by Andrew Mack
The female Lieutenant said, “Wow, a damn Doctor bringing a dead one down here, never seen that before. Yeah, you gotta take that gurney back up, otherwise, we get in trouble for keeping them down here.”
The Doctor looked back and around as she said, “Alright,..... I guess, …. I just never….”
The female Lieutenant then said, “Never flipped over a dead body? Let me give you a hand.”
The female Lieutenant began walking down the corridor, the Doctor followed quickly behind. The Doctor kept looking around to see if anyone else was watching, but the other AuFa officers were all concentrated on their side of the bay. They got to the gurney with Kaya’s body, and the female Lieutenant asked, “Why isn’t he in a body bag?”
The Doctor replied, “She...I don’t know. I think they were running low on them upstairs.”
The female Lieutenant kneeled to grab Kaya. She said, “This whole thing is a cluster fuck. I am sure they didn’t want to waste a bag on a miner, even a female one.”
The Doctor grabbed Kaya’s shoulder, while the female Lieutenant grabbed Kaya’s ankles. The Lieutenant said, “One, two, three…”
They lifted the body and tossed it next to the other dead bodies. The bag dislodged from the sheet and fell to the ground. The female Lieutenant reached over to pick it up. She said, “That one was still warm. She must have just bit it.”
The Doctor held out her hand to get the bag back. She responded, “Just lost her in surgery.”
The female Lieutenant asked, “What’s in the bag?”
The Doctor grabbed the canvas bag from her hand and said, “Her Field stone and some personal artifacts she had on her.”
The female Lieutenant asked, “Anything good?”
The Doctor tapped the bag back to the top of the sheet. She said, “Show some class.”
The female Lieutenant turned around, grabbing the gurney, and said, “Damn, stop being so sensitive. It’s just a fucking miner.”
The female Lieutenant pulled the gurney as the Doctor trailed behind. When they got to the glass doors, the Doctor took over pulling the gurney, and said, “Thanks for your help.”
The female Lieutenant waved and said, “No problem.”
The Doctor went through the doors with the gurney. The female Lieutenant waited about twenty seconds, then began to walk back down the corridor slowly. She looked around to see if anyone was paying attention, which none of the other AuFa soldiers were. She was about two meters from Kaya’s body when a light from a shuttle blinded her eyesight. Coming in for a landing was a small transport shuttle. The female Lieutenant looked directly at the bag and thought for a second about going for it. Behind her, she heard an AuFa soldier yell, “Lieutenant, we got a problem over here.”
She stopped and looked over. Then looked back at the shuttle that had now landed. She looked at the bag one last time.
The female Lieutenant turned around and yelled, “Hold on?!”
Two workers got off the shuttle, dragging a gurney, and said, “You in charge?”
The female Lieutenant heard a soldier from across the corridor say, “They got two bodies, down by the processing center that never got picked up.”
The female Lieutenant yelled back, “Why is that our problem?!”
She then turned around and looked at the workers from the shuttle. Pointing at the now six bodies on the ground, she said, “Yeah, I am in charge. Those six bodies are yours.”
One of the workers said, “Is there something I need to sign?”
The female Lieutenant simply said, “No, they are just miners.”
She turned around and started walking back to the other side of the corridor. She yelled, “Unless they are AuFa soldiers, we are not going out there to get those two!”
The workers shook their heads at the Lieutenants’ remarks. They grabbed Kaya and put her on a gurney. They pulled the gurney back to the shuttle. Once inside, they lifted Kaya’s body onto a sofa. One of the workers asked, “Is that her?”
The other worker opened the sheet to reveal Kaya’s head. He nodded. He grabbed the bag that was taped to the sheet and opened it. Inside was Kaya’s field stone and ring. There was also a syringe. He took it out and immediately injected it into Kaya’s bicep. He whispered, “My name is Hamilton, I am a field medic in Lowell Province and a friend of the Doc. What I am giving you will help reduce the effects of the numbing agent. You should start gaining your motion back in a few moments.”
