COLOSSUS_Departure [Book 2]

by Terry Frost

  Jeeves had begun recording their mission when they first spotted the crashed spaceship, so he would have a record of the ship, and of whatever they found the Evil Eater to be. The team walked the several miles it took to get out of the forest.

  At the edge of the forest, he instructed his team to take the Rover to the Striker and he would be soon after. When asked by Sergeant Givens why he wasn’t coming with him, he said, I have some business to attend to first. You see, the Putu has been following us all along and I want to tell my friend Tinko, goodbye.”

  The team drove down the beach heading for the Striker and once they were gone, he turned and asked Tinko to come down and talk to him. It only took a few seconds, then Jeeves saw the little Putu warrior come down one of the giant trees, but stood close to the base of the tree.

  Jeeves walked the few steps it took to be near Tinko and said, “Jeeves has rid the Putu and the Bapi of the Evil Eater. Now all can live without the fear of the Evil Eater.”

  “Human, Jeeves, throw big loud at Evil Eater. Big loud scare Tinko and other Putu and Bapi. Tinko happy to tell Father Pappa that Jeeves kill Evil Eater. You go now? Does Tinko see Jeeves again?”

  “Yes, I go now. Jeeves would like to visit Tinko and Putu again if I can. Putu and Bapi still watch for Sabo. Goodbye, Tinko.”

  Tinko dropped his spear and hugged Jeeves’s leg. He let go, grabbed his spear and jumped onto the tree and quickly went up to the canopy.

  Chapter 24

  Colonel Hammer and Major Hoser came out of hyperspace far enough from Planet Daak to hopefully avoid reappearing in the middle of a Hive nest. Their first priority was a quick reading of their radar, then look visually for any signs of the Hive.

  The hornet’s radar showed one massive signal coming from near orbit of the planet. Not sure what the signal was, Colonel Hammer decided to take a closer look. Once they moved in close enough to visually see the object, they saw it was another one of those command centers and it was in a construction phase. There were only two Hive nests near the command center and no more in the immediate area.

  “Let’s move around to the opposite side of the planet. It is night time on that side and that would be the best move safely down to the surface,” Hammer said.

  “You're probably right, Colonel. I’m surprised that there isn’t any fighter activity out here.”

  “They probably feel there isn’t any threat to their operations out here. Let’s hope that’s the case.”

  They vectored to the dark side of Daak, and in the general area of the King’s palace, it was very dark. As they penetrated the stratosphere they noticed thousands of fires all around the capital city.

  Colonel Hammer took the hornet down to two thousand feet and asked Major Hoser to isolate an area for them to land. Hammer wanted to get as close to the palace as possible. While still looking for such a spot, he dropped down to one thousand feet. That’s when they saw a dozen or so transport vehicles covering many areas of the city.

  Hammer dropped to just below five-hundred feet, which gave them a good look at what was in the transports, as one of them stopped as they were only a few hundred yards from it. The transport’s ramp came down and several dozen Hive soldiers exited it.

  Once they passed it, Hammer made a sharp right-hand turn heading back towards the darkest area of the palace grounds. Hoser said, “Well, hell, all those soldiers just made our mission a tad harder.”

  “Affirmative, Major. But we knew this wasn’t going to be a cakewalk.”

  Pointing to an area where there was no activity and a little less than five-hundred yards from the darkened entrance to the palace, Hoser said, “How about right over there. Looks quiet enough to me.”

  When Hammer landed the hornet, Hoser said, “I’m wondering where the hell all the Hive nests went to. They only leave two of them here to complete the construction of one of their regional command centers. It doesn’t add up, Colonel.”

  “I have been thinking the same thing, Major. We can’t be worrying about that right now. Let’s see if we can get into the palace without losing our heads. But wait a second. I need to send a message to the admiral that we have made it to the planet and have only seen two nests, and the construction of a new command center orbiting Daak.”

