“And they took hostages,” Ember said. “That’s a criminal action.”
“But I know people back on Earth lobbying to do the same thing,” Jules said. “There are a lot of people who think the Proxy are criminals themselves. They control all commerce in and out of the system. That hasn’t been legal on Earth for centuries.”
“It’s sort of like the white traders who first met the Native Americans,” Kal said. “Or the islanders in the South Pacific. They would trade beads and blankets for goods worth hundreds of times more than what they paid.”
“My point exactly,” Jules said. “I’m just asking if we’re on the right team.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” Nick replied. “But we’re here now. Our first priority is getting through this mission alive. We can debate the merits of the Proxy later. Right now we need to focus.”
“Remember, it takes these laser guns time to recharge,” Ty said. “And if you fire them for very long they’ll shut down to keep from overheating.”
“Roger that,” Kal said.
They waited in silence, each person thinking privately about the fight that lay ahead. Nick hoped the Quazakians wouldn’t put up a fight, but he had no idea what to expect. It didn’t seem fair that they were being put in harm’s way without enough information, but they didn’t have much of a choice. It was what they had signed up for when they enlisted, and there was no turning back.
“Dragon Team Seven, I have checked the stats,” Captain Dex’Orr said over the command channel of their com-links. “The shells are thick enough to stop the bullets on your side arms, and the stun guns won’t be effective against the exoskeletons, either. Your best bet is to aim for their heads.”
He gave them settings for the stun guns, and Nick had them all activate their weapon targeting systems. When he brought the laser gun to bear, an aiming reticle appeared on his helmet’s HUD, allowing him to aim quickly and shoot from the hip.
“Good luck, Team Seven,” Dex’Orr continued. “The docking process has begun. I will give the go order as soon as the ship is locked in place.”
“Roger that,” Nick said.
“Oh man,” Kal said. “I’ve got to pee.”
“You’re such a baby,” Jules said.
“We go in nice and slow,” Nick told them. “Kal and I will take point. Ty brings up the rear. Get the locator programs going on your helmets the moment we step on board that space station.”
“And don’t do anything stupid,” Jules said. “No heroics.”
“We all come back,” Ember said.
“Or none of us do,” Ty added.
“Right on,” Kal said.
Chapter 38
“Dragon Team Seven,” Dex’Orr said over the command channel of the com-links, “you are a go. I repeat: you are a go for hostage rescue.”
“Roger that,” Nick said.
He nodded to the Proxy manning the door. The tall alien bobbed its head excitedly and spun the locking mechanism. As soon as the door unsealed, the alien pulled it open. The corridor beyond was completely utilitarian. The deck was open-grid metal flooring. The walls were unpainted metal, with conduits running in groupings along either side and across the ceiling of the passageway.
Kal hurried out, his laser rifle held ready. Nick followed a few paces behind. The lights in the corridor were wall-mounted floodlights with metal frames to protect the bulbs. Nick got the feeling the station was much older than the one near Earth.
“We’re all clear of the ship,” Ty said.
They were back on the command channel and kept their remarks as professional as they could.
“I’ve got a T-junction,” Kal replied. “Looks empty both ways.”
“Hostages are somewhere in the station to our right,” Jules said.
“Everyone move up here,” Nick said.
They waited until everyone was at the T-junction. Ty took cover behind the wall and kept watch down the corridor to their left as Kal moved out headed to the right. Nick followed. His heart was racing, but the hadn’t seen or heard anyone yet, which he took to be a good sign. Hopefully, the Quazakians had already searched the maintenance section of the station and found nothing of value.
They moved down a long, straight passage until they came to a freight elevator.
“Should we take it?” Kal asked. “I don’t see stairs.”
“They probably didn’t build any,” Jules said. “There’s not much chance of carrying ship parts around—they’re too heavy.”
“We might be okay in this lift,” Nick said. “But I want Kal and me to go up first. Once we’re sure it’s safe, we’ll call for the rest of you.”
