by Dan Davis
“Everyone inside,” Ram shouted. “Everyone. Get inside, now.”
“Get inside,” Stirling repeated. “You too, sir. Go on. Go, go!”
Ram fired at the advancing hex coming up out of the dark, covering Fury as she fired and stepped back.
“Come on, Fury, move, I’ve got you,” Ram said.
She ran by him and took position in the mouth of the hatch, aiming and firing again in one smooth motion.
“Fraser, come on,” Ram shouted. “You too, man! You can shelter inside the tunnel.”
Mayor Fraser and his men stood firing at the darkness when three more hex rushed them from the flank, coming up like demons straight from hell, throwing aside their small vehicles like they were nothing.
Fraser stood his ground and emptied his clip at the nearest hex but its legs flicked out and sliced through him sideways. He was roaring his defiance even as his body fell into two pieces, with his legs standing while his torso slid sideways to the ground. It was not done with him, and stabbed him with its razor claws, lifting him up in front of it.
Fraser was conscious enough to swing his rifle at the giant alien but he had no strength and it merely tapped the Hex’s armor before it fell to the ground. The Hex whipped more legs into him, dicing him into pieces in a shower of blood.
Fraser’s head smacked onto the frozen earth.
The rest of the townsfolk were ripped to shreds in just two seconds. So quickly that it was little more than a blur.
At such close range, Ram’s weapon rifle ripped through the thorax of one hex and shredded the legs of another but there were more coming out of the darkness.
“Red, fall back now. That’s an order.”
“I am obeying your order with immediate effect, sir.” The wheeler kept firing as he rolled by Ram into the tunnel.
Fury fired up into the snowstorm from her position in the open entry point. “Incoming Hex aircraft. Three, four. No, more. Lots more.”
“Get inside!” Ram shouted.
Stirling and Fury finally dropped down inside, reached the doors and heaved them down. They resisted for a moment before the pistons relented and the doors came down. Ram grabbed the traitor and pulled him in as the hatch doors slammed closed overhead.
Outside, blasts of enemy fire hit the ground and boomed against the doors. The survivors stood breathing deeply in the dim red light of the tunnel. Flores and Cooper were gone, along with all of the townsfolk. They had to get away
“He dead?” Stirling asked.
“Don’t know,” Ram replied. “I’m bringing him.”
“Alright.”
“Go on,” Ram said, pointing down the tunnel. “The launch vehicle is that way. Go!”
Over their heads, once more plasma rounds smashed into the earth and into the hatch itself and Ram guess they were fired from the aircraft weapons.
“They’re going to break through,” Ram said as they backed smartly away.
“Those doors are thick steel around thicker concrete,” Stirling said. “They’ll hold a wee while yet.”
As he spoke, the impacts shook the tunnel all around them and they turned and rushed along as it sloped down at an alarmingly steep angle, Ram limping with the unconscious or dead traitor under his arm.
When the tunnel ended at the edge of a vast missile silo, they stepped out onto a steel walkway. Ram clutched at the railing when he noticed the great depth below him. His AugHud estimated it at 100+ METERS.
The rocket was truly enormous at ten meters diameter. In front across the walkway, an open hatch led into the spacecraft atop the mighty rocket. It was of similar dimensions to the descent vehicle they had used to come down onto Earth but Ram realized that would make sense, seeing as they were supposed to catch up to and dock with the Hereward once it came back from its circuitous maneuvers.
They rushed across the swaying steel walkway as quickly as they dared and ducked inside.
“Hurry, hurry!” Doctor Monash cried. “Come on, the launch procedure has started. Shut the door!”
Stirling slammed shut the hatch and locked it.
Ram had a sudden image of Cooper being blasted apart, and then another of Flores, and the townsfolk. He shook it off.
“Take your seats, you dithering fools!” Monash shouted from above. “We’re about to lift off.”
HUMANS said one sign, pointing up a ladder. SUBJECTS said another.
Ram passed up the unconscious traitor and Fury strapped him in along with the other normal sized people.
“Where do I go?” Stirling asked Ram.
Monash poked his head down the hatch. “Are you over two meters tall?”
“In my suit, yes.”
“Down with the bloody subjects, you idiot.”
There were six oversized gravity couches in the compartment and Henry was already strapped into one. His eyes were wide and he was breathing rapidly into his breathing mask.
“Are you injured?” Ram asked him.
Henry shook his head.
“Shit, these couches are too big for me,” Stirling said. “I’m going to break my back, ain’t I.”
“You’re going to what?” Henry asked.
Stirling noted Henry’s panic and made light of it. “Ah, just a figure of speech. You know, Henry, big lads like us ain’t best suited for high g’s. Much better to be a wee thing like your R1 up there, right? But you’ll be alright. Tough as old boots you are, I know it.”
The couches were almost too large for Ram. They must have known decades before that they were intending to manufacture subjects that were almost three meters tall to fight the Hex. Despite such incredible foresight and planning, Henry also seemed drowned in his gravity couch, his limbs barely cushioned in their rests. Perhaps if he wore a spacesuit or armor like Ram’s he would fit it well enough but it looked like they were all going to be in for a difficult ride. Red would have to lie on his side on the floor and brace himself as best he could, although his species was incredibly tough so perhaps he would be alright.
