The first thing she saw was the countdown timer: 73:17.
Braden took one flashlight and explored the space. G-War went with him. Pik walked straight to the vegetation and stood before it, spear ready. For what? Braden couldn’t guess.
“What do you see, Pik?” Braden asked as he headed for the kitchen area.
‘These look like they are from my home, but they are different. They don’t feel right.’ Pik watched the plants warily. Akhmiyar had showed the humans that the Lizard Men could feel the rainforest around them. Since the Amazonians were descended from the Lizard Men on the ship, Braden assumed they had the same attributes and could do the same things.
Braden went into the kitchen. It looked long abandoned, unlike other areas of the ship. For the final leg of the journey, the entire populace of the ship would have been awake, upwards of 100,000 people. During the journey, only thousands would have been awake at any point in time and many of the subdecks would have remained empty, running on limited power only. And then some crew stayed on board after the rest moved to the planet.
This was probably one of those, only used for the last two years of the trip. Its decorations were sparse. It also may have been stripped to provide additional Old Tech for the planet. If he understood what Holly showed, there was as much technology in Sanctuary as there had been on this ship.
Micah closed her window, tears flowing down her face. Braden abandoned his fruitless search and joined her, on one knee, holding her hands in his.
“Nothing’s wrong. The kids are great. Bronwyn’s great. Brandt’s calves are getting big.” Braden didn’t understand. Why the tears?
“I’m afraid that I’m not going to see them again.”
Braden tried to comfort her by sounding confident that they were going to get home. He looked at her, not knowing what else to do.
G-War jumped into the seat next to her, then climbed on the table. He rubbed his body against her, purring as he rubbed his head against her face.
‘We’ll get home to our children.’ G-War was judicious in his use of words. His actions showed how he felt. Maybe he wasn’t an ass.
‘Once we’re home, I will wait for you to be sound asleep, then I’m going to give you both a sound scratching for bringing me up here.’ G-War sat up and used a paw to wash his face. He was probably trying to clean off the human smell.
“Thanks, G. I thought we’d lost you, but no. It’s you. Your motivation in getting off this ship is solely to exact revenge from the stupid humans. That’s what I heard, anyway.” Braden gave the ‘cat’s ears a quick rub, lingering at the bite mark. Micah smiled and returned to the moment. They had a long way to go. She needed to be at her best for every step of it.
“Thank you, Prince Axial De’atesh, for your companionship. I shall look forward to our return, so that you can get a nice bath. You’re looking a bit shaggy.” Micah wrinkled her nose as she ran her hand across the ‘cat’s scarred sides. He stood and thrust his nose in the air.
‘It’s musk. The lady ‘cats love it,’ he answered. Maybe they’d make a trip into the hills when they went back north. It had been forever since G-War had seen any of his own people.
“I don’t see any lady ‘cats around, G. I’m just making a casual observation, no need to whip out the claws…” Braden taunted.
They heard a spear point scratch against the deck, then again, and again. They looked toward Pik and saw his legs spread, in a fighting position as he thrust his spear at something beyond him. Micah pulled her sword as she jumped up and ran toward him. Braden took his time, holding his blaster in front of him and looking elsewhere in the room for threats.
Pik stabbed at vines snaking toward him. They moved slowly, but with purpose. As he stabbed one vine and pushed it away, two more appeared in its place.
Until Micah showed up. With a few quick swings of her sword, all vines were severed. She braced herself for the deluge that she experienced in Engineering.
These were different vines.
“Crawlers,” Braden said matter-of-factly. “They can only get you if you aren’t aware, and that’s not us.” He holstered his blaster and slapped each of them on the back.
Micah and Pik backed away from the heavy foliage, retreating to their side of the dining area.
They relaxed, but no one was going to sleep. Maybe it was time to move on.
‘Holly? Any luck finding active work stations between here and the forward bulkhead?’
‘Yes, Master Braden. There are a significant number of systems operational on this subdeck. I recommend you backtrack about four hundred meters where you’ll find an elevator to Subdeck 5. There are no active systems anywhere along that hallway.’
