Alec raised his hand in a wave, but he let himself into his cabin without looking back.
“All right.” Lyndsey clapped her hands together. “David, tell me you’re close to getting the comms back online.”
David Brandt took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. “I don’t know why we stopped, but we’re still too close to that goddamned hill. This magnetic field…I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m not sure it’s even natural.”
Lyndsey raised her eyebrows. “You think someone up on that hill might be jamming our signals?”
“I can’t say for sure. We’re working on a way to get around the problem, but…” He grimaced
“Not looking good?”
“Give me half an hour,” David said. “By then I’ll have something to tell you, one way or the other.”
“We don’t have half an hour. Something’s up and I need to keep in touch with the whole fleet.”
David nodded. “We’ll do our best. If we had Alec to help—”
“That’s not possible,” Lyndsey interrupted. “Alec’s going over to establish contact with Kyrksen directly, and then I’m going to need him on the ground—he’s the only one with military experience.” She paused to let her implication sink in. “I’m going to go and get ready in my cabin. If anything changes, call me right away.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
In her cabin, Lyndsey sat heavily on her bed and put her head in her hands. She wasn’t trained for this. She was a scientist for God’s sake. Some of the pilots liked to play soldiers, but Alec was the only one who’d seen active duty. Maybe I should’ve kept him inside, she thought. I might need his advice. But it was too late to change her mind. “Necessity,” she muttered, “is the mother of all disasters.” She sat up and thumped her bed with both fists. Goddammit! This attitude would get her nowhere. She was in charge of this mission, and she needed to step up to the plate.
She reached under her bed and pulled out a sleek metal box, lifting it onto her lap. She flipped the catches and opened the lid in one motion, then she slid out her personal sidearm: a plasma pistol. “Now this,” she whispered, “this, I do have the training for.” She turned the sleek gun over in her hands, checking the settings and the magazine of plasma casings, then she took the fuel cell from its padded compartment in the box and slotted it home. She thumbed the switch, and the pistol emitted a faint hum as it ran through its diagnostics. It beeped once, and Lyndsey smiled; all was as it should be.
She grabbed her holster from the wall cupboard and strapped it around her waist, then she slotted the weapon home and headed back into the main compartment. Alec should be back soon. It was time to get ready.
She went to the metal cabinet near the back of the compartment and tapped in the combination to unlock it. Inside the cabinet, she found the body armor she needed and began to strap the black, padded vest over her coverall. When they’d left Earth, the body armor had been the latest in reactive gel technology and was proof against sonic, plasma, and projectile weapons. She was just checking that the straps were all correctly adjusted when she heard the unmistakable sound of someone clambering up the external ladder that led to the truck’s rear door. Lyndsey stood stock still, listening to the outer door opening then slamming shut. It would be Alec; it had to be. But even so, she slid her pistol from its holster.
“Doctor Teare—” David started, but Lyndsey held up her hand to cut him off.
The decontamination cubicle began its work, and the hiss and whisper of the cleansing sprays echoed through the compartment. The sprays wheezed into silence, and Lyndsey felt the floor panels vibrate beneath her feet as the dedicated electromagnetic field generator spun into action, creating a carefully shaped EM field in the cubicle.
Lyndsey went to the bank of monitors on the right of the cubicle and checked the EM levels were okay. The field had to be strong enough to realign the metallic molecules of the nanobots that lay within each cell of the organism that crept across the landscape outside. The field didn’t destroy the nanobots, but it rendered them inactive, rendering the organism harmless. Good. All systems were nominal. The noise rose to a warbling whine, then stuttered and wound down to a gentle hum.
Lyndsey turned to face the door, standing up straight, her hands on her hips, and when Alec stepped in, even though his face was completely hidden by his helmet’s visor, Lyndsey could guess at his expression. Alec hesitated on the threshold, standing perfectly still, then his head tilted as he looked Lyndsey up and down.
Lyndsey kept her expression serious, her eyes cold, but inside, she smiled.
