by M. R. Forbes
The city spread north along a wide track before ducking back underground where another series of tubes waited to carry inhabitants to other sections. A Nephilim dropship had landed on the far end, and at least three platoons were rushing off, headed their way. Olus had killed the blacksuits as quickly as he could, but someone must have tagged him in their TCU.
“I don’t like that way,” Quark said, noting the dropship. “Shithead, you need to come in on the south side, got it?”
Quark pointed to the south end. It was at most three kilometers long, passing through a crevice that had apartments hanging from both sides of the rock.
“That’s too narrow for a dropship,” Olus said.
Quark laughed. “You’ve never seen Shithead shred.” He reached to his hip and withdrew a sidearm, handing it over. “Take this.”
Olus accepted the weapon. “Thanks.”
“How are you holding up, sweetie?” Quark asked, his mechanical eyes turning to Hayley.
“I’ll survive,” she said.
“Damn right.”
They ran south, trying to keep ahead of the Nephilim soldiers. Olus noticed the bots along the way, most of them sitting in shadowed crags and corners as though they were trying to hide. A pair of Shrikes passed overhead. A handful of drones followed behind, taking shots at them.
“I heard Gamlin was well defended,” Olus said.
Quark shrugged. “Bad day for the good guys, I guess.”
“In there,” Olus said, noticing an open archway into the side of the rock. The group ducked inside, coming to rest out of sight.
“Shithead, seriously,” Quark said. “Any fragging day now.”
“Captain?”
Olus spun around. Sergeant Coxie and three of his squad were already in the tunnel. The fur on his arms was caked with blood.
“Sergeant?” Hayley said. “Are you hurt?”
“It isn’t mine,” Coxie replied.
“What happened?” Olus asked.
“We were on our way back to the shuttle. They targeted the spaceport, dropped a bomb or something right in the center.” His large eyes lowered sadly. “It was a massacre. We barely made it out. We commandeered a transport to look for you but were hit on the way over. I lost Havik and Min.”
“I’m sorry, Sergeant,” Hayley said.
“I’ve got a dropship inbound,” Quark said to them. “You’re welcome to ride with us.”
“Thank you,” Coxie said, pausing for his name.
“Colonel Quark,” Quark replied.
“The Riders?” Coxie said.
Quark smiled. “You’ve heard of us?”
“I have. I didn’t know you were in-system.”
“We are.” He paused, raising his hand to excuse himself. Then he looked back at Olus. “Okay, Captain. We need to haul ass. Drung, Cable, give us some cover.”
The two soldiers in the battlesuits saluted and then moved out into the street. They started shooting right away, jumping laterally to draw the enemy’s fire.
“Due south, as fast as you can bounce,” Quark said.
Olus held out his hand. Hayley took it, letting him pick her up. “We’re going to make it,” he said.
He drew in a sharp breath, pushing the Gift out around him. Then he exploded from the tunnel, out into the street. He risked a single glance north, at the approaching blacksuits and two mechs that had joined them in support.
Where was fragging Planetary Defense anyway? He hadn’t seen any evidence they were involved in this fight at all. Were they loyal to Thraven?
He skipped off the ground in a long, low arc, heading away from the approaching force. Rounds split the air around him, but the Gift shielded them, keeping them safe from the incoming projectiles. He hit the ground and bounced again, moving quickly ahead.
A rumble ahead caught his attention. An older-model dropship tore around the side of one of the crags, spinning neatly and firing. A moment later a smoking Shrike went past, crashing into the top of a building and sending debris tumbling down. Then the dropship cut power in a rough landing that put it right in front of him.
Two soldiers in battlesuits moved out carrying emgees. They hefted them, holding their fire as they waved Olus on board. He nearly reached them when something caught his attention from the incline to his left.
A mass of Goreshin leaped from the cliff, pouncing down toward them.
Olus had just enough time to point, and one of the soldiers had just enough time to adjust, swinging the emgee around and opening up, tearing a half dozen of the Nephilim in half before they could hit the ground.