‘I don’t like backtracking, but if it gets us a clean route up front, then I’m all for it.’
“Pack up. We have to go back that way for a bit and then we’ll take an elevator up two subdecks. 5 seems to be our lucky number. Holly thinks there is a bunch of Androids up ahead. I think it best if we avoid all that,” Braden said, telling the others what he thought they needed to know as they prepared to go.
They arranged themselves around the door, Micah and Braden had their blasters out. Aadi said he could carry the two Hawkoids, who were wedged together, holding the rope wrapped around the armor over his shell. Skirill faced forward while Zyena faced backward. They were happy with the arrangement as they could both watch, while leaving the humans free to use their weapons.
G-War was ready to go, usually the first through as he was the smallest target and the quickest among them.
‘Stop,’ G-War said quietly over the mindlink. Braden’s arm was raised, ready to activate the door. He backed the bracelet away from the pad. ‘If we left now, we’d step into the middle of a group of Androids.’
The companions froze in place, as if any movement would be detected. ‘You can sense the Androids?’ Braden asked.
‘No. I only see our fate, had you opened the door.’ The ‘cat’s intuition saved them from a blaster battle in a tight hallway, where their only retreat was into a closed area occupied by a Crawler.
When G-War nodded, Braden waved his bracelet and the door slid aside. G-War stepped into the hallway, looked both ways, and turned left. Braden stepped out next and took a position aiming his blaster down the hallway to the right. Micah followed G-War, her blaster held in front of her. Then Pik and finally Aadi with the Hawkoids. It helped that this door was wider than most others. No one had to tilt the Tortoid to help him fit.
G-War moved quickly down the hallway. Micah braved turning on her flashlight since she couldn’t run in the dark. Pik’s claws ticked on the deck as he ambled along, trying to keep up. Aadi was falling behind. Satisfied that the Androids hadn’t heard them, Braden turned and walked after the rest of the companions. Once he reached Aadi, he put a hand on his shell and pushed the Tortoid in front of him.
45 – Androids and Their Traps
G-War screamed as he bolted forward. Micah fired blindly ahead. Then waved her flashlight’s beam, looking for an enemy. G-War was jumping straight into the air, howling when he hit the deck plate and jumping up again. Micah moved close to him, and he hooked claws into her pack and climbed up it.
Braden ran ahead, ready to fight but confused when he didn’t see an enemy.
‘The deck, it bites me,’ G-War said, eyes wide, not knowing what hurt him.
As Pik moved forward, he gasped and nearly fell down. He danced from one foot to the other and back. He jumped back once, twice, and then rolled to the floor. The Lizard Man pulled his feet toward him and licked them. Braden shined his flashlight and saw the skin starting to bubble in a number of places.
“Look for a box. There’s an Android trap here somewhere.” They saw it to the side. Wires snaked from it across the floor. When they’d walked across it, those with bare feet were treated to an electric current. Pik’s feet weren’t insulated like the ‘cat’s, so he received a full dose.
G-War said he was unhurt.
<
br /> Braden was digging into his pouch for numbweed when the first laser hit Skirill’s armor. Aadi swam furiously, letting out a yelp when a laser traced a line across one of his legs. Braden snap-fired back toward the beams. He rolled to the side of the hallway and fired underneath Aadi as the Tortoid continued to move forward, fast by his standards, agonizingly slowly by everyone else’s.
Micah dove to the other side of the hallway and fired into the darkness behind them. Pik whimpered in the middle of the hallway, until he picked up Braden’s dropped flashlight and shined it behind them.
Micah’s elbows were treated to a healthy electric shock. She rose to a sitting position and shot the Android’s box until it sparked and popped. Braden’s firing slowed the Android advance. Micah moved to Pik, pulling numbweed from her pouch and giving it to him.
