“One sec,” Sigrid said, bending and rummaging through the bag she’d brought; it still lay on the ground in the airlock. She pulled out the bulky weapon and slung it over her back.
“That’s a little inelegant, don’t you think?” Suko said, eyeing the hulking rocket launcher.
Sigrid laughed. “I also have a little something for you.” She bent down and pulled an auto-loading-grenade launcher from the bag. She handed it to Suko. “I think the time for quiet has passed.”
“No kidding.”
With no one to slow them down, they made swift and silent headway toward the habitat—to the one place Suko had seen Dr. Garret: the Medical Facility. The deeper they went into the base, the more they could hear of the battle being waged—growing louder, ever closer.
“At least it’s keeping them occupied,” Suko said.
“For the moment.”
The medical center was three levels below. The two girls leapt down the metal stairs as fast as they could. They burst through the doors, startling the three medical technicians cowering there. Sigrid’s pistols were in her hands and two quick shots went into the legs of two of the men. The technicians howled in pain, falling to the floor. The last one, a woman, raised her hands and screamed.
“Dr. Garrett,” Sigrid demanded. “Where is she?”
Terrified, the woman pointed; Sigrid grabbed her by the collar and pushed her to the front to lead the way. The frightened woman led them down two more corridors before she pointed again. “There! She should be there.”
Sigrid clouted her on the back of the neck and eased her smoothly to the floor.
Suko looked at her with wide eyes. “You don’t mess around, do you.”
Sigrid snorted.
The door the woman had indicated was locked so Sigrid kicked it in rather than slowing to hack the electronic lock.
An astonished Dr. Garrett looked up at her rescue party. “Girls!” She ran to them, wrapping them in her arms.
Sigrid had only ever seen Dr. Garrett when perfectly put together; she was always neatly groomed and dressed. But the woman Sigrid saw before her was almost unrecognizable. They’d taken her clothes and dressed her in the same grey coveralls that they’d given to Suko and Khepri. Her hair was matted, and she looked exhausted and filthy.
“How did you find me? When did you get here?”
“Later,” Sigrid said. “Dr. Garrett…Lei-Fei, Tara, Christi…we still need to find them.”
Dr. Garrett grabbed Sigrid’s arm. “I know where they are, but…Sigrid, I don’t know if they…I’m not sure if we can save them.”
“Why? What happened? Do you know what they did?” Sigrid asked.
“Yes, they…” Dr. Garrett studied the floor, ashamed. “They…I… altered their Control Program. I didn’t want to…they made me. I was afraid if I didn’t—I thought it would be worse.”
“It’s all right, Doctor.”
Suko fixed her eyes on Dr. Garrett. “Sara said you did the same to us. Is it true?”
Dr. Garrett looked up. “What? No!”
“But it’s possible, isn’t it,” Suko said. “You could program us.”
Dr. Garrett nodded slowly. “It was part of the…contingency. It was a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“We can discuss this later,” Sigrid said, with some urgency. “Doctor, you have to take us to the girls. We have to try.”
“Of course. Follow me—quickly.”
Dr. Garrett led them through the twisting corridors to another room. This one held several beds, all of them hooked up to banks of monitors and computers. Suko recognized the room—the same one where she had been brought—but now it looked abandoned.
“They were here,” Dr. Garrett said. “This is where they were treating them…It’s where they worked on the girls. I saw—”
“Wait!” Suko said, and Sigrid saw it too—the one bed, in the far corner held a shape, almost hidden under the sheet draped over it.
Sigrid pulled back the covering. It was Tara. Her eyes were closed and there was no color in her face. She was dead.
“Bastards!” Dr. Garrett cried. “I warned them. I told them, but they wouldn’t listen.”
Sigrid squeezed her shoulder. “Come on. We still need to find the others.”
She nodded, steadying herself. “Of course. They must be in the programming facility. Come, I’ll take you there.”
Dr. Garrett hurried out into the hall just as Sigrid’s sensors exploded in alarm.
“Wait, Doctor!”
