Carbon Life

by HR Ringer

  Arming her omnitool for blade work, she waited patiently for the final part of the ride to end – when the container pulled out of the line, she expected a worker or two to be waiting; she’d need to silence them quickly and keep them from triggering any alarms.

  Within a few minutes, the container eased out from between the accompanying containers, coming to a stop beneath what appeared to be a rectangular passage in the overhead – Sam could see a couple of lights in the distance above her.

  A kinetic barrier sprang up around the container as it slowly began ascending into the vertical passage; as soon as they were out of sight from below, Sam threw back the cargo cover enough to allow herself room to get off the platform while leaving Griff, Xiùlán and their packs covered. “Griff,” she hissed! “Set the locater on Xiùlán’s omnitool, along with your own. Ready heavy pistols in case I get overwhelmed by the dock workers – I don’t expect C-Pat to show up immediately… all the station entrances to this area have been sealed by the computer.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “Get us out of here,” came the whispered reply. “Keep Xiùlán and my pack safe.”

  As the container cleared the protective barrier around the access tunnel, Traynor sent a message to the Ionsaí to let them know they were in the receiving dock, an area that looked very much like the warehouse from which they had started.

  She leaped off the carrier and ran towards the center of the huge area, drawing the warehouse workers towards her. As she skidded to a halt and spun in place, she noticed with satisfaction there were no workers near the container. Drawing her butterfly knives from their sheaths, she held each so she could ‘back slice’ with her left and ‘front slice’ with her right; crossing her arms, she turned slowly in place, allowing the dim overhead light to glint off the shiny steel knives and the dull black of her armor.

  Within seconds, one batarian came at her; wielding a two-meter long pry bar, he swung it in a horizontal arc at her head, continuing in a circle in an attempt to hit her legs. Missing as she ducked, he missed again when she leapt straight up. As she came down in front of him, she buried the knife in her right hand in his skull; releasing the knife handle, she grabbed the heavy metal bar from his hands and shoved the pointed end through the next dock worker as the first one went down. Feeling arms around her shoulders, she leaned forward while kicking back and upwards, the sole of her boot making a satisfying >thunk< sound as it connected hard with his head… the arms fell away from her as he collapsed to the deck in an unconscious heap.

  In one fluid motion she used her foot to hold the head of her first victim down; retrieving her blade from his skull, she hurriedly stood and spread her arms wide to stab a pair of workers coming at her from behind… with the knives each buried in two heavyset batarians, she held onto them for leverage to raise her hips and snap kick another batarian in the face. Feet back on the deck, she left the knives in her two victims and kicked another guy in the face before delivering a spinning roundhouse kick to one coming at her from the opposite direction.

  Traynor was done waiting – she ran towards a pair of batarians and leaped; kicking the one on the right, she continued in a somersault, kicking the guy on the left with her other foot. Finishing her somersault, she felt another pair of arms around her shoulders. She repeated her head kick maneuver; this loosened the batarians arms, allowing her to grab his right hand in both of hers and spin and kick him in the midriff. She punched another worker while hanging on to her current victim with one hand, spun around and kicked number two in the head for good measure before using her free hand to grab her current victim’s wrist; pulling down and rotating his arm back up, she spun him over in a violent throw to the deck.

  She was grabbed from behind yet again – this time the batarian’s arms were around her midriff. She used her right arm to strike down and back, hitting him hard in the crotch with her fist. At the sudden grunt of pain, she opened her hand and found the soft appendages, grabbed as much as she could through his pants and squeezed mercilessly… as his mouth opened to holler in pain, she filled it with an armored elbow, causing him to release her. Spinning to face him, she hit him in the mouth and nose with her triple snap punch, dropping him to the deck.

  Two more batarians came at her, one from each side. She punched each of them alternately several times; when the one on her right fell, another immediately came at her with a straight blade. This she sidestepped – grabbing his wrist, she used his momentum to shove the blade in the batarian on her left, pulled the wrist she was still holding onto back and up to twist it around, painfully breaking the arm to which it was attached.

