by T. R. Harris
The three of them had long ago abandoned the chairs for the hard, concrete floor, where at least they could stretch out and place their heads against the back wall of the building. Now Adam stood up and approached the line of guards.
“Are we going to get any food and water?”
“Return to your spot.”
“Did you not hear me?”
“Return to your spot.”
Then it dawned on him. The Sol-Kor were like an ant colony, with castes of workers performing specific duties. Maybe the guards were the short-bus kids, good only for standing around and watching, and then reacting when something outside their training occurred.
“I request to speak to a supervisor, someone superior to you,” Adam demanded.
This registered with the guard, for he immediately signaled to the end guard in the row and that gray alien darted from the building.
A minute later another Sol-Kor entered, wearing the same drab gear yet with a thin white line running diagonally from the neckline to under his left arm. “What are you doing?”
“I want to talk to someone in charge, someone with the authority to make a decision.”
“I am Midlead, I can make decisions.”
“Good. We need food and water. It’s been going on two days since we had any.”
“I understand you are to die. Why would we waste food on you?”
The statement caught Adam off guard, not only because of the bluntness of the statement, but because of the logic.
“That’s beside the point. If you don’t want us—”
Suddenly Adam jumped a good six inches off the ground, his short hair literally standing up on his head. He lost his balance and fell to the floor, small tremors racking his body.
At first, the guard took this for an attack, yet when Adam fell and remained rolling on the floor, he lifted an arm that stopped the guards from shooting. Riyad and Sherri rushed to his side.
“What is wrong with him?” the Midlead asked.
“I don’t know,” Sherri answered. “He’s having a seizure of some kind.”
“I have been briefed that Humans are cunning and deceptive. I do not trust this sudden reaction. Take him back to the wall.”
Adam had recovered enough to where he could sit up.
“What just happened?” Riyad asked as he was helped to his feet.
Once back at the wall, Adam sat in a chair and rubbed his right side. “I don’t know,” he finally said. “I got an incredible shock in my you-know-what.”
“Did it short out?”
No, I don’t think so. Can you still hear me?
Yep, so it’s still working.
Then Adam had a thought. He accessed the controls of his ATD and reactivated the link portal. This would allow him to find wormhole transmissions in the area. To his disappointment, he didn’t find any compatible signals.
“I thought maybe Arieel was trying to contact me, but the links are dry, so she’s not piggybacking on any.”
“You think she tried to make contact by nearly killing you? That would be just like her.”
Just on the off chance…Adam called out directly through his ATD. Arieel, are you there?
Adam! It is about time!
Sherri and Riyad saw him suddenly sit up straighter and his smile grow wide. Sherri cocked her head at him, questioning.
He nodded and then opened the ATD to the other two. Go ahead, Arieel. Sherri and Riyad are now tied in. Where are you?
At the edge of the array site, coming up from the south.
Now all their eyes grew wide. What are you doing here?
I came with Andy and three of his colleagues. We are so profoundly happy to find you alive—all of you.
Is Ophelia with you? Riyad asked.
No, but her location is known. She will be recovered as we depart.
So what’s the plan?
One moment. Arieel was off the air as she consulted with Admiral Tobias. Do you know your location?
We’re in the large gray hangar, the largest one in the complex. Toward the back, with eight guards staring at us at all times.
Wait one moment. When she spoke again, she had more information. Andy says they are going to place explosives before coming to rescue you. If successful, the explosions will mask our other efforts.
Good idea. Hurry, though. We’re living on borrowed time as it is.
********
The joy was evident on all the faces of the rescue team. They now moved toward the first huge tower with renewed purpose and urgency.
True to expectations, there were few guards around the site. With the Human fleet now moving away from the area and the advanced team in captivity, there was very little need to waste alien-power on static efforts like security. These workers could now be tasked with more important duties.
Yet even as relatively easy the approach had been, as the team now huddled against one of the massive humming stanchions to the first tower, they looked small and insignificant next to the huge structure. The tower was in operation, and as Andy looked at the ten backpacks of explosives they carried—two each—he couldn’t imagine them making even a dent in the gargantuan tower. Adam had told him how he had disrupted the other array by sabotaging a generator room. Yet if it hadn’t been for the fortuitous arrival of the Union fleet, the aliens would have been set back only a day or so before repairs were made. There was no such backup coming this time.
Andy wanted to make more of an impact than a day’s delay.
Just then, the team was distracted by a brilliant flash in the sky. They looked up to see a huge swath of shimmering white floating far above them which appeared to be crawling with tiny black dots, like ants on a white picnic blanket. The tiny dots began to form up and speed off from the canvas, disappearing into the blackness of space as they did so.
These were alien spacecraft passing through the portal, and from the looks of it, at least twenty had just arrived. Now the door shut again, presumably to recharge before the next shipment.
Master Chief Timmons poked Andy in the side. When he turned, the chief pointed up at the tower. “Look up there. It looks like an access door. We’ll cause a lot more damage if we can place the charges inside the tower rather than on the outside.”