It wasn’t enough. They landed around the dropship, four of them jumping on the first soldier and pulling him down, another group coming for Olus.
He held Quark’s sidearm, pointing it at the closest Goreshin and pulling the trigger. He didn’t think the small rounds would do much. He was wrong. The bullets weren’t standard. It hit the creature on the forehead and exploded, removing most of the skull. He shifted, fired, shifted, fired. Two more died.
Then Quark was there, bouncing into the side of one of the Children and slamming him so hard he hit the side of the dropship and bounced off, right into the superheated air of the idling thrusters, skin and hair melting away in an instant.
“Nobody invited you assholes,” Quark said, producing a long knife from his suit. Olus noticed the end of it was slick with some kind of oil, and when he cut the Goreshin with it, they didn’t heal.
Who the frag was he?
“Get on board,” Quark shouted. “Now.”
Olus ran, carrying Hayley to the ship and bouncing inside. He put her down. “Wait here.” Then he jumped back out.
He punched a Goreshin in the head, knocking it back, diving away as it pounced on him, rolling and coming to a stop near the downed soldier and his weapon. He brought his knife to hand, using the Gift to throw it out at the oncoming enemy and planting it in the creature’s eye. Then he picked up the emgee, turning back to the street and finding the friendlies in the mess. He made sure to aim around them, sending flechettes ricocheting off the stone street, a line of sparks indicating where the projectiles hit.
Coxie made it to the dropship, bouncing in. So did Drung and Cable. Coxie’s remaining squad was missing. Dead. The Sergeant wouldn’t have left them otherwise.
“Captain, it’s just you and me,” Quark said, getting beside him. “Let’s go.”
Olus nodded, bouncing backward to the open hatch. Quark joined him a moment later, reaching to his suit and picking a grenade from it. He tossed it out toward the enemy, and it detonated in the air, creating an immediate, large smokescreen.
“Get us out of here, Champ,” Quark said, confusing Olus. Hadn’t he been calling the pilot Shithead?
The dropship immediately started to rise. Randomly fired rounds peppered the armored hull, threatening to break through.
“Faster, Shithead,” Quark said.
There were limits to how quickly the dropship could rise. Sharp cracks rang out from the metal frame, and a pair of holes appeared in the side of the craft. One of Coxie’s soldiers cried out, clutching at his neck while blood poured through his fingers.
“Shit,” Quark said. “That has to be a portable battery. Take cover.”
There was nowhere to take cover.
A few more rounds pierced the shell, the bullets somehow missing the occupants.
The attack stopped, almost as suddenly as it had started.
“What the?” Olus said at the silence of the attack.
The dropship swung around, and he looked to the cockpit, trying to get a view out of the front. The street flashed past for only an instant, but it was long enough to see hundreds of bots throwing themselves at the enemy. It was almost surreal to see them hitting the blacksuits with their weight, stopping in front of them, or otherwise interrupting the attack.
“It’s about time,” Quark said, noticing the activity.
The dropship shot away from downtown Dent, turning to the east but not asc
ending.
“Colonel,” Olus said. “Shouldn’t we be getting the frag off the planet?”
“I’d love to, Captain,” Quark said. “But this bus has another stop.”
“What? We barely made it out of there alive.”
“Some of us didn’t,” Coxie said, leaning over his soldier.
“Don’t shoot the messenger, Captain,” Quark said. “I got orders, too. We’re heading to the Layle Estate to pick up a VIP.”
Olus had a feeling he knew who Quark meant. “A real one, this time, or another fragging synth?”
Quark laughed, a little too loud and easy for Olus’ liking. “Damned if I know.”
7
Drones continued to chase the Nephilim Shrikes across the skies, keeping them distracted while the dropship crossed the distance between Dent and the Layle Estate. The compound was clearly under attack, with part of its walls already destroyed and signs of enemy soldiers that had jumped in from above. Fortunately, the terrain made it nearly impossible for a larger dropship to land there, keeping larger numbers of Thraven’s troops from entering.