She ran to the elevator door and turned back, pleading for Aadi to move faster. Zyena ducked and Skirill beat his wings to pull the Tortoid along. His pace increased markedly, but the hallway was filled with Hawkoid wings. Pik found himself behind Aadi with no way to get past. The numbweed relieved enough pain that he was able to walk, but he remained trapped, in the middle of the hallway, shining a flashlight toward a group of Androids bent on their destruction.
Braden and Micah fired at targets highlighted by the flashlight. They could see four Androids down, but judging by the laser beams fired at them, there were at least that many left.
“In the elevator!” She stood against the wall with her bracelet against the panel. Skirill tucked his wings against his body as Aadi swam the last stride and wedged against the elevator door. Micah leaned back and canted his shell. With a shove of her hip, he went through.
“Pik. Pik! Come on. We’re leaving!” she yelled down the hall. Pik ran in his jerky way, slightly limping from his encounter with the Android trap. G-War finally jumped from Micah’s pack and entered the elevator.
She fired a number of shots down the hallway, weaving from left to right. Braden knew it was his turn. He jumped up and bolted down the hallway, sliding, then diving into the open elevator door. Micah backed up half a step, still firing rapidly. She side-stepped smoothly into the elevator.
“Subdeck 5, please,” she said. She wasn’t even breathing hard, while Braden panted as if he’d just run up the side of a mountain. G-War sat serenely on the floor while the elevator carried them upward.
It wasn’t more than five heartbeats later that it stopped and the door opened.
The humidity hit them like a wave. The passageway was filled with vegetation.
46 – D2-3, Subdeck 5, Radial Passage 140, Frame 8687
“I know why there aren’t any Androids here,” Braden said out loud as he shook his head. He took a tentative step into the hallway, then reached a hand back into the elevator. “Flashlight, please.”
The light showed heavy vegetation, similar to the rainforest. It even smelled like the rainforest.
“Next thing we know, it’ll be raining.”
Something touched his leg. He jumped and shined the flashlight at it. He struggled to put his blaster away so he could pull his shortsword. Leaves, disturbed by his passing, brushed his leg a second time, then settled back to where they were before.
He finally put his blaster away and pulled out the shortsword, the Old Tech upgrade to his long knife. His hand shook while he held it. He looked at it as if it was its own entity, his hand filled his vision, knuckles white, holding the grip tightly. The tip wavered in exaggerated rhythm with his shaking hand.
Something else. A hand on his shoulder, squeezing, someone talking.
“Braden?” Micah leaned close, keeping her hand on his sword arm. She didn’t know if a creature had seized his mind. He looked different.
He blinked away the disembodiment and returned. He looked around, saw Micah, and smiled. “That was weird.” Braden shined his flashlight to the left and then to the right. “I think we’re going this way.”
Micah turned his flashlight off. His eyes adjusted quickly to the twilight of the deck. It was lighter than he realized.
“I don’t think the Androids will follow us here; this place isn’t their style. Holly said there were no workstations active on this subdeck. I’m sure he’s right.” Braden used his sword to push vegetation aside and peer down the hallway. “Wow. I wonder how far this goes?”
“Wait,” Micah demanded in her presidential voice. “What the hell just happened to you?” Braden shook his head. They looked to the companions, wondering if any of them had an idea.
‘I suspect we’ll find some sort of mutant on this deck, but since it only affected one of us, we will continue to do as we have and watch out for each other,’ Aadi offered sagely.
Braden shrugged and went to work. He hacked enough vines, bushes, and tree limbs away from the elevator door to clear a path for Aadi and the two Hawkoids. They looked miserable. There wasn’t enough room to turn around.
Micah pulled her sword and tried to help, but she couldn’t swing. The space was too tight with the companions and the vegetation. Once an area was clear, then she’d be able to do a proper job.
Braden started hacking his way into the jungle, heading aft. Although he would cut his way there, it seemed that with each step, it receded into the distance, becoming farther and farther away.
This was just like the worst parts of the Amazon, except that it was on a ship in space, where it shouldn’t be growing.
“G, can you let me know if something is going to kill me? I can’t see past my sword point and I don’t want a Seeder blasting me. Or a Crawler grabbing me, or any other mutie bush, vine, tree, or blade of grass.”