  Hammer compiled the message and sent it to Colossus and Admiral Allen. They quickly exited the hornet, lowered their night vision goggles and stayed low as they worked their way to the palace.

  Both men had their blasters on them, but Hammer had a silent weapon on him that Admiral Allen insisted he takes along. It was the singa. The Daakie throwing disc that King Gaakin gave Admiral Allen as a gift. Hammer had practiced with it for a few hours in the hangar bay of Colossus and after only a few throws, became quite good with the disc.

  They had worked their way around burnt handcarts, some broken and charred food prep tables, and many other odds and ends that came from inside the palace. Hammer figured out they were going to be entering the palace’s food preparation area, or what he would call a kitchen.

  When they were within seventy-five feet of the building, both men hit the ground behind a large cold storage unit. Hammer peered around the unit and saw two Hive soldiers standing to the right and left of the kitchen’s entrance.

  The door leading into the kitchen had been blown off its hinges but it was dark inside so he couldn’t make out if anything or anyone was inside. Hammer turned to Hoser and said, “Here goes nothing,” and stood up and threw the disc at the soldiers.

  The disc cut the first soldier’s head completely off, then struck the other one down just a second later, then flew back to Colonel Hammer. “We need to get a shitload of those singas, Colonel.”

  They ran to the downed soldiers and hauled them to the storage unit and threw their bodies inside, then ran and entered the palace. Staying quiet for a second or two before moving further into the palace, Hoser said, “Damn those things smelled terrible. I’ve still got the stench in my nose.”

  As they moved further into the palace, they kept their night vision goggles on. Colonel Hammer wasn’t sure why the soldiers were positioned like sentries at the back of the palace but was hoping the reason would present itself soon enough, which it did.

  They worked their way to an area near the main lobby of the palace and hugged the left side of the palace walls until they had a view of the action going on outside, and still be able to scan the entire lobby.

  The universal translator didn’t work for the Hive language, as all the two men could hear were clicking sounds that came from the soldiers outside. They also heard the pleading sounds of Daakie citizens only a few steps from the exterior palace wall.

  Hammer and Hoser discontinued looking outside and started focusing on the palace lobby. Oddly enough nothing was going on inside the huge lobby with the exception of four soldiers standing guard in front of a door just left of the steps that lead to the upper levels of the palace.

  Hammer pulled Hoser down to a kneeling position and whispered, “Something valuable is behind that door and we are going to find out what it is. Let’s move out.”

  As quietly as possible the two men curved their way in the direction of the guards. About thirty feet away from the aliens, Hammer bumped into a shelf containing one small figurine, and it fell and shattered onto the marble flooring. Both men froze then slid back into a small area behind a wall.

  Colonel Hammer was cursing himself, as Major Hoser pulled his blaster while waiting to be found out by the grotesque looking ant-like aliens. Hoser looked around the end of the wall only to see one of the soldiers coming right at them.

  The alien stopped, bent down and picked up a piece of the broken figurine and studied it for a second or two. Attached to his pincer was a short-barreled weapon of some kind and the tip of the weapon hummed and glowed red.

  The Hive alien looked around for a solid minute then dropped the figurine piece and went back the direction he had come from. Hammer and Hoser finally exhaled and shared a brief
moment of relief.

  Whispering as he talked, Major Hoser asked, “The singa isn’t going to be able to take out all four of them, so what is the plan, Colonel?”

  Looking up at the bottom of the second floor, the colonel’s eyes focused on the area above where the four Hive was at and saw the walls of the room they were guarding didn’t go all the way to the second floor. There was a two-foot open space between the walls and the ceiling.

  Pointing at the area, Hammer said, “Do you see that? It’s an opening. If we can make our way to an area that will allow us to see what they’re guarding, then maybe we won’t have to worry about killing them.”

  Hammer’s eyes followed the steps leading up to the second floor, then looked to the left at an area close to where the room should be. The second level had a handrail and posts built along the edge of the floor. There was enough room for a man to lie on his stomach and position himself between the posts, to a point where he might be able to look down into the room.

