Eline dragged the holoform’s view above the west side of the city. Tall white walls stretched out of sight on either side. White high-rises grew out of the center like fingers. Buildings radiating out from the center decreased in height and those nearest the walls were mostly hidden from view. Parts of sectors five through seven were visible, but the other five city segments were well out of range.
“Even if the taller buildings didn’t block our view of the east, our equipment couldn’t reach that far. We have no idea what’s going on over there. As for the west, it looks like the invaders control that part of the city. There were signs of heavy fighting here, here and here.” Three orange dots appeared on the map. “We picked up some gunfire signals on sonar but nothing significant. Probably the last vestiges of resistance. We didn’t see any signs of ally aircraft, but the enemy had aircraft scouting the city perimeter.”
“The Confederation Marines inside the city didn’t stand a chance,” Ensign Saunders whined. “We won’t fare any better.”
A knot in Grimshaw’s neck tightened. “How do we get in?”
Eline swiped the view back to the hills. “Sector Six looks like the safest bet. The gates are still intact, but they’re closed, and it’s likely no one is manning the gatehouses. One of our engineers could slip in via a service gate and open them from the inside.”
“There’s a but, isn’t there?”
She zoomed in on the area outside Sector Six’s gate. “There’s half a mile of open ground between the foothills and the gate. A few scattered rocks and trees but not a lot of cover.”
“Suicide,” Saunders muttered.
Grimshaw shot him a warning glare. “Could we make it, Eline?”
“Their airships circle every fifteen minutes. If timed right, a small team of six could get through undetected.”
Grimshaw addressed the elephant in the room. “I take it there was no sign of the bridge?”
“Afraid not, Commander.” Martin sighed. “They’ve either overshot the city or landed in the east.”
Grimshaw was about to swear when a commotion erupted at the entrance. “What’s going on out there?”
“A cadet’s requesting entry, sir,” one of the guards answered. “He claims it’s urgent.”
“Then let him in.”
Bates entered the tent, fumbling nervously with his hands.
“What is it, cadet?”
“We’ve made contact with a Marine, sir. Sergeant Wallace in Sector Six…The signal might not hold long.”
Finally, some good news. “Patch them through on the vox.” A high-pitched tone pierced Grimshaw’s eardrum before turning into a buzz.
“Commander Grimshaw here. Sergeant Wallace, do you read me?”
“Good God, Commander… glad… you’re here.” Static punctuated the Sergeant’s speech.
“Nice to hear from someone on the inside. How are you holding up?”
“It’s pretty bad, sir. The Chits hit us with…EMP when…last week, took down most of our shields and systems…bombarded the base and spaceports from orbit. By the time we got things…online…too late.”
“What can you tell us about these Chits?” Grimshaw said.
“Tough bastards, sir… especially the black ones… call those elites. Our weapons have a tough time… their shields and armor.”
“How many troops have you got?”
“…Twenty of us…not enough to…but we’re moving around and have gone undetected…now.”
“We have orders to get to Xerocorp Labs,” Grimshaw said. “We can come to Sector Six. Can you lend us support?”
“We’re not too far from the wall, sir. The center was crawling…scouts just reported the Chits are leaving…tunnel they dug into Sector Seven. They appear to be leaving a few squads behind though…be able to get around them.”
“Can you tell us anything about the hole outside Sector Seven?”
“We think that’s what brought them here. The Confederation found something there…secret…no one knows.”
Grimshaw looked to Eline, but her raised eyebrows told him that she knew nothing about it. “What makes you think the hole brought them here?”
“Bastards landed there…been operating from the excavation site ever since…dug a tunnel under the city from there…were rumors.”
“You’re breaking up, Sergeant.” He turned to Bates. “Can you improve the signal?”
“Already on it, sir.” Bates keyed something into the cumbersome comms SIG attached to his left arm. “See if that’s any better, sir.”
“Do you read, Sergeant?”
“I hear you, Commander. Sounds better on my end. We’ll make our way to the gate...open it for you.”
“That’s all we can ask for.”
Gunfire rang out on the radio.
“What’s going on, Sergeant?”
“Sorry, Commander. We’ve been—”
The channel turned to static.
“Sergeant? Sergeant?” There was no answer. “Bates, what happened?”
“Nothing I can do, sir. The signal disconnected on their end. I’m trying to reconnect, but they won’t answer. Sorry.”
“See if you can get them on the line again.”
“Yes, sir.” Bates exited, leaving Grimshaw with his officers.
“It could be a trap,” Ensign Saunders suggested.
“Those were Confederation Marines, Ensign. What are you trying to say?”
“Just that we shouldn’t go rushing into anything and get more people killed.” He threw up his hands in protest. “For all we know, the enemy got to them, and they’re feeding us false intel.”
“On a secure Confederation channel?”
“What if—”
“That’s enough, Saunders,” Grimshaw hammered the table. “Eline and I will take a team of six into the city. We’ll take Martin and Stone. Briggs will have to be our tech. O’Donovan, we’ll need you on heavy weapons.”
O’Donovan nodded.
