Nova

by Lora E. Rasmussen

  Drawing her own pistol, K’llan rasped through gritted teeth, “I am fine Avara, just grazed.”

  Captain Serros felt a soul–infusing rush of relief even as she scanned for their attackers. Based on the pattern of fire, she was certain the use of the plural was correct. The heat of the day making thermal vision less than effective, Avara accessed her both her SP and TXL to enhance her visual range to an extent and acuity equal to the most advanced binoculars on the market today.

  Yet again, a third chorus of shots echoed, the bullets missing where her foot had been just a split–second before.

  There!

  Three Karukai were positioned behind a stony outcropping across the gorge, about a mile away and half again above Serros and Z’arr. Zooming in with a thought, Avara caught a glimpse of a rifle barrel and the determined, crimson–eyed gaze of a woman with a dark–scarf wrapped around a bare head. Right before she pulled the trigger.

  Scarf–woman’s shot missed again as Avara hastily ducked once more behind their shelter. “Three across the gorge, one o’ clock and twenty–six hundred feet above; Karukai.”

  “Based on the array of shots, there must be more of them.” K’llan whispered, fingering her trigger in anticipation. Her neck was still bleeding freely, but as she had said, it did appear to be mostly a superficially wound.

  “Agreed. Let’s even the odds a bit.” With the comment, Serros deftly snatched one of the K–Grenades affixed to her bandoleer and made to thumb the activation button.

  Knowing what she wanted without having to be told, K’llan offered a grim smile of approval and then quickly moved to the side of their shelter and fired off several rounds.

  Predictably, the Karukai reacted by ducking lower, giving Avara the time she needed to call upon her DSA and pour every last iota of strength she had into a single arm–throw reminiscent of a pitcher tossing a fast–ball.

  With the speed of a launcher, the grenade soared through the air to unerringly strike into the outcropping the three hid behind. The resultant explosion of the strike rocketed through the canyon with the deafening boom of a starship battery and almost instantly, a cascade of super–heated rock burst into the air and then spilled down the cliff face as if smote from the earth by a giant out of myth made real.

  Thanks to her SP, Avara clearly heard the screams of the three Karukai as rock and kobalt tore into their bodies and launched them tumbling down the cliff–side to smack into water–kissed sediment and rapids below.

  “I don’t see any others, but there were.” Avara announced a few minutes later after a series of careful scans across, below, and to both sides of the canyon. “Too bad we don’t have any hand–drones.” Their supply had been melted along with half their arms and their armor in the TS Ardent’s explosion.

  “True. I do not see any targets either. Meaning, we are in somewhat of a situation.” A frown tugged at the corners of K’llan’s naturally blue–blushed lips.

  “Yep. Whether we pick our way up or down, we’ll be nothing short of fish in a barrel for them to just nick off at will.” Serros remarked, withdrawing the Salu–Salve spray from her first aid kit.

  “We could wait for nightfall.” Z’arr suggested as the Shield used her fingertips to gently turn K’llan’s head for a better angle and then apply the spray to the neck–wound. The coagulant immediately stopped the bleeding and Avara could feel the Vosaia’s relief as the numbing agent of the medicine kicked in.

  Heads close and her fingers tingling at the contact, Avara found herself locked in place by glittering, violet eyes. She fought the sudden urge to cancel the spare space that separated them and close her mouth upon K’llan’s.

  Adding to the weight of the moment, Avara could empathically read the same sentiment vibrating forth from the other woman, coupled with a sense of loaded yet surprisingly patient invitation.

  Damn! What the Hell is wrong with me? I never lose focus like this, smack in the middle of a dangerous mission scenario.

  “Um, I don’t think… I don’t think our chances would be significantly improved by waiting for nightfall, especially if any are Arcas. Or even just have binocs.” Serros finally managed to say.

  “Yes, quite true. Where does that leave us then?” K’llan responded, and Avara could feel a flash of self–directed irritation bounce across their link.

  She feels it as well.

