"Too much interference from the building," said Kusac. "Check behind us for Valtegans."
"They've found the body," she said after a moment. "If we get outside, we may be able to reach Skinner on the comm. At least we'll be better able to defend ourselves from the ones inside. It's our only chance," she said, looking up at him. "One way or another, we go together, Kusac. I'll not be taken alive."
He nodded slowly and pushed himself upright.
"I'll need to lean on you until we get out."
She moved closer so he could put his arm across her shoulders. Briefly, his hand touched her cheek.
She pushed open the door and they edged out into the night, keeping close to the wall. The bunker seemed so near now.
Kusac leaned against the wall and adjusted his grip on the gun.
"I'll watch the door, you keep an eye on that area," he gestured to the end of the building.
Carrie nodded, stepping carefully past him. The static from her wrist comm peaked loudly then faded.
"Come in, Skinner," she said, raising it to her mouth. Again the static peaked and fell. She looked at Kusac and shrugged.
"Leave it on," he said, turning back to watch the doorway.
She inched forward, getting closer to the edge.
"Here they come," warned Kusac.
She swung round, dropping low to present less of a target.
The door opened and a Valtegan leapt out, ready to shoot. Kusac was faster and the soldier dropped to the ground.
Pressing his back to the wall for support, Kusac slid down till he was kneeling on his good leg.
A hand came out, pointing a gun in their direction. Carrie's shot hit it and the gun exploded in a flare of energy that made both of them blink for several seconds.
She moved up behind him.
"They're coming from the other side," she whispered before turning round again.
The gun shook in her grip. She brought her other hand up to steady it and took a deep breath.
"Kusac, is there a Sholan afterlife?"
"Huh? Yes. Yes, there is."
"Take me with you," she said.
A loud explosion split the night air, the glow visible from where they crouched.
"What in hell was that?" exclaimed Kusac.
Carrie's wrist comm burst into life.
"Skinner here. Come in, Kusac."
Carrie looked at her wrist in disbelief.
"Answer it," said Kusac.
"Carrie here."
"We know where you are. What's your status?"
"Kusac's got an injured leg, he can barely walk. We're pinned down, with Valtegans on both sides of us," she said, the relief in her voice audible.
"Stay put. We're on our way."
"Keep watching," Kusac reminded her. "We aren't safe yet."
In the distance, they could hear the sounds of fighting.
"The Valtegans at the front have scattered," said Carrie. "What about those in the building?"
"Still there."
They listened to the sound of gunfire and energy weapons getting gradually closer.
"Get down!" hissed Kusac, flinging himself down and away from the wall as the door burst open. Two Valtegans appeared, shooting indiscriminately down the side of the wall before disappearing back into cover.
Kusac raised his head and looked around. Carrie lay in a huddle beside the wall. She was much too still.
"Carrie!" There was no reply. He reached mentally for her and was instantly swamped by a blinding headache, but he couldn't sense her.
Pushing himself up onto his hands, he crawled toward her, heedless of the pain from his injured leg. Reaching out, he shook her by the shoulder. She sprawled limply on her back. Blood darkened the hair on one side of her head.
Touching her brought the confirmation he needed. She was still alive. Pulling himself closer he began to gently feel her scalp with his fingers. There didn't seem to be any depressions. He glanced at the wall. Several chunks were missing. She'd obviously been hit by some of the fragments.
A noise from the door drew his attention. He looked for his gun and discovered he'd left it behind. Where was Carrie's? Frantically, he glanced around till he saw it lying beyond her, out of reach. He froze, turning his head as a Valtegan emerged from the doorway, gun trained on them.
The soldier grinned.
Something whanged past his ears, hitting the soldier square in the chest. The Valtegan seemed to crumple in on himself before the force of the impact swept him off his feet, flinging him to the ground.
"Get your head down, Kusac," came Davies' voice from behind.
He leaned forward over Carrie's head, protecting her, too.
There was a muffled explosion followed by a blast of hot air.
"That should sort them out," said Davies, crawling up to them. "What happened to Carrie?" he asked, catching sight of her as Kusac sat up.
"She's been hit by pieces of masonry. She's unconscious, but I think she'll be fine."
