“I do. But if you ever threaten my friends again, our truce will be forfeit,” Brinley snapped back.
“I understand, but I thought my actions would be the most effective way of ensuring they would understand my motives,” Larissa countered. It was the softest spoken words Brinley had ever heard Larissa honestly use.
They walked toward the dried up river. As the scene of bodies and broken airboats came into view, Larissa assessed it all with calculated practice.
“Those are Constable Herric’s troops and airboats. They were not damaged by explosives, so the Jellies did this,” Larissa commented. “It is a fair assessment that Herric was captured somewhere around here.”
Larissa squatted down and looked at the tracks in the sand that led up to the pathway along the ruined river.
“The troopers landed here, and proceeded inland. The airboats were secure when they landed. The destruction took place while they were coming back from that direction.” Larissa pointed to where Paul, Gretchen, and Jodie were seen walking up the ramps. The orange automacube was also rolling along near them. “The troopers coming back were in a panic. No orderly movements, more of a rout of some kind.”
“There used to be waterfalls here,” Brinley stated, ignoring Larissa’s description of the combat. “Very beautiful waterfalls with clear drinkable water, and fish and birds, and animals.”
“I have seen no fauna since we swam up to this island,” Larissa commented. “No birds, animals, or other things that I expected this habitat to have. I wondered when they had been removed, but now we know. The Jellies are likely responsible for that as well.”
The sky tube far overhead was beginning to dim. The sea looked strange with the brown aspect to the water visible in the distance. The air had a foulness that was far more than just coming from the pools of brown water and the dead bodies around the ruined riverbed.
Reaching the series of cutbacks and the trail that led up behind where the waterfalls once had been, they came upon more bodies.
“These are more of Herric’s troopers,” Larissa stated flatly.
“Those are some Free Rangers,” Brinley observed as she pointed at the other bodies.
“A firefight took place here. I believe Herric’s trooper overwhelmed the defenders and pressed onward. The tracks show some automacubes assisting in the firefight, but there are no tracks of automacubes leading away and down.”
Walking steadily they reached the level where the bridge was located. Paul, Gretchen, and Jodie had stopped there.
“The bridge looks functional,” Gretchen stated. “We will pass over it, and then draw it back.”
“That will hinder our enemy some,” Larissa said, “But they have been resourceful and ruthless so far.”
Blam, blam, blam, blam.
A rapid series of reports echoing up from the river area. That was where the red automacubes were as they had been covering the retreat. It was not directly visible from where the people stood, but the sounds were clear enough. Larissa pulled out her multiceiver and linked in with LS-2. She could not link to LS-1.
‘Enemy engaged. Primary ballistic machine gun minimally effective,’ the report read out from LS-2.
“The Jellies are coming,” Larissa said. “My automacubes are engaging them. The automacubes likely will fail, from what I have seen in previous fighting with these Jellies, but we may learn something.”
Several large explosions echoed up from the beach. They were followed by more automacube automatic weapons fire.
The sky tube continued to dim as night was falling in A Habitat: Oasis. There were no sounds of birds, or animals, or other things which Paul and Gretchen had grown accustomed to when they had lived on Inaccessible Island.
“We should retract the bridge,” Brinley suggested. “I am not even sure if it is functional.” She entered a sequence code, and the bridge did begin to retract. “At least this is working.”
“But we have not even seen what is up on the plateau,” Paul noted. “We may be cutting off our way of escape. If those alien things, or the troopers are up there. We have only seen dead bodies, and who killed them all?”
“This is the most defendable spot we have. If we try for the plateau we will be exposed on the trial leading up there. The plateau itself offers little cover until we would get to the freight elevator. I doubt we have time to make it there.” Then turning to Larissa she said, “This is the best place to make a stand.”
“Then here we stay,” Larissa said.
Paul looked at them in wonder, but pulled out his pistol and aimed it down into the valley below.
There were several more explosions heard, and a bright flash which lit up the increasingly dim view they had from the bridge level.
Larissa raised the multiceiver and ordered, “Report status.”
‘Damage sustained: LS-2, 41% operational. LS-1 now 27% operational. Grenade attack partially effective, but for limited time duration. Engaging with incendiary gels and combined weapons fire.’ The display read out.
“The Jellies are beating my automacubes,” Larissa announced. “They are putting up a good struggle, but they will probably be defeated momentarily.”
Larissa’s mind was seeking any potential on a way to confront the Jellies. She looked down at a dead trooper. She recalled Herric’s words, ‘I think the light bothers them’ and she wondered what he meant.
Larissa asked, “Do we have any way to get light on the bottom of the pathway?”
“The fusion pack lights can project a tight beam of light, a spotlight, that will reach down there,” Gretchen said. “The area light will be too diffuse to do any good from up here.”
