“I’ve heard worse plans.” She said as she stopped short of the cart. I’d caught what she was looking at. The cart vendor had one cup- you drank your drink and then you gave the cup back to the cart vendor so he could fill it for the next patron. She turned aside and I reluctantly followed.
“That may be the norm.” I said. “I’m sure whatever concoction is in that barrel keeps the cup plenty sterile.”
“I’m a big girl now and I get my own cup.” Serrath replied. “I was also thinking something a little more upscale and a little closer to the heart of the city and the action.” She meant the mines of course.
“No reason I can’t start now.” I said as I veered off for the next vendor in our path. There were a great many of them- all serving their own individualized concoctions and most busy serving up drinks. I headed for one with a line of truly seedy looking reptiles waiting to be served. I thought that a pretty good indication that whatever was in this vendor’s barrel was the truly rough shit. No reason to break a lifetime’s character now.
“You’ll need this.” Serrath said as she joined me in line, handing me a small handful of real metal coins. I recognized trinium, gold and silver but clearly meant to walk away from this vendor with a handful of the local variety as well. Don’t ask me how I had thought I was going to get the drink without coin, but I supposed subconsciously I had planned to take it in the usual way.
I closed my hand swiftly on the shiny metal but not before numerous sets of eyes were drawn to the sound of the bright clinking of valuable coin. I didn’t bother staring my annoyance at Serrath as she had probably done it on purpose and I would only have to look at the triumph in her eyes. Instead I said; “Change your mind and decide to drink with us common folk?”
“It’s come to my notice that there may not be an upscale part of this city.”
“Maybe not up to your scale but that’s where the action is going to be and that’s where we are going.” I said.
“There’s a reason us common reptiles drink here.” A reptile in line ahead of us told me with a steely look. I didn’t recognize the race but it recognized ours- it was speaking Fsyth. A reptile familiar with the Fsyth wouldn’t make a good companion because this Fsyth didn’t know a whole lot about being a Fsyth. I had skipped those lessons, as I recalled, in favor of spending that time in blissful intoxication while Serrath did all the hard work. Since Serrath couldn’t help her meticulous nature there was no point in both of us having to do all that hard work when I was already assured she had thoroughly done it all for the both of us.
“Mind your own business.” I told the reptile with a steely look of my own, which it didn’t like but after Serrath added her stare to the contest turned its rubbernecking head back into the forward position. It was next in line anyway and it got its drink and was on its way. Whatever type of reptile it was it didn’t seem too intimidated by us. The Universe was a wide and diverse place and I wasn’t the type to underestimate any creature It had created- especially ones that didn’t intimidate easily.
“I think we were supposed to act subservient.” Serrath said as I downed my drink. I got a handful of dark colored coins in return but probably only half of what was supposed to be there. The shit burned going down worse than anything I had ever imbibed and highly pleased I made the vendor fill my cup again. The reptile vendor did as I bade and no reptile said a word as I drank it down. It was as I had thought. The reptile I had pissed off was a special case. It was a race to watch out for even for reptiles apparently as feared as we Fsyth.
“You made a new friend and get your first misadventure all rolled into one.” Serrath said as she lowered her emptied cup and handed it back to the vendor without looking in his direction. I was already looking in the same direction. I had noted them simultaneously and it wasn’t good news.
“I make new friends everywhere I go.” I said as I noted that my new friend was no longer alone. That he had friends of his own and they were headed directly for us. My new friend and his companions weren’t coming back for more of this vendors rot-gut shit, of that at least I was sure, though of a great many other things at that exact moment I wasn’t quite sure about at all. How we were going to survive was a good example of one of the things I wasn’t quite sure about at that moment. A betting reptile always automatically counts the odds and my calculations weren’t good for this reptile’s survival ratio.
“You’ll get yours now.” The vendor said behind me as he quickly wheeled his cart away. I ignored him because there were much bigger reptiles to fry.