Dr. Garrett looked back over her shoulder. Sigrid grabbed her arm, pulling her back from the hall just as she felt the concussive surge of a blast. The ground exploded before them, sending them all flying backwards. Sigrid hit the wall hard, shielding her face from the falling debris. Suko landed on top of her—both girls coughed, wiping at their stinging eyes.
Dr. Garrett lay beside them, bloodied, but still, somehow, alive. “I’m okay,” she assured them.
Sigrid and Suko were both on their feet, grabbing up their dropped weapons. Sigrid’s scanners showed a platoon of fifteen soldiers moving toward them down the hall. She signaled to Suko, indicating the number and direction. Suko nodded, hefting the grenade launcher. She fired three times, bouncing the little grenades off the wall and out into the corridor. In an instant it was awash with searing flame and falling debris and charred body parts.
Sigrid launched herself into the fray, charging into the corridor. Even through the smoke, her targets were displayed and locked in her HUD. Sigrid fired quickly, shot after shot from her pistols, never stopping, always moving. Her programming functioned optimally, anticipating and logging each threat, reacting before any threat could be brought to bear on her. Ducking, rolling and diving, she came up in the midst of the surviving soldiers and drew the katana. In her hands, it became a spinning whirlwind of death. The cries of the dying gave way to silence, and as the smoke cleared, Sigrid counted the bodies of the fallen CTF soldiers at her feet. All accounted for.
Dr. Garrett was still reeling from the concussive effects of the blast; she let Suko help her along.
“You’re shot!” Suko cried as they approached.
Sigrid looked down and saw the wounds; her leg had a deep gash where it had been grazed by a bullet. There was a long, bloody tear below her breast in the fabric of her outfit. Another bullet had penetrated her forearm, passing clean through. She could already feel the nano-swarms moving to repair the damage, even shielding her from the pain.
Suko steadied her, trembling as she scanned Sigrid for further injuries.
“I’m all right,” Sigrid assured her. “I’ll be okay.”
Their brief respite was broken by the sounds of more troops heading toward them—many more.
“We’re not getting out that way,” Sigrid said.
There had to be another option. Wehr had given her as much information as he was able, but they were hardly detailed schematics.
“Back,” Sigrid said, gesturing to the stairwell at the other end of the corridor.
Suko frowned. “Back?”
“We need to head down. We’ll go through the mines.”
“Whatever you say, boss.”
The two girls hoisted Dr. Garrett off the ground and set off at a searing pace. Down the levels they went, back to the depths of the mining facility, slowing only when Sigrid was sure there was no more sign of pursuit. They found themselves in one of the many access tunnels that led even further into the belly of the asteroid. Ahead, it was completely black, the tunnel having long been vacated by the miners.
“I think we lost them,” Sigrid said.
“Well, yeah! That’s because there’s no way out this way.”
Switching to her night-vision, Sigrid scanned the blackness ahead. It was cold, empty and creepy. “There’s got to be a way out. A ventilation or maintenance shaft, or something.”
“How’s that?” Suko asked.
“Because there’s still air. It has to lead somewhere.”
“Yes.
It leads down.”
Sigrid shrugged and chuckled. “It’s an asteroid—if we go down long enough, we’ll eventually be going up.”
* * *
Selene looked over her shoulder as Christian came into the bridge. “How is it back there?”
“Crowded,” Christian said, settling into his seat. “Karen’s hurt, but I think she’ll be okay.”
Rodney’s voice came over the com. “Hey, guys. I think we have a problem.”
Selene hit the com. “What is it, Rodney?”
“Uh…it’s this whole stealth thingy…”
“I believe that’s the technical term,” Christian muttered.
“Uh—I don’t think it was ever meant to be used this long.”
“What’s the problem?” Selene asked.
“I think…”
“Rodney!” Selene said, in earnest. “Get to the point.”
“I think it just broke.”
* * *
Sigrid jumped, startled, as she heard her comlink buzz for her attention. Someone from the Morrigan was trying to get through, but the signal was weak, blocked by hundreds of meters of rock.
“Christian?”
“Sigrid…” She could hardly hear his voice. “We have a problem. We’ve lost the stealth field. Rodney’s trying to fix it, but he says it’s fried. We’ve put the asteroid between us and those CTF destroyers, but….”
