Triton: The Descendants War Book 1

by John Walker

  “You’ll get the extra,” Corso said. “There’s a specific mindset we’re looking for.”

  “I’ll beat whatever mindset is required into these people. Anyway. Come on. I’m taking you to the range. We’ll shoot some things while we’re in transit. The armor fits pretty much the same but has some additional benefits you won’t notice until you’re shot. Other than that, if you can see, you’ll be sufficient for the cause.”

  “Welcome aboard,” Corso said. “And good luck.”

  Seriously feel like we’re going to need it, Tiller thought. New gear… strange parts on the ship… Aliens. Jesus. He looked at Vesper. She didn’t appear to be remotely moved by the situation. In fact, he knew her expression well. Excitement. Yep. This is right up her alley. I’ll have to catch up.

  “Gunny,” Vesper said, “are we at war? I mean, shouldn’t there be a formal declaration? Something the people know about?”

  “We’re at damage control,” Gunny replied. “And we’d cause a hell of a lot more damage if we blurted this out to the public. Didn’t you take some astral… nonsense class?”

  “Astral philosophy,” Vesper replied, “yes, sir. I did.”

  “Then you know better than I do how people would react to this type of information, am I right? They’re not ready. Frankly, no one’s ready for it. Half our crew freaked out during the confirmation and that was after aliens saved our lives. Most of them have come around. Those who didn’t…”

  “What?” Tiller asked. “What happened to them?”

  “They’re assigned to the station out here,” Gunny replied. “Where they can come to terms with what they know without compromising everything. Like I said, we’re not ready to share this yet. High command’s working on it. Right now, we’ve got another job to do. And that job is to be ready.”

  Vesper held up her hand. “For what, exactly?”

  “This time? We’re not entirely sure. There’s a distress call, we’re answering it.”

  “But if we don’t know what it’s about,” Tiller said, “then why are we going instead of some other ship? Like… a destroyer?”

  “We’re the only vessel that can get there fast enough.” Gunny looked at him. “Why? You got better things to do?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Then let’s focus on getting you up to speed with our gear. I hesitate to call it a crash course but there’s no better way to say it. I’m giving you an hour and a half on the guns before you get settled in and relax the rest of the trip. We’ll be down in the hangar ready for departure after that. Any questions you have, save them for Hans. Alright. Here we are.”

  He figured he wouldn’t have long to be freaked out. Certainly not when the Gunny started working them. At least I’ll sleep well tonight. Providing we survive. That cheery thought felt like the perfect step for his first assignment. Well. No boredom. That was the hope. And I got what I wanted. For good or ill.

  Chapter 11

  Niva continued browsing through the stolen Kahl data, looking for anything of real value. Besides the fact Renz had gone on some secret mission, everything looked fairly standard. Intelligence would be happy to get it. They could plan additional operations. Griel would remain fixed on his personal target.

  Even if we can’t find him.

  The decrypted data did not have a destination. That surprised Molush more than anyone. He was accustomed to the predictability of Kahl administration. It frustrated him enough to triple check the data to see if something had been corrupted. She let him go off on the tangent. It kept him busy.

  A message came in from the Triton. That’s odd. “Commander, I’m picking up a message from the humans. They’re reaching out to us.”

  “We’re on our way there now,” Griel said, “what could they possibly want? Go ahead and answer.”

  “This is the Brekka,” Niva said, “please respond.”

  “Hi, Niva,” Violet replied. “I’ve been instructed to let you know we’re on our way to a planet called Cordal Three. We picked up a distress call. Captain Barnes thinks it would be good if we got your assistance.”

  “Allow me to look at the chart.” Niva brought the planet up. They called it System Three Two Two. An uninhabited world on the edge of nowhere. Surveys put it down as a desirable but difficult prospect for exploitation, primarily because of how far off it was from established trade routes. “Who is sending this message?”

