Mechs vs. Dinosaurs (Argonauts Book 8)

by Isaac Hooke

  “I suppressed the news of this discovery by silencing all of those involved. I realized, based upon what I knew of the ancient Elder, that they must have come to Earth with the intention of studying the dinosaurs, perhaps seeking to preserve some specimens before the extinction event. I used advanced radiometric dating to gauge the age of the Elder transport craft, and used that information to inform my first trips back through time.”

  “First trips?” Rade said. “How many trips have you made since taking the Time Selector from us?”

  “I have made nine trips back in time, including the current one where you ambushed me the moment I arrived,” Zhidao said. “I used the first six to confirm the exact date of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. The seventh trip, I traveled back to five years before the current time, to explore the Elder vessel. Yes, they have been here for at least five years. I suppose it isn’t easy to load all those countless dinosaur species aboard a starship.”

  “Nine trips?” Rade said. “But you were only a few minutes ahead of us.”

  “Time travel is instantaneous, as far as the present is concerned,” Zhidao said. “Each trip took less than a microsecond in the present. I was able to reset the Selector and engage in my nine trips under a span of two minutes.”

  “Flanking teams are in place,” Tahoe sent over the comm.

  Rade glanced at his overhead map. The blue dots of the two teams Tahoe had dispatched were hidden on either side of the three arches that sheltered the robots.

  “Hold,” Rade told his friend. Then he reactivated his external speakers to address Zhidao: “Where did you find an Acceptor compatible with the Time Selector?”

  “Our hive had a time-travel capable Acceptor in its possession,” Zhidao said. “I had it transported off the mothership before humanity destroyed the vessel, along with an ordinary Acceptor, and hid them in a storage facility on a Sino-Korean colony. I couldn’t use them, of course... I needed an appropriate Time Selector. The years passed, and I waited patiently for something—anything—to turn up. And then, fifteen years later, imagine my delight when I infiltrated the base of the Green who calls herself Surus, and discovered she had a Time Selector in her possession. I placed the ordinary Acceptor on Earth, near the dig in Texas where the Elder fossil was discovered. I hired mercenaries to transport the time-travel capable Acceptor, instructing them to track your vessel until I ordered them to engage. Finally, I arranged transportation on your starship itself, and the rest, as they say, is history.”

  “When you got here,” Rade said, “how did you defeat the defenses the Elder had in place throughout their ship?”

  “So many questions!” Zhidao replied. “The short answer is, they didn’t have any defenses, at least not at first. During my seventh trip, to five years before now, I spent two years hidden among the Elder, learning their systems, and familiarizing myself with their technology as much as I was able. In that visit, I discovered the Elder had none of the protective measures they had developed in later ages to prevent a Phant from assuming control of their vessel. Imagine my delight.

  “My eighth trip was another exploratory mission, to two years ago. But while investigating the Elder vessel to confirm that all of the fail safes I had incorporated remained undetected, I became aware that the Elder were in the process of installing sensors capable of sensing my presence. I surmised that you must have managed to warn them. I went about disabling those sensors before the Elder finished them, using everything I had learned about these aliens from my previous visit, and I set up a spoofing system. I also made a hole in the shielding they were developing to protect their equivalent of your AI core, and I programmed said core to conceal that vulnerability.”

  “Tell me how you’re going to stop the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event?” Rade said. “And prevent the dinosaurs from dying out?”

  “Ahh,” Zhidao said. “Well that, my old friend, is something you will simply have to wait and see. I can’t reveal all my deceits. Rest assured, you won’t have long to wait. I’ll give you a hint: it involves using the Elder ship to destroy the asteroid that created the Chicxulub impact crater. Oops! I’ve just revealed it. I can’t help but gloat, I suppose. I wanted you to know who bested you; who destroyed humankind. But most of all, I wanted to stall you. Because you see, while we’ve been talking, the ship has been closing with that very same asteroid. I’m charging the ship’s weapon systems as we speak. Once I’ve destroyed it, the dinosaurs will never die out. And humanity will never come into existence.”

