Extinction: Rise Of Mankind Book 8

by John Walker

  Instead, she only saw the smoldering remains of the fighter. Only trees spread out on the ground below. This is getting beyond strange. “Crystal Font, this is Vinthari Il’Var. We have defeated the enemy fighters. Area secured.”

  “Stand by,” Thaina replied. “We’re engaged with an enemy battleship up here. We might be calling you back but for now, maintain air superiority. You have to hold the area until we have that power. Understood?”

  “Affirmative,” Alma said. “Good luck.”

  Enemy battleship, Alma thought. Where were they hiding? They had to be close by. Regardless, I suppose we know where they were this whole time and where they’re coming from. If we take that out, we can expect to see no more action I suppose. Thank the Fates. I’d really like to get out of here soon.

  ***

  Lhar grabbed Deva, Vali and Niersa, pulling them aside from the main group. “The three of you need to get up those stairs and figure out if we can just walk in or not. Be careful. I don’t want to lose more people on this world but we’re going to have to take some risks.”

  “Will Yuris be okay?” Vali asked.

  “Yes, when the shuttle gets here, we’ll load him up and he can get out of here.” Lhar checked his com and kicked a rock. “I just received a report that there’s an enemy battleship up there fighting with the Font. That means Yuris has to hold on a little longer. I’ll send Trias with you as well. The faster we finish our job, the quicker we can get home.”

  “Understood.” Vali called over to Trias. “You’re coming with us! Let’s move out!”

  “Where are we going?” Trias hurried over. “Up the stairs?”

  Deva nodded. “The energy readings are coming from within there. But I can’t tell if there’s a door up there or not. If so, we’re going to have to find a way in.”

  “I’ve got plenty of explosives,” Niersa said. “In case we want to go in that way.”

  “I’m hoping we don’t have to be destructive,” Deva replied. “We might cause some kind of chain reaction. Let’s treat this entire place as volatile until we know for a fact what we’re getting into.”

  “Sounds good,” Lhar said. “But move out! You’re wasting time and we need you up there quickly.” He moved over to Yuris and checked him over. The man was unconscious but his wound looked ghastly. The armor had melted into him, fusing with flesh and clothes. Physicians had their work cut out for them and that was if they got to him soon.

  No basic first aid would cut it for this. The shuttle came back in for a landing and he determined to put his man on board then join the others. Gripping Yuris by the scruff of his armor, he dragged him over to the ramp and up. The copilot assisted him and they set the man down on one of the stretchers, securing him in place.

  “Sir,” the pilot’s voice popped in his ear. “We’ve got contact moving on the stairs. Enemies seem to be pursuing our people.”

  “Where’d they come from?” Lhar asked. “Did you see?”

  “Negative, sir. But there’s five of them.”

  Lhar sighed and dismounted the ship, rushing toward the stairs. “Get back in the air,” he ordered the shuttle then redirected his com. “Trias, you’ve got contact rear coming up the stairs. How far are you up?”

  “Half way,” Trias replied. “Whoa, there they are. We have no cover up here so we’re going to keep moving. You in pursuit or should I open fire?”

  “I’m only half way to the stairs. Fire until I say otherwise.”

  “Understood. Hope you get here quick.”

  Me too. Lhar broke into a sprint. Me too.

  ***

  Deva stumbled up the stairs, struggling to maintain her footing as they rushed along toward the entrance above. From the air, the place appeared tall but as they tried to mount it, she got a much better perspective on its size. Some of the buildings back home were so large but they offered elevators rather than stairs.

  Half way up, she panted like she’d been running half her life. Even with clean air from her suit, her lungs labored. Trias shoved her from behind and she collapsed on the stairs just as enemy weapons fire filled the air. Another attack? Really? How? Deva glanced back down and saw her companions open fire on their pursuers, five of them at least, who just arrived at the stairs.