“That’s pretty far up there, Chief.”
“I’ll take the kid with me and four of the packs. The ladder leading up there is shielded most of the way. We should be able to get there unseen.”
“Watch out for those nodes. They glow when the portal’s open. Owens and I will take the other tower.” He turned to Arieel. “No argument this time. Make your way over by the hangar and wait for us there. Stay in touch with Adam however you do that, and with us by traditional means. Give me your pack.”
Arieel obeyed without question, and soon Timmons and Loreto were scampering up the tower while Tobias and George Owens dodged light sources on the way to the next tower, a good mile away. In the light gravity of the planet, they made excellent time—when they could. Between avoiding alien workers and vast swaths of light, their going was slower than expected. Reaching the tower, Andy took his monocular and checked on the progress of the other team. Timmons and Loreto had just reached the access door and were about to enter. Now Andy and Owens began to climb their tower.
Arieel made it to the dark side of the hangar without a problem, and crouched down between two rows of huge metal plates, stacked almost twenty feet high. She called out to Adam.
Andy and the others are attempting to place explosives inside two of the towers. They may be delayed longer in coming to your rescue.
At first Adam didn’t answer, and when he finally did, he sounded distracted.
Are you in danger? Arieel asked.
Something’s come up. Stay where you are. The Sol-Kor leader is here with us now.
Are you in imminent danger?
Not the kind you think. It looks like we’re about to take a trip.
********
“That’s righ
t!” Vosmin was saying. “I have received permission to take the three of you to my universe. That way my Queen will get to see Human meat while it is still alive. She has been quite curious as to reasons for the delays I’ve encountered, and the Human strain has become known to her. Now you may actually have the great honor of becoming part of the essence of the Queen herself. I do not believe you to be worthy, but that is not for me to say.”
“When does this roadtrip happen?” Adam asked.
“Why, now of course. There is a charging taking place. We will catch the next one. Guard…bring them.”
“Will there be any food aboard the ship. We’re starving?” Sherri asked.
“Food? Of course there will be food aboard. You will be there.” Vosmin smiled at his own lame attempt at humor. “Yet in seriousness, I will now keep you alive long enough to meet the Queen.”
Arieel! They’re moving us out and to a waiting starship. Can you get word to Andy?
Yes, but he is far from here. What can we do?
Destroy the array, or do something to shut it down. They’re taking us to their universe.
You cannot allow that!
No kidding. Tell Andy to hurry up or else we’ll be gone for good.
Arieel looked around the stacks of metal plates to see at least fifty Sol-Kor leaving the front of the huge hangar. It was growing dark, and the Humans were lost in the mass of eight-foot tall aliens.
Arieel activated her throat comm and told Andy of Adam’s status. He replied that setting off the charges was the only way to stop the Sol-Kor from taking them through the portal. Arieel now leaned against the cold metal side of the hangar and waited with bated breath for the Humans to finish with their task; however, she jumped to her feet again when she heard a loud hum from the front of the hangar. She looked around just in time to see a saucer-shaped craft lift smoothly off the surface of the planet and speed off into space.
Adam, can you hear me?
Barely. We’re on board. I hope Andy doesn’t take much longer.
I will check his progress.
She triggered the throat comm. “Andy, they have taken off!”
“The last of our charges are set. We just need to get down from here. I’m out the door.”
Arieel could see the tower Andy was on from where she was. She lifted her own monocular and scanned the distant structure, looking for any signs of the Human. There he was, hands and feet cupping opposite sides of the impossibly long tower ladder and sliding down at incredible speed. The other Human—she forgot his name—was right above him and engaged in the same extremely dangerous maneuver.
And then she heard Andy’s voice in her ear. “Timmons, if you’re clear, blow your tower. That should be enough to stop the transit. I’ll blow mine just to muck up the works even more.”
“Roger that, sir. I’m clear. Loreto is still on the tower. One of those aliens just entered the access door. He’s going back up to investigate.”
“Loreto, get out of there!” Adam ordered. “That alien bastard won’t be able to find all the charges. We can still detonate.”
“He sees me, Admiral,” the voice of Jacob Loreto was heard saying. “I’m taking a shot. Target down. I’m returning to the ladder. Shit! Four more just came out of the room. How’d we miss them, Chief?”
“Are you covered?”
“For now. They see me and are moving into position.”
“I’m going back up,” Timmons said.
“Negative, Timmons. There isn’t time. Loreto, can you neutralize the targets?”
“That’s a negative, sir. They’ve taken cover and are calling for backup. Timmons, watch your six.”
“I see ‘em. They’re headed for the ladder.”
“Blow the tower, Chief!” Loreto cried out. “I’m a lost cause.”
“Admiral, your call.”
“Arieel, where are they?”
“I don’t know. They are out of range.”
“Blow the tower, Admiral. If not, then I’m charging these bastards. I’ll take some with me before I’m taken down.”
“Dammit, Jake, I hate to do this.”
“It’s all right, Andy. It’s been an honor serving with you—with all of you. Now blow this thing so we can go home.”