Chapter 45
“At least a dozen.” Serrath said as her blasters came out and mayhem erupted. It wasn’t the mayhem of blaster fire but the mayhem of wary reptiles getting the fuck out of the way of certain death. Blaster fire was not discriminatory in who it scorched. Serrath and I went the other way amidst every manner of scurrying, hopping and otherwise fleeing reptiles as like a herd of frightened herbivore they scattered in every direction.
It was a busy day here in the bazaar- at least to my ignorant eye- and we were immediately lost in the crowds. We moved along for a while and then found a place of semi-concealment along a rotted mortar wall to watch our back-trail. When after a quarter-hour had elapsed and no pursuit had developed we merged back into the flow of traffic and went back to our casual stroll through the unusually deadly city.
“I do despise leaving undead enemies behind myself.” Serrath said after a while. I think I can speak for the both of us that we were about as alert as reptiles could be.
“There are always exceptions to the rule.” I pointed out as I kept a sharp lookout.
“I think we’ll have the opportunity yet.” Serrath said, but she wasn’t speaking about that very moment in Time and Space but the fact that we would have to go back through what was clearly their gang turf to get back to our ship.
“Depending on how determined they are you may yet have your opportunity.” I agreed.
“Which is why I so despise leaving enemies behind myself.”
“I agree with your sentiment,” I agreed, “but you may have noticed that there were a number of them and they were all armed with blasters.”
“I noticed.” She said. “I’m also beginning to wonder how we’re ever going to get Leethea out of here. If the common reptiles crawling the streets are this aggressive, those which guard the mines will be even more so. There is no law here but the blaster and they’ll shoot first and not ask any questions after.”
“I hate to be the harbinger of bad news,” I said, “but I’m not sure how we’re going to get ourselves out of here, much less find, free and get Leethea out with us.” I did not voice the nagging thought that my instincts were screaming at me to get the hell out of there while I still had a lizard skin to do it in, but in the end I once more quelled those thoughts because I knew that Serrath and I would either win Leethea free or die in the attempt. There were no other options. Marc Deveroux would never leave one of his own behind and this lizard skin I was wearing didn’t change that fact one iota.
“Yep.” Serrath agreed. “Pretty sure we’re going to die.”
“Only question is the hour of its coming.” I said.
It was then that I noticed the reptile fifty meters distant through a chance break in the crowd. The bazaar here was just a wide-open space with cart vendors, semi-permanent food stands and crowds of lizards about their daily business. I didn’t recognize the face but I recognized the breed- it was the same race as my recently separated new friends. One of my new friends I hadn’t yet had the pleasure of meeting personally. When my eye was drawn to his there was mutual recognition- I was the reptile he was looking for and he had found me. “They’re back.” I said as the avenue of chance which had opened between us amongst the crowd closed once more. I pointed in the direction I had seen the lizard. “I saw one directly ahead but I think I may theorize that we’re completely surrounded.” I added.
“For once you may have your science right.” Serrath s
aid as her hands dropped and what I knew was going to happen happened. Those blasters cleared leather as Serrath stood there resolutely on the balls of her reptilian feet, primed to move but not before those blasters would speak. If I knew anything about Serrath it was when she’d had enough. I got away from her as quickly as I could. The avenue separating the reptile and Serrath magically reopened and both her blasters were belching raw energy.
I dove and rolled and came back to my feet facing the opposite direction. Serrath’s blasters were a continuous roar though without having to look I knew she would be on the move. To remain stationary would be an immediate death sentence. Put as much distance between us as possible and split our firepower. Turn one target into two. I came up firing because I had spotted the next amidst the mass of panicked reptiles- it wasn’t running in the opposite direction so I took that to mean it was an enemy- and no wonder these reptiles got moving when the weapons came out. I took at least a dozen innocent bystanders along with the one I had spotted in my first double blast and then I was moving again. Only too soon, I had been spotted.
