by Chris Fox
He landed in a crouch behind a shelf, then popped up over it to fire at another pair of Judicators. Both died messily. "My favorite part, is that all that cloaking crap you do doesn't work on me."
Edwards pivoted to face another pair of Judicators.
"Guess what? I can see you." Two more casualties.
"Edwards, stop screwing around," Hannan's voice echoed in his head via the comm. "Someone in your weight class just showed up. Enemy Alpha, eleven o'clock."
Edwards felt a stab of uncertainty, for the first time since he'd woken up in this body. What if the enemy Alpha was a better fighter? If it took him out, the rest of the squad was toast.
So he needed to win. Sarge wanted that thing dead, and Edwards was going to go kill it.
He sprinted along the library's outer ring, kicking aside tables as he circled the room. It didn't take long to spot the other Alpha. It used one hand to fire into the area where Annie and Hannan had taken shelter, and the other to suppress the sniper fire raining down from above.
"Hey, ugly!" Edwards roared, pounding across the library floor toward the other Alpha. "These things come with plasma swords. You wanna have a go?" Edwards ignited the blade built into his left arm, skidding to a halt amidst the wreckage caused by exploding Judicators and plasma fire.
The other Alpha turned toward Edwards. It paused for a second as if considering, then extended its right arm. An identical plasma blade appeared, and the Alpha began stalking toward Edwards. As it approached, a smaller Judicator walked in front of it, and the Alpha swatted it aside like a puppy. The Alpha pointed at Edwards, then beckoned with its free hand.
"Guess becoming a robot don't strip away pride," Edwards said, wishing he had a mouth to grin with. He strode forward, launching a brutal strike at the other Alpha. It knocked his blade away, swiping at his side. The blade cut through his armor, exposing circuitry covered in orange fluid.
So Edwards punched the Alpha in the face. The move caught his opponent off balance, and in that split second Edwards charged up the rifle underslung along his arm. The enemy Alpha tried to take a step back, but it was far too late. Edwards fired, melting its head to slag. The Alpha collapsed to the floor.
"Yep, definitely love this job."
"Edwards, I've got two more heavies moving into the room. Move your ass," Annie screeched over the comm.
Edwards turned in time to take a blast to the chest that launched him into the shelf behind him. He didn't feel any pain, but the red areas on the HUD were terrifying. That shot had done some real damage.
Chapter 42- Didn't See That Coming
"You've got me dead to rights," Nolan sighed, holstering his pistol. Beside him, Lena did the same.
Kathryn advanced, lowering her own weapon. She smiled at Nolan. "I'm so glad you're willing to cooperate. I promise that very soon you'll understand that you've been fighting on the wrong side."
Nolan was completely unprepared when Delta pressed his plasma rifle to the back of a cyber Marine's skull, and fired. The Marine's head simply ceased to exist, and his lifeless body tumbled to the ground.
That triggered several things at the same time.
Lena leapt to the shattered remains of the table, yanking the data cube out of the socket. The second Marine, the one who'd attacked Nolan, swung his plasma blade at Delta. Finally, to Nolan's surprise, he found himself lashing out with his foot, catching Kathryn in the knee.
She rolled with the blow, staggering backwards and igniting a plasma blade. He should have expected she'd have one. Nolan brought his own blade into a guard position, easing his pistol out of its holster with his other hand.
Kathryn glided forward, darting like a viper when she was within range. Nolan barely managed to block, knocking the blade aside, and backpedaling into the room. Kathryn pursued, keeping pressure on him, just like Fizgig would have. One of her first lessons had been Don't give ground, unless you have a reason.
Nolan did. "Lena, shoot Kathryn."
Kathryn's gaze darted toward Lena, whose hands were busy stuffing the data cube into her satchel. It only took Kathryn a split second to recognize the deception, but Nolan made good use of the time. He swiped low at Kathryn's belly, and as he'd expected, she hopped back a step to avoid the blow.
Nolan raised his pistol and fired a gob of plasma at her chest. The shot knocked her prone, but he'd used a low enough setting that he knew it hadn't killed her. Still, he shot her once more for good measure. It was best not to take chances, not with this much at stake.
