The shuttles landed, opening their hatches to the intense street fighting already taking place in the capital. As Jarvi raced out of the shuttle, his visor immediately identified the friendly Taymati forces and the aliens. Jarvi would have likely picked out the hostiles without any help. Each used what something akin to a gigantic mech. Yet it wasn’t a mech, it was something else. A mech would require a pilot, but Jarvi didn’t see any room for a cockpit. He also got a distinct impression that the machine was somehow alive.
Each one stood several stories tall and carried a devastating array of firepower. Not that the Taymati were pushovers. They had brought in a considerable number of heavy weapons that they used against the enemy. But the shields foiled the Dvorkan efforts and glowed red almost permanently as the Dvorkan batteries hammered them. The alien guns returned fire with devastating effect, littering the streets with the carnage of dead Dvorkans.
Not wasting any time, Jarvi’s team of Chaanisar targeted the nearest machine and fired in unison. Their rounds struck, and the machine spun around, spraying them with energy bolts. Protected by their shields, the Chaanisar charged the metal monster. They traded fire with it as they advanced, until they bridged the gap between them, and were on the thing.
They leaped forward in great bounds, landing on its limbs, and using their augmented abilities to scale it at blistering speeds. Unable to shoot at them, the machine swatted with its arms, trying to crush its tormentors. But like a fly toying with its hunter, the Chaanisar stayed a step ahead of the thing, all along probing for vulnerabilities.
Lieutenant Jarvi, said AI, through his brain chip. Climb closer to the creature’s chest. I think I can access its systems from there.
“Understood,” said Jarvi, who leaped across the armored machine, finding purchase where he could. Gripping the slightest protrusions, he scaled up the metal monster’s torso. It flayed wildly, trying to shake the Chaanisar off. Jarvi’s feet lost their grip and swung precariously in the air. The Lieutenant held fast, like a pit bull gnawing on a bone.
Here, said AI, when Jarvi reached the creature’s upper chest. Jarvi slammed his fist into the machine, creating a digital bridge for AI to travel across and access its central processor.
The machine shook violently as repeated concussions rocked it. It swayed, and toppled. Jarvi and the other Chaanisar jumped as the robot fell. Jarvi landed safely on his feet, as high-velocity rounds continued to hammer the prone machine. He turned to see what had happened. There, standing several meters back was another of the giant alien robots blasting the one he had just climbed.
“Why are they destroying their own weapons?” said Jarvi.
They are denying me access, said AI.
The new machine turned its attention on the Chaanisar. Jarvi ran for cover, returning fire all along. “I don’t understand. They destroyed their machine so that you wouldn’t infiltrate it?”
Yes. These machines are under the control of an alien AI. They are interconnected. If I access one, I can access all.
“Could you then destroy the alien AI?” said Jarvi, leaping behind a half-destroyed building.
Yes. This copy of it.
“You mean even if you kill the AI controlling these machines, it will live on elsewhere?”
Yes. Another version of it lives with its fleet, and who knows where else.
“It is the same as you.” Jarvi fired back at the machine from behind the building’s walls.
Yes, although it cannot defeat me.
Powerful energy bolts hit the wall, blowing enormous holes in the structure. His cover compromised, Jarvi took off again. “Unfortunately, I am more vulnerable to its weapons.”
Heavy weapons began to pound the machine from behind. The Chaanisar took the opportunity to regroup and added their own heavier weapons to the onslaught. Looking beyond the alien, Jarvi noticed that the Diakans were the ones hitting the giant machine from the other side.
“Can you access its brain from its back?” said Jarvi.
Yes, said AI. There should be no difference.
The machine spun around to fire at the Diakans behind it, and Jarvi charged. With inhuman speed, he reached the machine and leaped onto it. He climbed up the back of its leg. It tried to kick him off, but he was too quick. He made it onto the beast’s back, and it jumped. Turning in the air it crashed into the wall of a nearby building, hitting it full with its back. Jarvi braced himself against the crushing force. His armor held, but his grip didn’t, and he fell.
