"L! What the fuck!" Phoenix said, rolling onto his hands and knees to protect his face.
"I'm sorry, Phoenix, I just wanted to make sure that you were awake and properly hydrated."
"The coughing and spluttering couldn't tell you that?" Phoenix asked, wiping his face clean with the sleeve of his arm.
"I just wanted to make sure," L whined.
"Well, I'm up and alive. Thank you for all your help. In the future, if I'm coughing, then I still have some fight left in me." Phoenix got to his feet. "What a mess."
The bridge was littered with bits of loose metal and hanging wires. Scorch marks could be seen on more than one panel. Emergency lights dotted around the floor gave the bridge some light. Kai and Plowstow looked the worse for wear, sitting in a corner with their heads between their legs.
"How are you two doing?" asked Phoenix. He got nothing but a pair of muffled responses. "That good, huh? Where's Saoirse?"
"Right behind you."
Phoenix turned to see she was kitted out in her black combat gear. Hunting knifes were strapped to her sides and pistols were holstered at her hips. She checked over the rifle in her hands. Giving herself a small nod, she looked up at him with a smile.
"You should have saved yourself instead of thinking about me. I was already secured to my chair, you weren't." Phoenix was about to open his mouth but stopped when Saoirse held up her hand. "Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome. Now, tell me how bad things are," Phoenix said between L, Saoirse and Freyan.
"Well, good-looking, the ship is completely dead," said L. "I'm talking no shields, no weapons, no engines, no security measures--nothing. As far as I can tell, the planet's atmosphere is a bitch and is killing us dead in the water."
"How long till you can get her up and running again?" asked Phoenix.
L clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth before answering. "An hour. Maybe two."
"How far are we from Holger's compound?" Phoenix asked Saoirse.
"Two hours, maybe a little less, if we push the pace."
"Perfect. L, I want this baby up and running in an hour."
"Phoenix, do you know how long--"
"The less you complain, the quicker you can get the job done, right?"
L said nothing as she put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
"Once the ship is up and running, I want you to come and get me and Saoirse from the compound. Lay down as much fire as you can. Destroy any ship that gets in your path. I want mayhem," said Phoenix.
L just raised an eyebrow at him, not moving a muscle.
"L, go! We'll be in touch over the holocom," Phoenix said to her retreating back. "How's our patient, Doc?"
"Our little crash landing didn't have any effect on him, if that's what you're asking. When I felt the explosions I sedated him, so he wouldn't injure himself. He's still out," said Freyan.
"Good, good. Keep an eye on him while we are away." Phoenix patted Freyan on the shoulder. "Saoirse, you ready?"
"What do you think?" she said with a smile.
"Plowstow, keep watch over the others. Our little landing will be sure to bring attention this way, so do what you can. We'll take care of the rest," Phoenix said, walking off the bridge with Saoirse in tow.
48
Phoenix and Saoirse trekked through the undergrowth, trying to cause as little disturbance as possible. Phoenix twisted his head left and right as he took in the scenery around him. The trees were so vibrantly green they hurt the eyes when stared at for too long. Moss covered every surface.
Phoenix could feel the very hairs on his skin stand up on end. His teeth felt on edge, as he moved his head left to right.
He turned to face Saoirse and almost fell over laughing. Her jet-black hair had taken on a life of its own. It no longer rested flat to her back, but did its best to impersonate a member of a punk rock band.
"It's the electricity in the air," Saoirse said, waiting for him to finish.
Phoenix wiped a tear from his eye and shook his head. As they continued on their journey, the scenery grew weirder by the minute. Glowing blue snake-like creatures floated in the air. What appeared to be a monkey, but with orange eyes, pointed a glowing finger at them before it took off into the trees.
"Do you think this is wise?" Saoirse asked.
"Wise?" Phoenix repeated, looking at her over his shoulder.