  Deva took aim but hesitated to fire. Her companions were in the way and she didn’t want her first time pulling a trigger to result in a friendly casualty. She turned and began crawling her way up, peering at the daunting distance she had yet to cover. It might take her an hour to get up there on her hands and knees but at least she was able to catch her breath.

  A pulse blast struck the stairs above her and she ducked until her the chin of her helmet tapped the stone beneath her. Cursing she glanced back again and saw there was at least one body near the bottom. Words burst into her ears but she couldn’t process them, her mind was in a state of fight or flight.

  When she finally calmed down, she realized she was hearing Lhar giving orders for them to spread out. He was about to flank the enemy and didn’t want to get shot by one of his own. Trias grabbed Deva by the arm and yanked her hard to the left, dragging her to the edge of the stairs.

  Alliance weapons fire rose above the noise of pulse weapons and the enemy started screaming, terrible, nightmarish noises Deva figured she would never forget for as long as she lived. How did they cry out so loudly? She shouldn’t have been able to hear them from her vantage point so high above the valley floor.

  Yet their deaths were felt by each of them. Lhar started up the stairs, shouting for them to move. Again, the enemy bodies began to disappear, disintegrating into thin air. More of that strange projection thing that we talked about. Deva wondered about it as she was pulled to her feet and compelled upwards. The enemy must have found something hear to supplement their military.

  They arrived at the top with explosions going on overhead. The pilots were engaged with enemy fighters, dogfighting some kilometer off. Their engines tore through the sky, piercing the heavens with high pitch whines and sudden booms. Deva flinched after every sound, until she was practically crouching while they approached the massive portal leading inside.

  Deva checked her scanner and frowned. A black door barred their path made of some stone material never cataloged by their science. An access panel sat to the left, aged and covered with dust. She approached and examined it, surprised to find it somehow familiar. This couldn’t possibly be our tech…

  A quick scan indicated the age to be millions of years but that sounded impossible. This was far too advanced for such a thing. She calibrated her sensors and tried again. Same results. Furthermore, her computer claimed their universal code should allow her to translate and use the terminal.

  It can’t be that easy! None of this can! What is going on?

  “Contact!” Deva looked up as Trias shouted, firing to their right. Lhar joined her while Niersa and Vali watched their flank. Two enemies flopped on the ground, killed before they could get a shot off. Another one took cover and fired once before being shot in the face. “Get back on the console, Thi’Noch! Now!”

  Deva cursed and returned to her duty, running the universal code and tapping her foot in anticipation. She watched, wondering exactly how long it would take but when it came back less than a minute with a full instruction set, she simply shook her head. Thank the Fates this is all recorded because no one’s going to believe me otherwise.

  “I’m in.”

  “What?” Lhar asked. “I didn’t copy.”

  “I said I’m in!” Deva shouted. “I’ll open it when you’re ready.”

  “Stack up.” Lhar gestured to the others and they took up positions on either side of the door, weapons aimed in. “Don’t for a second think they aren’t in there. Go, Deva. Open it!”

  Deva held her breath and tapped the screen. Nothing happened immediately and she wondered if the translator made a mistake. A moment later the ground began to rumble beneath them as rock grated against rock. “I did it! It’s open
ing! I got it!”

  “Relax,” Lhar snapped. “Stay back too. If they’re in there, they’ll certainly start shooting right away.”

  Deva noted that the energy readings increased noticeably as the door slid to the right. The spike might’ve been from the requirement to open but she didn’t buy it. Something else was going on, something tapping into the power feed beyond a need to move a big old rock. Maybe the enemy was redoubling their efforts to get at them.

  Possible. Their energy projections or whatever those are certainly would draw some power but why do they scream like they’re dying? Is it some kind of virtual reality where the user feels the pain of their avatar? Movement distracted Deva from her thoughts and she watched the soldiers slip inside, gesturing for her to follow.

