by Charles Case
“What is it?” Seena stepped up next to him and felt the wall as well.
“When I found Leela, the place was made of stone. I think. Maybe it was metal.”
“You don't remember?” Seena had a slight look of concern. “Did your memories get erased or something?”
Corbin laughed. “No.” Then he cocked his head to the side in thought. “Actually, yes. But only for a little while. I can't remember because it was dark, and I didn't know how to turn on the lights. Anyway, the point is that this place is wholly different.”
“We took refuge wherever we could. There was no plan to store ourselves for future generations. It’s just that some of us were powerful enough that we didn't immediately die when Nhi was formed.” Leela pointed a paw down one of the two passages from the room. “We need to go that way.”
“Interesting.” Corbin headed for the passage indicated. “She says that only a few of them survived the forming of Nhi.” He relayed Leela’s words to Seena, who followed him down the passage. He turned to Leela on his shoulder. “Did you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time? Or right place, in this instance. What are the chances of a black hole forming in a stable system?”
“I would say zero.” Leela cocked her head to the side as if he were a very special kind of dummy. “Nhi didn't form by accident. It was our final attack on the invaders that caused it.”
Corbin stopped in his tracks, causing Seena to walk into his back with an “Oomph.”
She stumbled back a few steps as she rebounded off his tense back. “What the hell, Corbin?”
He told her.
“How the hell could a group of supers cause the formation of a black hole?” her eyes were wide in disbelief.
“More to the question, if forming a black hole wasn't enough to stop them, then what the hell do you think we can do?” Corbin stared at Leela, daring her to answer.
“It’s a matter of perspective.” She flicked an ear in contemplation. “Hold Seena’s hand. This will go faster if you don't have to repeat my words.”
Corbin cocked an eyebrow but reached for Seena's hand. She was a little surprised, but let him take it, and even gave a little smile at the gesture.
“Why, Major Holt. I never took you for the PDA type,” she joked.
“Trust me, he’s been wanting to hold your hand for a while,” Leela’s voice said in both their minds.
“Whoa! Leela? What the hell?” Seena’s mouth was a perfect “O.”
“I figured this would be easier than to have Corbin butcher my words as he paraphrased.”
“I was just being efficient,” Corbin grumbled.
“Let’s keep moving. We have a ways to go before we get there.” Corbin and Seena resumed walking down the passage as Leela continued, “The Kubla came to this system at the height of our power.”
“The Kubla?” Corbin interrupted.
“The name of the invading race. They brought with them constructs of wind or rock in the form of the golems you witnessed in the visions. They were overwhelming in power, and even at our height we could not stop them. They came upon us like a plague, devouring everything and killing anyone in their way.” With a jerk of her head, she indicated a passage to their right. “This way.”
Corbin and Seena turned down the new passage, but Corbin stopped and looked the way they had been heading. “What was this place? I haven’t seen any rooms besides the first one we came in from.”
“It was a sewer system for the metropolis that once stood here. At least part of it is. These tunnels go for miles. They connect to a subterranean transportation system, which is where we will find my peer. Follow this for another half mile then we will come to a set of steps on the left.”
“You lit your sewers with this kind of tech? I’ve never seen anything like this. If this is a sewer, what were your buildings like?” Seena touched the glowing composite wall and ran her fingers down it as they continued forward.
“Our tech was a mix of actual technology and powers distilled into artifacts. These walls are a simple example of one of the latter. Mixed into the composite is a fine powder of enhanced metal. With a word, it produces light.This is a much-simplified version.” She gestured at the wall. “We used the same technique in our buildings, but with powdered metal that had the ability to change colors as well. Essentially, every surface was a display if you wanted it to be. It was rather handy.”
“Amazing. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your story.” Seena indicated that Leela should continue.
“It’s quite all right. I have to admit that telling you even the simple things about my people is making me remember more and more. I have felt like I was trapped in a bottle since Corbin found me. Now that I’ve woken up, every hour I remember more and more. It’s as if scales are being lifted from my eyes one at a time.”
“Will my new partner be the same?” Seena nervously fiddled with her Huli Jing pendant with her free hand.
“At first, but I will be able to help them along once they bond with you.” Leela leaned forward to see Seena around Corbin's head and grinned. After a second’s consideration, she melted into Corbin's shoulder, then un-melted on his right shoulder so that she was between them. “Don’t worry, Seena. I’ve spoken to them and they are much better prepared than I was for the bonding.”
Seena’s eyes widened at the unusual form of movement from the little fox, but gave her a smile. “I’m relieved. The descriptions of Corbin’s forced visions had me a little on edge.”