"This course of action that we are about to take. It is a great honour that you would want me by your side, but this does appear foolhardy. Only two of us against Holger's considerable force? That doesn't bode well for us," said Saoirse.
"You're not having second thoughts, are you?"
"Yes. It would be foolish not to. I do hope that you have a detailed plan of attack."
Phoenix burst out laughing. "Saoirse, when do I ever have a detailed plan of attack? Between me and you, I just make this shit up as I go along. Life tends to destroy the best-laid plans. One thing that life has taught me is that nothing stays the same. Everything changes, everything moves."
Saoirse looked at him, her lips pressed in a thin line. "That...information is...not what one wants to hear when going into battle."
"Have I ever got us into something that I didn't think we could get out of?"
Saoirse didn't say anything but kept on walking.
"Saoirse, trust me."
"I wouldn't be here if--"
Phoenix dived Saoirse's way, tackling her to the ground as plasma fire erupted from the trees. It tore the bark off the tree she had been standing in front of a moment before. Shots followed them as they rolled along the ground, diving for cover behind a fallen log.
Phoenix popped his head up, just above the log, but he ducked down again as fire rained down on them.
"Three in the treetops, three on the right, three on the left," Phoenix said, firing blindly over the log. "Can you deal with the ones in the trees?"
"Leave it to me," Saoirse said, climbing the nearest tree as lithely as a cat.
Phoenix marvelled at her ability before turning his attention to the shooters. The dim, foggy atmosphere made visibility low, which suited him just fine. He could see the men signalling to each other to flank him. He allowed a smile to pass his lips as he crept through the undergrowth towards his prey.
He threw two round explosives either side of himself and waited. The enemy moved like silent ghosts through the grass. If it wasn't for Phoenix's night vision, he would have been dead already.
The explosions shook the ground under his feet, and the air was filled with screams. Phoenix covered his head as chunks of dirt and grass rained down around him.
"What the fuck was that?" called a voice in the distance.
"We're hit! Take cover."
"My leg, my fucking leg!" someone wailed in the night.
"Do we have a visual on the attacker?" yelled someone else.
Phoenix allowed the dirt that had fallen on and around him to act as camouflage. He stilled his breathing and waited for the right moment.
But Saoirse got there before him, as he heard shouts and screams come from the treetops. Two bodies dropped to the ground with a sickening crunch that echoed through the trees.
A third body jumped from the treetops and landed on the ground. Rolling onto his shoulders, he was up and running like the hounds of hell were after him. "They're in the trees, they're in the trees!" he screamed, clutching a wounded arm.
A knife sailed through the air and embedded itself into his eye socket as he turned to point at the treetops. He collapsed to the ground, his arm still raised, finger still pointing.
No one moved. No one said a word. All was silent as the enemy stared at the treetops in horror. Phoenix could almost hear the heartbeats pounding against chests. The silence stretched out, waiting to be broken.
Still no one moved.
As one, the guns spat out their fiery fury into the treetops. Animals screamed, men yelled in frustration, and leaves bust into flame, but no targets were hit
or came tumbling out of the treetops.
Phoenix lifted both his pistols up slowly and took careful aim. Squeezing the triggers, he shot four men in the blink of an eye. He got up from his place of cover and made a run for safety; his location had been compromised.
Shots peppered the soil at his feet, and tree bark exploded close to his head. Ducking and dodging, he launched himself over another log. He rested his back against it, watching flashes of green erupt from the treetops.
Then all was silent again.
Phoenix took a peek over the log. He didn't see any movement.
"It's all clear," a voice shouted above him.
Phoenix got to his feet as just as Saoirse jumped down from a tree next to him. She gave him a nod, as they both checked each and every body on the ground.
None were alive.
"Do you think they've sent reinforcements towards the ship?" asked Phoenix.
"It's impossible to say. This could be but a fraction of their main force, but if Holger knows that someone has come for him, I think he would keep the bulk of his force to defend him. It would be the most logical and cowardly thing to do."
