Galactic Arena Box Set

by Dan Davis

  “God, are you serious? How are you supposed to fight in that?”

  “Oh,” Henry smiled. “Some areas are up to nine meters deep but most of it is under a meter, so you’re not fighting under water.”

  “Just up to your ass in it,” Cooper said.

  “Right,” Henry replied. “But the doctrine is to fight on dry land, obviously.”

  Flores sighed. “Sir, this is fascinating and all but we really need to get moving.”

  “We do. Henry, do you have clothing to wear on the surface? The doctor said you should shower and get your gear on?”

  “Oh yeah! My exterior suit, it’s all ready to go. I just got to get it on after my shower.”

  “Well, you should get on with it,” Ram said. “Right now.”

  Henry flowed across the hall to his storage lockers, threw them open and pulled out extra clothing—boots, hat, hood—before striding off out of the hall.

  Cooper sidled up next to Ram and muttered under his breath. “God almighty but that freak can move. How do you think they did that?”

  “I’m going to check on the doctor. One of you keep an eye on the weapon at all times. Whatever happens from now on, he’s the most important thing of all, alright?”

  “Got it,” Cooper said.

  “He is,” Flores confirmed.

  “Well get after him then,” Ram said. “I’ll get the others ready.”

  Ram had a final look at the replica arena and made his way out. It was a relief to get out of the warm, humid atmosphere and breath cooler, dry air again.

  “Doctor Monash?” Ram said, coming back into the doctor’s laboratory where he and his assistant were throwing a few more small items on their pile of bags and boxes.

  “Yes, yes, we’re almost ready. You’re ready, aren’t you, R1?”

  “I am, Doctor.”

  “You’ve got your cold weather gear? It’s pretty chilly upstairs.”

  “Of course it is, don’t you think I know that? Now, you can start by carrying our equipment to the elevator and sending it to the surface. You’ll have to carry these, now, they’re far too heavy for me to move. Far too heavy.”

  “That’s no problem. Flores, Cooper, can you begin moving the equipment to the exit as soon as Henry’s ready?”

  “Yes, sir. Almost there.”

  “Doctor,” Ram said, “what’s wrong with Henry?”

  Doctor Monash scowled. “What in the world do you mean? Nothing is wrong with him. He’s the perfect specimen.”

  “It’s just that he seems a little… unusual.”

  The doctor whirled around and glared at Ram. “How dare you!”

  “No offense, Doctor, I’m just trying to understand what I have to protect, that’s all. I want to make sure I can predict his behavior and he seems… I don’t know, is he… slow?”

  “Slow? Slow? No, he is not slow, for god’s sake. He’s perfectly within the normal range. He’s just high in agreeableness and conscientiousness, that’s all. And of course, he’s just young. There’s only so much experience you can get into an eight-year-old.”

  Ram stared. “He’s eight? He’s eight years old? But then really he’s a child?”

  “Oh, for goodness’ sake, Mr. Seti. I didn’t think you were of a hysterical nature. He’s not a child. He’s undergone accelerated growth and he experiences things faster than the norm and so he is physically and mentally adult. But as I say there is only so much life one can experience in twenty-four hours of every day and so, yes, he has retained a somewhat childlike emotional maturity. But it could not be helped! And it does not matter. He is perfect. Ideal, even! And please, say no more about it and especially not in his presence or else you may very well upset him. And we do not want that, do we?”

  “No, we do not. Alright, let’s get this gear to the surface and then we all need to get to the launch site before it’s too late.”

  10.

  The elevator made its final journey up the shaft with Ram and Henry riding it all the way to the top. Ram felt tired. His head ached and his back and legs were sore. But there would be time enough for rest once the mission was over. One way or another.

  Far above, a faint sliver of light shone down, rapidly growing. Henry’s strange face was screwed up, his long bony fingers twitching inside their gloves.

  “It’ll be okay,” Ram said.

  “I know. I’m fine.”