Shit. There was nothing her small ship could do against a pair of destroyers—even a crippled one. And the remainder of the task force would be arriving soon. “Get clear, Christian. Get the girls through the Relay.”
“No way—not going to happen.”
“Christian—stop arguing with me. There’s nothing more you can do. Just get yourselves to safety.”
“What about you?” Selene demanded.
Indeed, Sigrid wondered. “You worry about the ship. I’ll worry about us.”
Seconds went by, and all Sigrid heard was static, and then she heard Christian’s glum voice, “Aye, ma’am. Good luck.”
Suko leaned close, whispering in her ear. “I guess we just lost our transportation.”
“We’ll find a way,” Sigrid said—with more conviction than she felt.
There was still the matter of finding their way out of the mines. Sigrid started ahead, leading both of them by the hand. Suko’s optics had been disabled, so neither she nor Dr. Garrett could see anything in the pitch blackness of the mine. They walked in silence for close to ten minutes; even Sigrid was starting to question her choice of direction. She had to find a way out and find it soon. Please.
Sigrid was still scanning ahead, searching through the darkness for a way out when she sensed something. She came to a sudden stop, squeezing Suko’s hand. Neither woman made a sound. Sigrid was sure she’d seen something…
Very quietly, she helped Dr. Garrett and Suko to the side of the shaft. The rocky walls were jagged and uneven, providing plenty of cover for them—but also for whoever lurked further ahead.
“What is it?” Suko whispered.
“Trouble. Stay here.”
Sigrid eased ahead, keeping close to the wall, searching through the darkness. She couldn’t see anything, but the hairs on her neck bristled. She nearly leapt out of her boots when she felt Suko’s hand on her shoulder.
“What are you doing?” Sigrid asked.
“Helping you.”
Sigrid sighed—there was no point in arguing with her. “There’s something up ahead. At least, I could have sworn…”
“I felt it too. I guess it’s good news in a way.”
“How’s that good news?”
“Well, if they’re here, then there really must be another way out—or in. You know what I mean.”
“I see your point.”
They crept further along the sloping tunnel, but Sigrid couldn’t scan anything. She was starting to wonder if she’d imagined it.
“Close your eyes,” Sigrid said, taking a flashbang from her belt. She rolled the grenade forward; the pebble-sized grenade bounced along the floor of the tunnel. Sigrid shielded her eyes as the grenade went off. A combination of the flashes, squeals and smoke pervaded the darkness—Lei-Fei, Christi and Sara, stumbled out from their cover, eyes still full of green neon from the burning flare of the flashbang. Sigrid’s guns were in her hands, but she hesitated. She hadn’t come all this way to kill them.
“Sara!” Sigrid called. “I have a ship. I can get us all out of here.”
Sara’s reply was a torrent of bullets unleashed in their direction, but Sigrid had already dragged Suko into the cover of the rocky outcroppings along the wall.
“I heard your little conversation. You just sent your ship away. You’re trapped.”
“So are you,” Sigrid countered. “Those Federation troops aren’t here to rescue you.”
“I’m not worried about them. They’re far more afraid of us, trust me. Don’t fight me, Sigrid. We’re on the same side.”
“So what about Mei, Leia and Petra?” Suko called out. “We saw what they did to Tara. Are you on their side as well? They’re too dead to care, of course.”
“They’re dead because Dr. Garrett wouldn’t help them,” Sara called out, louder. “Isn’t that right, Doctor? You could have saved them.”
Dr. Garrett came out from her cover and felt her way forward. “It’s not that simple, Sara. I warned them of the dangers.”
“But you didn’t warn us.”
“No…we didn’t. I’m sorry for that.”
Sigrid could feel the regret thrumming in Dr. Garrett’s voice.
“Too late, Doctor.”
“Let us go,” Sigrid said. “Better still, come with us. We can get out of here together.”
Sigrid endured the uneasy silence until Sara said, “All right—throw out your weapons first. No tricks.”
Sigrid began unfastening her holster; she felt Suko’s hand grab her arm.