  “The Elder won’t let you do this,” Rade said.

  “But they will,” Zhidao said. “For you see, the Elder have lost all control of their ship.”

  Rade glanced at Harlequin, who yet perched on the mech beside him. “Ask Bright One. Confirm this.”

  Text appeared above Bright One’s craft. It’s true. We’ve lost control of the nexus, and hence our ship. We still have read-only access to several of our external sensing components. The entity is indeed heading toward the asteroid, and our weapons are charging.

  “Enjoy staying here in the past for the rest of your days, short as they will be,” Zhidao said.

  “Even if you succeed, the Elder will help us fix this,” Rade said.

  “They won’t,” Zhidao said. “If you think the Elder will help you populate the planet with humans, you are sadly mistaken. They have a strict non-interference policy with the worlds they visit. They’ll never allow you to populate the Earth, not even with clones. The very fact that you are here, trying to stop me, proves that. The dinosaurs will rule the Earth for the next sixty-five million years. Perhaps they will evolve into a space faring Tech Class III race. Perhaps not. I suppose I will find out when I return. Either way, the Phants will arrive shortly thereafter and kill them all.”

  “And what if they end up becoming Tech Class V?” Rade asked. “A race to contend with?”

  “We have beaten Tech Class Vs,” Zhidao said. “So that does not worry me. Besides, such a small percentage of races ever reach that technological level. It requires a favorable allocation of resources, galactic positioning, and time. Given the location of Earth, and the fact that the dinosaurs only have sixty-five million years to mature to Tech Class V, the odds are infinitesimal.”

  The insectile robot began retreating toward cover. “Farewell, Rade Galaal. We will not meet again. If my robots don’t destroy you, the Elder crew will. I’ve arranged it so that you look like the guilty party in regards to the loss of the nexus. Consider it a last, sweet parting gift. Humanity should have accepted the offer of surrender while they had the chance in the First Alien War. Now, your species will never even exist.”

  sixteen

  Rade centered the targeting reticle of his rifle over the retreating robot Zhidao used as his puppet. He aimed at the head.

  “Flanking teams, open fire,” Rade ordered.

  Rade squeezed the trigger and Zhidao’s robot collapsed.

  The other Argonauts attacked from their outflanking positions, and after ten minutes the team had eliminated them all.

  “Harlequin, tell Bright One he has to lead us to the AI core,” Rade said.

  The reply came instantaneously. This way.

  The tentacled transport craft cut rapidly between the arches, heading toward the bulkhead on the far side. The Argonauts formed a protective escort around the vehicle.

  “So much for all the sensors Bright One put in place to detect the Phant,” Tahoe said. “Harlequin, ask him if Surus told him Zhidao would sneak aboard undetected anyway.”

  She warned me this would happen, yes, but I saw no evidence of any tampering. I ran the simulated tests regularly, and they seemed to be working perfectly. I even installed new detectors every few of your weeks. I realize now none of my hard work mattered. If Zhidao was able to affect change in the nexus itself, as he claims, there would be nothing I could do. Perhaps not any of us. I realize that now. The nexus runs this ship, and our lives. If it was compromised...

>   “Convenient of you to realize that now,” Fret said. “Surus, when you go back, you really have to warn him to keep an eye on the nexus next time.”

  “I’ll do my best,” Surus said.

  More robots intercepted them, pinning down the team until dealt with. The Argonauts were caught in the open once, and Bright One dropped his vessel to the deck, allowing the Hoplite shields to protect him.

  Elder transport pods also joined in the fray, as Zhidao predicted. Those particular tangos fired lasers that protruded from the gunship-like turrets on either side of their pods. The key in those situations was to fire at a spot just underneath the cockpit, which Bright One had revealed harbored the local equivalent of an AI core. A hit there would bring the pod crashing down. Also, the Argonauts used to their advantage the fact that the insectile robots and transport pods engaged one another whenever they made contact: the men would sometimes lead the two disparate groups of enemies together so that they would fight, and then either pick off the enemies while they were distracted, or go around them.

