by Marcus Sloss
If we were doing it, then they—
A squibble with its sled darted through the portal. The angle was crap and the speed of the turn was too much. The shielding cracked as the rider and sled tumbled. The gravity sled’s bottom faced us when it came to a halt. The tank gunner had been patient.
Crack! The interior of the RV shook from the concussive force.
The round screamed before slamming into the gravity shield with a booming force. The sled and the ride shot into the air toward the portal. I raced to the passenger seat to see it live. The alien was still soaring through the air as it was flung hundreds of feet into the sea. I swiveled my head to see the aliens getting ready to flood into the portal with prisoners, consequences be damned. They wanted to get home. Too bad for them, because the southern portal flickered before going gray.
Thud! Crash! And a rattling of the ground. Xgate 232 was locked down with the northern portal active. We had won the race. Time to be Vikings.
I dialed into my military command channel on the Gpad for our joint operation. “Mission Corral the DinDin is a go. I say again, Mission Corral the DinDin is a go.”
The ten hours of lazy, slow driving following an Xgate kicked into overdrive. Tires flung gravel, gunners stood at the ready, and I grinned at the sight.
Dedric yelled out, “Yeehaw!”
My Gpad was counting down. We ripped across the gravelly terrain of the Rockies. I shifted forward to crane my neck to peer up. I couldn’t help it when I was close to the Xgate. The south side flew by, as did the east. A wide U-turn had us driving into the blue with an Aspen truck on our left.
The moment we were on Savannah One I felt the gravity adjust on my translator. Dedric peeled us to the right. Aspen vehicles kicked up the soft dirt into billowing clouds as they went left. My teams were loaded with trailers so we could secure the manufacturing equipment. I used the rearview mirrors to see that the majority of our forces were through.
“Go,” I said to Dedric. I craned my neck to holler to Nancy, “Release the drones, please.”
Our team was on a straight drive for the bunker. I left my seat to stand in the small stairwell of RV3. I triggered my shielding to on. My left hand grasped my close-range nitrogen gun. My right hand grasped the rifle. They both flared to life after finding power.
“Sixty seconds!” Dedric shouted from the driver seat. “Thirty seconds.”
The clings, clangs, and smacks on the exterior steel alloy rang inside the RV. Well, the turrets were still active. The projectile rounds were not getting through the exterior.
“RVs to the front; rest of the convoy stays back!” I ordered.
We arrived by the turrets that were slinging pebbles into the RV. Dedric had pulled us extremely close to the automated weapons. I hopped out of the RV and dashed to the back corner, using it for cover. My left arm lined up the turret. My mind told the weapon to fire and a massive blast of energy melted the first set of barrels. Three more to go. I waited for a short recharge. My troops were too efficient compared to my recharge time. The other RVs belched out disabling fire. All four of the auto turrets protecting the bunker were melted or smashed.
“RVs, pull back. I want trailers being backed up for easy loading!” I ordered.
There was a double set of heavy steel doors. Soldiers attacked the exterior hinges with torch cutters. The glow was bright red until there was the sound of the hinges falling to the rough ground. The doors collapsed forward with a loud thud with only a slight tug from a chain. A soldier behind a heavy shield stepped into the doorway opening. The smacking of rounds crashed into the shield. Troops leaned out to disable the incoming fire.
The lead soldier walked forward. Mclain’s team was on point. His sergeants pushed troops into the breach. I was not sure what I would find. Well, a barley-type growing operation, sure. In my head, I pictured a dark, musty place with hooks in the ceiling managing the tedious work. Nope.
I was in a stark white warehouse that went for miles and miles. I stepped back outside to figure out the design. Then it hit me.
“Drone teams, the auto feeders are built on the surface and then covered in dirt. We will find more if you look for that. Also, this unit had four external turrets, two internal. Find me more. Bravo Team, you have the next bunker.”