Phoenix nodded and looked over his shoulder to where they had left the ship. Even with his enhanced vision, the trees had swallowed all evidence of it. Closing his eyes, he listened for any sound of gunfire, but all was quiet.
"I suggest we hide the bodies. It's better for us if they don't know what happened to their men. Discord is a powerful tactical advantage," said Saoirse.
Phoenix nodded again and followed her lead. It took longer than they anticipated, but they stripped weapons, supplies and explosives from their fallen enemies as they worked.
"I think that should do it--"
The roar that cut Phoenix off sent chills down his spine. It silenced the forest around them. Phoenix looked towards Saoirse, whose wide-eyed gaze matched his. Phoenix turned in a circle but could see no threat. The silence that returned was deafening.
Sweat trickled down into the small of Phoenix's back, as he turned to stand back to back with Saoirse.
Still nothing.
Maybe it was further away than we thought.
The pounding of paws along the ground echoed through the air. Something was coming, and it was big.
49
Phoenix gripped his pistols and faced the incoming monstrosity. The creature roared once more, the sound of branches and trees breaking like gunfire as it made its way towards him.
A creature that looked like it could be a distant cousin of the polar bear came through the trees towards them. Its green fur puffed out, and the horns on the top of its head gave Phoenix pause. As the thing opened its mouth once more, he saw canines as long as his hand, dripping with saliva.
Phoenix aimed his pistol towards it and fired off a few rounds, but none hit the thing; it moved with speed. Phoenix and Saoirse dodged out of the way, and it came crashing past them, jaws snapping at the space where they had stood. The beast spun on its paws and turned around to face Phoenix once more.
Phoenix looked for Saoirse but there was no sign of her. His attention left the beast for only a moment but that was all it took. It came running towards him, covering the distance between them in seconds. Phoenix just had time to jump out of the way as vicious claws swiped his way.
He rolled to one side and leapt to his feet, firing at the beast. Two shots hit it, but did nothing but anger the beast even more. Phoenix turned and ran for all he was worth. Bringing his pistol up over his shoulder, he fired at the creature blindly. He needed to create some distance, but the thing was too fast and plasma bolts didn't pack a big enough punch to stop it.
He ran through the forest, the crashing behind him spurring him on. His legs felt like lead, and his breathing was laboured, but he dared not stop. He glanced back over his shoulder, and the roar that the creature bellowed sent spittle flying towards him. It was the only motivation he needed to keep on pushing forward.
"Saoirse! You still alive?"
No answer. He was pretty sure she wasn't injured, but he couldn't tell amongst the chaos around him. Phoenix's head snapped back, as a branch threatened to take his head clean off. White dots danced in front of his eyes as he tried to make sense of the direction he was running unsteadily in.
He could hear the creature close behind him; every twig it broke called for his demise. Phoenix kept on pushing forward, shaking his head to clear it, but the spots still remained. His foot caught on a root and he lost his balance. He fell towards the ground, taking the impact on his shoulder, and rolled onto his back to see the beast before him.
It reared up on its hind legs and roared its fury. Its hot rancid breath washed over him in waves. Phoenix brought his hands up but noticed that they were empty. Both his pistols lay out of reach.
Saoirse leapt from the treetops, her black hair trailing behind her. She landed on the thing's back, embedding her knives in its neck. The beast howled as it tried to shake Saoirse off, but she clung on, teeth bared like a demon hunting its prey. Pulling one knife free, she plunged it back into the creature's back, yelling in anger.
Phoenix rolled onto his feet and picked up both his pistols. He tried to take aim, but whenever he readied to fire, Saoirse's body seemed to move into his sights.
"What are you waiting for?" Saoirse shouted, still clinging on for dear life.
"I can't get a clear shot!"
