"CP...What?"
"I was giving you air. You stopped breathing."
She was confused for a long second, wiping her mouth as she checked her damaged helmet and useless chest panels. "Thank you..."
Taza helped her to her feet and leant his support when she stumbled.
"Take a second to get your bearings," he said.
She held onto his shoulder while she caught her breath.
Gunshots rang out again.
"That fighting is getting bad,” Taza said. “We have to get you out of here before Leeroy blows those charges."
Ria's eyes widened. "The case!"
She reached for her SIG, forgetting they'd left it behind on the Skyways.
"We won't find the case in this mess," he said, gesturing at the carnage.
"We have to try." She stumbled to a pile of debris and frantically dug through trash.
"I don't think the case could have made it, Ria." He pointed to the burning husk in the distance.
"I had it when I was thrown from Allora," she insisted. "It has to be close."
"We don't have time to look."
"We don't have any other choice," she snapped. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help me?”
"Fine." He looked under a row of old machines, the repeated bending and standing making the wound in his side burn. All the while, he kept his eyes peeled for trouble.
Cracks and pops rang out every once in a while. One second they would seem close. The next, they would sound further away.
Taza was about to move on from a cluster of old mining gear when a flashing orange light caught his attention. It was the case's display panel. He quickly scooped it from the rubble.
"Got it," he said, keeping his voice as low as possible.
The fighting still sounded far enough away that they wouldn't be heard, but he wasn't taking any chances.
Ria hurried to him and snatched the case from him, checking the display.
"It's still intact," she said.
"What does the flashing light mean?"
"It's running out of power. The force dampeners drained the battery in the crash, but they saved the eggs."
"How long have they got?"
"A few days...maybe."
"It’ll take longer than three days to reach a charging station."
She shook her head. “Queen Charr said the eggs can be removed if needed when on their homeworld. If I can get through the gate..."
"Take a look around, Ria. That isn't going to happen.”
Realization suddenly struck. “Qurpall and the others?"
Taza shook his head, making sure his eyes didn't look in Qurpall's direction. It was probably better she didn't see him that way.
"Before Qurpall died…” He cleared his throat. "He wanted you to know he was sorry he couldn't get you all the way to the gate. The others didn't make it either.”
Ria bowed her head and wiped away a tear with her subarmor sleeve.
Fiery determination burned in her eyes. "We can't let their deaths be in vain. Leeroy has the Ushtarans distracted. Let's go."
"Go where, Ria? We don't have a fully functioning TEK between us, and we've got one blaster. Chimera and the Ushtarans will be heavily armed. Heading into that fight is suicide."
She clutched the case tightly to her chest.
"It'll be worth the risk.” She motioned to the mess around them. "What's the point otherwise?”
Taza craned his neck as he looked to the hole in the ceiling. “I guess there isn't anywhere else to go.”
"Only one option at this point," Ria said softly.
"Then I suppose we better get you to that gate."
Ria fished around for a makeshift weapon and pulled a twisted length of steel free from a pile of scrap. She shoved it into her utility belt with her one good arm, then picked the case up.
Taza eyed the alien device. “It looks pretty beaten up. You sure those eggs will make it?”
"By some miracle, they've made it this far. Two are still fine...I think," she said checking the status display again. "I won't know for sure until I open it. We need to get them to the gate right away."
"We haven't established how we're going to accomplish that."
"We use the machines as cover and sneak as far as we can. Use Leeroy's attack as a distraction. Get to the gate while they aren't looking."
Taza pointed to the gaping hole in the dome ceiling. "Even if they didn't notice our subtle entrance...and I very much doubt that...they’ll have that gate guarded."
"We proceed with caution and make a plan when we know more. Leeroy and the others might have thinned their numbers by the time we get there. We aren't going to get anywhere standing around here talking about it."
"Okay, hold your horses," he said, checking the charge on his blaster, annoyed that he hadn't equipped something more robust when they'd first boarded Allora.
"Ready?" Ria asked.
"Ready," he muttered.
Ria slinked off in the direction of the gunfire.
Taza followed.
"I'm the only one with a gun and your arm's busted," he almost snapped. "I'll take point. You keep an eye on the rear."
"Fine," she hissed.
They kept low as they wove between stacks of junk, using decayed machinery and piles of discarded parts for cover as they proceeded.
They had climbed a high mound of trash that ran along the back of the junkyard, sectioning off a broad circled area being used for Chimera's operation.
Scrap and machinery, somewhat newer than in other areas, was scattered beyond, though there wasn’t quite as much.
A twisted stone archway rested upon a high platform at the center of a clearing.
Troopers in black Chimera TEKs and Ushtaran guards were spread out in a wide line beyond the clearing.
About fifty feet ahead of them, Leeroy and his Chan rebels had captured what looked like the power supply for Chimera's weapon. It was some kind of generator, probably fusion, though Taza suspected something more advanced. A complex array of cables and pipes stretched off from the generator, snaking to the ceiling, and attaching to the bulk of the weapon proper.
The panel’s ceiling port was still open, allowing light to spill in from outside. The weapon was still displayed. Taza hoped it hadn't been fired yet.