Alec removed his helmet and took a deep breath. He stared at Lyndsey, his pupils dilated, and said, “Doctor Teare, you look, er, ready for action.”
“You’re damned right,” Lyndsey said. “Ready for anything.” They stood in silence for a moment. Alec opened his mouth to speak but Lyndsey didn’t give him the chance. “You saw Kyrksen? What did he have to say?”
Alec nodded then cleared his throat. “It took him a while to let me into his precious domain. Said he was checking the decontamination, but—”
“Never mind that,” Lyndsey cut in. “What’s going on? Has he seen something?”
“Yes. There’s someone out on the hill. Looks like they’re wearing an EVA suit. And you’re not going to like this, but whoever this person is, he’s armed.”
Lyndsey’s hand flew to her chin. “What with? Are we safe here?”
“Just a hand gun. Maybe a sonic weapon. We’re out of his effective range, so no need to worry just yet. But…”
“What?”
“Looks like he knows what he’s doing. He took a few shots at the advance drone. Hit it too. The damned thing just limped back—I saw it go to Crissy’s truck.”
“So, what do we do?” Lyndsey asked. “What’s your recommendation? Do we approach him, or just head out of here?”
Alec pursed his lips. “As far as the mission’s parameters go, I can’t see any advantage to meeting with these people. They’re unlikely to help us, they’ll put us behind schedule, and if they engage us in a firefight, there’s a risk to our crew.”
“But, what if they’re in trouble? What if they need our help?”
“There’s something else I need to tell you,” Alec said. “They’ve built a wall around the hill. It’s a solid structure, maybe eight feet high. Could be defensive.”
“So you think they’re not exactly going to roll out a welcome mat.”
Alec gave her a grim smile. “There’s a definite possibility that these people will see us as a threat. This guy in the suit could be some kind of advance party or a scout. But when the drone showed up, he didn’t signal for help, he shot the damned thing to hell and sent it packing.”
“I don’t know,” Lyndsey said. “It doesn’t feel right to pass by. I mean, how are these people even surviving up there? Do they need food, water, medical supplies?”
“I thought you might say that,” Alec said. “So here’s a plan. We approach slowly, but we put some people on the ground—show them we’re human. We’ll go forward together, and we’ll stay outside the range of their handguns.”
“Armed?”
“Hell yes. We can’t put our people in harm’s way without their rifles.”
Lyndsey hesitated. “If we threaten these people, we don’t know how they’ll react.”
“True, but we have to show them we mean business. And nobody’s talking about starting a fight here. Our people will just be carrying their weapons while they walk, that’s all.”
“Let me think about it. I’m not—” And her words were cut short by the piercing shriek of electronic feedback.
David Brandt leaped to his feet and hit a switch on the wall, killing the noise instantly, and when he turned to Lyndsey, his face was alive with excitement. “I’ve done it! I’ve broken through.”
Lyndsey dashed to his side, and Alec followed, still hampered by his suit. “You’ve got comms back?” Lyndsey asked.
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“Yes,” David replied. “We found a frequency we could use and rerouted the signal through the auxiliary antenna.”
“Good work,” Alec said. “Can we get the other trucks online?”
David grinned. “They’ll have got that burst of feedback. It was louder than I intended, but it should’ve got everyone’s attention. They’ll check the signal, and then they’ll realize what I did.”
“So, is it ready to use?”
“In theory,” David said, “if the equipment holds up, I can give you two channels—one for the trucks and one for the helmet intercoms.” He handed Lyndsey an old-fashioned headset complete with trailing cable. “You’ll need this”
“Thanks.” Lyndsey slid the headset on and adjusted the boom microphone.
“Give the other trucks a second to figure it out,” Alec put in. “They’ll need to switch a few settings before we can talk.”
“Sure.” Lyndsey bit her bottom lip and started counting to ten, but she’d only got as far as six when her headphones crackled and Jackson’s voice came through the static: “Truck one, this is truck four. Can you hear me?”
“Yes, truck four. This is Doctor Teare. Do we have any other trucks online? Call in now.”
