by T. R. Harris
“Is that true?”
“Yes!”
“No! He is only trying to bait you into trying. And even if you knew where the ship was located, you are not going to be allowed to leave this room of your own free will.”
“I will…if I can get past you.”
Lila shot off toward J’nae. Unfortunately, J’nae was just as fast and had been anticipating this moment. Before the Formilian mutant could reach her, she pressed the button on the communicator.
Chapter 12
Adam pulled his ear away from the metal of the door as it suddenly turned icy cold. This was the moment they were waiting for. But how long would they have to remain closed off in the anteroom? He had no idea, and they couldn’t stay in here long enough for J’nae to thaw out.
And his armor suit was lying empty on the floor outside the containment chamber.
“Everyone stand back,” he commanded. “I’m going to try the door.”
Like most doors in modern buildings, this one was operated by motors which slid the panel into a pocket in the wall. These motors were also affected by the cold.
“Dammit! It won’t open.”
“Let me try,” Benefis said. He pressed past Adam and placed his large fingers in the recessed activation panel. Nothing happened.
“So now we wait until the door thaws—just like what’s happening to J’nae?” Sherri said. “And you know she has backup on the way.”
Adam looked around the small room. It was your typical supply closet, something no building could survive without, even in a far distant universe full of flesh-eating aliens. He spotted a thick-handled mop. Grabbing it, he began to bang on the wall where the servo motor was located, hoping to break it free. Riyad kept activating the controls.
“This is just great,” Sherri said. “A perfectly good plan gone to shit…”
“Inside the room, have patience. We will free you soon.”
All mouths fell open in the storage closet. There were Sol-Kor in the room outside, and they were going to open the door.
“Anyone have a gun with them?” he whispered.
“I left mine by the armor,” Riyad whispered back.
“Mine, too,” said Sherri.
Adam pursed his lips. “Well, isn’t this special. No choice…let’s get ready to rumble.”
The door suddenly slid open, and Adam, Riyad, and Sherri rushed out ready to attack anything within striking distance. What they hadn’t figured on was that the rapidly evaporating liquid would leave residual moisture on the smooth, stone floor.
The trio slipped and fell, sliding along the smooth surface, coming into contact with unsuspecting legs along the way. They tripped four Sol-Kor soldiers before regaining their bearings. Well-placed elbows and fists took care of the aliens on the floor, yet a quick glance around the room revealed another five or six huddled before the hunched-over figure of their Queen.
They took notice of the scuffle across the room, drawing weapons. Adam attempted to lift himself from the floor, using a sprinter’s starting pose to rush toward the cluster of soldiers. But he slipped again and fell on this face—luckily at the precise moment a flash bolt passed over him.
Wet with freezing water, he rolled to his left, toward a table near the containment chamber. Another bolt flashed by, missing him by inches. Then a huge figure crashed into the contingent of Sol-Kor and they toppled over—Benefis Na riding the pile. Arieel was there too, lifting a chair she’d found somewhere and crashing it onto an exposed head.
Sherri managed to get some traction and joined the fight. With Human strength, she tore into the pile, relieving one of the Sol-Kor of his flash weapon. Brilliant flashes lit up the room as she pressed the barrel against the flesh of the soldiers and triggered the weapon. It was over a moment later.
A light mist of nitrogen gas still hung in the air, rapidly dissipating as the temperature in the room warmed. Adam and Riyad recovered weapons from the fallen Sol-Kor and took up sentry posts near the portal opening.
“There’s a control near the far wall,” Panur called out through the speakers. “It will flood my chamber, but the doors will then be free to open.”
Sherri rushed to the control and without hesitation flicked the switch. The interior of the chamber filled with gas, obscuring Panur from view. She rushed back to the door to the chamber and waited for the cloud to dissipate.
“Benefis, get Lila’s gas tank. It’s in the storage room,” Sherri commanded.
The Juirean ran back to the small room and emerged a moment later with the gas canister.
“Make sure the Queen doesn’t thaw out,” she said to the alien.
