I boosted back up the lift shaft to see if I could lend Klutch a helping hand. When I caught up with Klutch, I had to smile because the huge roundhouse punches he was pounding the drone with had it looking more like a crunched beer can than a combat drone. Before me or Coonts could tell Klutch to get clear, Klutch pulled his shotgun and stuck the barrel into the hole where the drones main weapon used to be mounted and pulled the trigger. The resulting back blast sent Klutch careening upwards and the burning hulk of the combat drone crashing down the lift shaft. Coonts and I rapidly converged on Klutch to make sure he was uninjured. While Klutch didn’t act like he had been harmed his multi-million credit suit of armor looked like it had been under a lawnmower. His needle gun was smashed almost flat on his upper arm and the magazine was missing. His beam weapon armor sheath was dented and the decal Justice had put on his armor was ground off in several places. “Klutch if you want to brawl with combat drones instead of shooting them, the price of your damaged equipment is coming out of your paycheck” I accompanied my admonishment with my best earthman smile as we moved towards the destroyed doorway.
I was more than a little worried Drayen might be desperate enough to blow up another section of his precious outpost. I held my fist up to halt my team and I cautiously peeked down the long dark corridor. My HUD went to no light mode, and I saw the additional gifts Drayen had waiting for me. The fool had to know the ceiling mounted auto turrets was little more than an inconvenience than it was a way to stop us. I reached out and yanked loose a large piece of the slagged doorway. As the turrets swung my way, I tossed the piece as far down the hallway as I could. Before it landed on the floor the four turrets in the hallway opened up on full auto. Everything in the hall was being blasted in an attempt to stop the forward momentum of my thrown projectile. I jerked my shotgun up and switched to the explosive penetrator slugs. Squeezing off four rapid fire shots I took out three of the four turrets before the last one turned my way and spit a non-stop stream of large caliber armor piercing slugs out the doorway just above my head. I quickly dropped out of sight. The third turret down the hall was still operational but could no longer turn in my direction due to its rotational servos being blown out. It seemed content to fire into the floor stirring up a huge cloud of dust and debris. When the corridor finally filled with smoke and dust, the far turret ceased firing at me. I still had the turret highlighted in my HUD so I slipped my shotgun over the edge and put the targeting dot on it and gave it a double tap. I was startled by a blast from Coonts shotgun just over my left shoulder and the remaining damaged turret fell silent. We waited for a few minutes to let the dust and smoke clear then cautiously entered the hallway with our weapons up and ready.
I could make out the first of the holding cells coming up on my left side. It would take forever to force our way into each cell to figure out if they were occupied. We needed to find the security command center and search from there. We moved down the cell block and came to a halt when we spotted a large mirror like window at the end of the corridor. There was a large door on the side wall next to the window that looked just like the one we shot to hell in the lift shaft. I was having my doubts whether we would end up destroying something important if we blew the door out. I could feel my patience coming to an end and with it my Oolaran bad manners pushing their way to the front of the line. I guess my fidgety attitude and indecisive actions must have tipped my teammates off as to what I might do next. Coonts threw his arm up and blew a large hole just above the security glass knocking us all on our asses. As I rolled up off the floor, I was going to ask him what the hell but I knew they feared what I might have done instead. Keeping my mouth shut I boosted up through the hole hoping I would meet resistance. I was disappointed when I found no takers. I moved aside as Klutch and then Coonts popped through the hole.
Coonts was one lucky Grawl because his shot did very little damage to the crazy amount of displays and equipment in the command center. His short stature and the angle he chose burnt a significant size hole up through the front wall and the interior ceiling. Other than some random sparks and a small fire, the hole disappeared into the solid rock ceiling. “Coonts see if you can figure out how to use this equipment and search the cellblock for Tria and her father. Klutch and I will make sure the area is secure.” “Affirmative Commander, please use restraint if you decide to blow up the large airlock door behind us, it could possibly depressurize the entire cellblock.” There it was again, my crew fearing I might start running amok at any minute. Justice probably gave them a warning of what was to come if I did not quickly find Tria and her father. He was right. I was struggling to contain my appetite for mayhem. I felt Klutch’s hand on my shoulder and I turned to face him. His face was visible through his helmet and he commed me on our encrypted channel. “Commander we shall find them or we will not leave until we have searched every compartment on this rock!” His words of reassurance helped me gain control of my lust for destruction. Coonts gave an excited shout. “Commander, I have gained access to the system!” The large window I had contemplated destroying split into a windowed monitor. It took Coonts a couple of more minutes then we saw the cells one after another pop up on the screen. The first occupied cell we came to had a Murlak in it and Coonts moved on to the next one. He came across a Grawl then another. We progressed through six more empty cells then my heart skipped a beat when we found a lone Chaalt male lying on the floor of the cell.