“If the locals are up there, you’ll be helpless in the elevator,” Ember said.
“I wish we had something we could move in there to use for cover,” Ty said.
“We’ll be fine,” Nick said. “Just stay ready. If we do run into trouble, we’ll have to find a new way up to the main level of the station.”
“And we’ll have locals hunting us,” Kal replied.
They stepped into the elevator. The wide freight door took up most of the front section of the elevator, but there was just enough space on either side of the door for the two Space Marines to hide behind. The elevator was smooth and the doors well-maintained. The doors closed with a quiet hiss, then the elevator rose upward. Nick’s stomach felt like it was full of the heaviest meal he’d ever eaten, despite the fact that he hadn’t eaten since having a sandwich right before leaving the Foundry in the Delphi System.
When the elevator stopped, Nick clenched his teeth in anticipation. The doors swished open, and Nick glanced out into a much wider passageway. The space was empty. Nick recognized that they were on the Proxy docking arm.
“I don’t see anyone,” Nick said.
“Me either,” Kal replied. “It looks clear.”
“Alright Dragon Team, give us a second to make sure this area is secure,” Nick radioed to his friends.
“Roger that,” Ty replied.
Kal went first, stepping into the wide corridor and looking both ways. He then moved over to the opposite wall. There were corridors that branched off of the main passageway, much like a pier on the ocean where boats were docked. The Proxy side of the station had only one ship attached, and there was no movement in the wide passageway that led to it.
“Okay, looks clear,” Nick said. “Let’s move on.”
The others came up, and they all slowly made their way down the passage. When they finally reached the big dome area of the Space Exchange, the emergency doors were closed. Nick and Kal carefully peeked through the transparent steel viewing ports. The station beyond looked empty too.
“It’s too quiet,” Kal said.
“Yeah, I hear that,” Nick said. “Jules, any reading on our hostages?”
“They’re not far,” she replied. “Maybe half a klick straight ahead.”
“That’s the main thoroughfare,” Ember added. “They’ll be watching it for sure.”
“If they have enough people,” Ty said.
“Surely they wouldn’t do something so rash without people to back them up,” Nick said. “We have to assume it’s being watched.”
“So we slip out and move around the back way,” Kal said. “Come at them from the direction they aren’t expecting.”
“Now we’re talking,” Ty said.
“Okay, Jules, find us a way around,” Nick said. “Ember, why don’t you see if you can get to the top of that building right over there?”
He pointed to a tall, narrow structure. It had a clear view well into the Quazak side of the space station. Just like the Exchange in the sol system, there was a transparent dome over the large cityscape in the center of the long station. The light from the system’s blue sun cast everything in a pale glow that mimicked twilight. The shadows beside the buildings were dark.
“Alright,” Ember said.
“Ty, you go with her, but don’t go up. Just get her safely inside. Then join the rest of us,�
�� Nick told his friend. “Ember will be our eyes. You’ll get pinned to that rooftop pretty easy if they spot you, so don’t fire unless you have to.”
“Okay,” Ember said. “Be careful.”
“We will,” Jules said.
“Dragon Team is entering the bubble,” Nick said over the command channel.
“Roger that, Dragon Team.” Captain Dex’Orr’s voice was almost reassuring as Nick pulled the release lever that would open the big bay doors. There was a hiss of compressed air, a bold humming sound, and then the thick doors slid apart. Everyone held their breath. If the Quazakians were watching for intruders, they would notice that Nick’s team was there. When nothing happened after a few seconds, Kal slipped inside. He stayed close to a building on the right-hand side of the wide thoroughfare.
“Looks clear,” he whispered. “This place is like a ghost town.”
“Keep moving,” Nick said. “Go ahead, Jules, lead the way.”
