The IX

by Andrew P. Weston

  “Tell me about it. Yet another distraction I could do without.”

  Mohammed sidled closer. Lowering his voice, he said, “Did you make any progress?”

  “Not really,” Saul admitted, letting out an exasperated sigh, “apart from confirming what we already knew. The Caledonians are beside themselves with anger. They had a lot of respect for Decimus, and are furious to think something like this could happen under their noses. Cathal is adamant that he and his warriors all left at the same time. He assures me they stayed together for at least an hour afterward as they checked out the arc of death. The same goes for Diving Hawk and his Sioux braves. Although they returned to their rooms, the time it took them to get to the other side of the city removes them from suspicion. As far as anyone is aware, Decimus was fine, in good health, and in the company of a detachment of his legionnaires when the others departed. So, apart from his own soldiers, no other person was in the vicinity at the time.”

  “And did they see anyone during the course of their patrols?”

  “Not a bloody sausage. I’m back to square one.”

  “Sorry to play devil’s advocate,” Mohammed whispered, moving even closer, “but have you considered Houston? The two did have a very public falling out, after all.”

  “That’s the thing, Mohammed. Because you were busy in here, the security detachment notified me of the death first. We went straight to Houston’s room, thinking we’d catch him with his pants down. Case solved.”

  “And?”

  “You’ve seen the change in him since his accident. We got there, charged in, and found him naked apart from his socks and slippers. He had his hands against the wall, was staring off into space at goodness knows what, and was mumbling about how good it was to be free of constraint. When I asked him what he was blithering on about, it only seemed to make him more confused and upset. He actually crawled under his bed and hid. I seriously doubt he even knows what day it is.”

  The two friends stared at each other as they tried to make sense of the latest conundrum to plague the city they had pledged to defend.

  “Sirs?” Amelia called, breaking the silence. “I think you’ll both want to see this.”

  Turning back to the main monitor, they couldn’t help but gasp.

  *

  If not for the arcs of ruby-colored lightning stabbing their way through the seething mass of the mirage, Mac could have been forgiven for thinking he was looking at a huge distortion caused by the interaction of cool mountain air sweeping over heated tarmac. But he knew better, especially as the ululating cries betrayed exactly what the advancing apparition really was.

  Mac kept the crosshairs of his telescopic sights fixed firmly on the area between the Horatius and Cybele.

  Any second now . . .

  The claymore triggered, and thousands of pieces of shrapnel found their targets. A rippling series of shockwaves tore a widening swathe through the front ranks of the Horde’s charge. The devastation expanded as the trailing spooks simply ploughed into those in front who were desperately trying to scramble out of the way. The carnage intensified, creating a chain reaction of self immolation which defined the features of those creatures along the leading edge in horrific clarity.

  Why are they so keen to risk themselves against the iron? They’re obviously terrified. Surely they can’t be that hungry?

  At last, the combined echo of explosions and screams of outrage reached his ears, creating a grating contrast to the deepening hum of the Promulus’s engines.

  And now . . . ?

  He watched, transfixed, as the swarm continued to pulse forward. The scene within his scope appeared to warp, as if reality had somehow thickened. An area of darkness folded into existence, swelling into a swirling gray void shot through with coruscating bands of silver-blue energy. The grunts closest to the anomaly were yanked into the air and sucked backward into the maelstrom. Seeing their comrades snatched away so easily, the rest of the pack attempted to scatter. The gravity-well condensed, bending the air into a corkscrew vortex that dragged the slowest victims, clawing and screaming, into oblivion. A flare of white light and accompanying thunderclap announced the moment the device winked out of existence.

  Mac blinked in surprise as the forward end of the Horatius crumpled and sagged.

  That was a micro-mine? Damn, but someone’s been working hard.

  The charge had stalled, and the panicked ogres presented an even easier target to the second booby-trap. Detonating moments later, it consumed more than fifty of the Horde before they could react. Within seconds, the wreckage of the Cybele joined the Horatius on the tarmac.

