Degeneration_Age of Expansion_A Kurtherian Gambit Series

by Sarah Noffke

  “Damn, you failsafed your failsafe?” asked Eddie.

  “I was tracking an enemy’s navigation,” explained Chester. “I had to make it so that if they tried to disconnect they’d hit a huge wall. Otherwise we probably wouldn’t have located them.”

  “Tell me you made all this worth it,” said Julianna, scanning Chester.

  He reached out his hand and laid a disk drive in her hand. “Give this to the general. It will tell him exactly what Felix is planning.”

  “We’re coming in for a landing,” said Lars overhead. “Brace yourself. This is going to be a rough one.”

  “What about you?” asked Eddie, looking at Chester who had his eyes wide as he grabbed onto the cargo hold for support.

  “I’m going to run like hell to the Intelligence Center,” said Chester. “I’ll let you know once we’re disconnected. Then we jump.”

  The Q-Ship landed hard on the port side, knocking them all to the side. It sputtered back and forth, rotating to the starboard side before it hit a wall in the landing bay. Julianna bumped her head hard into the side of the ship. Chester was about to do the same, but she shot forward and put her body between his and the wall. He knocked into her, but she took the brunt of the impact. When the ship slowed, she pushed him up and off her. He was breathing hard, his chest making a wheezing sound.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine,” said Chester as the hatch opened. “Now, I’ve got to fix this.”

  And he was gone, running like she’d never seen him.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  QBS ArchAngel, Tangki System

  Chester barreled down the corridor, his feet nearly flying out from underneath him as he made his way to the Intelligence Center. His lungs ached and his breath felt too short. He didn’t dare stop, though, to retrieve the inhaler he kept in his pockets for just such an occasion. There wasn’t any time.

  Chester pushed past confused crew members as he sprinted through the hallway. Many clogged the corridor, making him have to yell.

  “Coming through. Emergency. Move! Move! Move!” yelled Chester, his face red and hot. They no doubt wondered why he was wearing a space suit and pushing everyone back as he ran.

  Fuck! Chester thought, whizzing around a bend.

  Something jolted the ship, knocking him hard into the nearest wall. His nose made first contact making him think he’d broken it. Chester pushed away, continuing to run. His eyes watering and a pinching sensation made it harder to breathe.

  Overhead, red lights began to strobe as a low siren started. It wasn’t obtrusive, but accurately communicated the message: we’re under attack.

  Chester grabbed the doorway, rounding into the Intelligence Center.

  “Chester!” yelled Marilla, surprised. He didn’t even take a second to look at her, but instead sped for his seat, flinging it out of the way.

  “Not now!” yelled Chester, typing in his password immediately.

  The computer flashed. “Invalid password.”

  Damn it, why did he have to make his passwords so complicated? He tried to take in a steady breath. He couldn’t do this unless he kept his cool. However, the breath was more of a wheeze.

  “You’re having an asthma attack,” said Marilla, breaking into his thoughts.

  Yes, it was true. He leaned forward, putting his head between his knees, trying to calm is diaphragm.

  Marilla pushed into his shoulder. She was rummaging in his desk, but he couldn’t concentrate on anything but his failed attempts to breathe. His head swam with dizziness. Soon he’d pass out and then they’d all be screwed.

  “Here,” said Marilla, her tone at high alert. She pulled him up and thrust the inhaler into his hand. The one he kept in his desk at the bottom drawer. With the stress weighing on him, he’d forgotten about that.

  “Thank—” he tried to say, but couldn’t get out the word. Instead, he stuck the inhaler to his mouth and took three puffs. It was more than his usual dose, but this was worse than his usual attack.

  His vision started to return to normal, but he still felt dizzy.

  The ground under them shook. The walls of the ship rattled.

  Marilla stabilized herself by holding onto his desk. Chester fell forward on the keyboard. He dropped to his knees when the next blast hit.

  “ArchAngel,” said Chester, typing each key with precision as the ship shook under him. He couldn’t make another mistake or his system would lock him out. Then they’d be screwed. Really screwed.

