As the ramp lowered, the Kryth hosts were first to disembark. The human delegation soon followed, and were led towards the large structure.
Kason could see other shuttles arriving and departing. In the distance, other races walked towards the conference center. This should be interesting. Once they enter, all eyes should be on them.
Kason regarded this as an Ordinance mission, not a political greeting of ambassadors, but a military operation.
He didn’t trust the Kryth.
His six-man team along with the delegation approached the conference entrance.
Kason saw that all the alien eyes were on them as the group entered, just as he wanted.
Kason recognized many of the races but a few were new to him. He always wondered why the majority of intelligent sentient races seemed to be humanoid, or bipedal in nature. Maybe this was the chosen biology for intelligent life, Kason supposed.
As the group passed, he noticed the different demeanors of the races.
Some stared while others glared.
He could tell which ones were affable to the Kryth. He could also see the ones who were interested in this new enemy of the Domain. He even found a few who nodded with polite greetings. These were other security detail who had heard what the humans did in Sol to their Kryth masters, no doubt.
Kason nodded to them in turn with respect, one soldier to another.
The human delegation was led into the conference chamber.
The main forum was circular with a large speaking platform in the center. Halfway up, the middle section of the room had large box sections for each race’s main delegation to sit. Non-conference members and other audience sat in the remaining lower seats.
Kason noted the room held up to around 10,000 members.
The chamber chatter died down as the humans entered.
Kason looked around until he found the Kryth box to the upper left of the speaking podium. A familiar face peered back down at him; one he saw not so long ago, Lintorth Sol.
The human delegation was led to their seats on the lower portion, close to the speaking podium.
Kason saw the last seat for their group empty. That seat would sit Nevlen Bossarios when he re-joined the team.
Nevlen had sent an urgent communique that he would meet up with the team with critical information in hand, but did not want to broadcast his report due to the security situation they were now in.
Either way, Kason awaited his two Reavers’ return under Nevlen’s command. He would be glad to have them back.
A Goudransk speaker approached the podium as the conference began.
The Goudransk had elongated necks that matched their thinner-than-normal bodies.
Kason wasn’t sure if the pinkish and gray skin was skin or scales or something else. Either way, he didn’t care to get too close to find out.
Given the nature of Kryth allies, it’s always best to shoot first and ask questions later, when dealing with any of the Domain’s lackeys.
Everyone in the chamber began sitting down and preparing for the conference to get underway. All awaited the new human invitees to speak.
Kason couldn’t wait until this circus was over.
Data Cell 24
Lintorth’s gaze was transfixed on the human delegation down below and to his right.
His mind was wondering what would happen when the humans got up to speak. Will all be told, including the secrets of two hundred and sixty-seven moons ago?
Lintorth knew it would not come to that. His hidden Si troops would see to it.
Xoma Si herself gave the order to eliminate the humans before they could leak any information.
Lintorth was charged with carrying out the order to its completion, though he wasn’t sure how it would occur or if this was the best course of action at this time.
He continued to catch a particular stare from one of the human armored beings down below.
The one Lintorth presumed was their team leader was staring up into the box at him. The facial mask seemed familiar somehow. Lintorth knew it wasn’t the same one whom he’d battled, but still, the mask did look familiar.
Lintorth felt as though the dark gold eye lenses were centered on him; but, from his position, Lintorth could not discern for whom the look was intended. The warrior could be looking at anyone in the box seats.
Kason and his team waited in the back along a wall where all security detail for each delegation were positioned.
Shenta and Alon were up front waiting for the council chair to present them.
Kason scanned around the circular room for anything out of the ordinary.
He didn’t trust the Kryth and, if he had it his way, he would level the entire building, just to make sure.
A few less Kryth is always a good start to a good day, Kason mused.
Just then, Nevlen came rushing through the entrance to their aisle. He was out of breath.
Nevlen looked over at Kason with a worrisome expression.
His appearance caused Kason concern, as Nevlen proceeded down the aisle to where Commander Parejas and Keeper Alon were sitting.
Kason was listening in on Parejas’ and Nevlen’s conversation by means of their com implants.
Nevlen was frantic when he sat down next to the two.
What Kason heard next infuriated him.
Nevlen was saying that they were attacked and the shuttle had crashed on the planet’s surface, leaving two Reaver survivors; namely, Ramek and Jens. He didn’t want to risk a rescue mission and thought the Reavers could make it on their own, until a real rescue effort was made after the conference.
Kason was enraged.
He wanted to bolt for Nevlen this moment. As anger boiled his blood, his mind flashed with unbridled hatred towards the man.
Shenta Parejas turned, looking behind him towards Kason.
Kason’s body language made it clear he’d heard the discussion.
Parejas whispered, “Kason, I want you to remain calm and focused. We will all speak of this after Alon’s speech. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Kason growled.
Kason’s stare never left Nevlen.
Parejas knew the fury now burning inside the Reaver. He would have to keep Nevlen and Kason separated until after the conference. The commander was just glad, for the time being, the security details were not sitting with them. Come to think of it, Nevlen was pleased that the details were in the back of the room, Parejas noted.