Saoirse grunted in pain as she was whipped from the beast's back and sent flying into the undergrowth. Phoenix didn't waste a second; he opened fire on the creature. He aimed for its head and held the trigger down. It roared again and began to charge, but Phoenix held his ground.
Plasma bolts flew from his pistols, heating the barrels until they glowed red. But still the beast kept on coming. Phoenix took one step back, then another, then another. He yelled in anger as the thing came towards him.
Phoenix dropped his aim to its legs, shooting them out from under it. The beast crashed to the ground and came to a stop inches from Phoenix's feet. It began to rise, but Phoenix stomped his boot down on its neck and fired into its roaring mouth.
He only eased his finger off the trigger after all movement had ceased.
"You fought well, as always, Phoenix," Saoirse said, walking towards him.
"You know me--always on standby when damsels need a helping hand," Phoenix gasped, chest heaving, mouth dry. He tried to hide the shaking of his hands as he placed his pistols back in their holsters.
"Yes, you are," Saoirse said, slapping him on the back. "You are lucky you didn't take another step backwards."
Phoenix looked behind him and was shocked to see a ravine with a raging river at its bottom. "I was lucky indeed--"
Neither of them was prepared for another of the bear creatures crashing through the trees before them. It came forward in a bound and a leap, and Phoenix saw its target but there was nothing he could do.
As its snapping jaws flew towards them, Phoenix willed his nanobot-fuelled muscles to move faster. He felt like his limbs were stuck in jelly, as he turned towards Saoirse and tried to push her out of the way. But it was too late, as the beast tackled her and took both her and it over the ravine edge and down into the murky waters below.
50
A knock at the door interrupted Holger's fun. He let out a sigh as he traced his finger along the suspended body that hung from the ceiling before him. Another knock came, this time louder.
Holger allowed his hands to drop to his sides before facing the door. "What!"
"An unmarked ship has entered the planet's atmosphere, my lord. The defence missiles caused it to crash, but we don't know if there were any survivors. I have sent out a team to investigate," said a voice through the door.
Holger's breathing hastened as panic crawled in his stomach. He closed his eyes and licked his lips. "Any ship that enters the atmosphere hasn't got the capabilities to stay airborne very long. If there are survivors, I doubt they will survive on the ground for very long either. My moun
tain bears will see to that."
"We sent out a team to investigate, but there has been no contact with them since they left. It could be the weather, my lord, as that does have an effect on the communications."
Holger's head dropped to his chest; he felt the panic begin to grow. They couldn't have survived, could they? Pacing back and forth, he bit his nails while he tried to settle his breathing. "Send out another... No, cancel that order! I want all men out in the field to gather back at base. I want this place locked down and fortified. No one comes in or goes out. Is that understood?"
"Yes, my lord... Err, there is another matter that needs your attention," said the voice through the door.
"Which is?"
"Ajax has been trying to contact you again, sir. He says that it is important and must be discussed--"
"I don't have time for the likes of him, right now! There are things afoot that need my--and your--attention. Like that ship out there, that could very well be sending enemies here to destroy me. To take what I have worked so hard for. Make that your focus! Better yet, make it everyone's focus! My plans can't be ruined by some lowborn scum," said Holger.
"Understood, my lord."
The footsteps moved away from his door, and Holger walked towards the woman hanging from his ceiling. Bruises had already started to form on her body where she had been beaten repeatedly. Blood dripped from a cut above her brow, splattering to the floor.
Holger lifted her head up and tapped her on the cheek so her eyes focused on him. "They think me stupid. They think me lazy. No one treats me with the respect that I deserve. I see how they look at me, like I am something they stepped in and need to wipe off. But once my reign over this family begins, then they will all fear me."
He took wiped some blood off the side of her face with his index finger, popping it into his mouth. Holger closed his eyes as he allowed the taste to coat his tongue.
"Hmm, they will all pay. Before I am done, the Council themselves will bow down at my feet. No one shall be spared."
Revenge: (Space Outlaw 3) Page 17