  “Yes, Chester,” said ArchAngel.

  “I’m disconnecting the tracker. At my command you will be cleared to jump the ship,” said Chester.

  “How long will that take?” asked ArchAngel.

  Chester hit two more keys, trying to steady himself. “Hopefully just another few minutes.”

  “Defenses are up, but we’re taking hits. Do we have time to send out Black Eagles?” asked ArchAngel.

  “No! Just…give…me…a…minute,” said Chester, typing his password out carefully with each letter.

  His screen shifted, allowing him into his system.

  “Perfect,” he rejoiced.

  His fingers moved furiously, navigating to the right window. All he had to do was input the passcode and disconnect the tracker.

  Another hit nearly made Chester’s legs fly out from under him. Just one more minute, he thought, tapping hard on his desk, waiting for the system to update.

  It was the longest minute of his life.

  “This wing is the one under the most fire,” said ArchAngel. “Fire has broken out in the rafters below. I must advise that you vacate as soon as possible.”

  “I’m trying to keep us from being blown up,” said Chester.

  “Unsurpassed is hitting us with everything they have,” said ArchAngel. “I can retaliate strongly, but it will deplete the energy reserves for the next jump.”

  “No, we have to jump,” said Chester. This was all his fault. They’d been ambushed. ArchAngel wouldn’t ever be in a situation like this otherwise. They could have made this a quick fight if positioned right. Yes, they could have taken Felix out when they first knew where Unsurpassed was located, but they’d also take out many innocent crew members. Chester knew that Eddie and Julianna would never go for that.

  An explosion rocked him forward. It was in the corridor just outside.

  “Chester!” yelled Marilla. “We have—”

  “I can’t!” yelled Chester, spinning around. “This is all my fault. I’m the only one who can fix it. Run, Marilla! Get out of here. I’m fine.”

  He spun around. There was only one thing left to do. Navigate to the tracker. Input passcode. And done. They’d be free and clear.

  “I’m not leaving you,” yelled Marilla. She inched in closer to Chester. “You can do this. Just remember to breathe.”

  For all the things that Marilla could have said right then, that was the most valuable. Breathe, Chester, he thought, realizing he’d been holding his breath. That was the last thing he should be doing right then, with his lungs already on fire. Chester drew in a few short breaths, followed by a giant one.

  One last step. All he had to do was disconnect the tracker. He slapped the enter key. The system processed.

  Across the screen, a single message popped up: Tracking device terminated.

  ~~~

  Julianna and Eddie had divided up. He had agreed to go up to the bridge to oversee the defense operations. Julianna, at ArchAngel’s direction, had sped down to the wing taking the most damage. She was in search of the hurt or stranded. Fights on ships could get out of hand pretty quickly and there was always a domino factor that made things exponentially worse.

  “Chester has been successful,” said ArchAngel overhead as Julianna sprinted down the corridor streaked with fire.

  “Thank fucking goodness,” said Julianna, trying not to breath too deeply and suffocate on the fumes.

  “Gating will commence in five, four, three, two, and on
e,” said ArchAngel.

  Julianna paused, but only briefly enough to absorb the impact of the jump. It always threw her off balance, making her head feel like it exploded before being put back together again.

  She inhaled a larger breath than she meant to and blinked the smoke out of her eyes.

  “I need to close off this sector as soon as the last humans, Chester and Marilla, vacate,” said ArchAngel.

  “Where are they?” asked Julianna.

  “They will be crossing your path in three, two and—”

  Ahead through the smoke and fire, two figures emerged, hand-in-hand. Marilla pulled Chester as they ran.

  “Good. There you two are,” said Julianna, urging them to keep running. “Get to safety.”

  “Yes, Commander,” yelled Chester, his voice a little weak. He was still wearing his suit, unlike Julianna who had thrown it off.

  “ArchAngel,” said Julianna. “You said Chester and Marilla were the last down here. We’re clear to close off this wing now?”

  “I said they were the last humans down here,” said ArchAngel.

  Julianna stopped. “What?”

  “Harley, the canine, appears to have been frightened and run to the opposite side of this corridor. He’s trapped in a back storage room due to an internal explosion,” said ArchAngel.

  “Fuck me” yelled Julianna. She turned back to watch Chester and Marilla retreating. Then she turned back to the corridor, ablaze with fire.

  What are you thinking? asked Pip.

  I’m thinking I’ve lost my mind.

  You’re not considering—

  It’s my ship, and I have to do what is expected of me. Julianna hesitated for one more second before sprinting into the fire after the dog.

