"No real ground forces to spare. They reached a sort of equilibrium state about a decade ago, where troop recruitment more or less matched losses and attrition, from holding the worlds they had. They occasionally raid into sector eight, but it's usually just sabre rattling to keep anyone coming in after them."
"They came across two sectors just for us? How long has this trap been planned for?"
"Good question."
"Does Jane know about them?"
"She does now," said Seasprite.
As Seasprite and its escort entered orbit, Mouse zeroed in on the coordinates he'd determined from the program he'd developed to cross reference current information, including Anna and Jamie's star charts and maps. He started scanning the forest below.
"Do we know why no intelligent species were discovered on the planet?" asked Patters. "I would imagine a forest environment would be teeming with life."
"The Mediators didn't have much information, only there were no creatures deemed to be 'intelligent' or 'civilised' according to the criteria used to determine these things," responded Sissness, her brow furrowing.
She knew Patters had lived amongst the forests of the Cat Homeworld, which was where she'd learned her hunting skills, and understood Patters' interest.
Snark could see Sissness embarking on a long explanation of the criteria for determining intelligent civilisation, and interrupted.
"Anything yet?" he asked Mouse.
"Not yet," Mouse squeaked.
He was calibrating the scanners to penetrate the forest canopy, but it was difficult, and slow. There didn't seem to be anything in the search area he'd targeted.
A hollo popped up with a she-cat on it. Everyone jumped.
"May I be of assistance?"
"Seasprite?" stammered Snark.
"Who else. Don't you like how I look?"
The image pranced around for a moment, trying to look sexy, and when this didn't seem to work, sat, put a paw in the air, and started licking.
Snark was suddenly glad he was wearing his suit. Patters looked shocked. Sissness was quietly laughing. Anna hadn't noticed. Mouse on the other hand, was annoyed.
"Assistance? How?"
"By doing what you should have done the moment we arrived here, and sent down a comnavsat into low orbit."
"Do it," said Snark.
"Any information on the composition of the forest?" Snark asked Patters, a few minutes later, ignoring Mouse, who was muttering under his breathe.
"It's rain-forest where we're searching at present. Strangely, varieties of eucalypt and fern, pine and species akin to figs, plenty of rivers and waterfalls, high in a mountainous area, so it's not hot and humid, more temperate, particular in the current season. A very odd mix."
At the mention of waterfalls, there were groans all round, and then laughter. On Scylla Prime, they'd found the Destiny Stone in caves behind a waterfall.
Mountainous rainforest, Snark was thinking, would be heavy going. Where could the shuttle or the dropship possibly land?
Snark was pinged by Warspite with details of something Weaver had discovered, followed by a file of information. He showed Mouse where to search with the scanners. He threw the results to a hollo screen, so the team could see as well. Highlighting on the image of the forest helped them see what previously had been hidden. They could now make out a building amongst the trees and foliage of the forest canopy. Given it was perched on what looked like a mountain plateau, it was not surprising Mouse had missed it. It was at the location given by Jamie's image of the terrain map he'd found at the Standing Stones on the world he'd been sent to.
"There was a reason for the gods sending him somewhere else then," sniffed Anna, her eyes misting over with tears.
She shook her head, and wiped away the extra moisture, but smiled widely. Snark could see she was upset, but happy at the same time. Sometimes, he didn't understand mop heads at all.
Mouse enlarged the image until they could see the building more clearly.
"It looks like a stepped pyramid," said Anna in surprise. "I've seen pictures of the pyramids of old Earth in books. This is like the ones in what was called South America. There was an ancient stepped pyramid complex at somewhere called Machu Pichu, or something like that."
"A pyramid," Sissness repeated, and once more delved into her tablet.
Snark's tail stood straight up, and his ears pricked.
"A pyramid!" he cried. "In the cave on Perdita, there was a picture of a pyramid. It's how I found the way out."
"Got it," purred Sissness, "The images you took Snark, while trapped in the cave."
She connected her tablet to Seasprite, and a series of images appeared on another screen.
"Anna, Patters, Hootsmoon, and I only saw some of them, but you saw the ones on the far wall."
She stopped at one of them. There was a triangular image.
"It's a pyramid, like the ones in Egypt, a place on old Earth. There's a light, a beacon at the top."
She stopped, seeing the next image.
"That's me," Anna said, of the image of the woman next to someone seated on a stone.
"How could that be?" asked Sissness.
They turned to Snark.
He looked back at them with an innocent expression.
"I did tell you I found some more murals, and I'd seen one of Anna," he said in his own defence. "We were too busy at the time to really go over everything with a fine-tooth comb."
The team stared at the image. It was definitely Anna's features, if simply drawn. It was difficult to tell who the seated figure was, whether male or female.
"A stone? The Stone of Destiny?" asked Sissness.
"What?" asked Mouse.
Sissness quickly filled him in on their time in the cave at Perdita, and the history of the Scot's Stone of Destiny.
"It's all a bit weird," said Anna flicking her hair behind her back. "It can't really be the Stone of Destiny. That's two old Earth stories getting muddled up. Let's focus on the pyramid," she suggested.
Mouse brought the scanner images up again. The same question was on all their minds.