"Done," Lena said, tucking her arm through the satchel's strap.
Nolan glanced at Delta, who was wrestling with the last Marine. Delta ever-so-slowly forced the man's own blade down, grunting with effort until he plunged the weapon into his opponent's heart. The Marine twitched, then lay still.
Kathryn's form suddenly moved, lunging forward and planting her blade into Nolan's leg. Every muscle seized up at once, and he collapsed into a twitching pile. Before Kathryn could capitalize on the attack, Atrea stepped up and fired a plasma pistol into her face. Kathryn collapsed next to Nolan, twitching in the exact same way he was.
"That's for what you did to the master cube," Atrea snarled, then knelt next to Nolan. She raised a small blue device, passing it over the area where he'd been stabbed. "She'll be all right in a moment. I'd recommend restraining her. She wasn't trying to kill you. There's almost no cellular death. You were lucky."
Feeling returned to Nolan, and he struggled into a sitting position. "Why didn't she stay down after I shot her?"
"I believe the device they're using as a cloaking field also provides them limited protection against plasma weaponry," Atrea said. She unclipped Kathryn's belt and handed it to Nolan. "We've long theorized that a personal protective field would be possible, but our only hand-to-hand combat is ceremonial, so no one has bothered to test the application."
Nolan staggered to his feet, rubbing his temple. Blinding white pains still shot through him every few seconds, but he was more or less functional. He turned to face Delta, who waited impassively for Nolan's attention. This was going to be an awkward conversation, one they didn't have time for. "Delta, we can talk about details later, but for now I'm assuming you're with us?"
"That I am," Delta said, licking his lips. His chest was still heaving from the combat. "We need to get out of here fast, before Reid figures out I'm not his puppet. The moment that happens, he'll yank my strings again. I want to be far away from here when that happens."
"We're just as eager to get out of here. Give me a second," Nolan said, then raised his comm. "Hannan, give me a sit rep."
"Sir, now's not a great time," Hannan called back. Something detonated in the background. Plasma fire sounded all around her. "We need to get out of here, and quick. We're getting the worst of this fight."
"Give us forty seconds," Nolan said, clipping Kathryn's stealth belt around his waist.
Chapter 43- Hannan
Hannan sized up the combat, swearing under her breath. "Annie, shift your fire to the south corridor entrance. Keep it as clean as you can."
Annie continued to impress Hannan; she was an economical soldier who knew how to follow orders. Hannan watched as she moved in a low sprint from one shelf to the next, ducked behind a table, then let out a burst of plasma that dropped a Judicator.
"We've got trouble, Sarge."
It didn't take Hannan more than a split second to spot the 'trouble.' A flood of enemy Judicators had rushed both stairwells, and were forcing their way to the second level. They burst out, using superior numbers to overwhelm the snipers Hannan had left in place. That reduced the cover fire from above, which allowed more Judicators to reach the stairwells.
"Captain, this is going south," she called into her comm. "You'd better run faster."
Hannan ducked as Edwards sailed overhead, smashing two Judicators flat. Both detonated a moment later, launching Edwards back into the air with an explosion of concussive force. Hannan braced herself behind cover, and
when she glanced out again her heart sank. One of Edwards's arms had been severed, and there was exposed circuitry along his chest and right leg.
"Private, can you hear me?" she yelled into the comm.
"Sure can, Sarge," Edwards called back, cheery as ever. He began crawling to his feet, using one of the last remaining shelves as cover. "I don't think I can take too much of this punishment, though. I did for those two Alphas, but if they send another one I think we're in real trouble."
"Annie, how's that south corridor looking?" Hannan yelled, popping from cover long enough to blow the leg off a Judicator.
"Not too rosy," Annie yelled back, pausing to fire another volley. "They're not coming out of the tunnel, but I think they've figured out we're trying to reach it."
"Shit," Hannan said. She looked at the east corridor, where all the Alphas had come from. The heat shimmers were layered thickly around the door, and she was betting they were massing for another assault. "Edwards, the second you see the captain, I want you to bull rush every Judicator between us and the south corridor."