I went back into the warehouse to study the automation. It was not too different from how our cattle farmers had adjusted to the end of the 2020s. The initial growing was for seed regeneration. I wish Norm was here to tell me what kind of seeds these were. I called them barley for now. Tan-colored barley stalks were grown until they produced lush heads of seeds. There must have been thirty seeds per head and three heads per stalk, meaning a single seed was making a hundred more seeds—give or take. A conveyor belt separated the seeds from the stalk. A few followed a small belt to enter a container to start the cycle all over again. The rest went down the line to enter a short growth section. These second lines were vertical farming trays in various stages. I watched a ready-to-go six-inch growth spill onto a different belt. That belt sent the new, fresh green growth to a compactor. That compactor had a dozen conveyor lines leading to the surface.
I let out a whistle as the hum of automation sounded throughout the facility. Everything I saw was done hundreds of times. The amount of feed being produced was staggering. There were variations of seeds too. How was I going to loot this all? Shit, now I wished I had Braxton here.
“Six, Alpha One,” Mclain said.
“Go.”
“We found the power source. A generator of some kind. Translator is drawing a blank. There are no wires anywhere. Not sure how the power is getting from A to B. Hmm… Recommendations?”
“Do not shut it off. These machines… I am thinking about how to move them. Or do we strip the best parts and trash the rest?”
“Six, Bravo One, new location identified. Disabling defenses now,” Slister said.
“Drone One, this is Six. Did you find the pattern?” I asked.
“Yes, there are three total. Sending third location now.”
I checked my Gpad. The three bunkers created a massive circle of feeding stations.
“Aspen actual, this is Mansion actual,” I said over the Aspen radio.
“Go,” Reinhardt replied with a crackle. The bunker must be affecting our connection.
“Unless we figure out how this alien power works, we will not be feeding these animals we get home the same way. I am planning on stripping the best parts, then designing our own systems. Assuming whatever you haul back survives long term, anyway.”
“Understood most of that, Aspen out.”
I sighed. These machines were amazing. It would be a travesty to smash them for their rare metals. These were the hard decisions only the boss could make. Their parts would not go in vain. A new position just opened up: the automator.
I keyed up my Gpad to talk to my troops only. “Leave the third bunker alone so we can effectively loot. Gut the brainboxes, generators, and a few samples of seeds. We have forty-one minutes remaining. Hurry up. If we have time and space, shift to random metal after. Everyone loaded up with twenty minutes on the timer.”
I received acknowledgements on my Gpad from my team leaders. Jevon found me walking out of the bunker.
“Any activity from the ocean?” I asked my executive officer.
“Nothing. The Aspen teams already shifted a big herd through. They are pushing two further groups into the portal as we speak. The question becomes, do we fight the squibbles wanting to get home, or fall back with our gains?”
“We fight them. They are trapped. That is to our benefit. Also, they killed Paul. If we can get the upper hand, then we do so. Their mistake is our gain. When we get home, detach trailers in a central spot and prepare to fight,” I said, reaching RV3.
With the minimal defenses defeated and my inspection complete, it was time to be the overseeing commander. Jevon left to ensure our troops were working effectively. Willow was at the table watching the drone
feeds as I entered the RV. My butt slid across the booth to join her. I checked my Gpad for alerts. There were low-priority updates. The generators had push buttons. When they were shut off, the teams inside had to turn on backup lighting. Brainboxes were found, with the locations on machines being distributed.
The drone feeds showed both bunkers having streams of soldiers tossing components into the back of trailers. The pacing was quick as everyone hustled. Well, everyone besides my lazy butt watching everyone else work. Yes, it bothered me, and yes, I got over the fact. Someone had to watch the big picture.
Nancy returned to RV3 five minutes early. She carried a hefty load of seeds. Soldiers from her team brought clear containers behind her. My eyes barely glanced at them while watching the drones. We finally had activity on the beach. A single squibble scout was watching us. They probably were wondering where their raiding team was.
That was the wrong assessment, as the single scout turned into twenty or so squibbles. Additional units were stuck in the water without grav sleds for land. This further confirmed my theory that this planet was new to the rotation. The enemy watched us from a far distance. When twenty-two minutes hit, the alert went out. Everyone dropped what they were doing and loaded up.