Parejas’ thought was interrupted by the council chair introducing the human delegation.
It was Alon’s turn to speak.
Alon left his aisle seat and made his way up to the podium in the center of the room.
Silence fell upon all races as they waited to hear the humans speak for the first time.
Lintorth’s keen eye caught the disturbance from the human group when the tall slender one entered and sat down.
He didn’t know what but something was happening. Was it time now to commence the ambush? Or, wait a few more minutes until the human speaker got to his main point about the Kryth and the Sol system?
He knew patience was the key and not to act prematurely.
Gifts come when one least expects, Lintorth thought.
It was this precise gift Lintorth now took possession of as Sontar Jal entered the box.
Sontar Jal’s eager grin held the key. A red cloth that hung at the side of Sontar Jal’s hip. It was the same uniform piece that these human warriors wore.
Lintorth turned to look down at the humans.
The leader in the back was now, more than ever, gazing in his direction.
The warrior’s posture was evident and Lintorth knew why.
The sash cloth!
Lintorth approached Sontar.
Sontar beamed with victory. “Come to congratulate me, brother?” Sontar said, biting at every word.
“You killed one?” Lintorth asked.
“Killed one and captured another. You couldn’t eve
n bring down one; yet, I brought down two. I do not know the problem you had with them, but they were nothing like the warriors you stated them to be.”
Lintorth was in no mood for bravado with what he considered to be a spineless uniform draped over a Kryth’s body.
He reached down and pulled the sash away from Sontar’s side. “Listen, brother, I have no time to discuss your earned victories. You are the better of us today; I bow in your presence, but I must borrow this from you now,” Lintorth said almost choking on his unwanted words of congratulations to Sontar.
“You will not steal my glory to claim for your own, Lintorth. The Si knows who is better.” Sontar seethed with anger.
“Watch now, brother, as your great take-down of the armored warrior is put to good use,” Lintorth said.
Lintorth motioned for a Kryth soldier to approach him.
Sontar was perplexed at what Lintorth meant.
Lintorth leaned in and began to whisper, handing the red cloth to the soldier.
Sontar was trying hard to hear the hushed talk but was unable.
Lintorth finished and nodded to the soldier.
Without delay, the Kryth soldier left the box.
“What was that about?” Sontar questioned.
“Watch and learn, dear brother. You may think you have surpassed me in competence, but only in your arrogance do you tell yourself these things,” Lintorth said.
Lintorth raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke, “All positions. Wait for my command.”
Lintorth moved to the front of the box to get a better look at the human warrior staring back at him. He watched with anticipation as the Kryth soldier entered the lower level next to the armored humans.
Lintorth saw the soldier approach the human in black, holding out the red cloth of his fallen comrade.
The seconds that followed felt as if time slowed. Lintorth knew what words the Kryth soldier spoke now to the human warrior.
Lintorth heard the human speaker at the podium articulate of times past, of when their kind first fled the Sol system from the Kryth.
The timing of what Lintorth was trying to accomplish was at hand.
The taunt he issued to the Kryth soldier was in full effect upon his enemy even before his held breath could be expelled from his lungs.
Kason, with a war cry, sank his gauntleted blades in the mid-section of the Kryth soldier who stood before him.
With a primeval yell, he hoisted the soldier high into the air.
The screams that issued from the Kryth, dangling on Kason’s bladed hand, reverberated throughout the entire chamber, silencing Alon’s words of human history.
Blood ran down Kason’s arm and onto the floor.
Shrieks from the crowd rang through the room at the sight of the human Reaver holding up the impaled Kryth.
Weapons’ fire rained down on the human position from the hidden Si Troops Lintorth had placed.
Explosions soon overtook any cries with spectators fleeing to the nearest exits as chaos ensued.
Kason’s rage was broken by his commander’s voice. The lone words pulled Kason away from his incensed blood lust.
“Get to Alon! He’s down!”
Data Cell 25
Kason spotted Alon’s prone body lying on the ground next to the podium.
In an instant, Kason ran towards his fallen friend.
He set his retro-rockets to smoke and fired them from his arm launcher above Alon’s location. Kason followed the rounds with flash-bangs on either side of the podium to blind the Kryth that were firing from above.
Kason passed Shenta and Nevlen who were hunkered down below a half-wall where they had sat moments before.
The other Reavers and troopers ran to give what cover fire they could, as heavier assault weapons were not permitted in the conference by security details. They were limited to pistols.
Kason knew the micro-weapons of the Reavers would last only so long against much heavier fire power so they would need to obtain better armaments.
Kason made it to the center where the smoke now engulfed the speaker’s platform.
Without slowing, he grabbed Alon in his arms, swiping him up off the floor.
As Kason approached Parejas’ location, Nevlen and Parejas got up under cover fire from the team and moved down the aisle, using the Reavers as flanking shields. The Reavers returned what fire they could with their limited resources.
Kryth plasma fire impacted around body armor as the Reavers closed ranks to escort the men to a safer location.
