Betrayal

by E. Wayne Stucki

  Shaking his head, Regul moved further away from the canyon and gestured for his Swarm to gather around. “Back to camp,” he ordered. “I want an early start tomorrow. When the afternoon rains come I want to be in Stranstreen. We’re not going to be caught in that!” After having seen the canyon below the Iidx gave no argument.

  The next morning found the party on the edge of the canyon just as the sun came over the horizon. Without the wind threatening to blow him over the edge Captain Forst moved right up to the canyon rim to look down. A movement beside him caused him to turn and he saw Regul. The Lieutenant leaned forward and looked down. Although the canyon floor was still in shadows he could make out that a placid stream had replaced the torrent of yesterday. It fell in small waterfalls over rocks into pools then crossed sandy flats. Upstream small rivulets could be seen falling over the cliffs to disappear into the depths.

  “We have to walk through that canyon?” Regul asked Navaj. “We’ll drown.”

  “It isn’t the walk I’m worried about,” said Forst, “it’s the climb down.”

  “Our way down isn’t far from here, Captain,” announced Navaj. “It won’t be the ramps or stairs you’re used to but it’s easier than climbing down the cliff.” He gave a little shrug. “As for as our little walk; we’ll manage.” The Corporal nodded to include Jerah. “We’ve done it for years.”

  Regul took a deep breath and another look down. “Well, the walk won’t get any easier by looking at it. Besides we still have to beat the rain. Let’s get it done.”

  At a gesture from their commander Navaj and Jerah led the way, heading up stream, skirting the edge of the canyon. They moved back and forth, going away from the canyon then returning, as the foliage required.

  Cries from creatures could be heard all around. Some were calling for a mate; others were voicing a warning of a predator in the area. There were sounds of fights and victory. Still more creatures scuttled away into the dense jungle, disturbed by the Iidx.

  After twenty minutes of hiking they came to an area of the canyon where there was a break in the cliff for a half mile then the sheer rock walls resumed. The Iidx saw that rocks and foliage presented a jumbled staircase to the canyon floor below.

  Forst stood at the top and looked down. It appeared there was a slight path moving back and forth among the boulders. Navaj and Jerah started down with two more swarm members waiting for their turn to begin. “We have to go down that,” muttered Forst as he watched Lepteron and Irat began making their way.

  Regul walked up next to the pilot. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Is the idea of walking downhill too much for a pilot?” His antennae quivered with amusement.

  Forst didn’t say anything. He just reset his abdomen pack then headed down the slope following those who’d gone before. Moss and water from the prior night’s rain made the climb perilous. Before going very far down the slope his shell and legs were slimed by moss and scraped from several near falls. Regul, who’d started after the pilot, soon passed him. As did two other members of the swarm.

  Half an hour later which seemed like an eternity Forst reached the sandy floor of the canyon smeared with moss and scraped. His breath came in quick deep gasps through his breathing spiccules to help cool him down. How could going downhill be such hard work? The rest of the team was just behind him. He paused for a moment to take a quick drink of water before joining the swarm that was waiting for the others to make the descent.

  After a brief rest the Iidx moved up the canyon trailing the two scouts. Forst scrambled over boulders covered with moss, waded through shallow pools, walked along sandy areas and skirted along the canyon walls to avoid the deeper pools. The cliffs on both sides towered overhead blocking the sun. Trees and bushes lined the canyon top with vines hanging down the rock face.

  At mid-day the Swarm came to a stop at another deep pool. Following the procedure established earlier in the day Navaj climbed around the boulders coated in moss edging the pool to determine a safe route and place a guideline. When the Corporal reached the other side Jerah followed to test the rope. He paused twice during the transit to re-anchor the line.

  After the route was announced safe Forst and Regul made the crossing. As they joined the two scouts to watch for the rest of their party make it around the pool a light mist began falling. The Captain looked up at the cloudy sky. “That’s going to make this harder. How much farther to these caves of yours,” he asked Navaj.

  “It’s not far,” replied the guide also looking up. “But we’re going to have to hurry. If we don’t we’re going to get caught in the flood.”