“Turn on a light? Really? So they, those aliens, they will know where we are? Is that a good idea?” Paul asked.
“LS-1 and LS-2 engage with all available exterior lighting. Try every combination and report effects,” Larissa commanded.
The automacube’s response came through the multiceiver display, ‘Affirmative: photonic dazzle and stroboscopic lamps started.’
Bright flashes of brilliant white light shined up from the battlefield. They were coming from two separate directions indicating both automacubes were still functioning. Ghostly forms moved through that light casting eerie shadows.
A burst of flames shot up from just out of sight. It cast a dull red glow over the dry riverbed and the pathway while the bright white flashes continued. It was followed by more rapid fire reports. Two more explosions rocked the dry river bed.
Beep, beep, beep. An alert tone came from the multiceiver. ‘Enemy shows photo sensitivity to progressive increase in stroboscopic effects at near infrared oscillated to ultraviolet. SL-1 immobile. Functioning at 11%. SL-1 requests self destruction. SL-2 at 31% functioning and continuing to engage enemy.”
“Permission to self destruct,” Larissa said. She turned to Brinley.
“The security automacubes are trying hard. They may have just given us a clue. The CPO needs to be aware of what is happening here,” Larissa said. “They may send reinforcements.” She spoke into the multiceiver. “TSI-463, connect me….”
“Larissa? Are you certain?” Brinley asked and put a hand over Larissa’s multiceiver.
“I see no harm it can do us now,” Larissa said. “Call it a test of our theory. TSI-463, initiate the link to the CPO.”
Paul, Gretchen and Jodie were busy watching down toward the river where the sounds of the battle were raging. The light had nearly all faded out and the sky tube was just a very dim gray line across the sky. They missed the discussion between Larissa and Brinley.
The screen suddenly blinked. “Hello, this is the midshipman overseeing this area.” He looked exactly as he had the last time they spoke.
“This is Larissa, I found a way to….”
“You are in violation of the quarantine. Your location is in A Habitat. You are a resident of D Habitat, and you were last reported as a violator and were in an isolation restricted area. Your previous violation of
quarantine was waived due to mitigating circumstances. However, now you have broken quarantine against explicit orders,” the midshipman stated. He was obviously outwardly projecting an image of anger, but as Brinley and Larissa watched him, they both noticed subtle inconsistencies in his body language and eye movement.
“The Jellies can be…” Larissa tried, but was interrupted.
“You will remain at your location until Constable Herric of A Habitat reaches your position. I am contacting him now,” the midshipman stated.
“You will need to come and arrest me,” Larissa said smugly. “I confess I violated quarantine deliberately and maliciously. I am a criminal.”
“Confession noted,” the midshipman stated.
“I will remain here until he arrives,” Larissa said and gave Brinley a smile.
“Constable Herric is unavailable at the moment,” the Midshipman stated. “I am elevating this infraction to Governor Svoboda’s jurisdiction.”
“Are you coming to arrest me or not?” Larissa asked. “I found a way to hurt the enemies. Listen to me…”
“Governor Svoboda’s office is not receptive to inquiries. Investigation will be undertaken,” the midshipman stated.
“Be sure to find out how many people have been killed by the enemies!” Larissa said sternly.
The largest explosion yet took place down on the battlefield.
“That is one of the automacubes self destructing. Hopefully it took some of our enemies with it,” Larissa said. “I lost the link to the CPO, for all the good that was doing us.”
“They may send troopers to arrest you,” Brinley said. “That was ingenious.”
The flashing lights continued for a few moments, but then another huge explosion took place.
“That was the last automacube. Now the fight will come to us. Can these fusion packs of yours do infrared to ultraviolet oscillations of light?”
“That should be no problem,” Gretchen said. “Tiffany, do you have any of those types of lights on the orange automacube?”
Tiffany replied. “I do not. The exterior lights on this machine do not reach those spectrums. I have been monitoring this fighting, and I suggest waiting until the aliens are near before initiating the flashing of the fusion lights. I conjecture that the effect will be distance limited, and Paul’s concern about revealing our position is legitimate.”
“What if the fusion packs are set to do the light flashing from a remote position?” Paul asked. “That way we do not give ourselves away, and we hurt these things and shoot at them at the same time?”
“I can remotely activate the fusion packs,” Tiffany replied. “And fluctuate the settings for maximum effect.”
Paul grabbed a fusion pack and entered a sequence in the bridge controls. The bridge extended and he ran down the trail in the darkness.
“Paul wait!” Gretchen called.
“No. These things are not going to kill us. I am sick of things hurting and scaring me,” Paul said.