“Timmons…it’s a go.”
Andy nearly retched when he saw the angry mass of roiling fire explode from the access door of the distant tower. This was on one of the three legs of the mast. They were hoping that by severing the leg, the entire tower would lose its structural integrity. If not, then hopefully the damage caused inside the leg would shut down the tower and disrupt the operation of the array.
The explosion did make any impression, yet it was slow to materialize. Over half of the leg was now severed by large, protruding and jagged pieces of metal. Secondary explosions could be seen and heard popping within the structure. Several of the glowing nodes began to wink out, climbing higher and higher up this leg of the tower.
“The humming’s growing weaker, Admiral,” Timmons reported. “Looks like this one is going offline.”
“Good job. Now get to cover over with Arieel. Owens is almost down. I’m setting off my charge in about thirty seconds.”
********
Adam had lost contact with Arieel. Long distance calls on the ATD were limited to hitching rides on existing CW comm links, of which there were none in the area. They were in space now and bolting toward an area of impossible wavy white light in the blackness. The Klin portal had consisted of only brief flashes of dimensional light, while the Sol-Kor could create a much larger portal and keep it open longer.
They were on the bridge of the alien mainship, shackled to a bulkhead with two guards watching over them. Even though he couldn’t communicate with Arieel on the planet, he could with Sherri and Riyad.
It’s now or never, he spoke in their minds.
They haven’t left us much choice. I believe I can break my chain to the wall. How about you?
Sherri and Adam look at Riyad and nodded. I can’t break mine, but the wrist cuff is too big, Sherri thought. Looks like I can slip out.
Do we go for the whole ship, or beat feet for the rear launch bay? Riyad asked.
I say we take command of the bridge, Adam replied. That way we can control all parts of the ship. My chain is separating, but that one bastard is staring at me funny. I think he suspects something.
Sure enough, one of the guards stood up from his seat and stepped closer to Adam. His weapon was nearly at Adam’s belly when the Sol-Kor leaned over his shoulder to view the restraints. That was when Adam moved.
He brought his now-freed hand from behind him and grasped the blunt barrel of the rifle. In a flash, he had it twisted around and pressed against the belly of the alien. The creature looked him in the eye, before reaching down and attempting to wrest the weapon from Adam’s grip. That’s when the rifle discharged. It was set on its projectile setting, and the unknown caliber cartridge blew out the alien’s entire midsection, effectively cutting him in half.
Blood sprayed across the bridge, bathing the twelve crewmembers in the sticky, red liquid. Adam leveled the weapon at the second guard. The beast regarded him for the split second after his partner was eviscerated, before he lifted his own weapon with a savage look on his face. Adam didn’t give him a chance to get it more than an inch off his lap before his weapon sounded again.
By now everyone on the bridge was reacting to the chaos at the rear of the room. To the surprise of the Humans, it seemed every damn Sol-Kor was armed, even the pilot. Free of their restraints, the trio dove for the deck just as the bulkhead behind them was pitted by a couple of dozen red hot shells from the alien guns.
Riyad had grabbed the weapon from the dead second guard and was firing indiscriminately into the forward section of the bridge. He wasn’t hitting anyone, but he was causing them to keep their heads down. Then the left section of the forward viewport cracked, sending tinny-sounding splinters snaking across the glass. Alarms sound
ed and a heavy metal security barrier fell from the ceiling to secure the breach.
The door behind them suddenly swished open and four more Sol-Kor entered headlong with weapons ready. From his position on the deck, Adam was missed by these new arrivals, at least in the split second it took him to cut their legs out from under them with a spread of rifle fire.
“Out the door!” Adam ordered. “Go!”
Sherri was the first through, followed on her back by Adam. The pair collapsed to the deck just as the security door to the bridge snapped shut. They jumped to their feet and began pounding on the door. No one was in the corridor outside the bridge, so they checked doorjambs and other walls for the controls that would reopen the door. They couldn’t find any.
Riyad, can you see any controls on your side? Adam screamed through his ATD.
Negative, seems to be an automatic pressure door. Probably needs a computer override to open.
Adam stepped back, and when Sherri saw what he was about to do, she dove for the deck to her left. The bullets ricocheted off the heavy metal door without even leaving dents, sending potentially dangerous shards of lead bouncing about the corridor.
“Hey, that’s not helping!” Sherri cried out loud. “Behind you!”
Adam fell forward, rolling on his shoulder before righting himself on one knee and aiming the alien rifle down the corridor. Three more Sol-Kor had come to investigate the disturbance on the bridge. Their weapons were still in their holsters, at least initially. Seeing the two Humans they went for their weapons. Adam cut them down with two short bursts.
Riyad, can you take out the bridge crew on your own?
Doubtful. They’ve taken cover, and as far as I can tell from a meter on the side of the rifle, I’m down to about a quarter load. Get out of here while you can. I can’t see through the viewport anymore, but the monitors are showing that we’re almost to that big white window in space.
Don’t be crazy, Riyad, we’re not leaving you, Sherri said. Just give us a minute to figure something out.