by Jason Kent
"Hold on!" Dagger called. She pulled back on her control column. Blade popped up above the blackened trees lining the water's surface. The low-lying mists cleared.
Kate gasped.
"Reticort," Garrett announced.
Before them, the city of Reticort spread out over a wide plain. The buildings here were larger than in the towns out in the countryside. But many of them were simply shells, facades with no floors or ceiling. Others rose up more than forty stories with dark windows looking back at them. In between, the streets were choked with rubble and blocks of what might once have been residential row houses or apartments. Everything was blackened and pock-marked.
Dagger kept Blade low, blasting rocks and dust up off the streets as she flew below rooftop level. She rolled the ship on its side as she banked around a corner. A building on the left side of the street disintegrated behind them thanks to the shockwave their passage created.
"Careful," Garrett warned smoothly. "We don't want to ruin the old world charm of the place."
"Tral!" Dagger snorted. "Like anyone would notice."
Garrett tapped on his console, comparing their location to the damaged building they'd mapped from orbit as a possible place to hide Blade. He looked up and pointed at a mostly intact structure coming up fast on the right. "There!"
Dagger reacted instantly. She hit the braking thrusters, nearly tipping the ship up on its nose. The thrusters howled as they struggled to keep Blade from hitting its tail on the cratered street as the ship settled quickly backwards. Dagger yawed to starboard and Blade slipped sideways under the cover of the arching roof. She goosed the main engines and they moved forward until the ship was nestled between two huge rusting boilers. Dagger made a few last second adjustments to their position then brought Blade down, crunching debris underneath the sturdy landing pads. She cut the engines then hit Garrett on the shoulder.
"You saw that, right?!" Dagger exclaimed. "Now, that's what I call flying!" She jabbed her fists in the air in celebration.
"I like this side of you!" Garrett said with a smile.
Dagger pointed a finger at him. "Hey! I deserve to celebrate when I save your collective butts!"
Chapter 11
Progress
As the ship ticked and settled around them, Sparrow leaned forward. Outside Blade's cockpit, the roof of the damaged building curved far overhead. On either side of them, the massive bulk of the two decrepit boilers rose into the dimness of the abandoned structure Dagger had chosen as their hiding place.
"Power plant," Garrett remarked as he got up from his seat. He craned his neck and looked up at the machinery. "The city's energy infrastructure would have been high on the initial targeting list when the war kicked off."
"Poof," Dagger said, mimicking an explosion with her hands. "No heat, no light. One more colony world sent back to the Stone Age."
"That flak didn't feel like it was from the Stone Age," Kate said.
"Okay, early Industrial Age," Dagger corrected.
"They obviously have not had the opportunity to rebuild," Sparrow noted.
Kate shuddered as Nemus flashed the memory of the first shells of the bombing raid piercing the ceiling overhead. The electrical generators, which were powered using steam from the boilers now shielding Blade, were somewhere nearby. They were destroyed with the first, lucky hit. Five thousand kilograms of high explosives had taken the power plant off the grid. Permanently.
She wanted to tell the tree again to stop trying to help her out with his tidbits of information. But, Kate knew he was simply trying to assist them, in his own way. At least he'd only fed her the single memory. Kate did not have any desire to relive the destruction of Reticort building by building, street by street. "Life by life," Kate muttered. She pushed thoughts of the calamity from her mind, lest Nemus take it as a sign of interest.
Sparrow was staring intently into Kate's glowing eyes when she looked up. She raised her eyebrows. It was obvious from the look on her face Sparrow knew Kate was affected by the horrors crowding in from the past. Still, she said nothing, allowing her presence to be her offer of support.
Kate gave the Link Sprite a smile. She closed her eyes and focused on the key. They were on the ground and needed to find it as quickly as possible. She sent a thought to Nemus. The faster they were able to locate the artifact, the sooner Blade could be back in space and away from the war-torn planet.
