“Yes Maam” responded Wanda. She knew it would be useless trying to push Bob ahead so she led the way at a crouch with her rifle into her shoulder. “30 metres to go. I can see the vehicle’s front section. Looks like it got peppered good and proper….20 metres out. No movement. 10 metres out. There’s a bit of a gap on either side. Maybe big enough for a skinny fellow to get past but not this big momma” she joked.
“Bob can you squeeze past there where my light is” asked Wanda and she was shining her helmet light into the gap. “The reinforced shaft walls look still intact, Maam. Nice bit of demo work on the lift. Impressive. Bob, keep going.”
Bob was side on and edging his way into the narrow gap on the left of the shaft. His head was turned towards the gap so his light could shine ahead. Wanda was a half a metre to his right with her rifle aimed ahead of him. Bob edged further along till he got to the end of the vehicle.
“I’ve reached the end of the vehicle. There’s a good metre gap to the back wall. Turning now. Looks like it has a rear door ramp but there is no way that can be lowered in the space available.”
“Is there a hatch built into the ramp?” asked Liz.
“Not this side Maam. I’m moving forward. “Yes! It does. It’s bloody big too. I can’t see an obvious control for it.”
“Just try touching the areas around the hatch” suggested Wanda.
“OK…doing that. No, No…ooh…yes it’s opening” exclaimed a now excited Bob. He quickly bought his rifle to bear as the hatch popped towards him a few centimetres and then slid towards the centre. There was goo everywhere. “Shit it’s a bloody mess. I think there are bodies but whatever was in here ain’t alive now. Geez. Let me duck my head in and you should be able to see for yourself.”
Bob leant forward and Liz checked her portable console to see his head cam image. It was pretty dark but she could make out a mass of dismembered body parts. He was right. There was dark goo over everything. ‘That must be their blood’ she thought. ‘What a mess.’
“Step further in Bob. Can you get forward more?” Liz asked.
Bob wasn’t enamoured about this but with Wanda too big to squeeze past he knew it was down to him. “OK here goes.” He pushed his way through the hatch and found himself stepping onto something soft and gooey. He was thankful that suited up any pungent smell was kept at bay. He clambered forward down the central isle. He could make out obvious masses of body parts in each of the seats on either side of the isle. ‘Poor bastards’ he thought.
Up ahead he could see a bulkhead. There was a hatch. He had to pick up something and move it aside and then he just pressed along the side of the hatch till it opened.
“What’s that?” asked Liz.
“Looks like the cockpit, Maam” replied Bob. He poked his head in and looked around. Nothing survived in here. It was even more of a gooey mess. “I can’t make any further headway here Maam. There’s crap everywhere. No life. All dead.”
“OK Bob. Come on back” said Liz.
When Bob emerged he looked pretty shaken by the experience. Liz beckoned him to her and she could see his ashen face. She put her hand on his shoulder and thanked him for the grizzly task. She said he could take a rest. She asked Wanda to keep an eye on him.
“Sir, there’s nothing alive in the enemy shuttle. It’s all clear. No noise or anything. Can we stand down now and just leave a standing patrol here? They can alert us if anything develops” suggested Liz.
Chuck looked across to Art and Rihan, both of whom had come forward. Rihan looked to Art. He nodded and Rihan nodded. “Yes OK stand down for now. Make sure we have four on guard at all times” directed Chuck.
“Roger Sir.”
“What do you think they’ll do now?” asked Rihan.
“Not sure Maam” said Chuck. “I suppose it depends whether their battle shuttles can lift their own equivalent weight. If they can, well I’d bet they try and lift it out. Any explosion powerful enough to demolish it will also take down the shaft. They won’t want that.”
“And if their shuttles can’t lift that much or they don’t have any more?” queried Rihan.
“Then they’ll try an infantry assault” said Art. “But I’m not sure one of those big buggers can actually squeeze past. What do you reckon Chuck?”
