by Seth Libby
“Garroon would have died if not for you. You intervened to save the life of a Lykaan yet again, putting your own life on the line to do so. Why did you do this?”
“I like Garroon and I do not like seeing those I care for come to harm,” Liam explained as he looked about. “Speaking of which, where is Garroon?”
The pair looked around and found Garroon under the body of a dead Shenkar warrior. He had a deep cut on his leg, the source of this unknown, and he moaned softly as Granshianka bandaged the wound but his eyes fluttered open to find Liam. His eyes had a glazed look to them that clearly said he was suffereing from shock. Liam knelt down and spoke softly to Garroon.
“That was a very brave thing you did there, attacking the captain like that.”
Garroon seemed to gain strength at hearing what he did was brave as he smiled.
“I’m going to be a great warrior when I grow up, I will kill many Shenkar!” Garroon said as ferociously as he could in his weakened state.
Liam smiled and gently ruffled the fur on his head. Granshianka touched Liam upon the shoulder and indicate he should stand. As they did Granshianka leaned in and spoke softly.
“I fear the young one was injured further than that fall should have. I believer when the Shenkar fell upon him he did further damage to the injury he had when his parents were killed. I do not believe he will be able to walk again.”
“He is paralyzed? What does this mean for him among your culture?” Liam asked, afraid to hear the answer.
“The paralyzed among my people are typically viewed as invalids, seen as weak. While he is young he would be taken care of out of pity. Typically warriors of my people who suffer such injuries kill themselves instead of becoming a burden upon others,” Granshianka explained.
Liam’s face must have shown with something resembling disgust because Granshianka quickly continued.
“My people would happily take care of such warriors but you have to understand that among my people strength and prowess as a warrior is very important to us. Eventually, Garroon will come to the understanding he will never be able to hunt and then he will choose to end his own life. This is not something I could prevent.”
Liam looked down at Garroon, a pit forming in his chest as the little Lykaan looked up at him.
“No,” Liam said simply and softly.
Granshianka began to shake his head but Liam cut him off.
“No, I cannot allow this,” his voice rising slightly above a whisper.
“You cannot stop what will be,” Granshianka explained, his voice even and firm.
Liam shook his head slightly and knelt down beside Garroon. Granshianka softly lay a hand upon Liam’s shoulder before walking off to attend to other matters. Liam knelt there quietly for several moments before a voice spoke quietly from beside him.
“I know what your thinking and you cannot do it. You’re not God.”
Liam craned his head up to see Admiral Kelvin standing before him.
“How is preventing him from killing himself playing god? For that matter how do you know it isn’t god’s will that I save him,” Liam stated, putting an extra emphasis on the word god.
Admiral Kelvin did not miss the emphasis and his mouth grew tight for a moment before speaking.
“I know you are not a religious man but you still cannot go and use your nanites to change what has already happened just because you do not like the future outcome.”
“And if I had a machine that would reconstruct the damage that occurred, thus giving him the ability to walk again, would that then be okay?”
“Well, yes but I don’t see how….”
Liam did not wait for Kelvin to finish his sentence but instead cut him off.
“Then I do not see how this is any different. I am enhanced with alien technology, which in turn turns me into part machine. I am a machine, albeit it, a biological one but a machine none the less. Just because it is a new technology not invented by us does not make it wrong to use to heal the boy.”
Kelvin lifted a finger to point it at Liam, as he opened his mouth but then closed it again, apparently at a loss for words as to what to say to Liam’s logic. Several times Kelvin opened his mouth as if to present an argument only to close it again. Finally, after several long moments had passed, did Kelvin’s hand drop to his side, a look of defeat upon his face.
“Okay, I see your point, but still do you even know the Lykaan physiology to be able to correct the issue?”
This was something Liam had not thought of. With humans he had a detailed knowledge of the human body. He was also able to correct the issue with Shizta’s leg but only because the internal aspects of the Shenkar was very similar to humans. With Lykaans there was nothing common between humans and Lykaans. But he just could not stand by and not try and correct the issue.
“True, but I have to try…worst case scenario I withdraw my nanites and he remains the same,” Liam stated to Kelvin.
Kelvin thought this over for several moments before he nodded his agreement but then spoke up.
“Whatever you do I think you should get permission from Granshianka first. Garroon is one of his people.”
Liam could not argue this and turned to locate Granshianka. He and Kelvin set off in search of him. They found him speaking with one of the hunters and patiently waited until he finished. Noticing Liam waiting, Granshianka dismissed the hunter and turned his attention to him.
“I have come seeking your permission to try and help Garroon. I believe I can help correct the damage that has been done to him, at least enough that he will be back to how he was before.”
Granshianka’s brow rose in surprise at hearing this.
“How would you do such a thing?”
“Throughout my body flows tiny little artificial creatures known as nanites that repair any damage my body sustains. I have learned to manipulate those nanites to help others. To do this I need to direct some of them into the injured person’s bloodstream and seek out the areas of damage. The nanites then use the resources within the injured party’s body to reconstruct and rebuild the damaged areas. I wish to try this on Garroon to help the recent damage. I am not sure I will be able to do much of anything as my knowledge of Lykaan physiology is very limited but I would still like to try, with your permission, of course.”
