“What about civilians?” Grimshaw asked.
“Some got to the bunkers, but the first wave caught us off guard. The Chits took out essential systems first. Without those, chaos spread like wildfire.”
“Sounds like the Chits wanted a slaughter.”
A grave expression contorted Lopez’s face. “That’s a grim but accurate way of putting it. You’ll have to forgive me, Commander. We’ve been fighting all week, and we’ve lost friends and family.”
“No apology necessary.”
They raced down another empty street, the sound of battle steadily growing louder. They turned a sharp corner and exited onto a broad avenue, Chit and human remains scattered across the pavement.
“This is where they tried to ambush us. Thankfully Troy signaled a warning in time, but they got him,” Lopez growled. “We’ll have to take care of the bodies later.”
Grimshaw was pleased to see more dead Chits than humans. He remembered how powerful the Marine guns had been at the maintenance gate. “Your weapons sliced through those elites back there like butter.”
“A slight modification. Sending it to you now. Probably best you share it with your team. It overheats the guns fast so use it sparingly. A physical mod will take care of the overheating problem, but you’d need a weapons tech with a workshop. Those we don’t have.”
Lopez transferred the data to Grimshaw’s SIG, and Grimshaw loaded it into his rifle’s control unit. “Thank you, Lopez. Anything that can help us against these bastards is great. O’Donovan, see to it that the rest of the team gets a copy.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We can improve your shields too,” Lopez said. “But that also requires a physical mod.”
“It can wait.”
They hurried along a street that curved toward the wall and came to a set of steep steps. Lopez and his Marines led the way, their guns ready. When they reached the top, Dale joined his fellow Marines at the parapet openings where they fired at the enemy below. Lopez led Grimshaw and his team to a stout concrete structure that had been built above the gate. Marines manned the roof, firing from under two deactivated turrets. One stumbled back, a dark stain on his chest, and tumbled to the streets below.
“What’s wrong with the artillery?” Grimshaw pointed at the giant guns.
“They’re controlled via the network. We tried getting manual access, but they’ve been locked out by security protocols.”
They reached the gatehouse, and Lopez pointed to the door. “They’ll know more inside, Commander. I need to get back to my squad, hold these sumbitches back.”
Grimshaw nodded and the Marine climbed onto the roof. “O’Donovan restock ammo. Briggs, let’s see if we can help bring those guns back online. And get us linked to the Marine channel.”
As they parted, Grimshaw cautiously peered over a wall opening. Around forty feet below, countless Chits milled about the feet of something he could only describe as a monster. The term tank undersold the creature. A small horned head jutted from and immense blue-black iridescent shell. A long, pulsing tail cut a channel in the dirt as the Chit tank backed down from Gate Six, readying another charge. Grimshaw fired a short burst at the creature. Even with the modifications, his bullets glanced off its armor like peanuts. He may as well have shot a solid block of reinforced steel.
The Chit tank rammed the gate, and the walkway rocked.
Movement around the crater outside Sector Seven caught Grimshaw’s attention. Bastards were waiting for us.
A crack spread further down the wall, and a chunk of concrete fell away, crushing smaller Chits at the base. Grimshaw ducked under a volley of enemy fire.
The vox crackled in his ear.
“I said concentrate fire on the buzzers and elites!” Sergeant Wallace’s familiar voice ordered.
Grimshaw ducked inside the gatehouse door and found Eline and Briggs at a terminal with two Marines.
The floor rumbled as the tank rammed the gate again.
“Commander, I’m glad to see you’re alive,” Eline said, turning to him.
“They won’t get rid of me that easily. What’s the situation here?”
“Smaller groups keep arriving from the crater. It’s like they’ve got an endless supply of bodies to throw at the wall.”
“What about those turrets?”
“They were taken out by the EMP the Chits fired when they first arrived. These Marines got power back, but the outage fried the circuits and a security protocol locked out the controls. We can only get into it remotely, which isn’t going to happen until the network comes back online.”
“What about resources?”
“Running low on ammo. We’ve already distributed what was found in here.”
The ground rumbled and Grimshaw put his hand on the wall to steady himself. “Will the gate hold?”
One of the Marine’s piped up. “Not for much longer.”
“Then we need to do something about that Chit.” Grimshaw tried to think. “Do we have explosives?”
“We’ve already dropped grenades,” the other officer said without looking up from his terminal. “It’s no use.”
“We need to get to the labs but won’t get far with these things on our backs.” Eline walked to a shielded window that looked out onto the parapet. “And if we stay here, it’s just a matter of time before they pick us off, one by one.”
As hard as he thought, Grimshaw couldn’t come up with a solution. “Any luck with the radio?”
“We’re still only getting thirty yards or so,” Eline said. “Haven’t picked up anything from the labs or elsewhere for that matter.”
“Where’s Sergeant Wallace?”
“He’s on the other side of the gatehouse with his men, trying to reconnect the network. But without communications to the city’s central hub, I don’t think it’ll make any difference.”
Grimshaw looked to Briggs. “What do you think, Briggs? Is there anything you can do?”