  ~~~

  The heat of the flames made Julianna’s hairline sweat. She ignored it and crouched low, trying to slow her breathing. Smoke snaked its way through this corridor, getting thicker as she walked.

  “Why did Harley have to go down here?” asked Julianna, trying not to part her mouth much to talk. This wing was mostly deserted, usually used for storage. The Intelligence Center was sparking, the fire had traveled up through the floor.

  “Harley was scared and unknowingly ran in the wrong direction,” said Archangel. “A simple enhancement would prevent this from happening in the future. It would provide a host of benefits.”

  An explosion, this one in the pipes running along the ceiling, rained down sparks and debris. Julianna covered her head, speeding up. “Let’s just hope he survives long enough for such a thing,” mumbled Julianna.

  “The fire and smoke from this sector is close to infecting the neighboring ones,” stated ArchAngel.

  “I know, I know,” said Julianna. “I need to find the dog first. Just give me another minute.”

  “Harley is straight ahead in the storage closet. It appears to have a rafter blocking the door,” said ArchAngel.

  “I was hoping this was going to be easy,” said Julianna, nearly crawling. The smoke burned her eyes and made her vision blurry.

  I’ve turned off your pain receptors, stated Pip.

  Thanks, but my skin can still melt off even if I don’t feel it.

  Your heart can stop and you can suffocate, too. All I can do is prevent you from feeling your death.

  That’s a morbid thought as I cross into the fire zone.

  Julianna took off at a sprint, hurdling over a line of fire. She landed in a safe place, but was encircled by flames.

  “The temperature is rising at an alarming rate,” stated ArchAngel.

  “I’m aware. I think my boot is about to melt into the floor,” said Julianna. She could see the closet. It was blocked by a fallen overhead beam. Fire licked at the wall from all sides, framing the storage unit. She was only heartened by the fact that the storage rooms were usually insulated due to the chemicals they held. Harley probably wasn’t dead…yet…maybe…

  “You should be aware that the captain is livid with you right now for taking this risk,” said ArchAngel.

  “Good. It’s about time I returned the favor,” said Julianna, shielding her face from the flames.

  She was half grateful she’d slipped out of her space suit upon arriving back on the QBS ArchAngel because she could move faster. She was also wishing she still had the protection of the suit now. However, one of the other good parts was that she had her clothes to use. The flames and smoke were overwhelming. She pulled off her long sleeved under armor shirt, making her exposed, except for her sports bra.

  Julianna ripped the shirt in half, tying one part of it around her nose and mouth, protecting her somewhat from the smoke. She wrapped the rest of the shirt around her hands. She may not be able to feel anything, but her hands could still be badly burned. That would slow her down and every second counted.

  Reaching out, she sucked in a small breath as she tried to haul the beam off of the door. It was fucking jammed though.

  “I’m not allowing the captain into this corridor, but I can’t hold him back much longer and I need to shut down this section,” said ArchAngel.

  “So we’re about to both be trapped in here, is that what you’re saying?” asked Julianna, gritting her teeth as she tried again to unhinge the beam. It wouldn’t budge.

  “I’m saying that you need to get out of there. Your air quality is at a toxic level,” said ArchAngel.

  Julianna held back the urge to cough. “I’ll be fine. I just…need…to…get… this…off!” Julianna fell back as the beam shot out of place. She trampled back into the fire but recovered quickly, slapping the fire off her arms and legs. Not wasting a moment, Julianna wrenched the door open.