  “Our people,” Violet replied. “Archaeologists… those are scientists who research old cultures.”

  “And let me guess. Your ship is the only one capable of getting there in a reasonable time frame.”

  “Correct.”

  “One moment.” Niva explained everything to Griel. “They would like our assistance.”

  “We were on our way to them anyway,” Griel replied. “Send the coordinates to Authen. Get us there as quickly as possible. I’m glad they’re out here. We can start our hunt for Renz together.”

  Niva rolled her eyes. “We’re on our way, Violet. Please let your captain know to expect us in…” She did the calculation. “Roughly twenty minutes after you arrive it appears.”

  “Thank you. We’ll talk soon.”

  Molush grunted. “There’s nothing wrong with this data. It’s accurate.” He rubbed his eyes. “Are we about to get into another battle?”

  Niva shrugged. “I can’t say.”

  “I seriously doubt it,” Griel jumped in. “No one’s bothering with this planet. What’s the deal anyway?”

  “It’s got potential,” Niva replied. “Mining opportunities and the like, but it’s too far away. Database suggests it may have been the site of ancient cultures. Unfortunately the war has cut off such research.”

  “Except for the humans, apparently.” Molush frowned. “I hope they’re okay. Who knows what they might’ve found? Some indigenous culture may be present… creatures descendant from others.”

  “Okay,” Griel interrupted, “let’s not speculate about monsters, okay? That’s just… counterproductive. Besides, the survey team didn’t talk about anything dangerous. They probably just broke down out there. You saw their equipment. Before we got involved, it would take them a week to get there from the nearest colony.”

  I have a feeling it’s more than that. Niva didn’t know why. Instinct warned her they were walking into something big. I’m not going to be the one to say it. Two ships would be more than sufficient to handle anything they ran up against. Especially at such a remote location.

  What culture would send more than a couple vessels? Not us, apparently. Niva went back to her research. No point in speculating. We’ll see soon enough.

  ***

  Niesh stood near the center of the room while his people searched for the maintenance passage. He knew enough about the structures to understand that the doors were always well hidden, concealed as part of the wall. They didn’t stick out, didn’t break up the decorative nature of the temples.

  “I think we found it!” A voice drew his attention. “It appears to be locked.”

  “Oh?” Niesh stepped close. “Magnetic?”

  “Negative. It jiggles enough that it must be a physical obstruction.”

  That’s very old. Kahl structures utilized magnetics to secure passages for the last two hundred years. They improved only in how one accessed them and their strength. The only way we’re getting through here is to blast it. He hated the idea of damaging such a priceless find but it could be blamed on those who broke in.

  “You three,” Niesh stood back, “take aim and fire along the seam from top to bottom. This is just standard stone. It’ll crack quickly enough.”

  The soldiers hesitated albeit briefly before complying with the order. Their weapons barked as they tore into the stonework, tossing tiny pebbles in various directions. A few clattered off Niesh’s armor, even at twenty paces. The process didn’t take long before they drew back.

  Molten rock dripped to the floor as the door yawned open. An ancient bolt had been used
to lock it. That’s a piece of evidence suggesting they definitely came this way. He waved at the men to enter. “Hurry. Be sure to check for any signs of passage. Use your scanners. We’re heading toward the reactor.”

  As his soldiers piled into the hallway, Niesh spoke to Kivda. “We found the maintenance tunnel and are heading in. It was locked from the other side. Which might have been done years ago but I highly doubt it. I’ll report when we reach the command room or the reactor space.”

  “Good,” Kivda replied. “We’re making a sweep over the area. We passed over their camp. It does not look big. I suspect we’re dealing with no more than three individuals. The ship itself was pretty small as well. Our forces might even be overkill for taking them down. Though don’t forget, numeric superiority isn’t a guarantee.”

  “Understood.” Niesh followed the others into the tunnel. He didn’t like the way Kivda started to sound like General Renz, reminding people of things they clearly knew. The commander spent entirely too much time with the pompous ass. Just because he was the Lord Marshal’s son, he acted like he had divine rights.