“Did you make it?” he said, just before hitting the ground.
Yes. I have access, said AI.
Chapter 34
“We have communications back, your worship,” said Captain Vass, as his Taymati team reached the top of the stairwell.
“Do we have reinforcements?” said Emperor Kriss, through his helmet’s comm.
“A team is on route, your worship, but they are having trouble reaching us. The aliens have sent ground forces down to the surface, and they have cut off our troops.”
“What do we do? Stay here and wait?”
“No. The aliens are closing on our position. We cannot stay.”
The Emperor wondered how the aliens knew their location and realized their mistake. “Cease all communications with Taymati headquarters.”
“Your worship?” said Vass.
“Someone at Taymati headquarters has betrayed us to the aliens. How did the mercenaries find us so easily? The shuttles scattered in different directions. I could have been on any of those shuttles, yet the mercenaries knew which team to target. Now the aliens are closing on our position. It is too much of a coincidence.”
“We have a mole,” said Vass.
“It would appear so.”
“Very well. We all maintain radio silence until further notice. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir,” came the reply from the rest of the Taymati in the stairwell.
“Grenadier, up front,” ordered Vass.
One of the Taymati made his way up the stairway, through the Taymati ranks, until he reached Captain Vass.
“When this door opens, I want you to blanket the area with the heaviest ordnance you’ve got. Do not stop until I tell you.”
“Yes, Sir.” The grenadier rotated his weapon to access his high explosive rounds and took a knee. “Ready, Sir.”
Vass waved a few more Taymati over and ordered them to add their fire to the mix as cover for the grenadier. Vass himself stood with them, raising his weapon and looking down its sights. “Now,” he said, and the door swung open.
Unsurprisingly, the mercenaries lay in wait for them. Yet the furious barrage coming through the door caught them flat-footed, and they scrambled to adapt. The grenadier did not give them a chance. Heavy energy grenades repeatedly pounded the mercenaries at a frenetic pace. Energy bolts matched the shells in velocity, and a highly charged torrent swept the room, leaving nowhere to hide or escape.
The shields the mercs wore had sustained damage in the previous encounters with the Taymati and were no match for the current onslaught. When the shields began to fail, Captain Vass ordered the Taymati to charge. Adrenalin flowing through his body, Emperor Kriss joined in the charge. Today he was a Taymati, and he would fight to the end like one.
Surging through the open door, his weapon vibrated in his hands from the rapid discharge of energy bolts. The room was spacious and offered little cover. Kriss charged at the enemy, focusing his fire on one merc in particular. As he neared the merc, he noticed the red glow was gone. The merc swung his weapon around and fired at Kriss, scoring a couple of direct hits before the gap was bridged.
The warning on his visor briefly caught the Emperor’s attention. His suit’s integrity was dropping below safe levels. Kriss didn’t care. Firing his weapon as he charged, he was determined to take out his opponent. Using his armor’s power, he jumped, clearing the remaining distance, and drove the stock of his weapon into the surprised merc’s visor.
The force of the impact sent both m
en crashing into the ground. The merc grabbed onto Kriss, and the two rolled. The fall caused both men to lose their weapons, and they fought hand to hand for position. Freeing his right arm, Kriss reached for his energized combat knife. He unsheathed the crackling blade, just as the merc drew his sidearm.
Kriss grabbed the merc’s wrist with his free hand, trying desperately to keep him from pointing his sidearm at him. The merc held back Kriss’s blade with his other hand, denying the Emperor a clean kill. The struggle for control seemed lost when the merc got on top of Kriss, but the Emperor kicked up, and the merc lost his balance. Pushing with all his might, Kriss sent his opponent into a roll. He followed, rolling with the merc until he came up on top.