Nemus answered with enthusiasm. Kate swayed and was forced to grab a hold of Sparrow's arm as the tree sent Kate the precise directions to the Reticort Museum. Nemus could not help but show off his knowledge of both the past and present as he filled Kate's mind with a fly-through tour of the route she and the others would need to take in order to reach the museum's front entrance. The tree-lined boulevards were bordered with buildings featuring a mix of stone and brick accented by bronze and glass; the old complementing the new. Pedestrians and sleek ground cars were everywhere. Nemus drew up short to show Kate how the institution had looked before the war.
The entrance to the Reticort Museum featured a portico with massive stone columns. Huge doors, made of a burnished steel stood open for the groups of school children streaming through to view the latest exhibits. While the front of the museum looked like some sort of temple topped by a steel and glass dome, the rest of the complex was more modern. Steel and glass halls stretched out behind the columned fa ade. It was in these halls where the bulk of the museum's artifacts were displayed. Finally, Nemus backed up and showed Kate the ancient obelisk which dominated the center of the square in front of the museum. In a flare of inspiration Kate had never seen Knowl display, Nemus tipped Kate's perspective so she was looking up at the obelisk. From her new vantage point near the ground, the red sun of Ardennes could be seen just touching the tip of the small pyramid that topped the spire.
Kate did not have time to enjoy the view. She sensed Nemus was dying to fill her in on the history of the obelisk but she politely urged him to focus on the key. She felt his leaves rustle in a sigh and the world around her sped up as if she was watching a vid on fast-forward. Dark clouds closed over the sun and suddenly Kate was looking at ruined buildings all around the museum square. Burnt out busses and cars clogged the streets, as if the attack on the city had come during rush hour. She retraced her steps back to the power plant. Gone were the trees and people. Wrecked buildings stood empty and forlorn, their windows glaring down at her accusingly. The streets were littered with debris, but seemed to be passable if they went on foot. This was all Kate needed to know.
"Thanks, Nemus," Kate muttered.
Let me know if you need more detailed information.
Kate shook off the disorientation caused by the vision and smiled at Nemus' little joke. She wasn't sure how much more information she would be able to handle. Kate blinked and nodded at Sparrow who was still eying her with concern.
"I'm okay," Kate said.
"Was Nemus helpful?"
"He showed me the best way to the museum," Kate replied. She took one last look out the windows then turned and led the way off Blade's bridge. She thought back to the destruction outside and a black pit opened in her stomach. She hated all the senseless destruction. What had it gotten anyone here on Ardennes? Kate shook the memory away and met Merrick in the corridor outside the cockpit. She whispered, "Let's get the key and get out of here."
"Agreed," Merrick replied. He snagged his big rifle from a holder attached to the bulkhead outside the cockpit hatch. "The situation here in Reticort is less than stable. I'd prefer not to expose you to danger."
Kate smiled. "I really appreciate your concern. But, we may need something else from Nemus."
Merrick checked his magazine then grunted, "Maybe we should figure out a way to spread this Watcher business around."
They reached the rear hatch. Ross waited for them at the bottom of the ramp in full body armor and his customary SUMC-issued assault rifle in one hand, plus his back-up slung over his shoulder. He glanced back briefly
and nodded at Merrick and Kate.
Merrick slipped on a helmet, completing his outfit. He wore body armor like Ross. The heavy vest had a high collar and coverings for his shoulders and upper arms. It was capable of stopping anything short of an artillery round. Since the marines were operating in an undefined 'detached' state, as Lieutenant Colonel Georges liked to call it, they had forgone their usual SUMC fatigues. Instead, they wore durable work pants, sturdy boots, and leather jackets over their t-shirts. Underneath everything, they wore their skin-tight second armor; a last ditch protective layer as strong as old-style body armor.
"Looks clear here," Ross reported. "Sounds like there's some fighting off to the west though."
"Most likely insurgents," Tarun stated as he walked down the ramp. He was wearing his usual white robes. His only concession to adapting to their current situation was to drape a dark cloak over his shoulders, at least partially covering his bright garb. The archivist looked around at the ruined power plant with a faint look of disgust before he continued. "The main body of the enemy army in this region, the Girard Faction, by the way, is entrenched behind the fortifications on the far side of the battle line encircling the city of Reticort."
