by G J Ogden
Kurren looked at her with a cold seriousness that gave Summer chills. “If they rupture, the explosion will be big enough to punch a hole in your wall,” he told her.
“Damn it!” Summer cursed, and then without another word she started to sprint along the wall towards them, unhooking the bow from over her shoulder as she ran.
Kurren was about to follow when he heard a familiar voice.
“Kurren, what's going on?” It was Maria. Kurren looked down and saw Maria standing at the foot of the steps with Ethan.
“Roamer attack,” he shouted down to them. “Look, Sal, they’ve got…”
“How many?” said Ethan urgently, cutting Kurren off mid-sentence.
“I don’t know, maybe forty or fifty. They’re pretty organised...” Kurren replied, but before he could add any details Ethan had set off running in the direction of the gate. Maria looked as if she was about to follow when Kurren shouted down to her to wait. She stopped and looked up at him, puzzled. Kurren came half-way down the steps to be closer so he didn't need to shout. “Sal, the Roamers found our transport,” he said. “These idiot Rangers hid it in a building about two-hundred metres outside the wall. They’ve taken a couple of fuel cells.”
Maria understood instantly. “If they rupture they could blow these walls sky high.”
“I know,” said Kurren. “The red-haired pain-in-the-ass has gone charging off after them already.”
“I've got to warn Ethan!” Maria said urgently. She started running, but again Kurren called for her to wait.
“Sal, forget him!” he called, frustrated that Maria’s first reaction was to run to Ethan and not help him. “We know where the transport is, let's make use of this distraction and get the hell out of here, before they change their minds and burn us as heretics or whatever.”
“Kurren, no, we need to get him!” Maria protested.
“Sal, I know you like this kid, but he's with them and we need to look out for ourselves,” said Kurren. “Leave him and let's get the hell off this forsaken rock!”
Maria ran back and climbed the bottom few stone stairs so that she was only a few metres from Kurren, still perched on the platform. “He's with us, Kurren,” she said, enthusiastically. “He's going to come back with us.”
That stopped Kurren in his tracks. “What?” he said.
“I'll explain later, but he's going to help us,” said Maria. “We need to get him, and preferably before he gets blown to pieces.”
Kurren nodded and then smiled as an idea came to him. “Okay, Sal, go get your boyfriend, I have a plan.” Maria felt like charging up the stairs and punching him in his smug face, when an explosion rocked the settlement causing both to instinctively duck and cover their heads. A section of the wall between them and the gate had erupted and sent flaming debris raining down into the settlement, igniting the roofs of some nearby buildings. “Damn it!” Kurren said, and then he looked at Maria. “Go on, go get lover boy and be ready.”
“Be ready for what?” Maria asked crossly. The quip about Ethan had irritated her.
“For me to arrive with some wheels and roll us all on out of here,” he said with a grin, and with that, he disappeared over the top of the wall.
Maria understood. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for a fight, and ran in the direction of the explosion. Within moments she was standing beside a group of four Rangers, who had come down from the watchtower next to the gate and were waiting, staffs raised, ready to take on anything that came through the breach. A group of settlers had started to form a fire-fighting chain, passing along buckets of water from the well to other settlers who were dousing the flames on the houses that had caught fire. Maria spotted Ethan just ahead of the group and ran alongside him.
“I'm here to help,” she said to Ethan’s back, slightly out of breath from the run. Ethan turned around, surprised to see her.
“No, Sal, I don't want you to get hurt.”
“Look, Ethan, I'm probably a better fighter than everyone here,” said Maria, without ego, “and it looks like you need the help. So just give me a weapon, okay?” Ethan meant what he said about not wanting Maria to get hurt, but he’d also seen her fight, so he tossed her his staff. Maria caught it and said, “And do me a favour?”
“What's that?”
“Don't die!”
A shout from on the wall brought their senses into sharp focus. “They're coming through,” said Ethan calmly. A Ranger passed Ethan and handed him another staff. “Ready?” he asked.
“After you,” replied Maria.