  “Why the worry,” wondered Forst and moved closer to the two guides. He gestured up at the clouds where the mist had originated. “This won’t be enough to start the flood we saw yesterday. The heavy rain won’t begin for hours yet.”

  “But the jungle isn’t where the flood starts,” Jerah reminded. “It’s in the mountains. The rain begins there and spreads to the plain. And it’s heavier.”

  A screech of alarm cut off any further conversation. They turned to see Irat tumble down the wet rocks towards the pool. He’d almost made it round the pool when he’d slipped on the wet moss and lost his grip on the line.

  “Throw him a rope!” the Lieutenant yelled.

  Jerah was already running forward and threw the line he had ready for this emergency. It uncoiled and dropped within easy reach as the hapless Iidx rolled off the boulders. They saw Irat make a desperate grab for the rope but missed by inches then disappeared with a splash under the surface. For a few seconds its clear waters muddied; the surface bubbled as Irat struggled to reach air. Everyone froze, watching, hoping for their companion to come back to the surface. For some arcane reason Forst thought of the story he’d been reading about Iidx in the early Sea Swarms. Before the disturbance in the water ended Jerah began coiling the rope, turning away from the pool.

  “Come on!” called Navaj to those who still had to make their way along the rocks. He motioned with a true-arm to get them moving. “Irat’s dead! We don’t have time to get his body. Hurry or we’ll be joining him!”

  While the remaining Iidx began moving along the rope as fast as they could Forst walked over to the Lieutenant and laid a comforting antenna across one of Regul’s. “I’m sorry about the loss of your swarm member,” he said.

  Before the Lieutenant could reply another shout pulled their attention back to the pool. 2nd Lieutenant Nisan, who was bringing up the rear, had reached the spot where Irat had fallen, slipped on the moss and his feet went out from under him. Knowing what had happened to his comrade he’d kept a firm grip on the line with one hand so he wouldn’t follow that hapless Iidx into the water. After a few moments of furious scrabbling on the slimed rock the Lieutenant was able to get two hands onto the rope and pull himself back to firmer footing. A minute later he finished the transit.

  “Leave the rope,” said Navaj. “This should be the last deep pool we have to cross.”

  Nisan, who’d started to recover the rope, stopped and glanced over at Regul who nodded agreement. The 2nd Lieutenant obediently dropped the rope and walked over to join the rest of the Swarm. His antennae were still shivering from thinking of what he’d just escaped.

  At Regul’s gesture the scouts turned to lead the way up the canyon. “I hope it’s the last pool,” Navaj muttered to himself. “We’re running out of time.” After a final glance at the pool where their comrade had disappeared the rest of the Swarm hurried on.

  The pace set by Navaj and Jerah was much faster than before. They scuttled over rocks and boulders at a speed that risked breaking a limb or cracking a shell. By this time the falling mist had changed to a light rain which added impetus to their march.

  Water was starting to rise in the streambed of the narrow canyon as they walked. Overhead, trickles began to fall over the cliff but didn’t reach the canyon floor. The water dissolved into a mist that joined the drizzle which fell on the Iidx.

  Regul glanced up a
nd used a true-hand to keep the water out of his compound eyes. “We need to get above the flood level,” he said to Navaj. “It won’t be long before we drown like Irat or be washed down stream and have our shells cracked when we’re slammed against a rock.”

  Jerah pointed at the next bend of the canyon that was a short distance ahead. “Stranstreen’s just around the corner, Lieutenant. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  This last stretch of the canyon was flat with no large rocks to mar the sandy floor. The water running down the canyon was calm and the footing solid which allowed Navaj and Jerah to pick up the pace even more. Water splashed from their feet, kicked into the air in their haste. The rest of the Swam followed the two scouts around the next turn in the canyon where a fresh surge of water a foot high came down the canyon almost knocking them off their feet. Water started to come over the cliff in larger streams.

  “Navaj!” Regul called. “It’s getting deeper! Our time’s up! Where’s this cave of yours?”