Dedric started the convoy for home. He had to use the overhead drone feed to drive. The Aspen crews had stirred up so much dust pushing the herd animals that the air was clogged. Thank goodness for drones. I watched the convoy moving through the dust with unease. If we had an accident, there would be a lot of issues.
“Nerve wracking,” Willow said from my side. “Plop a seat, Nancy. No use sticking your head out there right now.”
Nancy shifted her gaze to me for approval. I gave her a tight nod. She shimmied out of the loft to join us. The aliens returned to the water; they probably knew we were too far and too many. Well, that was good. At least they did not have infinite gravity sleds to use over land. When we neared the Xgate, the billowing dust cleared magically. Dedric pulled us over to the side without the button. I climbed up the loft and opened the hatch.
Six drones converged on my location. They landed with precision on the RV roof with only the slightest whines of rotors. A few seconds later I had them resting on the loft bed.
“Six recovered,” I shouted down below.
“Heading home,” Dedric shouted back.
I felt the light of the blue overwhelm my senses for the tiniest of moments, and then we were back on Earth.
“Launching drones,” I shouted. I placed the drones on the roof and they lifted off to climb high into the sky. A quick glance showed over a thousand Savannah One animals clogging the landscape.
My Gpad pinged a central location behind some tree cover where Jevon wanted to consolidate the trailers. Our RV was trailer-less, but I wanted to group up regardless. The herds were being pushed south towards Aspen as planned. I had zero desire to care for animals not suited to our weather. We, technically, would get half the meat. I think Reinhardt cared less about long-term sustainment and more about the next ten days. Sorting half of the loot would have to wait for when things calmed.
While a few vehicles kept the herds moving, the rest of us readied for war once our trailers were dropped. The tank was facing the south gate ready to rumble. When we were ready to go, I saw five minutes on the timer. We sped for the tank’s defensive position. At the two-minute mark, that last vehicle with the button pusher was coming home. Mansion troops arrived just as the Xgate lifted off the ground.
A slight jerk started the construct’s roaming again. The washing cascade of teal light returned to the other portals. The squibbles were gone. A shifting head tilt revealed they were not trailing the gate anymore. While we waited, I pulled up the other videos.
The image of Castle One was drifting by weeping willow trees. Quiet was good. I really did not want any issues from them. The Jungle One image was a flaring of greens and browns being consumed by reds and oranges. The crixxi were very likely permanent residents. I sighed, wishing there was more I could do for their home.
“Mansion, this is Aspen. Leaving scouts with airborne drones. Heading home to improve our base and prepare for looting South Denver. I will have the radio on. If I am not around, Major Ulander has command.” Reinhardt sounded tired.
“When you send your team tomorrow morning, I will have half your loot outside the gate waiting for you,” I said, feeling relieved. While I didn’t mind fighting, I was in a sense glad we had avoided a slugfest with the squibbles.
“Want me to add an animal a day to our drop-off?” Reinhardt suggested.
“Every other works. If we get over saturated, we will adjust. I need to build a slaughterhouse now. Which means more tree clearing, additional wiring, lighting, and the tasks go on. I will keep you updated. How do you want to split Denver?”
“I think Colorado Springs might be looting it already. These radios are pretty amazing with their range. We take it slow. Who knows? We might have to fight those lurrol or something worse instead.”
“Now, why did you have to go and say something like that? Mansion out.”
My snicker echoed against the RV walls. I left the table for the bucket passenger seat. Willow activated her shield before climbing up to the perch spot in the loft. No bugs for my princess. I smiled as I plopped into the comfy chair. I kicked my feet up while watching the Gpad feeds.
“Take us to the trailer drop-off and then home, Dedric,” I ordered.
