to see inside the catacombs.”

  That was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it meant the enemy had something to hide. But bad because it meant Awen wasn’t able to break through a passive defense.

  “Let’s take that as a good sign,” Magnus said, choosing to be an optimist—at least for the time being. “Alpha Platoon, break left. Bravo, break right. Charlie, Delta, Echo, you’re with me holding here and proceeding down the center once the sentries are neutralized. Proceed.”

  Green icons ran down the chat sidebar as Magnus watched Alpha and Bravo platoons run down either side of the courtyard. They made it to the Grand Arielina’s wide front steps and sent two pair of gladias after the first two sentries. In Alpha Platoon, Ezo approached the night watchman while Valerie readied two sets of flexicuffs. Ezo snuck up behind the young man undetected, fired a single stun round between his shoulder blades, and then lowered him to the ground while Valerie bound his hands and feet with the cuffs. Then they worked together to carry the body off the front landing and into some dense bushes.

  The textbook takedown took less than sixty seconds. The other team, made up of Silk and Rix, had taken even less time, neutralizing their guard in under forty seconds.

  “Nice work, people,” Magnus said. “Everyone else, on me.”

  Magnus moved into the open, stepping onto the courtyard’s luxurious grass. Under normal conditions, his body would have been illuminated by the full moon and stars, but his armor’s status bar said it was fully concealed. Plus, without the overlaid line-drawings he couldn’t make out any of his fellow gladias, so he trusted the tech was doing its job.

  They jogged clear across the lawn and ascended the front steps to rejoin the other two platoons. Magnus looked up and saw the arches of the open doors greet them like a sleeping monster’s yawning mouth. When everyone was accounted for, Magnus ordered them through the entry and into the hallway.

  “Rohoar, send four gladias to take out the sentries. Nothing lethal yet.”

  “Yes, Magnus,” said the Jujari, his tone conveying considerable disappointment. “Saladin, Czyz, Longchomps, Grahban—you heard the mwadim.”

  Mwadim? Magnus thought, then realized he should probably come up with some sort of rank str
ucture eventually. All these different naming conventions were starting to drive him crazy. But mwadim? That was just over the top.

  Magnus watched on his HUD as the line-drawings of the four Jujari raced between the walls and the giant columns, keeping their presence hidden in the shadows. Then, in one coordinated move, all four emerged from the darkness—two from each side of the hallway—and yanked the Luma guards off their feet. The men vanished without so much as a scream and were subdued.

  So far so good, Magnus thought. If the rest of the op went this smooth, they’d be out of here in less than thirty minutes, and no worse for wear. But since when has an op ever gone as planned, Adonis? Don’t jinx yourself.

  “You’re clear until Elder’s Hall,” Flow said from the Spire. “After that, I can’t see anything.”

  “Neither can I,” Awen added.

  “Me neither,” Piper said. “It’s like there’s a big soap bubble all around it. Makes me wanna pop it with my finger.”

  “We might need you to do that in a sec,” Magnus said to the girl. “Let’s see what we find first.”

  The girl seemed to hesitate, then said, “Okay, Magnus.”

  Magnus? That was a first. “All units proceed.”

  Magnus padded down the red carpeted hallway, catching up to the four Jujari who’d gagged and bound the knocked-out Luma guards together in pairs and left them behind two pillars. Together, all of Granther Company moved up the tall set of marble stairs that led to the dome.

  Images of the last time Magnus had been here flashed through his head. He remembered the panic he felt when his body had been rendered immobile by So-Elku. It was a helpless feeling, and he desperately wanted to avoid anything like that again. And he would, he hoped, because he had Awen. And Piper. Though the little girl had certainly seemed off lately. He desperately hoped that whatever was bothering her wouldn’t affect the mission.

  Magnus proceeded slowly up the steps, hearing the faintest sounds of padded boots on stone as the company followed behind him. When they got to the giant sets of gilded wooden doors, Magnus gave the order to hold.

  “Dutch, try it out,” Magnus ordered.

  “Yes, sir.”

  The operator moved past him and applied her gloved hand to the giant gold handle. She pushed, then pulled, but nothing happened. “It won’t budge.”

  Magnus swore. The next step was to see if Awen could open it, but if she couldn’t, they’d need to breach it. And that was going to attract some company.

  “Awen, you’re up.”

  “Right behind you, Magnus.”

  Awen stepped around him and squared off with the middle set of main doors. He saw her lower her head, probably in concentration, and then he waited. Almost a whole minute went by before he finally asked, “How you doing?”

  “Almost there.”

  Magnus’s curiosity was getting the best of him, however. “So? What is it?”

  Awen’s voice was tight. “No questions.”

  “Copy.”

  He had to wait another twenty seconds before Awen stepped away from the doors. “There,” she said, taking a few deep breaths.

  “That bad?” Magnus asked.

  “Just some minor protection placed over the dome. Nothing I wasn’t expecting. But not the easiest energy to circumvent either.”

  “So… no alarms or warning bells or booby traps?”

  She shook her head. “Nope. And it’s empty inside too.”

  “We can confirm that up here too,” Flow said.

  “Looks clear,” added Cheeks.

  “Thanks, boys.” Magnus looked through the walls, combining his bioteknia eyes with the armor’s sensors to create a hybrid readout on the HUD. Sure enough, now that Awen had disarmed the force-field-whatever-you-call-it in the Unity, he could see that the temple was empty. “Looks like everyone went home for the night.”

  “Copy that,” Dutch said. “Alpha Platoon making entry.”