  There, crouched at the back of the storage unit, which was thankfully free from smoke and flames, stood Harley, looking smaller somehow.

  “There you are!” Julianna exclaimed. She held out her hands to the cowering dog. His ears perked up and he bounded forward, seeming to understand the urgency for speed. Harley bounded forward, jumping straight into Julianna’s arm. He was a large dog, but not so much so that he didn’t fit in her arms. Julianna whipped around, racing through the obstacle course of fire and fallen overhead structures.

  She ducked under a low beam that had fallen, making Harley yelp when his head glided too close to fire. “I’m doing the best I can, buddy,” she said, trying to keep her breath steady.

  “Oxygen levels are nearing less than sixteen percent,” informed ArchAngel.

  “And I’m almost out of here, so just keep it open one more minute,” said Julianna, the dog bouncing in her arms as she ran. Ahead she could see the Intelligence Center which was now engulfed in flames.

  “Need to proceed with extinguishing sequence now that you’re returning,” said ArchAngel.

  “Which will what? Cover me in steam?” asked Julianna.

  “Exactly. I wanted to wait until you found the dog or otherwise you would have been blinded by the smoke,” said ArchAngel. “And also, I tried to avoid extinguishing, thinking we could close off the damaged areas.”

  “But it spread too quickly,” said Julianna.

  “Extinguishing mode commencing,” said ArchAngel and overhead the sprinkler system fired on, raining fire suppression agents down on the flame, making steam spout up. Julianna’s eyes watered more than ever, but she was grateful she couldn’t feel the stinging.

  She jumped over a smoking floor. Wires had fallen out of the ceiling and were sparking. Julianna sped up, seeing a figure in the distance. His arms were waving over him, but it was hard to make out his face, due to the steam which was cloaking everything.

  There was a line of fire which was putting up a fight to the sprinklers. Julianna’s boot nearly slipped out from under her when she sprinted forward and leapt over the fire. It grazed her legs and feet, but she made it over the flame, still clutching Harley.

  Now she could see Eddie on the other side of the hatch entrance. He’d dutifully stayed back, but his face expressed his frustration about being detain
ed. Julianna looked over her shoulder just as an explosion rocked the ship, launching her forward. She nearly tripped over her feet, but caught herself before falling on Harley. He flew out of her arms and landed on his feet. Then he ran on ahead of her, clearing the hatch and then bounding on in the direction of safety.

  Julianna jumped over the partition for the door and kept running until she wasn’t being sprinkled with water overhead. She turned when she heard the hatch door shut and lock.

  “Section B has been closed off and is being decontaminated,” stated ArchAngel.

  Julianna yanked the remnants of her shirt off her face and wiped the sweat and chemicals from her forehead. She looked up to find Eddie staring at her with an expression she’d never seen before. He was angry, his eyes pinched and mouth in a flat line.

  “What were you thinking?” he asked, letting out a giant exhale.

  Julianna instantly felt cold. Pip must have reactivated her pain receptors. She shivered from the water. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she suddenly remembered she was shirtless. She stared down a bit awkwardly and then shook it off, standing tall and proud.

  “I only did exactly what you would have done in my situation,” said Julianna.

  Eddie’s jaw worked back and forth like he was measuring his resolve. Then he softened. Smiled. Relaxed. “Yeah, I guess you did.”

  “You’re just mad that I beat you to the rescue,” said Julianna.

  Eddie’s smile dropped as he looked down the long corridor in the direction where Harley had run. “I’m just glad you’re alright and that I was right.”

  “Right? Right about what?” asked Julianna.

  “I knew you had a soft spot for Harley.”

  “I guess I do like the scraggly dog, against my better instincts,” admitted Julianna.

  “Good thing, too, because I consider myself to be a mutt of sorts,” said Eddie. He strode forward and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leading her off.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  QBS ArchAngel, Tangki System