Chuck shook his head. “No I don’t reckon they could. But they might try the light lift here or the one at the facility entrance.”
“But wouldn’t they - have to have a small shuttle like ours to traverse the shaft?” asked Rihan.
“Yes that’s right” said Art.
“We have to assume that they do have such a capability” said Chuck. “I mean it would be great for us if they don’t. But we should be prudent.”
“Agreed” said Rihan. “We better send some reinforcements to the facility entrance. Chuck can you detach a team from the Sydney contingent?”
“Yes, can do.”
“Art can you brief them to backstop 1st Pl and send them on their way?”
“I could take them there myself” suggested Art.
Rihan knew that he had an ulterior motive behind his offer but she would be the last person to stand in the way of new love. “Sure Art. Please do that. Take the buggies and stay in touch and be back here by 0800.”
“Will do. I’d better get onto it straight away” suggested Art.
Rihan smiled at him. “Go on. Get out of here.”
He gave her a quick smile in thanks and headed out into the tunnel. It took him ten minutes to round up Charlie Team from the Sydney contingent and grab three buggies to carry them. Fifteen minutes later he arrived at the facility entrance. Sue was so glad to see him, though in fact seeing for her was a bit difficult due to her ballooning black eye.
She deployed the reinforcements and finally gave the fatigued members of 1st Pl a well-earned rest. They pulled back to the temporary dorms four hundred metres down the tunnel just past the second set of blast doors. Sue had used her rank to pull a separate room. It even had its own shower.
Fifteen minutes later they were clean again and lying together on their makeshift bedding. Art had rung out a cold washer and placed it on Sue’s bulging eye. They were both exhausted and Art fell asleep almost immediately he cuddled into her. He started to snore lightly. Sue lay on her back with Art’s arm over her waist and the washer on her eye. It hurt but the washer helped contain the swelling.
‘What a day’ she thought. It had ranged from being deliriously happy with Art’s proposal to being terrified out of her wits during the chaos up on top. Right now she was content to have her lover beside her. She reflected on past military engagements and how she had always found it difficult to sleep after them and how anxious she had been. The difference this time lay beside her. There was no logic to it. They had both been through hell today and both were still at great risk of destruction. But somehow sharing it together lessened the impact. Just knowing that someone cared for you and loved you made the difference. ‘Oh how fortunate I am’ she thought. She took the washer off her eye and soon drifted off.
Rihan got to her bedding exhausted as well. Her busy mind was going over one thing and another. She raised herself up into a cross legged sitting position and began to mediate in an effort to still her mind. The deep breaths helped and she remembered the mantra Dave had given her. After five minutes the thoughts abated and she seemed to hang there in the void. It was peaceful and she relished it.
She had an image of Dave in the command centre of the Hermes. She could see the abject concentration on his face. He was directing a battle and for the first time she realised that it was his strength of mind that made him such a good commander. She prayed that he was safe but then she knew with absolute certainty that he was indeed safe and that he would be coming back for her. She felt a wave of love wash over her. She dived into it and then had the sensation of floating. She was in bliss.
She pulled her head up from falling sideways. She had fallen asleep. She recalled the feelings from the meditat
ion session and crawled under her cover and fell asleep content.
Chapter 11. Hermes 0500, 25 May.
Dave Warner woke early. Yes he was still tired but his mind had clicked into gear and he knew it was pointless just lying there. He washed his face and sat down on his asana and meditated.
He began with his usual invocation to his Guru offering up his time, focus and love. He began repeating the mantra but thankfully his years of practice had allowed his mind to slip into the void quickly.
The mantra had dropped away. His breath was in a steady rhythm and there were no thoughts. A blue twinkle in the void came and went, each time getting stronger and more intense till it coalesced in to the Blue Pearl. How he loved these moments. He felt bathed in grace.