  “Careful now,” Magnus said, watching Dutch push open the left-side door. A soft sliver of light appeared as she went in, her silhouette followed quickly by the rest of her platoon and TO-96. Magnus watched as the icons spread out, gladias running to the far sides of the massive circular room. Bravo Platoon went in next.

  “Titus,” Magnus said. “Have Charlie Platoon set up a defensive perimeter here. You have a good sightline of the hallway. No one gets through these doors.”

  “Copy that,” Titus replied.

  “Rohoar, follow me in.”

  “Yes, mwadim.”

  Magnus winced. “We’ve got to find a better name than that.”

  “But it is our most honored name.”

  “And I respect that, just… just stay on me.”

  “I understand.”

  Magnus pressed through the door after the last member of Bravo Platoon entered. Once inside, he could see the same vaulted ceiling as before. Cushions lined the space, and the far wall was open to the lush garden, now bathed in moonlight. Candles and torches flickered at intervals around the room, casting soft shadows across the floor. Interestingly, the gladias’ bodies did nothing to interfere with the intricate lighting, replicating and recasting the firelight with ease.

  “Abimbola, Rohoar. I want you and Bravo and Delta Platoons staying here. Work in conjunction with Titus if we get any company. Alpha and Echo Platoons, we’re headed downstairs. TO-96, I’m assigning you to Echo.”

  “Very good, sir. I’m happy to be of service.”

  “And colonel?” Magnus asked.

  “What do you need, son?”

  “I’m assigning you to Abimbola and Bravo Platoon. You good with that?”

  “Does he like cigars?”

  Abimbola nodded. “Does he like Antaran backdraw?”

  The colonel chuckled. “I think we’ll get along just fine.”

  “Good. Awen?”

  “Yes Magnus.”

  “Any idea how to get into the catacombs?”

  “There’s an old stairwell. This way.”

  “Please wait, Awen,” Saasarr said, holding his lizard-like hand toward her chest. “Let me go first.”

  “He knows what he’s doing,” Sootriman added. “Reptalons like the shadows.”

  “I don’t doubt that,” Awen replied, and then stepped out of the way to let Saasarr pass. She directed him to a small alcove to the far left. To the naked eye, it looked like any small recess in the domed room, containing anything from a shrine to a sculpture. But upon close inspection, the small nook contained a painted door that blended nearly perfectly with the surrounding wall. The only thing that gave it away was the door’s thin outline that appeared as a black crack.

  “I do not see a handle,” Saasarr said, patting the surface with his scaly hands.

  “That’s because it’s in the Unity.” Awen lowered her head and then reached forward, grabbing at the air. Her hand closed around something invisible. But when she pulled, the door separated from the wall and slide across the marble floor with a low groan.

  Saasarr hissed something in his native tongue and Dutch stepped beside him. Both of their NOV1s were pointed through the opening and into a torchlit corridor that spiraled down and out of sight.

  “After you, Saasarr,” Dutch said. The Reptalon flicked his tongue, his toothy snout protruding out of his half-helmet, and then ducked into the passage and down the first few steps.

  Magnus held Awen’s arm, indicating she should let the rest of Alpha Platoon head down first. “Still no read on what’s down there?”

  “No,” Awen replied. “It’s like someone has set up a barrier.”

  “To keep us out,” Magnus replied.

  “Or to keep them in.”

  Magnus remembered that Willowood had connected directly to his head when he was last here. Perhaps that’s precisely what So-Elku didn’t want happening again.

  Gilder was the last gladia to enter. Magnus nodded at Awen and Piper. He went to give the little girl a gentle push, to let her know it was alright and
that he was right behind her, when Piper moved out of reach. The strange thing was that she had her back turned toward him, yet it seemed like… like she avoided my touch on purpose.

  Another sick feeling filled Magnus’s stomach. Nos Kil must’ve said something. But it would have to wait. Magnus suppressed the sensation and willed himself to stay focused on the mission.

  “Whad’ya got, Saasarr?” Magnus asked, picking up the rear. His feet plodded down the spiral staircase as he listened for the Reptalon’s reply.

  “Something,” Saasarr hissed. “Saasarr smells something…”

  “Something what?” Dutch asked.

  “Something sweet.”

  “Sweet means human,” Sootriman said.

  “How comforting,” Valerie added.

  “We’re at the bottom,” Dutch said. “Opens into a wide hallway, about two meters high.”

  “Wait for us all to get there,” Magnus said, wishing the line would move faster.

  “Copy that, LT.”

  By the time Magnus got to the bottom level, Alpha and Echo Platoons lined the walls of the wide room that seemed to stretch on for at least a hundred yards. There were torches hung at intervals, and between them…

  “Doors,” Awen said. “I see old doors. They’re sealed shut, however.”

  Magnus looked at her and then at the walls. He didn’t see a thing but old stonework, nor was anything coming up on his HUD to indicate that there were cavities anywhere on this level. “You sure about that?”

  “Positive.”

  “I see them too,” Piper said. “But… I don’t think there’s anyone in them.”

  “I agree,” Awen said. But the sound of her voice betrayed a lack of confidence.

  “You sure there’s nothing in them?”

  She hesitated. “I suppose that’s a relative term. Legend has it that the great Luma Masters are buried down here, their crypts sealed shut for all time.”

  “So you mean to tell Ezo that he is walking through an underground graveyard of mystics? They did not put this on the guided tour’s description.”

  “It’s okay,” Awen replied. “They’re just bones and dust.”