“Lieutenant Dann, you’ll remain here with the other officers. Once we get a ship, we’ll come pick you up. Saunders will help you out.”
“Yes, sir,” Dann said, looking less than pleased at being saddled with the ensign.
Saunders looked relieved not to be part of Grimshaw’s party.
The Ensign did a good job organizing the camp under Eline, taking the spineless worm into a possible gunfight would only get good people killed. Grimshaw had seen it happen in the Kragak War.
“Those with me, get your gear ready and pack enough supplies for three days. We leave in fifteen. The rest of you, back to your posts.”
They filtered out of the tent, and Saunders avoided making eye contact with Grimshaw as he passed.
Eline remained behind to speak with him. “We’re really going to make a run for Gate Six, huh?”
“Unless you have any better ideas?”
She shook her head. “Let’s hope this Sergeant Wallace gets the gate open in time.”
He clasped the Shanti’s shoulder. “You better start praying to whatever gods you believe in.”
15
A Puck So Rare
Shafts of morning spilled through the overhead vent as Clio milled aimlessly about the basement. Sai Nakamura had left in the early hours of darkness, and going by the time on her SIG, which had been damaged in the crash, he was running late. The device’s VD went on the fritz, and she banged her arm against the wall until the image cleared. Clio considered reaching out to Sai on the vox, then decided against it. He had explicitly instructed her that radio contact was for emergencies only. To risk giving away their position for the sake of reassurance wouldn’t have been wise.
Cleaning her gun and maintaining what little equipment she had only served as a distraction for so long, not that she was much good for anything given her eyesight was still far from normal. She was beginning to fear that she might never pilot a ship again, then realized how foolish a notion that was given they were stranded in the middle of an invasio
n.
The nanites had worked magic on her legs, though her left thigh was still stiff when walking. It was a pity that such medication wasn’t more widely available. Only the rich and powerful could afford that kind of treatment. The shot the Aegis had given her probably cost more than Clio could make in a decade, promotions and raises included.
Her stomach growled, and she bit into a dry ration before washing it down with a little water. Nakamura had split their supplies and organized them per day, setting aside extra fluid packs for Clio. With his TEK’s moisture recycling system, the Aegis would last twice as long as she could.
Clio’s hand hovered over the radio control on her SIG when the door opposite creaked open a fraction. She drew the blaster holstered on her thigh. “Sai,” she whispered. “Is that you?”
She fought down panic and forced deep, steady breaths just as she had been trained, gun aimed at the slowly widening gap. The door swung full width, and Clio glanced into the adjoining shadow-filled hallway, everything more than five feet away blurred by her damaged sight. “Who’s there?” She hissed.
Something moved in the shadows around the base of the doorway.
Clio screamed as it sprang out of the darkness, and she fired a round.
The smudge moved too fast, and the bullet echoed into the hallway. The dark smear launched at her, and Clio braced herself.
It clutched onto her leg with a vice-like grip, and she scrambled back against the wall. She eased her finger off the trigger, but kept the gun pointed. The smudge latching onto her leg appeared to be some kind of small, furry creature.
It shimmied to her thigh and hummed as if afraid. The creature looked up at her with glimmering disc-like eyes.
Clio stared bewildered and slowly holstered her weapon. “Hey there, little guy.” She reached out to stroke the critter, and it backed away whimpering. “Don’t be afraid.” She broke off a piece of ration and offered it in her open palm.
A clawed finger reached out tentatively and suddenly snatched the morsel. It shoved the food into its mouth and chewed hungrily.
Up close, she could make the critter out a bit better. It resembled a knee-high monkey she once read about in a journal back on Morigan. It had a black face framed with long wisps of white fur. Pointed ears jutted from the top of its head, and a long, red squirrel-like tail fanned out behind it, swinging from side to side as it enjoyed another piece of ration.
While distracted, Clio scratched the critter behind the ears. It looked at her again and climbed up her arm. It hugged her shoulder tightly and hummed soothingly like a cat. She placed a hand on the critter’s back, and it tensed. Clio stroked the thick, white fur on its back, and it relaxed, the anxious purr turning to a slow, deep rumble.
“I didn’t mean to shoot at you,” she whispered. “You startled me is all.”
It wriggled free of her hands and rolled onto the floor in a ball. It unfurled itself and looked up at her, sniffing expectantly.
“You poor thing. You must be starving.” Clio took another ration pack from her pocket and broke off a more generous serving.
The creature’s nose twitched, and it jumped up and down on the spot with excitement.
She reached out with an open palm, and it took the food, a process they repeated until most of that day's meals had gone.
The monkey-beast licked its chops.
“What’s your name?”
It made a series of squeaks peppered with intelligible syllables. Clio stared blankly, amazed that she heard what sounded like words. It looked at her intelligently and repeated the string of noises.
“Did you just say your name is Rooster?”
It looked at her like she was a bumbling idiot and repeated itself a third time.
“Booster?”
Clio took the resulting high-pitched squeak as an affirmative. She found its level of comprehension fascinating. She’d heard stories about native animals on some planets exhibiting high levels of intelligence, but never had she experienced it for herself. “Nice to meet you, Booster.” She put her hand on her chest. “I’m Clio.”