Olus could see and hear the fighting as they approached. The Estate wasn’t undefended, and soldiers in battlesuits faced off against the blacksuits, who were easily recognized as Converts by the jerky motions of their limbs as they walked directly through lines of fire. Of course, whoever was commanding the assault had saved their most loyal and hearty units for the more difficult branch of the attack.
“Put us down there,” Quark said from up front, pointing to a small debris field on the southeast corner.
“Are you in contact with the Don?” Olus asked.
“I’ve got his beacon on my TCU,” Quark said. “He isn’t responding to verbal, but he’s still alive in there.” He pointed to a locker on the side of the ship. “Open that up and take what you need, Captain.”
Olus retreated to the locker, pulling it open. It was well-stocked with arms, and he pulled out a heavy rifle, turning and holding it out to Hayley.
“I thought you were going to tell me to wait in the ship,” she said as she took it.
“I think you might be safer inside,” he replied, passing her a few magazines. “I wish we had a suit that would fit you.”
Quark came back to them, his eyes passing over Hayley. “We might,” he said. “Karta was full-grown, but she was about your size. You ever wear a combat suit before?”
“I used to try to wear my mom’s,” Hayley said.
“I bet you looked cute as a duckling,” Quark said. He moved to a second locker, grabbing the top of the dropship as it shuddered, absorbing fire from somewhere. He reached out with his free hand to open it, revealing a line of rubbery, armored lightsuits.
He thumbed through it, looking for Karta’s.
“What happened to the soldiers who used to wear those?” Hayley asked.
“Dead,” Quark said. “My business is an ugly business. But you’re Queenie’s girl. You’ll be fine.”
He found the lightsuit, pulling it out and passing it to Olus. “Your chest and hips haven’t developed yet, but it should fit decent, and it’ll give you some impact protection and a bit of added strength.” He made a face. “You’re gonna have to strip here, though. We don’t have a latrine.” He faced away from her and shouted. “Anyone tries to sneak a peak at the kid gets my fist through their nose.”
“Aye, Colonel,” his soldiers said.
Olus turned around, staying close to Hayley to keep her blocked from view while she changed. It was hard to manage with as roughly as the dropship was moving, but it was better than being dead.
“How’s it coming?” Olus asked, looking to the cockpit. The landing zone was approaching in a hurry.
“Almost there,” Hayley said.
“We don’t have time to get you set up on the Tactical Command Network,” Quark said. “That’s okay. Just follow the Captain and you’ll be sharp.”
“Roger,” Hayley said.
The dropship descended suddenly, as though the bottom had fallen out of it. Hayley screeched and grabbed on to Olus’ back, while he reached out for the side of the craft. They swooped down to the surface, the hatch sliding open as they tapped down.
“Let’s go, Riders,” Quark bellowed.
His soldiers led the way, exiting the dropship and rushing toward a hole in the side of the compound’s main building.
“You two next,” Quark said, directing them out.
“Stay behind me,” Olus said, taking the lead. He hopped out of the dropship, quickly scanning the area. The sky was rough with Shrikes, but they were being kept distracted, harassed by the drones.
He felt something against his back, looking over his shoulder to see Hayley stumbling to regain her balance. She used the rifle to catch herself.
“This is harder than it looks, sir,” she said, trying not to overpower her motions.
“Most people get acclimated within a few minutes,” he replied. “Follow me, move naturally. The suit will handle the rest.”
He bounced away, trailing behind Quark’s soldiers. When he landed and turned, he saw Hayley coming toward him, a little too fast. She landed and jerked a few steps before straightening. It didn't help that the suit was a little ill-fitted, as Quark had mentioned it would be.
“Not bad,” he said.
Hayley smiled, taking a few easier steps toward him.
Quark landed beside them, waving with his rifle. “We need to get undercover. Champ’s going to circle and try not to get killed.”
The dropship was lifting off again, rocketing away from the area.
Coxie and his remaining soldier caught up to them, urging them forward. They moved through the hole in the wall, into the corridors of the Amazing Things factory. Olus could hear the gunfire in the distance, Thraven’s units meeting the Don’s resistance.