He and Ria crawled closer below the lip of the garbage pile.
"Looks like you're right," Taza whispered. "Leeroy's got them looking the other way. You might just make it to the gate after all."
"There are a lot of dead Chan down there. I don't think Leeroy can hold Chimera off much longer. He'll soon be forced to retreat and blow the charge.”
Taza looked down the other side of the mound. It was much steeper than the side they were on and he doubted they could climb down without making a racket.
"We better hurry, but sliding down the other side of this thing is bound to draw attention."
Ria looked to her right. “The trash heap gets quite a bit lower further that way."
"Worth a look."
They descended the slope careful not to dislodge enough material to trigger a junk-slide.
Reaching the bottom, they kept low as they hurried to the right, hugging the base of the mound, using discarded scrap for additional cover when they could.
They reached the area Ria had noted. A wide channel had been cleared through the mound. They sneaked to the edge for a closer look.
Decommissioned vehicles braced the avenue's high walls. Several pieces of retired heavy machinery dotted the thoroughfare.
"They must have made the opening for easier access to the rest of the dome," Taza whispered.
"I don't see any guards," Ria said. "They must have been drawn to the fight."
"Let's hope so. Be careful all the same."
She muttered agreement, and they prowled into the opening, keeping as close to the left wall as they could.
Taza stopped behind a broad panel jutting from the bracing. "We're about halfway there
."
Ria checked the case. "The light's turned red. We're running out of time. Let's go."
"Wait—"
She had already broken into a run, her feet silently striking the ground as she shrank into the distance.
Taza cursed under his breath as he followed, his boots nowhere near as quiet, no matter how he tried.
He'd almost closed the distance when something flashed in the corner of his eye.
He picked up his speed and dove for Ria, pulling her down into the trash as a line of plasma cut above.
"An Ushtaran and Chimera trooper on our right," he said. "Stay down until I've dealt with this. If I don't make it, run and hide."
Taza sprang to his feet, firing his blaster as he ran for an engine block ten feet away.
Several shots struck home, felling the Ushtaran.
The Chimera gunner maintained heavy fire undeterred, sending sparks up around Taza.
He slid behind the engine block, plasma clinking into the other side as he waited for his blaster to cool and recharge.
He looked back to make sure Ria was okay. She lay where he'd left her, half buried in refuse. Taza thought she'd been hit until she gave him a thumbs up.
He came out for another shot, to find the Chimera gunner charging around the engine block, the butt of his rifle lashing out.
Taza threw up his arm and barely deflected a strike that would have crushed his skull. The force flung him into the junk wall.
The trooper turned the rifle in his arms to fire.
Taza sprang off an old door, its pop lending him some additional force.
He pushed the barrel away as plasma exploded from the nozzle.
A bolt seared the side of his face as it sailed by.
He gritted his teeth as he brought up his blaster, unloading the battery’s charge into the trooper's gut.
It hammered shields and punched holes in the thick plating, but wasn't enough to shake the guy off.
The trooper twisted his rifle free and struck Taza in the side of the head, sending him sprawling to the ground.
He turned as the trooper took aim.
The trooper stumbled aside as Ria smashed the side of his helmet with her metal pole. She beat on the trooper relentlessly, screaming as she lashed out again, and again.
The trooper tripped over a piece of debris jutting from the ground and lost a grip on his weapon.
Ria bore down on him, holding the pole like a spear.
She rammed its sharp end through his visor, and the trooper went limp.
Fearing the plasma bolt had melted half of his face away, Taza brought his hand up to the side of his head. He gently ran his fingers over the burn and found a narrow pitted line running from his cheek to the top of his ear. It was a burn alright, but everything remained intact...mostly.
Ria appeared above and tossed the trooper's heavy rifle into his lap.
She held her loose arm. "Pretty sure driving that pole broke whatever bone was fractured. I can't lift a gun like that, let alone fire it..."
"Here.” Taza offered his blaster. "Power cells are almost done."
Ria accepted and stowed it in her holster. "It's better than nothing."
Taza clutched the rifle as Ria pulled him to his feet.
"Thank you." He looked at the trooper with the metal jutting from his helmet. "He almost had me."
They ducked as plasma struck the wall, splashing them with sparks and shards of sizzling metal.
It had come from the direction of the scrap yard.
Taza peeked out to find three Ushtarans bearing down on them.
"Shit. Eldi, Aldo, and an Ushtaran guard must have survived their gunship going down."
"There's no going back that way."
"Get that case to the gate. I'll hold them off."
Ria looked back to the case then hesitated.
"Go," Taza growled. "Before they get here and it's too late.
"Good luck," she said.
Taza provided cover-fire as Ria made a run for the case.
He sprinted for cover behind the shell of an old digger and looked back to find Ria was okay, her form disappearing into the rusted maze.
Taza popped up and opened fire, taking out the Ushtaran guard.
Eldi deployed an arm shield and charged.
Taza placed several well-aimed plasma bolts, but the shield remained erect.
He ducked as the giant Ushtaran brought out a shotgun with a bayonet on its end, the buckshot hammering the other side of the vehicle.
Taza climbed onto the digger's buckled tracks and fired through the window.