He could see hills ahead and he glided towards them. He came to the edge of a high plateau and looked down on a huge waterfall. He dived into it and surfed the torrent as it buffeted his body. Part of him was telling him he should be frightened of the danger but a deeper part, a part he trusted more, reassured him that everything was fine, as it should be.
Next minute he was skiing on top of the water as it flowed almost vertically down. He had no idea how he could maintain his stance but somehow he did. The white water ahead raged with fury but he tore into it nonetheless. He could feel the sting of the water hitting his face but it didn’t deflect his focus. He was racing to the finish line and yes there it was. He burst through the turbulence and glided onto a perfectly still lake. His momentum carried him to the shore and there on the shore was his Guru, resplendent in her robes.
And beside his Guru was Rihan. Her whole body was glowing. She was alive and he knew it beyond any doubt.
When he entered the command centre an hour later only Val Gomez and the pilot were there. Val couldn’t help but notice at how happy her commander looked. “Good morning Captain” she said. “You’re up bright and early.”
“Indeed Val, indeed” replied Warner. “Anything to report?”
“Not really…we should be coming out of warp in three hours. Perhaps then we’ll receive some news from Klaster.”
“Yes let’s hope we do.”
“Sir I do hope Rihan is alright.”
“Oh she’s fine. Don’t you worry about that.” Warner replied and he gave her a warm smile. Val was amazed at how unworried he was. She couldn’t fathom it. If her partner had been left behind on Klaster, she would have been worried sick. If it had been someone other than Warner reacting like this she would have thought them in denial. But she knew better of her commander. He had his faith and she was amazed how it buoyed his spirits at times like this.
“I envy you at times Sir.”
“What do you mean?” asked Warner.
“For your faith. You never seem to doubt or worry.”
“Oh there are many times when I doubt and worry. Make no mistake about that. This is just not one of them” responded Warner. “Besides I have never seen the point in worrying about something over which I have no control or influence. Let’s face it, what can we do right now under warp?”
“Fair enough Sir.”
“But there is breakfast” Warner said with a smile. “Must be time for Cranky to get up too. What do you reckon?”
“Yes Sir some bacon and hash browns would go a treat.”
“I’ll ask him to send you some, Val” and Warner headed for the mess.
“Thank you Sir” she responded. ‘Amazing’ she thought to herself. He sweeps in here and changes the atmosphere with his presence. ‘You can’t bottle that’ she added to herself.
Chapter 12. Pulton 1 0600, 25 May.
Rihan too was up early. She had a short meditation, shower and headed down the tunnel to the command centre. The commodore was there already. “Good morning, Sir.”
Pious looked like he hadn’t slept much. He looked pleased to see her though. “Good morning to you too. Did you get some sleep?”
“A bit more than you I’d say.”
Pious nodded in a half weary way. “Yes I was woken at just after four. The comms arrays are gone. We’re offline as far as the rest of the galaxy knows.”
“But we knew this would happen.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t lessen its impact. I hate being without comms. It feels like the umbilical cord has been severed…but we shouldn’t dwell on that we can’t address.” Pious actually gave a bit of a smile. He was admiring how well Rihan looked.
“If you don’t mind me saying so Rihan, you look amazingly well given our circumstances.”
“Why thank you Sir. I feel well.”
“You’re not worried about his fate?”
She pondered that for a short moment, then looked up at Pious and with a big smile said “No Sir, I don’t think I am.”
“Well bully for you” said Pious. He took a breath in and straightened his back. “You know I’m sure that fiancé of yours will be leading the charge back here with the Wasp. Yes, then the boot will be on the other foot and we’ll be dishing it out to those snakes.”
Rihan smiled back. It was good to see the Commodore’s buoyant spirit return. And in that moment she realised that it had been because of her presence, her demeanour, her state. “Breakfast, Sir?”
“What an excellent idea. Yes let’s have some breakfast.”
