“Come on,” said Pellew.
Calvin got to his feet and the group quickly closed the distance to the silo. Alex used his charges to blow open the door.
“Pellew and Shen, you come with me to destroy the weapons,” said Calvin. “The rest of you, stay here and give us cover. No matter what, you have to buy us enough time to plant the charges. Nothing else matters.”
“Understood,” said Rez’nac. He ordered his men into a defensive posture.
“We should not be here,” said one of the Polarians. The blue of his skin was among the most pronounced—not a trace of the faded grey, and he was one of the youngest. Calvin recognized him as Rez’nac’s son Grimka. “We should leave this place. This is the humans’ concern, not ours.”
“You WILL fall into line!” said Rez’nac, with a stunning force behind his words. His deep voice seemed ready and willing to answer any challenge.
“This is not an honorable death,” insisted the young Polarian. “The ancestors...”
“I am of Khalahar!” said Rez’nac. “I will speak for the ancestors. We have a sworn duty here and we will honor it!”
The young Polarian looked upset–afraid even. Clearly he wasn’t made of the same steel his father was. Calvin left Rez’nac to handle the situation and followed Pellew inside the silo. It was dark so he switched on his IR goggles.
In the shadowless green he could see several medium-sized missiles carefully raised on special scaffolding throughout the large room. He counted fifteen weapons.
“Split up,” said Calvin, taking off his tactical pack and withdrawing some of the explosive canisters. “Make sure to get them all.” He fixed two charges to the head of the nearest missile—where its payload of sun-destroying isotome was.
The three of them ran throughout the room. Fixing two charges to every missile—moving as fast as they possibly could. No doubt handling the deadly explosives with less delicacy than was recommended.
“That’s the last of them,” said Pellew, affixing the final charge.
“Leave the extra charges here,” said Calvin, placing his final two canisters on the ground next to one of the missiles. In all, there was enough explosive firepower here to blow the silo sky high. “And set the timer. Two and a half minutes.”
“Done,” said Shen.
“Let’s go!” Calvin led the way.
Back outside, the storm hadn’t let up. Puddles of heavy rain coated the hard ground, and streams of blood ran everywhere. The Polarians, Tristan, and Alex were engaged in a severe fight with another large group of Remorii. At least one more had been killed and several had fresh injuries, including Alex whose forehead was bleeding.
Calvin and Pellew threw grenades into the horde—far away from their allies. The frag explosions were more a distraction than anything else, but they did stall the next wave of Remorii.
“Charges are planted,” said Calvin. “We gotta move, now.”
“If we break formation,” said Rez’nac, “they’ll cut us down.” He’d cleverly organized his men into a fighting line that was proving successful at repelling the unrelenting waves of Remorii coming down viciously upon them. More corpses were scattered on the ground, torn and pulverized. Too many for Calvin to count.
“We have no choice,” said Pellew. “That whole place is going to blow in less than two minutes!”
“Not to mention if we stay in one place for too long, we’ll be hopelessly surrounded,” Calvin added.
Rez’nac shouted an order in Polarian and he and his surviving warriors took up a position around Calvin, Shen, Pellew, and Alex, protecting them as they charged forward. Straight into the mouth of the swarm. Rez’nac himself took point, throwing his large body mass at the tide of Remorii, swinging his rifle with a sweep of his powerful muscles. Tristan jumped swiftly from target to target, like a mountain lion.
Their advance toward the facility slowed as they met resistance. All around them the Remorii converged and, positioned as they were, the shore party was vulnerable on all sides. Calvin and Shen opened fire from relative safety and Pellew threw more grenades, covering the rear. Any Polarian who had ammo released every fiery bullet they could. But the fight rapidly turned into another giant melee. Fists, knives, guns, and claws were swinging everywhere. Bones shattered and ligaments ripped.
Calvin felt his heart pound so intensely he could hear it in his ears—despite the terrible noise of violence, gunfire, and explosions. He drained another magazine and slapped in a new clip. He provided covering fire for Rez’nac and the other brave souls leading the charge, as best he could.
