"Lieutenant, how are you doing?" Christa asked quietly as she bent over his form.
"The doc says I'll live," he replied through gritted teeth, "but right now it doesn't feel that way."
"Haven't they administered any painkillers?"
"The supply they brought up is very low. I told 'em to use 'em for the more seriously injured. Once we get down to Medical, they'll give me something."
"Why aren’t you down there already?"
"I didn't think you'd want everyone to know the secret of the different levels inside the facility and how to access them, so I told our people not to use the elevator."
"I appreciate your point and your effort, but I doubt we can keep the secrets to ourselves anymore. We have to get the injured to Medical."
Christa stood up straight and announced loudly, "I want everyone with an injury to come to the doors at the back of the rotunda. Those who can't move on their own should be helped. Leave the most seriously wounded where they are until we can send stretchers for them."
Amid moans and groans from the injured as they began to move, Christa pushed her way to the rear doors and spoke the Dakistian command for them to open. Dr. Peterson appeared behind her and tried to push his way in. Christa stopped him and the other scientists who were anxiously following him like small children looking for a candy treat. In their lust to learn the secrets the facility held, they had become seemingly oblivious to the grief and suffering all around them.
"Doctor, where are you injured?" Christa asked sharply. To her eyes, he looked perfectly healthy.
"Oh, I, uh, uh, I sprained my back while was I was hurrying down the tunnel."
"If you're not bleeding, you'll have to wait. Please step aside and let the injured through."
"Commander, please, I'm in pain."
"We have to help the seriously wounded first, Doctor. Would you deny aid to those clinging precariously to life because your back hurts a little?"
"Uh, uh, no. Of course not."
"Then please step aside so the medical people can carry in those with serious injuries."
Peterson seemed more than a little embarrassed at being challenged and a contrite look came over his face. He stepped back away from the elevator and stumbled onto the foot of Doctor Ramilo, who screamed in pain as the full weight of Dr. Peterson came down on his toes.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Ramilo," Christa said as she moved aside to let three patients through whose clothes were saturated with blood, "but your injury will have to wait as well. Perhaps if you massage your toes, they'll stop aching."
Like Peterson, Ramilo looked embarrassed and did his best to hobble aside as two laborers carried a third into the elevator.
The rest of the space filled quickly, with the last one in being Nurse Gibson. When Christa asked the nurse if she knew the words necessary to move the elevator, Gibson replied that she had heard Dr. Johannes use them. Christa had her repeat them several times, correcting her pronunciation until it was almost perfect.
As Christa stepped out of the elevator, Gibson gave the command for 'Medical level' and 'Close.' Once the doors closed, there was no more sound from that direction.
Still standing near the doors, Dr. Peterson said to Christa, "Commander, my exuberance got the better of my good judgment. I apologize. I'm ashamed of the way I acted."
"Just see what you and your associates can do to ease the suffering in here and all is forgiven, Doctor."
"Of course."
Christa heard a soft chime in her ear and held up her hand to silence any further apologies from Peterson.
"This is Commander Carver," she said.
"Commander, this is Lance Corporal Engolsen. We spotted movement at the tree line and pulled back, but Dr. Johannes and his people are moving so slowly that the attackers may be upon us before we reach the rotunda."
"Hold position at the point where the ramp first doubles back. Everyone who has passed beyond that point will be safe from fire and the attackers should hesitate to enter the tunnel because it offers no cover from our fire. I'll tell you when the medical people have reached the facility. At that point, you'll break for the rotunda. I'll be ready to slam the door closed as soon as your people are inside."
"Roger, Commander. Out.
"Carver out."
Raising her voice, Christa said, "Your attention, please. The attackers are almost to the tunnel. The Marines will attempt to hold them off when the rest of the wounded are brought in. I need you to make as much space as possible available in the middle of the room and get down on the floor. Stay as low as you can so you're not struck by stray and ricocheting fire."
Woeful sounds of mindless fear and sobs of misery again began to rise in the room. Christa did nothing to stop it— she had too many other things on her mind as she made her way to the rotunda entrance. She would be prepared to close the doors instantly. Her fervent hope was that everyone would be inside when the time came to give the command.
Halfway to the entrance, Christa stopped and changed direction, heading straight to where Lt. Uronson was grimacing in pain.
"Lieutenant, I need your side arm, if you please."
"Sure, Commander, take it," he said as he twisted slightly so she could remove his holster belt after he had undone the quick release clasp. The movement caused such pain that his face contorted grotesquely for a few seconds. "Get one for me, would you?"
"I'll do my best," she said as she took the weapon and fastened it around her own waist before hurrying over to the door. From a side pocket of her tunic, she withdrew one of the cylinders necessary for locking the door. She was glad now that she had decided to keep one on her person. It would only take one to seal the virtually impregnable door against attackers, so the other five were stashed in the safe aboard her shuttle. The ancient Dakistians had used six only because it made the unlocking procedure far more complex.