"Yes, sir," Edwards yelled back, sticking his remaining arm from cover and firing wildly. She couldn't see if he hit anything, but the answering volley of plasma shots put several head-sized holes in the shelf Edwards was sheltering behind.
Hannan took a look at the levels above, cringing. The enemy Judicators were clearing the third floor. They'd be on the fourth floor in moments, and that meant the wonderful sniper fire wouldn't just be gone--it would be replaced with Judicators targeting them. Man, did she miss Mills. He'd have loved this firefight.
"Let's move," the captain bellowed, charging into the room from the north corridor. He layered a series of well-placed blasts into the unsuspecting Judicators, downing three before they were even aware of the new threat.
Lena came in next, taking out a Judicator herself. She paused to help the most ancient Primo that Hannan had ever seen. Behind them came a familiar black man with chrome eyes. He carried a limp female figure, her long dark hair trailing along the ground as the big man hurried behind Nolan. Hannan recognized both of them from the station where they'd ambushed the captain, and still remembered slamming a pipe into the black man's face. She wanted to ask why they were suddenly working together, but knew Nolan didn't have time to explain. If the captain trusted them, she had to as well.
"Now, Edwards!" Hannan roared.
Edwards lurched from cover, limping into an awkward run. Hannan popped from cover, as did Annie. Both picked their targets carefully, looking for Judicators trying to stop Edwards. Captain Nolan quickly figured out what they were doing, adding his own fire as he sprinted toward the south corridor.
Plasma began raining from above, and Hannan ducked to the right as a shot cratered the floor where she'd been about to step. She rolled behind a table, her rifle tumbling across the floor, out of reach.
"Screw it," Hannan said. She charged forward, snatching the rifle as she passed. Plasma balls rained down around her, but--miraculously--none hit. She zig-zagged through the wreckage littering the library floor, vaulting the remains of a table to catch up to the others.
Edwards shoulder-checked another Judicator, knocking it from his path. Then he backhanded another, sending it spinning into the wall. Annie and Nolan were cutting down targets with precision, so Hannan started directing her fire behind them. More and more Judicators were closing, and she did her best to discourage them.
The reached the safety of the corridor, sprinting headlong down the corridor. Edwards shrunk against the wall, letting everyone pass.
"What are you doing, Private?" she asked, darting back to Edwards.
"I'm going to slow them down, sir," Edwards said, resolved.
"Screw that," Hannan said, slapping his leg. It was hot to the touch. "Move your ass, Private. We don't need a heroic last stand. We need to get the hell off this station."
Then Hannan turned and ran. Edwards followed, something grinding in his leg with every clattering step. Bursts of plasma followed them, more than one striking Edwards in the back. He stumbled, but kept moving.
Ahead of them, Nolan stood next to the airlock door, beckoning them forward. "Go, go!"
Hannan redoubled her speed, sprinting like she'd never done in her life. She dove into the airlock, landing between Lena and the ancient Primo. Edwards hurried in after her. Plasma splashed the walls next to the door as Nolan pounded the airlock control. Two more plasma bursts shot through, scoring the walls, as the door inched closed behind them, cutting off pursuit.
Chapter 44- Prideless
Fizgig clenched and unclenched her claws, staring at the starmap on the Claw's view screen. Many vessels were still breaking orbit and diving for the sun.
"What will you do, Mighty Fizgig?" Khar's voice rumbled behind her. Fizgig didn't turn to face him. She couldn't, not yet. Mow had orchestrated the situation masterfully, and for the first time in her life Fizgig felt powerless.
She studied the vessels moving toward the Helios Gate. Every last Leonis Pride vessel was departing after Mow, headed to war against the humans. A smattering of privateers and merchant vessels were all that remained, the dregs of the Tigris. The prideless.
Her tail rose a bit, and her shoulders squared. There just might be a way. "Tell me, Khar, what is your lifedream?"