  Rade remained in the passenger seat of Electron for the duration of the fighting, keeping his rifle aimed through the top notch in the shield. The ballistic metals were rapidly being eaten away by the enemy attacks, so that across the team, shield integrity had fallen to a low of twenty percent.

  During a lull in the fighting, Rade, growing frustrated by the frequency of the attacks, said: “Harlequin, get Bright One to talk to the crew. He has to convince them we haven’t caused this. He has to tell them we’re trying to stop the Phant.”

  Text appeared above the transport craft. I have already tried. Apparently, as I worked closely with Surus when she was last here, my word holds little credence with the rest of the crew. They have branded me a traitor and collaborator.

  Eventually, the team fought their way to the destination bulkhead past the buildings. By then the fighting had ceased, but the Argonauts still assumed a defensive half-circle around Bright One while his craft approached the shimmering wall. Half the Argonauts in that half-circle aimed their weapons outward, while the other half targeted the bulkhead itself.

  “Harlequin, tell him to be careful,” Rade said. “In case an ambush awaits on the other side.”

  Harlequin relayed the appropriate text.

  The tentacles of the Elder craft extended, and when they touched the surface, the metal limbs unexpectedly rebounded.

  Text appeared above the airborne vehicle: The membrane will not let me pass.

  “I can help,” Surus sent over the comm. She huddled with Harlequin and the Elder. Rade watched their exchange, and Bright One seemed to be describing the inner workings of a hidden panel next to the door.

  The team was attacked by more Elder, these ones emerging from the shimmering wall itself, and the Argonauts were forced to retreat to a nearby arch. While the two sides fought, Surus emerged from her host, Ms. Bounty, in liquid form, and flowed across the floor toward the bulkhead.

  The opposing transport craft had taken cover behind the fallen vehicles of their comrades. They fired at Surus as she approached, but the lasers caused no damage to the Phant of course. She reached the bulkhead and seeped inside, ostensibly into the hidden panel.

  Rade and the others defeated the last of the tangos as Surus re-emerged.

  “Forward!” Rade ordered.

  The team dashed from cover and met Surus along the way. She promptly flowed into the jumpsuit of Ms. Bounty.

  “We should be able to pass through,” Surus said after returning to her host. “I followed Bright One’s instructions to the letter.”

  Bright One approached the entrance and once more the team assumed defensive positions.

  He extended the tentacles of his craft toward the shimmering bulkhead. This time, instead of bouncing away, the metal limbs passed through.

  Holographic text appeared above the craft. It is clear on the other side.

  “Let’s move!” Rade said.

  The team rushed forward, three of them entering the shimmering portion at the same time as Bright One. Rade was among that vanguard.

  His mech stood in a long silver tunnel. Blue streaks of light ran along the overhead and both bulkheads. Those lights pulsed at repeated intervals, giving the illusion the blue streaks were accelerating to infinity in the distance.

  The rest of the team emerged into the passageway behind, and the Hoplites quickly formed a protective envelope around the Elder craft.

  This is a gravity elevator, Bright One announced. It will take us directly to the nexus.

  The silver tunnel became a blur around Rade as the world accelerated. His stomach got that queasy sensation of zero G, and he realized the feet of his Hoplite, and the others, had hovered off of the deck. He himself began to float upward in the mech’s passenger seat, and quickly secured himself with the straps.

  “Whoa, is it just me, or are we moving really really fast?” Manic said.

  The tunnel seemed to jerk away to the left or right, or up and down, every now and again, and Rade had the sensation of traveling through a labyrinth full of right-angle turns at extremely high speeds.

  “It’s not you,” Bender said. “This is great.”

  The blurry motion of the walls and the rapid turns continued unabated, so that soon the novelty wore off. At least for Rade.

  “Keep watch for tangos,” Rade said. “Both ahead and behind.”

  Aiming in the forward direction, Rade scanned the blurry passageway through the scope of his rifle, but saw nothing out there; glancing at his companions, he noticed half the Argonauts were observing in the same direction as him, while the remainder directed their rifles toward the rear.

