First Assault

by Kliment Dukovski

I mean c’mon, did you honestly think that a group of criminals would actually find the sect?” Ailios couldn’t keep a dose of sarcasm out of his smile. “But guess what – we did find it. Now we have a clue that will take us closer to our goal. And if you haven’t already noticed, things are getting serious, and we are running out of time.”

  Luthis staggered for a few steps to straighten up. “I’m not a coward,” he muttered.

  Ailios exhaled. “Look, I know you’re not, and I know you don’t want to be here, but neither do I. Yet life has a rather annoying habit of putting me in places I never want to be. And while I’m here I’ll do my damn best to complete my mission and help my people. I need you on this, Luthis, I need your ability. But I don’t have time to argue with you anymore, so if you are keen on leaving us, I won’t stop you. You’ll just have to find another ship, because I plan to get back home once I find the sect.”

  Luthis licked some blood from his lips. Friseal and Olivia nervously watched the argument while constantly glancing up. Then Ray took a step closer to Ailios. “I’m afraid our time has run out,” he said. “We can’t make it to the doctor before the transports land. Not with Olivia slowing us down.” Ray turned to her. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay, I know,” she said.

  Damn you, Luthis. “Friseal, take Olivia and get back to the ship. Make sure you pick us up once we have the doctor. Ray, you and I are going to find that bloody doctor and leave this damned place.”

  Ray nodded.

  Luthis grabbed Ailios’s arm. “What about me?”

  “I don’t care about you, Luthis. From now on you are free from my leadership. Do whatever you like, go wherever you want, I honestly don’t care anymore.”

  “But I saved your life so many times…”

  “You did, Luthis, and I am eternally grateful. But your attitude is becoming a burden to the team. I can’t let you weigh us down anymore.”

  “Weigh you down…” the words were like a whisper, weak and resigned. Luthis let go of the arm.

  Ailios turned to Olivia. For a brief moment their eyes met. He noticed the worry that was lodged in there.

  Be careful – was all she said to him. Ailios wanted to say something back, but time was running out, he would have all the time in the world to say everything he wanted once they were safely back in space.

  He nodded and both groups departed on separate ways. Only Luthis remained standing, glancing both ways until Ailios turned behind a corner and couldn’t see him no more.

  Ray and Ailios started running through maze of destruction lit by the fire burning around. The moans and screams were getting louder as they went deeper in what was left of the slums. Almost every Cyon they encountered had no limbs, or no bodies, or they were smashed under piles of concrete and metal, screaming for help or crawling with wires dragged behind. If Ailios could imagine Ifrin, this would definitely be it – fire burning on the ground, fire raining from above, heat rising inside his suit, his mouth getting dry and parched and water was nowhere to be found. He cursed himself for trying to play a hero.

  Suddenly there was an intense light flashing from above, the sound of an object swishing closer by muffled everything else. “Down there!” Ray shouted, pointing to a hatch beside the street. “Jump, now!”

  Ailios obeyed without giving second thoughts. He jumped and caught himself on his feet. It wasn’t too high, maybe two meters from the hatch to the ground, and he moved aside to give Ray some landing space. As soon as the spy touched down, a massive explosion erupted somewhere above, causing the ground shake.

  “How did you know how close it was?” Ailios asked him.

  Ray smiled, synthetic muscles stretching his lips. “Being a Cyon has its perks.”

  I can imagine, Ailios thought but didn’t say it.

  It turned out they jumped in another underground passage that by some miracle remained intact (unless fallen paintwork and tons of dirt counted as damage). This time, however, the passageway was piled up with refuge-seeking Cyons, although that seemed like a fool’s errand to Ailios. There were no soldiers to protect them, and even the fighting kind that ravaged the upper capital weren’t here to provide assistance to their friends.

  Someone screamed then. Ailios turned just in time to see a Cyon getting his leg cut off.

  “What–!” Ailios tried to hold his surprise.

  “Wannabe doctor,” Ray explained. “Keep going.”

  Ailios didn’t move. He watched the Cyon trying to stop the blood loss, or whatever that bluish thing was. “Will he be able to do the job we need?” Ailios asked.