They all made it to the back wall behind an overhang partition.
Kason called out enemy positions as he looked over his sensors for an escape route.
“Maddox and Keelen, cover our flanks. Markon and Danik, continue firing at the Kryth in the boxes,” Kason said to his Reaver team before turning to Nevlen’s troopers. “You two watch that door.”
Shenta Parejas was calling up to the Orion’s Rage for assistance as the green plasma bolts exploded against the metal barrier, sending dents throughout their side.
“Orion’s command, we need emergency evac. The conference is lost. I repeat, the conference is lost. On my location. . .” Shenta said, looking over to Kason.
Kason was scanning the area through the walls. “There is a raised landing pad on the third level, out the door and up a ramp. Coordinates are. . .”
Kason finished the details of the landing zone to the Rage.
Kason soon identified a mass of Kryth troops approaching from behind the door to their front.
“Incoming. . . Ten in total,” Kason shouted. He turned to Maddox. “I’m out of rounds. I’ll open the door and you send a ‘max-blast’ through.”
Kason approached the side of the door. He relayed the data code to open the door partway as they all moved back to surround the un-armored.
The door opened.
Maddox fired a salvo of launcher rounds through the half-opened doorway.
The explosion on the other side sent Kryth bodies flying in all directions as the fire whooshed and licked the door’s edges.
“Move through and up to the left. Grab all weapons as we go,” Kason ordered.
Kason, still carrying Alon over his shoulder, moved through the door as smoke and fire filled the hallway.
He spotted some Kryth screaming, their broken bodies crawling along the floor.
Kason bent down as he ran and scooped up a plasma rifle, peeling off the severed Kryth hand still attached.
He saw that more Kryth were coming down the ramp as they themselves ascended it.
“To our fronts. Reaver Two and Three, cover our flanks,” Kason called out.
The delegation moved up the ramp as human and Kryth engaged in a blinding firefight. Weapons’ fire impacted walls and floor. Some rounds flashed off the Reavers’ frontal armor while others zinged past, scorching the air. The hallway was ablaze with green and blue plasma bolts, smoke, and explosions.
The throng of bodies met as hand-to-hand combat followed.
Kason, Keelen, and Maddox began to stab and eviscerate the incoming Kryth soldiers while the two other Reavers and troopers fired behind their flanks at incoming Kryth.
Kason slashed one Kryth’s face.
Another leaped into the air at Kason’s turned back.
A hand flashed up and caught the Kryth in the throat in mid-flight towards Kason.
Shenta Parejas’ other hand grabbed the airborne Kryth, directing him into an adjacent wall behind.
Parejas put a chokehold around the Kryth soldier’s neck, pulling the Kryth’s head against his own chest; Parejas threw out his legs behind him, sending both bodies to the ground in an ‘A’ frame.
The leverage against the commander’s chest snapped the soldier’s neck as they hit the floor hard.
The short melee was over.
The group made it to the third floor intersection, pushing through the remaining few Kryth soldiers, hurdling and dodging their fallen corpses.
K
ason approached a corner.
“We need to go to the right. The landing pad is fifty meters down and. . . .” Kason stopped.
His helmet scanners picked up a large mass approaching from the left connecting corridor.
Kason couldn’t see how many from the red triangles in his HUD, as they were massed together into a blob of blurred color.
The count came up... One hundred Kryth soldiers were bearing down on their location from the adjacent hallway.
“Keelen, get the door to our front closed. Everyone get to the pad. Now, move!” Kason commanded.
As the group progressed around the corner the Kryth approached from behind.
The mass of Kryth began to open fire on the fleeing humans.
Soon, plasma bolts enveloped the whole corridor, showering it in sparks and fire as explosive rounds impacted every available surface.
One of Nevlen’s troopers who returned fire was thrown into the wall as the incoming rounds ravaged his body, sending him crashing to the ground.
The group made it to the outside landing pad as they exited through the door, the dark evening sky awaiting them.
The landing pad’s illumination made seeing possible in the pitch-black surroundings.
The group moved to either side of the door as the Kryth weapons’ fire blazed through, nearly a continuous green rushing torrent of water against nightfall.
Kason yelled out to Keelen, “Close the door!”
Keelen ran to the panel to override it.
“This won’t keep them out for long. I’ll try to jam it,” Keelen said.
Kason knew time was against them. He calculated how long the door would hold and the arrival of the Mercador from the Orion’s Rage. Not enough time, he thought.
Kason signaled to the Reavers Markon and Danik.
Without speaking, the two Reavers nodded at Kason.
They removed their red regimental sashes and tossed them to Kason who caught them.
They both turned and re-entered the hallway as Keelen closed the door behind them.
Nevlen’s mouth dropped open as he realized what the Reavers had just done. They had bought more time. Nevlen was stunned.
There was neither conversation nor debate on the matter. It was as if they already had known what they had to do and had made the choice, Nevlen thought.
Annals of the Keepers: War 267 (Book 1 in the Gashnee Saga) Page 15