“After talking with Katen and Decreta, we have an additional objective over the ‘get information and destroy the station’ Eyani gave us,” Osuto said.
Mencari continued. “Given the contempt other Nukari beasts have for Kajlit’ga, we’re going to see if others will turn like Decreta. Una will take us to a staging location, the yellow dot on the projection. We’ll operate in three waves. The first wave will be Decreta and Katen. Using Decreta’s restored warping skills, they’ll enter the station, that blue dot on the display, like any other beasts. There, they’ll plant a device allowing Mini-T and Bob to hack into their computer systems. Our AI pair will shut down the communications systems, making sure the Nukari can’t call for help. Then they’ll commandeer station defenses and other critical functions. Finally, they’ll begin pilfering the Nukari data banks.”
The projection zoomed in on the station, with sections of its hull highlighted. Cannons and missile batteries peppered the structure.
“Once communications are down, Una will shuttle over those in wave two. The goal is to destroy the station’s offensive capabilities, including the highlighted external weapons, Nukari beast forces, and any fighter support launched. Strike-team members include: Naijen, Speru, Kiyanna, Seigie, Allia, Ichini, Cerna, and me.”
“If this place is full of beasts,” Kiyanna said, “there could be an overwhelming force inside.”
Mencari nodded. “We know from our last encounter with the beasts, they’re susceptible to mental attacks.”
“Katen took them all out with one shot,” Allia added.
“He’ll use the mental attack to manage any beast that attacks,” Mencari continued. “Once this threat is neutralized, we’ll invade the main structure….”
The view of the station zoomed, stripping away the outer hull and exposing a skeleton of levels. “Using a composition of Decreta’s memories and analysis by the Wise Men, we’ve approximated floor plans. Wave three focuses on collection of converted Nukari beasts, and destruction of the station. Una will shuttle in the rest of the team: Dane, Osuto, Cogeni, and Nikko. My ship, controlled by Mini-T, will also join. Once Decreta and Katen have identified beasts that will join us, we’ll load them into our ships. Mini-T and Bob will then cause the station to self-destruct. If that doesn’t work, we’ll fall back to plan B.”
“So we’re going in alone? No support ships? No heavy ordinance on our vessels?” Kiyanna said.
“Ghn’en has been unreachable, so Eden’s Be’Inaxi fleet is out. Toriko still has her ship with her, otherwise its robot form would have been a great help,” Mencari said. “But, Varen of the Nomads has pledged their support. We want to minimize casualties. As we start wave three they’ll bring in their Nomadic defense fleet. They’ll assist in taking out the station.”
Kiyanna snorted. “We need more than that in the future. At the very least I’m bringing my bike.”
“I understand your concern. I haven’t seen the full Nomad fleet, but Varen assures it’s a sizable force, even after the Nukari attacked them.”
“You have too many soft factors, Rhysus. This mission is poorly planned. Next time, I’m on strategy and logistics—”
“We’d appreciate it,” Mencari said.
“If at any point we encounter a plan-breaking barrier, we improvise, adapt, and overcome, or abort the mission,” Osuto added.
“But why this now?” Kiyanna asked. “Why not hit the Nukari’s central command when we find it?”
“If their beast forces are intact when we attack the central command, our task will be infinitely more difficult,” Osuto said. “The beasts alone have proven difficult adversaries.”
“We also might be able to grow our forces with more like Decreta and Katen,” Mencari said.
“And what if the other beasties don’t wanna change sides?” Naijen said.
“We take them out.”
Naijen bellowed, “Now you’re talking!”
“Be in the bay and ready to head out in one hour,” Mencari said.
A tense silence fell over the group as they headed out of the meeting room. Even Naijen, though his body language was anything but somber. He oozed anticipation.
“No word from Toriko or Eyani yet,” Mencari said quietly to Osuto as the last of the team left.
“I’m sure they just have their hands full. It’s happened before.”
“She’s always responded to hails. Mini-T can’t even get through. It’s not like Toriko.”