  “This is only a field medicine. He can prolong someone’s life until a real doctor arrives.” They started walking again.

  “But there are no real doctors left,” said Ailios, “except the one we’re looking for, right?”

  “Exactly.”

  The passageway trembled by impacts on the surface, every subsequent detonation few seconds away from the previous. The walls shook off more paintwork, the ceiling rained its loose dirt. Lights from burning barrels flickered. One Cyon was sitting on the floor, his hands clasping his knees. He was rocking back and forth, whispering something that seemed like a prayer. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea if Ailios did the same, though he decided that the Imperial deities had higher authority on Palatine, and now wasn’t the time to make more enemies.

  At the end of the passageway they found an open hatch with a ladder leading to the surface. Ray moved one hand behind his back and took something out. “Here,” he said, passing a beam pistol to Ailios.

  Ailios examined it for a moment. He never thought he would hold a Cyon weapon in his hands before. He didn’t even know how to shoot with it.

  “You aim and then you press the blue button,” said Ray, reading his thoughts. “It’s set to kill.”

  Ailios moved his finger away from the blue button, not to press it accidentally.

  Ray grabbed the ladder. “Stay close to me,” he said, “my eyes can accurately predict fireballs’ trajectory and time of impact.” And he went up, Ailios following him close behind.

  Out in the open there were more screams to be heard. Ailios was certain he heard projectile weapons being fired as well. The ground assault had begun, no doubt.

  His both hands clutched the beam pistol, ready to shoot the first abomination he would see. But Ray was against shooting anyone just yet. He decided to go through ruined shacks, crouched almost to the ground, and avoid being detected. However, it didn’t take long before they encountered their first group of enemies. There were five of them walking abreast, weapons steady in their hands. They scanned their surroundings as they moved. Ailios noticed how tall they’ve grown since the last time he saw them. And unlike the time when they were naked in tanks, now they wore black suits of metal, which added a terrifying look to the creatures they were underneath.

  Maybe they look taller because of the suits, he tried to comfort himself, but it brought chills down his spine as he knew the suits had nothing to do with that. These abominations were bred to be intimidating, to be soldiers.

  Get down – Ray’s voice echoed in Ailios’s head as he dropped to the ground and gestured for Ailios to do the same. I can’t sense the doctor, but if he’s alive he should be right around the corner – he added.

  That was good news. It meant they would be off this damn planet soon. But now a problem arose – How do we get past these guys?

  We wait – was Ray’s answer.

  It wasn’t reassuring, but it was all they had.

  Ailios raised his head enough to see one of the abominations execute a Cyon that had his legs trapped under the debris. The Cyon’s read eyes slowly extinguished. Ailios moved his weapon in front of him and aimed at the abomination.

  Don’t do anything stupid – Ray said in Ailios’s head – They outnumber us two to one.

  After a few minutes, the abominations disappeared in the ruins, though Ray decided they should stay hidden twice as that, to make sure
they were gone. He then got up to one knee, scanned the area, and then took his crouched posture again as they went on.

  Fireballs swooshed above their heads, flames crackled next to their feet. But something was missing. There were no screams, no shouts. Around the corner they found out why. Every Cyon they saw was dead. There was no one left to make the noise.

  Ailios squeezed the pistol and wiped his smoke-blackened visor with his free hand. He knew that the same carnage awaited his people unless he could stop them somehow.

  “Now I understand what you meant earlier,” said the spy as he led Ailios through remains of a shack. “These abominations are a pressing concern indeed.”

  On the other side there was supposed to be a street, judging by the ruined buildings from both sides. But now it was turned into a field of mud, fire, and ruins.

  Ray stopped there. His eyes moved from side to side, obviously searching for something.

  “It’s gone,” he said. “The doctor. His building was here, in front of us.”

  “Maybe he’s still alive,” said Ailios, for the first time insecure about his decision. “We should look for him.” And he started through the rubble.

  “Wait,” said Ray. Ailios turned. “I told you I can’t sense him. He may be dead and if he’s not we have no idea where to look. We should head back to your ship.”

  “I’m not leaving without a doctor.”

  “There is no doct–”

  A thud made Ray’s body recoil and fall down. Ailios’s instincts made him