  Shifting her focus fully to the task at hand, Avara felt a rakish grin pull at her mouth. “Well, I’m thinking we use our Arca DSA’s to increase our speed, agility, and ability to handle a jump.”

  “But, Avara, the distance to the bottom will still be too great, even for you as an Arca Savant.” Serros could hear real apprehension in Z’arr’s voice as her mind tackled the scenario.

  “Not if we both activate K–Shields.”

  K’llan half laughed and half snorted in response. “You are not jesting, are you? No, of course not. I wonder if all Humans are as insane, or if it really is just you.”

  “Depends who you ask, I suppose.”

  “Mm. More creative expression, then? There’s not even glass involved.” Z’arr’s tone was one of fond exasperation.

  “I don’t like to limit myself.”

  “I’m sure. Well, as I cannot think of a better alternative, your particular brand of ‘creative expression’ seems to be rubbing off on me.”

  “Excellent! My plan is coming together nicely then.” Serros quipped as she secured the med kit and checked the rest of her gear. “Even though we will have only a minute or so protected by our K–Shields, with a few well timed jumps, we should be able to make the water and then speed ourselves far enough away to safely manage the climb up.”

  Also inspecting her equipment to ensure that she wouldn’t lose any on the way down, Z’arr warned, “The timing will be quite tricky.”

  “But doable; main thing is we can’t lose one another.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Ready?” Avara asked a moment later.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. One more peek, then we’ll go.”

  Another five minute review of their surroundings across the visual spectrum revealed nothing. Yet still, the itch Avara felt along her goose–pimpled skin suggested otherwise.

  With a final nod, the two activated first their SP’s and then K–Shields, the latter causing their bodies to be sheathed in dark cerulean energy a split second before they both stood and as one, gracefully leaped downward.

  The expanse of stone, sediment, and blue–green waters that crept closer was almost nauseating, yet enhanced speed meant enhanced intake of sensory data as well, allowing Serros’s mind to track surroundings even during such rapid movement.

  The moment her feet touched her first landing point, Avara felt the sensation of resisted entry as a spattering of bullet fire streaked into the glowing shell of her kobalt shielding, only to bounce off like a ball from a racket. The shots seemed to be coming north–west of her position, but it was hard to pin given her own activity and the intense concentration required to continue her trek safely.

  Next to her, she could see out of the corner of her eye that the same had been true for K’llan. Half–running and half–sliding down the hill for another thirty paces or so, Captain Serros leaped a second time, again dropping downward another one–hundred or so feet. This time her landing was a lot less graceful than the first, boots catching as they gouged into too loose and dry sediment.

  The slip caused her to roll down some two stories distance before once more righting herself. Only the K–Shield kept her from suffering potentially fatal harm at the tumble, the same being true as yet more shots slammed against and rebounded off her shielding. Momentum still pushing her forward, Avara was able to barely execute a skidding half–stop like a skier down a snow–covered slope to make sure Lieutenant Z’arr was still with her.

  There!

  With K’llan’s royal blue hair whipping wildly in the wind and streaming like a pennant against the darker blue hue
of her K–Shield, she moved elegantly from leap to purchase like a squirrel flying from branch to branch through a winter–pine.

  Again Avara pushed herself forward, starting from a sliding run to another series of leaps and landings. Finally, just as K’llan’s K–Shield began to flicker, energy almost spent with use, the two made the bottom. Without thought, Avara raced to K’llan, and grabbed her forearm with her left hand. With significant effort, Serros drew on her greater Arca reserves to extend her K–Shield to Z’arr just as the Vosaia’s winked out. The two of them now had less than a minute before her own ability to hold the K–Shield was extinguished.

  Having to maintain physical contact with K’llan for the entire duration to keep both of them skin–covered and mobile instead of protected behind a static dome, Avara quickly scanned the direction from which the volleys had continued to rain down. Snatching her pistol from her mag–harness with blindingly enhanced speed, Avara ripped off a series of shots.