“Just focus on the mission. This is a big one.”
Mencari took a deep breath and blew it out. “You know, I keep thinking I should feel something—be excited or scared. All I feel is numb.”
“Enjoy it. Chances are, before long, that’s all you’ll want to feel.”
* * * * *
Toriko …
A memory of her friend flashed through Allia’s mind while she watched the asteroid base shrink into the distance. It didn’t seem that long ago when Toriko left Moonbase Alpha to take Maro and the others back to Tericn. Afterward, Toriko planned to stop at Eden headquarters inside the Be’Inaxi Trading Post to help Jika. Allia remembered Toriko walking proudly through the airlock, Spark bounding about her feet. She looked so confidant and excited. It was a real change from when they first met. An eerie feeling overcame Allia when she recalled Toriko’s departing phrase, “Wish me luck.”
She didn’t know why, but as the memory faded a powerful wave of sadness washed over her. Her hands pressed against the port window as she gazed in the direction of their now-distant home. The feeling was intense. Her eyes began to burn and tears welled.
Maybe I’m just nervous.
She shook away the feeling and diverted her thoughts to her training.
* * * * *
“Bob and I are making rapid progress,” Mini-T reported. Mencari’s eyes were fixed on the displays scrolling with updates. He, along with the team, waited in silence to begin the next phase.
Projections of both Mini-T and Bob hovered before them. Though, Bob remained strangely motionless, while Mini-T provided the updates. It was unusual to not see Bob more animated. Perhaps the mission was taking all his processing power for once?
“We’ve been able to bring down their communications array, making it look like hardware failure,” Mini-T said. “But there’s some crazy firewalls around key systems. I wish I had access to Eden’s databases. This would be so much easier. Both Bob and I feel like we’re missing part of ourselves.”
“What about Decreta and Katen?” Mencari said.
“They were able to use their spatial distortions to warp back out,” Mini-T replied. “They should be returning to you any moment.”
“Have you brought down the external defenses yet?” Osuto asked.
“Still working on it. It’s one of the systems with a big firewall from the rest of their network. In reviewing the facility, they have a squad of ten fighters in their bay. I think I can make sure they never launch, though. Internal defenses are primarily security doors, and the ability to open compartments to open space.”
“Neither of which will slow us down,” Seigie said.
A hiss from the rear airlock made Mencari shudder. With a quick look back he saw Decreta and Katen enter. “Good work guys—”
“Still trying to break into the research data,” Mini-T said. “I’m also working on scanning the rest of the station. Their internal sensors seem pretty rudimentary, for what I’m used to anyway.”
“Got it!” Bob chirped. “Though, they’ll likely interpret another major hardware failure as an attack and not a coincidental happenstance. I do suggest haste in the operation.”
“Hit it, Una!” Mencari said.
* * * * *
The ship had just exited tunnel travel when the airlock opened, flooded with golden light. With powerful auras, Mencari led Cerna, Naijen, Speru, Seigie, Allia, and Ichini into space. Mencari noticed Kiyanna jettison from the ship on her hoverbike. A pulsing light from the top of the jellyfish-like
dome drew his gaze.
Bob’s voice rattled through their communicators. “Warning! Additional weapons discovered! Evasive maneuvers recommended!”
The ship rolled and dove, lightly grazed by a beam fired from a still-glowing cannon atop the station.
“I thought you had control of the systems!” Mencari yelled.
“Apologies, it appears there were additional, isolated systems I was not aware of,” Bob chirped.
“They’re trying to break our lockout of the weapons systems,” Mini-T warned.
“Seigie, come with me. We’ll take out the other defenses. Kiyanna, destroy their communications array. The rest of you, take out those fighters! Mini-T is opening the bay doors now,” Mencari yelled as the team broke ranks in streaks of light.
He heard Naijen yell, “Playtime!” as the warrior burst into the lead.
“Regrouping at the staging point,” Una said as a beam shot ahead of the ship. A massive, swirling vortex of power appeared. The ship plunged into the safety of the tunnel system.