I watched the view of the four portals. The reality of our new life was finally setting in. There would be those eager to kill, maim, and destroy. Others would be trying to hold on to a semblance of life the best they could. Some would hide behind walls in isolation, living their lives without interference. All because some egotistical asshole aliens decided to prevent others from space travel. I wondered who they were. How could they really justify their atrocities? The line of thought left me flustered. I smiled at seeing Dedric beating his thumbs against the steering wheel.
We had achieved another victory in my books. Now was the time to assess what was our next best course of action.
CHAPTER 10
Daphne found me eating dinner at the park bench under the communal dining roof. The area was bustling with light banter while citizens ate large meals. This conversation had been expected; actually, I had been meaning to talk with the leader of our newest faction. She grabbed the bench slot across from me, waiting for me to finish chewing. My delicious fruit and spicy yexin were hitting the spot. I noticed my appetite had increased by a lot, which resulted in my rapidly growing muscles. I reluctantly paused my ravenous eating when Daphne asked her odd question.
“Chief, I come to request approval for our building plans,” Daphne said with a toothy smile. The crixxi had six fanged teeth instead of the human two. While not the most alien thing about them, it also gave me pause. She placed a delicate hand over mine. It was clear she had not toiled in fields or fought with weapons for quite some time. “I assure you this will benefit the tribe.”
“Excuse me? I studied the plans that Perci sent over. You want to build vertical wood towers with platforms in between the longhouses? Why not live in the longhouses?” I asked, seeking clarity. I did notice she was thumbing the back of my hand gingerly. I wondered if in crixxi society it was common to try to woo a man with affection. The crixxi were certainly gorgeous. “Are you flirting with me?”
“Yes, but not for the homes. I am… was… the tribe leader. It is relevant for our transition we at least work closely together. I have found that an attractive male I must engage with is best pleased instead of scorned. I will stop if I have offended.”
She kept her hand where it was. I let her have her fun while her yellow eyes locked to mine seductively. I mostly allowed it because her large, swollen cleavage looked fantastic from this angle. The bonus was the thumb on my hand felt nice.
“I like an audacious woman. You being flirty will not hurt unless the queens get mad. Might want to talk with them abou
t what you are doing and why. But I do not disapprove. Now, onto these towers you want.”
“We are not accustomed to ground dwellings. We can build the structures ourselves. If we were in Crixonia we would simply build in new trees. If we use only available supplies, is that okay?” Daphne asked.
Her explanation landed flat. I understood the desire to do what you were used to. If the roles were reversed, I was sure our people would rather live on the ground than in the trees.
“How about a compromise?” I asked with a smirk.
“What did you have in mind?” Daphne’s yellow eyes stared down her nose at me. I doubted she was accustomed to not being in charge.
“Rush the kitchen, bathhouse, and slaughterhouse, and keep clearing the trees in front of the base. When the essential buildings are complete—”
“Is that all?” Daphne said, as if those tasks were a mere annoyance.
“I am accommodating to my citizens. I like the idea, honestly. Not only does it utilize the square footage to an efficient standard, it also adds a defense platform. I am planning on letting everyone get some rest until the morning,” I said, pointing at the fading sun. We had a few hours of daylight left. “Those are my requirements for your special homes. I still need more from you. To start, let’s talk about the mozala I see scampering about.”
Daphne left her seat. She had swapped from her leather outfit to a skirt and plain pink T-shirt. The tall woman was so human… until you saw a swishing tail. The last of the yexin steak was shoved into my mouth before I decided to follow her. Perci waved from outside the RV. She was talking with a bustier Jill. Even Perci was shifting her chest uncomfortably.
“Your mates. They will continue to change,” Daphne said, watching me gaze longingly at Perci. I wanted to sit with her and watch the sunset. Duty called, so I motioned for Daphne to lead the way. “My tribe was never massive. We always had been on the outskirts of the kingdom. When we lost our last trial by combat I decided to move us onto a new planet first chance I could. A place where our numbers could grow in a hidden forest without conquesting pressure from our neighbors. I will admit, I never expected a planet with such short trees, or to co-live with a compatible species. My translator is telling me human-crixxi children will have a tail but no extra ears.”