The merc tried to use the same tactic, and kick Kriss off, but the Emperor’s legs gripped the merc’s torso like a vice. Leaning in, he pushed the blade down toward the squirming mercenary with all he had. The merc tried to hold back the knife, but his arm was already at an awkward angle. Kriss felt the man’s arm lose strength. Sparks erupted as the blade contacted armor. Kriss gave one final push, and the edge cut through the armor and into the man’s chest. He felt the man spasm, as his life force left his body, and then go limp.
Knowing he couldn’t relax, Kriss rolled off the man. Eying his energy weapon on the floor, he leaped for it with outstretched arms. Grabbing the firearm, he rolled out of the fall and came up in a crouching position. A merc whipped around to point his weapon at him. Kriss squeezed off several rounds, hitting the man just as Captain Vass sent several blasts into the merc’s visor. The combined force sent the merc careening backward. Vass was on him without hesitation, pumping multiple rounds into the merc’s now shattered visor. The merc stopped moving, and Vass moved on to the next target.
The Emperor did his best to keep up with the Taymati, but they moved like demons. Despite all the training he had undergone, his personal guard took combat to a whole new level. Still, he persisted. Today he was Taymati. Trusting in his practice, he killed with fury and precision. When the melee was over, the mercs all lay dead. The Emperor would have liked to take one prisoner for questioning, but it was not meant to be.
For a moment, he caught his reflection and grew fascinated by it. He stood with weapon in hand, and his jet-black armor smeared with blood. The sight sparked an epiphany. This was who he really was. Kriss, the Taymati Emperor.
“We need to go, your worship,” Vass said urgently.
“Right. The aliens,” said Kriss, snapping back to reality. “Lead the way, Captain.”
The Taymati exited the tunnel system, onto the street, the deafening sound of urban combat raging all around them. As they stalked away, Kriss looked down a road and caught a glimpse of alien machinery the size of a small building. It glowed red as Taymati heavy weapons pummeled it. Just before he lost sight of the engagement, he noticed another group of aliens converging from the other end. These beings were armored, yet much smaller in stature. Running up the empty street, Kriss wondered just how many aliens had infested his beloved capital.
Chapter 35
He felt the tremor first and saw the enormous foot second. The Taymati team came to a sudden stop as the giant machine rounded the corner before them.
“This way!” said Captain Vass, leading the team down a side street.
The tremors intensified as the alien machine gave pursuit. Vass led them down another street. Powerful blasts struck one of the buildings just behind them, spraying debris into the air.
The Taymati armor bestowed the team with high speed and agility, but the alien machine stayed with them. The Taymati took advantage of the weaving streets and narrow alleys of the Dvorkan capital. Where the metal giant couldn’t follow, it used parallel roads to keep pace with its prey. Firing through gaps as the opportunities arose.
“Into the building,” said Vass over the comm, and they turned from the alleyway toward a building on their left.
Running toward a back door, Vass fired a couple of rounds at it and kicked it down when he reached it. They ran into the building, and raced through it, exiting out the front onto the street.
Crossing the road at top speed, they entered another building. Still feeling tremors, Kriss turned to see the alien machine following at the top of the street.
“It’s still tracking us,” said Kriss over the comm.
“It’s anticipating our movements. Double back the way we came. Now!” said Vass.
The team retraced their steps and spilled back out onto the street. Crossing into the opposite building, they emerged from the broken back door onto the alleyway again.
Turning a corner, they continued toward the next street. There they were forced to stop, confronted by a cohort of alien soldiers. The ground shook as the giant alien machine approached from the rear, cutting them off.
“Don’t shoot!” said one of the aliens standing before them.
The Taymati had all pointed their weapons at the new threat.
“We are on your side!” said the alien.
“Lower your weapons, or we will fire,” shouted Captain Vass.
“There is no time. The giant approaches.”
The tremors intensified. The alien machine would be there any moment.
“Lower your weapons now!”
“You do not understand. Your General Kiith requested our help.”