The two cannons atop the station glowed and fired. The bulky blast flew harmlessly past Seigie and Mencari into empty space. A battery of four turrets alternated fire. The pair easily dodged the blasts, and closed in.
Seigie loaded two red and one yellow crystal into her wrist launcher. Mencari’s blaster, set to full power, rang with a high pitch. They were just about to attack, when a searing heat followed a bright flash off Mencari’s right side. His vision blurred; vertigo overcame him. With hands locked on his head, he crumpled forward.
“Rhysus!” Seigie yelled.
His golden field flared against a second and third flash. He tumbled through space, confused. He tried to shake off the spinning sensation.
Regaining control, he noticed additional cannons, ones hidden among the spikes along the dome. Whoever controlled them waited for Mencari to get close before opening fire. Luckily, Mencari’s D’mok field protected him.
“Take the top, I’ll take the side ones!” he yelled.
As he dashed to attack the lower cannons, he noticed flashes followed by a hail of shrapnel blasting from the station’s bay. Good. Of all the problems they faced, there was now one less.
“They’re sending out beast teams,” Mini-T cried. “They’re deploying from the lower tentacles under the main dome!”
* * * * *
“Here they come!” Mencari yelled through the communicator. They came down in a swarm from the underbelly of the station, before fanning out. “Katen, Speru, Cerna, do your thing!”
Katen looked out, amazed by the sheer number of his brethren. Together with Speru’s boosting, and Cerna’s augmentation, he would reach their minds. He’d free them from their bonds.
“I’m ready,” Speru said, blazing like a silver sun. Katen’s aura grew as he turned to Cerna.
Focusing his psionic energies, he directed them at Cerna. She gasped as Speru’s empowering skill coalesced with Katen’s energies. He saw cracks of light pulse beneath her skin, and her eyes burn with power. She turned toward the attacking horde and shrieked. Countless threads of energy erupted from her, winding madly across space, striking each beast, some multiple times.
Katen’s consciousness folded inward as time nearly stopped. His mind ran through the million tethers to the minds of his fellow beasts. He shuddered as he touched mind after mind, and found anything but what he expected. Time flowed normally again as he opened his eyes.
“What have they done!” he moaned in agony. Exasperated, unable to speak further, he transmitted his findings mentally to Decreta, who bellowed like a new widower.
“What’s going on?” Mencari yelled.
“They’ve taken their minds—their souls!” Katen shrilled. “They’re shells … driven only by instinct.”
“Everyone, engage at will!” Mencari barked through the communicator.
* * * * *
Mencari shouted, “Bob, Mini-T, activate the station defenses but target Nukari beasts.”
Mini-T said, “That might take ti—”
“Do it!”
Mencari looked for the brightest silver glow among the flocks of enemies. Spotting it, he dove at it with as much speed as he could take. Calling through his communicator he yelled, “Speru, I need your power!”
Seeing his approach, the boy’s field began to pulse rapidly.
Mencari focused his energies, tucking into a ball and tumbling toward the boy. As he drew nearer, he felt power surging through his body. In his mind he pictured his golden field washing with blood-red light.
Every cell in his body tingled as he unfurled next to Speru. As he’d envisioned, Mencari’s golden D’mok field now radiated blood-red. Along with it came the sensation of gravity hundreds of times stronger than before. He clenched his fists, commanding the energies to swirl about him. Like moths to flame, the swarms of beasts were drawn to him. They attacked with rays of energy from their mouths and hands, and circled like vultures in ever-increasing numbers. Mencari’s boosted field held without waver. Those allies nearest him were surrounded in protective red spheres of energy. He recalled R’oden’s words from his training back on Speru’s world: Now let it all go at once.
The universe around him flashed red as his hellish power exploded outward, washing harmlessly around his allies. The closest beasts were incinerated instantly. Others had limbs blown off, or were catapulted unconscious into space.
“Yeah!” Naijen bellowed, flying up to Speru.
A hot white beam of energy swept across space as Naijen unloaded his own Speru-charged attack. The beam cleaved clean through everything in its path.
