Arthur saw Sezan a short way ahead, tending to one of the wounded fighters. He was about to go over when a flashing light caught his attention. It looked like the Major. Arthur raised his rifle and looked through its scope to get a better view. Yes, it was the Major; he was signalling to them using the light on the end of his rifle.
Keeping to the side of the bay, they ran over to where he was waiting.
‘It’s a bloody mess! They have booby traps everywhere. These boys have no wish to surrender quietly, that’s for sure,’ he said, wiping the sweat and grime from his brow. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a map generator and flicked it open. A three-dimensional holographic map appeared in front of them.
‘We’ve been able to hack into their base computer and retrieve this map. Insuro knows how much you want to find your father, so he’s tasked us with freeing him and the others. The Captain is already checking this area.’ The Major pointed to an area below the main base. ‘We’re going to be checking out this bit, which looks promising. Everyone ready?’
‘Yes!’ shouted the cat. ‘Let’s go already! And let me out! I can get my tail blown off just as well on my own four paws as on your two.’
The Major, who was about to say something, stood for a second, open-mouthed and speechless, staring at both Arthur and Sky in surprise. ‘When did he start getting so brave?’
‘Start!?’ retorted the cat. ‘Hero of the Siege of the Bridge on that cruiser thingy – you remember – the Gorkan, Hero once again in that Valley of the Serena with all its ghostly nonsense, and probably loads of other instances that I am too modest to be able to remember… I don’t think my bravery can be called into question, Major. In Cat Tzu’s famous dialogues, The Art of Mouse Catching, he tells us that it is foolish to wage war against sly mice unless you are sure of victory. Naturally, I have tried to warn you all before on numerous occasions not to rush into things without knowing beforehand how it’s going to end, but you never seem to want to pay any notice. This time, however, Major, victory is assured and it’s time to squash some mice!’
‘Cat Tzu’s The Art of Mouse Catching,’ mumbled the Major in disbelief. ‘Unbelievable!’ He laughed out loud. Arthur and Sky both shrugged their shoulders as Arthur took the cat out of the backpack and put him on the ground.
The entrance to the underground chambers was at the back of the landing bay, below the control room. Where there had once been a door, all that now remained of it lay several metres away, broken and splintered. Through the arched entrance, a rampway spiralled downwards. Dimly lit and choked with smoke, the rampway was badly damaged: remnants of plasma fire and explosions showed there had been heavy fighting. They had to go carefully or run the risk of suddenly bumping into the enemy coming up from below. A number of Solarian and Andarran fighters lay motionless in the rubble. At the bottom, Captain Schmidt was waiting for them.
‘Magnificent job!’ said the Captain when he saw Arthur. He came up and patted him on the back. ‘Major, we are encountering more stiff resistance further up that corridor.’ He pointed down the main corridor which led away from the bottom of the rampway. ‘We have four fighters down and Luca has taken a plasma wound to her leg.’
‘Is she badly hurt?’ Arthur interrupted, relieved to hear that she’d made it there. ‘Is Sava here?’
The Captain shook his head. ‘No, not badly, and yes she is,’ he said, opening his map generator. ‘Major, we can try skirting around by taking this way down here – along this smaller corridor and through that narrow-looking access area into the main chamber.’
‘Right, well, let’s give it a go then. Leave the rest of your fighters here to keep the Solarians occupied. Captain, you come with us.’
Taking point, Captain Schmidt led them swiftly down the main corridor and into the smaller adjoining passage. Unlike the main corridor, which, although damaged by the smoke and the fighting, clearly resembled a corridor with a purpose, the smaller passageway had been roughly cut out of the mountain and remained unfinished. About halfway down, nearing a sharp turn, the Captain stopped, signalling everyone to do the same.
‘What is it, Captain?’ enquired the Major, creeping forwards.
‘It’s a booby trap. We’ve come across several of this type already. They are difficult to see and work on pressure sensors.’