  Like he should be worshipped. Niesh hated him from the moment he took the position under Kivda. He and his men enjoyed privileges other military personnel did not but that was a small consolation to dealing with the arrogance of their leaders. And of course their insistence that they needed to be personally involved in every operation.

  High command like that gets in the way more often than they help.

  Those in the front came to a T intersection. Niesh had them halt, checking for scans again. This time, they picked something up. An odd life reading, one he hadn’t seen before but it closely resembled the Prytins. He directed them to take the left to follow them. They definitely went this way.

  “Kivda,” Niesh lingered behind the others. “We may be dealing with Prytin treachery here.”

  “What?” Kivda sighed. “That… doesn’t make sense. We were under the impression this was a different threat. Not them. What are they doing here?”

  “Daring to tamper with our culture,” Niesh replied. “I’m in pursuit of the direction they went. It’s fairly obvious we’ll catch up shortly. It’s just a matter of…” An explosion cut him off. A bright flash lit the passage but his helmet dimmed to prevent him from being dazzled. One of the men ahead began screaming.

  “What was that?” Kivda asked. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” Niesh shoved his way to the front. One of his men writhed on the ground, clinging to the stump where his leg had been blown off just below the knee. That’s… unexpected. The boobytrap must’ve gone off within inches of him to cause so much harm. “Our quarry knew we were chasing them.”

  “Did you lose a man?”

  “Leg blown off.” Niesh motioned at one of his soldiers. “Get him out of here and apply aid when you reach the surface. The rest of you, continue the pursuit but take care. They may have more such tricks. We’re proceeding, Kivda.”

  “Alright. I still do not have these criminals on scan, but I’ll let the general know what you discovered.”

  If this isn’t our own people, then why do they have such old technology? Niesh let the others go ahead, grateful he hadn’t been leading the way. He’d been too distracted, enough so that it would’ve been his leg torn from his body. They’re survivors but aren’t willing to face us. Kivda was right about their numbers. The cowards are up to their normal ways.

  Guerrilla fighting had always been how the Prytins approached situations if they could help it. They rarely had the courage to stand toe to toe against Kahl might. He wondered if they expected a response. If so, why not bring additional soldiers? No, this stunk of opportunists hoping for some kind of reward.

  Common criminals. I think the general won’t be pleased when we capture them. They aren’t going to contribute to whatever objective he hoped for. Fact of the matter is we’ll be lucky if they allow themselves to be taken. Prytin saboteurs and guerrillas had a surprisingly easy time committing suicide when faced with capture.

  Niesh didn’t necessarily blame them. Considering what we will do to them, it may be a coward’s way out but at least they’re loyal to their cause. Some suggested it made them dangerous. To him, it simply meant they took care of his problems for him.

  ***

  Kyle grabbed Lysa’s arm as the floor vibrated. A distant boom echoed through the hall, a sound that resonated through the walls. Half a second passed where he thought he might’ve been hearing things. He leaned close to his partner, whispering “Did you hear that?”

  “Yeah, the grenade?” Lysa shivered. “Christ. They’re getting closer.”

  “We’d better pick up the pace. How far have we gone?”

  “Half a mile,” Lysa replied, “a little more than.”

  “And how far do you think we are from… whatever? Anything at all?”

  “Can’t say.” Lysa started moving again. She gestured to the tablet. “Energy readings are increasing. We have to be getting closer to the reactor. Or at least something like it. A relay station maybe. I don’t know. Power junction boxes… generators. Whatever it is, I hope we can blow it up. That’ll cover our tracks in a major way.”

  Kyle kept pace. “Don’t you think we need a way out of here before we destroy things?”

  Lysa didn’t respond. That wasn’t a good sign. She generally had some retort whenever he questioned her ideas. The fact she didn’t bothered him on several levels, not the least of which came down to a sense that the people pursuing them didn’t seem like they had interest in prisoners.

