“I was once told it had something to do with people who reclaimed carbon from furnaces, but someone else told me it had to do with the common element in all life. To tell you the truth, I don’t think anyone really knows. It runs so far back in time that whoever knew is long gone. I don’t see how it makes a difference, though. The mission is the same, no matter what you want to call us.” Her hand darted out, and pressed down on Theo’s knee to stop him from shaking his leg and tapping his foot. Cierra liked to have the pre-mission time to meditate and calm her mind. Theo’s leg jiggling was making that nearly impossible.
Once the orbital lift was in place, everyone was secured into couches. Their straps held them firmly in place. No one was allowed to be unrestrained during a portal jump. Folding space did strange things to people’s minds, so most crewmembers were on sedatives. The internal guidance system would make the jump. It would lock in on the best point of exit, and pull them the rest of the way through the portal. Humans or any other sentient lifeforms weren’t involved, unless it was an emergency.
Theo woke to the unbuckling of harness straps, as the trip through the universe ended. Once again, the Heidelberg reactors had pulled them across the void. He didn’t understand how they worked exactly—he had made the mistake of mentioning that to Hubard once, and had to sit through what felt like hours of scientific lectures on the subject. After that, he decided that he didn’t really need to know the specifics of something unless it directly affected him.
“Coming up on Turtiez’s orbit,” the intercom system boomed through the passenger compartment. Theo floated over to his locker, and pulled out the backpack he’d packed under Cierra’s supervision. The lift was scheduled to land in an hour, after the separation from the cargo ship.
“So, it’s on Turtiez,” Theo said, as he assembled with the others in a breakroom they had commandeered for a last-minute briefing. “I wondered where they’d send us.”
Makram sat at the head of the table, with Cierra at his side. “Let’s get something straight. I didn’t want to lead this team. They stuck me with the job. That said, I plan to see it carried out with precision. Screw up, and I’ll have no qualms about leaving you behind to those Yasta crazies. Don’t even think about firing until I tell you, and the same goes for the cease-fire. Once I give the order to shoot, it stays in effect until you hear me yell ‘hold’. The only exception is if you’re taken out, or if the same happens to me.” He has already changed into the imitation Yasta robes.
Theo looked around sheepishly. He whispered into Cierra’s ear. “Were we supposed to change already?”
“Shh!” She batted him away, and glared at him.
Makram continued talking over them. “We’ll be on the surface soon enough. The festival down there that kept the target monastery busy was over two days ago. We don’t think they suspect anything. Our most vulnerable moment will be from orbit to landing. If they manage to take us out, we’ll all be charred chunks in a few seconds. Fortunately, for us, we have Hubard monitoring things for the drop, so I don’t have to worry. Right Hubard?”
The old engineer, who made a better monk than the rest in his robes, nodded sheepishly. “Right.” Something about his reaction made Theo suspect that things had not gone to plan at least once before. It did nothing to calm his pre-mission jitters.
“Good. We land this ship, assemble outside, and make our way to the Monastery of Hilarion. Once we’re close, we’ll link up with Hojae, who’s supposed to be down there waiting for us. I say ‘supposed to’ because we’ve had no word from him in the last forty-eight hours. Anything could have happened in that time. We won’t know, until we reach the point where he was scheduled to rendezvous with us. This is why we’ll proceed with extreme caution. But, everyone to their seats. We need to be strapped back in and ready.” The group left the briefing room, and returned to their acceleration chairs.
Theo looked around, trying to find a place to change his clothes. “I’ll just—”
“Rookie, get to your seat!” Makram barked at him.
Theo hurried back to his seat. He looked around with wide eyes. Everyone else was strapped in. A timer was counting down to show how long they had before landing. “Oh, screw it.” Theo reached in his bag and grabbed his robes. He stripped to his underwear, and began tugging the disguise over his head.
“Two minutes ‘till landing,” Makram called out to the others. They gripped the armrests on the chairs. Makram continued to focus on the screen in front of him.