He ran to where the pile of dead Sol-Kor lay. Pulling back the bodies, he found the inert figure of the Queen. Already her flesh was showing signs of color.
He pulled the applicator wand from its holder and triggered the release. A stream of gas and liquid shot out, coating the Queen in a crust of light blue ice.
“Don’t use it all,” Sherri called over to him. “We’re going to need it later on, I’m sure.”
“Understood.”
The door to Panur’s prison could now be opened, and Sherri rushed in once the gas was clear. Like Lila and J’nae, Panur was hunched over and frozen.
“We’re certainly racking up a fair number of frozen mutants today,” she called out to the men. “How we going to move them around until the good ones thaw out?”
“I’ll grab the gurneys,” Adam said. “There’s a box in Panur’s room which looks like a smaller containment unit. Put J’nae in it and try to hook the gas canister hose to one of the connections. Hurry. There have to be reinforcements heading this way as we speak.”
Riyad guided a wheeled cart into the main room and over to Arieel and Benefis, who lifted Lila onto it. Sherri took Adam’s cart into Panur’s prison and struggled to get the heavy containment box transferred over, before pushing it to the inert body of the Queen.
“Houston…we have a problem.”
The box had been built to hold the four-foot tall Panur. Now it had to accommodate a seven-foot tall Sol-Kor queen, whose frozen body wasn’t as hunched over and compact as they would have preferred.
Adam rushed over. J’nae would fit in the containment unit, but it would take a Herculean effort to stuff her in. Still, the two Humans tried. They used surplus clothing from the dead guards to protect their skin from the cold of her body, which continued to give off a constant cloud of wispy gas as the nitrogen evaporated. It took two more coats of liquid nitrogen before the Queen was fully ensconced in the box and frozen enough for a short trip. The insulating value of the unit kept the cold in, which was a relief. From the diminished weight of the gas canister, Adam could tell it was running dangerously low of its valuable contents.
“How’s Lila and Panur?” he asked.
“Still frozen, yet with a little color returning, especially with Lila,” Arieel replied. “Even then, it will be several minutes before the first level of recovery will be reached.” Adam could see the anguish in Arieel’s eyes. She still hadn’t come to accept the fact that her daughter—their daughter—was beyond feeling pain.
“Where to now, boss?” Sherri asked as she stepped up to Adam, holding one of the flash weapons from the dead guards.
“I have no friggin’ idea. We have to find the Mark IV. A ship that big isn’t easy to hide. It’s a hundred meters long, so it wouldn’t fit anywhere within the upper levels of the pyramid.”
“So back down?”
“The Queen should have an express elevator somewhere. She wouldn’t want to mix with the common folk. That could lead us to a special hangar somewhere.”
“Wow, such wishful thinking. Why can’t you just admit we’re screwed?”
“Okay…we’re screwed. Any better ideas?” Adam asked.
“Yeah. Let’s beat the truth out of one of these Sol-Kor assholes.”
Adam nodded. “That sounds like a good idea. Riyad, come with me. Let’s go find some willing volun
teers.”
“I want to go!” Sherri said.
“No, you stay here. We’re the only ones who can communicate by ATD. Once we have some intel, I call you. In the meantime, do what you can to get Lila and Panur thawed. And make sure that doesn’t happen to the Queen.”
Sherri sulked, but she saw the logic in Adam’s plan.
The two men rushed to one of the open elevator cars and stepped in. Having watched Lila manipulate the floor panels a couple of times, Adam sent the car higher up the pyramid, assuming those at the upper levels would be the highest ranking and therefore have the most knowledge. Of course, he had no idea how many floors he’d selected, and so it was a nerve-racking thirty seconds before the car slowed to a stop and doors slid open.
The damn place was full of Sol-Kor. Fortunately, none paid too much attention to the door opening, so Adam and Riyad had a chance to empty four power packs worth of flash bolts into the unsuspecting aliens. They saved three to interrogate, running to intercept the fleeing officers who had trouble navigating the carnage littering the floor.