  Mac felt the vibrations running through the superstructure of the Promulus cease. Distracted, he glanced toward the flight deck. “What’s happening? Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, yes,” Danny shot back. “We are now flight ready. We’re just holding off so as to give the Tarion Star time to clear the runway.”

  “Why? Aren’t they prepared for takeoff as well?”

  “Almost. Hiroshi said they’re having a little problem establishing the antigravity field. Something about a glitch between the software that micromeshes the aqua, and tear-space drives. The Tarion Star is fitted with the very latest generation of engines, so it’s taking a little longer than anticipated for the union to initialize. They should be away within two to three minutes.”

  Two more minutes?

  Mac had an idea. Looking back at their hapless enemy, he could see the main body was still milling around in confusion. The smaller band that had issued from the flight pens, however, had just reached the shield wall surrounding the cargo carrier. Each impact created a burst of neon blue brilliance that left a negative image across his vision.

  “Angela, Danny,” he called, “change of plan. Lift off now and take up a position twenty yards south of the Tarion Star. Keep us at the hover. We’ll provide additional cover from the air until they’re ready to go.”

  “Roger, will do.”

  In eerie silence, the Promulus peeled away from the ground. Mac felt no sensation of movement whatsoever, not even when the landing struts folded back into place. On a whim, he reached out toward the enclosing energy mesh.

  A voice said, “It won’t work.”

  Mac turned to find one of the Tec-heads, Jayden Cole, standing right behind him. He’d seen her at a distance on a number of occasions, but never this close. He thought her fiery hair and piercing green eyes were quite breathtaking. “Hmm?” he mumbled.

  Jayden nodded toward the web enclosing the ship. “Trying to push your hand out. We’re cocooned in an inertial dampening field. It allows us to cut through a number of mediums without feeling the effects of resistance, so obviously, an inbuilt safety feature ensures nothing can pierce the bubble.”

  Mac snatched his hand away. “So how am I going to fire out of the port?”

  “That’s why I’m here.” Jayden flashed a winning smile. “Angela sent me down to cut the buffer around the hatchway. As long as we stay on maneuvering thrusters, certain portions of the net can be lowered. The Ardenese used to do it all the time, to exchange passengers and cargo in flight. We can’t have you missing out on your fun now, can we?”

  “Lucky me.” Warming instantly to the confidence exuding from the woman next to him, Mac added, “But you might want to stand back. It’ll get a bit noisy.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Jayden whipped out an AK-48-GMR assault rifle from behind her back, and prepared to fire. She appeared very familiar with her drills.

  Hellooo?

  Noticing Mac’s appraising look, Jayden coolly raised an eyebrow and tapped him on the forehead. Pointing past his shoulder, she drawled, “Shouldn’t you be concentrating on what’s out there?”

  Feeling suitably chastised, Mac turned to survey the scene. His focus immediately reverted to what was outside.

  The Promulus had already reached the Tarion Star. Angela and Danny had maneuvered the liner so they were now hover
ing only seventy feet off the ground, directly above the teeming press of monsters impinging against the temporary shields. Although much smaller than the primary mob, Mac was nevertheless unable to count how many Horde were testing the barriers. Flash after flash blasted out as the brutes expended themselves in a hopeless gesture.

  Yeah, but for how long? “Tara, Hiroshi, this is Alpha,” he snapped. “Get the problem sorted. We don’t know the full capability of the portable emitters yet, and now is not a good time to find out.”

  “We’re going as fast as we can, Mac,” Hiroshi called back. “We can’t push it in case we cause an ignition stall.”

  “How long?”

  “At least several minutes. Sorry, the schematics were slightly different to those we’d been given, and we choked the injectors on our initial attempt.”

  Jesus Christ! “Stu? Fonzy? Are you listening?”

  “Yes, yes, Boss,” Stu replied. “Don’t worry about us. I’ve got two fire-teams in each starboard side hatchway. As soon as the curtain drops, the claymore will take out our nearest visitors, and we’ll drill the rest. It’ll be a high pucker-factor moment, but we should be okay.”