  The corporal splashed over to the western cliff and pointed up. “Stranstreen is up there,” he announced.

  Forst looked up to see a hole in the cliff that was well above the high watermark. “How’re we supposed to get up there?” he wondered.

  Navaj didn’t answer. Instead the Corporal tightened the straps of his pack and reached for the rock. The cave seemed inaccessible to Captain Forst but their guide moved up the wall with ease. A moment later a line dropped down the canyon wall.

  “Use the rope to help you climb,” ordered Jerah. “There are crevices and footholds you can use that’ve been widened by generations of climbers.” He glanced up the canyon. “You need to hurry though. You don’t want to be here when the real water comes.” The Iidx took hold of the line and hurried up the rock.

  Regul tightened the straps on his own pack then walked over to the line. Placing two of his feet in lower crevices, he grasped the line with his true-hands and began to climb. The Lieutenant used his false hands to help keep him oriented with the canyon wall and moving up the rock face.

  When Regul reached the final ledge Forst took his place at the rope. He swiveled his head to look back at the remaining members of the swarm. “The last time I did something like this was in Basic Training,” he warned. “I wasn’t very good at it. You’d better stand clear in case I fall.”

  A few moments after the Captain reached safety the last member of the swarm appeared over the ledge and moved into the cavern entrance. The two guides had a blanket ready and hung it over the entrance making sure no light could escape. A lamp had already been placed on a rock and switched on to light the chamber.

  “There’s a place over here for your packs,” announced Jerah. He’d already shrugged off his pack and placed it on a fairly large rectangular rock. “They’ll be able to dry out.”

  A murmur of agreement was heard and packs were pulled off. Before placing his pack with the others Private Lepteron paused long enough to pull out a packet of rations.

  “What are you doing, Private?” Sergeant Helmon asked in tones only a drill instructor could use.

  The Iidx looked over at Helmon. “I’m hungry, Sarge, so I’m eating,” he replied.

  Before Helmon could begin to explain the error of his ways Lieutenant Regul spoke up. “I think that’s a good idea, Private.” He looked around at the rest of the Swarm. “We’ve worked hard today,” Regul announced and moved over to pull a ration from his pack. “We’ll eat first then check out our new home.”

  Captain Forst followed the Lieutenant’s lead and found a ration packet of his own. He ripped open the waterproof packet and began eating. Now that he wasn’t worried about being washed away, drowned, or smashed against rocks he realized he was famished.

  After taking care of their hunger the Iidx turned out the light then gathered at the entrance. Regul had the blanket removed so they could look out. Five yards below the ledge they saw the raging torrent. Water spilled off the cliffs above adding to the rush.

  “You were right to suggest this cave, Corporal,” said Regul as he turned to face Navaj. “This place is perfect,” he declared and gestured at the turbulent waters below. “The daily flood adds security. Any tracks we leave will be erased and if the Kthpok come looking they’re going to be washed away.”

  The 1st Lieutenant turned away from the canyon to look into the darkness of the cavern. “Back to business,” he ordered. “Sight seeing’s over. Let’s get the entrance covered again. Navaj and Jerah, you know this cavern. We need a command center, store room, barracks, and lookout point. We also need to have communications with our base on the mainland. Show me the best locations”

  Deep inside Refuge Swarm Master Zelof had just settled down on his sleeping pad to get some badly needed rest. It’d been more than a full twenty-eight hours since he’d been off duty. After The Attack (that’s what everyone had taken to calling the Kthpok Betrayal) his days had been full of efforts to re-establish contact with what military forces were available and set up defenses. He’d been fairly successful and his plans were in motion which meant he could finally get some sleep and not just short naps. Zelof composed his eight limbs then began his relaxation routine. He could feel the lethargy coming and was surrendering to sleep when an alert tone sounded.

  His calm shattered Zelof moved off the pad and got to his feet. He turned the room’s lights on low and gave a vicious stab at the intercom button on his room console. “Zelof here,” he said, making no effort to hide his annoyance. “What’s the alert?”