Thumping sounds drummed from somewhere. Great bangs sounded as if the earth was being struck by a giant hammer. Ram thought the hex had broken in and were shooting at them.
But the ship began to hum louder and louder and then a great roar filled his head. Even when the suit dampened the noise, he could feel it in every part of his body, in every limb and organ, in every cell.
And then the shaking started.
16.
Ram was shaken around so much he was certain something had gone badly wrong. He was pressed back into his couch and he knew they had lifted off.
This was the point when they would be destroyed, Ram knew.
There were supposed to be anti-aircraft weapons deployed during launch to clear the skies but they were designed and installed before the invasion and so they could not be optimized for destroying Hex aircraft. And if there was laser fire, plasma fire, missiles and AA rotary-cannons firing all around them, surely it would not take much to destroy the rocket or damage the ship.
The shaking increased further and the roar grew louder. The g-force increased to 2 and soon to 3 g’s. Ram watched his clock and realized it had been over a minute since liftoff and surely they were through the immediate danger.
But surely, all over the Hex defense systems, they were being alerted to a launch. They would be launching missiles of their own or sending ships to intercept them.
Ram felt the pressure increasing. The g-force went over 4 and then 5. It meant they were still accelerating, gaining speed with every second.
When the g’s went over 6, Ram wondered how long it would be before he passed out. How long could they keep increasing speed before his blood drained away. His suit compressed his limbs but it could only do so much for sustained periods. How many minutes had it been? Ram’s vision was fading. What would it be doing to his injured foot? Perhaps the forces would twist his shattered bones, perhaps tear his foot right off.
Sometime after the accelerometer indicated 7 g’s,
the shaking eased off, a great boom shook the craft and suddenly Ram could breathe again. The force died away to nothing and Ram almost laughed in elation.
Then the pain in his foot spread up his leg and he tried to look down at himself but his head was strapped in tight. He craned his neck forward inside his helmet and saw red stuff smeared all over the front of his suit. “Is that blood?” he muttered. “Is that my blood?”
“Christ almighty,” Stirling said. “That was a fu—”
The second stage rocket ignited and forced them into their couches again. The acceleration was even faster now and soon they passed 3 and 4 g’s. On and on it went, 6, 7 g’s. Pain shot through his body and his head before fading along with his vision. When it reached 8.4g, Ram felt himself losing consciousness.
Is this it?
Blackness took him.
He dreamt. Machines filled his mind. White lights and needles and voices spoke about him as if he was not there. Time passed. And passed.
When he came to, he was in a medical bay.
“Hello?” he muttered, reaching for the tubes in his arms and face.
“Don’t move,” a man said, pulling at his hands to stop him. “Leave it alone please, sir, or I will have to immobilize you medically.”
“I’m on the Hereward?” Ram muttered.
The doctor looked vaguely familiar. “It is very encouraging that you are now aware of your surroundings.”
“We made it? How long was I unconscious?”
“You were brought on board thirty-one hours ago.”
“My team? What about….? The mission. The weapon. And the prisoner. What about Red? Are they okay?”
“You were the only one who arrived with a significant trauma injury, sir.”
Ram lifted his head and looked down at his body. His foot and most of his leg were encased in a molded shell.
“Is my foot… still there?”
“You suffered extensive tissue damage but we have not amputated it yet.”
“Yet?”
The doctor shrugged. “We are repairing the tissue but you will also require extensive reconstructive surgery but we shall see what functionality you retain. It is not our primary concern at this time.”
“Alright,” Ram said. “I’m amazed we made it. What happened? Why does my head hurt so bad? Is there something wrong with my eyes?”
“You went into shock during the launch. Already suffering from hypotension due to your blood loss, the massive g-forces reduced blood flow to your brain and other organs.”
“How much blood did I lose?”
“At least forty percent.”
Ram didn’t know much about medical stuff but he knew that was a lot. “Am I going to be okay?”
“We are doing everything we can to return you as close as possible to full function.”
“Close to full function?” I’ll have permanent damage?”
“Yes. Especially to your brain.”
“You mean I might have suffered brain damage?”
“You certainly have suffered brain damage, along with damage to other organs. The extent and long-term prognosis are unknown at this time but it is likely irreversible.”
Ram closed his eyes. He was alive but he was damaged beyond repair. “Where did you learn your bedside manner, doctor?”
“I am an AP Medical Assistant. I am aware that patients benefit from a medical professional who performs the behaviors known colloquially as a good bedside manner but I am unfortunately unable to perform them myself in an authentic manner.”
“People can tell you’re faking it, huh?”
“That is correct.”
“Fair enough. Where are the humans? Wasn’t there a real doctor? I met him before.”
“You met me before you left on your mission when I performed multiple medical checks on you and your colleague. The fact that you do not recall these checks is indicative of your brain damage.”
“Oh, God. Where’s… what’s her name? The captain?”
“Captain Xenakis is on the bridge. All officers and crew are either on watch or off-watch.”