“Better hurry.” Cierra giggled, as she watched Theo struggle.
“Shut up.” Theo growled at her. He jammed his head through the opening at the top of the robes, and pulled his arms through the correct slots. He quickly buckled himself in place next to Cierra, stashed the rest of his kit under his seat, and looked up at her with a smug look on his face.
Other than a few bumps, they didn’t have any trouble during the final drop. Theo stayed put, and watched Makram across from him. Makram had the only screen in the passenger area, and kept it to himself. Theo could tell from his expression he was worried a few times during the final approach, but his face changed to calm after each encounter. The avionics inside the orbital lift kept the ground forces on Turtiez confused enough. Suddenly, there was a jarring thump. Theo could tell by the satisfied look on Makram’s face they were on the surface.
Makram swung the screen away and unsnapped his harness, as the others followed him. “Everybody outside. Grab your gear, and let’s move. Hubard will greet us once we get on the ground.”
Theo pulled his backpack out from under his seat. He made certain to strap the lasana blade in its scabbard under his robes. The holster for his laser was opposite the sword. He’d doubled checked to make sure the battery was at full power. Everything was ready.
Hubard was already outside the lift when the remainder of the team filed out. He wore the same Yasta robes as the rest of them. The older man stood in the swampy grassland where they’d landed. He looked up at the sky.
“Not exactly where we were supposed to come down, but it’s closer to our objective.” He walked along the side of the lift. With his hand, he checked it for any leaks or hull breaches.
“How close are we?” Makram frowned in concern. “And what do you mean by ‘not exactly’.”
Hubard repositioned his spectacles. “We were intercepted by some kind of surface-to-air projectile, the moment we came through the ionosphere. It was headed in our direction. I had to pull a few old tricks to force it back in the direction it came from. Hope it wasn’t packing anything atomic, because I’m sure it made a big bang when it returned. They were ready for us. Dammit, I warned the Council! They wouldn’t listen to me.” He turned, and swore at some nearby trees.
Hubard sighed and continued speaking. “Like I said, the missile was sent back from whence it came. I had to move our landing site away. If they knew where we made entry to the atmosphere, it follows they had some knowledge of where we intended to land. So, I found a better location, about fifty miles closer than the first.”
“How far are we from that monastery?” Cherish was adjusting her mental calculations.
“We’re only twelve miles away.”
There was a brief moment of silence from the team. Makram came back from cursing at the local flora. “We’re a lot closer than planned. This changes everything. I’ll have to move the time frame up quite a bit.”
“Hojae is supposed to meet us tomorrow. How close are we to the rendezvous point?” Cierra readjusted her pack on her shoulder.
Hubard glanced at a map he was holding. “We’re about a mile away. You might want to go over now, and see if he’s already there.”
“Good idea,” Makram agreed. “We’ll have to be careful. The place might be under watch. In fact, I assume it is, since they shot at us on the way down.”
Hubard tapped his chin thoughtfully. “There’s no reason for Kurga, Rix, and myself to travel with you to the monastery. Irane can stay here too. We ca
n have the lift in the air the moment you return. Each of us has a gun, so we should have all the protection we need.”
Makram hesitated a minute. “Yeah, sounds like a better option. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be able to get off the surface faster.” Hubard and the others filed back into the lift. Makram was left with Theo, Cherish, and Cierra. “Let’s move. I just hope Hojae’s at the meetup point, and not in a cell.
Three
Later in the afternoon, they reached the small clearing in the woods. It appeared deserted. They were at the outskirts of the monastery. It was unlikely that any of the Yasta brothers would be out this far unless they were planning an ambush. Makram wanted to ensure the team wouldn’t meet any of the locals. People who might ask the wrong questions were a constant source of fear for him. He kept the team on a trajectory toward the monastery, and had them skirt any groups of pilgrims that were still milling around.