  The Quorum Shield Operative felt a vicious surge of satisfaction as two of her bullets splattered the crimson–smudged, white skull of one Karukai with a slashing scar across her cheek. Three more projectiles tore into the shoulder of who must be, by her dull gray skin, a clone. The other two Karukai she’d spied quickly retreated behind their cover even as Avara slapped her pistol back to her thigh. With Serros still holding fast to K’llan, the two blurred forward down the side–path of the crashing river waters.

  CHAPTER 21

  “Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?” Avara asked, spacing her now empty pistol clip and snapping in another from a CD at her waist. She could still feel the exhilaration of the exchange singing along her body. The two had sped about ten miles downriver in a like number of minutes, leaving the Karukai far behind.

  “Oh by She Who Watches!” K’llan responded, laughing. “You are a bad influence.”

  “Ha! Is that why you’re feeling so elated?” And she was; Serros could sense it.

  “Not entirely fair, Avara.” K’llan remarked with a somewhat coy smile, knowing what Serros was doing.

  “Hey, goes both ways my friend.” Avara responded, deliberately cocking her brow in an “I dare you to say otherwise” expression.

  “Do we not have somewhere to be?”

  “Yes, actually, we do.” Serros responded. “We need to swim across, make the climb and then reach the remaining Karukai before they have a chance to get away.”

  “Well, they can only get so far since they are obviously not Arcas, and on foot as well, as we did not hear any engines or thrusters in the canyon. The sound certainly would have carried.”

  “That’s my take as well.” Arcas would have utilized their microtech to have made a better showing against the two women that just gave them the slip. “And if they’re on foot, my guess is that they are escapees from the Ardent matching the two missing pods.” Serros added.

  “Yes, a point also supporting our no Arca theory; that is, at least no DP, DSA, PV, KB, or KS Enhancements.” K’llan observed thoughtfully, listing the more combat–based Arca augmentations in existence, her training kicking in. “Plus, we have caught up to them despite the significant lead they would have had on us.”

  “Yep. And we don’t want them reaching the outpost and warning their friends, so,” she said, feeling playful, “time for our swim.”

  Avara could feel the tingle of unease as K’llan turned her profile towards the surging waters of the river, a dubious expression flickering across her face, but all she said was “Lead on, then.”

  Avara wordless nudged an emotive sense of assurance towards the Vosaia before turning and making their way to the river’s edge. They quickly used their CPAs to scan the area for any potentially hostile aquatic life, a precaution she doubled by also using the X–Ray mode of her TXL.

  Then, finding nothing present that seemed to be a threat, continued forward and over to a narrow bend in the river-way that was far upstream from any rapids. They removed and tightly stowed their jackets then took out their rope dispenser, retrieving a ten foot span. Each tied one end securely about her waist, making the distance between the two squadmates about six feet.

  The water was almost chill, but in an extremely pleasurable way in the face of the intense heat that they’d been enduring for the last several days. With the water reaching her waist, Serros could already feel the grime, dirt, and dust spilling away into the fluid. Giving into temptation just for a moment, Avara slipped into the water and submerged her whole body, head included.

  After letting the water sweep through and around her for a full minute, Avara finally broke surface and stood up, feeling the huge grin stretching across her face. Laughing out loud, Serros proclaimed “Heaven! It would only be better if we could shuck off our clothes and have a proper bath.”

  “I cannot say I would protest too much at the diversion, Avara.” Z’arr remarked, laughter gilding her voice and her glance both amused and mischievous at the same time.

  “Ah, yes, well, perhaps another time.” Avara responded, and actually felt a rather uncommon blush heating her face at the implied double entendre.

  “Well, let us proceed. You may be part fish, but I most certainly am not.” She said with a pleased sort of smile lighting her face.

  The two continued forward and deeper into the river and soon the water became chest high, and the rounded stones that moved under Serros’s bootsoles threatened to disappear altogether. The current was quite strong. Noting that their destination was just under two–miles away, after tossing an ‘are you ready’ look at her partner, Avara triggered her PV to kick up both her strength and endurance and the two switched from walking to swimming.