Khar eyed her quizzically, whiskers twitching as he seemed to consider the question. His words were more deliberate than she'd heard him use before. "I wish to find a pride, Mighty Fizgig. I have long hoped that would be among the Leonis, as that is your pride."
"Izzy, what of you? What is your lifedream?" Fizgig asked, watching the snowy cat as she considered. Izzy's eyes were large and lent her a deceptive innocence, one particularly effective on the humans.
"Khar has spoken it, Mighty Fizgig. I wish to find a home, to be a part of a pride. Your pride." Izzy's ears were fully erect, her eyes even wider than usual as she awaited Fizgig's reply.
Fizgig considered both answers for long moments, her tail swishing lazily behind her. This would be a bold move, one that no one would expect. Mow assumed her removed as a threat, but she was about to show him exactly how mistaken he'd been. It meant breaking tradition, but there was no law forbidding it. Just because it hadn't been done in over a century didn't mean she couldn't do it.
"Izzy, open a channel to the entire system," Fizgig ordered, moving to sit on her chair. She straightened her cushions, forcing herself to affect a grace and poise she didn't feel.
"We are connected, Mighty Fizgig," Izzy said, nodding demurely.
"Mighty Tigris, hear me," she boomed, her voice filling the bridge of the Claw. "All know who I am. Fizgig mankiller, Fizgig the the scourge, Fizgig swift-death. I have lived my life among Leonis Pride, for they were the strongest. Today, Mow proved that is no longer the case, and for the first time I am ashamed to be Leonis.
"So I have decided that I am Leonis no longer. I renounce my name. I am Fizgig prideless." Fizgig rose from her chair and stared directly into the screen. "Today I build a new pride: Pride Fizgig. Any Tigris who stands with me will have a home in this pride. All are welcome, no matter your lineage, or past glory. Stand with me, and will show the Leonis what strength is."
Then Fizgig made a slashing motion, and Izzy terminated the feed.
Fizgig took a deep breath, tail flicking behind her as she stalked back to her chair. Would they come? Was she right about the lifedream of nearly every prideless?
Several moments passed. Khar eyed her silently, more introspective than he'd been when he'd served under her. It was a welcome change, a sign of his growing maturity. That would be important in the days ahead. He was the one most likely to succeed her, though Izzy was another possibility, even if she couldn't yet see it in herself.
"Sir, we're being hailed. By several vessels," Izzy said, glancing at Fizgig, then back at her console. "Over a dozen vessels have hailed us. Nineteen. Make that twenty-two."
"Open a channel to every vessel that hailed us," Fi
zgig said, giving her pillow one last fluff before settling into her most regal pose. She waited until Izzy nodded before speaking. "Your boldness is rewarded. You are prideless no longer. Now, we go to war, to teach our enemies the meaning of fear. Not against the humans, but against Mow."
She turned to Izzy, making another slashing gesture. Fizgig didn't speak until the view screen had returned to a star field. "Pick the four smallest vessels, and dispatch them to the other prides. They must be told what's happening with our home world."
Chapter 45- Bad News
Dryker imagined that most of the captains among the 14th were more than a little nervous. He would have been, in their place. Seven Primo carriers moving into their ranks was just a tad threatening, especially when a single carrier could handily wipe out the entire 14th. Dryker would probably have wet his pants when the drones started flowing out of the carriers. Normally those drones meant swift death. They swarmed the human vessels, but instead of attacking, each drone extended a mass of long, spindly arms.
"I sure hope you know what you're doing." Sheng's voice came over the comm. "We could all be space debris in seconds if the Primo get testy."
"Just sit tight and enjoy the free service," Dryker replied, watching as drones began towing cannons to each vessel. Little specks of blue began appearing at the end of each drone's arm--some sort of torch, Dryker imagined. The idea that attack drones could also effect repairs was mind-boggling. It made them far more versatile than he'd have guessed, and uncovered another layer of Primo technical superiority.
Dryker's comm buzzed. He fished it out, realizing it was Fizgig calling. Dryker looked around. Celendra and her guards were within earshot, but no one else. Dryker tapped the Accept button. "Glad to see you're still kicking. What have you've got to report?"