  Stopping to look around and finding no more standing opposition, she took a deep, cleansing breath to center herself before quickly retrieving her butterfly knives and trotting back to the container as their shuttle pierced the outer kinetic barrier and landed close by. The port side hatch opened and Commando Luenia Phura leapt out to assist. Sam came running up as Griff started moving gear bags into the shuttle. Luenia assisted Traynor in gently moving Xiùlán into the cramped interior, where she was placed on the lower berth. With Griff and their equipment aboard, Traynor said, “Let’s go, Eshela!”

  Pilot Eshela T’Saida closed the hatch, lifted and spun the ungainly craft around and was through the kinetic barrier in short order. As they accelerated away from Cartagena Station, Luenia looked worriedly at Xiùlán. “We got your message she’d been severely injured… Jakira T’Lana is standing by. She’ll attend to your partner as soon as we’re back aboard and get her to the medical unit.”

  Studying Traynor for a few moments, she added, “Looks as if you could use a bit of help yourself… there’s blood all over you, and there’s a cut on your face.” Reaching up with a finger, she lightly touched a now stinging slice in her cheek Traynor hadn’t previously felt. She withdrew her hand at Sam’s sudden intake of breath. “Looks like most of the blood came from the batarians. You normally take on so many at once?”

  Looking at Xiùlán, she murmured, “I would take on ten times that many if it meant saving Xiùlán. She’s everything to me… can’t live without her.”

  “Are you two bonded?”

  Sam swung her head around to look at the commando. “Not in the manner of the asari, no… but she is the love of my life. I cannot conceive of an existence without her.” Sammy leaned over Xiùlán and gently kissed her forehead. “We made it out, my darling.”

  * * *

  ** ASARI CORVETTE IONSAÍ – LEAVING THE NEMEAN ABYSS **

  Traynor was sitting in the lounge immediately outside the Ionsaí’s Medical Unit. So concerned was she about Xiùlán she hadn’t even gone to her quarters to drop her armor and get cleaned up, choosing instead to wait for word on Xiùlán’s condition. Operations Chief Buchanan strolled in and, with a heavy sigh, sat down across from her. Without preamble he said, “That was some of the most amazing hand-to-hand I’ve ever had the privilege of witnessing, Traynor. Did Xiùlán teach you how to do all that?”

  Sam’s smile didn’t reach her eyes as she thought of her mentor. “Most of it… I’ve picked up a bit of my technique by just… doing things, emulating movements I’ve seen others performing, combining different disciplines. Some of what you saw came from asari commando training.” With just a touch of a smirk, she added, “I even learned a few new things from Lì húa, Xiùlán’s mom.”

  Buchanan shook his head. “Traynor, I watched you take out over fifteen batarians, all hell-bent on killing you. You actually flowed over and around them as if you were a small tidal wave… no wasted motion, no hesitation. It was almost as if…” here Griff stopped for a moment to think about what he’d observed. “It was like you were in a trance, Serviceman. Is that even possible?”

  A shy smile from Samantha was all the answer Buchanan needed. “Shit, Traynor! How in hell did you learn to do that?”

  “I didn’t… learn it, that is. Xiùlán says I’m a natural, says I enter an altered state when I fight
. I don’t know how I do it… I just… I can look at a potentially dangerous situation – see all the possibilities – how I’ll react to each threat as it’s presented – before I even make my first move. Xiùlán fights the same way and, even with all her cunning and experience, says she wouldn’t want to fight me… even sparring? I think I scare her.”

  “Damn, woman! You scare me! I hope I never wind up on your bad side – don’t think I’d survive the encounter.” Smiling, he added, “But…” here he indicated his facial decoration, “… If I’m ever attacked by a batarian with a blade again, I hope you’re my drinking companion.”

  Traynor smiled at Griff, then looked up as Doctor T'Lana came out of the Medical Unit. Standing to meet her, she asked, “Is Xiùlán…” her voice hitched before she could finish the question. Griff had stood and placed a hand on Traynor’s shoulder as he finished the question for her. “How is she, Doc? You’re going to be able to save her leg, right?”