Christa could hear noises in the tunnel and was greatly relieved when the first of the medical team came into view as they turned the corner where the ramp doubled back for the second time. They were moving slowly, being as careful as possible not to jar the injured more than necessary, so it seemed to take forever before they passed her position.
"Lance Corporal Engolsen," Christa said after initiating a carrier for her CT. Not being an officer, the Lance Corporal didn't have a CT, but he apparently had a portable transceiver tuned to the system. When he responded, she said, "Time to come home, Engolsen. Destroy all lighting in the tunnel as you proceed."
"Roger, Commander. We're moving out."
A second later she heard boots coming on hard, and then the first of the Marines appeared at the second bend in the tunnel. Engolsen was last and he destroyed each Chembrite panel with a sweeping shot from his laser rifle as he ran. Christa was already speaking the command to close the door as the Lance Corporal passed over the threshold.
"Hit the deck," Engolsen yelled as lattice rounds ricocheted off the walls in the rotunda. The attackers hadn't wasted any time coming on when they heard the Marines vacate their positions.
No more than a dozen rounds made it into the facility before the door slid tightly closed. Christa practically had her face pressed against the door trying to see and feel the barely discernible marks etched into the Dakinium until she identified the one that matched up with the cylinder she held. She attached it to the door in the correct position and gave it a quick twist. Issuing the command 'lock' in Dakistian was all that was required to secure the door. She heard the cams shift and a single bolt slide into place. No one was getting in, or out, once that was accomplished unless they had the cylinder she possessed.
Christa breathed her first sigh of relief since the attack had begun. They had been hit hard and many people had lost their lives, but they were safe from further injury for the moment. As she relaxed against the door, Christa noticed that Dr. Petersen was watching her closely. He had to have seen the locking procedure. She had hoped to keep that information from him and the other civilians, but
she'd had no choice. At least he didn't know the final details required to unlock the door.
"And I thought this was going to be an easy day," Christa mumbled.
Christa stood up and began to speak just as the elevator door opened. She stopped and waited as the most seriously wounded patients were carried in and the elevator doors closed again. There were still injured in the room, but the critical cases needed to be rushed to the Medical level first.
"May I have your attention, please," Christa said loudly. All talking slowly ceased and everyone turned to face Christa. It was the first time she'd had a chance to survey the faces of the several hundred people who had made it into the facility. She recognized perhaps two hundred, but the others didn't look familiar. Most were Terrans, but there were also a number of Nordakians in the rotunda.
Doctors Dakshiku Vlashsku and Glawth Djetch, plus their many clones, constituted a majority of the Nordakians, but there were a few males Christa had never met before. Owing to their natural height, it was easy to spot the Nordakians. Not one was less than seven feet tall, and all were flashing shades of orange and yellow, an indication that they were feeling intense agitation, fear, or anger.
Christa waited until everyone quieted down. "With the door closed and locked, we're safe from further attack. Unfortunately, we're also cut off from all outside communications. Those of you who were here at Loudescott in 2270 have already been through a situation like this. When Raiders attacked then, we sealed ourselves into a virtually impregnable fortress until help could arrive.
"As I said, we're perfectly safe in here, but I had no warning so I was unable to send a message for help. How long it will take for people outside to learn of our situation and arrive with help is anybody's guess. I don't expect food to be a problem. The Marines had already occupied this facility and we laid in enormous supplies. However, water is a problem. It isn't flowing from faucets throughout the facility and the water supplies brought in for the Marine presence isn't adequate for a population this size. Until we can find and correct the problem, water will be strictly rationed.
"I'm going to ask Staff Sgt. Burton and his people to pass among you and collect any liquids you have on you. This will be used to help us survive and I must warn you not to hold back. Yield everything you have because anyone hording water or drink will be dealt with severely."
Christa nodded to Burton and watched as his Marines began to pass through the crowd to collect the liquids.
When the meager supplies had been gathered, Christa said, "Thank you. As soon as the injured have all been brought to the medical center, the Marines will begin escorting you to dormitories. Each dormitory can house a hundred people and I'm sure you would prefer to lodge with people who share your interests, so it would be helpful if you divided into groups before you're assigned housing.
It took hours to get everyone settled into the dormitories on the Housing level. Most were delighted with the accommodations, especially those who had been involved in the Raider's takeover attempt sixteen years ago. At that time, the one dormitory was already occupied by the Marines, so new arrivals were forced to sleep on the floor in the mess hall.
The archeologists went quietly and anxiously. Any opportunity to explore the facility excited them, even if it was merely a dormitory, lavatory, or mess hall. Christa established a guard post at the elevator on the Housing and Medical levels so the civilians would not be able to move between levels. The guard on the Medical level was also required to ensure no civilians left the Medical center unless accompanied by Space Command or Marine personnel.
When everyone was settled in, the dig site labor supervisor performed a head count. After adding the people in the medical center, the total number of missing was eighty-six. How many of that number were dead and how many may have found adequate cover or escaped into the woods surrounding the area was unknown.
Christa finally had an opportunity to debrief Lance Corporal Engolsen. She had chosen to interview him in one of the security rooms in the rotunda.