"Don't care who they are," Dagger said. "Which direction are we heading?"
"East," Kate said. She'd stopped by her cabin long enough to snag the leather jacket Dagger had given her during their first meeting. Merrick had procured several sets of light-weight body armor for her, Dagger, Sparrow, and Tivon. Kate wore the vest under her jacket as well as her second skin underneath her pants and fitted shirt.
"Well then," Ross commented, "we should be okay."
Sparrow stepped away from the ramp and slowly turned, taking in the remains of the plant with more interest than Tarun. At the back of the huge building, the battered humps of the generators sat in silence. Twisted copper, turned green by exposure to the elements, sprung out of the motor casings at odd angles. More of the greenish metal was embedded in the side of the boiler above Blade where it had been hurled during the bombing.
Sparrow looked from the broken generators to the large hole in the front of the building. Sparrow shook her head, amazed Dagger had managed to fly Blade sideways through the opening. Once, it had been a wall of steel and glass but had succumbed to raids which carpeted the industrial zone surrounding the power plant.
"Depressing," Sparrow said.
Kate jumped at the sound of the younger woman's voice right beside her. She was so caught up in her surroundings, she had not heard the Link Sprite approach. "You could say that," Kate replied softly. A pattern spreading across the floor caught her attention. She bent down to get a better look. "What's this?"
"Find something?" Sparrow asked as she knelt beside Kate.
"There's a picture inlaid in the tile," Kate said.
Sparrow lifted one of her hands and made a brushing motion in the air. Scraps of metal moved across the floor as if of their own volition. Sparrow's cleaning revealed the stylized figures of workers for the first time since the plant was put out of commission.
"Pretty fancy," Sparrow remarked. She glanced around. When Sparrow found what she was looking for, she pointed at two carved pillars flanking a large doorway. Similar workers adorned the pillars, their labors forever frozen in stone. "Seems to be a theme around here."
Kate looked from the pillars to the figures on the ground. Each seemed to represent functions fulfilled by the power plant. The largest figure wore an old-style hard hat and carried a wrench in one hand and a bundle of wire slung over his shoulder.
"I'm guessing he represents 'Industry'," Sparrow said as she pointed at the central figure.
"Yeah," Kate agreed as she looked at the detailed art displayed at her feet. She pointed at the figure to the left; a woman wielding some sort of riveting machine. "She might signify 'Progress'."
"That leaves our man, 'The Future'," Sparrow said. She gestured at the third figure, a man looking off into the distance, his feet firmly planted on the ground and a large sheet of blueprints spread out in his hands.
"Well, they certainly gave up on the future of Ardennes when they started their war," Kate remarked.
"Yeah, humans are good at that," Sparrow said, "no matter what planet we visit."
"So, which way to the museum, again?" Garrett asked as he hefted his crossbow and checked the safety on the trigger mechanism.
"I need you to watch my ship, flyboy," Dagger said. She finished checking her pistol and shoved it into the holster at her side.
"And why can't we do that together?" Garrett wondered.
"Blade only needs one pilot," Dagger explained. "Besides, I get the feeling these guys might need a little help if things devolve into hand-to-hand combat."
Garrett leaned in close to Dagger. "You realize I'm a trained and battle-hardened Stellar Union Marine, right?"
"Oh, I am well aware," Dagger said. She gave a sultry look up and down Garrett's body. "And you've got the muscles to prove it."
"You just want to kick some butt," Garrett guessed with a smirk. He shrugged then threw up his arms. "Okay, I get it!"
"Maybe. I want someone who can fly my baby to hold the fort until we get back." Dagger twirled a knife in her hand and jammed it into the sheath hanging from her belt. She winked at Garrett. "I promise to make it up to you later."
"Can't argue with that," Garrett said and rested the big crossbow on his shoulder. "Okay. Don't worry, Blade is in good hands."