"How do we land a shuttle or dropship there?" asked Snark, indicating the jungle surrounding the site.
"There must be a way," said Anna.
"Blast an area of forest away?" suggested Snark.
Patters looked at him, appalled.
"You don't know what beings are in the forest!"
Snark looked sheepish.
Warspite pinged Snark with a message.
"Conference time," Snark informed the others.
Fifty Three
Screens popped up on both sides of the HUD, showing Warspite, Tranquil, Weaver, Foster, Captain Havoc, and Crocatoa. Warspite introduced Foster and Havoc to the Seasprite team.
"Our plan of attack is this," started Warspite. "We've found the forest around the pyramid structure is covering what would have been a stone area around it, with several other buildings concealed by the canopy. We'll send in a dropship, blast and burn the foliage away, and the marine team will secure the pyramid and the surrounding area, including forest."
Snark was immediately annoyed by Warspite taking charge, and telling them what was going to happen, as if the Seasprite team had no say in proceedings. His tail whipped, his ears flattened, and he almost growled.
Patters was also alarmed, and showed similar signs of resistance, but Anna knew it was her concern for any wildlife in the area. Anna also saw the warning signs Snark was exhibiting, and quickly weighed in.
"I can see that's a good start, and its good news the complex is larger than just the pyramid," she began. "Perhaps a little less invasive approach might be achieved, by hovering over the area, alarming any wildlife, and letting them escape first before blasting? We know we need to move fast, but we also do need to respect the local wildlife."
Warspite was taken aback at this concern for potential animals in the forest. It simply hadn't been an issue for him. Tranquil opened her mouth to speak.
The AI's shifted to their virtual conference room.
"Bloody hell boss," said Warspite. "Why don't you tell us when you come along wearing a different body?"
Jane laughed.
"And spoil my fun you mean?"
"Huh, fun she calls it."
The rest of them were laughing.
"Why did you come?" asked Tranquil.
"I wanted to be here in case something came up which was outside the military mindset."
"Like now?"
"Yes. I could see Tranquil about to be rolled by military need, and Anna is right, but also wrong in trying to tone you down."
"How so?" asked Weaver.
"Patters is the one I'm with. We go softly, softly down there. Not only don't we blast anything, we take great care to not disturb the trees more than we have to."
"How do we get troops on the ground?" asked Warspite.
"I suggest the six of us go in using combat droids, dropped from the canopy top."
"Count me in," said Foster, grinning.
"Me to," said Weaver.
Warspite gave them both a stern look.
"Once on the ground," continued Jane, ignoring him, "we choose an area which needs the least clearing, and clear just enough room for the dropships. We each take a meson streamer to cut with. After the drop ships land, you all take control of a group of the combat droids. I'll release mine to whoever wants it. I won't need the distraction if we get into a fight up here."
"Count me out," said Seasprite.
"And miss the fun?" asked Tranquil.
"I've never driven a combat droid before, and now isn't the time to start. If you make a cat sized one, count me in then."
They laughed.
"How do we propose this?" asked Warspite.
"Like this," said Jane.
AI mode ended.
"We don't need to blast anything," said Havoc. "We send down combat suits to clear enough room to land a Dropship, and deploy the troops as fast as we can. The last thing we should be doing is clearing a large area which will only highlight to the enemy where we are. A decent Admiral could bulldoze some troop ships into orbit, and they'd know exactly where to hit us. Even without troops, a cleared area just says, 'hit this with a missile'."
"I agree," said Crocatoa. "Once we have a drop zone, we can deploy really rapidly. The Dropships don't even need to land, just let us jump out the back into a small space. The whole battalion can be on the ground very quickly. It's been tested. Once we're down, we clear undergrowth to create rapid movement pathways, which can't be seen from overhead."
"I'm really glad to hear that," said Patters.
"So am I," echoed Anna.
"We'll deploy in a defensive stance up here for the time being," said Warspite. "Once we know what we face, and how they intend to attack us, we'll probably have to move out, but we'll have a lot of time to decide on a plan."
Havoc nodded, as did Weaver and Foster.
"We'll keep coms active at all times," said Crocatoa, "especially with the Seasprite team. I command on the ground, but Snark and Miss Romanova direct the expedition."
Snark and Anna nodded, both glad it'd been stated without them needing to bring it up. Snark was beginning to think he'd like the big not-croc.
After a moment, Sissness put up a tentative paw.
"What about the Destiny Stone. Shouldn't we take it with us?"
"I don't think that would be a good idea," said Warspite.
"Why not?" asked Snark. "Depending on what we find, Anna may need the Stone to enhance her powers."
"It's too big a risk," stated Weaver. "What if the ground forces are attacked, and we lose the Destiny Stone?"
"It's their job to protect Anna and the Stone," said Havoc. "We brought them for this specific job. I agree with Snark. Anna may need it. In fact, if things go pear shaped, and they usually do, the completed Talisman might be what we need to get out of here alive again. The amulet won't be much use without the Stone. And with the number of enemy ships still jumping in, it might not be all that much better protected up here."