Yellow balls of energy flashed past me and the world rocked as I dove for the hard ground, the explosions erupting just beyond where I had been standing. If my unseen enemy had targeted the ground at my feet the contest would now be over but the reptile had been headhunting. It was a deadly and final mistake. As the ground behind me erupted in a blistering yellow fireball, the concussion of the explosion knocked me out of my roll and sent me skidding me across the hard packed ground, but then I was on one knee and raking my blasters along the whole line of panicked reptiles in the general direction from which the fire had come.
I raked my blasters across the entire crowd in front of me, the blasters auto-firing, bucking in my hands and taking down everything standing. Hundreds of innocent bystanders, six vendor’s carts and one permanent food stand along with at least a dozen of my enemies- though I’ll admit I didn’t stop to take the time to count them- whatever and whoever was unfortunate enough to be in my way this day. Then Serrath I and were running once more, every single one of our enemies probably vanquished but we not hanging around to make sure. We had just murdered hundreds of innocent civilians and severely injured hundreds more- who was to know which among the injured masses now surrounding us might have the last bit of energy required to lift a blaster. We weren’t hanging around to find out.
“I think you’re leaving more undead enemies behind yourself.” I told Serrath as we ran.
Chapter 46
“This way!” The Fsyth said from a darkened doorway ahead of us as we cautiously continued on our way. The darkened doorway was one of many in this block-long rundown tenement building. We were now in the outskirts of the city-proper and the last thing I was expecting here was a friend- Fsyth or not. I was immediately on-guard but Serrath straightaway followed the Fsyth. The Fsyth did not seem surprised at our willingness to follow him because I was right behind Serrath who was at least acting like she knew what she was doing. We followed him into the darkened building to what Fate I could yet only guess.
“You’ve struck a terrific blow for the cause.” The Fsyth said, his pheromones expressing praise, admiration and something more I couldn’t really put a meaning to- hope possibly I thought. “Twenty-four of the Vaes’ top enforcers in one blow.” It said.
“We watched with satellite surveillance.” The Fsyth added as he halted before a hardened-carbon security-door. “Incredible bravery.” He couldn’t seem to shut up. Some unseen operator behind the door immediately activated it and it pulled back into the room and then slid to the side behind the interior wall. It was an expensive security measure which meant these reptiles had dangerous enemies. The servo-motors were faintly detectable as they worked. What I noted was the thickness of both the plas-steel walls which the security-door was set into and that of the hardened-carbon door itself. It would take a large assault to breach these interior rooms. Of secondary interest the electricity in the otherwise powerless building. We went in.
“The weapons-locker.” Serrath said as I followed her in. The first room was racks of blast-rifles. Hundreds of them and they were all the same size- just light enough to carry. There was enough firepower here to take over the planet and that wasn’t lost on me either. These reptiles were planning a war.
Serrath snatched one of the blast-rifles from a rack and threw it to her shoulder. The weapon was larger than she was and probably weighed more as well. She put it back but there had been no reaction from our guide- Serrath’s purpose of course. See where a reptile stands. Apparently we were going to be welcome here.
“I wouldn’t shoot those things inside the building.” I noted judiciously. “At least not while I’m in it.”
“We were hoping you brought news of more reinforcements from the Queen.” Our guide said as he led us out of the weapons-locker and into another room. This large room was filled with tables and chairs and every chair was full. The reptiles which would bear the weapons we had noted in the weapons-locker. They were all Fsyth. They all heard the question which was posed us as we walked through the doorway and now all eyes were turned upon Serrath and I in eager anticipation of good news. Good news meaning these reinforcements that none seemed sure were coming but by their expressions were clearly in need of. The note of how important the destruction of the twenty-four Vaes’ enforcers had not been lost on me. These Fsyth were outnumbered- but what was their game?
“We came here to rescue my sister.” Serrath said. “We know nothing of what occurs here.”
“It’s not all bad news.” A Fsyth with a regal military bearing said. He was the only Fsyth who was standing other than us and our guide. This would be the Commander. “You killed twenty-four of the Vaes and you are here now.”