Five Roamers came charging through the burning opening in the wall, two of them catching fire as they did so, yet the flames appeared not to bother them. The front line fought them back, but one Roamer broke through. Maria advanced faster than the others and slammed the end of her staff into its face, smashing the nose into its skull. It fell, limp and lifeless, to the floor.
More came, again catching fire, but continuing on, as if the flames were nothing more than splatters of mud. Maria could smell the burning flesh and she struggled not to gag. The front line of Rangers again fought them back, maintaining an arc around the opening in the wall, trying to prevent any from breaching the inner settlement area. Then a Roamer hurled itself at one of the defenders, wrapping its arms around him and setting him alight. The Ranger screamed as the flames torched the skin on his face and neck, causing panic amongst the nearby fighters as they both tried to help the injured Ranger and tear the Roamer away. The gap in the arc allowed another burning Roamer through, and this one ran straight at Maria. She waited, patiently, then dodged and swept its legs from under it, knocking it flat. Spinning around, she pummelled the end of the heavy wooden staff into its chest and heard the crack of bone as its sternum collapsed. She drew the staff back and looked around. Ethan was several metres away, near the main cluster of fighters, and holding strong. Then she looked beyond him towards the breach and saw Summer on the wall, loosing arrows at some of the Roamers that were advancing through. Maria watched as Summer drew another arrow and nocked it, but then the Ranger hesitated and lowered her bow swiftly, a dread look on her face.
“Move away! Move, now!” she heard Summer shout to fighters inside the walls, but they did not hear her. Maria ran a little closer, trying to understand the reason for Summer’s frantic warning. “Move clear!” she heard Summer shouting again. She was trying to get a shot, her bow was waving from side to side, up and down, string at full tension, but Summer did not shoot. Maria moved again trying to get a better view, and then she spotted it – a Roamer, prone in the centre of the melee, unseen by the Rangers. Its right leg was smashed and contorted, and the other was on fire. It was dragging itself forward, one hand clawing at the dirt, while in the other it held a metal cylinder. A fuel cell. Maria wasted no time, she turned back to Ethan.
“Ethan, fall back, fall back now!” she shouted urgently.
Ethan heard Maria’s cry and then saw the creature on the ground. He turned and sprinted away from it, legs and lungs burning with pain, crying out for others to follow him. Seconds later the fuel cell exploded. Bodies were flung out in all directions, Roamer and Ranger alike. The shockwave sent Maria hurtling backwards through the air. She landed awkwardly, but without much pain. Something broke her fall. Dazed, winded, ears ringing and unable to hear she called out to Ethan, desperately. She could not even hear her own voice. She looked around, desperate to find Ethan, and then she saw him. He was face down, blown perhaps ten metres into the settlement by the force of the explosion. He was not moving.
Maria tried to get up, but dizziness overcame her and she could not stand. Then her nausea was intensified by fear. Through the smoke she could see more figures appearing. The remaining Roamers were coming in and now there was no-one to stop them. She fought to stand and with an intense force of effort managed to get herself upright. Again she called out to Ethan, but again the cries barely registered in her own ears, sounding muffled and distorted. Ethan was still lying prone, bloo
d visible from his ears.
Maria looked around for a weapon, but could find nothing. A Roamer advanced toward her and soon she was faced with its cold, indifferent eyes. She scrambled away from it, but it was no use, she could not muster the strength to escape. She closed her eyes and waited. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her mother. Through the eyes of her younger self, she watched as her mother's hand was snatched away from hers and then, powerless to do anything to help, looked on as she floated, helplessly into the cold darkness of space. She had never forgotten the look on her face. The look of someone knowing they were about to die and lose everyone they ever loved.
“I'm sorry,” said Maria, tears wetting her face. “I'm sorry I couldn't make it up to you.”
She had always wondered how it would feel to die. She was going to find out now. Then her thoughts turned to Ethan – the Planetsider she had convinced to help her, and maybe even to love her. Did Ethan love her? she wondered, and in that instant she realised that she actually wanted him to. Did that mean she loved him too? She would never find out, because soon this too would be snatched away from her, forever.