She went in and Nick followed her. Ember and Ty came behind them. There was a narrow alley between the small building just inside the dome and the next larger building. They went down the alley, then followed the dome inside for several hundred yards. Up close, the thick metal wasn’t as clear. It refracted the light and caused a slight blur. But it still felt as if they could go flying off into space at any moment. Nick remembered the simulation back on the Exchange near Earth where he had been in the disgusting space suit, spinning and flipping out of control. His legs trembled at the memory, and he thought he would rather face another of the feline creatures on Delphi Green than die twirling through space.
“Alright, I’m headed back in,” Ember said.
“Watch yourself,” Nick told her.
She gave him a thumbs-up, then hurried away. Ty was right behind her, but Nick still felt a sense of terror at the thought of something happening to her.
“This way,” Jules said, moving on ahead.
Nick was thankful for the distraction from his own thoughts. He needed something to focus on. They had a long way to go, and he worried that he might get lost in his feelings for Ember and not see danger until it was too late.
They began to weave among the buildings. Nick had no idea what the Quazak traded, but he got the sense that it wasn’t very valuable. The buildings on the Proxy side of the station were smaller than those in Earth’s Exchange. Perhaps the Quazak were less interesting, or maybe they had fewer resources, but it didn’t appear that the Proxy had made a sizable investment in the system.
“I’ve got movement,” Kal said.
He and Jules were side-by-side, squatting behind a maintenance entrance that led to the subterranean section of the space station. It was only a meter tall, and the walls on either side of the utility stairwell were made of solid metal, perfect for hiding behind.
“How many?” Nick asked.
“Two,” Kal said. “The look like bug-people.”
“Crustaceans are basically bug-fish,” Jules said. “The creepy crawlies on the ocean floor.”
“Which way are they headed?” Nick asked.
“To the right,” Jules explained. “Toward the building where the hostages are being held.”
“Armed?” Nick asked.
“Not that I can see,” Kal replied. “If you don’t count their pincer hands.”
“Okay, let’s give them a few minutes to clear out before we move on.”
They sat in silence, watching the two Quazak individuals move away from their position.
“I’m in,” Ember announced over the com-link. “I’ll let you know when I get to the roof.”
“Kal, any trouble?” Nick asked.
“Negative. This place is dead.”
“Get your big butt over here, dude,” Kal said. “There are bug-people here.”
“Dragon Team Seven,” Dex’Orr’s voice had a slight crackle to it. Nick decided they weren’t far enough away to lose signal, so something else must be blocking their transmissions. “Hold your positions. I have made contact and expect a party of the Quazak to move this way at any moment.”
“Roger that,” Nick said. “We’ll hold here.”
They watched for several minutes but didn’t see any more of the strange-looking aliens. Ty found them, and then not long after Ember radioed in again.
“I’m in position,” she said.
“Any problems along the way?” Nick asked.
“None. The building was empty,” Ember reported. “But I can see at least fifteen near a building in the center of the station.”
“That must be our target,” Kal said.
“There are probably more inside,” Ty said. “This won’t be easy.”
“If it were easy, anyone could do it,” Jules said.
“We need a plan,” Nick said. “We can’t just go barging in and shooting up the place.”
“I think we could, actually,” Kal replied.
“Well, we’re not going to,” Nick said. “As soon as the captain gives the okay, we’re circling around to the rear of that building. I want to find a way to get this done without risking our lives or starting a gun fight.”
“Okay, so what’s the plan?” Ty asked.
“I’ll tell you when I figure it out,” Nick said, feeling the weight of command. It was a strangely welcome sensation. He knew he would do anything to keep his friends safe, but he was surprisingly excited by the challenge of getting into the building and escaping with the hostages. Slowly an idea began to take shape in his mind, and he couldn’t repress a smile at the thought of what he was about to do. A little human ingenuity might just win the day, and Nick was excited to see what would happen.
Chapter 39
“Do you guys know what the biggest danger is on a space station?” Nick asked.
“Sudden venting into hard vacuum?” Kal suggested.
“Running out of oxygen,” Jules insisted.