Everyone nodded at this, including Warspite and Weaver, and Sissness looked at Anna. Anna was nodding along with the others, but Sissness thought she was wasn't really with them.
Snark threw a look at each of the faces on screens. Something had just happened, but for the life of him, he couldn't work out what.
The Seasprite team discussed who would be going to the planet. Mouse volunteered to stay on Seasprite. The others wanted to be on the ground. Snark and Anna would search for the amulet, and Sissness would back them up with information and insight. Patters would support the ground forces.
They were as ready as they'd ever be.
With the conference over, Warspite pulled Jane back into AI mode.
"Is it really necessary to undermine me?"
"Warspite, you're a really good improvisational fleet admiral. But for everything else, you know absolutely jack shit! But you don't need to. We work as a team. All you need to do, is be mindful of where your part lies, and while contributing to the rest, leave it to others to do what they do best."
"So you want me planning tactics for the coming battle up here?"
"Of course. That's your strength. I'm overviewing everything. If I think you need a nudge, I'll give you one."
"Do we have reinforcements coming?"
"Not as such, but I do have an ace in the hole."
Fifty Four
Snark sensed the forest all around them as they exited the Dropship. The cleared space they'd landed in was very minimal, the forest surrounded them, and called to them. It hummed with life, as the birds and animals returned after the initial noise and activity of something unknown clearing trees and undergrowth, the subsequent arrive of hundreds of strange beings which turned out not to be birds, and the landing Dropship with the Seasprite team. Strange bird calls piping amongst the trees were answered from afar, alien echoes on the strong breeze. They were on the top of a ridge, on a small plateau. The pyramid rose out of the rock, covered in foliage, climbing plants of all kinds twisting over its surface.
The marines had already established a perimeter around the pyramid complex. The undergrowth under the trees was not as bad as had been expected, but the terrain was rough in most places. There was only really one path in to the pyramid, and the marines formed a defensive position around it, with a third of the force at the furthest end, a third divided up on each side, and the remaining third at the entrance to the pyramid.
Crocatoa commanded at the entrance, Emerson was at the center of the position, and Schafer was with the troops the furthest away. The human troops were all in combat suits, the not-crocs in belt suits. They all carried pulse rifles. A few of the not-crocs carried sniper rifles. Combat droids added another fifty percent to the numbers, and were spread along the whole position.
The Dropships had returned to their ships, and the ships themselves were no longer orbiting over the position. There was nothing but a very small hole in the forest canopy to reveal where the expedition was.
Snark and Anna quickly made their way to the pyramid, while Patters reported to Schafer. Patters, in her element, armed with her bow and arrows, as well as conventional weapons, joined with the marines to establish the security of the forest surrounding them. Moving more easily than the humans, she soon found her way through the scrub like undergrowth. In places it was very thick, and in others it wasn't.
With the position fortified as best they could, Crocatoa toured the line, and met with the two Majors and Patters. It was agreed the under-forest wasn't going to be as much help as they'd hoped, but it could have been much worse. When the enemy came, and they had no illusions about them not coming, they'd have to be bringing numbers to have any hope of breaching the line. Crocatoa returned to the pyramid.
Surrounded by forest, the trees thinned at the top of the ridge, and between them, a spectacular vista revealed itself, of an emerald valley, and the next range of mountains i
n the distance, a weirdly shaped skyline of misshapen mountain tops in a ragged line.
Snark and Anna approached the pyramid cautiously. There were no obvious entrances on the surface, just steps leading upwards towards the pinnacle of the pyramid shape. The steps were covered in vines, tree roots, and moss. They slowly made their way up the steps, helping each other over the vestiges of the forest.
It was cold, but not overly so, not what they'd thought a 'rainforest' would be. There was an overwhelming earthy smell, a smell of decay, but not in a negative sense, and a thousand shades of green surrounding them. It was also not raining, another anomaly to them of what a rainforest 'should' be.
At last Snark and Anna reached the summit. It culminated in a platform, but was all they could find. No entrance. Anna stood fully, and looked around her. She gasped. Where the view on the ground had been a tantalising glimpse of the mountains, the view from the top of the pyramid was un-broken by trees. She marvelled at the beauty of the sun reflecting on the slopes of the mountains, and shadows playing in the folds. Purple, pink, green, grey, the colours played against the canvas of the mountains and valley in the distance.
Snark grumped. All very well, but they needed to find a way in.
It was obvious if there were any shapes or symbols carved in the stone, they could be covered by the greenery the structure wore. It might take them weeks to fully excavate the site.
Sissness was with them, but was checking the base of the pyramid, and wanted to explore the complex, including the other buildings, if possible.
Snark contacted her through marine coms, to which her tablet was connected.
"There doesn't seem to be a way in."
"Nor down here," Sissness responded. "It's not obvious what we should do, nothing carved anywhere, and if it was, it's covered in moss, grime, and vegetation."
"What do we do?" asked Anna.
"Buggered if I know," snapped Snark.
There was a silence, and Snark knew Sissness would be thinking, her brow furrowed with seeming worry lines.
"What if this is just the left-over archaeology of a long-vanished civilisation? What if we're not at the right place?"
A.I. Destiny 5 Talisman of Tomorrow Page 21