"Shit. You're in a mess, too," the Terran said, looking at Kusac's leg. He thumbed his wrist comm.
"Davies to Skinner. We need that groundcar over here fast. We've got two casualties, neither serious, but they aren't walking anywhere. I'm at the main building, forward of the bunker on the northwest side."
"Copy."
Another figure emerged from the night to join them.
"Hear you need help," said Hughes, throwing a packet to Davies. "Vanna gave me some field dressings. You see to Kusac. I'll check Carrie."
Quickly and efficiently, Davies removed the saturated wad that still miraculously covered Kusac's wound and replaced it with a sterile dressing.
They could hear a series of muffled explosions followed by one large one.
"Sounds like they got the groundcar pool," said Davies.
"What?" asked Kusac, twisting round to look at Carrie.
"We used your explosives to rig some rather nice little bombs. I used one on your friends in the doorway," he said.
"As well as taking out the main radar installation so that when the Sholans arrive the Valtegans will be blind, the others hoped to have enough left to destroy some of the groundcars. From the sound of it, they got enough of them to set up a chain reaction."
Kusac turned back to look at Davies.
"You took out their radar?"
"Yep. You heard the first explosion? That was it. Now they can't tell anyone what's happening, nor know when the Sholans arrive. And with some thirty groundcars destroyed, they're going to have a hell of a job moving troops about Keiss."
Kusac turned back to Hughes. "She's coming round," he said, seconds before Carrie began to stir.
Hughes gave him a startled glance.
"How is she?"
"She's fine. Just a couple of nasty cuts on the scalp and a lump or two. We'll check her out for concussion when we get her on board the groundcar."
They could clearly hear the whine of the groundcar's engines now, and within moments, it came into sight round the back of the bunker, settling down a few meters from them.
Carrie moaned and tried to sit up.
"Easy now," said Hughes. "You got a nasty bump on the head."
"Kusac?" she mumbled, looking owlishly around.
"Here," he said, taking her by the hand.
"Are we safe yet?"
"We're safe."
"Time to go," said Hughes, getting to his feet and picking her up in his arms. She let go of Kusac's hand.
Davies got up and helped Kusac to his feet, supporting him as he limped the few meters to the vehicle where Vanna and Jo helped pull him inside.
Hughes brought Carrie down to the back of the vehicle to join them and Vanna began to do her own check on both their wounds.
"It's not that I don't trust you," she said apologetically, "but..."
"You just don't trust anyone but yourself," finished Hughes with a grin. "I understand."
"When we get to the cave, I'll seal your wounds and dress them prop
erly," she said as the groundcar took off to rendezvous at the gate with the others.
Anders banked sharply to the right, sending them sliding toward the port side hull.
"Hey, watch it," Vanna complained.
"Sorry," he said.
As soon as they touched down, the others scrambled on board. Of the giant spotlights at the gate, only blind metal struts remained. The Base was now lit by the glow of many fires, the largest being the groundcar pool.
Anders managed to do a head count as they boarded and as the last man was hauled in, he sealed the hatch and took off, flying high over the fence and into the swamplands.
Remarkably, no one else had been injured.
"Did you send the signal?" demanded Garras, asking the question on all their minds.
Kusac nodded. "We sent it," he said.
Garras settled back, relieved. "Then it's only a matter of time."
"What now?" asked Richard. "What happens while we wait?"
"We lay the groundwork for a Sholan/Terran treaty," replied Garras.
"We get the basis laid for the diplomats so that they can't screw it up," added Skinner, with a rare smile. "Your father will already be on his way to join us, along with the leaders from. the nearest towns."
"I'm not looking forward to that meeting," murmured Carrie uneasily.
Vanna leaned forward to pat her arm encouragingly.
"Don't worry," she said. "You're with us now, and you'll stay with us— more than that, you belong with us."
Kusac put his arm round her and hugged her close to his side.
"He daren't risk an incident by demanding you stay with him on Keiss," he said.
Besides, he continued mentally, I have a feeling Skinner will convince him you are an ideal spy in our camp!
"Do I truly belong with you, or will I be just another Alien to your people?" Carrie asked Kusac, turning a tired and bloodstained face to him.
"We belong together," he said gently, licking her ear.
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