An hour later Art stirred. He looked beside him. Sue was breathing easily, still asleep. It was still pretty dark in their room with just a little light reflecting in from the vent to the larger dorm outside. He could hear movement out there and checked the time. It was 0710.
He knew he had to rise and he had to wake Sue. It seemed cruel to do that but he gently shook her shoulder till she moaned and rolled over onto her side. That wasn’t the desired outcome. So he pulled her raised shoulder back towards him and she rolled back into his arms and embraced him all without waking up. He just laughed quietly to himself and enjoyed her touch.
Eventually he whispered in her ear “Wakey, wakey darling!” Her good eyelid half opened. She recognised the face and then closed her eyelid again. As her conscious brain engaged she became all too aware of the swelling in her other eye. She raised her hand to feel it but Art grabbed her hand and said “No don’t touch it. Come on sleepy head. It’s time to get up and shake that lovely bot of yours.”
She shook her hips as best she could but it was a half-hearted attempt. Art gave her a gentle smack on herbackside. He then squeezed it and rolled out of the bedding. Robbed of her partner she moaned and patted the space next to her. “You haven’t been given permission to leave” she taunted.
He leaned over and kissed her on the head, resisting her attempts to drag him back down. “Come on. We have to go. Duty calls.”
Chapter 13. Pulton 1 0815, 25 May.
“You’re late” said Rihan as Art finally entered the command centre.
“Sorry” said Art.
The Commodore looked up and saw Art. “Looks like you are in excellent spirits too LCmd.”
“Why yes Sir. Thank you” responded Art.
“Excellent. Shall we begin?” said the Commodore. Art took a seat next to Max Milo, the mining chief. They all focussed on the screen that displayed the floor plan for the complex. “As you can see these are the locations of our comms arrays and they all have been put out of action. We have also lost all other outward sensors including radar.”
“We need to consider how we can communicate with friendly forces overhead, even if it’s some form of crude signal. Any ideas?” asked Pious.
“The only physical access points we have to the surface are the three elevator shafts, two at the main and one at the facility entrance” said Max. “There are also the air-conditioning systems which have a number of emergency extraction vents.”
“Are these vents traversable?” asked Pious. “Could a person crawl through them?”
“I believe so, Commodore, but regardless it would mean a 6km climb to the surface” responded Max. He manipulated the console and brought up the schematics for the ai
r conditioning system closest to them. “As you can see the vent zigzags upwards.” He again accessed the tools on the console to display the slope of the vents. “Yes it does look traversable. It’s around a 30 degree slope which is pretty steep. It would take hours to make your way through it in a suit. There is also the question of getting through the baffles.”
“Can’t you just turn them off?” asked Rihan.
“Only by venting air” replied Max and he looked at each in turn to ensure they understood the significance of that.
“So what you are saying” asked Pious “is that we can only consider this option if we don’t mind suffocating ourselves.”
“Depends on how long you need those opened. We can limit it to just one vent and if you don’t need to have them open for long, then we won’t lose that much air” said Max.
“Sir, we could just have them vent for as long as it takes whoever we send on this mission to traverse the baffles. Then they close them off and they have to survive on their suit’s supply plus any extra they take with them” said Art. “They could last for a few hours.”
“But if they actively broadcast the enemy will be able to locate them” said Rihan “so they must remain passive and only respond when our forces arrive. It would be best if they send a short transmission then get back down as fast as they can.”
“So they will need to carry not only a powerful transmitter but also a radar set capable of detecting our ships” said Art. Rihan nodded. “So let me get this right. They need to be suited up, carry extra air, comms and radar equipment not to mention food, water and a generator and they need to be on station for how long?”
“There’s no way the Wasp Group could be here before 0900 tomorrow” said the Commodore “and that assumes they are willing to commit and do so as soon as they arrive on Alpha Phi. They are due at Alpha Phi around 1400. I’d like to get a message out so they know as soon as they arrive that we need rescuing.”
The Awakening: Book 1 of Warner's World Page 35