She opened her eyes and looked upon the face of the Roamer standing over her. Its eyes showed no evidence of hatred or malice. Its heart pulsated with no desires. In all the ways that mattered, it was dead already. The Roamer held in its grimy, flame-blistered hand a crude wooden club. It raised the weapon above its head, all the time looking at her, coldly and with disquieting indifference. Everything appeared to Maria to be happening in slow motion. She refused to close her eyes; if she was to die, she would stare death in the face and spite it. The weapon began to fall and she waited for the pain to strike, but the end did not come. Instead, the creature spasmed and its face contorted, not so much in pain as in confusion and bewilderment. It fell to its knees and then crumpled over backwards in a lifeless heap.
Maria’s eyes focused on a figure behind it. It was screaming at her, but she could barely make out the words. It shouted again. “Sal! Are you okay?” Chris Kurren stood in front of her, smoke oozing from the barrel of a rifle. He swung around again and Maria saw the muzzle flash as he fired. The sound was still muffled, but her hearing was returning. “Sal! Get up, we've got to go, now!” Kurren shouted, the words barely registering. He was pulling her to her feet. She put an arm around his shoulder and her head started to clear. Again the muzzle flash of the rifle and this time she heard the shots ring out. In front of them two more Roamers fell to the ground. “I have the transport. Where's the kid?” he shouted.
Maria groggily gestured over towards where she had last seen Ethan, lying prostrate on the ground. He was still there, but she didn’t know if he was alive or dead. Maria felt panic overwhelm her. Please don't let him be dead, she thought. She implored Kurren to get him, to save him. But all that came out was an incoherent babble. Kurren dragged Maria to the transport and put her inside, closing the door. He aimed and shot another Roamer, then ran around to the driver's side of the transport and opened the door. More Roamers were coming in through the opening. He considered getting in and just leaving. Screw these bastards he thought. He only wanted to save Sal. But the mission needed Ethan too, and besides, Sal would never forgive him if he left the kid. She wouldn't leave without him. “Damn it!” he cried out in frustration, realising he had to go back. He slammed the door of the transport and ran towards Ethan. From the hip, he fired two more bursts, hitting three Roamers and stopping them in their tracks. He reached Ethan and, slinging the rifle over his shoulder, hoisted him onto his back. “What the hell are you made of? You weigh a ton,” he said out loud, straining under the added weight. Ethan just groaned. Kurren battled his way back to the transport as quickly as possible and then unceremoniously dumped Ethan into the back compartment. He groaned again. “You're welcome, kid,” said Kurren, and then darted back to the driver's side door. Standing in front of it was Summer – bow raised, arrow nocked and pointing directly at his heart.
“Put down that weapon or I’ll kill you!” she demanded, venom seething from every pore. Kurren held up his hands, a conciliatory gesture that Summer had seen him give before, and she trusted it even less this time.
“Look, lady, I'm doing want you wanted,” he said. “I’m getting out of your hair. So how about you lower the bow and let me get the hell out of here?”
Summer did not flinch. “You can go, but you're not taking Ethan,” she said. “You think I’m stupid? I saw you put him in the back, don't deny it!” She pulled back harder on the string, adding even more tension. Her fingers, calloused and bloody from the arrows she had shot previously, throbbed with pain.
“Okay...” Kurren said, his hand still raised. He could see that Summer was on the edge and would respond at the slightest provocation. “I was just trying to save him. Okay?...” Kurren said again, trying to soothe her. He slowly took the rifle from his back, dropped it and then backed away.
Summer's eyes narrowed. “I don't believe you, space man,” she said bitterly. “Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you now?”
Kurren didn't have a chance to answer as the driver's side door swung open and smashed into Summer's face, knocking her flat on her back. The arrow sprang from the bow and screamed past Kurren's face so close that he could feel the rush of air as it shot past his ear. Maria leaned out of the side of the cabin.
“That felt good,” she said, looking at Summer's body, lying in the mud.