  “I used to spend most of my time in Avar, then I found myself living on ships in space and even when I fought on a planet in the Cancri System, I was mostly indoors and inside my suit. So, coming down here and taking off my helmet and breathing the air… it was strange. Being out in the open with the sky overhead. Like Avar, sure, but different. The smells and the feel of the wind on your face. But after a while, it’s okay.”

  “Okay, I understand and you’re trying to make me feel better by sharing an experience of your own so that I can empathize with you and everything? I get that, sure, thanks very much, I appreciate the effort. So you’re saying I should relax for the walk to the launch site and that when I climb into a rocket ship that’s been dormant for twenty years I’ll be safe and I shouldn’t worry about anything, is that what you’re getting at?”

  Ram pursed his lips. “Yeah, Henry, that’s about it. Even so…”

  “I’ll be alright. Don’t worry about me.”

  “Okay then.”

  When the elevator slowed near to the top, Ram got his helmet ready and checked his weapons.

  Henry eyed him. “Expecting trouble?”

  “No, just… force of habit. Avar habit, I mean. Whenever you’re playing a round in Avar, you get a quiet moment, check your ammo, your health, you know?”

  “Okay, sure.” Henry nodded and then placed his oxygen mask over his nose and mouth and took a deep breath.

  “You’re supposed to keep that mask that over your face all the time,” Ram said, hearing as he did so the scolding tone of voice his own father had once used. “I heard R1 say so.”

  “Alright, yes, you’re right,” he said and pulled the strap over the back of his head and fixed the oxygen mask over his face. Henry could breathe in Earth’s atmosphere but it would be like an ordinary human breathing at high altitude and so they wanted to keep Henry as fit and healthy as possible for the short trek to the hidden launch site.

  “And put your hat on,” Ram said. “Pull up your scarf. It’s real cold.”

  “Yeah,” Henry said, looking nervous as he wrapped his final items of winter clothing around his head. “Yeah, I can feel it already.”

  The elevator came to a stop and Ram stepped out into the ground floor of the tower. Stirling stood in the doorway, filling it with his wide shoulders and blocking almost all of the light.

  “Good to see you, sir. Everything is ready for the… holy shit.”

  Henry stepped up out of the open hatch doors and straightened up as far as he could, stooping beneath the ceiling.

  “Sergeant Stirling, meet Henry. The weapon.”

  “I heard, I just…” Stirling held out his hand. “So, you’re the new Rama Seti.”

  Henry reached down to shake it. “My name is Henry.” His voice was muffled by the mask.

  “Well, nice to meet you, Henry. We’re going to take good care of you, alright?”

  “Alright.”

  “Wait here a moment, Henry, and we’ll just get everything squared away and ready for the journey.”

  “What’s the situation, Sergeant?”

  “We’ve secured transport using the—”

  Doctor Monash and R1, both bundled up in their bulky winter clothing, strode forward and Monash raised a hand before pushing his way between Ram and Stirling who towered over them.

  The doctor began firing questions at Henry, checking he was well, while Henry sighed and muttered answers in a reassuring tone.

  Stirling jerked a thumb at them. “He’s clucking around that freak like a mother hen.”

  “He is his mother. And his father, to
o. And Henry’s not a freak, he’s a genetically engineered weapon who’s going to win us back the Earth or die trying.”

  Stirling’s grin dropped. “I understand, sir.”

  “You all hear me?” Ram said on the team channel. “We’re all expendable from now until we get the weapon, the doctor, and his assistant on the launch vehicle. Alright?”

  They all said yes, other than Cooper.

  “The doctor said he needed you as well, sir.”

  “Did he, sir?” Stirling asked. “Is that right?”

  “He did but the most important passenger is the weapon, then the doctor, then his assistant who is an AP. And I expect all of us to get on, too, but if for any reason—”

  “Sir!”

  Alerts pinged and flashed on Ram’s AugHud. “Cooper? What is it?”

  “Movement in the forest to the south. And east.”

  “I’m seeing it, too,” Fury said.