Without me saying a word the door to the command center slid open then the cell door where the Chaalt was found opened. “Klutch stay here for security while Coonts keeps searching!” “Yes Commander” I rushed out the door and made my way to the open cell door. The Chaalt male was sitting up and then jumped back with a look of horror on his face when I entered the cell. It had slipped my mind my battle armor presented a less than friendly image. The Chaalt was pushing himself backwards across the floor pinning himself in the corner of the room. “Are you Patriarch Burlor?” The tightly closed eyes of the terrified Chaalt snapped open in shock and surprise. I got a slight positive nod from the still frightened Chaalt. “Where is your daughter?” Another look of shocked surprise and then a slow look of relief and recognition played across his face. I needed to make sure he didn’t say my name or the cat would be out of the bag and Drayen will know I was alive. I knew it would scare the shit out of him but I was desperate to find Tria. Reaching down, I grabbed the Chaalt off of the floor by the front of his clothing and held him up in front of me. “Tell me where she is and say nothing more! Do you understand?” The look of fear returned to his face, and he struggled to push away from me. It was all I could do to not shake him and I felt like I was on the verge of losing control.
I suddenly found both of my crew members with their arms pulling on mine. “COMMANDER! Give him time to answer!” I snapped out of it and gently set the Chaalt down and backed away from him. He retreated back to the corner and looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. I turned and left the cell thinking I wished I had died in the Alaskan wilderness rather than be the crazed killing machine I knew I was capable of being.
Coonts cautiously approached me and put his hands up to me. “Commander it is indeed Patriarch Burlor. He says they took Tria to the med bay to be treated for her injuries. He does not know where the med bay is so I will question the rest of the prisoners to see if they know, come with me Commander, Klutch will take the Patriarch to the command center.” There was something off about the way Coonts was talking to me but I could easily put it down as fear of what I might destroy at any minute. “Commander let’s speak to the Grawl prisoners and find out if they know how to get to the med bay.” Coonts grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall towards the other open cell doors. The Grawl inside the cells made no attempt to escape. We entered the first cell and the Grawl occupant backed into the corner and went prone on the floor. I reached out to snatch him off the floor but Coonts again grabbed my arm and held his hand up. I was coherent one moment and the next I felt l
ike someone else had taken over my body. I stepped back as Coonts made his face visible to the Grawl on the floor. He spoke in hushed soothing tones and the Grawl slowly sat up and they conversed for about a minute which felt like a week to me.
I bit down hard on my rage. He turned and said, “This Grawl does not know where the med bay is but he said there was a scientist in one of the cells that would.” “Tell him if he attempts to leave he will risk his life.” Coonts relayed the message, and the Grawl went prone on the floor again. We moved down to the next cell and Coonts led the way. My diplomacy skills had a lot to be desired, and I stood outside the cell door wanting to bang my head against the wall to try pacifying my need to wreck everything I touched. Coonts surprised me by showing back up in the hall within a couple of minutes. “Commander! The med bay is just across the shuttle hanger from the pressure door in the command center. I collected Klutch and left Coonts with Tria’s father in the control room. Coonts opened the airlock to the shuttle hangar, and I stuck my shotgun through the doorway and used the optical sight to take a quick look around.
I could see three large shuttles and two Grawl transports. It had always been my experience shuttles were never left unattended. They could have crew or maintenance people in them. The fact I could see no one near them was not an indicator there wasn’t someone inside of them. Klutch commed me letting me know he felt the same way. “Commander, there could be several troops inside of those shuttles and we would have them at our backs once we cross the hangar.” “I don’t like it either it would only take a few seconds to drop the ramps and offload a hundred troops.” Before I could suggest a plan of action Klutch snapped off two beam shots through the hold on the nearest shuttle. The shots went through and hit the shuttle sitting on the opposite side. The beams touched off an explosion and a large fire engulfed the first shuttle he had shot at. Suddenly the ramp came down on the first one Klutch had shot and Murlak soldiers started crawling and tumbling out into the spreading flames. I hate surprises like the ambush kind so I threw my arm up and gave the survivors two rounds of high explosives, scattering the bodies of the troops in all directions and blowing the back end off of the shuttle. The Oolaran in me took control and I let loose with my beam weapon on the remaining shuttle. The massive explosion ending any uncertainties we had about it.
In a matter of minutes we transformed the hangar into a junkyard full of smoke and fiery debris. We took off running across the burning inferno when we were within a hundred yards of the med bay door Klutch asked me about the Grawl transports. I did what any Oolaran soldier would do when in doubt. Throwing my arm up I gave each a beam shot turning them into burning wrecks.
I heard a loud voice hail us. “Cease your destruction mercenary you shall have what you seek! The Chaalt female is in a med pod recovering from damage Eiger inflicted upon her. She will recover and you have already dealt with Eiger. I have left twenty billion credits in the med bay to offset the inconvenience of this unfortunate misunderstanding. There will be no more interference from personnel on this outpost. Take the Chaalt and leave.”
The jamming signal stopped. Klutch must have thought I was going to wreck the place, so he backhanded me across the chest hard enough I took two steps backwards. I was going to jump his ass, but he got up in front of me and pulled me down till my helmet contacted his. “Commander we are going to get Tria and her father out of here and WE ARE GOING TO DO IT NOW! I snapped out of it and headed to the med bay door. It opened with no input from me. Klutch grabbed my arm and turned me around. “Commander no matter what condition we find Tria in we will take her and leave. Do you understand Commander!” I could see Klutch’s face, and I had never seen the look he was giving me before. His look of apprehension was unsettling. He turned around and went into the med bay.