Hamilton and the other worker went back to get the other bodies. One by one, they loaded them onto the gurney, took them back to the shuttle, gently dropping them in the cargo area. When they came back with the last body, they saw Kaya standing. Holding a sheet around her waist and a flaming sword with her other hand, she had nothing else on except the patch around her eye. Breasts exposed, she looked at the workers, and calmly said,”We need to get the fuck out of here.”
Belinea 7.11
Avola
AuFa Base Six
Argo and Lieutenant Walva were walking down a corridor. Argo said nothing, and for once, Walva said nothing. They turned and went down another aisle. Argo finally spoke. “Leahy said it was urgent, not you, correct?”
Lieutenant Walva only reiterated, “Affirmative, my Lord.”
Argo replied, “And you have not seen the information?”
Lieutenant Walva answered, “No. Captain Leahy said only you.”
Argo continued until he got to the control room. He entered, and around the screen table were four AuFa officers, two SS officers, and Captain Leahy. Argo immediately said, “This better be good, Leahy.”
Leahy turned to the side. Everyone around the table stood at attention. Leahy spoke, “This came five minutes ago for you.”
Everyone looked down at the screen, which changed over from a map of Avola to a transmission. Octavious Killian appeared on the screen. He was standing in front of four Transport Carriers, parked on a patch of rocky terrain. “Lord Argo, greetings. I got your message, you do not look good. Are you eating alright? Avolian cuisine does not agree with everyone. Let me get to the point, these four ships behind me represent four missing transports that have not reached Processing Plant Number Two yet….”
Cortes and the Valmay soldiers, dressed in AuFa uniforms, are sending down crates off the transports. As they enter the caves, they are opened. Inside are several rifles, air-to-surface missiles, bombs, and grenades. Donovan and his crew disperse the weapons, then load Vait back into the crate, where it is sent out again to be transferred back to the Transports. Argo is watching the entire two minutes on his screen, as it is narrated by Octavious.
“….. I am sure by now, those clowns you call officers (an AuFa officer is handing him a note), are handing you a note confirming what I just said. What they have not figured out yet, is that I am picking off shipments right and left. Where do you ask? Well, remember, these are the same officers that let me escape, so you will have to find out on your own. Unlike you and those Majavkee pricks, I have left the miners a little something. Call it a reward for loyal behavior. So, while I am touched that you offered Kaya’s life for mine, I have a counter. You can have all your Vait back, in exchange for my sister. Here are my coordinates. You got thirty minutes from the time of this transmission. And come alone, Argo. I do not have time or patience today to deal with one ounce of your bullshit.”
The transmission ended. Walva took two steps back, anticipating what would happen. Argo looked at the AuFa officer next to him. He calmly said, “Is this transmission real?”
The AuFa officer looked speechless. In a very jittery tone, he said, “My Lord, all the caves were surrounded, there was no possible way in or out, we were sure Killian was dead, no one could have survived that.”
Argo yelled, “Well, he looks alive to me, you incompetent fuckers!!”
Argo went back to looking at the screen, wh
ich had turned back to a map of Avola. After a few seconds, he said, “How much Vait have they stolen? Is it possible he is bluffing?”
Leahy replied, “They only have four small transports, but we can’t confirm how many runs he has made. Because of the lack of large ones, the small transports keep running back and forth. It’s possible he has twelve, maybe sixteen full crates.”
Argo yelled at the other AuFa officer. “Why are there no fighter escorts with the transports?”
The AuFa officer replied, “Admiral Holland has the bulk of our forces sifting through the exploded Valmay Base and at the Cataco caves, trying to root out the last of the Valmay soldiers.”
Argo replied, “Great fucking job, they are out. Did you catch any of them? Because while you have been holding your dicks waiting, they have been stealing transports.”
Nobody said anything. Argo turned to Lieutenant Walva and said, “Walla, contact Medical Facility Four. I want Kaya Killian here, now. I do not care if she is still in surgery or not.”