  “You wait here,” Ram said to Henry, Monash and R1. “Stay inside this tower until you hear from me, understand?”

  “But what is the—” Doctor Monash started.

  “Wait here!” Ram said as he and Stirling ran for the steps up to the top of the east wall and took them three at a time until they reached the top and looked out at the tree line.

  It was almost morning but the sky was low and gray and the wind bent the tops of the trees over. Tiny flecks of snow whipped past. It seemed to Ram that heavy weather was coming in but then again he was no expert with that kind of thing.

  “The Hex?” Stirling said, unslinging his rifle.

  “Don’t know.”

  Mayor Fraser was there ahead of them on the wall with some of his people beside him. “It’s a raid.”

  “How can you tell?”

  Fraser used his rifle to point east. “Time of year, direction. They’ve probably come up the Yukon, timed to hit us right before winter. Snow’s coming, no doubt about that. And they’re coming at us on the ground, can see it on the motion detectors we set out there. Dozens of hits. The Hex mostly use aircraft this far north and we never see more than a handful of the bastards. No, this is humans. I’m sorry, you missed your window.” He turned and called out a series of orders, directing groups to certain areas.

  “Missed our window?” Stirling said. “No, we can get out of here before the bastards attack. If we move now. What do you think, sir?”

  “We can’t risk getting caught out in the open with the weapon. A stray shot and it’s all over. We’ll continue to assess.”

  One of Fraser’s men ran over, breathless. “Ewan, do you want to move… the northern rocket launchers… to the southern towers?”

  “No. Keep watch for another assault from the north and the west, alright? Keep everyone in position until ordered otherwise, you understand, Jim?”

  “I understand.” He ran off, waving others with him.

  “Your people are well drilled,” Ram said to him. “Disciplined.”

  “All the undisciplined died years ago. Listen, I hate to ask but are you and your men able to lend a hand?” The mayor pointed to Ram’s rifle. “You have weapons and armor significantly better than anything that we have and more to the point above what they have out there. And that’s saying nothing about your tactics and experience. Your team could mean the difference between surviving this raid or losing everything.”

  Ram and Stirling looked at each other while Ram’s mind whirred. He knew he shouldn’t care about the people of the town but he did and he wanted to save them. On the other hand, all that mattered was getting the weapon away to the launch site unharmed.

  The best thing he could do was to pull his men back and let the mayor and his people deal with it.

  But what if they lost?

  Mayor Fraser took a step closer and lowered his voice. “Look, I know it’s bad manners to ask it. If you wanted to help, you would offer. But I have my people to think about. My family. And I’m not proud. Any help you can provide will be appreciated by all of us. Anything.”

  “How long do these raids last?”

  Fraser shrugged. “Last one was about six hours. Came right at us a few times and we tore them up good.”

  “Alright,” Ram said, thinking he might be able to spare that much with the amount of time he had left.

  “But, uh… in the interests of full disclosure... there was the year before,” Fraser continued, “when they were here… eleven days. Tried chipping away at our walls. Even launched incendiaries over, knowing full well a fire might destroy everything they came to take but they did it anyway.”

  “Eleven days?” Ram said, shaking his head. “In that case, I’m afraid we have to go now before they surround you, I’m sorry.”

  “You’ll end up running into the raiders, though, you know that? You’ll have to fight your way through.”

  Stirling pointed in the direction of the approaching enemy. “They’re in the south and the east. We’re heading north-northwest, away from them.”

  “It’s likely they’ll have groups all around us.”

  Stirling was unconvinced. “Speculation, sir. And even if it’s true, we’ll have to fight our way through.”

  “Sir?” Flores said. “You’re right and all but pushing through forces out there is a risk, no? The weapon is vulnerable. Stray rounds hitting him. Might be best to fight these bastards, drive them off and run.”

  “The longer we wait, the worse it might get,” Cooper suggested. “Usually, acting decisively is better than dithering, sir.”

  “Fury?” Ram said. “Do you have an opinion?”