Arthur craned his neck to see what they were talking about, but he couldn’t discern anything out of place. He wondered how the Captain knew it was there.
‘Nice place to put it,’ commented the Major, ‘covering the whole of the corner section. No wonder they didn’t seem worried about defending this passageway. Well done, Captain, well spotted. What do you think, can we swing for it?’
The Captain, who had been kneeling down to examine the floor, took something out of his pack and stood up, studying the roof as he did so.
‘Well, Major, we certainly don’t want to be stepping on it.’
Attaching the object to his rifle, he studied the roof again for a second before aiming and firing. The claw-like object embedded itself into the roof, trailing a thin cord behind it. Arthur watched as the Captain then put on his foot attachments for climbing and motioned for everyone to stand back.
‘Here goes nothing!’ He cried and ran forwards and up the side of the wall. Keeping the cord tight, as he neared the end, he swung out and away from the wall, landing on the other side of the sharp corner and disappearing from sight.
‘All good here!’ He called back. ‘Five metres this side.’
The Major retrieved the cord and handed it to Arthur.
‘Right, lad, you’re next. Five metres this side and five on the other. Keep it tight and it’ll keep you balanced – understood?’
Arthur gave the impression that he understood and took the foot attachments out of his pack.
‘Come on, Cat, get in,’ he said, looking worried.
‘You don’t look good,’ said the cat. ‘Are you sure you know what you need to do?’
‘Yes! Just get in! And keep your voice down.’
Reluctantly, the cat climbed in and once again started to recite the Cats’ Prayer. Arthur couldn’t work out if the cat was doing it just to get on his nerves or not!
‘Major… can’t we climb around the side of the walls, you know, using the hand attachments as well?’ He asked hopefully.
‘No time, lad. It will take too long, and there’s no guarantee that the wall will hold your weight. If you fall, or your climb causes chunks of rock to fall, it can set off the trap.’
Arthur felt strangely terrified. He was used to feeling nervous, but this time something was different – as if all that the Major had said to him outside, above the entrance, might suddenly come true. For all he knew, his father could be in the next room, and now they would have to explain to him that his son had been blown up minutes before and that’s what’s left of him on the floor.
‘Ready, lad?’
He wanted to say no but at the same time he still didn’t want to appear afraid in front of Sky or the Major.
‘Yes,’ he replied.
‘Right, go!’
Arthur held the cord tightly and, feeling his legs turn to jelly, ran at the wall. He mounted it too early, stumbled, and then let go of the cord, collapsing in a heap on the floor. The Major ran forward and pulled him backwards by his pack.
‘Sorry!’ said Arthur, feeling very foolish and very annoyed with himself.
‘You don’t need to apologise, lad, that won’t keep you alive or get you across. Look at me… Can you do it?’
‘Yes!’ said Arthur, getting to his feet and taking the cord. He flashed a glance at Sky. She was looking as terrified as he was feeling. He smiled at her feebly. Pulling the cord tight, he felt a wave of adrenaline suddenly pump through his body. He ran at the wall and, this time keeping his balance, he ran up the side of it like the Captain had done. Instinctively fee
ling the moment, he swung out and around the corner before continuing down the wall on the other side, to where the Captain was waiting to grab hold of him.
As the Captain threw the cord back, Arthur felt that he ought to say something to him about Sky. From the look he had seen on her face, he really wasn’t sure she was going to be able to do it. It had been hard enough for him. He also suddenly understood how bad he was going to feel if something happened to her.
‘Captain–’ he said, and was about to tell him his fears for Sky when she came swinging round the corner. She ran along the wall and jumped off at exactly the right moment without needing the Captain’s help at all.
‘Well done!’ Said the Captain, looking extremely impressed.
Arthur felt his mouth all but drop open. Catching her breath, she looked at him questioningly.
‘What are you looking like that for?’
‘Like what?’ He asked, closing his mouth.