“About time!” There was no mistaking Kyrksen’s voice. “Truck two here. What’s the plan? Are you ready to take some goddamned action?”
Lyndsey glanced at Alec, and he gave her a nod. “All right. All trucks, this is Doctor Teare. You should all have your security details ready. Deploy them now. Don’t touchdown, use the ladders. And tell them to take up defensive positions. No firing unless I give the order. Repeat, no firing unless I say so. Please confirm.”
“I need my techs to stay here and get our surveillance feeds back up,” Kyrksen said. “I’ll send my co-pilot, Clennan.”
“Understood,” Lyndsey replied.
Blaney’s voice cut in. “Truck three. Confirmed. Detail deploying now.”
“Yeah, this is Jackson in truck four. They’re on their way.”
“Lara in Truck six. Confirmed. Security detail disembarking now”
Lyndsey waited to hear from Crissy in truck five, but there was only a hiss of static in her headset. Crissy’s team were specialists in maintaining and deploying the drones. It was a specialist skill-set, so perhaps they hadn’t been able to figure out the new comms setup. She muted her microphone and spoke quietly to Alec. “We have people deploying from trucks three, four, and six. Plus the co-pilot from truck two. But we can’t reach truck five.”
“That’s plenty,” Alec said. “I’ll be out there, and I’ll take your techs.”
Lyndsey nodded. “You heard the man, suit up everybody. I’ll pilot the truck.”
All three technicians jumped to their feet and hurried to the back of the compartment. Lyndsey looked Alec in the eye. “Be careful out there.”
Alec threw her a mock salute. “Goes without saying. I’ll let you know when we’re ready, then all you have to do is take her forward nice and slow.”
Lyndsey held his gaze for a moment. “Just do one thing for me before you go.”
“Sure. What do you need?”
“Test your intercom. I want to make sure you can hear me out there.”
Alec smiled. “All right.” He clicked his helmet into place, and in the dimly lit cabin, the image intensifiers in his visor glowed, lending him the eyes of a demon.
“David, switch me over to the intercom.” Lyndsey watched carefully while the tech changed the channel, then she activated her microphone. “Are you picking this up okay, Alec?”
“It’s all good. And you can hear me?”
“Loud and clear. Tell me when you’re on the ground.”
“No problem,” Alec said and headed over to join the techs who were already suiting up at the back of the truck. “Check your suits folks. I want every seal cross-checked. And make sure your rifles are in safe mode before you step on the ladder. If I catch you disembarking with an unsecured weapon I’ll redeploy you to truck two for a month.”
The techs laughed, and Lyndsey took a breath. Alec was in his element; he knew how to gently cajole a team into action. But it had been a long time since he’d seen active service. If the situation on the ground deteriorated, would he be able to handle it? Would he listen to her orders, or would he insist on doing things his own way?
She watched him checking David’s suit, patiently correcting the cuffs. He’s a good leader, she told herself. I should trust him.
She unplugged her headset from the console, took one last look at Alec and the techs, then headed for the cockpit. It was almost time to move out.
CHAPTER 13
Truck One
IN THE PILOT’S SEAT OF TRUCK ONE, Lyndsey plugged in her headset and activated the comms panel, selecting the helmet intercom. “Alec, can you hear me okay?”
She listened to the shush of static on the line, and then: “That’s fine, Doctor Teare. I’m on the ground and our team is disembarking now.”
She hesitated. “Any trouble? Any sign of activity on the hill?”
“Not as far as I can see. Check with Kyrksen.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that in a second.”
“Okay, we’re ready,” Alec said. “Take the truck straight ahead. Keep her slow and maintain height.”
“Moving ahead now.” Lyndsey slid the throttle up gently, and with a hum from the engines, the truck glided forward. She checked the display panels; everything looked good.
Lyndsey flipped the comms channel to speak to the other trucks. “Kyrksen, this is truck one.”
The reply came instantly: “Yes, yes, Kyrksen here. I’ve got them on the scope. I can see them right now.”