“Can I see her, please? Or can you send in one of my team? My sergeant who… his name is Sergeant… did… who made it off the planet with me?”
“I am afraid that no one will be sent in to visit you as you require rest. It is time to administer your scheduled sedation.”
“Wait, please, I just want to understand…”
Ram’s vision clouded and he slept.
17.
“Glad to see you up on your feet, Lieutenant,” Kat said, smiling as he hobbled into her office, dragging his injured leg. “You need to sit down?”
“Best if I stand, I think. Besides, I don’t want to break your chairs.”
She did not smile. “How are you feeling?”
Ram hesitated. “You got a full report, I assume?”
“I did. But I’m interested in knowing how you feel.”
“I feel… tired.”
“Hmm, I’m sure. Is that all?”
Ram shrugged. “I feel slow. In my mind. Worried that I’ll never be the same again. But… that doesn’t matter, does it… I did my duty. I extracted the asset. The subject. I have no further purpose. How is… how is he anyway?”
“Who?” Kat asked, looking at him closely.
Ram closed his eyes. The name was on the tip of his tongue, it was there, he knew it for sure. “Henry,” he blurted, sighing. “You’re testing me?”
“I need to know the abilities of my officers.”
“Does the medical report recommend you relieve me of duty?”
“It doesn’t make those kinds of recommendations. It does say that you will require significant time undergoing various therapies to manage your condition. And so you will remain on medical leave.”
“What am I supposed to do with myself?”
“Whatever you feel able to do. I hope you will feel able to help us.”
“I’ll never get all the way better. I’m only at seventy-five percent of where I was, if that.”
“At seventy-five percent of what you were, you’re still above the average UNOP officer.”
Ram smiled. “Is that a compliment for me or an insult for UNOP officers?”
“My crew are well above average. They’re the very best that could be recruited for this mission.”
“What happened?” Ram asked, rubbing his eye. He felt tired.
Kat frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, after I blacked out on the… rocket, what happened? How did we evade the Hex? I think I heard someone mention damage to the Hereward?”
Kat frowned as he spoke, biting her lip, then nodded. “Yes, it all went off remarkably well. The rocket launched a little late and required some last-minute maneuvering at speed in order to dock above the Earth. We had to decelerate far more than anticipated and it caused some mechanical failures. We docked with rather more enthusiasm than intended and suffered hull damage. Luckily the propulsion system was entirely undamaged. The transfer was rather rough and we had to throw you and the other passengers through the port before undocking and reengaging our drive.”
Ram raised a finger and pointed it at her. “You’ve told me this before, haven’t you.”
“You remember?”
“No,” Ram replied. “It’s just your manner. You were surprised I asked but covered your surprise before you answered.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to worry you.”
“I’m brain damaged, I’m not a child. Please, continue. How did… the Hex not shoot us down before we reached orbit?”
“The launch system was timed so multiple launch clusters lifted off at the same time from various places on the surface. Some were decoys, launching arrays of confusing targets for the Hex to track. Others shot out fleets of drones in the upper atmosphere to collect intel and return images and other data. Others were carrying warheads that aimed at Hex targets.” Kat grinned. “I wish I could have seen some of those hit
their marks.”
“Nuclear missiles?”
Kat shrugged. “Need to know means I don’t know. But I expect so. Others were supposed to put up anti-satellite satellites. I expect there were dozens of missions, maybe hundreds of launches, all going up at the same time as you were.”
“All to distract from our launch?”
“It was a program put in place before the invasion. There were lots of bases, lots of secret programs. All I know about is Outpost Omega and our mission. I’m sure there were a number of objectives attempted at the same time. I pray that as many as possible were successful.”
Ram rubbed his temples. “I lost Flores and Cooper. And all those civilians.”
“I’m very sorry about your team. And the civilians. They should never have been there. But you did complete the mission.”
“What do I need to do about Flores and Cooper? I should do something, shouldn’t I?”
“When you can, you’ll complete a full report.”
“No, I mean… their families and everything. Funerals.”
“I’m terribly sorry but you were unconscious for the memorial service. We have a very small multi-faith prayer room available in E-section where you can spend some time to pay your respects. There’s a plaque on the wall that honors the fallen.”
Ram nodded. “So, what now? Are we on target for getting the… Henry to the orb in time for the arena combat?”
“Assuming we’re not intercepted, sure. We’ll make it.”
“Will we be intercepted?”
“Well, seeing as there’s an array of Hex ships between us and the Orb, I’d say there was a distinct possibility.”
“What are our chances?”
“They’re great, Ram.”
“Was that a dumb question?”
“There’s no way of knowing what our chances are. Will the Hex let us through so we can fight, fair and square? Maybe. I hope so. That’s what they did before. But we just attacked them with a load of secret bloody rockets and invaded their airspace in this very ship. Will they consider that breaking the rules of the Orb Builders? Maybe. If they try to stop us by force, is this ship fast enough to make it through anyway? Maybe. We just need to plow on regardless, don’t we. Every one of us has a duty to perform and that’s what we’re going to do until we deliver the package to the orb.”