  “Copy that. Follow the plan. We’ll thin their ranks from the air while the main body is still trying to get their shit together. Alpha, out.”

  Mac stopped to ensure he was secured to the hatchway with a safety line. Jayden did the same. The ship pivoted around to gain a better firing solution.

  Right, here we go. “Sam? Are you ready at the rear doors?”

  “Affirmative. Scott and I are clipped on and awaiting your orders.”

  “Okay, link your HUD to mine. This is your arc . . . .” Mac highlighted the field of fire to his colleague. “Jayden and I will take the rest.”

  “Wilco.”

  “Promulus fire-team. Stand-by, stand-by. You have your targets. Don’t waste ammo. I want short, sharp bursts. Be clean and efficient, and wait for each chain reaction to subside before you shoot again. We’ll start on those grunts about five yards out from the barrier. On my mark . . .” He brought his weapon to the shoulder. “Fire!”

  A devastating first volley hammered down. Lurid bursts of flame-red and tangerine-orange intensity engulfed the roiling mass below them. As the concussions caught and spread among the crush, a narrow avenue appeared through the Horde ranks. A brief lull ensued as the crew paused to view the results of their opening gambit. Then the sound of gunfire resumed, becoming more sporadic as each individual took their time in selecting their next victim.

  Empty casings tinkled to the floor. The glass ones smashed, but others chimed and bounced out of the doorway. Mac stared in wonder as the brutes directly below him imploded in agony.

  Of course! Some of these empty shells are the old steel ones. They’re a weapon in themselves, especially when they fall on our friends from above.

  The Tarion Star’s engines steadily ramped up in power, sending a pressure wave radiating into the throng. A sense of urgency seemed to grip the ogres closest to the ship. Concentrating on two areas along the curtain, the Horde drove forward, again and again. The barrier at those locations flushed dull vermilion.

  Mac accepted the inevitable. It’s going to give. “Hiroshi, how long?”

  “We still need a few minutes.”

  The shields bruised even darker, and a spattering of amber sparks flared along the length of the wall.

  Too long. “Stu, Fonzy, prepare your teams. Any second now.”

  “Mac,” Jayden said, “what’s that over there?”

  Mac didn’t hear her as he yelled, “All gun teams revert to full automatic fire. Empty everything you’ve got into them. Keep the Tarion Star free of infestation.”

  “Mac!” Jayden yelled, over the deafening burst of gunfire. Slapping him hard on the back, she pointed. “I said there’s something over there. What is it?”

  Scanning the no-man’s-land between their own vessels and those lying wrecked behind the larger congregation of monsters, Mac couldn’t see what Jayden was getting at. The leading members of the greater host were jostling one another and preparing to charge. Individual essences became more and more defined as emotions ran high. Then a huge roar blasted out and the forward ranks broke free. Resuming their mad dash, they quickly covered the remaining distance.

  “No!” Jayden screamed. Grabbing Mac’s head between her hands, she twisted his neck. “Not there. There!”

  A strange distortion halfway between the two groups caught his eye. Looking like a gray glass helix, it hung silently in the air, slowly rotating in on itself. A twang of déjà vu just had time to pluck at the back of his mind before a familiar flash of light peeled the vortex open. Two huge entities sheathed in crimson and sapphire radiance stepped out of the portal. The scarlet and golden flames dancing around their heads were sharply defined and radiated overwhelming amounts of energy.

  As soon as their feet touched the ground, the Horde Masters separated. The smaller one made its way toward the approaching storm; the other Boss turned and flowed across the ground at surprising speed toward the Promulus and Tarion Star.

  What now?

  Mac jumped as a sizzling discharge vaporized the shield emitters. Tearing his gaze back to the scene before him, he watched the tail end of the explosion decimate the beasts closest to the barrier. Before the ogres had time to recover, the claymore detonated, punching a hole clean through their ranks.