  Jakira split her attention between the humans as she answered, “We’ve stabilized her for now, and she’s resting comfortably.” Looking at Traynor, she said, “It’s my understanding you performed some rather daring emergency field treatment. It made all the difference, I think… She could have lost that leg. As it is, we’re enroute to Thessia so we can get her some specialized treatment in the hospital in Serrice.”

  “You can’t do that on this ship, Doctor?” Traynor was unknowingly wringing her hands until Griff snuck one of his big paws around her side and gently grabbed them.

  “I’m afraid not, my dear. She’ll get the best care available anywhere, never fear. After what the three of you have done for the asari, you deserve no less than first class treatment. Which reminds me, Operations Chief…” Doctor T'Lana looked up at Griff’s greenish-gray eyes and said, “You’re due in my outpatient exam room. Seems you’ve been hard-wired by the batarians?”

  Griff’s head dropped as he looked unhappily at Traynor, who reminded him, “Remember what I told you, Chief. It has to be done.”

  “Follow me, Mr Buchanan.” Traynor heard a new snarkiness in her voice. “I don’t see many human males on my exam table; I’m looking forward to an enlightening experience.” She smiled up at the big man as she gently guided him with a hand on his elbow. “I can treat that knife scar on your face as well… was that a gift from another batarian?”

  Griff’s unhappy frown quickly became a small smile. “Yeah… I’m beginning to think batarian pirates and smugglers only see me as someone on which to practice their blade work. And this mission brought me a lot of burns in addition to the wires.”

  “I’ll treat you well, Mr Buchanan… I dare say it will be a lot better than you were treated on Cartagena Station.”

  Before she left, Jakira turned back towards Samantha and said, “You can come in as well, visit with Ms Yuán if you wish.”

  Traynor reacted to this bit of good news with a genuine smile as she followed Griff and the doctor into the Medical Unit.

  The compartment lights in the overhead were dim, with most of the ambient lighting coming from the belt rail around the room. With the exception of her left leg, Xiùlán was covered neck-to-toes with a thin sheet topped with a blanket; her thigh was bandaged and splinted and her leg was propped up from hip to foot with a foam platform that angled horizontally at her knee. The exposed foot was wearing a sock, presumably to help keep it warm in the coolness of the compartment.

  Her skin color seemed much better, and Sammy could sense her body temperature was closer to normal when she applied her lips to the cheek closest to her; her kiss caused a pair of eyelids to slip open, bringing an instant smile to her lips. “Sà mǐ,” she whispered. “Nǐ jiùle wǒ… [你救了我 - You saved me] … saved my life, got us out of that shit hole.”

  Traynor, mindful that she was still wearing her blood-stained armor, leaned over her lover to carefully embrace her, to kiss her softly on the mouth. “Doctor T’Lana has done all she can for you, Ai… [愛 – Love (Sam’s meaning is ‘luv’)] We’re on our way to Thessia to get you some specialized treatment.” She used her fingers and the palm of her hand to stroke a suddenly creased and worried forehead. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll be with you the entire way. I’m not going to leave you behind on a strange planet.”

  “You’ve got blood all over yourself, Sà mǐ. It’s not…”

  “… It’s not mine, sweetheart. Well, I’m told I have a cut on my cheek, but everything else is batarian… and now I know you’re gonna be okay, I’m going to head back to our quarters, get cleaned up and changed, then clean my armor and knives.” Pausing as a thought struck her, she added, “What happened to your armor and skins? Need me to take it all back with me as well?”

  “Already in our quarters, Sà mǐ,” came the tired response.

  “You scared the livin’ ‘ell outa me, Xiùlán. I thought I was going to lose you!”

  “Ah, Sà mǐ,” came the whispered reply. “I wouldn’t leave you behind… you’re too important to me.”

  “Okay. You go back to sleep… I’ll return in a while, soon as I clean up, have a bite to eat.” Leaning over again, she tenderly kissed waiting lips. “Wǒ ài nǐ, Xiùlán.” [我愛你， 秀蘭。– I love you, Xiulan.] “I’ll be back soon.”