Hojae’s meet-up point was supposed to be in the clearing in the woods, due south of the monastery. In the original plan, he would be waiting for them in Yasta robes outside a small campsite. This wooded area was owned by the local government. They maintained it as a retreat for anyone who wanted some peace on their way to the monastery during the festival. Originally, Makram planned to approach the campsite with the entire team. They would act as any other group of Yasta monastics. That was before they were fired at upon entry.
Now, with the enemy tipped off, it would be considerably harder. He didn’t want to risk the entire team. Instead, he wanted to scout the area, to see if there were any sentries waiting for them. If there were, they’d abandon the camping area, and return to the orbital lift. The mission would be comprised, the Carbonari leadership would have to think of another plan, but his team would be safe. Luckily, a quick swing through the wooded area around the campground showed no sentries. They continued to the campsite, and found the clearing devoid of any campers, save one.
Makram was still leery of the situation. “The rest of you stay in the forest and wait. I’m going in to see if that’s Hojae’s tent by the camp fire. If it is, you can join me. If someone tries to capture or take me out, get back to the lift as fast as you can run. I’ll hold them back as long as I can.” He stood behind the tree line and looked through it.
“Do you want me to go in instead? I’ve got better weapons built into me than you carry. Besides, that’s Hojae’s profile inside the tent.” Cherish offered to take his place.
Makram blinked at her in surprise. “You can see inside the tent?”
“Not exactly. I pick up body heat signatures, and his Josti image is unlike any other I would expect to find on this world.”
“Remind me to keep that talent in mind.” He was slightly impressed with her new upgrades. Makram took a moment to steel himself. “Thanks, but I’ll be the one risking the clearing. The rest of you, remember what I said if the shooting starts.”
Makram worked his way through the tree line and emerged into the clearing. He stopped and looked around. Only the chirps of local birds filled the air, but that didn’t mean much; they could be replicated and faked. Makram, one hand on the laser he carried under his robes, made his way to the lone campsite.
The campsite consisted of one cheap tent, a folding chair, some water jugs, and a bag. From the inside, he could hear the snores of someone in a deep sleep. It wasn’t the exact way most ambushes were carried out, but Makram still didn’t feel safe.
“Excuse me, brother,” Makram spoke softly into the tent opening, “I’m lost. Could you help me find my way around this place?” The tent occupant’s sword was at Makram’s neck before the team commander could draw his laser.
“Not the best way to treat a traveling stranger.” Makram spoke to the figure behind the robes, who held the blade point to his throat. If Cherish was right, he would recognize the pass sign.
“I’ve always helped the traveling stranger.” The figure responded, and removed his hood. It was Hojae. “Apologies, Makram. You startled me. Besides, you weren’t supposed to be here until tomorrow.” Hojae set the blade down.
Makram let out a sigh of relief. “Change of plans. We almost took a hit from some kind of guided missile on the way down to the surface. Hubard thinks they knew we were coming. He landed us close by. We’re going into the monastery today.”
“Expect some trouble. The festival ended two days ago, and the monks locked up the monastery for the rest of the year.”
Makram chuckled dryly. “I didn’t plan to walk right in. You might as well stay here and wait for the signal to leave. I’ll give you the orbital lift location in case we can’t make it back. If I’m trapped inside there, Hubard will know to get in touch with you. He, Rix, and Irane are staying with the lift just in case the local troops find it. For all I know, we’ve been led into a trap, so be careful. I’ll contact you myself if we have any trouble on the inside.”
“That won’t be a problem. If I don’t hear anything from you tomorrow, I’ll try to contact Hubard.”
Makram nodded thoughtfully. “Give us twenty-four hours. Hubard won’t try to contact anyone until then, in case the Yasta monitor the transmissions. I have a feeling the Yasta can get whatever they want on this world.” He left without a formal goodbye, should someone be watching from the trees. Makram wasn’t quite sure how the locals acknowledged each other, so no formalities took place. He rejoined the others.
“Well?” Cierra glanced past him to the campsite.