Booster moved his mouth awkwardly and pronounced the syllables correctly. He looked up with a proud smile and leaned into Clio’s hand as she reached out and ruffled his head.
“Don’t you have a family?”
Booster shrugged his shoulders.
“Family?” It copied as it pointed a claw at her.
“My family?” She put her hand on her chest again.
Booster nodded.
Clio recalled what Sai had told her about the core explosion west of the city. “I think my family’s gone, and I’m stuck here with a friend and no way home.”
Booster whimpered.
“I know how you feel,” Clio said. She thumbed the finger containing the data crystal. Her contact, whoever he or she was, wouldn’t be getting the data they wanted, and that meant Clio wouldn’t be getting paid, not that money mattered anymore. She chewed on the artificial fingernail, a nervous habit she’d developed since receiving it.
“Even if there are survivors, I doubt they’d come looking for me.”
Distant sounds of fighting reached her, and Booster launched onto her chest and snuggled into the nook of her arm.
“It’s okay. It’s far away.” She hushed and patted him.
The pops and rumbles of battle grew more distant and less frequent as the morning wore on, and Clio wondered how many colonists were still fighting back.
“Something tells me that the fighting won’t last much longer.” She realized she was rocking Booster in her arms. He was close enough for Clio to see patches of torn fur caked with blood. “What happened to you, you poor little thing?”
Clio figured that she and the creature weren’t so different. They were both alone, in a sorry state, and would likely starve to death or meet some other unpleasant end. Perhaps it was just as well the rest of the crew had died in the crash. It was a mercy that hadn’t been extended to her.
I can’t think like that.
She tickled the longer wisps of fur behind Booster’s ears. It was comforting to feel something warm in her arms, and she leaned against the crates behind her, almost relaxing. “It would help if Nakamura would tell me the damn plan. All I know is that we need to get to Xerocorp Labs. It’s miles away, but at least we’re in the same sector.”
Clio looked down and realized she was talking to a sleeping creature. She continued speaking regardless. “He said the details are classified, but look at the damn situation we’re in. What difference will getting to the labs make anyway? It’s not as if they have something as sophisticated as a quantum entanglement beacon on a backwater planet like this.”
Booster’s ears flicked.
“No offense.” She inhaled deeply. “The bastard needs to tell me what’s going on.”
Something moved about the floor above, and she drew her blaster again, hugging Booster protectively in one arm. Clio shifted along the floor for a better view of the doorway which she had forgotten to close. The gun shook in her hand.
I’m not cut out for this shit.
She was supposed to be a pilot until she could sell enough information to fund her way into a better life. Clio started to regret her decision to leave Morigan. It was a hole, but at least it wasn’t on the edges of the Fringe, in the middle of nowhere.
Who am I kidding? Even if Morigan had its own Fleet base, I still would’ve left.
Signing up for the Correctional Integration Program was the only way to cut her sentence. Even still, getting Fleet to accept the application had taken some convincing, but her stubbornness paid off in the end. However, getting stuck on 115 and being surrounded by an unknown enemy hadn’t been part of the plan.
Light footsteps descended the stairs leading to the hallway beyond the open door. They approached slowly, and Clio held her breath. She tensed her arm in an attempt to stop it from shaking.
A familiar pattern knocked on the wall outside and Clio breathed again.
“Thank fuck,” Clio whispered, lowering the gun.
Aegis Nakamura cautiously popped his head and rifle into the room and looked around as a precaution. “Why’s the door open?” He walked into the room and lowered his weapon. “I heard a gunshot on my way back.”
“Sorry. This thing decided to pay a visit and gave me a fright.” She unfolded her arm and revealed Booster, still sleeping peacefully.
“Is that a Puck?”
“You know what it is?”
He leaned in for a closer look. “It’s hard to be sure, but it could be a Puck. They’re incredibly rare. Some scientists squander their entire lives searching for them. Where’d you find it?”
Nakamura looked suspiciously at Booster, and Clio drew the puck closer.
“His name’s Booster,” she said defensively. “He wandered in while you were gone.”
“He’s got a name?” Nakamura said skeptically.
He stepped back into a shaft of light and Clio noticed that his right arm was missing below the elbow.
“What the hell happened to your arm?”
“Your eyesight has improved, I see.” He waved the stump before her. “I lost it in the crash.” He made it sound like the most normal thing in the galaxy.
Clio swallowed bile as it burned her throat.
“It’s fine. My TEK stopped the bleeding and closed the wound.” He smiled. “I’ll get a new one when we get to the Sentinel.”
She could hardly believe how nonchalant he was about losing a limb. “If you say so.”
“We’ll have to move out soon. Enemy squads have entered the eastern gate and started sweeping the outskirts of town.”
Guilt flared in her chest. “Did they hear the gunshot?”
“No, they’re too far. It’s been a while since I’ve seen enemy movement within three miles of here. If anyone heard it, they wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from the fighting elsewhere.”
“I didn’t realize you’d travelled so far.”
“It’s why I’m late. There definitely aren’t as many as there were last night, and I wanted to find out where they went before making a move.”
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