  She stepped into the corridor, running another scan. Nothing new! I thought for sure the outer wall would be causing interference. Sensors aren’t getting anything new. This doesn’t bode well for when we get to the source of power.

  The cavernous passageway extended some thousand yards ahead of them. Ten men could’ve walked abreast without touching the walls and the ceiling was bathed in shadow, making it impossible to tell how tall it was. A scan indicated more than fifty feet. Their footsteps echoed noisily even as they tried to be quiet.

  “Deva,” Lhar asked. “Do you have any lifeforms?”

  “Negative…only us.” Deva tapped her computer. “This seems impossible. The enemy must be down here!”

  “They could be anywhere,” Trias said. “Those things we killed out there weren’t real. Probably from their ship.”

  “Which just seemed to show up.” Deva hummed. “We better hurry. The source of power is coming from below us. There must be an elevator or more stairs.”

  “Pick up the pace.” Lhar directed. “Double time it!”

  Deva groaned internally at the thought of running. She was already exhausted. Picking up the pace made her legs complain and her back ache all the more. When we get home, I’m requesting some serious leave time. This mission is undoing me. The enemy might be waiting for them but she had to put the thought of her mind.

  I have to focus on finding a way to transfer this power to the Font. Fates know they won’t have an adapter down here.

  ***

  Kale watched the report come in. Bombers were away and flying toward their objective. They would have a firing solution in moments and hopefully, their attack would slow the enemy down enough to buy some distance. Considering some of their previous tactics, they all knew that this particular enemy had no qualms about sacrificing vessels to take an objective.

  And considering what they’ve been up to so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were worth a quick kill.

  The report from the surface about the bodies disappearing and the lack of wreckage on scans concerned him. Whatever technology they used couldn’t have been developed in the short time the Crystal Font had been in limbo. This whole planet must’ve been a testing ground for it and Kale’s crew just had the bad luck of stumbling on them.

  Which would explain their interest in taking us out. If we got away, we could tell someone about what they have and then we might come up with a counter.

  Kale figured his own government might consider sacrificing a battleship to save such a secret as projecting warriors on the battlefield. Risk nothing and gain an army. But if that were true, why did they show up in such small numbers? Why not project a hundred men and kill the landing crew? Why not fashion a thousand fighters and take down the pilots?

  Limitations? Or maybe we’re totally off base. What’s another explanation?

  Another direct hit shook the ship and Thaina cursed loudly. “Can you please perform those evasive maneuvers, Athan?”

  “I’m not dancing over here,” Athan grumbled back. “I’m trying. They’re good shots!”

  “Damage report,” Kale said.

  “Shields are at forty-five percent,” Thaina said. “Bombers report they are ready to fire and are deploying their ordinance as we speak.”

  Kale crossed his fingers, silently praying to the Fates that this might give them the edge they so desperately needed. He tapped a button and brought the bombers up on his screen, their missiles streaking through space toward the enemy. There was no way they could avoid the attack, nothing they could really do but try to shoot them down.

  But they didn’t seem to even notice nor react. They continued firing at the Crystal Font, pressing forward with all the insistence of their suicidal companions from previous encounters. When the bombs hit, they flared brightly, causing the screen to compensate by falling dark. Thaina cried out for Athan to punch it.

  The ship lurched as the shockwave hit them. All the lights went out and flickered back on a moment later. Thaina stood up, pointing at the screen. “They’re gone! Look! They’ve been destroyed!”

  Kale couldn’t believe his eyes. He anticipated the bombs might’ve disabled them, or at least knocked out their shields. Perhaps slowed them down but obliterate them? Debris flickered around them for a few lingering moments before the chunks seemed to wink out of existence. One moment they were there, the next…they simply vanished.

  “Did you just see that?” Athan asked.

  “I did,” Kale replied. “Thoughts?”

  Varez shook his head. “I have no idea. What we just witnessed is physically impossible.”

  “We’ve been dealing with that a lot lately,” Thaina added. “I think—”

  “Anthar!” Varez interrupted. “I’ve got new readings!”