Tristan got too far ahead of the others and had to retreat. His body was more soaked from blood than rain. It stained his face and colored his torn clothes, and streams of red poured over his taut muscles. He seemed as fierce and deadly as ever but Calvin could tell he was tiring, his movements became increasingly sluggish. And it wasn’t just him, they all were wearing out. But the Remorii showed no hint of relenting. If only we can get through the courtyard and back into the facility… Calvin longed to escape the open spaces, to have walls at his sides and chokepoints to take advantage of… We can make it! We can still do this. Just a little farther…
It was a brutal slaughter, the worst violence Calvin had ever seen—and more than once he stumbled over a mangled, shredded corpse in his path. He had almost given up when, through the fog, he saw a glorious sight—the science facility!
“Stay strong!” he yelled.
One by one they filed through the broken windows as quickly as possible, those waiting their turn faced off against the Remorii, protecting the group. Their sojourn across the open courtyard had cost them dearly. A quick headcount revealed that only nine of them were still alive. And of those still standing, nearly everyone was injured.
Calvin, Pellew, Shen, Alex, and Tristan still stood, in no small part thanks to the noble actions of the Polarians, who bore the brunt of the attack—and the casualties. Calvin had never seen such devotion and loyalty—not even from humans—as the mighty Polarians broke, one by one, fighting to the last breath to protect the humans—creatures they didn’t even like! Simply because that was Rez’nac’s will. Calvin wondered if their spirituality gave them courage he couldn’t understand, or if it was something else, perhaps in their biology.
Just as it was Calvin’s turn to enter the broken window, a powerful explosion rocked the air. He turned and watched for a moment as the silo burned, little more than a pillar of fire now, glowing green through the infrared goggles. The missiles were no more. The unstable isotome no doubt harmlessly dissipated. They’d done it. Even if he died here and never contributed anything more to the galaxy, at least here he’d done something significant. They all had.
He went through the window and Pellew followed closely behind. Tristan was last through. He shredded one more Remorii before entering and Pellew lobbed another grenade past him to buy them time.
The group didn’t stop once they were back inside the facility. They continued running, as fast as they could, back through the maze-like complex. Calvin followed Rez’nac and the surviving Polarians, feeling hopelessly lost and disoriented. He doubted he could find his way back to the gunship, but at least the Polarians seemed to know where they were going.
“I really didn’t think we’d make it,” said Shen, huffing and puffing next to Calvin.
“We ain’t outta the woods yet,” said Pellew. “Come on, hurry.”
Calvin withdrew his radio from his tactical pack, without breaking pace. “Miles, do you copy?”
“Loud and clear, boss.”
“Did a Polarian soldier and a captive ever make it back?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Good.” Calvin would’ve left them both behind if they weren’t there, without so much as a second thought, but he was glad to know the soldier and a potentially very deep well of intelligence hadn’t been lost. “Get the bird prepped for launch ASAP! And have those guns ready. We’re coming in hot and we’re bringing
company.”
“Wilco. I’ve got your back. Just get here!”
They ran into very few Remorii as they carved a path through the complex. Small groups of them were scattered, having somehow found their way inside, but nothing like the hordes that’d swarmed them outdoors. He hoped this kind of luck would stay with them, but wouldn’t feel safe until he was back aboard the armored gunship.
They reached the long glass corridor and Calvin got his bearings. “Almost there,” he said loudly. They ran two abreast, Rez’nac and Tristan still leading the group. Through the thick glass, Calvin could see masses of dark clouds swirling, the storm had only intensified. He hoped it wouldn’t give them trouble during lift off.
Farther down the corridor he could make out images of more type one Remorii swarming on the outside, beating against the glass. It was extremely eerie jogging past them, seeing their sickening, terrifying faces pressed up against the glass. Their sunken eyes staring at nothing. Calvin tried to ignore them. Wishing the walls were made of stronger materials—like starship windows—rather than thick antiquated glass. This whole planet felt like a relic from an earlier time.