  Have to love a well-oiled team.

  He returned his attention to his scope.

  “Do you really think we’ll make it in time?” Fret asked.

  “We’ll make it,” Rade said.

  As the moments ticked past and the passageways continued to flow ceaselessly around them, Rade was beginning to realize just how big the ship was. Indeed, it was proving immense, especially if they were moving as fast as he thought they were.

  “I’d almost give up pussy to ride this everyday,” Bender said as the wild ride continued. “Or chicken chips.”

  “Pussy I can see,” Manic said. “But chicken chips? Come on, no way. That’s entirely unlike you.”

  “You’re right,” Bender said. “I can go without pussy, but not chicken. Harley boy, when this is done, you and I are going Rex hunting.”

  “What does that have to do with chicken?” Harlequin asked.

  “They’re the distant ancestors of chickens, remember?” Bender said. “For an AI, you sure are dense. Like, moron level dense. Meet Harlequin, boys and girls, the AI designed by a two-year old.”

  “If you’re going Rex hunting, at least make it a challenge,” Fret said. “Abandon the Hoplite. Go in your jumpsuit.”

  “I’ll one up you on your challenge,” Bender said. “I’ll go hunting in my birthday suit.”

  “Hey Manic, this is great,” Fret said. “It sounds like Bender is actually going to take us up on this challenge. We won’t have to worry about him and his foul, cussing mouth anymore! Soon, his chewed up body will be inside a T-Rex’s stomach, busy being digested!”

  “Ha!” Bender said. “Like anyone cares whether I swear!”

  “You do have to cut him some slack,” Manic said. “Bender’s pretty mellow compared to four years ago. It used to be all you’d hear from him was bitch bitch bitch pussy pussy pussy. Now it’s more like blah blah blah bitch blah blah blah pussy. He must be trying to behave himself in front of the kids. Except, there are no kids around—present company excluded. So I’m not sure why he’s mellowed out. But I admit, it’ll be nice to see him go out in style. That’s certainly a warriors death, facing a T-Rex in one’s birthday suit. I’ll light a candle in your memory or something bro.”

  “Never happen, bitch,” Bender said. “I could kill a T-Rex with my bare hands
if I wanted to.”

  “You won’t have to,” TJ said. “As soon as the T-Rex sees the size of your schlong, it’s going to head for the hills in fright.”

  “Damn right,” Bender said. “Someone who understands the power I’m packing between my legs.”

  “Assuming the smell doesn’t kill the T-Rex first,” Fret quipped.

  “You know, there’s something I’ve been wondering,” Manic said as the grav elevator continued to transport them through the twisting corridor. “Even if Zhidao succeeds in destroying the asteroid, I thought the universe absorbs changes? Like pebbles thrown into a river, as Surus told us.”

  “Yes, but you forget the key waypoints I mentioned,” Surus said. “The asteroid impact is one of these. An event so huge, that changing it is the equivalent of sending down a rockslide to dam the river and redirect the flow of time.”

  “Tangos ahead!” Lui announced.

  seventeen

  Rade had spotted them the same time Lui made the announcement: three Elder transport pods were floating in the tunnel toward them, about five hundred meters distant. The corridor abruptly swerved to the left, and then moved upward, before switching to the forward direction again.

  The three tangos were still there, slightly closer, obviously on an intercept course. Why they were moving toward Rade and the others at such a slow speed, he wasn’t sure; he had the impression the enemy group was traveling in the same direction, and along the same path, as the Argonauts, though at a slightly slower speed. That was the only explanation. And it made some sense, since otherwise if the group was headed in the opposite direction, they would have passed by in a microsecond, perhaps smashing into the team and obliterating themselves and the Hoplites. Built-in safeties that were part of the grav elevator would have likely prevented such a scenario.

  “Can we use our jumpjets?” Rade asked.

  Bender’s mech, Juggernaut, jetted to the side while the tunnel continued to move past in a blur around them.