“Fire,” Ember said.
“Em gets the prize,” Nick said.
“What? Why?” Kal demanded.
“Because a fire is a triple threat,” Nick explained. “It’s dangerous, destructive, and it consumes oxygen while producing unbreathable smoke. It’s the one guaranteed thing to get the attention of the Quazaks guarding the hostages.”
“Do we want to get their attention?” Ty asked.
“No, we want to divert their attention,” Jules replied. “Is that what you’re thinking?”
“Yes,” Nick said. “If there’s a fire, they’ll have to send people to fight it. That means less people for us to fight.”
“Okay,” Kal said. “Where do you plan to start a fire? And by the way, that will completely remove all doubt in the minds of the Quazakians that we’re here.”
“Maybe not,” Nick said. “If we start the fire on their side of the station, they might not associate it with us.”
“That’s a pretty big might,” Ty said.
“Let’s just get moving and see what we can find,” Nick said.
They continued slinking through the buildings. Em kept track of them and watched for movement. The station was deserted for the most part. All the natives were congregating around the one building where Nick was certain the hostages were being held.
“That’s what I’m looking for,” Nick said, staring through a window into what looked like an office building. There were cleaning supplies in plain sight. “Em, can you see this?”
From the top of the tall building where she was watching, she saw Nick pointing at a window. Her helmet had a zooming display ability, allowing her to zoom in as if she were looking through a sniper’s scope.
“All I see is the window,” she replied.
“Why does she need to see it?” Kal asked.
“Because she could use her laser rifle to start the fire once we’re in position near the hostages,” Nick explained.
“If she can’t see inside, she might give away her position before a fire ignites,” Jules said.
“Alright,” Nick said, thinking fast
. “Ty, you and Kal get inside and pile up anything that will burn. Get it close to the bottom of the window.”
“Roger that,” Ty said.
“Jules, keep watch,” Nick added.
“I’m on it,” she said.
Nick quickly unscrewed the longer barrel on his laser rifle. He disconnected the second battery pack too. He needed a beam strong enough to cut glass, but not so strong that it would ignite anything inside the room. As Ty and Kal found a way inside the building, Nick cut a round hole near the bottom of the glass.
“Can you see that hole?” Nick asked.
“Affirmative,” Ember replied.
“Alright, good,” Nick said.
“We hit the jackpot,” Kal said as he entered the room with the cleaning supplies.
Nick could see that each of his friends carried armfuls of blankets.
“This is some kind of hotel or something,” Ty explained. “There’s lots of stuff that will burn in here.”
“Excellent. Move it over to the window,” Nick said. “And splash it with some of the products in those cleaning containers.”
The room was staged quickly, and soon they were on the move again. There was a strangeness to being on an alien space station. Some things looked familiar; the buildings, footpaths, and green spaces all seemed like anything you might find in a human city. But other things were completely foreign. The signage and writing was not just different, but peculiar, consisting of long, flowing lines rather than characters. Occasionally they saw furniture, but no chairs or sofas. Almost all the furniture was built tall and seemed like it was more for leaning than for sitting or lying down.
“How much farther?” Kal asked.
“Almost there,” Jules said.
“I’m rethinking this strategy,” Ty said. “Maybe we should have brought the big guns and gone in hot.”
“Shock and awe—I dig it,” Kal said.
“Too late for that now,” Nick said.
“Man, I’m starting to get a bad feeling,” Ty said. “How long have we been sneaking around here?”
“Two hours, twenty minutes,” Jules said.
“Feels like longer,” the biggest member of the team said.
Nick thought the delicate laser rifle looked almost absurd in Ty’s hands. They came to a corner of a building, and Nick glanced around the edge. There were aliens loitering near the back entrance to the building where the hostages were being held. Seeing them up close made Nick’s stomach twist inside him. It wasn’t just the danger that made him nervous; it was the bizarreness of the Quazak people. His mind had trouble accepting that they were real.
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