“Just a little farther,” said Calvin, more to himself than to anyone else, as they neared the end. Tristan and Rez’nac were already opening the far door.
There was a popping noise and Calvin saw a large crack shoot along the glass wall, branching into smaller cracks.
“They’re breaking through!” said Pellew.
Calvin, Shen, and Pellew, who together were the rear of the group, all broke into a desperate sprint, trying to run even faster. Despite the horrible burning in his throat and lungs, Calvin managed to speed up, fueled by adrenaline. Pellew did too. But Shen fell behind—wheezing and coughing desperately. Calvin slowed down, not wanting to leave him behind.
“Hurry,” Rez’nac called, now running back their way.
The glass exploded. Calvin ducked his head and shielded himself with his hands instinctively. Shards flew everywhere, some of them cut Calvin’s face and forearms. At his sides he heard the feral moan of type one Remorii closing in—surrounding him.
Hands pressed against his shoulder and back. Shoving him forward with so much force that he stumbled and fell. He landed on his side and looked up to see Shen being mauled by Remorii that had broken through. Remorii that had been aiming for Calvin. By pushing him down, Shen had saved him.
“No!” Calvin yelled as he sprang to his feet and raised his carbine. He fired three round bursts into the heads of the Remorii that were beating on Shen. One of the attackers managed to bite Shen on the neck before Calvin could kill him.
Shen slumped to the ground motionless. He was severely bruised and bleeding and his eyes were closed. Calvin didn’t know if he was alive or dead.
He ran to him. Shoving the knife on his rifle through the face of another Remorii that was leaning over Shen, kicking him. Once the Remorii fell, Calvin continued to beat him with the butt of his gun mercilessly. Swearing and yelling incoherently as he did.
Gunfire sounded close behind him. He realized someone was protecting his back. An instant later Rez’nac appeared at his side. The large Polarian grappled powerfully with one of the Remorii, ignoring his own deep wounds, and in the blink of an eye snapped its head off.
“We have to go!” Pellew called out from behind. “Now.”
“Come on,” said Rez’nac, looking down at Calvin.
Calvin looked back down at Shen and stared at him in shock. He knelt and searched Shen’s neck for a pulse. “No... no...”
“Calvin!” shouted Pellew. “More are coming. Let’s go!”
Calvin kept staring at Shen. “We can’t just leave him here!”
“He’s with the Essences now,” said Rez’nac. “There’s nothing more we can do for him.”
“Damn the Essences!” said Calvin. “Wait… Yes! He’s still alive!” He’d found a pulse. It was faint, but it was there.
“Very well,” said Rez’nac. He scooped up Shen and carried him over one shoulder. Calvin loaded another magazine and provided covering fire. The two of them met up with Pellew and retreated toward the exit, fending of Remorii as best they could. Calvin took a blow to the face. It had been slowed down by his bayonet but still impacted with enough force to break some capillaries just below his left eye.
Intense pain shot through him but it didn’t matter. Shen was alive. He had to get him back to the Nighthawk. The image of Christine being bitten by a Remorii on the Trinity flashed in his mind, but he shook it away. This time it was going to be different. Shen was going to be alright. They all were. They were getting out of here.
They pushed through the exit and down another corridor. Almost to the landing platform. We’re gonna make it! All of us.
***
“Another mine cluster has been destroyed,” reported the defense officer.
Nimoux watched the brief flashes out the window as dozens of mines exploded. Small debris floated past the window, harmlessly striking the Desert Eagle’s armor plating. “Still no word from the Nighthawk?” he asked, not understanding why Calvin still refused to surrender his ship. Did he not understand that he and all of his men would be killed if he played this game much longer?
“No, sir. No word,” said the pilot.
“Can we at least confirm that the Nighthawk hasn’t been destroyed?” asked Nimoux.
“Yes, sir,” said the ops officer. “I’ve been scanning the debris thoroughly. None of it is consistent with the materials making up the Nighthawk. She’s still out there.”
“For a little longer anyway,” said Nimoux. “Target the next mine cluster.”
“Target acquired.”
“Probability analysis?” asked Nimoux.