Adam swung a fist and knocked one of the aliens to the floor. Riyad trapped two more in an alcove off the main corridor, at a locked door. After the much-taller aliens realized Riyad wasn’t going to shoot, they made the mistake of thinking they could out-fight him, having never experienced a diminutive Human before. With wicked grins, they came at him, swinging their long limbs while also opening their mouths wide, displaying two rows of needle-sharp teeth.
The aliens blinked their eyes rapidly when their fists met only air. Then Riyad was behind them, and his powerful fist impacted the back of the neck of a Sol-Kor soldier, who tumbled forward, unconscious.
When the other alien turned to confront Riyad, he was met by a thunderous punch to the chest, expelling air from his lungs and sending the creature falling to his knees, gasping for breath. Riyad needed the Sol-Kor conscious, not like his sleeping companion.
Adam met Riyad at the alcove, dragging a compliant Sol-Kor after him. He tossed the submissive creature next to Riyad’s slowly recovering prisoner.
There was a trace of fear in their eyes, but not much. These were members of the Colony; they had very little self-worth or awareness. Yet they also wore double white stripes on their uniforms, indicating they were High Nosleads. This class of Sol-Kor were the most intelligent, the best-trained.
“The Queen came in a starship of unique design. Do you know where it is?”
The blank look in their eyes spoke volumes.
Adam repeated his question, only to be rewarded by the same vacant expression. Then one of the Sol-Kor spoke.
“I do not understand your language.”
Adam and Riyad cringed. These creatures were not equipped with universal translation bugs.
This was going to take longer than anticipated. Adam opened a link through his ATD to Sherri.
How’s it going there?
Fine. No company yet. How about you?
Found a couple of Sol-Kor who don’t understand English. How’s Lila?
Still frozen. She won’t be much help, at least not in the time we have.
Okay. Let me know if any company shows up.
Adam turned back to the Sol-Kor. He said: “J’nae…Queen.”
“Yes, J’nae.”
“Good,” he said to Riyad. “At least we have one word in common.”
Using his hand like a flying craft, Adam flew it down to the floor. “J’nae…” He pointed to his open-palmed hand.
“Yes, the Queen arrived in a starship.”
The alien’s companion scowled at the other one. “Do not speak with these creatures. They have killed Sol-Kor.”
Adam turned to the protester and grabbed him around the neck, squeezing hard. “And I’ll kill you, too.”
“Rassif, I believe they can understand Sol-Kor,” said the first alien.
Adam released the Noslead—Rassif. The creature rubbed his neck. “I tend to agree.”
Adam nodded. “Yes, I understand.”
Both aliens nodded. Then Adam turned his attention back to his flying palm pantomime. He placed it on the floor again, and then cast his other hand in a wide circle. “Where?” His tone was questioning.
The two Sol-Kor stared at him for a moment, before the first one spoke. “Kor.”
Adam nodded. “Yes, Kor. Then Silana.”
Both aliens recognized the word Silana.
“Where on Silana?” Adam wet his finger and then drew the figure of a pyramid on the floor. Before his saliva could evaporate, he took his flying hand and pointed to the pyramid. “Where?”
Light dawned in the eye of the Sol-Kor named Rassif. Adam saw it, as did Riyad, yet the creature do not speak. Adam was on his knees; he leaned in close to the foul-smelling alien. “Where?” He reached out with his hand, forming a ‘c-shape’ with his fingers, leaving them hovering inches from the neck of the Sol-Kor. “Where?”
Resignation entered the eyes of the alien. He pursed his thin lips in surrender.
He pointed to what remained of the pyramid drawing, at a point near the base. That didn’t do Adam much good. He wet his finger again and drew a larger version of the pyramid, with four lines radiating out. To any intelligent creature, the lines would indicate magnetic directions.
With a sigh, the alien pointed to the southern side of the pyramid, and then about a third of the way along the length. Then he drew a path under the triangle.
Adam scampered to his feet, grabbing the informant by the collar and dragging him through the pooling blood of his fellow Sol-Kor toward the elevator. He heard a thud; turning, he saw Riyad emerge from the alcove, alone.