‘As much in advance as I can, but it probably won’t be more than a few heartbeats. You’ll just have to be more aware.’
Braden narrowed his eyes as he glared at the ‘cat. “Sometimes, G. Sometimes you really ask for it.” Braden stopped.
‘Holly, I’m not sure what the map is showing me. What’s on this level?’ Micah watched as Braden communicated with the hologram and half-heartedly hacked away at the growth in their way.
‘This deck is dedicated to laboratories, a cloning facility, as well as an extensive bioengineering lab.’
‘So we can expect to run into mutants, clones, and everything but Androids. You dropped us right into the middle of a world of pain, Holly. When we get back to the planet, you and me are going to have words.’
‘Understood, Master Braden. I look forward to your return. The braking maneuver is finished. For the next two hours, I’ll be running diagnostics and establishing the link between the ship and Cygnus VI. After that, transportation of the survivors will begin.’
The countdown clock showed 72:53.
Braden looked into the wild growth that filled the hallway. “Is it worth it? Twenty-two clones and one human will come here, then transfer to Vii. Before we started, I knew this was the right thing to do. I still believe it is, but I wish there weren’t so many obstacles. It was easier crossing the Great Desert.”
“It wouldn’t be you, us, if we didn’t help them. That decision is well behind us, partner mine. You’re up. Hack us a way through that!” To emphasize her point, she punched him in the shoulder.
He bowed his head, put his flashlight in his mouth, and gripped his shortsword with two hands before putting it back in its scabbard. Micah looked at him sideways. He pulled his blaster, dialed a narrow beam, then leaned close to the floor, aiming parallel to it. He held the trigger as he moved the aiming point slowly from one side to the other. When he let up on the trigger, the trees, bushes, and vines in front of him slowly toppled over. He holstered the blaster and took out his shortsword. He pushed into the green mass, knocking down the freshly cut plants and walking on them as he moved forward.
The blaster cut a huge swath, half the width of the hallway and deep down into it. Braden continued to push his way through, creating an opening wide enough for Aadi with the Hawkoids. Pik sniffed and limped happily through the wet undergrowth.
G-War followed Pik, jumping from dry spot to dry spot. They stayed close behind Braden and remained wary, ready to act.
Micah brought up the rear, with Zyena right in front of her, looking backwards. The Hawkoid focused beyond Micah’s shoulder, keen eyes watching for enemies.
The group ran into each other when Braden abruptly stopped. He’d reached the end where the blaster had cut the trunks and vines. He looked at the blaster. Its charge was low. He had his second blaster, and decided to burn the remaining charge in the first one.
He leveled it and was preparing to fire when he heard a rustling ahead. He held his finger to his lips, calling for quiet.
G-War nodded and disappeared into the brush ahead. ‘A creature, not a mutie plant. I’ll look.’
The ‘cat returned after a few heartbeats. ‘An opening up ahead and a village. People are there.’
‘Normal people?’ Braden asked over the mindlink, a plan forming itself in his mind.
‘Yes.’
‘Well, what do you say we introduce ourselves?’ Braden looked to his companions. These humans were between where the companions were and where they wanted to go. ‘I’ll go first with G-War, the rest of you wait. I expect they don’t get many visitors.’
With one last nod, Braden plowed into the brush ahead and forced his way through. He avoided hacking into the brush so he’d look less threatening to the new humans. When he broke through finally, he was breathing hard, his face bleeding from a number of cuts.
A group of humans, wearing nothing but leaves held on with vines, started howling and yelling unintelligible words. They carried spears that looked to be of the same material as his Old Tech recurve bow. Braden didn’t feel threatened, rather the other humans were panicking and this was their only way to show it.
‘G, a little help please. Can you calm them down?’
The ‘cat strolled forward, stopping when he had their full attention. His head and tail were high as he looked from one to the other. Five humans, male and female, stood mesmerized by the ‘cat. ‘Calm down,’ he said over the mindlink.
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