‘Like you didn’t think I could do it!’
‘I didn’t! You looked so terrified – I was really worried!’
Sky grinned.
‘Ah… I was terrified – terrified about you!’
‘Me!?’
‘Yes. I was really worried after you fell! I didn’t want you to get blown up.’
‘Thanks,’ he said, feeling silly as the Major appeared next to him.
‘The door is just up here,’ he said. ‘Move!’
21
Is It Really You?
The door at the end of the passage was sealed. They waited a short distance away while the Captain laid explosive charges, ready to blow it.
‘When the door blows, it could take a big chunk out of not only the wall but the roof as well, so be ready. The Captain and I will take a run at it first, and you two follow up and give covering fire as we move through. Okay, heads down, hands on ears,’ said the Major when the Captain returned.
Just as the Major had said might happen, the blast blew out the door and the wall, and caused part of the roof to collapse. The Major and the Captain rushed forwards and jumped into the smoky blast cloud. Arthur, whose ears were still ringing, followed behind with Sky. They took up position in the rubble-filled doorway. The dust was still too thick to give covering fire or see much of anything. Not waiting for them, the Major and Captain charged on into the chamber, where a firefight erupted between them and the enemy seconds later. After brief exchanges of fire, the Major called them forward. Arthur sprinted over with Sky by his side and took shelter where the Major had taken up position.
As he caught his breath, he noticed the Major looking at him with tears in his eyes. Scared, Arthur looked around to make sure that Sky was okay and the Captain too.
‘Are you ready, lad?’ He asked softly.
‘For what? Major, what’s wrong?’
‘Look for yourself,’ he smiled.
Arthur carefully raised his head and rifle over their barricade of metal boxes. There, at the far end of the chamber, figures dressed in dark, loose clothing stood in a line with their arms held behind their backs. They weren’t Solarians. Arthur’s heart stopped! Without thinking about what he was doing, he jumped up and ran towards them.
‘Keep your eyes open, lad!’ shouted the Major, not far behind him.
‘Papa!’ He cried, getting closer. ‘Papa!’
‘Arthur! Oh my God!’ His father fell to his knees.
‘Papa!’ cried Arthur and threw his arms around him. He could feel his father shaking. ‘Papa, it’s okay – we’re here to rescue you! It’s okay!’
The Major freed his father’s hands and hurriedly saw to the other prisoners.
‘Is it really you?’ His father choked out, pushing Arthur back to look at his face and then planting a kiss on his forehead. ‘Oh, my boy! Look at you! I never thought I would see this day!’ He said, wiping his eyes.
‘Where are the others?’ asked Captain Schmidt.
‘The others? This is all of us, Captain. There were more, but recently the Solarians’ attitude to us changed – almost overnight. We don’t know why. We became like sport for them. I think they were about to execute the rest of us when you showed up.’
His father paused and pulled Arthur towards him, hugging him before placing his hands on his shoulders. ‘Help me up,’ he said.
‘Yes, I think you’re right,’ agreed the Major. ‘Can all of you walk?’ He asked, surveying the crew.
Arthur helped his father to get to his feet. It was then that he noticed how much thinner and paler he had become.
‘With any luck I look worse than I am,’ he said, seeing the look of shock in Arthur’s eyes and winking at him.
Sky, who had been watching the touching reunion, stepped forwards and threw her arms around Arthur’s father, tears running down her cheeks.
‘Sky!’ His voice sounded choked with emotion. He reached out for her and drew them both to him. ‘I always felt better knowing that you were with him! You can’t imagine how happy I am to see you both.’
Out of the eight crew they had rescued, Arthur recognised only Mr Ohm, the Chief Engineer, and Helena, their team captain on the Horizon Seven launch. She looked painfully thin, like his father. The distant expression in her eyes was haunting and he wasn’t sure if she recognised him or not. Two of the crew required help to walk.