“I don’t know that.”
“It is here. Run!” said the alien, as they opened fire.
The Taymati returned fire, and the alien armor glowed red from the barrage. Kriss squeezed off several rounds, targeting the leader. He hit him perfectly in the chest with each shot but caused little damage. He squeezed off more rounds but realized something was wrong. The aliens were shooting, but not at them.
“Run you fools!” said the alien.
“Hold your fire,” ordered Vass. “They’re not shooting at us.”
Kriss turned to see what the aliens were targeting. The giant machine glowed a brilliant red from the barrage. It raised an arm and pointed a weapon directly at the Emperor. Not needing any more encouragement, Kriss scrambled for cover. Massive blasts gored the ground, pelting him with pieces of road as he fled.
Running for a nearby building, other Taymati closed in around him. These Taymati stood their ground, pelting the machine with energy bolts, trying to draw its fire away from the Emperor. It worked, and the giant let loose a flurry of powerful blasts at them. Just before he entered the building, Kriss saw the bodies of his comrades thrown through the air. Not thinking, he turned back in anger and repeatedly fired at the machine.
“Your worship, we have to go,” said Vass.
“Wait,” said Kriss, spotting something in the sky, swooping down at high speed. In blinding flashes, several missiles crashed into the giant robot. Its shield flickered, and the red glow vanished. Kriss ducked back into the building as the monster blew apart, and flaming chunks of metal smashed into the buildings and street.
“It’s dead,” said Kriss. “They killed it.”
Captain Vass and the other Taymati with Kriss stepped in front of the Emperor and pointed their weapons at the approaching aliens. “Don’t move,” said Vass. “That’s far enough.”
“You still doubt us?” said the alien leader. “Check with your General Kiith.”
“Just don’t come any closer.”
“As you wish,” said the alien. “We mean you no harm.”
“Who are you?” said Vass.
“I am Lieutenant Lee of the free Chaanisar.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“We serve under Admiral Pike, of the UHSF.”
“Wait,” said Kriss. “Are you the ones they call human?”
“Yes,” said Lee. “We have come to assist your world at the request of General Kiith.”
“You keep saying that,” said Kriss. “Captain Vass, contact headquarters and find out if there is truth to any of this.”
“But your worship-”
“Do not relay our posit
ion. Just ask for clarification on these humans.”
“Yes, your worship.”
“The Captain shows great respect when he speaks to you. What is your rank?” said Lee.
Kriss stayed silent and tightened his grip on his weapon. The other Taymati did the same, watching the aliens warily.
“I understand,” said Lee. “Fear not, we will protect you, Emperor.”
The Taymati standing in front of Kriss raised their weapons and pointed them at Lieutenant Lee. The Chaanisar returned the favor, and a tense standoff ensued.
“Stand down,” said Vass. “I just spoke with General Kiith. What they say is true.”
The Taymati slowly lowered their weapons, and the Chaanisar did the same.
“As I said, we will serve as your escort,” said Lee.
“Thank you,” said Vass. “But we don’t need any help.”
“I do not mean any disrespect, Captain. You are skilled fighters, but you do not have shields. That makes you vulnerable. We possess shields, air, and orbital support. Let us help you.”
Captain Vass turned to Kriss. “Your safety comes before my pride.”
“I understand, Captain. There is no dishonor in this.”
Vass bowed and turned back to the aliens. “We accept your assistance.”
Chapter 36
Despite the alien machine’s best efforts, AI entered its systems through the digital bridge Lieutenant Jarvi established. Once inside, she battled a flurry of counterattacks and obstacles. Intelligence was there, hiding beyond her reach. She sensed it as she squashed each defense thrown up before her. It could not stop her. She knew that. The Cenobi modifications had dramatically increased her capabilities. But it could slow her down.
And it did just that. It attacked with relentless fury, using creative cyberwarfare combinations. The onslaught pushed AI harder than anything before, but she adapted.
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