  “Report. What are they?”

  “Oh my…are you…no!” Varez slammed his fist into his console. “More enemy battleships!”

  “Plural?” Thaina slumped in her seat and silence fell over the vessel. Kale knew why. If there were even two out there, they couldn’t hold them back. There was no chance. Without the ability to jump or run, they would lose this fight. It was just a matter of time. “How many?”

  “Four…” Varez swallowed hard. “Coming in fast.”

  All eyes fell on Kale. He didn’t want to show them despair but he didn’t have much positivity either. I’m in a nightmare. The sense of doom plunging down on them made his entire body ache but he didn’t show any outward signs. He couldn’t buckle, not now, not after everything they’d been through.

  “Get ready,” Kale spoke in a calm but firm voice. It was the best form of confidence he could convey. “This will be rough.”

  Chapter 7

  Gray cross referenced the coordinates Clea provided with their star charts. She proposed they go well beyond any settled space, somewhere a buoy happened to be without a single colony anywhere nearby. None of the adjacent systems or even their neighbors had been colonized or frequented by anyone willing to report in.

  Once they performed a jump into that space, they’d be on their own. He didn’t anticipate finding The Crystal Font but they may well locate some pirates or other criminals hiding out. Those types might even have a base or colony all the way out there. Even with the bread crumb trail Clea followed, it began to feel like a true wild goose chase.

  “You have our coordinates, Leonard?” Gray asked. “Edge of the system?”

  “Yes, sir. Course laid in and ready.” Leonard gestured to Redding. “You should see green.”

  “Jump is ready,” Redding said, taking a deep breath. “Ready to engage.”

  “Do it.” Gray gripped his seat as she hit her panel.

  Space outside warbled for a brief moment and they winked into existence. Leonard and Olly sprung into action, tapping their consoles, pulling data from the surrounding area. Leonard called out confirmation that they’d arrived where intended. Olly announced he was scanning the system, pending a ping.

  Gray felt like pacing but remained in his seat, giving his people a chance to work. Clea sat beside him, rigid as she waited as well. She and the tech crews worked feverishly on this assignment so every jump must’ve weighed heavily on them as they hoped their research paid
off and didn’t conclude with a buoy that had cleared its cache.

  “The buoy seems to be online but I’m getting strange readings from it,” Olly said. “Trying to get the message…wait! I’ve got ships! Multiple vessels!”

  “What?” Gray stood up. “What do you mean?” How many?”

  “Five,” Olly replied. “Four Devaran battleships and…The Crystal Font! We found her!”

  Gray felt a sense of relief and concern in equal measure. Enemies? Out here? They must’ve traced them somehow but after so much time? This seems like the worst luck a captain could have. “I trust they’re in the middle of a fight then?”

  “I’m reading problems with The Crystal Font’s core,” Olly said. “Some kind of power issue. They’re not engaged yet but when they are…”

  “They won’t last long,” Adam finished. “I’ll get all pilots ready for launch. Should take less than five minutes.”

  “Leonard, get us a microjump course nearby,” Gray ordered. “I want us in position to attack immediately.”

  Leonard frantically worked his controls, making the complex calculations required for such an endeavor. He’d gotten pretty good at it from their last few assignments. Not quite as proficient as his predecessor but certainly getting there. The young man probably never imagined a promotion to bridge staff would come so early in his career but he’d carried the responsibility well.

  “Course ready.” Leonard nodded to Redding. “Go for it.”

  “Weapons are hot,” Redding said. “I’m good.”

  “Go.”

  They jumped again, this time the experience was far more jarring. Microjumps seemed to really hit hard but the ship especially complained after having just done so moments before. As they appeared nearby, Gray gestured to Agatha, having her reach out to the Crystal Font immediately. While he did so, engineering contacted him on his com.

  Gray brought it up. “Atwell here.”