"Tell me exactly what you saw just before you ordered the withdrawal, Lance Corporal."
"On the extreme left flank, well beyond our camp perimeter, I observed a large armed contingent moving towards our position behind armored personnel carriers. They appeared to all be Nordakians."
"Nordakians?" Christa exclaimed. "Are you sure?"
"I realize it's an assumption, but the troops were all between seven and eight feet tall. They were wearing camouflage armor, but they didn't fit the description of any other race I'm familiar with. And the APCs were the tallest I've ever seen. I only had the tree line to use as a reference, but I've been on the planet for two years and I'm familiar with the tree sizes."
"How many troops do you estimate were in the contingent?"
"I have no way of knowing how many were in the APCs, but I observed at least a hundred soldiers arrayed behind them."
"A hundred?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Continue. Did you see any others?"
"Oh, yes ma'am. On the far right flank, coming from the direction of the current dig location, I saw another hundred or more armed personnel. But the ones on the right flank were Terrans."
"No Nordakians?"
"No ma'am. Not unless they were midget Nordakians— if there is such a thing."
"So there were two different forces?"
"I don't know if they were part of the same force or different forces. All I can say is that they were different species. And when they began to fire at us, the group on the left used lattice weapons, where the group on the right used laser weapons."
"I only saw lattice rounds enter the facility after you made it into the rotunda."
"Yes, ma'am. The group on the right stopped their forward progress at our camp perimeter, while the group on the left continued towards the tunnel entrance. By then the Doc was moving the wounded, so we pulled back and covered the retreat. We barely made it to the first point where the ramp doubles back before the Nordakians entered the tunnel. We dropped a whole bunch and that slowed them considerably, but they just kept right on coming."
"Okay, Lance Corporal, I think I have a good picture of what you observed. You did good, and I'll put that into my report."
"Thank you, ma'am. Is the LT okay?"
"He was in a lot of pain when they took him down to the Medical level, but I think he'll be fine with some rest, medication, and treatment of his injury. That'll be all, Lance Corporal."
Engolsen stood, braced to attention, then turned and walked towards the elevator while Christa tried to reason what was going on. Two different groups attacking in unison didn't make sense. But if they were working together, why did the group on the right flank halt their attack while the group on the left flank continued in? And why would Nordakians be involved? Christa had never heard of any Nordakian being a member of the Raiders, although there were rogue elements in any society. And if they weren't working together, which was responsible for the deadly aerial assault that had taken so many lives? Or was that possibly a third group?
* * *
Chapter Sixteen
~ October 25th, 2285 ~
Lower Council Chairman Arthur Strauss was working on his weekly report to the Upper Council when his com system buzzed. If the message had been from anyone other than Councilman Fazid, he would have let the computer record a message, but it might be news of the Dakistee operation. So far, the cost for the operation had exceeded his original estimate by six hundred percent and the Upper Council was beginning to question the wisdom of continuing. He needed a resolution as quickly as possible.
"Yes, Ahil," Strauss said, after tapping the connection button. "What is it?"
"We just received a communication from our ground commander on Dakistee. The operation was commenced as planned, but their attack on the facility was interrupted."
"Interrupted? By Space Command?"
"No, by someone else's attack on the facility. Fighter aircraft appeared overhead and pounde
d the dig site population with bombs and lattice cannon fire, driving them underground. The death toll was reportedly quite high. Our people knew you didn't want fatalities, if possible, so they're anxious for you to understand they aren't responsible. Anyway, after the planes disappeared, our people began their planned ground assault. They had just reached the perimeter of the camp when they saw another group coming from the opposite direction. Until then they had been firing their laser rifles just to keep the military and civilians contained in the tunnel and were exceedingly careful not to hit anyone. They halted when they discovered the presence of the other attackers. While the other group assaulted the tunnel entrance, our people retreated to their disembarkation point. They want to know how we wish them to proceed. Should they attack the group that has the facility under siege? The sides appear to be roughly equal in size."
"Who is this other group and why were they attacking Loudescott?"
"We don't know who they are. As to why, perhaps they've discovered what Carver has found and are hoping to acquire it."
"How could they acquire that information if we couldn't?"
"Perhaps one of the scientists learned something and passed it on to them. In any event, all they succeeded in doing is driving the Loudescott people into the facility, which we assume was then sealed by Carver. Our plan was devised to circumvent that eventuality."
Straus pounded his fist down on his desk. "If I know Carver, they didn't get what they were after and now neither us may get anything. We need to find out who this other group is and who's controlling them. This is our territory and if someone is trying to set up an operation here, we need to take immediate action to stop them."
"The ground commander only knows they're Nordakian, they have a ship in orbit, and they've deployed S-Band jamming satellites. Our people had to send an encrypted RF communication to the Hell Fire located outside the jamming range, which was then retransmitted as an IDS message."
"Nordakian?" Strauss said absently as he searched his memory for any mention of Nordakian crime syndicates. "There aren't any Nordakian crime groups operating outside their planet's sphere of influence. We've been monitoring them closely for years to ensure they stay in their own small backyard."
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