  A naturally more practiced swimmer plus a PV, Avara stuck close to K’llan in case the Vosaia had any difficulty as the two slipped into a steady freestyle stroke. Despite the extra weight from their gear and non–swim–friendly clothing, overall Avara found the experience to be a nice intermission from the last two weeks spent hiking and running.

  They only ran into trouble once when an unexpected current caught them for a dozen or so strokes before they were able to make their way through the surge.

  The crewmates made the other side of the waterway just as the triple suns began their journey into the west and approaching dusk made its presence known.

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Serros asked, scanning the area before beginning to remove her wet gear and clothing to dry on the still heated rocks and fading sunlight. As always, she kept her weapons magged and close.

  Shaking out her long hair and following Serros’s example, K’llan replied, “No, not bad at all, if we discount that whole stretch with the current where you were essentially acting as my own personal tugboat.”

  “Eh, you did very well.” Avara returned, moving her hand in a dismissive gesture as she finished stripping down to her tank and briefs. “We’ll make a fish out of you yet.”

  “I wonder… is that a threat or a promise?” K’llan asked with a weary smile as she sat down on a rock and uncapped her hydro–fluid to take a swig.

  Grabbing her own canteen and one of four sealed bags of dried jakhri meat, Avara took a seat next to her and removed a strip of jerky. “Depends on how you choose to look at it, I suppose.” Avara answered with a slight smile, gently knocking Z’arr’s bare shoulder with her own. She bit into her jerky with hunger–spawned zeal as her eyes tracked up and down the river.

  “I will have to get back to you.”

  “You do that.” Serros rejoined. Taking another bite of meat to quell her complaining body, she asked in a more serious tone “How do you feel about a nighttime climb and a little hide and seek with our fellow survivors?”

  “Mm. It must be done, and so we shall.” K’llan answered, her determination clear even though Avara could both hear and feel how tired she was.

  In support, Avara wrapped her left arm around K’llan’s shoulders. K’llan’s skin was both cool and warm to the touch, body heat working through the alr
eady drying river water that still clung to them both. Though she most certainly felt the electric zing that had become almost expected to flare at physical contact, Avara also felt and tried to convey the very real reassurance and warmth in being in one another’s presence. The sense of comfort was complete when K’llan gently rested her head on Avara’s collarbone a moment later, her crown tucked under Serros’s chin, hair smelling of river water, sun, and the sweet scent that reminded her of anlya flowers. It was a scent that Avara identified as belonging to K’llan alone.

  Hearing her partner’s relaxed breathing that was only a step removed from sleep, Avara Serros watched the turquoise waters lapping at the rocky shore before them. Thousands of miles away from any friendly form of life and having been caught in a primal struggle for basic survival for days, Avara found herself thinking that in this place of rugged beauty, here and now, was a perfect moment.

  Twenty minutes later, having finished her food and noting that their clothes were entirely dry, Avara murmured, “Time to leave, K’llan.”

  “Mm. I suppose I am as ready as I can be.” She answered, reluctantly removing her head and shifting away to slowly stand and reclaim her gear.

  It was hard for Avara not to feel the Vosaia’s physical absence even as she followed suit and retrieved her own clothing and equipment. Noting again how weary K’llan appeared and the pinched energy she carried herself with, Avara remarked “After the deed is done, we will find a good place for a relatively prolonged bit of rest, and we’ll both really eat.”

  Serros pretended not to see K’llan’s chin snap up, or mouth begin to open in protest and then close at Avara’s announcement. It was an act that spoke volumes as to how hungry she must really be.

  “Let’s get a move on. I know it’s not your thing, but I personally can’t wait to have some fire roasted game rather than dried jakhri jerky.” Avara also deliberately gave no sign of sensing the quickly snuffed spike of hunger and desire that shot from Z’arr at her oblique reference to Feeding. Wasting no time, Serros walked over to another narrow cleft in the canyon. It was a crevasse, really, tracking up the canyon face. Since there was no slender rocky trail to use to make their way up the canyon cliff as there had been on the other side, traditional rock climbing was there only real option.