  Meaning we might die in a horrible explosion or at the hands of these weirdos. The difference between those two might involve torture. I’m speculating though out here in the middle of nowhere, it’s impossible to know how deranged someone might be. After all, they shot at our ship before even trying to talk.

  In his military days, none of their opponents had acted in such an overtly psychotic manner. Terrorists had demands or at least a cause they wanted to broadcast. These guys… wait a minute. A thought struck him suddenly. Why hadn’t they reached out to the enemy? Tried to hail them.

  “What if this is an insane misunderstanding?”

  “You mean that they accidentally blew up our ship? Something like that?”

  “I mean what if they’re under the impression we’re some kind of trespassers? That we’re pillagers? There might be custodians of this planet. What if we could talk to them? Work this out like civilized beings?”

  “Okay,” Lysa held up her hand as she moved, “just to clarify, you’re thinking that we might be able to talk to the people who blew up our ship without warning? Adding to that the fact we set a boobytrap they set off which may have maimed or killed one of their members. Oh, and the cube in your backpack was pillaged so there’s that too.”

  “What’re you thinking? That we shouldn’t try?”

  “Yeah, I’m thinking they made their intentions clear and I have no desire to mess with these maniacs. We’re going to blow this reactor, get our asses back to the surface, and use every ounce of our hide and evade training until someone comes to help. Whoever that might be.”

  I’m feeling pessimistic.

  Footsteps echoed behind them, heavy steps as if the people pursuing them didn’t particularly care about whether they’d run into another boobytrap. It meant they might well be gaining ground, but Kyle and Lysa couldn’t move any faster without taking serious chances in the dark.

  “We’re approaching a different kind of glow,” Lysa said, “orange-red. And it’s getting hotter!”

  As she said, the temperature rose dramatically, likely over ninety degrees. Sweat broke over his body, making his clothes cling. He hadn’t been as miserable since they were trying to clear rubble away before. And it promised to only get worse as they drew nearer the source.

  Lava tubes or some other kind of ventilation system probably. Kyle had never seen such a place before. Only drawings of what they looked like from dif
ferent colonies while he attended university. His imagination went wild regardless, filling his head with ideas of tubes heading straight to the planet’s core.

  “Radiation reading?” Kyle asked between heavy breaths. They were in great shape but the heat and stress were getting to them. Not to mention the fact they’d worked all day long. Both needed to stop for water soon. He hoped for at least a few seconds once they reached a larger room.

  “Not dangerous,” Lysa replied. “There we are. Thirty yards ahead.”

  The ground turned uneven, difficult as it climbed and dipped. The walls closed in on them just before the chamber opened into a vast cavern. Steam rose from the floor at various spots off to the left with the ceiling too high to see. The glow came from pools of bubbling lava not even a hundred feet off toward the center of the chamber.

  Lysa turned in place with her device, gesturing toward the center of the room. “We go that way.”

  “Why?” Kyle asked. He bent at the waist, panting. “What’s that way?”

  “More consistent energy. All this stuff is naturally occurring. It’s at least part of the method they use to collect the geothermal power but that way, we’re going to find generators or something. Some kind of containment unit. And that’s what we want. So pick up the pace! Those guys will be here soon and we’re in the open.”

  Kyle groaned as they started running again, making their way by the pools. He shied away from them as they passed, wincing as if a chunk of molten rock might leap out at him. Each bubble did send sparks beyond the cauldrons containing the goo but they didn’t make it close to them… not even to brush across their path.

  “We have to stop for water soon!” Kyle called. “I think I’ve sweat out three days of body fluid!”

  “You’ll be leaking body fluid all over the floor if those people catch us!” Lysa slid to a halt as they reached a wall. “What the hell!? This… it has to be nearby. The passage we’re looking for! You go left, I’ll go right!”