“Aegis Eline’s right, sir,” Briggs said, looking up from the terminal. “Without remote input, these guns are dead.”
Grimshaw swore. “We need to figure something out. We can’t hold this gate for long.”
The gatehouse rocked again, and dust fell from the ceiling.
“If that tank keeps up,” Eline said, “they’ll break through in a matter of minutes.”
23
Bones
He huddled in the narrow tunnel as Dika attached a power cable to the Sentinel’s energy grid. Power piracy was punishable by death but selling batteries to the Abundus Clan was where the credits were at, and a kid needed money if a kid wanted to eat.
They brought the batteries to Abundus headquarters and spoke with a man and woman at the gates.
Gunfire erupted as he fled.
He lay in the sewers where no one could find him, Dika shivering in his arms as he bled into the murky water.
Dika’s body floated into the overflow pipe and into the…
Darkness.
He navigated the Sentinel’s tunnel network, climbing until his hands and feet blistered and bled. He finally reached the Overways. They weren’t what he’d expected, for even the upper levels had alleyways choked with junkies, street gangs, and the homeless. He spent his first night curled up in a dumpster behind a restaurant with Kalzai, another street dweller. He suspected the boy would take advantage, but Kalzai became a good friend. They would later be forced to fight to the death. A head injury sustained in the fight would plunge him into…
Darkness.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Jurisha. He stood before her on the sparring mat at the Sentinel Intelligence Agency academy. He’d often boasted about being the best fighter in the class, and rightly so, for his record had gone unchallenged. As much as he didn’t want to hurt Jurisha, he couldn’t let her win.
She launched with a high kick. He grabbed her foot and was about to swipe her other leg. By the time he realized he’d been tricked, it was too late. Her other foot s
truck him in the jaw and snapped his head back, the jolt knocking him into…
Darkness.
Fifty-five agency cadets had started. Only eight had reached graduation. He stood with seven others at a ceremony while they received their SIA badges, becoming weapons to be wielded by the Galactic Alliance. He was the only human among them for few humans had what it took to join the SIA.
The Shanti Galactic Council representative, Minister Alavon Straiya, moved among the cadets, pinning badges to their lapels.
Most humans he knew didn’t like the Shanti because of some war or battle they had fought hundreds of years ago. He never understood why people held onto things for so long.
The Shanti Minister looked him in the eyes. He stood tall and proud, just as Sergeant Jake Worsky had shown him. The man had been a pain in his ass for the three years leading to graduation but had gotten him to where he was.
Minister Straiya smiled with piercing cat-like eyes and wished him the best of luck. Little did he know that he would one day be assigned to serve on her intelligence team. She would promote him as the first Terran archagent. A political move. But a historic one nonetheless. He stared through the porthole into perpetual…
Darkness.
He walked into the dark cave, torchlight casting dancing shadows across uneven walls. He found a wounded beast curled up in a ball. The creature looked up at him, eyes glowing. It let out a chortle and launched before he could react.
He tumbled over the side of the hill, grappling with the mighty beast, unable to get a clean blow with his blade.
They crashed at the bottom. The creature lay on top of him, weighing him down, jaws snapping. Its ugly maw contorted and twisted into a man’s face. It said his name, and he jolted into…
Darkness.
Randai woke, bleary-eyed, the sounds of medical equipment echoing in his ears. The noise sounded close yet somehow distant. Nearby voices muttered quietly, their words intelligible.
Lights flashed, and a beautiful young Shanti appeared above him like a smiling angel. “Why’s he awake already?”
“I don’t know. Our supplier’s probably skimping on ingredients again. We steeped the leaves the same as usual. It must be weaker than the last batch.”
“Father will need to have words with Mr. Darcy,” the Shanti beauty said.
“He’ll need to have more than words.”
“You shouldn’t be awake yet, Mr. Kahn.” The Shanti placed her hand on his chest and gently pressed him back onto the bed. “You just relax and go back to sleep now.” She injected something into the bag hanging over his bed, and before he knew it, he was once again taken by…
Darkness.
The agency accused him of being a double agent. They repeatedly tortured him before finding out they had the wrong person. He received a full pardon. Despite choosing to remain with the SIA, he lost faith in the organization and its leaders. Minister Straiya had tried to protect him. But she was powerless against Minister Zaqahr, the Tal’ri scumbag who had swayed a majority vote against him. He considered leaving the SIA, but where would he go? Back to the Abundus Clan in the Underways? To the people who’d killed Dika in cold blood and tried to kill him too? All for a few batteries that would temporarily keep their homes from falling into…
Darkness.
He had an argument with Minister Madorra. The politician had always held a grudge against him…something to do with the double agent accusations even though he’d been acquitted of all charges and compensated. The Minister pointed a finger, calling him a treasonous snake.
His old technician had been reassigned with little notice. He tried to contact him, but all calls went ignored. The guy’s apartment was empty. He and his family had vanished without a trace.
He was assigned a new technician but didn’t trust the guy. The Rivarian had spent far too long working on the SS Allora’s engines.