Granshianka seemed to think this over for several moments before he turned and walked off suddenly. Liam was at a loss for words and did not know what to do or say, fearing he might have insulted the Lykaan with his request. He stood there in silence for a short while before Kelvin spoke up.
“Do you think we insulted him somehow? Could the use of technology be some sort of taboo for their people?”
“I do not know. I would not think so as the Shenkar have trained some of the Lykaans on using some of the technology at the manufacturing facilities.”
The pair watched Granshianka disappear into a nearby dwelling only to reappear several moments later and head back in their direction. As Granshianka got within a few steps he held a small device in front of him, out for Liam to take. Liam took the device and immediately recognized it as a Shenkar holographic data device.
“This was taken from a dead Shenkar awhile back. Once we discovered what it contained we naturally did not return it to the Shenkar,” Granshianka explained as he nodded towards the device.
“And what does it contain?” Liam asked curiously.
“It seems the Shenkar had been conducting extensive research into the physiology of the Lykaans, to the extent of performing tests upon dead Lykaans. Within the device, is detailed information of the body of Lykaans….I am trusting you will do nothing with this that will lead us to harm,” Granshianka explained.
Liam understood the trust Granshianka was putting in him and nodded to the Lykaan leader.
“I swear I will only use it for what I need to help Garroon. After which I will return this to your care.”
“We do not need it, I trust you to keep it safe but othe
rwise you may destroy it if you wish,” Granshianka explained.
Liam nodded, moved to Garroon, knelt and carefully picked him up.
“I will need some place where I can work that is quiet and I will not be disturbed,” Liam asked Granshianka.
Granshianka led Liam to a small building a short distance away. Liam looked in side and saw a small room with a table and chairs. Liam nodded to Granshianka, entered and set Garroon on the table.
“I will wait outside to ensure no one will disturb you,” Granshianka explained before he pulled the door closed.
Liam made Garroon as comfortable as he could before he turned his attention to the Shenkar device. Activating it revealed detailed files on the Lykaan physiology. For the next hour Liam studied the information on the device in detail, every bit of the information retained within his head thanks to his photographic memory. Finally, when he felt he could not learn anything new, he set the device aside and turned his attention to Garroon.
He studied the injury in detail, probing his fingers along the injury until he was confident he knew where to begin. Retrieving his medical pack from his utility belt he doused his combat knife in antibacterial solution. He then carefully made a small incision along Garroons hip before he then made a similar cut along his palm.
Setting the knife aside he then placed his palm to the wound on Garroon’s hip. Taking a calming breath he pulled in on himself, linking with the nanites within him and then directing them. Quickly the nanites flowed through him and into Garroon, spreading out as they were directed. Soon he found the current damage Garroon had suffered that had caused the paralysis. The bones were broken in several areas and it looked as if the spinal column and been completely severed. He clustered thousands of nanites around the damaged area and set them to work as he moved on seeking out any damaged area. As he moved through Garroon’s body he lost himself into his work, knowing he had a long road ahead of him. Until he finished helping Garroon, the mission would have to wait.
January 31st, 2014 6:31pm EST
Lykaa
Steve looked through his binoculars across the cavern to the manufacturing facilities that lay on the opposite side. He and his team were roughly three hundred feet up the side of the cavern’s wall on an outcropping where the tunnel they had been traveling through exited.
The cavern was massive in size with a large opening in the roof where snow passed through. He could not see the sky of the planet but he could only assume that it opened up on the surface due to the snow and the Shenkar gunship that had passed through to land thirty minutes earlier.
He hadn’t liked the presence of the gunship mainly because he did not know from where it had arrived from. If the gunship had come from another location upon the planet that would not be anything to worry about but if he came from the orbital station then that would be another story. Coming from the orbital station meant the Shenkar had managed to get word to the planet of the human presence and this could be disastrous.
As he studied the area he began to notice Shenkar troops moving about the area, their numbers increasing as time passed. Soon fortifications began to be constructed around the facilities, as if setting up a defensive perimeter. This activity only furthered Steve’s theory the gunship had come from the station.
“That can’t be good,” Robinson said from beside him.
Looking over he saw that Robinson knelt beside him, using his own pair of binoculars to survey the area.
“Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. I think that it is a safe bet that gunship came from the orbital station with word of our attack. Still I guess it could be worse, from the fortifications I see down there we should be able to take them once we secure the orbital stations and shuttle down the Praetorian Guard,” Steve explained as he indicated the facilities with his binoculars.
Robinson did not respond at first and instead he continued to look through his binoculars as something in the far distance.
“That can’t be good,” Robinson said again as he pointed at something down below.