Adam pointed to the elevator. “J’nae?”
A frown crossed the Sol-Kor’s face. Leaving the officer in Riyad’s custody, Adam stepped into the open car. “J’nae?” Then he motioned with his hands up and down.
“Yes…this is the Queen’s lift chamber, yet I do not know her location. You may kill me, but I cannot help you find my Queen.”
Adam smiled. “J’nae—” He pointed to himself and then to Riyad before running a finger across his neck.
The Sol-Kor turned pale. He grasped the meaning of Adam’s universal gesture immediately.
“You have killed the Queen?”
Adam nodded, still grinning, selling the lie.
“She cannot be killed.”
Adam shook his head this time and repeated the neck-slicing gesture.
“She is—was—our only Queen. What…what is to become of the Sol-Kor now?”
Adam stepped out of the elevator car and up to the pale, panicking alien. Then slowly, he repeated the slicing gesture for the third—and last—time.
From behind the alien, Riyad finished up the interview with a quick twist of Rassif’s head. Then the two Humans boarded the elevator.
Sherri, I have a bead on the Mark IV. It’s vague, but it’s on the ground floor, south side.
Sherri didn’t answer.
Sherri, can you hear me?
Nothing.
“Riyad, grab as many weapons as you can from the dead Sol-Kor. Sherri’s in trouble.”
“What do you mean? You can’t contact her?”
“That’s right.”
“That means she’s unconscious…or worse.”
“I know. Hurry, and give me a couple of power packs. I only hope J’nae hasn’t had time to thaw out.”
********
The elevator opened on a floor free of aliens, or the telltale signs of a battle. It was the wrong floor. Cursing, Adam tried punching the buttons again. This time the door opened, catching a contingent of Sol-Kor by surprise, but not that much by surprise. The Humans could hear alarms going off in the building.
They pumped the foyer full of brilliant flash bolts until the door closed and the car was moving again.
On the third try, it opened to a familiar scene, a handful of dead Sol-Kor lying in pools of drying blood.
Cautiously, the pair slipped out of
the elevator and made their way to the portal leading to the large containment unit, Panur’s old prison. Peeking around a corner, Adam saw at least a dozen Sol-Kor meandering around the room. The bodies of Lila and Panur still rested on gurneys, and the cramped up form of the Queen was still in her box, yet a gathering of four Sol-Kor were fighting frantically to free her without breaking off any limbs. They were not as confident in their Queen’s healing abilities as were the Humans.
One majestic looking High Noslead stood back from the effort, looking concerned in profile as Adam watched. Scanning the rest of the room, Adam spotted Sherri sitting on the deck, leaning against the plastic wall of the containment room. Blood radiated around a wound on her right side, evidently from a flash bolt that had burned through her blouse and ripped into the skin on her side, the same side where her artificial telepathy device was embedded.
Adam let out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t seriously injured, but her ATD was either damaged or completely out of service.
He had more pressing matters. The Sol-Kor had managed to free J’nae from the containment box; the mist around her rapidly thawing body was becoming more pronounced as she warmed.
The supervising Sol-Kor turned to another Sol-Kor in the room. “Place the other two in the larger containment room, along with the other three. Then reactivate the locking protocols.”
Adam didn’t give them a chance to obey. He was in the room in a flash, Riyad a split second later. Targeting the Sol-Kor who were armed, flashes of plasma temporary blinded the aliens, at least those who remained alive. Soon only one remained—the leader—who was unarmed. He barely moved from his original location as the one-sided battle erupted around him. It was over in three seconds.
“Riyad, find the gas canister. Give J’nae another dose. Hurry!”
The hose to the canister had been removed from the box by the Sol-Kor and the gas tank lay on the floor a few meters from where the now-wriggling figure of the Queen. Her eyes were moving, glowing with their own intense fire. She was attempting to generate a stronger internal heat to help with the thawing process.
Riyad took a moment for their eyes to meet and flashed his trademark smile. Then he triggered the canister control. A cloud of white gas erupted into the room, and once again the Queen was bathed in the freezing liquid.