Walva turned around and went to the other side of the room, immediately hitting a few spots on the screen and contacting the facility. The group could overhear him saying, “Yes, Lord Argo needs the transfer…..”
Leahy looked at the map again before speaking to confirm what he had. He said, “Lord Argo, these coordinates, he must have been mistaken…..It’s our Garrison in the Lowell Province, Sector 14 Mining Center.”
Argo then replied, “What?”
Leahy responded, “I have checked it twice, sir.”
Argo asked, “Is it possible he took over the base?”
The AuFa officer hit a few buttons on the screen to get a visual of the base with the security cameras. The AuFa officer said out loud to the screen, “Garrison Fourteen, this is Base Six, do you copy?”
The other AuFa officer hit a couple more spots on the screen. There were three functioning cameras on the base. The rest were now non-operational. One showed an empty hanger, the other an empty corridor, and the final one showed the same four small transports, on the rocky terrain path of the landing pads. If you looked closely at the ships, ventilation smoke came out of them, which meant their engines were on. The AuFa officer repeated, “Garrison Fourteen. This is base Six, do you copy?”
Still, nothing. The officers started looking at each other. Argo asked, “What about the other cameras?”
The AuFa officer replied, “Disabled my Lord.”
Argo asked, “And any overhead shot from above? Perhaps Holland’s camera from the Battle Cruiser?”
The AuFa officer simply replied, “No visual reading because of the atmosphere, my Lord.”
Argo asked in an angry tone, “How did they retake the Garrison?”
The AuFa officer replied quickly, “My Lord, all the Fighters on the base were reassigned to Cataco. Most of the defense turrets were still not operational after the last attack. There were probably twenty to thirty personnel on the base. It would not have taken much.”
Argo asked, “How did we not know about this attack?”
The AuFa officer only speculated. “It’s possible, my Lord, the fact that we cannot communicate with them now, that the Valmay knocked out their Communication tower.”
Argo thought for a second. He kept looking at the screen before finally looking back up at the AuFa officers. He finally said, “Tell Admiral Holland to pull out all fighters and personnel from the Cataco’s and the Valmay base. I want two fighter escorts per every transport, to and from the facility, and to and from the ships in space. Got it?”
The AuFa officer asked, “My Lord, that will require every fighter we have. There may not even be enough without pulling some from the Mining Areas and Processing Centers.”
Argo answered, “Reinforce Processing Centers Two and Six, but leave the Mining Centers. The Majavkee security didn’t help when they were there, so what does it matter if we pull out? Most of the Vait is already on the ships or the Battle Cruiser above. No excuses, Lieutenant, make it happen.”
The AuFa officers nodded in agreement. Argo looked at Leahy and continued, “Alright, we handle Octavious my way. Gather your SS team and meet me at my personal transport in ten minutes. Walla!”
Leahy nodded, and Lieutenant Walva turned around from the station he was on. Walva responded, “Yes, my Lord?”
Argo replied quickly as he and Leahy were walking out. “I changed my mind. Have Kaya Killian waiting. We are going to pick her up on my transport.”
Walva looked scared like he just saw a ghost. He turned to Argo and said, “My Lord, Kaya Killian, is gone. The Medical Wing cannot find her. Or her Doctor.”
Argo stopped. He looked at Walva, and for a second, he thought about taking it out on him. Instead, he looked up and said, “I hate every person on this miserable fucking planet.”
Argo took a deep breath. Walva took a step back, knowing from experience not to be in the way of Argo’s anger. After a few seconds, Argo looked at Leahy and said, “Alright, time to go to plan B.”
Leahy raised an eye-brow. He said, “Yes, my Lord.”
Argo quietly said, “I need you to go to Temple….”
Argo turned to the AuFa officers, still looking at the screen. “And you fucks, get me, Admiral Holland, now!”