“No! Sigrid…it’s a trick. She’s lying. Please don’t…”
Sigrid hesitated, but she patted Suko’s hand. “It’s okay.”
She tossed the belt with her pistols out onto the floor of the shaft, slowly emerging with her hands out wide. With her optics, she could easily see the three girls up ahead of her, about twenty meters down the tunnel; Sara, in the powered-armor, with Lei-Fei and Christi flanking her. They held weapons, raised and aimed at her, but the faces of the two girls were set blank and lifeless. And their vital signs seemed oddly low.
“Suko too,” Sara said.
“No,” Sigrid said, motioning Suko back into cover. “‘Together’ was the deal. We’ll not go as prisoners.”
“If we’re getting out of here, we’re going to need weapons,” Sara said.
“Yes—but not aimed at us.”
“All right!” Annoyed, Sara lowered her weapon. “Now tell Suko to come out where we can see her—and Dr. Garrett.”
“What about them?” Sigrid asked, looking at Lei-Fei and Christi, who still had their weapons raised.
“Them?” Sara laughed. “They’ll do whatever I tell them.”
“Then tell them.”
Sara seemed to consider this, and finally nodded. “Stand down. Don’t fire on them.”
Sigrid held her ground. “Now, tell them they’re not to harm us.”
Sara looked to the two girls at her side. “You are not to attack them. You hear me?”
Lei-Fei and Christi obediently lowered their rifles.
“Now let’s go,” Sara said.
“Wait,” Sigrid said. “I have your word? You won’t harm us or try to turn us over?”
Sara sighed impatiently. “Yes. I promise. We won’t try anything. Satisfied?”
“Very,” Sigrid said.
Without warning, Sigrid launched herself at Sara, who grunted in surprise and brought her gun up, but Sigrid was already diving out of the way. Her hands reached into her boots, drawing a pair of knives as she rolled to her feet; the deadly blades blurring in rotation as they rushe
d to greet Sara.
Sara ducked the throws easily, but was thrown off her aim and her shots went high.
Sigrid dived on her, tackled her, pounded her face with angry fists.
Sara grabbed her; her already genetically modified strength was magnified by the powered-armor she wore. She threw Sigrid off easily, roaring with rage as she grabbed for her rifle. She leapt on top of Sigrid and pinned her to the ground, pressing the muzzle of the rifle up against her neck.
“You crazy fucking bitch! I told you I wasn’t going to hurt you.”
Sigrid fought for breath under the crushing weight of the girl’s armor. She stared up at her; the familiar glow of hatred had returned to her hawk-like eyes.
“You lied.”
Sigrid had monitored their conversation closely. She knew Sara had no intention of cooperating with them. None of that mattered now. She could see Sara’s knuckle, white, on the trigger of her rifle. Sigrid had gambled and lost.
Sara’s eyes flared. “I should have killed you in the CTF Tower. I should have killed you on Alcyone. I always hated you, you stupid little bitch.”
“I told you to leave her alone,” Suko said from somewhere in the shadows.
Sara looked up in surprise.
A shot rang out. Sara’s head jerked back, blood poured from the hole in her forehead as she slumped on top of her. Sigrid groaned under the dead weight of the girl in her armor.
It took all of her strength, and Suko’s, to roll Sara off her.
“She always was a lying bitch,” Suko said, helping Sigrid up.
Sigrid studied her in the dark. “I didn’t think you could see anything.”
“I can’t—I just followed her voice.”
“You might have hit me!”
Suko feigned a hurt expression. “Never. Now come on.”
Sigrid grabbed a flare from Sara’s belt and lit it. Lei-Fei and Christi still stood there silently.
Suko reached out a cautious hand and touched Christi; the girls were like cold, stone statues. “Are they going to be all right? I mean, you don’t think they’ll attack us, do you?”
“I don’t know. They seem to be obeying Sara’s orders.”
“Let’s just hope they obey ours.”
Sigrid nodded.
They quickly gathered their weapons up and retrieved Dr. Garrett. Mercifully, Lei-Fei and Christi seemed just as willing to follow their orders in place of Sara’s, but Sigrid took the precaution of removing their weapons from them—just in case.
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