  “It has to do with New Hive, Swarm Master,” was the immediate response. Zelof recognized the voice of his Second. “All signals have been lost,” the Second continued.

  “Is it jamming from the Kthpok?” the Swarm Master asked. All annoyance was gone from his voice.

  “There was jamming when the Kthpok Swarm entered orbit, sir,” Sesum reminded. “But communications adjusted for that little problem. We received word that the Kthpok assault began with attacks by their drones on remote areas. Twenty to thirty minutes later all signals ceased.”

  The Swarm Master paused for a moment to think then asked. “What do we know about the speed of the Kthpok Space Swarm?”

  “All we know is what they told us when they got here,” replied Sesum.

  “Which I’m not inclined to trust,” said Zelof. He heard his Second’s chuckle as he agreed with his Commanders suspicions.

  “Use data from our scans when they entered our system and as they left to attack New Hive to determine the speed of the Kthpok Swarm,” the Iidx leader ordered. “Apply that conclusion to compute a least time course from New Hive to Main Hive.”

  Sesum acknowledged his orders and ended the link. Zelof stared at his console for a moment wondering if he should wait for the answer or try to get some sleep. He looked over at his sleeping pad, shook his head then moved for his desk. The report from New Hive had driven all thoughts of sleep from him. There was some paperwork he could do while he was waiting.

  Twenty minutes later Sesum called back. “At their full observed speed it will take about two weeks for the Kthpok to reach Main Hive,” he reported.

  “Notify all Base and Group Commanders they have two weeks to complete their defenses,” Zelof ordered. “It could be longer if the Kthpok take the time to make sure our people on New Hive are dead. But we have no guarantee of that.”

  After cutting the link with Sesum the Swarm Master returned to his sleeping pad. He composed himself then restarted his relaxation routine but never completed it. Sleep came quickly. It seemed knowing when the attack would come was less stressful then uncertainty.

  Chapter 23

  Nestled in the crook of a large tree Private Sol ignored the smaller insects that buzzed around the upper level of the jungle. He’d picked the tallest tree in the area for his observation platform and had climbed to its top. Once there he’d found this vantage point and settled in. The object of this mission, the Kthpok base, was only three miles distant. Using a false-han
d to move a branch out of the way so he’d have a clear view, he raised his magnifiers and examined the Kthpok facility.

  The swarm he was with had been sent to Tarren Island with two objectives: One was to rescue a downed pilot and the other was to observe the Kthpok after they returned. Sol continued looking through the glasses and swept slowly back and forth to see as much of the base as possible.

  The eleven Iidx had been on the island for almost a month now. During that time they’d established a safe base which was part of the second objective. But they hadn’t located the pilot they were supposed to rescue. It’d been so long without any sign of that particular Iidx that Sol doubted they’d ever find him. The observer gave a slight shrug. It wouldn’t matter now if they found him. That Iidx was here to stay and would be attached to the observation mission just like Captain Forst was. Last week they’d received word from Colonel Levron back at their main base that the Kthpok were in orbit. And that was why Sol was in the top of a tree staring at the Kthpok base.

  The private raised a false hand to his mouth and activated a short-range transmitter. “The Kthpok are on the ground,” he announced. Below, shielded from view by the dense jungle, were members of the scouting swarm who were waiting for his report. The rest of the swarm was in other areas of the island checking for any sign of the Kthpok. “I count three shuttles on the field,” the observer continued. “They’ve set a few guards for the craft but most of the Tails have moved into the base. It looks like they’re going to assess the damage caused by our attack and the resulting fires.”

  “What structures are they concentrating on?” The voice of Lieutenant Regul came from the receiver.

  “It’s hard to tell from here,” was Sol’s reply. “I could use another ten feet added to the top of this tree to be sure but it appears they’re in the manufacturing section.”

  At the foot of the observer’s tree the Lieutenant thought for a moment then called for Sol to come down. “We need to get this information to Colonel Levron,” he said to Captain Forst who was relaxing nearby. “If the Kthpok are so interested in that area perhaps he can do something about it.”