  An earsplitting volley of death rang out from the ships, only to be answered by an even more deafening reply from the surviving Horde members.

  Mac’s eyes danced back and forth as he tried to calculate the speed of the approaching mob. There are too many of them. Even if this smaller crowd delays the Tarion Star by seconds, the deluge will be—

  A thunderous declaration interrupted his line of thought.

  Stunned, Mac watched as the entire host responded to the command, and ground to an unwilling halt. Wails of protest broke out. Some individuals within the packs couldn’t control themselves and stomped forward once more.

  The Masters reacted instantly. Clapping their hands together, each created a concentrated nucleus of power. Molding these to suit their purpose, they clenched their fists and made a clawing motion in the air. Those fiends that had acted defiantly were shredded on the spot, their essences subsumed by their executioners.

  All firing stopped.

  An eerie hush ensued.

  Guttural barks sounded throughout the Horde ranks. Slowly but surely the two groups merged together to surround the Tarion Star.

  This is not good. “Hiroshi? What in God’s name are you doing? Taking a nap?”

  “We’re just about to reboot the antigrav unit. Any second now.”

  We don’t have a second.

  The larger of the two Bosses walked toward the remains of the shield wall. Mac felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. Is this the same one?

  A report pealed forth, loud in the silence.

  Almost instantly, an area not two feet in front of the Master sparked brightly as the bullet rebounded off an invisible barrier. The ogre reacted instinctively. Flowing to one side, it dropped its posture, raised its hands, and prepared to slap its talons together again.

  Another flurry of shots rang out. A swarm of angry flecks danced in the ether as further ricochets skittered through the air.

  Amazingly, the Controller interrupted its gesture at the last second, and just stood there waiting, a ball of condensed fury glowing between its palms.

  As abruptly as it started, the fusillade ended.

  Then, with infinite care, the Horde Master did something extraordinary. It extended its arms to both sides and allowed the potency of its counterstrike to drain away.

  “Hold your fire!” Mac bellowed.

  He watched, astonished, as the beast made a gesture. The obedient mob reacted immediately. As one, they raised their claws in what looked like a cautionary gesture and cried out. Their voices melded together with a plaintive quality that
made the humans lower their guns and look about in confusion.

  Mac glanced at his comrades. “Are you recording this, guys?”

  “Er, that’s a yes, Boss,” Stu replied. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Damned if I . . . hang on, something’s happening.”

  Holding its hands out in a non-threatening manner, the lead Controller gradually manifested its entire essence and made itself clearly visible to the naked eye. Soon, twelve feet of barely restrained power flexed and glimmered in the sunlight before them.

  Its bulk was overwhelming, matched only by the might radiating through every fiber of its being. Ruby-red eyes glowered out from massive overhanging brows. The surface texture of its substance appeared almost fluidic, as if its nature were in a constant state of flux between scintillating light and deep shadow.

  Huge fangs scythed down from a cruel face, and massive paws stretched and clenched repeatedly, as if it were fighting to exert control over its burning ferocity.

  Now the crown was fully revealed; a nimbus of silver light in evidence around each of the flames dancing around the ogre’s head. The argent radiance overflowed the coronet and cascaded down through the remainder of the Master’s aura, infusing the rest of its matrix with majestic overtones that conveyed a sense of regal authority.

  This one wants us to know it’s in charge.

  The entity walked slowly forward until it could almost reach out and touch the side of the ship. Mesmerized, everyone stared.

  “Mac, Mac!” Hiroshi’s voice was frantic. “We’re just about to take off. Cover us.”

  “Will do,” he replied. “Take it nice and easy. Everyone stay calm.”

  The engine pitch faded to nothing as the hyper drives meshed at last.

  The Controller seemed to sense the change. Throwing back its head, it added its own voice to the chorus, creating a deeper counterpoint among the resonant backdrop. Then it stepped up and placed its hand gently onto the sill of the Tarion Star’s forward hatch.

  The energies skittering through the cargo vessel began to ground out. The Boss shook its head from side to side in warning.