“No worries. Now, let’s get back to the story of how you two will make a difference.” Leela shook out her metallic coat, her large ears flapping and fur rippling in a wave from her neck down to the tips of her two tails. She settled on Corbin's shoulder, sitting with a proud curve to her back. “When the Kubla invaded, it started small, with an outpost on one of the moons orbiting the rocky planet closest to the sun. It took a while for us to understand what had happened, because the outpost was nothing more than a research station to study our star and was manned by only a small number of scientists. It went dark one day, and it was assumed there was some sort of accident, so a ship was sent out to assess the damage. Then that ship disappeared. Next, we sent a military vessel. We received the first part of a transmission before it was cut off, presumably when the ship was destroyed. However, from that short message we were able to tell that they had been attacked.”
“Do you remember what the message said?” Corbin glanced behind them, seeing that they had traveled far enough that the opening they had come from was lost in a haze of light.
“I was not part of the military at the time.” Leela cocked her head. “I don't remember what I used to do before the war. I suppose it doesn't matter, but it’s odd to think that there is a whole section of my life that’s a blank.” She shook herself before continuing. “Regardless, we were unable to get much info on the Kubla until nearly a year later, when they attacked the planet you call Vale. In my time that was the least populated of the three planets in the VRC system, since my people tended to prefer the warmer climates of Rush and Cinder, which are closer to the sun. Cinder was the capital since it was the warmest.”
“Cinder was the most populated of the planets?” Corbin had a hard time thinking of the desolate desert planet they were on as anything but sparsely populated.
“It was our homeworld. My species was born here. We colonized Rush a short time after this planet was hit by a passing meteor storm that crippled our people. We realized a that multi-planet civilization was the only insurance against cosmic events. Moving out to Vale and the rest of the system was a natural progression. We hadn’t yet figured out true interstellar flight, but we were close to breaking the speed of light limitation when the attack came.”
They had come to a set of stairs on the righthand side of the passage. Corbin pointed to it. “This where we’re going?”
“Yes. It should lead us to a transport station. We’re just about there.”
Corbin let go of
Seena's hand and led the way since the stairs were too narrow for them to go up abreast. When they reached the top, Corbin was stunned to see the vast chamber before him. There were several platforms that ran the length of the huge space where people obviously waited for the transports. Staircases led to collapsed upper levels, and loose debris littered the floor. Sections of the ceiling had fallen, leaving large portions of the glowing surface dark, like holes in reality.
“It’s a subway station,” Seena observed, stepping around Corbin.
He nodded. It was very similar to a subway station, except for the lack of tracks for the cars to run on. Instead, there were grooves cut into the floor as if a giant had dragged an enormous ice cream scoop through the glowing material, leaving half-circle grooves that ran between the platforms.
“See the set of three doors opposite us? We need to go in the door to the right. That will lead us to a maintenance room where there will be a ladder to a sub-basement.” Leela indicated the correct door with a paw.
“This way.” Corbin pointed out the door to Seena and they made their way across the platforms and cut out grooves. The eerie quiet of the place made Corbin feel like an intruder, but if the thin layer of dust and complete lack of smell was any indication, they were the only living things to come this way in a very long time.
Seena pulled the indicated door open when they got there, and was a little surprised to see that the lighting was dim and red in comparison to the half-mile of tunnel they had just traversed. “Must be a way of saying ‘employees only,’” she commented, letting Corbin take the lead.
The hall ended in a small room with shelves holding all sorts of unidentifiable tools. Corbin inspected a few, unable to guess at their use, before spotting the ladder in the corner that led down a cutout in the floor.
“Here,” he indicated to Seena, who had been inspecting a different shelf of alien tools.
“How have we never seen these tunnels on any of our satellite scans? We can see meters down into the ground. All the way to bedrock in most places. You would think a network of old sewers and tram stations would jump out like spotlights in the dark.”
“Leela says the metals used for the light source makes it difficult for scans to penetrate, but not so dense that it shows up as a metal deposit. I would bet that if we knew what to look for we could identify possible locations like this. Without knowing what to look for, though, it would simply look like dense rock.” Corbin grabbed the top rung of the ladder and started down into the hole, Seena right behind him.
After a minute, the hole opened up into another large room like the one they had entered through the cave. There were three passages from the room in addition to the ladder. However, Corbin didn't inspect the area further after he spotted a bowl shape cut into the floor and filled with a perfectly reflective silver liquid.
“We’re here.” He squatted next to the bowl, Seena doing the same beside him.
She gripped his hand in trepidation, shooting him and Leela a worried look. He squeezed her hand, understanding her feelings. He had been in the same position less than two weeks ago.
“You’ll be fine.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I promise.”
With that, he stood and gave her some space.
3
“I think there is someone else here.” Leela’s voice was concerned and was accompanied by a feeling of uncertainty. She had reabsorbed into him while they waited, letting her emotions blend a little with his.
“Why do you say that?” Corbin’s brow furrowed as he stood and looked around the smallish room. “I don't see anyone. Are they upstairs?”
“No. I think they’re outside in the passages. I am connected to the metals throughout the tunnel system, and I can feel something coming this way. At first, I thought it was just an animal, but the longer I’m connected the more clarity I am getting. I can tell that there are at least a dozen individuals exploring, and they are heading this way.”