Aldo pressed forward, his shield depleting. As the shield gave way, he ducked under the last string of Taza's plasma and dove for the other end of the digger.
The Chimera rifle overheated.
Taza leapt from the vehicle's track housing, descending on Aldo as he rounded the rear.
The swinging rifle cracked against the Ushtaran’s shoulder.
They tumbled into the junk, grappling with each other as they fell.
Aldo tossed Taza aside.
Taza sprang to his feet, ducking under a swipe from the shotgun’s bayonet.
The force Aldo put into the attack caused him to spin around part way.
Taza pulled his knife and leapt into the area by his exposed rear. He rammed upward at the Ushtaran’s shoulder-blade, aiming between two armor plates.
The knife tore through the TEK's linkage but stopped partway.
Taza jumped back as the shotgun arched his way, the bayonet streaking across his thigh plates.
Taza rolled for the Chimera rifle, bringing it up just in time to block another wild swipe.
Aldo struck with the blade again and again, driving Taza to his knees.
He twisted the rifle and opened fire, the recoil forcing the rifle up, plasma smashing through Aldo's breastplate and helmet.
The junk rumbled as the Ushtaran fell onto his side and became still.
Taza turned in time to see Eldi run for a dump-truck. He was going after Ria.
He pulled the trigger to find the rifle was spent.
Taza swore and fetched Aldo's shotgun and ammunition and clipped a full magazine onto the back.
He stumbled after the Viceroy. He fired several shotgun rounds.
Eldi ducked and weaved, dodging the scatter, before disappearing into the maze of rust.
"Shit!"
Taza went after him.
Aldo emerged from between the rotting carcasses of two tractors and shouldered Taza.
Taza groaned as he smashed into the channel wall, losing a grip on the shotgun.
Aldo’s helmet and mask were gone, most of his face melted and charred black. His breath escaped from his insect-like mouth like wind through a broken pipe.
Taza ducked under a punch that would have pulverized his nose.
In a blind rage, Aldo threw a flurry at his torso, cracking what little was left of Taza's TEK.
Tasting blood in his mouth, Taza plunged his fingers into a burned hole in Aldo's twisted face.
The Ushtaran howled like a church organ and drew back several paces.
Taza pulled himself away from the wall using a pipe jutting from overhead.
He swung forward, both feet kicking out and connecting with Aldo's chest.
Despite Taza putting his full weight into the swing, the Ushtaran barely moved back a step.
But the back of his boot caught on a cabled jutting from the rubble. He threw out his arms to regain his balance, but he wasn't fast enough.
His heavy bulk toppled backwards with a loud thud.
Taza expected Aldo to get up and attack again, but he lay still.
Taza approached cautiously. He leaned by the giant's side for a closer look and found the fall had driven his knife to the hilt, stabbing the Ushtaran through the back of the heart.
He pulled the blade free and let Aldo's limp body fall away, satisfied he was actually dead this time.
Remembering Eldi was goi
ng after Ria, Taza forced his legs to press on despite exhaustion.
41
Together
Clio guided the North Star through the Foundry’s vast tunnels. They emerged in the primary throughway by the monstrous hangar doors. Their immensity reminded her of the Sentinel and that summoned memories of Swigger.
She focused on the flight data on her visor in an effort to forget.
"North Star to control," Eline said. "Requesting access to leave."
The ship's vox system answered with broken crackles.
"Ascari, why the interference?"
Ascari bleeped to life. "Scans indicate that the Foundry’s jump priming sequence is disrupting communications, Commander."
"Then undisrupt them."
"Counteracting such interference will take time, Commander," Ascari answered.
"How long?"
"Initial calculations indicate thirty-six minutes and fifty-five seconds."
“An enemy fleet is inbound, Ascari. Do it faster."
"Of course, Commander,"Ascari said before bleeping off.
"Damn Kragak," Eline pounded the arm of the Captain's chair. "What are they playing at? They know we need to leave before they jump.”
"Could be Aglat's supporters don't want us getting the anti-virus to the Omnion," Clio offered.
"Could be," Eline agreed. "We may have to blow the doors open."
"Might take a while given that they're made of rock," Clio said.
"I'm sure O'Donovan can handle it," Eline said.
“Opening a hole will cause serious problems when they jump," the Zaqaran piped up. "For all we know, it'll tear the Foundry apart, killing millions of Kragak."
“A risk we'll have to take," Eline said.
"You couldn't be so cold," the Zaqaran operator argued. "We've worked hard to secure their allegiance. Yet, you would toss our efforts aside like refuse.”
"Pipe down," Eline ordered. "We'll only blow our way out as a last resort. My primary concern is the lives of the people on this ship. Everything else comes after, your new best friends included."
The Zaqaran fell silent and shrank back in his chair.
The bridge door swished open.
O'Donovon returned and took up his post at the weapons station.
Grimshaw and Doctor Roshi emerged from the doorway. Grimshaw had changed into a fresh uniform. His complexion was pale and he walked unsteadily, but he managed fine without assistance.
The Galactic Sentinel: Ultimate Edition: 4 Books with 2000+ Pages of Highly Entertaining Sci-Fi Space Adventure Page 111