Belinea 7.12
Quillisar Balerra’s Temple
The Lowell Province
Kaya walked into the Temple, now with a makeshift robe on. She was pulling a gurney with a dead miner, while Hamilton was pulling another. They came in through the back door, where Quillisar Balerra greeted them. Kaya had her head down and a towel over her head. As she came up to Balerra, the old lady immediately whispered, “Get inside, now….”
Kaya pulled the gurney inside, followed by Hamilton. Once inside, Balerra ushered them through a few doors until they were behind the Temple’s altar. Balerra looked at Hamilton and said, “You have done good, my child. Give us a moment, please.”
Hamilton walked out of the room. Kaya looked at Balerra and only asked, “Octavious?”
Balerra poured a glass of wine, and answered, “He is alive.”
Kaya then asked, “You know for sure?”
Balerra turned around and looked at Kaya. Before taking a sip, she said, “Have I ever lied to you, my child?”
Kaya quickly responded, “When I was twelve, you told me I would never be as good as the other male soldiers.”
Balerra looked at her and gave a small chuckle to herself. “I said you would never be as strong or as quick, but I never said you would not be as good.”
Kaya tilted her head slightly. She looked tired, and it was clear she was not one hundred percent yet. Balerra looked at the patch over her eye and the area around it. She continued. “Octavious managed to slip through the Cataco mines, back out the Lowell side.”
Kaya asked, “How?”
Balerra answered, “Some of the older miners, members of this Temple, found a shaft that connected. They smuggled him here, and I contacted Syren, who took him to Bisi.”
Kaya asked, “Bisi?”
Balerra now realized Kaya did not know the whole story. “Lord Argo apparently left bombs inside the transports. They exploded at your base, destroying it. Your troops have rallied back to Bisi.”
Kaya thought for a second. She whispered, “Rendon….”
Balerra replied, “Excuse me?”
Kaya paused for a second and put her hands on her forehead. She then said, “How many died?”
Balerra replied, “I do not know for sure. They have been covering it all day on the state media. If you believe them, you lost several hundred soldiers, and the last of your rebellion was destroyed in the Cataco mines.”
Kaya went over to the table with the wine and poured herself another glass. She took a few huge gulps before putting it down. She then answered, “I need to get to Bisi, now.”
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br /> Balerra replied, “Kaya, you know there is no communication inside or out in Bisi. I have left a message for Syren. When she gets it, she will come here for you. She can take you to Bisi.”
Kaya reiterated, “I need to go now.”
Balerra half laughed. “By yourself? You would not last two seconds without coming into contact with Majavkee Security..”
Kaya stared at her and said, “I would kill anyone who tried to stop me.”
Kaya took another sip of wine. Balerra tilted her head before walking up to Kaya. She stopped in front of her. Balerra was a short woman, and she put her palm on Kaya’s cheek. “My dear, how many do you think that is?”
Kaya looked down at her. Kaya had an expression of hatred, solace, and pain, all boiled together. Balerra turned and went to the wine table. She poured herself some more and continued. “Two years ago, when the Mining Guild was removed, and you and Octavious began rebelling in earnest, what did I say to you?”
Kaya was slightly annoyed, gesturing like a person who wanted to get out of there. She replied, “You told us peaceful protest is the answer to our salvation. Violence only leads to more violence.”
Balerra took a sip of wine and turned to hear Kaya’s answer. She replied after, “I was beginning to question if you listened to anyone?”
Kaya tilted her head and slightly raised an eyebrow. Balerra continued. “Octavious is one of the smartest men I have ever met, but his heart is conflicted. Like you, he is deeply passionate about his beliefs. The principles, as he references, of living free from religious persecution, being at peace with the energy of the planet, and practicing fair wages for fair labor. Unlike you, he also understands that not everyone shares his convictions on these principles. While they want them, they desire peace more. In their minds, violence does not lead to prosperity. “
Kaya was confused, not understanding Balerra’s rationalization. “What are you saying?”