Corbin glanced over at Seena, but she was completely unresponsive now that she had combined with her new friend. It had been over an hour since she had reached out a tentative hand and the liquid metal reached for her. The whole process was a lot less terrifying than when he and Leela had first met.
“Will they be able to find us?” Corbin checked that his pistol was loaded and ready to draw. Old habits died hard, and years of military training died even harder.
Leela was quiet for a few seconds. Corbin assumed that she was checking their progress. “I think they must be following a trail you left.”
Corbin toed the thin layer of dust on the ground, and realized there must be a set of footprints all the way from the opening to where they were now. “Shit. Okay, we need to assume these people are not on our side. We need to figure out how they found us, but first things first. Can you wake Seena? Maybe contact your kin inside her?”
“I don't think that’s a good idea.” Corbin felt a wave of trepidation from Leela. “This first meeting between them will define their relationship. If it gets bad, I’ll see what I can do.”
Corbin's brow furrowed and he gave a sharp nod. Decision made, he turned to the ladder and climbed up. The tight confines of the ladder’s passage left his shoulders brushing against the glowing walls, and he felt a rush of panic thinking about the enemy catching him in such a confined space. He picked up the pace.
“How far are they from the subway station?” Corbin felt a rush of relief as his head came out of the hole into the maintenance room.
“They are still a half mile from the tram station but are moving fast. I estimate that you have five minutes before they come up the stairs.”
Moving quickly, Corbin went to the door to the station and peeked out. “Looks clear. How certain are you of their positions? Could a few have gotten ahead?”
“I’m not a hundred percent on their location, but I would say I have them down to a dozen feet or so. I’m still trying to attune to the metals in this place, but I know there are none in the station. You’re clear for a few more minutes.”
Corbin stepped out and quickly formulated a plan of attack. He knew the invaders could be from the rebellion, but he was sure Lore or someone would have notified him. Thinking about that, he checked to be sure his arm tablet was still connected to the network. Sure enough, it was, which reinforced the idea that this was an enemy force come to collect him and Seena.
Looking around the large open space, Corbin blew out a frustrated breath. Despite the many tracks and platforms there was very little cover. He could try to hide in one of the half-circle tracks, but the enemy would spot him as soon as they were on a platform. He finally spotted a large chunk of ceiling that had fallen in one piece lying on the ground about a dozen yards from the stairwell they would be coming up. It was large enough that he could hide behind it, if it were standing on end.
Quickly scrabbling across three platforms and their accompanying tracks, Corbin knelt to examine the debris. It was in one piece that was roughly square and a couple of yards to a side. It was almost a foot thick, much thicker than he had originally thought from the other side of the room, and seemed to be solid.
Focusing on the ever-present well of power churning deep in his chest, he tapped some of it and focused on the slab in front of him. Power flowed, and Corbin watched closely as the edges of the slab slackened and its weight decreased. He was careful to use only enough to lighten the load instead of dumping in the power, which would make the slab fall upward and smash on the ceiling. As soon as the huge chunk of composite lifted an inch or two off the ground, he stopped adding power. The chunk settled back, and Corbin ground his teeth. He needed to find the balance of his power bleeding off, and it not rising. After another few seconds he felt like he had gotten there, and reached out to grasp the edge and lift.
The entire slab lifted with nearly zero effort. It was so surprising that he nearly flung the thing into the air, but was able to hold on to it. Keeping his power flow just right he was able to lift and positi
on it upright, creating a wall between him and the stairwell.
He slowly decreased the flow till the composite settled on its edge. A few loose pebbles popped and crackled as the huge weight settled on the floor, but it didn't show any signs of tipping over. Corbin cut the flow of power completely, and finally let out the breath he had been holding.
Checking out the cover he had created for himself, Corbin pulled out his pistol and held it at the ready.
“They’re at the stairs,” Leela whispered, even though she was talking in his head.
Corbin moved to the edge of his barricade and watched the sunken portion of the floor where the stairs came out.
A helmeted head attached to a suit of Lieu power armor poked above the floor and quickly looked around before ducking back.
Corbin sighed, looking at his pistol. “Well, this is going to be useless against power armor.” He reengaged the safety and quietly put it back in its holster. He reached into his well and let some power flow into his body, heightening his senses and reaction times.
The head showed itself once more, this time followed by the rest of the suit. It was a Lieu Corp security model, not one from the military, which made Corbin feel a little better about what was going to happen next.
Several more suits followed the first, and spread out in as efficient a way as they could to cover the large room. After a few seconds, all twelve black suits were making their way across the platforms, following the obvious tracks he and Seena had left in the dust. When they were halfway to the door to the maintenance room, the entire group stopped and took cover in one of the grooved tracks.
Corbin didn't want to attack people without knowing exactly who they were. On the other hand, he knew they were coming to take them in—and if what happened to William was any indication, they weren’t going to hold back. Still, Corbin couldn't kill them without talking to them first. Everyone should have a chance to make the right choice.