In the distance Mencari noticed Allia and Ichini projecting their own beams in tandem. Kiyanna buzzed through space on her rocket bike, taking out beasts with single head-shots. Cogeni used his radiant Demas Beads to trap creatures in light, while Nikko’s powerful legs sent blades of energy tearing through their bodies. Decreta’s breath weapon blasted through his mindless brethren.
“We got it!” Mini-T cheered while Mencari felt bursts of static whiz past, as bolts of plasma fired from the station’s own weapons annihilated the creatures.
* * * * *
Dismayed and desperate, Katen collapsed his consciousness inward, entering mindtime. He turned to Fio’tro and Fia’ra to boost his mental abilities, and extended his enhanced cosmic senses over the station. Was every brother and sister lobotomized? Could the Nukari be so cruel? Was their no limit to their crimes against creation?
Then he felt it. A warm light, a beacon. Something, somewhere deep inside the station. His senses reached further.
No, not just one, but many.
There were still kindred like him. Emerging from his altered state, he glowered and said, “I found sentience.”
* * * * *
“Sensor shows a buildup of Nukari droids by the airlock,” Mini-T warned. “Same signatures as on Ruul.”
Mencari twitched. Of course. This was a Nukari facility. Those killer droids would be here too. “Can you hack them?”
“Already are—the ones we turned are fighting for us. Each time we turn one, the others adapt. We’ll keep trying though.”
Mencari remembered when Toriko used a similar hacking tactic, back on the asteroid mine where Ujaku was besieged by mercenaries. Those robots also adapted. Luckily Bob and Mini-T were infinitely faster than their flesh-and-blood creators.
“Let’s open this tin can!” Naijen yelled, unleashing a beam that slashed across the hull. The breach hissed before explosive decompression ripped open the station, flinging a horde of robots into space.
The tumbling masses were the same spider-like creations from Ruul, each with half a dozen legs and three tentacle arms. A neck guard fastened a silvery cap to a domed head with the red sensor eyes.
To Mencari’s horror, discs on the droids’ feet began to glow. They turned, reorienting their legs toward the station’s metal exterior. They appeared drawn by an invisible force back, clinking as they touched down
.
Magnetism? Mencari wondered.
Before he could ponder further, flails of energy lashed at the group, scattering them. Their saving grace, the flailing appeared to have a finite distance they could travel. The group maintained a safe distance, and picked off the robots until they were nothing but junk parts floating in space. Somehow they seemed less intimidating now than when Mencari first encountered them. “Una, bring the rest of the team. Phase three!”
“Security doors are down,” Mini-T confirmed while Mencari and the others floated through the breached airlock. Soldiers massed just beyond, all geared up for space.
Unlike the robots, Nukari soldiers wouldn’t last long exposed directly to space.
“Our earlier maps weren’t too far off,” Mini-T said, projecting revisions to the station’s architectural schematics before Mencari. “We have new floor plans directly from their system.”
Bob added, “Decreta and Katen have also identified an area of the station dome which they believe has others like them. Consequently, the Nukari’s own maps have that area labeled ‘habitats’.”
“Help us clear a path to them,” Mencari said. “And find the fastest route to an airlock from the habitats too. Relay the position to Una so she knows where to come pick us up.”
“Affirmative!” Bob chirped.
“The Nomads are closing in,” Una said through the communicator.
“Bob and I are working on the best way to destroy the station,” Mini-T said as the group continued on. “There’s a number of firewalls and non-networked systems related to the generators. We haven’t been able to find a control path for us to use yet—”
A flash of light preceded a swirling vortex of energy. Dane, Cogeni, and Nikko vaulted out of the ship and joined Mencari. Kiyanna also docked back on the ship, and returned to the team. Nikko flew over, concern on her face. “Osuto wasn’t looking good. He agreed to stay with Una on the ship.” Mencari nodded. “He can support us from there.”
D'mok Revival: The Nukari Invasion Anthology Page 87