  It would not be an easy task, as there were at least twenty steps up to the second floor and their battle boots would make too much noise going up the steps. So, without giving it a second thought, Hammer took off his boots, told Hoser to cover him, and took off in a direction that would take him to the base of the steps.

  While anxiously waiting to see if his partner was going to make it up the steps undetected, the sound coming from outside started to grate on the major’s nerves. The Daakie people were moaning, crying, and in some cases, screaming. There was another sound in association with the sounds of the Daakie and it was the sound of weapons.

  A few steps later and Colonel Hammer had made it safely to the second level. He moved quickly to the area he had figured would afford him a look down into the guarded room. He slid between two posts and peered into the room.

  Hammer couldn’t believe his eyes. Secured to a wall was a makeshift jail made of square metallic bars and it was only big enough for two or three people. Inside the jail was none other than Caid Tikit and Science Officer Faadin.

  Chapter 25

  Back on Colossus, were Admiral Allen, General Dubois, Burseq Maalik, and another Daakie Burseq named Amiik. Allen had called the meeting as soon as Maalik had notified him he was ready to begin an onslaught against the Hive.

  Allen suggested to work out a consistent plan for a hit and run strategy. The key to his plan was to use Colossus’s speedy dart recon ships for Hive searches. Burseq Amiik added that the Daakie had such recon ships themselves, and every Zurgut carried four of them.

  The idea behind the hit and run strategy was based on the success they had with the effective ambush the Humans and Daakie had performed once before. Allen figured that both parties needed to bring all their arms to bear and neither should conceal any weapon or weapons that might help them in their endeavor to defeat and destroy the insectoid Hive.

  Allen knew the Colossus didn’t have any hidden weapons but was hoping he could get his Daakie counterparts to come clean with all the Zurguts capabilities, and they did.

  Burseq Maalik looked quickly at Burseq Amiik then said, “We have our Gamma Ray Burst technology that would be extremely helpful should we encounter any large gatherings of Hive nests in close proximity to one another.

  “What I’m about to disclose to you, Admiral Allen has been a closely guarded secret for many periods. Though the weapon is the most powerful weapon ever created by our scientists, there is one flaw with the weapon you should know about.”

  “And what would that be, Burseq?” asked General Dubois.

  “It takes almost every bit of power the Zurguts have to fire the weapon. Once the weapon has been discharged, we lose our drives and everything else except for life support. Our Zurguts become powerless to defend ourselves as we are unable to perform any critical maneuvers, fire other weapons, etc. We are basically dead in space for a minimum of two long minutes.”

  “Of course every engagement will be different each time but if the use of the gamma weapon is used with protection surrounding the Zurgut for those two minutes, that should alleviate most concerns. The plans on when to bring the powerful weapon to bear will need to be planned accordingly. But use them we must,” Allen said.

  During the next hour of planning, they were deciding where to look for their first few missions, and once they had three separate areas to have the darts search that was agreed upon, they decided to begin immediately. But before they had the chance to leave the conference room, Prince Gorvik made his presence known.

  The group was surprised to see the young prince but didn’t show it. Instead, they paid him their respects and Allen asked him if there was something he could do for him.

  “Well, Admiral, there is something you can do for me, but first I see there has been what I suppose to have been a strategy meeting concerning the elimination of the Hive. Am I correct in my assumption?”

  “You are correct, Prince Gorvik. We just now completed our meeting and have the first mission defined. Would you care to be briefed on the mission?” Allen asked.

  “I appreciate your offer, Admiral, but I have all the confidence in you and my Burseq’s abilities to gain the upper hand on those vile insects. No, what I’m here about is to inform Caid Maalik that it is time for me to be formally indoctrinated as King Gorvik, leader of my people. Or at least leader of those that are still alive.

  “Once I am King Gorvik, I wish to be betrothed to my one true love, Junal. A king must be betrothed so he can produce offspring that will continue to rule long after I have expired. Don’t you agree, Caid?”