Dagger slapped the marine pilot on the rear as she started to walk away. "I know it is!"
"Are we quite ready to depart?" Tarun whined.
"Oh," Garrett said, "he gets to go!?" The marine rolled his eyes and threw up his hands dramatically.
Dagger waggled a finger at Garrett. "Be good!"
"I'll try," Garrett said and winked.
"Through the streets?" Merrick asked. His question was directed at Kate as his eyes scanned the dim corners of the power plant for potential threats.
Kate thought back to the images Nemus had downloaded and nodded. "There should be plenty of cover for us between here and the museum."
Sparrow held out a hand, palm turned upwards. Her implants glowed and a hologram formed, floating in the air in front of her. Ghostly outlines of Reticort's buildings solidified along with parts of the underground infrastructure. Four green lines snaked through the image. "There are several routes we could take. I would suggest attempting to access the Metro or sewer system. The tunnels should be deep enough to have survived the on-going bombardment."
Kate looked from Sparrow to Merrick. The sniper was their expert at moving through battle zones. He studied Sparrow's diagram for a moment and pointed at the route through the street.
"I agree with Kate and Nemus," Merrick stated. "We should stay above ground."
"But, our chances of being spotted are greatly increased," Sparrow protested. "Underground, our movements would be concealed."
"The Sprite has a point," Dagger chimed in. "I'd rather not get bogged down in a firefight out there." She gestured at the debris-clogged street visible in the late day gloom seeping through the low cloud cover.
"Have you ever been in a city under long-term siege?" Merrick asked.
"I try to avoid them," Dagger replied dryly.
"Where do you think the population retreated to after the bombing and shelling began?" Merrick gestured around at the heavily damaged power plant. "Can't live thinking the next round might have your name on it."
Dagger snorted. "Underground, right?"
"Most likely," Merrick agreed.
Ross jumped in. "Given the choice between a firefight in the open and trying to find our way through a maze, I'd take the open any day. Whatever is below us is likely to be tunnels filled with refugees and soldiers. They have lived and fought down there all their lives, by the way. Which would you prefer?"
"Okay, okay," Dagger snapped and walked towards the hole leading out into the street. She pointed back at Sparrow. "It was h
er idea anyway!"
"True," Sparrow said. She closed her out-stretched hand into a fist and the hologram disappeared. "I merely wanted to present and examine our options."
"How about this as an option?" Garrett asked. "You know, in case the troglodytes decide to rise up to the surface." He held out an assault rifle toward Sparrow. The Link Sprite looked at the weapon then turned her silver eyes upon the pilot.
"I believe I would be best served to stick with my pistols and," Sparrow held up her hands and showed Garrett the glowing implants, "my upgrades."
Garrett shrugged. "Suit yourself."
"I usually do," Sparrow replied.
Kate suppressed a grin then turned as the sound of retching drew her attention to the side of the ramp. Tivon was there, throwing up. Kate hurried over to the tiny archivist and gently touched her back. "You okay, Tivon?"
"Yeah," Tivon replied weakly. "Just a little sick from the ride in. I'll be okay in a few minutes."
"Not my fault!" Dagger said.
"Why don't you stay here with Garrett?" Kate suggested.
Tivon did not protest. She staggered back up the ramp and plopped down on a crate.
"Don't puke on my deck!" Dagger yelled.
Kate turned to Garrett. "If we're not back in four hours, get to orbit. We'll call you for a pick-up."
"Don't let these ground-pounders capture my ship!" Dagger called back. "I don't want to be stuck on this god-forsaken rock!"
"It's not Blade you need to worry about," Garrett replied. "Keep your eyes open out there!"
Dagger gave Garrett one of her rare smiles. She stuck her head around the corner of the jagged opening in the wall and looked up and down the street. She pointed her heavy blaster down one way and clutched the handle of her knife in her other hand. She motioned with her head at Kate, Merrick, Ross, Tarun and Sparrow to come closer and whispered, "Not a soul in sight! I suggest we hustle!"