He broke into the hangar using his shadow drive and ran an unauthorized scan. It confirmed that his new technician had tinkered with the ship’s systems. He almost missed it, but the core readings looked unusual. He couldn’t access the engine without alerting hangar security. He attached a device that imitated his life readings instead. He would control the ship remotely.
He watched from a monitor on the Sentinel as his ship exploded not long after leaving the dock. They even closed down several shipping lanes for the rest of the day.
He watched his own funeral as the small box of ashes was launched into…
Darkness.
24
The Gray Tower
They reached the tech sector walls without incident. A grim stillness hung over Targos City, like some ghost town that had been abandoned long ago. Save for the occasional sound of distant fighting, a foreboding silence permeated the streets.
Part of Clio was disappointed they hadn’t encountered any Chits along the way.
Corporal Black’s small team met with Sergeant Lynch and his squad as planned before heading for the communication relay. Located four blocks away, the gray tower poked above the tech-district wall. Swigger and Clio scanned for enemy activity before Corporal Black ordered the team to advance.
Booster slept in his field pack for the most part, periodically coming up for air.
Corporal Black played it safe and had Clio march between Swigger and Boggart. The priority they placed on her safety didn’t go unnoticed. It made sense since she was the only pilot still alive, as far as anyone knew. No one was getting off Colony 115 without someone who could fly a starship, and even then, they would have to deal with what Chit attack vessels remained in the system…if any. One problem at a time, girl.
Corporal Black led them through winding streets and alleyways, sticking to cover and shadows cast by the low sun. The fighting in Sector Six grew a little louder the closer they got to the city center.
An outline of the area glowed in Clio’s visor, their destination pulsing orange. The archaic tower rose from behind a row of buildings ahead.
Corporal Black came over the vox. “We get through these apartments, and we’re there.”
They climbed over a low wall, and the Corporal signaled for Nakamura and Swigger to investigate an abandoned home. They disappeared through a broken window while Clio, Black, and Boggart lay low, watching the wall leading back to the streets.
“All clear,” Nakamura said on the vox.
Corporal Black climbed through the window, and Clio followed. Boggart brought up the rear.
Broken glass and scattered paraphernalia cracked under Clio’s heavy boots. Rotting half-eaten meals sat on a dining table and a shattered wall display hung at an angle. Children’s toys spilled from an overturned box in one corner. Clio wondered what had happened to the occupants. Had they made it to safety or had the Chits harvested them? The thought sent shivers down her spine. For all she knew, the apartment had once been home to the little girl who had dropped the teddy bear.
They slowly progressed to the rear of the complex, Swigger and Nakamura taking point.
Clio exited into a shared courtyard behind the dwellings. Tiny clothes dangling from a drying line fluttered in a light gust. She swallowed hard.
Swigger gestured from atop a high wall at the end of the courtyard. Clio sprinted to the wall and accepted the marksman’s hand. He hoisted her up, and she dropped to the tower grounds on the other side.
Atop a squat white building, a rusted mast reached for the sky like a hundred-foot spear, guy-wires splayed like spider legs.
Nakamura ran for the structure, and Swigger followed. They searched the building perimeter before giving the all clear.
Corporal Black urged Clio ahead as she and Boggart covered her from behind. They hurried to the sealed door, and Boggart wasted no time working on it with a crowbar. The lock snapped off, and the door creaked open. Swigger and Nakamura glided into the hallways and the others filtered in after them. The door swung shut, enclosing them in darkness.
TEK lights illuminated the hallway.
“Swigger, those stairs lead up top. Get into the tower and keep a lookout. Boggart, guard that door.”
They nodded and headed to their assigned positions.
Clio pointed out the station control room. Nakamura entered first to make sure it was clear then gestured for the others to follow.
Archaic hardware, storage units, and pipes lined the patchy walls. Clio accessed the primary terminal, surprised that it still ran on auxiliary power despite the station’s dereliction. The tower’s cells had more than enough power for the job. She ran a systems status check, and the results came back instantly.
“Five wave amplifiers are busted,” she hissed.
“It’s beyond repair?” Black said, unimpressed.
“Not necessarily. If we can find replacements, we should be able to get it up and running again. They used to store spares in these old stations.”
Black and Nakamura spread out, emptying drawers and cupboards as Clio uploaded data. Black emptied a box of paper on the floor. “What exactly are we looking for, Evans?”
“Metal cylinders, about this size.” Clio held her hands a foot apart. “I’m uploading the anti-scrambling program. It’ll take me a few minutes, but it won’t be any use without those amplification tubes.”
“You do your thing, and we’ll find them.” Corporal Black returned to the hallway.
Nakamura had his back turned while Clio operated the keys. It was the perfect opportunity to transmit her data. She slipped the crystal from inside her finger and hesitantly held it over the terminal’s input slot.
By broadcasting on an unsecured channel, however, she risked someone else picking up the transmission. Even if she made it off the planet, she’d be as good as dead. Then again, with communications down throughout the city…She slipped the chip back under her nail just as Nakamura drew up behind her.
The Galactic Sentinel: Ultimate Edition: 4 Books with 2000+ Pages of Highly Entertaining Sci-Fi Space Adventure Page 17