“Are you crazy? She damn near shot my head off!” Kurren exclaimed, recovering the rifle from the ground.
“You're welcome,” replied Maria, coolly and with an air of satisfaction. “Now get in.” Maria slid back to the passenger side and Kurren went to get in.
“Wait.” It was a weak voice from the rear of the transport. “You can't leave her like that,” Ethan croaked.
“Kid, we don't have time for this,” said Kurren.
“If you... leave her... I stay,” Ethan said, struggling to form the words.
More Roamers were coming in through the opening, but now were being met by a re-grouped Ranger force. Kurren knew that once the Rangers had tackled the remaining Roamers, they would turn their attentions to him and the transport. There was no time to spare. He swore under his breath and went over to where Summer lay, still out cold. He hoisted her up, grateful for the fact that she weighed considerably less than Ethan did, and slung her in the back with him. He was careful to remove her arrows, and her knife.
“Buckle up...” he said to Ethan, before sliding back into the driver's seat.
In front of them the Rangers were close to winning the fight, and several of them, supported by some of the braver settlers, were now hastily trying to patch up the hole in the wall. Kurren accelerated and slammed his palm onto the horn. The Rangers and settlers scattered out of the way and stared in astonishment as the transport drove past them, smashing through the last cluster of Roamers, some of them bouncing off the bodywork and falling into contorted heaps as the transport sped out of the settlement. Kurren checked his mirrors and saw that the Rangers were dealing with the last of them. The settlement would be safe. Contented, he turned the vehicle in the direction of the city and floored the accelerator.
“We did it, Sal!” Kurren said. “We're on our way.”
Maria smiled at him, and then looked back through the partition glass into the compartment at the rear. Ethan was crouched over Summer, calmly tending to her wounds. He caught Maria looking at him and found himself smiling back at her. A warmth flooded through his veins, and despite everything that had just happened, he felt relaxed and at ease.
chapter 17
The journey back to the space port went without incident, much to everyone's surprise and relief; they had done enough fighting for one day. Using the transport’s systems and something Kurren had referred to as a ‘transponder ID’, they were able to enter the main hangar deck through a previously sealed – and therefore Roamer-free – slip road. The bodies of the Roamers they had fought previously were
no longer there, and a chill ran down Ethan's spine as he considered the possibilities of what might have happened to them. This time, though, the platform was quiet. Eerily quiet.
Kurren stopped the transport just inside the main door to the launch pod that housed the UEC transport they had located on their first visit and got out, telling everyone else to remain in the back until he gave the all clear. The weapon he had used with such proficiency during the settlement attack was at his side. He slowly made his way over to a control console on the wall opposite, weapon raised and constantly sweeping from side to side, checking for any signs of movement. Maria now also got out and, armed with her pistol, which Kurren had also recovered from the stash in the barn, climbed into the rear compartment of the transport to provide cover, if needed.
Ethan had tended to Summer’s injuries during the journey, and also given her a mild sedative that Maria had passed through to him in the back compartment, so she was still out cold. There was a bandage covering her temple and left eye, which was bruised from the impact of the transport's door slamming into her face. Ethan was still a little groggy, but had largely recovered. He also felt no pain, thanks to some remarkably potent painkiller tablets that Maria had given him at the same time as the sedative for Summer, which made him feel slightly lighter than usual, as if he was walking on a quilt made of wool. He moved over to sit alongside Maria in the rear compartment. She was quietly surveying the room, keeping watch for any unusual movements and signs of danger. Neither of them spoke; it was so quiet that Ethan could hear the inhalation and exhalation cycle of Maria's calm, rhythmic breathing. He watched her chest rise and fall in time with the sounds and, in his drugged state, became slightly mesmerised by it.
“Ahem, eyes front, Soldier,” Maria said, noticing that Ethan appeared to be staring at her breasts.
Ethan blushed and sharply turned away, doing his best to look at nothing in particular. “I'm sorry, I wasn't…” he stammered. “I was just noticing your breasting... I mean breathing!”