“I’ve got a link with internal security,” Quark said. “Standby.”
Olus waited while the networked suits were passed the internal team’s tactical data, including target positioning. He couldn’t share in the intel, but at least Quark and his soldiers could guide him.
“Twelve uglies,” Quark said. “Commander is reporting bullets don’t seem to slow them down.”
“Tell him he needs to remove their heads,” Olus said.
Quark nodded. “Already did. This isn’t my first dance with fraggers like these.”
Where had the mercenary encountered Converts before? It was a conversation for another time.
The Colonel took the lead, running through the complex. There were dead guards in the hallways, along with a number of shattered bots, destroyed by the incoming enemy troops.
“Any sign of Gifted?” Olus asked, in part to see if Quark knew what he was talking about.
“Not so far,” Quark replied. “They’re good in bed. Not good for much else.”
Olus raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond, causing Quark to laugh.
They reached a tube, the clear enclosure messy with blood. Olus glanced at Hayley to see how she reacted to it, satisfied to see her face set in cold determination. A platform was waiting for them, and they crowded in, taking it up through solid rock.
“Pallimo’s house is up here,” Quark said. “The tangos are fifty meters in, trying to break through a friendly barricade. Once we get up there, we’ll have them caught in a crossfire.” He took his long knife in his free hand. “You slow them down; I’ll do the cutting.”
“Roger,” Coxie said, replacing the magazine in his rifle.
“Roger,” Hayley said.
Quark paused, looking at her. “Are you sure your aim is good, sweetie? I’d hate to wind up with a round up my ass.”
Hayley laughed. “Whose daughter am I?”
He returned the laugh. “Right. I almost forgot.”
The platform reached the top of the tube, the doors sliding open. Quark led them around the corner, coming up on the back of the Converts.
They were pounding on a closed door with t
he butts of their rifles, leaving dents in the metal but otherwise unable to pierce it. They turned at the sound of the incoming soldiers, their motion rigid as they aimed their weapons.
Hayley, Coxie, and the others started shooting, peppering the Converts with rounds, tearing huge chunks out of limbs and sending blood spraying everywhere. The enemy tried to get their weapons aimed, but the impact of the bullets kept them off balance, leaving them open to Quark’s assault.
He moved in like a tornado, his knife flashing back and forth, leaving deep gashes in between quick grab and pulls that left the Converts without their heads. They fell rapidly, one after another, well-aimed rounds spitting past the mercenary to keep the blacksuits off balance. Olus was impressed with Quark for being so unafraid of friendly fire, especially considering he didn’t know most of the squad he was fighting with. Did he trust them that much, or did he just have no fear of death?
It was another question for another time.
It was over inside of a minute. Quark was left standing in the center of a perimeter of headless corpses, breathing slightly heavily as he bent down to wipe his knife off on one of the Converts. He looked up as he slid the blade against the armor.
“Nice shooting, Miss Cage,” he said.
“Thank you, Colonel,” Hayley replied.
“When you get a little older, look me up. I’ve always got space on the Riders for someone like you.”
“Thank you, sir, but I intend to be a Breaker like my mom.”
Quark made a face. “Organized military isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You might change your mind once you see for yourself.”
He stood and turned to the door, raising his fist to knock on it. He didn’t need to; the tactical link would have already informed the forces on the other side that only friendlies remained.
The door slid aside before he touched it, and he had to stop himself from wrapping directly on Don Pallimo’s head.
“Sir?” Quark said, switching his fist to a salute. “A little close to the action, aren’t we?”
“Also closer to the evacuation,” Pallimo said. He was identical to the synth that had been burned back in Dent, right down to the metal cane. He looked past Quark to where Hayley was standing. “We meet again. Sorry for the deception, but…” He shrugged. “Otherwise, I would be dead right now.” He looked back at Quark. “We have to hurry. Thraven is stepping up his attack, and at some point, they’ll decide they don’t care if they capture any of us alive.”