He rushed down the trail and made the cut back. It was an area where he could easily see up to the bridge, as he recalled from walking that way many times. It looked somewhat different in the darkness, and without the waterfall, but he knew right where he was. He set the fusion pack on a high and flat rock. He considered wedging it into a crevasse, but then thought more about how the light would need to shine outward. He then retreated about ten meters and hid himself in the dried out pond. “Tiffany? I am in place, activate the fusion pack lights when I say.”
“Awaiting your signal,” Tiffany replied.
Gretchen started down the trail as well. Larissa looked at her. “He has a good idea. But do not both be in the same place. Establish a crossfire if you can. We will engage from here. We will keep the bridge open to allow you to retreat if necessary.”
“I do not trust you at all,” Gretchen said. “I go to protect Paul.”
Jodie approached Brinley, “I am not much for weapon systems, but I could place the other fusion packs at spots along the trail. If Paul and Gretchen need to come back up here, those might work as a light barrier for the enemy. Brinley, can you help me do that? You know this trail better than I do.”
“Another good idea, it may allow them to get back and give us time to shut the bridge,” Brinley replied. “I will help you.” She turned to Larissa and handed her a molecular disruptor. “I have the Dome 17 pistol. This might be more effective than your sidearm.”
Larissa took it with a nod.
Brinley and Jodie worked steadily and set up two more places where the fusion packs would shine light down on the trail. They then came back to the bridge where Larissa was waiting.
“Gretchen reports she is in place,” Tiffany relayed.
“So now we wait. I would rather take the fight to you, my dear enemy Jellies,” Larissa said. “But this time you come to me.”
Several hours passed in silence as they waited for the enemy to advance up to their position. The night was too silent, and too still.
Paul was lying in the dried out pool, his pistol at the ready, and wondering which thing would attack him first. A wild beast? A snake? A Roe? Larissa? The aliens? He calmed his fears by remembering games of ricochet ball in Dome 17, and once again, as he had done so many times, he wished he could take Gretchen and escape from the Vanguard.
Gretchen was crouched near some rocks which provided only margin cover. She could see where Paul was prone. She had her pistol aimed at the point where she suspected the enemy would come up the trail. Gretchen was determined to protect Paul at all costs.
Jodie sat next to the orange automacube. She doubted her abilities are a warrior of any kind, but knew she would do what she could.
Brinley and Larissa stood next to each other at the edge of the bridge.
Brinley was anxious for her friends down below and had the pistol trained on the pathway. She tried to understand why light would effect the aliens, and was unsure. Even if it distracted them and lit them up it would be useful. Her finger rested on the trigger of the pistol.
Larissa was calm. She had faced combat many times before, but never against such a strange enemy, nor with such diverse allies. She looked at the organic disruptor in her hands and estimated the range to it target area.
And still they waited.
Suddenly a sphere moved up from the shadows and right in front of where Paul lay. It was glowing, the purplish blue color, but much less intensely than when he had seen them before. It was walking on four legs, and had two thin whip-like appendages extending out in front of it.
Three more spheres marched along right behind the first one. The glow from the aliens lit the path beneath their legs, and shined down in sickening bluish purple around them.
Paul waited until the first one had passed the fusion pack. Then the second one passed it. Then the third came right next to it.
“Now Tiffany!” Paul said in his communication link.
The fusion pack light burst into a series of brilliant flashes.
The spheres whirled around in a tight circle and bumped into each other. The light was disorienting them. The last one smacked out its appendages toward the fusion pack, but missed where it sat on the rock.
Paul fired the pistol.
Piff.
Gretchen fired her pistol.
Piff.
Brinley fired her pistol.
Piff.
There was a high pitched whine sound as Larissa discharged the organic disruptor toward the line of spheres.
The first sphere was wracked by three high velocity projectiles smashing into it from three different angles. The opposite sides of where the projectiles entered exploded outward with chunks of bluish materials, as well as shreds of some other substances. It buckled in on itself as the interior fluids flowed steadily out of the sphere. The legs contracted inward, and the appendages whipped around in agitation.
Paul, Gretchen, and Brinley had all shot at the same alien sphere.
The last sphere in the co
lumn was struck by Larissa’s shot from the organic disruptor. The energy blast had erupted from the small weapon in Larissa’s hand. It was at the extreme end of the range of the organic disruptor, and it struck the edge of the sphere. There was a furious shaking effect on that edge. A half arc shape shifted color from purplish-blue to a dull white. The area then blistered and swelled. The sphere rushed forward and smashed into one of the other spheres. Its legs and extremities were flailing madly as the material on the outside of the sphere sought to reassert itself over the space where the organic disruptor had traumatized it. It walked in a wobbly gait as the blue skin of the sphere shifted and swirled to cover the injury.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 117