“Computer estimates there is a one in twenty-five chance that destruction of current target will result in destruction of the Nighthawk,” said the defense officer.
Still not betting odds, but not an implausible longshot either. And getting more and more likely all the time. Nimoux let out a sigh. Surrender the ship already, Calvin. I don’t want to destroy you!
“Should I hold fire?” asked the defense officer.
“No,” said Nimoux with some measure of regret. If Calvin wanted to keep playing this dangerous game, there wasn’t much the rest of them could do about it. “Fire when ready.”
***
They watched as more mines were destroyed. Flashes of light and then nothing. The explosions were too far away to risk damaging the Nighthawk, but it was the closest call yet.
“We can’t keep this up much longer,” said Cassidy. “The risk of destruction is growing rapidly. Pretty soon it will be one in ten.”
Summers knew the midshipman was right. But she hadn’t lost hope yet that they’d hear from the away party down on the surface. Damn you, Calvin. Where are you?
“Adjusting to new position,” said Sarah. “A lot of the minefield has been destroyed.”
Cassidy shot Summers an expression of concern and Summers knew it was time to seriously consider other options. She would give Calvin all the time she reasonably could, but she wasn’t going to lose the ship waiting for him. If he didn’t escape the planet soon, he was on his own. Assuming he was even still alive... She shuddered, trying not to consider that possibility. “The plan we discussed earlier,” said Summers. “Is that still our best chance of escape?”
“Maneuvering between the ISS Spirit and the ISS Phoenix?” asked Cassidy.
“Yes.”
“Affirmative,” said Cassidy. “The ships haven’t changed formation.”
“Lt. Winters, do you concur?” Summers looked at Sarah. The pilot shot her a wounded look, obviously she cared much more about their absent shore party than Cassidy did, but even she looked resigned to the likely fact that their missing crew would have to be left behind.
“Yes,” she said. “I agree.”
Summers nodded. “Very well, plot our best escape trajectory and alert all decks to brace themselves for
missile impacts.” Summers looked down at the defense console, making certain she was familiar with all the controls. And, for the first time ever, found herself wishing that idiot Miles was present. His incredible skill with the ship’s weapons no doubt surpassed even her own. Not that she’d ever admit that to his insufferably annoying face.
“What about Calvin and Shen and the others?” asked Sarah.
“We’ll give them as much time as we reasonably can,” said Summers. “But when we can’t afford to wait any longer... we’ll take our chances with the blockade.”
“Sir,” said Cassidy, “the Desert Eagle is firing on another mine cluster.”
***
Emerging from the facility into the stormy outside was brutal, and opened them up to attacks from all sides once more. But the grey metal gunship perched not far away was a truly welcome sight. Its pre-launch engines burned and its mounted guns were spun up, ready to fire.
Calvin and his group dashed for it—tired and beaten, but fighting on. Calvin found his hopes rallying. We’re going to make it.
The Remorii hadn’t given up on their prey, however. Massive groups of them were coming in from both sides, and rapidly overtaking them from behind. Calvin and Pellew each turned and took a knee—steadying their rifles—and opened fire on their nearest pursuers. The instant their clips ran dry they about faced and resumed their retreat toward the gunship. Closing the distance.
Just as the mobs of Remorii converged on them from either side—in numbers they couldn’t hope to resist—the gunship’s enormous batteries roared to life and began shredding them. Countless Remorii fell, ripped apart by machine-gun fire designed to puncture metal airships. Calvin averted his eyes from the pulpish remains of the shredded corpses as best he could, it was a savagely gruesome enterprise but he was more than grateful for the gunship’s assistance. He just wanted to get the hell off Remus Nine and never look back.
They reached the gunship and, one by one, ascended the ladder to the hatch. At Calvin’s insistence, Rez’nac was first to go up—carrying Shen. Calvin and Pellew provided covering fire, shooting apart any Remorii who strayed too close, while the others went aboard. Meanwhile, Tristan again leaped from target to target, ferociously clawing through Remorii with terrifying bloodlust.
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