  “Prince Gorvik, I am Burseq Maalik, not Caid Maalik. But yes, I do agree that a Daakie king must be betrothed and would be most honored to perform the ceremony myself. But unless you forget, Daakie are not allowed to get betrothed to alien races. It is our law and has been ever since the first Daakie king set forth our laws.”

  “Lest you forget, Caid. When I’m king, there will be many old laws that I will study to see if they should fall or stand. And you are wrong about your designation, Maalik. The Daakie military must have a commander of their military and since Caid Tikit is no longer alive, I am promoting you to the rank of Caid.

  “I realize that this is, in particular, a very trying time for us Daakie as well as for our Human friends. But I know the mission of Hive eliminations will be a long one at best. So, I’m ordering you, Caid Maalik, to do whatever it is required of you to get my coronation and betrothal completed post haste. The Daakie cannot be without their king, and I am willing and able to perform all future duties as King Gorvik.”

  Admiral Allen thought I believe the young man will make a great king. He has all the boldness as well as brashness, a leader of a people needs. He will do just fine.

  All stood silently for a few seconds, seemingly stunned by the young prince’s grasp of what needed to be done within the existing Daakie population, which now was only a small number.

  “Isn’t it customary to give the coronation of a king and his soon to be queen an elaborate event? Allen asked Maalik.

  “Yes, Admiral, that normally would be the case. But we hardly have anything to be elaborate with.”

  “You may not have what you need on the Zurguts but we do on Colossus. Besides, such a joyous occasion would really lift my people's spirits. They haven’t had much to celebrate over the last three or so years.”

  “But what about Elimination Hive, Admiral,” Burseq Amiik asked.

  “Even during trying times like those ahead of all of us, Burseq, we must try to celebrate living as much as possible. I think having this ceremony at this time is exactly what we all need prior to beginning the dangerous missions we have planned.

  “If you like we can go ahead and send out a half dozen recon ships to begin searching for the Hive while we are preparing for the coronation and betrothal of Prince Gorvik. The only item I see that might take a day or two is the bride’s wedding gown.”

  Allen looked at the prince and said, “Trust me on this o
ne, Prince Gorvik. You will want to allow Junal all the time she needs to have her dress exactly as she wants it.”

  General Dubois, Caid Maalik, and Burseq Amiik, all shook their heads in agreeance.” Gorvik just looked puzzled. He couldn’t know that there was going to be many things about a woman he wouldn’t, and in some cases never would understand.

  Chapter 26

  Standing in front of the jail inside the room was one soldier and he was facing Tikit and Faadin but wasn’t saying anything. It just stood there staring at its captives. Colonel Hammer moved rather quickly down the steps and then worked his way over the Major Hoser.

  “What did you see?”

  “You're not going to believe it, but Caid Tikit and Science Officer Faadin are still alive. They are being held in a makeshift jail of some kind. There is one guard standing in front of the jail and it is the only one in the room with them.”

  “I’ll be damned. Why would they keep those two I wonder?”

  “It seems as if the Hive knows the two Daakie are of some importance. What, I don’t know, but obviously, they think they might need them for something.”

  “So, what is the plan, Colonel?”

  “We are in a little bit of luck with only five total soldiers inside the lobby. We will have to take out the four outside the room first, then the guard in front of the jail. I’ll take out two of them with the singa since it is virtually silent. You need to put your blaster on stun since that mode makes less sound. We have to move fast or we will be the next two on their menu. You ready?” Hammer asked as he was putting his boots back on.

  Hoser dialed his blaster to the stun setting then looked Hammer in the eyes and said, “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

  After moving as close to the four Hive soldiers as they could without showing themselves, Hammer gave Hoser the nod to go. They both jumped out of their hiding place and ran towards the four aliens. Hammer threw the singa and the disc cut down two of the soldiers and in a blinding fast move, Hoser stunned the other two.