“Slow down, Kyrksen,” Lyndsey said. “Tell me what you’ve got.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do,” Kyrksen snapped. “Listen. I followed the man on the hill and he’s definitely not alone. I’ve seen the others. They’re trying to keep out of sight, but they’re out there. Four of them. Suited up.”
“Four?” Lyndsey asked. “You’re sure?”
“Yes, goddammit. I told you. They’re watching us. They’ll just be the first line of defense. There’ll be others.”
Lyndsey frowned. “You don’t know that, Kyrksen. You’ve seen four people, so stick to the facts. Are they staying behind their wall?”
“Yes,” Kyrksen admitted. “But they’ve taken cover and secured a vantage point. They’ve got us in their sights.”
“Are they armed?”
“Wait a second, I’ve got my techs analyzing the images.” Lyndsey could hear Kyrksen muttering and the tapping of keys. “We can’t see rifles or larger weapons, but at least two of them have hand guns. I don’t like it. They could have other weapons up there—grenades, mortars, anything. We should take them out while we can. You need to tell our people to open fire.”
Lyndsey pursed her lips and let her hand rest on the pistol at her side. Kyrksen was too damned jumpy. He needed to get a grip. Thank God she hadn’t sent him out onto the ground.
Lyndsey took a breath and released it slowly. What would Alec say?
Kyrksen’s voice interrupted her thoughts: “Come on, Teare! Tell them to open fire!”
“No,” Lyndsey snapped. “I disagree with your assessment, Kyrksen. I’ve seen no hostile intent, so we maintain a defensive position.”
“They shot a drone.”
“So what? They didn’t know what it was. It must’ve looked like a weapon to them—I’d have done the same. Your job is to monitor them, Kyrksen. Keep them on the scope and report back.”
Blaney came on the line: “Doctor Teare is right, Kyrksen. You’re jumping to conclusions.”
“Yeah, Jackson here, and you have my full support, Doctor Teare.”
“Lara here. It’s your call, Doc. We’ll back you up.”
“Thank you,” Lyndsey said. “No word from Crissy yet?”
“No,” Blaney replied. “I’d guess they’re working flat out to ge
t the drones back under control. But truck five is keeping in line with the fleet, so they’ll figure out what’s going on. They’ll see the folks on the ground soon.”
“Okay,” Lyndsey said. “I’m switching channels now, I need to keep in touch with Alec and our people on the ground. Stand by.” She changed the channel to broadcast to the helmet intercom system. “This is Doctor Teare. Be aware that we have spotted four people up on the hill. They are armed with hand guns, but that doesn’t mean they represent a threat. Kyrksen will monitor them on the scope at all times and I’ll keep you informed. But listen carefully, you must not open fire unless you get an order from me or Alec.” She paused. “However, if we see rifles or heavy weapons, or if they come over that wall, we will have no choice but to respond. I will not allow them to fire on us or to approach the trucks. If they engage or become a threat, I will give the order to fire. Teare out.”
Lyndsey sat back in her chair and stared out through the windshield, watching the crew march forward. Some strode confidently, perhaps buoyed up by excitement, their weapons held ready; others looked hesitant, their heads turning nervously from side to side, their rifles held in one hand. And a tight knot of fear formed in her stomach. Was she doing the right thing? What if she made a mistake? What if something went wrong or some tiny, unexpected variable came into play? What then?
People could die, she told herself. And if that happens, it will all be on me. She thought of Jeanie, Blaney’s partner, and remembered her smile, her infectious laugh. A simple mistake, a rifle not set up correctly for a training exercise, had been enough to end her life. She’d jumped down from the ladder without putting her weapon into safe mode, and without holding the damned thing correctly. Her rifle had discharged, blasting a plasma shell into her leg. By the time they’d put her through the decontamination cubicle, she’d gone into shock, and with their limited medical facilities, they’d been unable to save her.
What a waste, Lyndsey thought. What a goddamned waste.
“Doctor Teare, this is Alec.”
“Yes. I’m here, Alec. What’s up?”
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