  “Whatever you decide is fine by me, sir,” she said.

  “Red?” Ram asked.

  “I am unable to fire on the humans attacking us, sir. You must order me to do so. But I should say that I would find that very disagreeable indeed and I would much rather kill the true enemy than your species, which have been so welcoming to me and to my kind ever since—”

  “Alright, Red, that’s fine. And I don’t want to shoot anybody either. We’ve lost so many people, it seems crazy to be thinking of killing even more.”

  Stirling lowered his voice and switched to their command channel. “I’ll follow whatever you decide, sir, without questioning you, so please don’t take this the wrong way but your lifetime of battle experience comes from Avar, not real life. We’ll not get a reset and a new round if we mess it up.”

  “You’re right.” Ram nodded. “We must protect the weapon. Taking him out of the town with enemies out there is a risk to his life. What are our options?”

  “Cooper?” Stirling said. “Any clearer idea of numbers or positions?”

  “They’re a hundred meters or more inside the edge of the forest, spreading out to the east and west. There’s movement across at least five hundred meters but I can’t tell how many targets yet.”

  “Estimate.”

  “At least twenty. Maybe… a hundred. Maybe more.”

  “No matter what happens, at some point soon we’re going to have to leave this place with enough time to reach the launch site. So, how can we best do that?”

  “You have something in mind, sir?”

  “When I took a stroll with the mayor, I saw a truck with a trailer in the garage. The trailer was a flatbed with steel railings on the side with an open top. They pile up raw logs and the like inside.”

  “We can ask to borrow it but anyone on that flatbed is going to be elevated and exposed and I’m guessing it’s slow as shit.”

  “We can’t make it faster but what if we armored the trailer?”

  “Armored?” Stirling said. “How?”

  “I don’t know,” Ram said. “Mayor Fraser, do you have a minute?”

  “Sure. So, are you guys staying? It’s all about to go off.”

  Ram ignored that and watched as the townspeople busied themselves everywhere. Women herded children from a house to somewhere else. Two adolescent boys hustled up the steps to the wall carrying a large ammo box between them. Dozens of
people lined the walls, preparing their rifles and their positions. “What’s happening now? What’s your plan for the defense?”

  The mayor pointed at various parts of the town. “My people are taking positions on the walls and on the towers and at the gatehouse. We’re bringing up and preparing the heavy weapons. Our families are taking shelter in the bunkers and basements under our houses.”

  “How active is your defense?”

  Fraser frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “What are your tactics when they attack you? You just stay up on the wall and shoot back at them?”

  “No, we don’t stay in our positions. We react to enemy assaults, moving people and weapons to where they’re needed and also I keep people down below, inside, as reserves.”

  “Okay, and you don’t leave the walls, that’s fine. How do you think they’ll react if the raiders see us here?”

  Fraser nodded at the question. “Depends on who’s in charge. Some leaders withdraw right away if they find they haven’t got superiority and they go find somewhere easier. But the only groups that come up this far, that would have the balls to attack us, knowing how well defended we are…” Fraser shrugged. “They’re already committed to slogging it out to some extent. And some guys, seeing your armor and those weapons and your other gear? They’ll just want to take it. They’ll be willing to die for the chance at that armor.”

  “But no raider is going to risk a fight to the death, surely?” Ram said. “All the men without discipline have been killed off, that’s what you said. So they’ll cut their losses and run rather than keep losing men.”

  “In theory,” Fraser said. “But people aren’t always logical. They don’t always do what you think. They don’t always act in ways that make sense.”

  Stirling grinned ruefully. “Hardly ever, in fact.”

  “Right,” Fraser said.

  “Listen, Fraser,” Ram said. “We just don’t have time to sit back and slug it out with them. We have to punch through and make our rendezvous.”

  “Alright. Can’t say I’m not disappointed but I understand.”

  “But maybe we can help each other. If we break out of here in force, we might draw some of the enemy away with us. And if they engage us, we’ll kill them. That would leave fewer for you.”