Following the direction he pointed, Steve lifted his binoculars and immediately saw the source of Robinson’s declaration. Heavily armored vehicles rolled through a large tunnel opening and were spreading out. They were vehicles of a like Steve had never seen before but if he would to hazard a guess he would say they were some sort of tank. The armored vehicles drove on a tracked system much like their own tanks. Atop the tracked base was a heavy artillery energy cannon but from the looks of it they were fixed and not part of a turrent based system.
“Damn, you’re right, that is not good. I think we better get back to the ship. There isn’t much we can do here at the moment,” Steve said as he started to withdraw from the cliffs edge.
“Where are those guys going?” Robinson said softly.
“Who?” asked Steve, as he sidled back up to the cliffs edge and looked down.
“Off to the right, closest to our end of the cavern,” Robinson explained.
Steve used his binoculars to zoom in on the area and saw a column of roughly one hundred Shenkar warriors marching into a tunnel entrance.
“That isn’t a good sign, Shizta’s intel said the Shenkar rarely went out in patrols larger than ten but when they did it was never anymore than twenty. Something about it never being necessary as they viewed the Lykaans as lesser beings,”Steve explained as he watched the group entering the tunnel.
The pair watched until the Shenkar column disappeared into the tunnel then Steve gave the signal to withdraw.
“I think we better hurry back to the ship. That column might be headed to wherever Liam and his group are and that would be trouble.”
“Why do you think they are headed for Lieutenant Commander Brennan’s group?” Robinson asked curiously.
“Because trouble seems to gravitate to Liam in the worst way. He is the best of the Templars but he is not that good…at least not when he is in his right mind,” Steve explained as he thought of the massacre Liam had performed aboard the Shenkar battlecruiser when he had been captured.
The pair withdrew and headed off in the direction of where the Poseidon was hidden. The destination of the column nagged at Steve but the more concerning problem was the build up of defensive forces around the facilities. If word got to the base overlord that humans were on the surface then it would interfere with their battle plan. Also, if the Shenkar were aware of their presence, then how long before word got out of the system calling for Shenkar reinforcements? Steve knew he needed to figure out something and it had to be quick otherwise they could be facing Shenkar forces they were not equipped to deal with.
January 31st, 2014 7:35pm EST
Lykaa
Leah reclined in the chair as she studied the security feeds that showed the outside of the Poseidon, anxious for word of Liam and the rest of the groups. She had been like this for several hours now and was beginning to worry as they had received no updates at the scheduled times from either team. Speculation was their comm signal was being blocked from an unknown material they had found in the surface makeup but Leah still could not help but worry. A male voice from behind her shook her from her thoughts.
“I wouldn’t worry too much. I am sure he is okay.”
Turning, she saw Tim Wellmo standing there, looking down at her.
“You are not worried? Sabrina is out there as well,” Leah asked.
“She is with Liam and I couldn’t ask for a better guardian than him,” Tim explained as he moved into the seat next to her.
“Yeah, I still can’t help but worry and not even about Liam. We have not heard from Steve’s group either and the last transmission we received from the Kraken in regards to the orbital stations was over four hours ago and they reported complications.”
“Well, I am not too worried in regards to Liam and Steve’s groups, but I share your worry in regards to the stations. We should have heard from them by now,” Tim said as he studied the security feeds.
“What should w
e do?”
“Nothing at the moment, as much as I would like to take the Poseidon up to the station there wouldn’t be much we could do. Also if we abandon our post and either of the surface teams need our help we would be leaving them high and dry. For now all we can do is sit and wait.”
Leah did not like just sitting and waiting. She wanted to act but how, she could not say. While she did worry about the surface teams, she found her concern more for the orbital stations…what was going on up there?
January 31st, 2014 7:55pm EST
Orbital Station 1, Lykaan Space
“I said, hold him down!” commanded the combat medic.
Four Praetorian Guard held Evan down as the medic worked, one holding his shoulders while the others held his legs. Pain lanced through him as the medic affixed the tourniquet to his leg, just above where his knee used to be.
Evan gritted his teeth, trying not to cry out but the pain was extreme from shrapnel wounds that covered his body. He was one of only four members left alive from the original team that took the reactor chambers. In the final minutes of the battle the fighting had been fierce, close combat breaking out everywhere as Shenkar rushed his position. It looked as if they would be overrun when General Leonid finally broke through with reinforcements. At the time of the arrival of the reinforcements, Evan had been engaged in plasma sword duel with what he believed to have been the commander of the station. When the reinforcements broke through, the enemy commander must have realized they were beaten and he signaled all remaining Shenkar to detonate grenades they carried. As the commander had depressed the button on his device, Evan had managed to sever the hand that held it but by then it was too late. Realizing this, Evan attempted to jump free of the explosion but he had been too slow. The resulting explosion had sent him into a nearby bulkhead. When he woke he had discovered he was only one of four survivors, the remainder killed by the explosive devices. He also learned that schrapnel from the explosion had completed destroyed his left leg from the knee down. As for the Shenkar, they had been completely defeated and mop up operations were now being conducted throughout the station looking for any Shenkar holdouts.