I was trying to clear my mind and take control back from the Oolaran monster inside of me. I called to Coonts. “Coonts once we are in the med bay cycle the airlocks and open the hangar doors. He came back immediately with an acknowledgement of my order. Stepping inside I noticed Klutch had thrown a sheet over the med pod he was pushing towards the door. I took a step towards the pod and Klutch yelled at me to stay back he didn’t need my help. I was shaken by the outburst and moved away from the pod. He got it close to the airlock and came around the side of the pod and stood between it and me. “She will be fine Commander. Please let me do this, I will get her safely aboard the Legacy. That’s what you want isn’t it?” I stared at him and couldn’t get my mouth to say anything. Klutch turned away from me pushing the med pod into the airlock. I heard Coonts call Justice for an emergency Evac.
I could hear and feel the rumble of a huge amount of atmosphere blasting out of the hangar as the huge doors opened. Justice was calling to me and I still couldn’t bring myself to say anything. I stood there as if frozen in place staring at the covered med pod. I felt the hangar doors cycling back shut, and I heard Coonts giving Klutch a count down on the pressurization. The airlock behind me beeped and slid open. I again moved in the med pods direction and Klutch yelled at me again to stay back he had this. I was surprised when Coonts came running in and I instinctively threw my weapon up into his face. He pushed it aside and said in a calm voice, “Commander, I have patriarch Burlor onboard the Legacy and Klutch is moving Tria to the med bay, we can evacuate now.” Klutch quickly disappeared through the hatch with the medical pod. Coonts pulled me along and I pushed him away knocking him to the floor. He got to his feet and told me it was time to go. I turned away from him and my voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a grave. “Sentinel 172 control, I need the locations of troop concentrations and priority targets.” Coonts backed away from me and ran to the Legacy. Justice hailed me.
“Commander we have completed our mission here, I am picking up several shuttle drive emanations coming from the direction of Eiger’s disabled battleship.”
I felt like I was in a daze and having a surreal out-of-body experience. I could hear the deadpan voice call out and say “Destroy any ship that tries to escape” I heard the warning siren and felt the doors on the hangar cycle open once more and knew the Legacy and my crew were safely off the outpost. Justice called again.
“Commander, I was only able to stop three of the shuttles the rest have transitioned to hyperspace.”
I suddenly knew with clarity what needed to be done to complete all mission parameters. I felt my arm come up and the beam weapon firing rapid fire shots at the wall on the far side of the hangar. The blinding light and explosive bursts blacked out my HUD. Huge pieces of debris were flying in all directions inside of the wrecked hangar. There was now a huge gaping hole that disappeared into blackness. The ranging device on the weapon was giving me intermittent reading of over two thousand yards. The beam weapon finally quit firing from lack of the necessary power to discharge and went into standby charge mode. I lifted my other arm and selected anti-matter and instantly got a red flashing warning. I centered the target dot on the hole and got a yellow flashing caution. The backpack launcher must have had a mind of its own because I don’t recall triggering the weapon. It fired four full yield anti-matter charges right down the middle of the hole. I was not sure what happened next but came out of my daze with Justice hailing me. I could not move and realized I was covered in large pieces of wreckage and debris.
“Commander the probability of Drayen surviving your attack is below 20 percent. The atmosphere in the outpost can no longer be contained and in approximately twenty two minutes what remains of the outpost will be in vacuum. All life will perish unless they were wearing atmospheric suits before your attack.”
My HUD flashed to a picture of the outside of the outpost and I could see a bright flash then an insanely large section of the outpost vomited out into space in a monstrous volcano like discharge.
“Commander I am detecting large radiation spikes and have determined you have damaged the containment fields and cooling systems of the outpost’s power supply. It will go critical well before th
e atmosphere is reduced to zero. I recommend an immediate evacuation. I am remotely recovering our assault shuttle and it will be aboard in sixty seconds.”
There is nothing like a large dose of reality to get my human instincts back to working. I felt the very strong urge to run for my life but was having a considerable amount of trouble just moving. Apparently when I am in my Oolaran killing mode self-preservation is riding in the far rear of the bus that drives my sanity. I tried pulling my arms back and forth trying to get some wiggle room. I could tell right away that something had one of my legs pinned because I could not move it at all. It was looking more and more like I would die along with Drayen. A sudden calmness came over me and with it the recognition of my impending death. A tremendous blast somewhere close shook me violently. I thought the blast might have had something to do with the outpost power plant getting ready to go critical. I got a warning in my H.U.D. that the atmospheric pressure in the hangar was rapidly falling and then to my surprise I felt the rubble that was covering me start to shift. I pushed up with everything I had. I got warnings on several of the suits exoskeleton servos. The debris shifted a little more. I felt an ominous rumble from deep inside the outpost and the artificial gravity disappeared. I once again pushed up with my arms and sent the large girders and boulders that had me pinned floating away in every direction.
First of my Kind Page 52