‘Wait here,’ ordered the Major and, taking Captain Schmidt with him, he left the chamber through an entrance on the far side. The Captain reappeared at the door a short time later and signalled to Arthur and Sky to bring the others. Then he disappeared again.
As they led his father and the crew out of the chamber, they could hear sporadic shooting up ahead. Presently there was the sound of a large explosion, followed soon after by a billowing cloud of dust and smoke sweeping round the corner, which brought them to a halt. Coughing and unable to see, Arthur considered taking them back to the big chamber, but there were already sounds of shooting coming from back down the passageway, meaning they had little choice but to push on.
The smoky passageway took them into another sizeable chamber. This one was filled with tall racking.
‘It’s a warehouse of some description,’ whispered his father, ‘but it’s looking a bit empty.’
Arthur remembered Insuro had said that the blockade of the wormhole had been squeezing the Solarian supply lines. That was probably why they couldn’t launch the other attack fighter – not enough spare parts! He thought.
Several more explosions, this time much closer and from the direction they had only just come from, made Arthur stop.
‘Sky, take my father and everyone who can walk okay and get going quickly – try and catch up to the Major! If we stay together, we’re all going to get caught by whoever is coming up behind us. I’ll stay here and hide with David and Joe – they’re never going to be able to move fast enough.’
‘I will stay here with you, Arthur.’
‘No, Papa! The more of us there are, the harder it will be to hide. Please go with Sky. Sky, go! Quickly!’ He urged.
Seeing that Arthur’s father was torn, Sky took him by the hand and led him and the others away quickly, leaving Arthur with David and Joe.
Having spotted several stacks of containers nearer to the middle of the chamber, Arthur felt sure they would provide enough cover, at least from anyone who wasn’t purposely nosing around them. It was cramped but the three of them managed to squeeze in. Taking cover, Arthur readied his rifle and waited.
Before long there was a rush of activity near the entrance. A frantic Solarian voice could be heard calling out hurried instructions. It sounded chaotic and desperate. Arthur had really hoped that they would move quickly through the chamber, and that would be the end of it. However, when he heard them organising to make a stand, his heart sank. It was already too late to get out.
A barrage of thoughts flashed thr
ough his mind. What should I do now? Hide or fight? But most of all, his thoughts were that this would probably be the end and he’d only just found his father. It felt bitter, he felt angry – it wasn’t fair! In the back of his mind, he kept hearing the words that the Major had once said to him: ‘It’s better to go out with a bang, lad, and take some of those buggers with you than sit and wait for the end.’
If he was going to have go out like this, then he’d try to go with a bang and at least his father would be proud of him!
All the time he was thinking, the Solarians were moving containers and other objects to fortify the barricade they were putting up. He could hear them getting closer. With each passing minute he tried to pick his moment. The two injured crew looked resigned to their fates. One sat with his hands together in prayer, the other was rocking backwards and forwards with his eyes closed. The only one oblivious to the seriousness of the situation was the cat, who – as usual in a crisis – was asleep.
Damn cat! thought Arthur. He always manages to sleep through everything.
The Solarians were very close now.
Pick your moment. Pick your moment.
The battle going on by the entrance was getting heavier, the exchanges of fire more intense. Arthur hoped against hope that the enemy would somehow be defeated before they were discovered. But there was no time left for wishful thinking. Arthur heard the order given to move the crates they were hiding behind. It was now! This was the moment!
Jumping up and breaking cover, he picked the closest target and opened fire. The adrenaline surged and his mind went blank, as though he had switched to autopilot and his training had taken over. Finger on the trigger, the first target fell, then the next one dropped to the floor, and the next. Arthur had managed to take down three Solarians before any one of them had had a chance to react. Suddenly, though, half a dozen of them broke away from the barricade and opened fire on him. Arthur threw himself behind the containers as plasma shots exploded everywhere.
Arthur and the Andarran Rescue Page 19