  As she moved away from her bed, Sam could tell that her lover had slipped back into blissful sleep; the peaceful expression on her face was something Traynor was happy to see after the previous pain-filled days. Returning to the lounge, she called Luenia Phura to escort her back to her quarters… she suddenly felt nearly too tired to stand. ‘Food… just need some food… and rest. Haven’t truly slept for… Hell, I don’t remember how long it’s been.’ Her heart was soaring… Xiùlán was going to live! Still, there was something nagging at her, nibbling away at the edges of her happiness… something that she would not be able to deny. ‘Tomorrow… deal with it tomorrow,’ she told herself.

  Sammy shed her armor, being careful not to let the outsides contact any of the soft furnishings – the carpet, upholstered chairs, the bed. She didn’t want to transfer any of the bloodstains from the slick surfaces. The armor went into a large bag, which she would carry to the ships’ armory in order to clean it.

  Removing her under-armor mesh wasn’t quite as messy – even covered with the blood that had spattered past her armor plates, it would wash out without a trace. Standing in front of the mirror, she removed her sport bra and panties and placed them in a container to be laundered. Of surprise to Traynor were some of the bruises on her arms, legs and torso.

  Once in the bathroom, she turned the shower on and stepped into the stall, gasping at the shock of rapidly warming water hitting her side and back. As the temperature stabilized, she lathered a cloth and began washing her skin, noting that the water running off her body had a slight tinge of red, no doubt from the spatter that had come through the mesh as she moved about.

  Wincing as she washed her chest, she noted the soreness in her shoulders and back. ‘Not working out enough, Sammy. You shouldn’t be this sore after that little bit of exercise.’ She finished washing her torso, then legs and lower back. She lathered and rinsed her hair, noting the reddish hue that rinsed out. A repeat lathering and rinse produced only clear water, so she turned the water off and grabbed her towels.

  Back in her bedroom, she pulled on fresh underwear and socks. Deciding to take a nap, she pulled the covers down and flopped into bed. ‘Damn! I am tired. Just need to rest for a bit…’

  She quickly went to sleep, only to be disturbed by vivid dreams of being chased by countless batarian pirates, all nude, all aroused, all intent on catching her so she could be pinned to a wall and gang-raped. Their leader was none other than the bastard she hadn’t tortured, hadn’t cut into little pieces. When she woke, she was covered in sweat, such that she needed another shower. ‘Damned batarians!’

  * * *

  Captain Agana T’Lori and her XO Traeria Shoni stood from their chairs as the hatch at the far end of the confe
rence room opened and a freshly bathed and rested Samantha Traynor entered. Walking up to the pair, she held out both hands palms up in an asari greeting of friendship and camaraderie. After returning the greeting, Traeria remained standing as Captain T’Lori bade Sammy to sit across from Traeria; two crew members entered, placed several covered trays on the table, along with plates and utensils, then left as unobtrusively as they’d arrived.

  Captain T’Lori poured a glass of Elasa for each of them; holding her own glass up, she turned to Traynor. “You have completed a mission that many thought impossible, and for that, I offer you my thanks, personally and on behalf of the asari republic.”

  Sammy didn’t quite know how to respond, except to pick up her own glass and tip it toward each of them. “Thank you, Captain. There were times, I must admit, that I thought we weren’t going to make it off that station.” Opening the small pack she’d brought in with her, she carefully pulled out the reason for the mission and set it on the table. “As we are going to Thessia, I would like for my squad to personally present this figurine to the Ministry of Antiquities.” The 40cm high carved image of Janiri stood in the middle of the table, its light color in sharp contrast to the dark surface below it.

  T’Lori and Shoni stood speechless, nearly unable to believe this figurine had finally been recovered intact after being in the hands of pirates and Blue Suns. “Magnificent,” was all T’Lori could say.

  Traynor took a sip from her glass, indicated the covered trays and asked, “May I?”

  The captain’s face darkened ever so slightly. “My apologies, Ms Traynor… I have forgotten my manners. Of course, of course, please, help yourself. You are familiar with the fish, ke’ah, and the various flavors of uloth, along with the various sauces we have. There is also a platter with a selection of native fruits, and another with numerous vegetables, all of which I am sure you will enjoy.”