“It’s Hojae.” Makram rubbed his neck where the Josti’s blade and grazed his skin. “Almost cut me open before he knew who I was. He’ll stay here until we leave the monastery.”
Two hours later, the team watched the lone sentry outside the monastery pace back and forth in front of a gate. It was a Yasta novice, judging by the plain color of his robes. He looked bored. Nothing was going on at the moment, and his attention span was scattered at best. Even the beggars were gone from the outside the walls.
Cherish narrowed her keen eyes. “From the way the ground is trampled around the entrance, I’d say they had a lot of visitors here recently. I see the remains of cooking fires, too.”
The young novice stopped his routine and turned to the gate behind him. He seemed to be listening to something, or someone, behind the iron grating. He walked up to it. Between the gaps in the bars, they could see that the sentry was in a deep conversation with a Brother Yasta monk on the other side. He seemed to be excited over whatever it was they were talking about together. Theo turned to Cherish for an explanation, but before he could say anything, the sentry unlocked the gate and went inside. He was very careful to lock it behind him.
“Okay, this may be the only chance we have. I’m going in with Cierra. Theo, you’ll follow next with Cherish.” Makram unzipped the pack he’d carried over the Yasta robes.
Once Makram and Cierra had their backpacks on the ground, they each produced a roll of synthetic rope. The ropes slipped into the ends of grappling hooks. Satisfied, both checked the other’s gear. They stood up, ready to go.
Makram nodded to her, and turned his attention back to the other two. “We’ve each been equipped with a laser, sword, and sonic gun. Everybody, check your weapons.” Theo pulled his cloak back and looked at his. The laser and sonic gun were charged. Both were in their respective holsters. The sword was tied down in its scabbard. The others nodded in silence to Makram. “Good. Count to thirty after we go over the wall. If you don’t have a problem, follow us. We’ll give you two minutes on the other side, and then we go after the objective on our own.”
Theo watched as Makram and Cierra emerged from the forest. They flattened themselves on the side of the wall. No security cameras hung on the battlements, and there were no visible sentries up there, either.
The walls were ancient, made of gray stone, and twenty feet high. Makram swung his grappling hook in a circle, until he’d built up enough momentum with it. In one quick motion, the hook flew over the side of the wall, and stuck fast. He paused long
enough to test it, and then began his quick climb upwards. His Yasta robes fluttered in the light breeze. Once he was on top, Makram pulled the rest of the rope up with him. Theo watched as he glanced around to make sure no one else was up there. It appeared to be vacant. Makram signaled to Cierra to follow him.
Cierra duplicated Makram’s grappling hook swing. She was up the side of the wall in seconds. She quickly reeled up her grappling hook, and looked down at Theo and Cherish. She gave a quick nod, and disappeared over the other side.
“What did they do with the rope?” Theo whispered to Cherish, who’d remained silent through the entire operation.
Cherish shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Guess they hid it somewhere in case it’s needed again. There’s supposed to be a ladder up to the ramparts on the inside of the monastery. Come on; stuff your pack under these bushes. It’s our turn to go. Make sure you take a big swig out of that water bottle before you hook it on your webbing.” She walked out into the clear space between the monastery and the forest.
Theo stuffed his backpack with the others, and then made certain his water bottle was hooked onto the harness under his robes. There was, however, one thing he needed to ask Cherish before they went over the wall. “How are we supposed to get up there? I wasn’t issued any climbing rope for this mission.”
“Come over here.” Cherish motioned to him. She was three feet from the wall.
Theo walked over to her, one eye scanning the battlements of the wall in front of him. There still wasn’t any sign of the monks. “I’m not as good at scaling as the rest of you, either.”
“You sure all your gear is secured?” she asked him.
“I’ve checked it twice.” Theo nodded. He still wasn’t sure how he was supposed to get up the wall.
“Alright, then.” In one swift motion, the cyborg stepped over to Theo, and picked him up in her arms. Cherish didn’t seem to have the least bit of trouble doing so.
The Relissarium Wars Omnibus Page 11