“We came to rescue my sister and that is our only concern.” Serrath reiterated.
“Who holds your sister?” Our guide asked knowingly.
“She was kidnapped and taken to the mines.” Serrath replied before I even had time to decide if telling the truth was such a good idea. It was a risk to be certain but it was a risk that for once didn’t result in blaster-play.
“Then our purposes coincide.” The confident Fsyth said as he approached us. The handles of his blasters were well polished, I noted. This one would be quick and deadly. “We have been charged to take this holding for the Queen. Your sister isn’t the only Fsyth who has been press-ganged into the mines by the Vaes and we will abide no such transgressions against our brethren. The mines themselves will make a fitting trophy as compensation for the Fsyth who have been wronged and you will have your equal share of the reward from the Queen.” The Commander went on;
“We have been slipping fighters and weapons on-world for several months now and you aren’t the first Fsyth who has been waylaid coming in recently. You are the first that has gotten through in the last half-moon. You were the first Fsyth to make the attempt in the last quarter-moon; we weren’t expecting any new reinforcements.
“I think that now we can be absolutely certain they are aware of us, at the very least suspect our intentions and that that there are more of us here than we have allowed to be seen. The bulk of us have remained hidden here, we have drawn no attention to ourselves but we suspect the Vaes have become aware that Fsyth are entering the city and then disappearing. We no longer have the time to wait for more fighters. We’ll have to make our attack now. Are you with us?” The reptile asked.
“We’re in.” Serrath answered for the both of us.
Chapter 47
Four hundred and fourteen very pissed-off Fsyth moved ghostly through the Stygian streets of the night. We were spread out over a ten block radius in groups of ten, each ten on its own until all reached the mines. None really thought we would actually get to the mines before the fighting commenced but Commander Bherlon had given the command to charge. The troops had gathered and we were now moving stealthily forward through the city. I think I can speak for both Serrath and I that both were su
re the fighting would start sooner rather than later. I was sure the Fsyth secret hideout hadn’t been quite as secret as they may have thought. On high alert our group of ten moved forward as quickly as reptilian legs would carry us.
Here and there feeble light spilled from random windows high in the tenements above but only a few of the locals in this section had electricity and only a weak stray ray once in a while reached the depths of the street to illuminate our way. Luckily Fsyth are endowed with superior night vision and once I had adjusted found I could see quite clearly in the near total darkness. If there was a moon or stars above I couldn’t tell through the thick fog that had rolled in and covered the city after dark and which was now descending into the streets around us. I wasn’t sure if the fog would be a blessing or a disaster in disguise.
The near total darkness did not mean the place was deserted. Fsyth weren’t the only reptiles with good night vision and the city was crawling with them. If the Vaes weren’t yet aware of our movements soon they would be. We were drawing a lot of attention to ourselves and that fact was most noticeable because the streets in front of us were suddenly deserted. A reptile with a good healthy love of his life did not stick around to antagonize large groups of highly armed and obviously hair-trigger tempered assault teams clearly intent on murder.
“This is going to get ugly.” Serrath said as we hurried through a lighted spot. There were more lights now coming from the windows above and further ahead the city shone like a beacon. It would be within the lighted area of the city that the Vaes would attack- that we would be attacked before we reached the mines was now a foregone conclusion, as far as I was concerned. All that remained to be learned was the time and place of the attack. That prickly sensation at the base of my neck foretold that our coming had been noted and stiff resistance could be expected. I had never known that prickly sensation to be wrong- that sensation that somebeing meant me harm- and Serrath had felt it as well. On that level Serrath and I were very finely attuned. Call it whatever you want- ESP, precognition, whatever you like- I call it good old common sense and it was screaming at me that I was carrying myself to almost certain death. I didn’t doubt it for a moment.
Chronicles of a Space Mercenary 3: Vengeance Page 14